Westminster Palace
Jacquetta's words washed over him, but he refused to believe them.
Charlotte, his Charlotte, was going to marry Edward of Lancaster. Tales of his cruelty were widely known and Warwick was still going to sell his oldest daughter to him as his wife.
It had to be in order to spite him. It was a slap in the face to him. If he had announced his marriage to Charlotte, none of this would be happening. Their children would be known as legitimate, Edmund would have taken his place at Ludlow already and Lily would be engaged to a crown prince in the continent. Even if he did not take Warwick's advice so readily as he had once done, he would not have done this with his daughter on the throne.
It was all his fault.
Charlotte was presented as the future wife of Edward of Westminster to spite him. After all, Anne was a better marriage prospect, barring her lack of Lancaster blood. She was younger and still a virgin. It was all part of Warwick seeking revenge on him for listening to others and no longer taking his counsel blindly.
Warwick wanted power and by refusing him, he had made an enemy. First, he married Isabel to George and tried to supplant him with his brother. Then, he acted as though everything was fine when that failed before mounting another rebellion, taking his family with him as he fled. Having Charlotte as the future Lancaster queen would grant him the power he craved.
If he closed his eyes, he could still feel her soft, dark tresses curling around his fingers. He could still inhale her sweet, lavender scent. If he kept them closed for long enough, he could hear her laugh, he could feel her trembling underneath him as she fell apart. He kept them closed and he could feel her hands on his chest as her hips rolled alongside his, his hands grasping her back as she sighed softly into his ear, driving him to completion.
He held the hilt of his sword tightly, trying not to scream. He wanted to rage. He wanted to destroy everything that stood in the path between him and Charlotte. He wanted to run to her and hold her in his arms and never let her go.
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Valogne, France
"Lady Charlotte, Lady Isabel, Lady Anne. You have a visitor." Charlotte turned her head as the maid spoke and a tall, hooded figure entered the room.
"Lady Sutcliffe!" Anne breathed.
"Please, do not call out. I only wish to speak with you."
"Why? What do you want?" Isabel questioned.
"I have a message for your husband, Lady Isabel. Please, I can't stay long. Permit me to speak with you."
"You may speak with us," she said, her voice strong. "There are no secrets between us sisters."
"I have come at the request of your mother-in-law, the Duchess Cecily. You have nothing to fear. The Duchess simply would like George to know that should he wish to return to England, he can. His brother, King Edward, will gladly receive him and will restore him to favor."
"Come home?"
"Yes. It is good news, is it not? The Duchess also asked me to tell you that she grieved the loss of her poor grandson. She was appalled to hear of your ordeal. You should be at home now, surrounded by your friends and those who love you."
"I would like to go home," her sister confessed.
"You can't, Izzy. You know you can't."
"I must leave soon. You will pass this message to your husband?" Isabel nodded. "Lady Charlotte. I have a message for your ears only, if I may."
She nodded and led her to a small, unused room.
"The Duchess wished for you to know she keeps you in her prayers and that your children are healthy," Lady Sutcliffe started. "William has started to eat with a spoon by himself and Lily's making strides in her embroidery."
Charlotte frowned. "What else? What are you not telling me?"
"We've heard of your impending marriage," she joined their hands and passed a small vial into her own. "This is a concoction derived from belladonna. It is odorless, tasteless and as you can see, it is also clear so it blends easily into any drink or food."
"Why are you giving me this?"
Of course she knew, how could she not? But she needed to hear the words, needed to hear what her mother-in-law was condoning her to do.
"It would be a shame if you became a widow soon after your marriage, would it not, Lady Charlotte?"
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Within the next fortnight, her father was leaving for England. Charlotte watched as he put on his armor. "Are you going to give me your blessing?" He asked.
She stared up at him. "My blessing?"
"Yes, you do wish that your sons had a grandfather as they grow?" He asked. "Don't you want me near when you become Queen?"
Charlotte turned away from her father. "It is treason to think of a King's death."
"Not when he is no true king," her father said, making her turn around. "If I fail, pray for me and try to remember me fondly."
Charlotte didn't know if she could promise to do so. If he did lose, she and her children would be reunited with Edward. Yet if he won, her children would be left fatherless and would be seen as a threat to the Lancastrian rule, having to live fearing for their lives. How could she promise that? Yet as he stared at her, she couldn't lie to him. "If you win, I will be here waiting for you with a Lancaster babe quickening in my womb. I will submit to my fate and become a queen to be remembered. If you lose, I'll pray for you and remember you as fondly as I can."
