~Back to Black~
Rolling up the sleeves of her gown, Cecily was gentle as she tended to Eleanor, making sure the water that filled the wooden tub was always warm. With expert hands, she washed away the dirt and the grime that covered Eleanor's skin and hair until she was clean once again.
The Queen stayed silent, her knees drawn up to her chest as warm water was poured over her and she felt her body awakening. Little by little, minute by minute, the mist that clouded her mind seemed to clear very slightly and she found she could think again.
Not about Richard or about those who were now dead.
But she could think about war.
She could focus on her rage and her hatred and her appetite for blood.
Oh how she craved it now.
As she once more took to scraping the skin from the sides of her fingers they began to bleed again and she studied the single drop of blood that bloomed on the side of her thumb.
Watching, the drop made its way down her hand, sliding down her pale skin and leaving a crimson streak in its wake. Holding her hand over the water, she shook it a little and watched as the drop splashed into the water, creating a small ripple before the blood dispersed and disappeared.
Letting Cecily pour water over her one last time, Eleanor finally stepped out of the bath and wrapped a towel around her thinning frame before going to sit by the fire. Another towel in hand, her Mother in law sat behind her and patted her hair dry, watching the Queen with a degree of interest.
"Are you ready?" She asked as she picked up a comb and drew it gently through the copper curls that set perfectly in her ageing hands. Eleanor shook her head a little, resting her chin on her knees while her fingers danced on the marble floor.
"No" she murmured "the one thing I need I can't have....and yet still I must move forward"
"You must" Cecily asserted, moving to a coffer to fetch a fresh chemise she gentled over Eleanor's head "your son need you and England needs you. You must meet their needs instead of your own"
"I suppose"
Standing up, she brushed the creases from her chemise and allowed Cecily to lift a thin black kirtle over her head, gently tying the laces at the back before she moved to fetch the sable damask gown she had selected. It was simple in design and the sleeves were tight with a small train at the back. The only other adornment were small golden roses on the cuffs but Eleanor did not even glance at them as she was dressed.
Her hair was pulled back from her face, drawn into an intricate braid before it was wound up into a bun and secured with pins. Rings were slid onto her fingers and then a necklace was placed around her neck.
A simple chain with a boar at the end.
The same one Richard had given her to wear at their coronation two years ago.
Eleanor almost wept to look at it and so did not allow herself to; only for her finger to brush across the silver animal before she tucked it securely into her bodice.
She flinched a little as Cecily placed the Queen's crown on her head and was almost tempted to remove it but her Mother caught her wrist just as she had done in the gardens.
"No" she said firmly, their gazes locking "you are the Queen, Eleanor"
A small sigh and Eleanor pulled her wrist back from Cecily's grasp. She looked towards the doors of her chamber.
They would be waiting, the remainder of the court, waiting for her. Her children would be waiting for her too. Poor George. The boy hadn't seen his Mother for almost three days and the last time he had she had been screaming and crying as if she had lost her very mind.
Eleanor gulped and felt her chest beginning to tighten again as she looked at those doors looming in front of her. She wanted to run. She wanted to hide.
"You have to face this" Cecily said from beside her "for Richard, for your children and for our house"
"I must do as the Phoenix does and rise" she replied, forcing herself to take the first step towards the doors "rise to defend my country and my people"
Shoes clicking on the floor, Eleanor took a deep breath and held her head high, every inch the Queen of England that she was and to the people always would be. As the doors opened she didn't allow herself to hesitate and walked forward, straightening her back.
"Leena?"
She stopped in her tracks as she heard Anais' voice from the side of her and felt her heart skip at beat at the sight of her infant daughter in her Lady's arm. Little Katheryn was wrapped in her swaddling blankets but she was wide awake, blue eyes staring up at Anais.
Richard's eyes
"Take her" Cecily said softly as she came to stand beside the Queen, placing a hand on her shoulder. Without hesitation, Eleanor held out her arms and watched as her daughter was passed into them, never tearing her gaze from the dark blue eyes that now stared insistently up at her. Nose scrunching, Katheryn gave a small yawn and Eleanor gently kissed her forehead, nuzzling against her soft cheek.
