Henry had invited Maggie and her Husband Richard back to court. When the arrived and stood before us they gave their respective greetings.
"The Duchess of Burgundy invited me and the Queen to be guests at her court. I have decided that I shall send you in our stead." Henry told them
"Of course, Your Grace. I would be honoured to do..." Sir Pole began to speak only to be cut off by my husband.
"No, I meant your wife, My Lady Pole." Henry corrected. I gulped, Maggie knew what we did, that Richard had escaped and that he was never in the tower, she knew our secrets that could bring the life I built crumbling down.
"Me, Your Grace?" Maggie asked
"The two of you together." Henry confirmed
"But, Your Grace, I never met my cousin Richard." she replied, which was true, in most of her early life they had tried to shelter her and Teddy from me and my siblings, she only knew us older ones to begin with before she met my younger sisters.
"But you would recognise your own kin would you not?" Henry inquired
"Who better to expose this boy as a pretender than his own cousin." Jasper added
"How do you respond, my lady?" Henry finished
"I will do as you ask, Your Grace." she curtsied and I let out a breath that I hadn't realised i had been holding in.
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Maggie and I walked through the gardens as our children played together, she had one little boy, Henry. The children laughed as the ran ahead of us
"The Prince's and Princess have missed their cousin." Maggie commented with a small yet apprehensive smile.
"As I have missed mine." I grinned taking her arm "Is all well in Wales? A Tudor Husband is not so horrible after all."
"I do not think of us as York or Tudor. We are a family a happy one, or we could be if my brother could live with us."
"I know you miss him, Maggie. But I have done my best to care for him over the years, I am afraid though that the damage has been done and I am sorry for that, truly." I apologised
"I know. Anyway what about you? Here with the King." I smiled thinking about him
"Every day he puts a fresh red rose and white rose into the Queens rooms for me. For many years we have been united as one, he accepts me and I accept him. We have a happy union." I tell her, but then I noticed that she was felt different around me. She seemed nervous. "Please don't be nervous, Maggie. The Duchess may be able to pursuade some but she has proved that she will stop at nothing to bring down my husband and I"
"I am pleased the King has so much faith in me." she replied
"Of course he does, you are my cousin who I love and who has remained loyal to us. But should you have any doubt, any at all only raise them to Lizzie or I." I told her
"Do you think it could be him? Your brother?" she wondered
"My brother is dead, they both are. But it is obvious that my mother has told my Aunt of his escape, and they have planned and plucked anther commaner from the street to dress up as a prince. No doubt they will have told him things to convince you. Richard was my brother, but it is not him. Henry must never know of his initial escape for all of our sakes." I insisted
"I will do my duty to the King." she promised
"Thank you, dearest cousin. Come lets re join the children." We continued on to catch up with the children.
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Maggie and Richard were preparing to leave. Maggie kissed her sons head and crouched down to him
"We will be back before you know it. You will be safe here at the palace." she assured her son then gave him another kiss letting him come over to me.
"I will look after him as if he were my own. I promise, cousin." she gave a grateful nod and mounted her horse. They left and I took little Henry's hand.
"Come Henry. Let us go find something fun to do with your cousins." I smiled taking him and my children back inside.
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I went to visit my mother that afternoon. She was all alone now since my sisters were gown and married themselves. I slowly walked into her room and she turned around.
"Hope." she smiled softly, in recent years her health had wained with not being the woman she once was. I sat down across from my mother.
"Lady Mother." I nodded to her "Have I not been a loving and forgiving daughter to you?" I questioned
"You have."
"Have I not visited and looked after you these past years? Forgiven for the lies you have spoken?" I continued
"It seems something upsets you. Of what am I accused of now?" she wondered catching on to my tone with her.
"Do not act the innocent Mother, I know you plot with my Aunt the Duchess. You have for years." I retort
"Your Aunt needs no help." she handed me a letter and I glanced over it then folded it back up.
"A letter of lies I wish not to read." I handed it back to her
"News of your brothers health and success do not please you?" she starts coughing and breathing deeply. I stood and went to pour her a drink.
"My brother is dead, this boy she speaks of is nothing but subterfuge and is as every bit as false as the last one she sent to claim the throne." I tell her
"This boy is Richard."
"You do not know that." I retorted walking back over to her
"He is your brother and the rightful King of England." she croaked
"My husband is the rightful King of England and I am his Queen. You put me there, you made me a Tudor Queen." I raise my voice
"I made you a York Queen."
"Yet you wish to take it from me. As always my brothers are more important, to you than me, than Lizzie." I set the goblet down and turned away
"Oh, Hope. I have always loved you with all my heart for all of your life. No one is closer." she spoke
"Father was closer." I turned back around "He was closer than you ever were. I know why you keep me at arms length mother. It is because ever since I was born you have always know he loved me more than you."
"Do not say that." she coughed taking some of her drink
"I speak the truth, he named me, he raised me in his image to be Queen of England, I sat in his office for hours, on his lap during court. He turned to me his little girl to sort out a dispute. He loved you, he did as you asked when you did not like something, you were his Queen but he knew I was his legacy." she coughed very heavily making me stop my rant. I softened and knelt down in front of her helping her have more of her wine.
"I am old. I am fading." she told me "I should be with my eldest girls as I live out my days. Your sisters have all gone of to their own husbands and families. I should be with you and Lizzie. But Henry would never allow that. I love you Hope."
"I will talk to Henry. He loves me mother and I love him, with all my heart."
YOU ARE READING
York's Hope.
FanfictionEveryone 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.
