LOVE AND WAR
— 41. High Treason
Several months later, Edward stood in his office, his face placed in his hands as he listened to Elizabeth complain about George once more and how he was still a threat.
He was only half-listening, seeing as though it seemed as though every time she spoke to him about it, she said the same exact as she did the time before.
"Your Grace!" One of the servants suddenly exclaimed as she knocked on the door, causing Edward to turn to look at her while Elizabeth looked annoyed.
"Not now!" Elizabeth snapped at her, but the servant ignored her as she looked toward Edward.
"Your Grace, Duchess Nora's baby is coming early. The midwives say she may not survive it."
Edward immediately rose from his seat, which immediately angered Elizabeth. "You would go and leave this matter unresolved?" She complained in a loud tone.
"Settle it yourself," Edward practically growled at Elizabeth before running out of the room.
Edward felt as though he had never run so fast before as he sprinted to Nora's chambers. Before he even entered the room, he could hear her loud screams. They weren't like the screams that escaped her mouth the other times he had been present during the births of their other children. At that moment, he knew something was definitely wrong.
Edward shoved numerous servants out of the way without meaning to, rushing to his lover's side. He knelt beside her since she was seated in a chair. Her nails were digging in the chair, causing her to bleed.
Edward grabbed one of her hands, allowing her to squeeze that instead of making herself bleed from the tight grip she had on the seat of the wooden chair.
Nora continued to push, screaming in absolute agony. Something was wrong. It never hurt as much as it did at that moment, not even when she gave birth for the first time with Arthur.
"Edward," Nora cried out, turning to look at Edward as she forced herself to keep pushing.
"Shh. It's alright. Everything will be alright. I'm here," Edward assured her and Nora's grip on his hand became tighter.
"Something's wrong. I can feel it," Nora managed to get out as a midwife wiped the sweat from her face.
"The child is almost here, Your Grace. Keep pushing," The midwife insisted and Nora's screams became louder as she continued to push.
"Can't you do something for her?" Edward demanded, turning to glare at the midwives.
A saddened look on her face, one of the midwives shook her head.
Nora screamed out last time, throwing her head back as the baby was finally born.
Edward's eyes widened in disbelief, stunned speechless when he saw that the child was a boy.
"It's a boy, Your Grace," The midwife smiled and Nora felt uneasy, as did Edward.
Edward smiles anyway, on the verge of taking the crying baby in his arms. However, Nora suddenly gasped, placing a hand over her belly when she was consumed with a sensation that felt as though she was in labor again.
Edward's smile faded and he immediately frowned in concern. "What's happening?" He desperately asked the midwife, a worried look on his face.
The midwife looked downwards, a shocked expression on her face. "The duchess is giving birth to another child," She informed him, much to Edward's disbelief.
"Two?" Edward gasped and the midwife kneeling in front of Nora's separated legs nodded, "Twins..." He whispered softly as much as he wanted to smile at such a gift, he couldn't. Not when he didn't know if Nora would be able to survive such a thing.
Nora screamed out in agony, forcing herself to stay awake long enough to continue pushing. She cried and screamed at the top of her lungs, apart of her feeling as though she couldn't survive another birth.
"Just keep pushing, Nora. Please. You can get through this. I will not lose you like this," Edward pleaded, a genuinely fearful look on his face.
He couldn't lose Nora. He refused to. She warned him. She warned him of her fears of not surviving another birth and he promised her she would get through it.
What if she didn't?
"You don't think I'm pushing already, Edward?" Nora managed to get out, gasping for breath before she continued to push as much as she could.
"Your Grace, the baby is stuck," The Midwife informed Edward in a nervous tone, "We must move her to the bed. We must reposition the baby so that he may be born. If we don't, they will both die."
Without hesitation, Edward had stood up and picked Nora up off the chair bridal's style. He walked her over to the bed as she continued to cry out.
First, he sat down on the bed, placing Nora between his legs. He held her in his arms, his hands intertwined with hers as she leaned back against his chest.
Nora continued to scream in agony as the baby was repositioned by the midwives. Edward held her close, giving her the comfort she desperately needed at that moment. He whispered encouraging comments in her ears, telling her that she would survive and all would be well, that she was far too strong a woman to have herself be beaten by something like childbirth.
The midwives tried not to let the scene bother them. After all, what Edward was doing was frowned upon, especially since he was a king. No man was supposed to be in a room where a woman was giving birth, especially not one that was a king.
