LOVE AND WAR | THE WHITE QUEEN

39

"What do you have against me?" Nora whispered against Margaret softly, tears beginning to fill her eyes, "I've proved time and time again that I am not your enemy, yet you continue to try to treat me like I am. Are you that jealous that I get to keep my children while your son is banished to France to be raised by the man who you wished loved you but would much rather be fucking the king's whore?"

Just then, Margaret had smacked Nora across the face. Nora gasped in pain, clutching the side of her face as she turned to look at Margaret.

Despite having an aching cheek with tears spilling down them, Nora smiled at Margaret. "You are," She realized and since she couldn't help herself, she laughed in amusement, "You are now one of the richest women in England yet you still are jealous of me. You're jealous that no matter what you accomplish, you will always be stuck in my shadow. Your mother favored me. Jasper favors me. Even your own son favored me. He would have rathered lived with me, the king's mistress, than his own mother," She paused, taking a threatening step toward Margaret, "I'm done trying to be your friend, Margaret. I have been trying to make you forgive me for the past ten years, despite the fact that I've done nothing... nothing at all to wrong you. But now, I am done trying. You can try to blame all your mishappens and hardships on me, but none is at fault for it but yourself. Maybe instead of attempting to be the holy Margaret Regina, you should just be Margaret Beaufort because in truth, no matter what you say, you've committed just as many sins as I have in the eyes of God."

Nora glared at Margaret one last time, just before walking away with tears streaming down her face.

____

Outside the castle, Thomas, who was now nearly ten, stood outside in the courtyard of the castle when Edward walked to join him.

Thomas was practicing archery when his father had decided to join him, smiling in amusement since Thomas was having trouble making the target.

Nora had briefly walked over to Edward, whispering something to him before sending a small smile to her son. Thomas stopped what he was doing for a brief moment to watch her walk away, a frown forming on his lips.

"It's a shame Mother looked so sad," Thomas commented, causing Edward to turn to him in confusion, "I wonder what happened."

"What do you mean? Your mother was smiling ear to ear. She is anything but sad," Edward complained, earning an amused look from his eldest son.

"Did you not see that she had been crying?" Thomas argued in a frustrated tone.

"She was not," Edward crossed his arms over his chest, not believing what his son had been saying, "I would be able to tell if your mother was crying."

"This is why she is your mistress and Elizabeth is your wife. You have no sense when it comes to women, no matter how many end up in your bed," Thomas continued on and as Edward's mouth gaped open in shock, his son began to quietly laugh.

"Oh, shut up, would you?" Edward snapped at Thomas, who continued to laugh at how offended his father was, "One, what I do in my free time does not concern you, son. Two, a man does not concern himself in the affairs of women. You learn that now and you'll be set your life. Trust me."

"Clearly, you did not take your own advice," Thomas muttered under his breath, causing Edward to stare at his son in disbelief.

"You've been spending far too much time around my brother George," Edward grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, "If it isn't obvious."

"Uncle George likes me more than Uncle Richard does," Thomas admitted in a calm tone, "Arthur is always off with Richard, leaving Uncle George with me."