LOVE AND WAR
— 25. Coronation
A month later, it was finally time for the queen's coronation, but Nora didn't really care. She went about her normal day while everyone else was worrying about the preparations that were still necessary to do before.
Nora, however, found herself kneeling before the altar as she did most morning since returning. She performed her daily prayers, just after sneaking out of her bed to avoid waking Edward.
He found himself in her bed more frequently as of late, seeing as though his wife was carrying their first child, a future York prince.
Nora found it funny how quickly after she told Edward he would only be allowed back in her bed if Elizabeth was pregnant that Elizabeth did, indeed, become with child.
She smiled as she thought of it, but forced herself to stop thinking about it as she continued on with her daily prayers.
Just then, feeling arms wrap around her from the back, Nora opened her eyes and sighed. She rolled her eyes, turning her head to see that it was Edward who interrupted her morning prayers.
She sighed in annoyance, standing up from her kneeling position with Edward's arms still wrapped around her. "What are you thanking God for?" He asked, wearing the cheekiest of smiles.
"For giving me such a wonderful man to spend the rest of my life loving," Nora confessed in a bright tone, which surprised Edward.
Usually, she woke up in a bad mood, but she didn't seem all that bad that morning.
"You know I realized this morning?" Edward questioned as Nora turned to face him, his grip tightening around her, "Each morning, I wake up somehow loving you more than I loved you the day. I wonder how that's even possible."
"What did you do?" Nora asked, an unamused look on her face, "You're trying to flatter me more than usual. What did you do this time?"
Edward sighed in defeat, realizing she had seen right through his trickery. "Though that confession may be true, there is something I've done," He confessed, causing Nora to look frustrated, "It's nothing truly bad. I've just made a marriage plan for our daughter."
"To whom?" Nora asked, a look of disbelief on her face.
"Edward Woodville," He answered without a care in the world, "The Queen's youngest brother. He's six years old. They will marry when our daughter turns twelve."
Nora stared at Edward in silence. He frowned and since her expression didn't change, he gradually released her from his grip. "I thought you'd be happy that I've found our daughter a good husband," He informed her in an uneasy tone.
"Yes, to a commoner," She complained in annoyance, "Our daughter is of Lancastrian and York blood. The people of England may see it as nothing more than a rumor, but you and I know that she is a rightful princess of England, a marriage to Edward Woodville is absurd and shall never happen. I will not accepted this."
"It's already been decided, Nora," Edward admitted in a soft tone, earning a furious look from Nora, "I did it to calm the hostility between you and Elizabeth. She wanted something to be done about your refusal to address her as your queen. I shut her up by offering her youngest brother marriage to your...our daughter."
"Shut her up," Nora repeated after Edward, letting out a loud scoff, "Great way to speak of your wife, Edward. I wonder what you say to her when I am not around."
An angry look on her face, Nora pushed past Edward and walked away with the York king calling after her. "I shall also tell you that I've taken the title of Earl of Pembroke from Jasper Tudor and given it to our son!"
Nora froze in place for a brief moment, shocked by the revelation. She would have been fine with it if it had been taken from another man who wasn't worthy of his earldom and dukedom, but Edward had taken it from Jasper. Edward was up to something, she just knew it.
Letting out a large, Nora continued to walk. Edward watched on, disappointed that the news hadn't convinced her to stay.
_____
While everyone else was quick to prepare themselves for the coronation, Nora took her sweet dear time of it. She didn't feel like she needed to be in any type of rush.
She sat in her steaming hot bath, Alice standing close to her as she held her towel. She was no longer her handmaiden, seeing as though they had returned to court and Alice was welcome to return to her family. She, however, decided to remain at court as Nora's friend.
Alice listened to her rant and rave about what Edward was deciding to do and had done, a large smile on her face. "You want to know what I think?" She asked and Nora gave her a curious look, "I think that Edward has given your son the title of Earl of Pembroke to test you."
"Test me about what?" Nora scoffed, a puzzled look on her face.
"I think he suspects something happened between you and Jasper Tudor," Alice responded and Nora shifted uncomfortably in her bath, "And you and I both know something did happen."
"Edward need not know that," Nora argued, shaking her head in disapproval.
"Edward is king and he will find out sooner or later. It will end better if it is from you," Alice complained and Nora remained silent, knowing she was right, but refused to admit it out loud.
___
That afternoon, Nora stood in Westminster Abbey, turning as she watched Elizabeth escorted down the aisle, wearing the queen's robe.
Elizabeth was smiling slightly while Nora looked emotionless as he watched.
Elizabeth knelt briefly in front of the throne before standing up. She walked up the steps, just before sitting down on her throne. She stared forward, not looking directly at a single person.
"I here present unto you, Queen Elizabeth, your undoubted queen. Wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service are you willing to do the same?" The Archbishop announced loudly and Nora rolled her eyes.
"God save the Queen!" Everyone spoke loudly and Nora did not do the same.
