NOT ABOUT ANGELS | THE WHITE QUEEN

Chapter LXXII

Edmund held her close, burying his face in her hair. He could not stand how often he heard his wife cry. He could not stand all the pain his family was being put through.

He just wanted his family to be safe and happy. He wanted his children to live past their mother's womb, he wanted Kathryn to have siblings. He wanted Lily to be able to marry Dickon and to have children of her own. He wished for his mother to heal from the pain caused by the murder of his brothers and his father's death.

He began to pray.

─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────

"The York girls are arriving!" The guards announced loudly and Edmund looked at Bess before they both headed outside. Given that her parents and his mother were dealing with their younger siblings and Lily was off somewhere with Dickon, it fell to them to greet them.

They walked out onto the courtyard, joined by Bella — who seemingly appeared out of nowhere and immediately demanded Edmund carry her. Edmund did so, taking her into his arms and walked forwards, wearing his crown.

Lizzie, Cecily and Nan watched him closely as they stepped out of their carriage.

"Please remain calm," Lizzie warned Cecily through a tight-lipped smile as Edmund made his way over to them. "Nan, stay close to us."

The youngest girl smiled and nodded, while Cecily scoffed, turning to give her older sister an annoyed look.

Edmund stopped when he was standing in front of them. He smiled politely, bowing his head to them. "My ladies," he greeted them and the girls curtsied to their eldest brother. "Shall I escort you to your new rooms?

"Now, Nan will be in the nursery and take her lessons with Nora. She'll have...she'll have Arthur's old rooms," Bess said softly as the walked down the hallways. "You will share a room next to mine and Caitlin's. The original plan was for you both to serve Megan, but instead, Lizzie will be with me and Cecily with Caitlin... You'll be more companions than ladies-in-waiting, Aunt Charlotte didn't see the need for the both of you to act as our ladies. We have our maids to help us, in any case."

─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────

Charlotte looked at herself in the mirror, allowing a few tears to fall. In less than  one month, it would have been a year since Edward died. It would be a year since she last heard his laugh and felt his lips upon her own. It would be a year since they had been safe.

Wiping her tears away, she started removing her jewelry. First, her earrings went into their small box and then her bracelets went into their meshed bags.

With a lump forming on her throat, she removes the golden chain from her neck, pressing her finger to every inch of the rings before she finally places it down.

When the time came for her to remove her rings, more tears slipped from her eyes. She was wearing the ring she had married Edward with. And, in her other hand, was a ring he had given her after Bella was born. He'd been so gentle then, so worried for her.

"You have to be careful with Mama and the new babe," Edward says gently as he helps Arthur and Nora into the bed.

Edward then makes sure both their children are safely on the bed, before he sits on the edge as well. Charlotte adjusts her babe so Nora, who is closest to her, can see her. She blinks those too big eyes at her big sister.

"What's her name?" Nora asks quietly.

Charlotte smiles at her, and then over her dark curls at Edward.