I entered my rooms just as Maggie was pulling Cathy Gordon up from my bed. I stopped in the doorway.
"What are you doing?" I inquire with a cold tone. Maggie steps forward.
"Comforting her?" she answers then steps closer as the sobbing dull dark haired woman sunk to the floor "How could you do it, Hope? Let the Kings mother take her son."
"I did not let her do anything. It was my idea. I'm not that heartless, just inspired." I comment. Gordon sobbed even harder "At least now the child will grow up with parents who are not traitors. He will make a fine Englishman who loves his King...Henry Tudor." I make my way to pour myself a drink
"You are changing Maggie, I am not sure I like who you have become." I downed my drink and left.
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The court was assembled again, Lizzie loyally stood beside me as I sat down on my throne. The boy was brought back in and handed the same paper as before.
"My name is Perkin Warbeck. I was born in the town of Tournei in Flanders. My father is a boatbuilder Jan Warbeck. My mother is Kathryn de Faro. I confess that I did falsely impersonate the dead Prince Richard, Duke of York, and I accept my sentence from His Grace King Henry" he finally read out. Stanley took back the confession.
"At least he tells the truth. He is a flemish peasant." Lady Margaret states as I close my eyes and breath out a breath of relief The court was dismissed
"Sir Richard, if you'd be so kind." I called him forth he bowed his head "You know I love my cousin, your wife but she has changed as of late, do you know the reason?"
"No, Your Grace." he answered
"Humm, it's just she both insulted me and defied me with reasons I shall not burden you with. I hoped that you would talk with her help ease her troubles so she once returns to my cousin she once was." I request of hime he bows to us.
"Of course, Your Grace."I smiled sweetly and broke away so the feast could be set up. Once I was I retuned at sat to eat. I prayed that with his confession things would return to normal. I did not like the way fear of possibility made me do and sound not like myself. The overwhelming need to constantly be on high alert looking in ever corner for a threat. I hear Henry speak with his mother
"His confession has achieved nothing. No one believes it." Henry told her
"Try him for treason and be done with it." I looked at them but I caught sight of Maggie, I removed my self from the gathering to go over to her
"You have something you wish to say?" I ask her clasping my arms in front of me.
"What will happen to him?" She questioned looking past me
"Maggie." Sir Richard warned
"What will happen to the boy?" she asked again.
"That is left to my husband, it matters no more now that he has confessed. Though you should think about whose side you're on." I respond tiring of her disobedience.
"I am on Arthur's side, and Harry's and Ned's. That is why I must say this. You once told me of a curse laid by your mother, your sister and yourself that whoever killed those two boys in the tower would lose the male line of their family. Lady Margaret killed your brother Edward. So one of your boys is already in its shadow."
"Uncle Richard killed the boys, not Henry's mother. Why do you think he lost his son? Which means the curse has run it's course." I say brushing it off.
"You never once believed that." I chuckled
"I convinced everyone I was in love with him, I may have even convinced myself for a moment, then I realised the truth." I state standing taller.
"You believe that because it brings you comfort, but it is a lie."
"No, what comforts me is that in his dying moments my father proclaimed me Queen. Which I am and I will keep that title until my dying breath. Now Maggie, you are upset and hurt, you have been for many years. However since you will not apologise you are no longer permitted to visit Teddy." I declare my arms filing in defiance of hers.
"You can't do that."
"I can. I have, it hurts me to think that your loyalty to me is starting to be questioned. People watch me waiting to see how I respond, this is my response." I took her arms "Take this time to reflect and calm yourself. Once you have and said your sorry, you will see him again." she pulled away
"Lady Margaret killed the first Prince and if you even think there is a chance that, that boy is your brother Richard then you cannot hurt him, Hope. Or the curse falls on your sons as well."
"Your Grace my wife is feeling the effects of wine..."
"You know he is your brother, Hope. I know you do." I heard a commotion behind me
"They're poisoned!" He yelled and I ran back inside and to my husband "He puts poison in my clothes to make me sick."
"What?" I ask grabbing a hold of him as he pulls at his clothes.
"He puts poison in my clothes to make me sick!" Henry yelled. my head snaps towards the boy who is in shock.
"Get him out of here!" I order as Henry pluck removes his robe. The boy is taken away Henry and I follow
"You would like the crown?" Henry questions stoning up to him, the boy turns "This crown, this one?" He hits the boy full force in the face.
"Oh my God. Henry!" I gasp covering my mouth. The boy falls to the floor and is picked up then dragged away to the Kings wardrobe, with Henry following angrily behind them. I stood there in shock. I knew i had a temper but I though mine was always worse than Henry's. I ran to catch them up. Henry was kicking and beating him.
"Henry! Henry!" I pulled at him "Stop it, stop it, stop it please" I managed to pull my husband off
"Hope." He groaned
"Tend to him and his wounds." I tell the other guards. while Henry is taken away. I follow Henry back to his chambers. The doors close behind my as I touch for his arm.
"I am hated." He breathed heavily "The more I try to break him, the more he is beloved."
"No. No, you are King and my husband." I deny holding onto him. I hate to see him like this, it hurts my very soul.
"They whisper. They say God hates me."
"Shh! This is madness." I hold onto his face and he hold onto mine
"They would kill me and our sons and our daughter." He cries. I take his hands holding them tightly
"Henry, don't do this. Don't do this to yourself. Look at me, Henry." his gaze shifts to mine
"As long as I am by your side, you will be King. I will protect you, and our children with everything I have. I swear this to you." I vow as he begins to calm and the scared man reveals himself even more.
"How can you promise me that." I smiled slightly wiping away his tears
"You would never believe me." I whisper, he takes my waist
"I would, if you told me the sky was purple I would believe you." he mutters "Please tell me, Hope. give me hope."
"It has been foretold. That as long as I am with you, as long as we are together. We will rule. But we will have our challenges to overcome and this is just another. We will get through this, I swear to you, my love. I swear." I pulled him into my embrace comforting him.
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.