"Let the anointing of this oil increase your honor and establish you forever."
"God save the Queen!" All the English subjects spoke up once more.
Nora narrowed her eyes at Elizabeth, tears beginning to fill her eyes at the sight. Jasper was right. She should have been Queen. Consort or not. It was hers, by right. By marriage and by blood. And she had willingly do nothing as it was taken from her. How could she did such a thing to herself?
"We offer up the scepters and the ring, to our one and mighty queen," The Archbishop continued on and much to everyone's shock, numerous lords and ladies turned their heads to watch as Nora fled the Abbey.
Warwick watched intently, a small, satisfied smile forming on his lips as he exchanged a look with his wife from across the aisle.
Richard and George turned to each other as well, looking uneasy. That surely wouldn't sit well with Elizabeth. It was an act of disloyalty toward the new queen.
__
At the coronation feast, George was sitting across from Richard when some of Woodville girls took a seat across from him as well. "You all look so very similar, you Rivers girls. You look like beautiful fish!" He commented and Nora took a seat beside him as the Neville sisters followed close behind her.
"I'm not sure I should like to be a fish," Isabel commented, earning a small smile from Nora.
"Ignore him," Nora sarcastically told the Woodville sisters, placing a hand on George's shoulder, "Poor George is prone to attempt to be as charming as his elder brother, but only ends up embarrassing himself in the process."
George smiled, clearly not taking what she said to heart as he playfully rolled his eyes at her.
"Look who decided to show up," George spoke up in a sarcastic tone, "I didn't think you would come after the scene you made at the Abbey."
"And miss all of this?" Nora sarcastically asked, gesturing to everything occurring around, "No, I couldn't miss it for the world."
Isabel smiled, turning to look at Richard. "Last time we saw you, Richard, you fell off your horse at our father's castle," She spoke up, causing Richard to look down in embarrassment, "Do you remember?"
Anne stood between Nora and George, a sheepish smile on her face. "Our father taught King Edward and put him on the throne! And so now King Edward must--" She began to rant, only to have George clear his throat to get her to stop where she was.
Richard watched her closely, a small smile on his face. "So he did, and Edward loves him for it," He spoke up, which was his way of defending Anne as his brother and her sister ganged up on her, "There''s a seat here, Anne, if you'd like it."
Nora glanced between Richard and Anne, a smile forming on her lips. She had to admit, they would not look bad together at all, but a union between the two was the last thing that would benefit Edward's claim to his throne, it would simply weaken it.
Hearing the horn blare, everyone was quick to stand and Nora was forced to do the same.
"Lord and Ladies of the Court," Warwick announced loudly, escorting Elizabeth in as it was his duty to do so, "Queen Elizabeth of England!"
Every man and woman in the room bowed to Elizabeth and reluctantly, Nora did the same, but only a half curtsy.
As the feast continued, Nora watched Edward and Elizabeth fondle with each other before the court. It was something even she didn't do when she was his public mistress.
Nora turned her head, watching as Isabel leaned toward her younger sister while glaring at Elizabeth. "She does not even know how to behave!" She complained about Elizabeth in a venomous tone.
"How would you behave if you were Queen?" Anne asked her sister, continuing to stare at Elizabeth and Edward.
"Well, not like that!" Isabel continued on in a frustrated tone, "I would not whisper with the King! I would be a queen of stone. I would have dignity and no emotion. She doesn't even seem ashamed."
"You have a point there," Nora spoke up, causing Isabel and Anne to whip themselves around to look straight at her, "She is an embarrassment to all the consorts who ruled alongside their husbands before her. She looks more like a mistress at Edward's side than his queen," She paused, letting out a small sigh, "Trust me, I would know."
For a brief moment, Nora watched Edward be lovey-dovey with Elizabeth. She rolled her eyes and stood up, leaving without another word said.
Edward sighed in defeat, turning his attention away from his wife as Nora rudely dismissed herself from the celebration. He forced a smile on his face, turning his attention back to his wife.
__
That night, in the nursery, Nora stood in front of her daughter's cradle. Her daughter was fast asleep and Nora had a smile on her face as she looked down at her.
Hearing the door to the nursery open, Nora rolled her eyes. "What is it that you want, Edward?" She asked, turning her head to look at her lover with an annoyed look on her face.
"I just went to visit our son. I was hoping to see our daughter before I went to see you," Edward explained in a calm tone, moving closer to Nora, "But it seems I get to see both my girls at once."
Edward attempted to wrap his arms around Nora, but she was quick to pull away. "Tell me, will you be giving our children as much attention when Elizabeth gives birth to your son?" She asked, beginning to speak to him in a cold tone.
"Of course! How could you ask such a thing?" Edward asked, an offended look on his face, "Elizabeth and Arthur are my firstborns. They shall always have a special place in my heart that none of my future children could ever have."
