-𝑂𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙-
It's the year 1466 and King Edward IV is on the throne of England. His wife and Queen ,Elizabeth Woodville, has just given birth to her first daughter ,Lizzie, but not all is w...
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May 1472, Westminster...
"Fortune's wheel has brought you high, Marian..." Jaquetta said weakly as she lay in her sick bed, pale as the sheets that lay around her, Marian caring for her as Elizabeth was in confinement.
"And now it seems it is to bring me low..." the Duchess replied, her eyes filling to the brim with un-shed tears as she clutched the old woman's hand "you cannot leave us, Jaquetta...please don't leave me...I need you" Jaquetta summoned a small smiled and despite her condition, laughed gently. "The good lord knows that I am no longer long for this world, I have nothing left to do" "But you have! You have so much! Soon, perhaps even in the next few weeks you shall have a new grandchild and they will need you..." Marian replied determinedly, praying with all her might that Jaquetta would live, for over the past week she had taken a turn for the worst and was now bed bound.
Marian attended to her day and night, reading to her in the mornings and sitting by her as she slept, fetching water and food when she needed it and could manage to stomach it.
"You are so good, Marian..." Lady Rivers whispered. This was enough to set loose the tears and Marian's shoulders began to shake with sobs for the person she was about to lose. It felt terrible, like there was a dark storm approaching, one that threatened to engulf Marian whole and she could only watch as it came towards her, waiting for the impact and the pain of losing one so close to her heart as was Jaquetta Woodville.
A few minutes later someone crashed into the room. Marian was about to sharply reprimanded them but the person spoke before the Duchess could. It was Meg "Marian!" She cried breathlessly "it's the Queen...her baby, it has come early...the midwife says she may not survive" Marian was instantly at her feet and after looking at Jaquetta who gave her a reassuring nod, ran from the bedchamber with the Meg, picking up her skirts and wiping away her tears as she went.
The closer she got to the Queens rooms, the more clear Elizabeth's screams became and Marian's heart tightened painfully at the sound, causing her to run even faster, overtaking Meg and bursting through the doors, rushing to the Queen's side and taking her arm "Whats happening?!" She demanded, looking at the midwife "It's the baby, my lady" the woman replied, a look of intense worry on her face.
Before she could speak another word, the door opened again and the King darted into the room and went directly to his wife, cradling her as best her could as she screamed, blood dripping from between her legs. Marian grabbed a wet cloth and dabbed the Queens forehead with it, tears spilling down her cheeks once again.
Then with one more ear splitting shriek, the baby came and Elizabeth's head hung back as the King and Marian tended to her but there was no cry from the child. The servants quickly rushed the babe over to a tub of warm water.
"Breathe..." they were saying "please breathe" At long last a wail was heard but it wasn't right. It was too weak, too frail... "No..." Marian heard Elizabeth whisper as she clutched her husbands arm, her face red and stained with tears.