Worst of all, Edward had Nora in his lap, holding her as she gave birth. Nora was not his wife, which made matters even worse. Edward didn't care, though. He didn't care about how many rules he was breaking at that moment. Nora needed him and he would be there no matter what anyone said about it.
Nora continued to push and soon enough, she found herself relaxing when the child was born. She forced her eyes to remain open as she looked forward, seeing the midwives holding her children.
"A boy and a girl, Your Grace," She informed them and Edward began to smile happily while Nora felt uneasy.
She got what she wanted. She gave birth to another girl. But she gave birth to a boy as well.
She had four sons now. Four potential heirs while the Queen had two.
Nora smiled anyway and while her daughter was placed in her arms, her son was placed in Edward's. Before being handed his son, though, Edward lifted Nora up, placing her next to him.
Holding their children, they smiled and while Nora was still weak, she seemed better now that she had given birth to both children.
"What shall you name them?" Nora asked softly, smiling at Edward, "I'll let it be your choice this time."
Edward glanced down at both of his children, trying to think up good names for the children that would most definitely be the last he had with Nora.
"Edmund and Katherine," Edward informed Nora, smiling at Nora, "Katherine for your mother. We will honor her for being your mother, not of the woman she became in the end. And Edmund...for the brother I lost."
Nora nodded, agreeing with the names.
Edward studied Nora closely, noticing how she seemed to be trying her hardest to remain awake. He turned to the midwives, who noticed as well. It wasn't the usual fatigue women got after giving birth, either. Even Edward could see that.
At that moment, Edward turned to the midwives, ordering them to watch over the children while the remainder of the midwives and the physician remained to care for Nora. Edward stayed as well, refusing to leave Nora's side until he knew she was going to be okay.
Days had passed and still, Nora seemed weak and remained in bed. Their other children had come to visit and Thomas even made a remark, claiming that her condition was caused by Elizabeth. Edward refused to believe such a thing. That didn't stop Lizbeth and Arthur from believing it, though.
A week had passed and finally, Nora was able to get out of bed. She was weak, but she wasn't dying, which was a relief. Despite being born early, her children were healthy. Little Katherine and Edmund. All was well with the family and it remained that way for more than a year.
News of George and what he was doing hadn't traveled to court during that time, either. No one had the slightest idea about what he was doing. However, people like Nora knew better than to think it was over. George wanted revenge and he'd clearly get it one way or another.
However, the moment news of Isabel Neville's death spread, George soon arrived at court, demanding an audience with the king.
Nora had stood in the same room, watching as George insisted on his brother marrying him off to Mary of Burgundy. Edward found it funny and refused to allow it to happen.
With that, George had screamed at his brother, damning him and Elizabeth before storming out of the room.
Edward was being fitted for a new outside as it happened and once more, the procedure was interrupted when Elizabeth stormed in just moments after George stormed out.
Nora supposed George had done something to wrong her in his fit of rage.
Elizabeth walked in, paying no mind to Nora as she walked toward Edward. "Edward," She called out before looking toward the man and woman fitting Edward's outfit. "Leave us."
With that, the servants bowed to their king and queen, leaving Elizabeth alone with both Edward and Nora. Elizabeth shot Nora a look, but it was clear she wasn't going anywhere.
"George has just publicly accused me of witchcraft!" Elizabeth complained and Edward groaned in annoyance, turning away from his wife, "He is spreading rumors that his wife was poisoned and I was the one who did it!"
"George is angry because he cannot have the wife he wants," Edward informed Elizabeth calmly as he walked around the room, "He just asked me for Mary of Burgundy," he paused, beginning to laugh as he poured himself and Nora a glass of wine, "But of course, I said no. Imagine what would happen if we let him loose with Flanders!"
"He is accusing me of murder, Edward!" Elizabeth complained loudly, "And if you're not going to do anything about it, then I most certainly will."
"Yes, and what will you do? Hmm?" Edward questioned Elizabeth with an attitude, "They already say you're a witch. Now, if you don't want those rumors to grow, then you will have to rise above the accusations for once and do nothing."
Elizabeth remained silent, beginning to glare at Edward. "I will command Anne Neville to an audience with me," She spoke up after a moment of silence, "And I will scotch these rumors being spread about me."
With that, Elizabeth walked out of the room, leaving Nora alone with Edward.
Nora sighed in defeat, walking toward Edward with a stern look on her face. "You need to snap some sense into George before it's too late. He's gaining the reputation of a mad dog and soon enough, he's going to be treated as such. Taken out back and slaughtered for the pig feed."
