May, 1471
Richard sat up abruptly, darkness covering the room. He breathed heavily, looking down at Katy soundly sleeping next to him. He had beads of sweat streaming down his face, wiping them quickly. Her chest rose and fell with each breath and he relaxed, laying back down next to her and lightly putting his arms around her. She hummed, turning towards him and placing her face against his bare chest. His fingers ran through her thick hair and he kissed her forehead.
"Are you with child?" He whispered, slightly distressed with her potential answers.
"Let us speak of this matter tomorrow," Katy whispered. "I am quite tired."
"I don't believe I can sleep again until I know." Katy eyes fluttered opened, looking at his anxiety growing. "I have been thinking, perhaps we should not have children." He looked into her saddened eyes.
"Have you tired of me?" Katy whispered, sitting up next to him.
"No, of course not." He thought in silence and Katy's heart pounded. "I witnessed a man lose his wife in childbirth in Flanders, she and the child did not survive."
"Richard-"
"I cannot risk losing you again. I would rather have you and no heir. And now I have this recurrent night terror of yours and our child's funeral. That I am left alone, for Edward cannot come as he is King. George is missing from it."
"Do not burden yourself with such stress!" Katy threw her arms around his neck, kissing his temple. "My mother and sister both have experienced easy births. You must have an heir, a small duke. You would not deprive me of motherhood, would you?"
"I could never forgive myself if I led to your death."
"You will not! I promise you; we will watch our children and grandchildren grow old." Katy lay down in the soft bedding, Richard still watching over her. She sighed, "I do not believe I am with child, however, it is too early to know. Margaret must think so because I told her son I was." Richard chuckled and lay next to her again. "Did you kill him?"
"He died honorably in battle," Richard yawned. "You mustn't burden yourself with that information." Katy lay in silence, putting her head on chest again.
"I know you dragged Somerset from sanctuary and held him for Edward." Richard laughed again, moving his hand behind his neck and lightly caressing Katy's back with his free one.
"Does that worry you? That I am able to do such a thing?"
"No. He committed treason. You do what must be done." Katy yawned, turning onto her stomach, facing him. "I don't want you to go again," Katy lightly traced the grooves in his arm.
"I will not."
~~
"Do they always act in such a manner?" Anne Neville whispered to Anne Lovell. "It is quite informal."
"You have much to learn, cousin," Anne Lovell spoke back. Ahead they watched Katy and Richard tease and compete. "They have spent much time together, perhaps more than us with him when we were children. They had to find ways to make the long trips more interesting."
"Riding would be quicker and simpler," Anne commented, examining Katy's mare seeming to dance ahead. Katy's infectious laugh filled the air and Richard beamed in her joy. "He loves her. You can see from the way he looks at her." Katy looked to Richard, biting her lip but remaining silent. He raised his eyebrows and turned back to Francis.
"Ride on, we will take a small break." Anne Neville turned to Anne Lovell, furrowing her brows with confusion.
"You really are trying for that son, aren't you, Your Grace?" He teased, pushing his horse past Gawain.
"I have a small hunting lodge near here, and she is in need of a rest." Katy smiled, turning bright red and looking at Francis. Richard turned down a small path, riding away from the main road. He kicked up quite a bit of dust as Katy followed close behind, both laughing and riding.
"If she is not already with child, she will be soon," Francis teased, leading the girls back towards London. Anne Neville turned and watched the shadow figures disappear into the trees.
"I should like someone to look at me as he does to her." Francis looked back to his wife, begging for her to comfort her young cousin.
"He does love you Anne, and he wants nothing more than for you to be friendly with Katy."
"Isabel does not like her."
"Isabel has not given her a chance, nor did Jane. You will see her potential soon. She is fierce and has Richard's, the King's, and Queen's ear. You have more in common with her than your own sister."
"That is impossible," Anne whispered, looking over her shoulder.
"You were forced from your home; Katy was told she could never return to hers. You both entered marriages you may have never imagined as children. In that marriage, your happiness was ripped from your grasp. Katy was held prisoner for many months during Richard's exile, and almost submitted herself in grief to Lancaster. When he returned, it was not a happy marriage. I listened to her tears and held her close during the late-night fights. I cannot imagine your time with the Bad Queen was any happier." Anne looked up to Francis, her face showing little emotion.
"The happiness you see now is work, for both her and Richard. She has seen- "he trailed off.
"Who was the man she was so frightened of?" Anne asked, understanding Katy's hardships. "What did he do to her?"
"There is much I can say of the man, most that Katy does not know, and Richard must never. Roger was paid a large sum to murder her. He had threatened to rape her publicly and with no remorse. I watched as he became blatantly monstrous with his behavior towards her, unable to do anything." Anne's lip quivered, listened to Francis vent his frustrations. "When I helped her escape, it was not due to the city breach. I feared by morning she would have joined God in heaven. But I could never tell her my true motivations."
"You must not tell Anne," Anne whispered. "We do not know who paid him. Francis is working but does not want to arise any suspicion. You must promise, please." Anne Neville responded in silence, thinking and wondering. Had anyone tried to kill her? Wanted her dead? She wiped a single tear from her eye, seeing Francis' anguish in his failure. "She will be kind to you, Anne. Just as she has been to us. You will see."
"I swear to it. I will speak of this to no one." Anne placed her hand on her young cousin's. At sixteen, she was a widow and in desperate need of any friend she may find.
~~
"What will you do regarding George?"
"In what way?" Richard responded, helping Katy atop Morgan. She looked down on him, the hot air sticking to her skin.
"With the Lady Anne. Edward will pardon her, for if he does not, we should intervene. But George will be named her guardian through Isabel." Richard quickly mounted Gawain, looking over his wife.
"Do you still not trust him?" Katy stayed silent, looking forward. Richard sighed, moving slowly up the road. "He is my brother, Katy. You must give him the chance. He protected you while you were held captive." Protected was a loose word, he attempted to keep her safe but seemed occupied by other dilemmas, like his wife's sister marrying his enemy. Katy bit her tongue, opting to change the direction of their conversation.
"I should like for her to be in my household." Richard looked at her quickly. "Our household. She can learn much from me! I have been running yours for years. I should want her happy, Richard." He remained quiet, thinking to himself. "Hopefully, in due time, she will be ready to marry again." He did not look at her this time, looking forward at the road. "I know you care for her wellbeing and happiness."
"Of course, I do. And I applaud your kind heart, but we must first care for ourselves then others."
"Richard, she has no one."
"Isabel will be overjoyed to have her sister again," he contrasted her claim. He sighed and looked forward, "If she is unhappy, I will plead with Edward for her to join us. We will ensure she is treated kindly and properly." Katy smiled, knowing Richard tended to give into her wants. "You are intoxicating to me! I am your true servant," he called into the trees. Katy giggled, pushing into Morgan, trotting past Gawain and Richard.
"We must hurry, or they may grow weary in our absence," Katy teased.