"Mama!" She looked up sharply at the cry of her son's voice to see George running towards her, dressed from head to toe in black and his eyes reddened from crying. Abandoning all sense of pride, he rushed towards his Mother as quickly as he could and gave a small sob as she looked at him.
Holding his little sister in one arm, she encircled his shoulders with the other and pressed kisses to his ebony curls while he clung to her waist.
"It's alright" she whispered and felt him nod against her gown "everything will be alright, my darling"
"Will it?" He looked up at her with a tear stained face, lower lip trembling. She nodded and felt the small spark of determination that had been brewing inside of her fan into a burning flame once again. She held her children in her arms, her own flesh and blood who were now Fatherless and looked to her for their sole protection.
"It will" she told him firmly, pushing back the tears that filled her eyes "I will win, George"
Drawing herself up to her full height once more, she took his hand and together they strode forward, heads held high "now, let us secure your crown"
One by one, her ladies and Cecily fell in behind them, all looking at one another in surprise and almost disbelief. Just a few hours ago Eleanor had been in the very depths of despair and now she seemed another person. Not broken nor battered but strong and determined.
"How many Lords have returned from Bosworth?" The Queen called over her shoulder and Cecily gave an approving nod.
"Fifteen so far" she answered "most from the North, they have gathered in the council chamber and are waiting for you"
"Any others?"
"No, most have returned to their lands ready to fortify them to protect their families"
Sighing a little, Eleanor turned a corner, and nodded to her son as the council chamber came into view, guards (who looked shocked beyond words to see her) waiting outside. Standing to attention, they opened the doors.
"Queen Eleanor and Pri....King George" one boomed and the scrape of chairs against stone filled the air along with the rustle of robes as Lords leapt to their feet. As Eleanor swept into the chamber, passing Katheryn to Marie and with George by her side, they all bowed low and she nodded primly in acknowledgement.
She took her position at the head of the table as the doors closed and sat down on her throne, gesturing for the others to do the same.
"Come, my darling" she said, looking to George and patting the throne beside her "sit" he did so and looked to his Mother with anxious eyes as she surveyed the faces at the table and Cecily took a seat too.
"My Lords" she began, her voice crisp and clear. "As you know our country is in turmoil. A usurper has come into our shores and is seeking to claim the throne for his own. As a result of this the...." she stopped for a moment, her words drying in her throat as she felt the urge to cry again.
No. She forced herself to look up "King Richard has been slain in battle, leaving our son, Prince George to claim his crown. As you know there will be obstacles to this. First, do we have an army?" She raised her eyebrows and many of the Lords shook their heads sadly. They had all been at Bosworth, they had all seen how their forces had been wiped out.
"Our army has been scattered and most of the men are dead" Georgie Neville volunteered and Eleanor nodded.
"As I expected" she said slowly "so in order to have any chance of victory we must raise another and quickly"
"But how?" Robert Catesby asked and Cecily tutted.
"We should raise taxes" she said with a slight shrug "raise taxes to pay for weapons and fortify the capital...."
"No" Eleanor said firmly, cutting her Mother off. "No I will not do that"
"Why?" A small scoff.
"Because we are outnumbered" she replied. "England is a country tired by war and many of the nobles have already gone to Tudor because in joining him they think they shall be peace. He is a man while my son is a boy. They do not want another boy King! And why shouldn't the people be tired? They are called up to go to wars not of their making each year it seems! The promise of peace must seem like heaven and we cannot afford to anger them most definitely not now!"
The Lords made murmurs of approval and Cecily conceded defeat in a small nod.
"So what are we to do?" She asked and Eleanor looked across the table, her plan already in mind.
"I will use my advantages" she replied, catching the Noble's attention so that they all looked curiously towards her "the people!" She elaborated "I have worked for many years to secure my love and I managed it, as did Richard! The people of this land are tired of war but if I can unite them under a love for Richard, myself and our boy then I think we can muster an army so great it has never been seen on English soil."
