The Rose of Lancaster | The White Queen

Call to Arms

"Richard?"
"What is it?" He asked, tiredly
"What about our nephews? You said we would visit them when we returned to London"
Richard sighed and leant back against the wall, holding out his hand in a gesture for her to go to him and she did, quickly finding her body enveloped in his warm, but rather taut, embrace.

"I'm afraid the visit will have to wait until we return, Mari" he said quietly and she was about to protest but he quickly continued, not giving her a chance to speak "I know you are worried about the boys, I am too. But I'm sure that they will be fine, they will be safely in the Tower like they have been since June." His hands began to gently caress the curves of her waist "once we have peace again you may check on them as often as you like, but as of now, you and I both need to focus on protecting our Kingdom, making it secure for ourselves, our people and for Edmund." Marian nodded and stepped back from him, avoiding his gaze.

" I will go and order for my armour to be polished" she said, opening the door "it has been a year since I last wore it so it shall need a good clean" Richard nodded and then she was gone, leaving him with only his grimmest thoughts for company.

Lord have mercy on them all if they didn't win.

༒༒༒

"You know, Anne" Marian commented to her friend the next morning as she helped her into her armour. The Queen was trying to be merry, despite the dismal situation, and spoke with a light tone; a smile on her face. "It is a wonder I still fit into this marvellous piece of metal! I can't believe i have had it since 1471! What a lot has happened since then!"

"Yes" Anne replied, evidently more solemn then the other woman in the room "Yes, a lot has happened..." she sighed and then forced a smile onto her face "I cannot wait to see my little Francis! He is growing so fast, Marian!"
"He really is!" Marian agreed as she placed her sword and dagger in their sheaths and stepped down from the small podium that had been put up "He certainly looked to be a very healthy lad when I saw him before we departed from Middleham!"

"I do worry about him though..." Anne continued, making sure that everything was in place and not an inch of metal had been missed when the servants had cleaned it till it shone the night before "I worry that he may catch a fever...may have a fall or something such as that and be taken from me! It is a hard thought to bear"

"And it is not one that your mind should have! Francis is not a sickly child!"
"He was when he was small...the winters were so harsh and he was but a babe...he had many fevers and I never slept when he had one...my husband sometimes had to keep me from our son's room just so that I would rest for a few moments...it was awful and sometimes when I see him playing with his friends and see the first of the autumn leaves fall, I know that winter is coming a fear that he may be gone by January..."

Marian whirled round as Anne spoke, grabbing her (far from gently) by the arms and pulling her into an embrace.

"Don't think like that!." She drew back a little, a soft smile playing about her lips "that is a command, my friend. Now, I must go and find Richard. He said he would be waiting for me in the gardens"
"The gardens? I thought he wanted to leave as soon as he could?"
"That's what he said!" Marian confirmed as she opened the chamber door "but apparently we are to postpone for a few minutes as 'Rob needs to finish the call to arms letters' which I do not believe for one second! Rob has always been truly proficient in finishing what he has been tasked with"

"Well!" Anne said "you must go and find out the reason for Richard's mysterious summons then!" Marian nodded and walked from the room only to be called back again by her friend: "Marian!" She shouted "You forgot your crown!"
"Ah yes!" The Queen replied, taking the bejewelled headpiece from Anne's hands and placing it on her head, chuckling "That is one thing I can't afford to loose!"