The Rose of Lancaster | The White Queen

For Your Own Good

"And I win again!" Harry announced, laughing as the two children in front of him rolled their eyes
"I'm sure you must be cheating, Uncle Harry!" Lisbet complained "you have won four times in a row! What do you think, my lord?" She turned to Stanley who arched his eyebrows, surprised that she was speaking to him

"I think that the Duke is simply a lucky man, your grace" he said, attempting a smile though it did little to warm his cold features "and has had many years of practice at this game. Many more years than you, Princess"
"That may be so" Lisbet said turning her attention back to the other man "though I am sure he must have a trick up his sleeve!"

Harry grinned at her in response.
"Nothing more than a quick hand and an eye for precision, Lisbet" he said and eventually she grinned back.

"Oh stop your complaining!" Edmund ordered, looking at his sister "just because you do not always win doesn't mean we all have to hear you whining about it! Now, let's have another round! I intend to beat you this time, Uncle Harry!"
"Haha! We shall see about that, lad"
"Yes, we shall!"

But they didn't get the chance as the sound of hooves on cobble made the group look to the window and Lisbet darted from her seat, climbing up to the window, opening it and poking her head out into the September air.

She shivered a little and pulled her cloak more securely around her but kept looking and eventually her eyes fell upon a band of horses which had stopped outside the minster. The soldiers that were riding the horses dismounted, emblems of the White Boar and Gold eagle upon their cloaks, and knelt before the King and Queen who then nodded in acknowledgement; signalled for them to rise.

"What do you see, Lisbet?" Harry asked
"Soldiers" she replied "there are soldiers, papa's soldiers"
"Well what are they doing here?" Stanley asked, sounding rather impatient and Lisbet turned round to glare at him for a moment but instead caught Harry and Stanley throwing each other worried glances and realised that Lord Thomas had not been speaking to her after all.

Lisbet came away from the window and the two men's gazes immediately shot round to her. "Well?" Stanley repeated, his words now directed at the young girl.
"They gave papa a letter" she said calmly and with that Harry began to smile (though Lisbet thought it was a rather uneasy grin) and he picked the 8 year old up.
"Shall we go and investigate?" He asked and the girl nodded

"Yes! Let's!" She said happily, allowing Harry to carry her from the room, Edmund and Lord Stanley close behind. When they finally reached the Minster front steps, Harry lowered Lisbet to the ground and she ran over to Marian who was watching her husband break the seal on the letter.

"Mama?" She asked quietly and the Queen looked down at her
"Yes, chérie?"
"What is the letter about?" Marian widened her eyes then smiled

"How did you know we received a letter, Lisbet?"
"I saw the soldiers hand it to papa! I saw it from the window!"
The Queen looked from her daughter to Harry who was grinning at her
"Did you orchestrate this by any chance, Harry?"
"No! I'm innocent in this!" Buckingham replied, still grinning "it was your own daughter's inquisitiveness that lead to her discovery"

Marian chuckled and looked back to her daughter who had by now gone to Richard, who was frowning, and was peering up at him.
"What did the letter say papa?" She asked. Richard shook his head

"There has been an attempt to break your cousins free from the tower..." he said; Harry and Stanley stepped forward "the moment we are in the north and miles away...Sir Robert Brackenbury has written to me"
Marian turned to her husband, her expression turning one of deep concern.
"But they were unsuccessful in getting the princes out?"
"They are not Princes anymore" Richard snapped, momentarily glaring at Marian who took a step back, bowing her head as his words stung her "I'm sorry" he then said and she shook her head, taking Lisbet's hand.