Edward's eyes widened, shocked by what Nora had said to him. She turned on her heel and walked out of the room.
___
"What the hell is wrong with him!" Nora shouted as she stood with Edward, listening to Lord Stanley speak about how George had hired a sorcerer.
"I don't know if it's true for sure," Lord Stanley confessed, glancing between Edward and Nora.
"Take men to Tewkesbury! Arrest George," Edward ordered in a stern tone, "There'll be no warning! Do it now!"
Lord Stanley nodded and walked out of the room. Nora watched him leave before turning to face Elizabeth, who had just entered the room.
"Now, George has found himself a sorcerer to counteract your witchcraft," Edward snapped at Elizabeth, grabbing Nora by the arm before walking out with her.
____
Weeks had passed and still, George was missing. Edward had planned a celebration for his fifteen years. Instead of walking in alongside Elizabeth as he usually did during occasions like that, he instead walked in with Nora.
They both wore masks that matched. A lion and his lioness. Nora looked around, impressed by the theme of the party.
The plan was simple. Nora was posing as Elizabeth while standing beside Edward and due to the poor lighting and the way Nora's hair was tied up with a mask covering her face, no one would even be able to tell the difference.
Elizabeth was confined to her room to keep her safe.
"We have examined the sorcerer's charts and it's even worse than I thought," Edward confessed to Nora as they continued to hold hands while walking through the festivities, "George has been foretelling my death."
"That's treason!" Nora gasped, turning to Edward with a shocked look, "Doing such a thing is forbidden. What will you do?"
"What can I do? He is my brother," Edward complained and Nora couldn't help but agree.
"Please don't kill him," Nora pleaded, tear beginning to fill her eyes.
"I won't," Edward assured her as he shook his head, "I could never kill my own brother."
"But they didn't let that stop him!" George suddenly shouted from afar, causing Edward and Nora to exchange an uneasy look.
"The swine is here! I can hear him!" Edward exclaimed, grabbing Nora by the hand, "We must find him. Stay close to me. They still believe you're Elizabeth."
Nora nodded, immediately following after him as he walked away.
"My friend Thomas Burdett was refused the quicker death that he was entitled, as if he had confessed to his guilt!" George exclaimed as he made his way around, "Now, what does this tell you about that man?!"
"George!" Edward shouted, he and Nora rushing around to remove the masks over numerous people.
Edward stopped in front of a table, looking down to see a mask that clearly belonged to George.
"George!" He shouted out once more, continuing to search for his brother, "George, you coward!"
"So your King, your great king. Your beloved Edward, is a murderer! Just as you have murdered before, eh, Edward? What about the time you convinced your precious Nora to pour poison down Old King Henry's throat as you held him down!"
George continued on with his rant, making his way toward Nora. He believed her to be Elizabeth, seeing as though she still wore her mask. She remained still, not revealing her true identity as he continued to rant about how Elizabeth was responsible for the death of his firstborn son and Isabel.
"Somebody take him!" Edward ordered in a loud tone, only to turn to see Richard rushing toward George, "Richard, Anthony, seize him!"
As George was dragged away, Nora finally removed her mask. George froze briefly, locking eyes on her. At that moment, he turned, speaking about something that would ensure he got his way in the end.
"Nora FitzRoy is the rightful queen! The rumors are true. My brother married her two years before he and Elizabeth Woodville married. I have proof! I talked to the priest who married them off! My sister Margeret was the witness of the marriage! All their children are the rightful heirs to the throne, not these witch's spawns!"
Tears beginning to form in her eyes, Nora looked around to see all eyes on her and Edward.
Edward turned to Nora, a guilty look on his face since he knew nothing was going to let her escape the truth now.
"Nora..." Edward trailed off as he began to walk toward her. Nora rushed off, not wanting to address what had just happened.
____
After the trial of George, Nora and Richard stood together as Cecily tried to beg them to help George win.
"He can not do it," Cecily cried out, shaking her head in disbelief, "Richard. Nora. You must tell him. If he is found guilty, he will die."
"The Queen would have him dead," Anne spoke up, causing the group to turn to her, "She's not forgiven him, for her father and her brother."
"We are the three sons of York!" Richard exclaimed in a frustrated tone, "How can we be divided by one woman! Who can one tear us apart and the other be our glue?" He paused, turning to look toward Nora, who avoided eye contact with him.
"Oh, please, not George. Not George of all of you," Cecily cried out, causing Nora to turn to her with a look of disbelief.
