ROYAL BLOOD | THE WHITE PRINCESS

3

Cecily watched closely, not enjoying the fact that she was always cast to the side while both Lizbeth and Lizzie joined Nora in her scheming.

It was as though Lizzie was treated like Nora's daughter now while she was not. After all, it was obvious Nora had grown a fondness for the young girl she had known since she was born, especially as of late when she was made to be her guardian.

"Perhaps he does not need Lizbeth as he means to wed his mother," Lizzie commented, causing both Lizbeth and Nora to chuckle.

"Oh, you needn't worry, Lizzie," Nora assured her, smiling as she placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, "He needs Lizbeth. Without her, he won't be able to join the houses. And if he doesn't do that, he'll have an uprising on his hands. After all, he did base his claim on her being by his side."

"All without me knowing, too," Lizbeth complained, beginning to glare, "I want him dead, Mother."

"He will be dead soon enough. Just not yet. Until then, you must marry him and make him think that you are on his side. He is in love with you, even now. Use that to your advantage," Nora explained, earning an eye roll from her daughter.

  "I am not some seductress, Mother, nor am I some broodmare meant to be bought and sold," Lizbeth complained as she let out a loud sigh in frustration, "It seems now that I am merely the spoils of war."

"You are far more than the spoils of war, Lizbeth. Don't ever call yourself that. You will be Queen of England soon enough," Nora warned her daughter in a stern tone.

  "Yes, and the wife of a king who murdered my brothers, the same man whose mother murdered innocent children and even tried to kill me to put her son of that cursed throne," Lizbeth explained, an aggravated look on her face.

  "You knew that you'd marry him if he won. Don't act like this is some surprise to you," Nora told her daughter, becoming impatient with her.

"Arthur was supposed to win, Mother!" Lizbeth cried out, tears beginning to fill her eyes, "Henry was outnumbered. I thought he'd lose," She paused, trying to stop herself from crying as she spoke in a whisper while looking down at the ground, "He should have lost."

  "And yet, he is the victor," Nora responded in a calm tone as she sighed out, "For now, at least. We must deal with it until we can change the outcome."

"You are sworn to be his Queen, sister, nothing can change that," Lizzie reminded Lizbeth, a genuine look on her face.

"Unless he does not want her," Cecily commented as she walked past the three women.

"I don't think she asked, Cecily," Lizzie snapped at Cecily, beginning to glare at his sister.

"Yet I said it anyway. What will you do about it, Lizzie?" Cecily challenged her elder sister, only to be cut off as they heard Lord Stanley approaching with the three women he had appointed to be their ladies.

"Enough, girls. You must listen," She warned the trio in a stern tone as she turned to face them, "You will smile sweetly and innocently to their faces, but always remember that they are nothing more than Tudor spies. Do not say anything of this sort when they are near, do you understand?"

Each girl nodded and Lizzie and Lizbeth exchanged an uneasy look.

The three ladies entered, wasting no time bowing the York women. Lord Stanley watched closely for a long moment before walking away.

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That afternoon, Henry sat on his throne with all the York traitors standing before him. "Which one of you in John de la Pole?" he spoke up loudly and Eliza exchanged an uneasy look with her husband as their son took a step forward.