ROYAL BLOOD
— 22. Teddy
At her sister-in-law's palace in Burgundy, Nora laid in bed, just as she had been doing for an entire week. She refused to get up and out of bed, the pain of losing her youngest child becoming unbearable.
Margaret, Mary, and Cecily had tried everything, but nothing seemed to work. Nothing could convince her to get out of bed and that pained them most of all.
And they knew. They knew there was nothing that could convince Nora to get out of bed. For she felt as though there was nothing left to live for.
She took Katherine with her because she didn't want to lose her as she did her brothers and sisters, yet she lost her anyway.
She began to wonder if she was cursed.
She had one child left now. Her Lizbeth. But Lizbeth had betrayed her and chose to remain with the man she loved instead of her own mother.
Nora couldn't blame her, though. She had done the same thing once almost thirty years ago.
Her mother had wanted vengeance on House York, the people who cost her everything, but instead of her daughter choosing her, she chose to remain with the man she loved. Edward. The man who was technically the reason her family lost everything.
The door opened, but Nora didn't turn. She already knew it must have been Cecily or Margaret. They had come to see her every day, despite Nora never actually speaking to them.
"It's been a week," Cecily spoke up as she walked into Nora's room.
She couldn't bear to see the woman who was always like a daughter to her lose all hope. She had seen it happen before, when Edward had died. Arthur, her firstborn son, had been the one to get out of her depressive state.
Now, Arthur was gone, along with the rest of Nora's children.
Cecily began to fear there was nothing that would get the woman out of her hopeless state.
"Will you not have something small to eat?" Cecily asked and still, Nora did not answer, "My poor, poor girl."
She sighed in defeat, moving closer to Nora. "Come now. You must. Lizzie has arrived. She needs you. Or she'll have no one. You care for her like you would your own child. Do not abandon her as her own mother did. She chose to remain here with you over her own sisters. Do not let her down." She pleaded, yet Nora remained silent, avoiding eye contact with the elder woman as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
Cecily waited a few moments, but still, she got no answer. "So be it," She whispered softly.
Nora closed her eyes, listening as Cecily left the room and closed the door behind her. Gradually, she allowed her eyes to open back up, a part of her telling her to get up and keep fighting.
She might not have had her children, but she had Lizzie. Teddy was in the Tower and Maggie would most likely be forced into a marriage to a man who would not treat her right. They needed her.
Lizbeth might have chosen the Tudors but Lizzie and their cousins did not. They needed her and she had to keep fighting, if not for herself, for them.
Lizzie was Edward's daughter and her mother was no longer around. Maggie and Teddy's father was dead, as was their mother. All three of them, Nora had promised to protect as if they were her own and she needed to keep her promise.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to sit up. She was still wearing the clothes she had been wearing when Katherine died and her hair was down, no longer pinned up. She looked a mess, but she didn't care.
At least she was getting out of bed. That was all that mattered.
"I am the daughter of Thomas Fitzroy. I do not give up," She whispered to herself as she forced herself to remain strong, "Edward would want me to remain strong. He would want me to fight on as he would. I shall not let him down."
Nora finally placed her feet on the ground and stood up, making her wat toward the door.
Moments later, she entered the throne room, barefooted. Mary was talking with Maximilian from afar while Cecily and Margaret were standing just a few feet in front of Nora, speaking to Lizzie in a hushed tone.
Lizzie was the first to notice Nora. Her eyes widened, shocked to see the woman who had been like a mother to her in the previous years. She didn't look the same, though. She longer looked as though she was filled with light as she used to be.
"Nora!" She exclaimed, wasting no time rushing toward the woman.
Nora forced herself to smile and immediately hugged Lizzie, a part of her actually relieved to see the girl.
Margaret and Cecily walked toward the woman, a curious look on both of their faces. They had been waiting for the women to get back to normal, knowing she'd be the one to have the perfect plan for revenge, which they were already yearning for.