"Why him of all of us?" Richard asked in a soft tone, feeling betrayed, "Would you rather it was me? Would you rather it was Edward and his sons too? Just so your precious little George could have every last thing he ever wanted?"
Cecily felt guilty. She turned to Richard, opening her mouth to speak. Before she could apologize, however, Richard had turned away from her, an angered look on his face.
___
On the second day of the trial, Nora walked into Edward's chambers with a smile on her face. She suddenly froze, however, when she found Edward sitting in his room. He stared blankly at the chessboard, a saddened look on his face.
Nora slowly walked up to him, placing her hands on his shoulders as she stood to his right. "I know that look," She whispered to him softly, affectionately rubbing his back, "What happened? Is everything alright?"
"He has been plotting with King Louis of France to murder you and I to take my throne," Edward confessed, tears beginning to form in his eyes as Nora's eyes widened in shock, "I have to pass the death sentence."
At that moment, Edward began to genuinely cry, not being able to contain himself in front of Nora like he had with everyone else. Nora moved closer to Edward, wrapping her arms around him as he began to cry in her chest.
"Shh. It's okay, my love. It's okay," She whispered to him softly, more worried about making Edward feel better than to show her own sadness.
George was so caught up in his own ambition and greed he was willing to kill her as well, his dearest friend. He cared about her deeply, yet he was still willing to kill her to become king.
Was he that far gone?
____
The morning of George's execution, Nora stood outside, staring blankly at the gardens with tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
"He wants to be drowned in a barrel of wine," Arthur, who was now sixteen, spoke up, causing Nora to turn to him in shock, "Uncle George has chosen a fool's death, to be drowned in Malmsey wine."
Nora sighed in defeat, immediately recognizing the reason behind it. "He's no fool. Malmsey wine is the queen's favorite," She informed Arthur, whose eyes widened in shock, "He wishes to punish her."
Arthur walker closer to Nora, a disappointed look on his face. "Do you think Father's doing the right thing?" He asked in concern, "By having Uncle George executed?"
"It's the only thing he can do, Arthur," Nora admitted in a soft tone, "Your uncle George has commuted High Treason. Nothing and no one can stop him from being executed now."
Arthur remained silent, trying not to look saddened by the revelation. He sighed in defeat, slowly nodding his head in understanding.
Nora noticed his sadness and walked toward her son. She smiled sadly, lifting her hand to affectionately stroke his cheek. "Everything will be alright, my son. I promise," she whispered to him softly, wasting no time hugging him.
___
The night of George's execution, Richard had arrived, demanding that Edward not go through with their brother's sentence.
"I'm talking to you!" Richard shouted at Edward angrily since he noticed the way he attempted to walk away from him while Nora remained in place, "This is our own brother we're talking about. Do you realize how ridiculous you are being here? He has gone too far, I can see that--"
"He has committed high treason!" Edward screamed at Richard furiously, "I cannot let that go unpunished. I won't."
Richard began to glare at Edward, whose back faced him. Not being to bear the sight of his eldest brother any longer, he stormed off in a fit of rage, a rage Nora had never seen on him before.
"Come," Edward spoke up in a soft tone as he extended his hand out to her, "We must go and witness it."
"Edward..." Nora trailed off, tears beginning to form in her eyes, "I don't think...I don't think I can..."
Edward walked over to Nora, cupping her face in his hands. "You may close your eyes during it, my love. I must be there and I don't think I can get through it without you," He confessed, tears welled in his own eyes.
Nora slowly looked up at Edward, hesitantly nodding her head. She grabbed his hand, intertwining it with her own before they both walked off together.
Soon enough, they arrived, looking downwards. They watched as the executioner forced George's head down into the wine, beginning to drown him.
Nora tried to keep her eyes closed, but soon enough, she opened them, immediately beginning to cry as she watched George drown.
She softly cried out, immediately covering her mouth with the hand she didn't have intertwined with Edward's. She instantly, looked away, not being able to bear the sight of George's dead body being brought up from being drowned. His eyes were open and the slightest of smiles were on his face.
Edward slowly turned to Nora, wasting no time hugging Nora tightly. The couple latched themselves onto each other, needing to be in each other's arms at a time like that.
"This shall be the last death for a long death, Edward," Nora confessed in a soft tone, "I do not think I'll be able to bare another one any time soon."
"Neither can I," Edward admitted quietly, continuing to hold Nora close to him, "We must think of life now and only that. We must think of our children, of our future and theirs. Nothing more, nothing less."
Nora remained silent, slowly nodding her head in agreement.