"Lizbeth," Nora corrected him, a small smile appearing on her face as Edward looked confused, "Arthur cannot say her name correctly so he calls her Lizbeth. I've grown quite fond of the nickname and that is what I now call her. Lizbeth. As you recall, she isn't the only Elizabeth apart of House York now that you've married a woman of the same name."
"Then I shall call her Lizbeth now as well," Edward decided, moving closer to Nora with a desperate look on his face, "Why do you keep pushing me away, Nora? I thought we were over all that has happened in the past."
"You married another woman and made her your queen. I don't think we'll ever fully get past that," Nora confessed, walking closer to Edward as she placed her hands on his shoulders and looked up at him, "I love you, Edward. I shall always love you, but I will never look at you the same way as I once did after what you've done. I have already forgiven you, you know that, but don't ask me to forget because I never will."
Edward sighed in defeat, slowly nodding his head. "So be it," He replied, a disappointed look on his face.
He walked over to his daughter's cradle, smiling softly at the sight of her sleeping.
"Will you and your queen be safe upon your thrones now?" Nora asked as she walked to stand beside him in front of their daughter's cradle.
"While Henry is at large there's always a chance of a Lancastrian uprising to put him on the throne, or his son Edward," Edward confessed, trying to hide his visible uneasiness. Nora was no longer married. That alone made him worry due to the fact that someone could easily force her into a marriage for her claim, regardless of if she was now a mother.
"I can rally men now, you know, men who will fight for you if I tell them to do so," Nora suggested in a confident tone, "Lord Warwick seems to like me now. I dare say he would have preferred me as queen to Elizabeth."
Edward sighed, an uneasy look on his face. "He does," He admitted, causing Nora to turn to him with wide eyes.
"Well, isn't that lovely. Perhaps he should have settled for me in the first place," Nora retorted, rolling her eyes in annoyance.
"Remember what we spoke of years ago?" Nora suddenly asked, raising a brow at Edward, "About how it was necessary to ally with either France and Burgundy?"
Edward nodded in response. "You said if I allied with one, I'd be able to defeat the other."
"Yes, and as much as I dislike Elizabeth and her family, I do believe they have a point when it comes to making an alliance with Burgundy instead of France," She explained, taking Elizabeth's side instead of Lord Warwick, "Burgundy is practically the trade capital of Europe. We need them more than we need France. Charles the Bold has recently been widowed. Elizabeth's mother can help convince him to agree to a marriage alliance between both our countries. An alliance that could be sealed by promising the hand of Margaret."
Edward remained silent, taking in what she was saying. He knew she had a point, but he also knew Warwick wouldn't be happy after spending the last two years trying to conclude an alliance with France.
"But France--" He began to say, only to be interrupted when Nora grabbed him by the hand.
"France can come later. You and I both know the alliance Warwick was trying to propose with them stopped when you were revealed yourself to be married to Elizabeth before the court," She continued on and Edward sighed, nodding his head in agreement.
She had a point. She always did have a point.
___
A few months passed and one morning, Nora was woken in her sleep by Edward, who wished to include her in his meeting with Anthony Woodville. Edward was shocked by what he had just learned from Anthony about what Warwick was doing behind his back, but Nora wasn't in the slightest.
"I know your loyalty to Warwick, but surely if he's gone this far, Edward," Anthony attempted to convince his king and brother-in-law to take action, but it was obvious that Edward was hesitant to do so.
Nora turned her head, watching as Elizabeth entered with a confused look on her face, especially due to the fact that Nora was there while she was not.
"Edward?" Elizabeth called out as she walked over to the group, feeling concerned. She glanced around at the group of three, waiting for them to explain what was going on.
"Your father and brothers have just told me that Warwick has a secret deal with the king of France," Edward explained to Elizabeth, who expected him to be more upset about the whole ordeal than he was at that moment, "Louis has promised him a territory in exchange for my alliance with France. Now, this was once dependent upon me marrying the Princess Bona but now rides upon this so-called peace treaty."
"So Warwick is plotting against you," Elizabeth realized in an uneasy tone as she exchanged a look with her brother.
"Not so much against me as for himself," Edward corrected his wife, earning an eye roll from Nora.
"I believe that is same exact thing," She whispered to herself and while Elizabeth heard her, Edward did not. She sighed in frustration, beginning to move away from Edward.
He turned to her, quick to speak up. "But he should not have kept it from me," He told her before moving toward Nora until he was standing in front of her, "So I shall treaty with the side I think is most useful," He paused, both of them knowing he was referring to Burgundy, "Are you happy? You got your way."
Nora gave him an annoyed look, just before she walked away. Edward sighed in defeat, forcing himself not to chase after due to Elizabeth and Anthony staring at him.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
If anything is gonna put a toll on Nora's relationship with Edward, it's definitely not Elizabeth.
It's Warwick.
I mean by now, almost every time they ended their relationship and it was Edward's fault, it's bc of something that was Warwick's doing. 😭🤷🏻♀️