"Unite them against a common enemy" Sir Richard Radcliffe murmured "its a risk but...."
"It's a risk that could pay off" Eleanor said firmly "I know that it may seem foolish to take a chance on love but I believe I can do it"
"You are sure?" Eleanor looked sharply to Cecily as she spoke again.
"You are the one who told me to fight are you not?" She asked "Then let me use my advantages when I know them! The people love me and they will love my son. Some nobles may have betrayed me and gone to Tudor as an easy rout but the people are still for York! They mourn their King and they will join me in my fight to secure my son on his throne!"
Looking out across the table once more she half expected to be met with looks of opposition or doubt, after all, many of the Lords were already gone and if she couldn't prove herself the rest may too!
But her heart and mind were met with relief when all she saw in the faces of the men who looked back at her was respect. Respect and loyalty that made her want to weep all over again. Many of these men had known her for years when she and Richard had ruled just the North, they had seen what she was capable of and it seemed they remembered her strength now.
They remembered her strength of mind and the strength of the love the people bore her.
"Who will lead this army, your grace?" Radcliffe asked and she looked to him, seeing amused smiles on some of the other Lord's lips. They already knew the answer.
"I will"
꧁꧂
4th of September 1485.....
"And are you really to have armour?" Cecily asked as she watched Eleanor at her desk in her chamber, writing yet more call to arms to send around the country. They were expecting to raise most of their men as they rode (hoping to cut off Henry Tudor before he could reach London) but she saw no harm in gathering her army before she set out!
Looking up from her papers she arched an eyebrow.
"Of course I am to have armour" she said sternly "I am leading an army am I not, Mother? I ordered some made and it it to be delivered to me today" she lifted the small pot of wax she had been heating over a flame and poured a little onto the paper "black" she proclaimed as she pressed the royal seal into the crimson liquid "I am to have black armour. That way all will know my grief"
Grief. It seemed the word plagued her all day and night. Every second it consumed her, her mind, her heart but she couldn't allow it to control her and so distracted herself with work. She threw herself into war plans, battle strategies, mustering, council sessions that seemed never ending but proved a balm for her pain.
To focus on the destruction of her enemy gave her a shard of peace.
A knock came at the door as she lifted her quill to sign the page and she called her admittance, nodding when she saw Georgie enter the room.
"Aunt Eleanor" he greeted solemnly and she raised an eyebrow.
"What news of Tudor?" She asked, signing the call to arms with an elegant hand before placing the parchment on the pile of papers Cecily was folding and sealing to be sent away "has his army moved yet?" Since Bosworth, Tudor had retreated to the Welsh boarder (presumably to muster more men on the back of victory) and had been inhabiting Ludlow where he had proclaimed himself as King.
'King indeed' Eleanor thought bitterly 'he is nothing more than a weakling pretender from exile!'
On the first of September, news from Yorkist scouts had reported a move in the Tudor forces and it seemed that he had finally decided to make a move to take the capital.
"It seems he moved to the coast to gather more men" Georgie answered, sidling further into the room "but it doesn't look like he's heading for London anymore" he paused as Eleanor and Cecily looked up in unison, frowning "his army has turned to...." The Queen's frown deepened.
"Turned to?" Still he hesitated "turned to where, Georgie?" He took a breath.
"The North"
Eleanor's quill dropped from her hand and she suddenly shoved back her chair, standing from her desk. Alarm bells rung in her head, a deafening rushing filled her ears as her heart began to pound and a chill as cold as ice rushed through her.
Henry on the throne....
The children's heads on spikes....
The floor submerged in blood....
Ravens flying over tall turrets....
The turrets of Middleham....
Cecily gave a cry as Eleanor stumbled back to the window ledge, throwing open the window as as she gasped for air.
"Leena!" She exclaimed as she reached the Queen, almost flinching when she took her hand. "Jesus you're ice cold"
"Middleham" Eleanor stammered, allowing Georgie to wrap an arm around her waist to steady her. Looking up at him she could see his Father staring back at her, his eyes filled with sudden concern "Georgie they're going to Middleham.....he's going to murder my children!"