"We shall eat and then we plan," She informed the two women and Lizzie in a sinister tone, "The Tudors have done nothing but take the people we love from us. They disturbed the peace we had for over ten years after I helped Edward take care of the Lancastrian threat once and for all. For that, I shall return that disturbance in tenfold and show no mercy to any of them."
Cecily and Margaret watched on, beginning to smile in satisfaction as Nora walked across the throne room. "You will have your war, my Lizzie. They will pay for what they've done. They will soon learn what happens they make an enemy out of Nora of Lancaster," She paused, turning to face them, "Thirty years ago, I could have taken the throne from Edward. I had almost all of England backing me, despite being a woman. I didn't, though. Because I loved him with all my heart. But Edward is gone and they have taken our family's throne. Nothing's stopping me from taking it now in House York's name. I will make them all pay and I will show no mercy to these usurpers. None of them."
"We are bound by blood and by marriage, Nora, Burgundy will back you," Mary spoke up in a confident tone and Maximilian was quick to agree.
Nora smiled and nodded her head, already knowing she could have more than half of Europe backing her at ease.
____
It was morning time. Lizbeth laid in bed Henry's bed asleep. Henry was awake, though, both of them completely nude from the night before.
Henry smiled slightly, lightly running his fingers down her neck and chest as he admired her sleeping figure.
Lizbeth began to smile as her eyes fluttered open, feeling warmth in his gentle and soothing touch. She slowly turned to face him, noticing how he stared her at her lovingly.
She leaned forward, pressing her lips against his as he pulled her closer. He ran his hands down her body until he grabbed at her waist. He turned her so she was laying flat on her back. He knelt between her knees, his hands on both sides of her.
Lizbeth smiled, playfully rolling her eyes at his actions. "You would think you were tired after the night we had," She commented, causing Henry to lift his head to look her in the eye.
"Are you?" He questioned and Lizbeth chuckled.
"Not a chance," She replied and Henry wasted no time pressing a kiss to her navel. "Though I give it less than five minutes before your mother comes waltzing in here. She knows no boundaries, after all."
"Forget about her," He argued, a smile on his face, "Think of me and me alone."
Lizbeth smiled at him playfully, shaky breaths escaping her lips as he made his way downward.
However, before he could reach where he wanted to, the door opened and Margaret entered.
Henry jolted up, quick to cover Lizbeth's nude body with the sheet before laying back down next to her, half sitting up.
"Your Uncle has returned from Burgundy," Margaret informed Henry, completely ignoring Lizbeth, who was angrily glaring at her, "Quickly now."
With that, Margaret turned, walking back into the Queen's rooms. While she was at it, she left the door that led to the passageway opened, which aggravated Lizbeth even more.
"How does that not annoy you?" She complained, causing Henry to sigh in annoyance, "That there's just a door between your room and hers?"
"Something's wrong," Henry changed the subject, an uneasy look on his face as he sat up.
Lizbeth sighed in defeat, despite knowing he most likely had a point.
It took longer for Lizbeth to get dress. When she did, though, she arrived in the throne room to see that the meeting had already begun and it looked as though nothing good had come out of Jasper Tudor and Lord Strange's trip to Burgundy.
"Look, how could it have gone so wrong?" Henry asked his uncle and step-brother in a frustrated tone.
"When the girl died—" Jasper began to say, only to have to Lizbeth cut him off.
"Who died?" She asked him worriedly and Jasper didn't answer, a guilty look on his face.
He couldn't bring himself to tell her that her last full sibling had died.
John De La Pole Jr, her cousin, sighed as he turned to look at her. "Your sister, Princess Katherine," He informed her in a saddened tone.
A small gasp escaped Lizbeth's parted lips as she was quick to place a hand over her mouth. She tried her hardest not to cry, but it was clear she was failing miserably at it.
"It was an accident," Lord Strange tried to convince the group in an aggravated tone, "Yet, they blamed us. Even Maximilian."
"Why, if you were not to blame?" Margaret spoke up, a confused look on her face.
"There was a competition which..." Jasper trailed off, an uneasy look on his face.
