Everyone seemed to know my destiny before I did. I am their Hope, I am His Hope. Hope is what I was names and Hope is what I shall bring. To my father, to my family, to my King.
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Elizabeth stood in her chambers washing her face when she had a vision of a baby falling into the depths of the ocean. As she came out of it she accidentally knocked the bowl of water. She shook her head and crouched down with cloth to clear it up. Jacquetta heard the noise and entered.
"Elizabeth, what happened?" Jaquetta questioned gliding over to daughter.
"Leave me." Elizabeth mumbled but her mother continued to help "Leave me please. I said leave me!" she lashed out at her mother standing up with the bowl and the wet cloth. Jaquetta folded her arms slightly taken aback. Elizabeth looked down in shame.
"I'm sorry mother." she began "That child, that poor child." she shook her head thinking about the consequences of her actions. Jacquetta sighed
"These things happen, terrible and tragic though it may be. The baby came to soon." Jacquetta rationalised
"The storm could not have helped what little chance he had."
"Yes, but you weren't to know Isabel was on board that ship, or that Warwick would force her to set sail. He is the one who gambled with his own Grandchild's life." Jacquetta posted out a important fact
"And he lost, now he has nothing. He is desperate and destitute..."
"Indeed he is." her mother agreed
"He has never been more dangerous, we would be fools to think that the worst is over." Elizabeth stated fearing the worst was yet to come.
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Word had reached England that Warwick had made an alliance with Margret of Anjou, and that Anne Neville was to married her son Prince Edward. Jaquetta's cousin informed her, she and Elizabeth informed Edward, Richard and Anthony.
"How could he think to give his own daughter over to that monster?" Richard questioned
"After all that we've endured at this woman's hand." Edward shook his head in disgust
"George could have nothing to gain from this." Elizabeth didn't understand how this would work well for her brother in law.
"He hates me so much. Richard is that it? Driven by his hatred of me?" Edward wondered
"George is driven by his own ambition and greed." Richard answered as his brother paced back and forth angrily at what was happening.
"He would fight against me with the very woman who tore our father apart." Edwards seethed
"Warwick would use Anne to bind them together, then restore Henry to the throne." Richard theorised rightly. Edward paced back and forth simmering with rage.
"It was Warwick who lit the fire in me. Taught me to fight, to win, to drag her down and punish her for what she did to all of us and now he stands with her. Did none of it matter!" he yelled
"Warwick does not know loyalty, George will soon see this." Richard replied
"George cannot be please with his new set of circumstances." Anthony commented
"I'll wager he didn't even see them coming." Jacquetta smirked slightly "Elizabeth." she called further her daughter and they left.
"Margret of Anjou and Warwick, holding off one of was difficult but both together, my god." Elizabeth breathed
"That is a deadly alliance." Jaquetta agreed
"Then we must weaken it." Elizabeth stated and the two of them left for Duchess Cecily. They entered her chambers as Cecily finished washing her hands.
"I believe the Queen wishes to speak with you alone, Duchess." Jaquetta spoke after waiting for a long moment
"Then the Queen will have a long wait." Cecily replied. Mother and Daughter shared a look.
"It's about your son George's betrayal." Elizabeth started
"You are aware he's joined forces with Margret of Anjou." Jaquetta continued and that caught Cecily's attention, she dismissed her ladies and they left, all except one.
"You may speak freely in the presence of Lady Sutcliffe, we have no secrets. So let's dispense with the pleasantries and get straight to the purpose of your visit. And this disgusting rumour that you are spreading about my son." Cecily retorted
"It is not a rumour." Elizabeth replied
"You've always been determined to paint him as a villain" Cecily retorted with a pure loathing feeling for the two women in front of her.
"He managed that well enough by himself." Elizabeth answered "I know this is difficult for you to hear but you should understand.
"No, you should understand, he was barely eleven years old when his father died at the she devils hand. Have you any idea..." Cecily trailed of becoming choked up.
"Indeed we do. I lost my husband and my son in a seemingly brutal and senseless manor." Jaquetta retorted and Cecily sighed
"Are we to measure our pain against each other? Are we to compete to who's suffered more?" Jaquetta shook her head.
"We seek only to prevent further suffering taking place." Elizabeth answered
"We're not lying." Jaquetta added and Cecily scoffed "Speak to the King, he'll tell you himself. Warwick and George plan to restore Henry to the throne, when they are defeated Edward will be forced to execute his own brother!"
"George will die with a red rose on his collar." Elizabeth added as her mother stepped forward
"Even if Warwick were to win, George would still gain nothing by it. Warwick is to marry is daughter Anne to Margret of Anjou's son Edward of Lancaster. He will naturally inherit the crown. George will never be king, Duchess it's all been for nothing." Cecily's faced changed to one of sock the defeat as she slouched back into her chair.
"Now he must feel quite lost and with everything that has passed he must feel like he has no other choice." Elizabeth continued. There was a long silence, Cecily noticed their looks towards her.
"But you, you think he does?" she sat forward with a small glimmer of hope
"Edward would welcome him back and that's the real tragedy. If only George knew." Elizabeth suggested. Cecily caught on and gave a subtle nod to her Lady.
