The Rose of Lancaster | The White Queen

The Bad Queen

Marian clutched at the fabric of her crimson coloured gown. Lord it had been long since she had worn the colours of Lancaster.
Today was the day that Marian was to be 'reunited' with her mother and brother. Lord Warwick had brought her to Valognes Castle where Margaret of Anjou and her son Edward were waiting for her.

A guard led her down the maze of corridors and finally delivered her to Margaret's rooms. Marian felt her heart racing and tried to take slow, deep breaths to calm her nerves but it was no use. Nothing could calm the emotion that she was feeling standing before the ornate doors of her mother's chambers.

She looked up as the doors swung open and she entered the room. Her mother was standing by the window, her brother, Edward sat by the fire. Both wore the same crimson colour as Marian.
"Ahh, my daughter!" Margaret said, turning to face Marian, her french accent still thick despite all the time she had spent in England.

"Ma mère, brother" Marian greeted, dipping into a low curtesy.
"There is no need for that, ma chérie.You are a Princess after all" Margaret kissed her daughter on the cheek before stepping aside and motioning for Edward to step forward
"Dear sister" he said with a smile, though it held little warmth, "you have been greatly missed by ma mére and I" he took her hands and kissed her on the cheek as his mother had done. After a moment silence, Margaret spoke again,
"Come, my children and sit with me for we have much to discuss and much to plot if we are to have victory" she turned and walked to a large, oak table, sitting down at the head, her son and daughter sitting either side.

"Now, you have spent the past 4 years in England. You have seen how the York pretender rules and acts. I even hear you were a member of the false Queen's household."
"Yes, ma mère, as one of her ladies"
Margaret let out a laugh
"And your father is still in the tower?"
"Yes indeed. I saw him but a few months ago"
"And are they treating him well?" Edward asked "he is ,after all, the rightful king."

"From what I saw, brother, he was treated with respect but he still does not have his wits."
"Ah your poor father. The York's do treat him ill, keeping him locked away, away from his throne and from us, his family. But that will not be for much longer for the Lord had reunited us and together we shall rally support for Lancaster and take back what is rightfully ours!" Margaret slammed her fist on the table making Marian jump, her mother saw. "Strange...you have grown timid, Marian. You were not maltreated at Westminster were you? For if you were I shall have the heads of anyone who disrespected you in any way."
"No, mother. The York's have been kind to me..."
Edward snorted

"Kindness? From the York's? My you have grown soft Marian...you are not the sister I used to know."
"People change, brother"
"Well you have certainly changed for the worse then!"
"Your brother is right, Marian. You have lost the fire within you, we must make it burn bright again or we shall not win"