"It was the girl's own fault," Lord Strange butted in before Jasper could finish, much to Jasper's frustration, "She...She had the need to win at everything," He paused, gesturing toward Jasper, "And yours. If you hadn't been so wrapped up in Nora, then it might have been avoided."
"Wrapped up?" Bishop Morton questioned, a confused look on his face.
"He was attentive to her. They looked to even be on the verge of locking lips at one point," Lord Strange explained and while Margaret looked upset by the news, Jasper shot the younger man an annoyed look.
"We should maintain the course that we are on," Bishop Morton quickly butted in, purposely changing the subject, "My Lady The King's Mother is already making matches for the York girls with Tudor nobles."
"So they may not be snatched from us and used to breed York heirs," Margaret informed the group in a vicious tone.
"They more than just breeders and they should be treated as such," Lizbeth spoke up, shooting Margaret an angry glare.
Tears threatened to spill from Lizbeth's eyes as she stared at Margaret, saddened by the news of her sister's death.
"We do not know what the Duchess and Nora will do," Her cousin had spoke up, much to her relief, "She may do nothing. We should be ready but not think the worst."
"It is Nora of Lancaster. Another of her children have died. Of course, we should think the worst," Henry complained, taking a seat while Margaret left the room.
It took Jasper a moment before he followed after the woman, hoping to speak to her. "Margaret?" He called out and after a moment, she stopped and turned to face him.
He took a deep breath, just before he began to walk toward her. "You're angry with me. As I am with myself," He told her in a disappointed tone, "We were so close."
"I do not wish to hear how close you were," She growled at him lowly, clearly believing that he was talking about him and Nora.
Jasper frowned, realizing he and Margaret weren't speaking about the same thing. "To peace," He told her in a genuine tone, "What was it you thought I meant?"
Margaret's eyes widened, feeling uneasy about what she had said when she realized they were talking about two different matters. "She is our enemy!" She reminded Jasper as she turned to look at him, "How could you even think to..." She cut herself off, just before storming off.
_____
In the throne room, Henry continued to sit in his chair, only to look up to see Lizbeth glancing around, listening as everyone began to speak of her sister's death.
She began to silently cry and due to being unable to take it anymore, she began to walk away.
He was quick to stand up, on the verge of chasing after her. "Lizbeth!" He called out and Lizbeth stopped.
She turned to face him, on the verge of allowing him to comfort her. However, before he could actually get to her, Lord Stanley had walked up to him. "Your Grace, there is matters we must speak of."
Henry had zoned out what Lord Stanley was saying, acting as though he was listening. He turned his head, sighing in defeat as he watched his wife walk away while grieving by herself.
————
That same day, Lizbeth took a walk through the garden. She held her son in her arms, some guards and her ladies accompanying her on the walk.
As she looked down at her son, she gradually began to cry, thinking about the fact that Katherine would never have the chance to have children of her own.
Neither did Grace. Neither did any of her siblings. They had all died before they could have children of their own. It broke her heart. She had been the only one able to have a child of her own, to understand how her mother felt when she had them. A mother's love.
She couldn't bear the thought of losing her baby Arthur. She felt as though she herself would die. Yet her mother had lost all her children. All but one. Lizbeth. Lizbeth, who betrayed her by choosing the man she loved.
In truth, though, it made her no difference than her mother, who had done the same many years ago. She had chosen Edward over her own mother. Was Lizbeth now doing the same for Henry?
"Lizbeth?" A voice called out, causing Lizbeth to lift her head to see Maggie walking over to her, "I heard about the accident. I am sorry about poor Katherine. I cried when I heard."
"Uh—" Lizbeth began to say, only to cut herself off. She sighed, turning to the midwife. She handed Arthur to the woman, allowing Lizbeth to speak freely with her cousin.
Lizbeth pressed a kiss to Arthur's forehead, just before she began to walk alongside Maggie, who Lizbeth felt as though was the last person she truly had left.
Yes, Cecily was her sister, but she only remained at Lizbeth's side after everything for her own selfish gain.
Maggie was the only one she could truly trust.
