The day King Richard died I received a box. A simple wooden box that was to be given to me at the moment my father would breathe his last breath. For the past three days it has been laying quietly undisturbed on the table just before the fireplace. I still could not take the courage and open it. Oddly enough its unknown continence scared me.
Thinking of the box and what it might hold I sit on a throne he once sat on, listening to people pay their respect and saying what a great king he was or how now he is finally with his beloved wife. I knew, we all knew, how difficult things were for him when my mother died. It is said that his heart broke and something died in him too.
Though I was just 4 years old I remember that the day she was laid to rest. Our father kept an odd expression on his face and though he tried to hide it from the rest of the world, to us it was obvious that he was in pain. As much as I ached to have my mother back I could not help but cry for him too. He looked so sad.
Not one day went by that our father did not spend a few hours of the day with us. Throughout the years he was not only our father, but a friend that we could always count on whenever we needed him. His love for us was endless.
He was a great King and as his heir I was given the honor to learn from him. As long as I could remember my brother and I were always at his side through every meeting with the council he had and even when he visited the grounds the two of us were with him. He believed that with life nothing was fixed and we should prepare for an eventuality.
With my sisters he would knit and make poppets. Like our mother would often do. He loved them dearly and said that in each one of them he saw a little of our mother.
The best part of my day was when father would sit with us all and tell us stories of our mother. For a few hours each night she came alive.
And now he too was gone and his box laid on that table, calling for me. I could not take this hypocrisy any longer. I wanted them out. I wanted to mourn my father alone with my family. Something these people did not understand.
I stood and strongly spoke. "If you will excuse us. We would like to be alone." The room was vacated and my sisters, Charles and I were alone. "Our father left me a box that I have yet to open. Wait and I will bring it to open it with you."
When walked back into the room I placed the box in Margaret's hands. As the oldest it was more than normal that she should open it. We sat around her and held our breaths as she delicately finally opened the box.
Inside laid a letter and beneath it two books, diaries. Our parents' diaries. While Elisabeth held our mother's diary Charles held our father's private diary. We passed around the books and held their word and thoughts in our hands. I took the letter and read it out loud.
My Darling Children,
I know you are grieving me and the pain in your heart might blind you, but with the love you have for one another the ache in your hearts will be less.
You are all my greatest accomplishments and without you by my side I do not think I could have survived these past 14 years. Your mother's death was very difficult and nearly killed me. But I had promised her that I would take care of you till my dying day and that is what I did.
Like my father was to me I tried to be a loving father. I tried to be a friend and to you my darling daughters I even tried to be a mother. In no way possible was I ever trying to replace your mother, but guide you as best as I could. To me...to us you are our priority.
Our biggest hope is for all of our children to have the kind of love and life that your mother and I had. To go through life without the complete support of your husband or wife is something we dearly hoped would never happen to you.
I held as long as I could, but I could no longer live this life without her. The pain was too much to bear.
Each one of you is a part of me of her and seeing the people you have become has made me the proudest father in the world.
One thing I ask of you, My Dearest Children, is that you be faithful to each other. Your brother, Your King, will need you by his side. Do not let him forget the importance of having a family strongly united. Respect him, honor him and love him as you have done so all these years. He might be king, but he is your brother and there will be times when he will need a reminder.
Know that I am at peace and it will not be long before I am again in your mother's arms. And from the heavens above we will always watch over you.
These books are for you to read individually or together. There are many things I have not shared of your mother and me, but you should know.
Be the best men and women you are destined to be. Love each other. Protect each other and above all do not ever forget us.
Always,
Your loving father
As tradition would have it a week after my father died we put him to rest right next to our mother. After 14 years they were finally together once again.
That night we went to our old room and sat together each taking a turn reading out loud a chapter in our parents' life. There were often passages that were difficult to read.
Because of their story my siblings and I, grew stronger. We worked together and when there were items I was unable to resolve myself I always turned to them. They were my most trusted council.
THE END
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A Royal Romance
Romance----- All comments, good or bad, are welcomed ----- Lady Elisabeth Ashton, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Durham, is 16 years old and she is to wed . Along with her parents they travel Stafford for a ball. After a night of debauchery, Lor...
