The Rose of Lancaster | The White Queen

Eternal Curses

"I could go home?" Elizabeth breathed, her eyes suddenly glazed over with hope as she took in her friend's request.
"Yes, Elizabeth! You could go home to Grafton! I-I think Richard may have you placed under house arrest but I'm sure I could ease the restrictions if I tried"
"And what about my daughters?"

"I would hope that Lizzie and Cecily would come back to court if you will allow it" Marian said and Elizabeth's brows furrowed in deep thought.
"And the others?" She said
"They would go back to Grafton with you and when they are older, come to court with their older sisters"

The dowager Queen looked down again, letting out a heavy sigh before looking back up to Marian.

"Do I have a choice in the matter?" She asked almost defensively and immediately detected a small amount of hurt in the other woman's eyes.
"Of course you do, Elizabeth!" She said, attempting a smile "this is simply an suggestion, an offer if you like! If you really wish to stay here then so be it...I only ask you to..."
"To what?"
"To think of the girls, Elizabeth. I know you love them, that you care for their welfare deeply but the outside world is a changed placed, it is not the same as it was before you came here...the longer the girls stay in sanctuary, the harder it shall be for them to adjust to their new lives"

Elizabeth let out a small huff, feeling a little affronted but then brushed her feelings aside. She didn't know when she would see Marian again; did not want this moment to be ruined. So instead she moved forward and embraced her friend, glad that they were allies of sorts once more, glad that god had seen fit to pull them together again.

"Be safe on your journey back, Marian" she said before lowering her voice "our curse will work...I know it"
"I do to" Marian replied before moving out of Elizabeth's embrace and nodding to Lizzie "I hope to see you soon"
"And I you, Aunt" the young woman replied, smiling "W-will you send my regards to uncle Richard?" She received a glare from her mother but Marian smiled.
"Of course I will, Lizzie! I'm sure he shall be glad to here from you...I will see you all soon"

And with that, she turned and slipped out of the door, hearing it close firmly behind her, the numerous locks and bolts being slipped into place as soon as the wood hit the stone frame.

Pulling up her hood, the Queen once again made her way into the main abbey and out into the cold night and found her horse waiting near the small tree she had tied him to. The animal was shivering and Marian was suddenly stuck with a severe bout of guilt; rushed over to the stallion and wrapped her arms around his neck, stroking his fur fondly.

"Jesus" she whispered "I am sorry for leaving you out here for so long! I hope you can forgive me?"
The horse whinnied in reply and Marian chuckled as she mounted him "then let us go home, eh boy? For I promise you shall have a stable stacked full of the best hay tonight!" The animal let out another appreciative whinny and then, at the nudge of his mistress shoes into his side, set off at a light canter through the torchlit December night, plodding home to Westminster.

༒༒༒

Upon her return, Marian was met with a worried Anne flying down the palace steps in a swirl of gold and green silk and immediately dismounted, passing the horse to a nearby stable boy.
"Anne?" She called as the wind began to roar again and she pulled her cloak more securely around her "what on Earth are you doing out here? It's freezing!"

"It's Richard!" Anne replied as she reached the Queen and took her hand, beginning to drag her up the steps down which she had just descended. Anne heard Marian draw in a sharp breath and immediately tense.
"Is he..."
"He is fine, Marian..." she hesitated as they were about to step into the palace "well.."