"It is tragic to say, but could this not be good, in a way?" Maggie asked, an uneasy look on her face, "For Teddy? If the Duchess turns against the Tudors alongside Aunt Nora perhaps they'll send some men to rescue him—"
"It is bad, Maggie," Lizbeth argued in a stern tone, "Henry is more fearful than he has ever been before. The threat against the Tudors means my sisters must now also be locked away in marriages. As do you. We must all be turned to Tudor."
"Me as well?" Maggie worriedly asked when she heard Lizbeth mention her as well.
"You are another York princess, Maggie, daughter of one of the three sons of York. Your children could be heirs," She reminded Maggie in a calm tone.
"Well, who will I be wed to?" She asked curiously and Lizbeth shrugged.
"I don't know yet," She replied, sighing in defeat.
"Will I live near Westminster?" Maggie continued to question Lizbeth, desperate to know what would happen in the future, "You'll not make me go away from Teddy—"
"I have told Henry I shall influence the matches," She answered in a stern tone, "His mother will not be let loose to match you all with motley peasants or barbarians. I will make a stand against her once and for all. I will do my best for you, dear cousin. I promise."
With that, Lizbeth walked off while Maggie remained in place, watching as the elder woman walked away.
_____
In Burgundy, Francis Lovell walked into Margaret's court, finding her sitting in her throne with Cecily and Nora sitting on both sides of her. Lizzie sat in front of her stepmother on a cushioned seat.
He bowed to each of the respectful women before his eyes became fixed on Nora. Despite Margaret being the one sitting on the throne, everyone there, including Francis, knew who held the real power with Nora there.
"Thank you for coming," Margaret greeted Francis with a kind smile on her face.
"I am sorry for your loss, Your Grace," Francis stated as he looked toward Nora with a sympathetic look on his face.
"You have the English boys?" Nora bluntly asked, refusing to bring up what happened to Katherine because it pained her too much.
"I do, Your Grace. Just as you asked," He replied, bowing his head to her.
"Good," Nora smiled, wasting no time standing up from her seat.
___
Moments later, Nora walked past the long line of English boys, whose mothers and fathers stood behind them, waiting to see if their son would be chosen.
Nora glanced at each boy, trying to find which looked most like Teddy.
Cecily, Francis, and Margaret watched the woman anxiously, trying to see who she would choose. After all, she was the one funding the army the most and it was her idea, which made it her choice.
Once reaching the last boy, she turned on her heel, beginning to walk past them again.
She found herself stopping in front of the second to the last boy. She looked down at him and the boy stared back up at her, trying to hide his uneasiness.
He turned to look at Francis, giving him a questioning look since he didn't know what to do next. "Go on, lad," Francis encouraged the boy, "Just as we practiced."
He nodded, turning to look back at Nora. "My name is Teddy, Your Grace. It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace," he recited the phrases he had been taught and Nora smiled in response.
"This one looks most like Teddy," Lizzie spoke up, causing Nora to turn her head to see the York girl pointing at another boy.
"Looks don't matter, my dear Lizzie. No one outside of England knows what Teddy looks like," She explained, keeping her eyes fixed on the boy in front of her, "They'll accept whoever's by my side. And this boy..." She trailed off, pointing at him, "This boy has an innocent face, but he's determined. Just like your Uncle George used to be when I first met him when he was still a mere boy. He won't shy away."
"To whom does he belong?" Margaret spoke up as she turned to Francis.
The group watched as one of the men took a step forward, waiting to be paid. Francis sighed, just before handing the man some gold.
"Lovell, come with me," Nora insisted as she began to walk away and the man was quick to follow her.
Once they made it out into the hallway, Nora turned to him, a stern look on her face. "Have the boy's father executed," She ordered and Francis frowned in concern.
"Your Grace, he's been paid. He won't talk," He reminded her, and Nora loudly scoffed.
"That is not why I want him killed. He was willing to sell his own son to pocket some coin. I want him dead because of that," She explained without a care in the world, "Make sure that's done before we sail. In the meantime, I must write a letter to Ireland."
Francis slowly nodded, frowning in concern as he watched Nora walk away without another word said.