-𝑂𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙-
It's the year 1466 and King Edward IV is on the throne of England. His wife and Queen ,Elizabeth Woodville, has just given birth to her first daughter ,Lizzie, but not all is w...
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2 Days later...
"Mama? Where are we going?" Meg asked yet again as the party travelled south. "Mama has already told you!" Lisbet snapped impatiently at her sister. She was currently riding behind Francis on her dapple mare, her arms clasped around his waist while she settled her cheek on the back of his doublet and frowned, missing Middleham with all her heart "We are going to collect Lizzie from the strange lady and then we are to stay with Aunt Elizabeth until father comes back from the war!"
"I wish I could have gone with him" Ned mumbled and Edmund nodded in agreement. They were riding on grey palfreys next to each other. Meg (with Mary on her lap) riding behind Edmund and Cecily behind Ned, clinging onto him for dear life as if she feared she would be thrown off at any moment. "Aye, brother, we should be with him right now. We are Princes of England! York Princes at that! I am the Prince of Wales! You the Duke of York, we should be by his side, ready to fight for our country"
Marian shot a glance at her sons. "You don't mean that" she stated "battle is not all glory and victory. It is also blood and defeat. Do not wish to go to war before you have to...besides you are still too young. Edmund you're 11, Edward you are but 9."
"I still think we should be with him" the younger boy quipped "as you should be" "That is enough" His mother ordered, a little harsher than intended and so offered him a small smile as they rode on.
At long last they reached the Stanley residence. The children all eyed it suspiciously, staring at the austere grey brick with thick vines winding their way up it and the shuttered windows. There was no one outside, no smoke floating from the chimneys, it looked as if no one lived there at all. Even Arthur and Gwen stopped their barking, moving protectively to the children's sides.
Lisbet sat up a little, whispered something to Francis and he raised an eyebrow, grinning before leaning over to Ned to repeat Lisbet's words. Ned let out a loud laugh but quickly covered his mouth with his hand, as Cecily gave him a sharp nudge in the ribs, before turning to Edmund and telling him what had been said.
Soon enough the whole group was grinning at each other, trying to stifle the laughs that threatened to break the uneasy silence that hung in the air. What on earth had been said, neither Marian nor Cecily knew but even so, they grinned mischievously with the rest.
"Marian! Oh thank the sweet Lord!" All heads turned toward the great doors of the building to see Lizzie, cloak pulled tightly around her shoulders, rushing out of them towards the group.
Marian at once dismounted, ran to her niece and drew her into a tight hug. "Lizzie" she whispered frantically "you are well?" The younger woman nodded "Yes, yes I am well but please, please get me out of here before I go truly insane. I can have my belongings brought to me later!" "Right you are, Lizzie" the Queen replied, looking around before leading her niece back to the group, handing to her the the reins of the spare horse they had brought with them. Not waiting for either Lord or Lady Stanley to appear, all gently nudged their horses into brisk trots and made their way swiftly off Stanley land, travelling on the main road once more.