He bowed her to and left.
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"What about this one?" Isabel held up a red dress with white trimming around the wrists.
"No, better avoid red and white," Charlotte shook her head. "You're going into a Lancaster court but it may just as easily become a York one."
Isabel nodded.
"How about this one?" Charlotte asked, holding up a light green dress.
"Perfect."
As Charlotte packed a gown into the trunk, Anne walked in. "What are you doing?"
"She has been sent for by our father and dearest brother-in-law."
"You are leaving for England?"
"Tonight."
"But your wedding, Charlotte. We must be together."
Charlotte walked to her youngest sister. "I understand. Our father wants Isabel close to George. He doesn't trust him."
"No-" Anne began to protest, but she was caught off.
"Annie, I am sorry, but Father will not listen to me or your mother anymore. We need to have a plan, and that's getting home to England. Everything will be alright. Now come and help us pack."
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Westminster Palace
Marie was sitting in Charlotte's chambers, writing a letter to her brother, Robert, who was still at Warwick Castle. She suddenly stopped, however, when a soldier loyal to York burst through the door.
"Is something wrong?" Marie asked in concern as she rose from her seat, but she had the feeling she already knew the answer.
"The Earl of Warwick did not land in the North as the king once thought. We were barely outside London before he took us by surprise," he explained to her quickly. "The king escaped to Flanders with his brother Richard and Anthony Woodville."
"What of George of Clarence?" Marie questioned in genuine concern. "Did he join King Edward's side?"
"We weren't ready to fight. We had to flee so quickly that there was no battle. We still don't know where George's loyalties lie," he continued on and Marie began to anxiously pace the room, running her fingers through her hair.
"Is Edward still King?" She asked as she stopped walking and turned to face him.
"No, My Lady," he admitted softly as he shook his head. "Warwick is on his way to London to make Henry of Lancaster king once more."
Marie remained silent, slowly nodding her head in understanding. "You may go now," she insisted, earning a puzzled look from the man.
"My Lady, I've been sent here to escort you and the children to safety—" He began to complain, only to have Marie cut him off.
"I thank you for that, but I can take care of us. I must," Marie demanded and before the man could react, Marie shut the door and started packing for the children.
Once it was all ready, she made a sling and wrapped William across her chest, slinging the bag on her shoulder and grabbing Lily and Edmund with one hand each before setting on the path for the Tower.
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Lottie,
There are no words to explain how my heart broke when I heard of your impending marriage. I pray that the Pope will delay in granting the dispensation and as such, you will never marry the ill-born Prince.
The children are thriving, but they miss you terribly. I've told them already that you had to leave at your own Papa's command and that you also miss them. They occupy their downtime once their lessons are done with my mother and Elizabeth's daughters, but I can still see they do no know what to make of your absence. I pray every day you will come back to us.
Your devoted servant,
Edward Rex
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Royal Apartments, Tower of London
Elizabeth was rushing to pack her belongings, preparing to escape before she and her children were killed.
Just then, the door busted open and Elizabeth jumped in fright, only to see that it was Marie. "Come. Now!" She demanded in a stern tone. "There isn't much time. I've bribed the guards to let you escape, but we must be quick about it."
Elizabeth was shocked for a moment, surprised that Marie, of all people, would help her escape when she would in truth benefit by her and her children's deaths. She'd been with Charlotte since they were barely girls, after all. They had grown up together and her own mother had been a lady to Charlotte's mother. If something happened to Elizabeth or her daughters, it could only benefit Charlotte and in turn, benefit Marie. Being the lady-in-waiting to the Queen was a much more prestigious position than being a lady to the king's mistress, after all.
Elizabeth was quick to grab ahold of her youngest daughter, Cecily. Marie instructed each of her sons to grab their younger sisters, with Thomas carrying Lizzie and Dickon Mary.
With that, Marie led the way out of the towers, knowing a way to avoid being seen by Warwick and his men. Marie looked out the window and down to see Warwick and George standing alongside each other, wearing armor.
She quickly backed away from the window, an alarmed look on her face. "Go, go! We must go now!" She insisted, the two of them exiting the tower together with the children. "This way, quickly."
Leading them toward the gates to leave the tower of London, Marie's expression remained unreadable while Elizabeth looked at her with a relieved look. "I will not forget this," she confessed as Marie gestured for the men to open the gate, which they did since after all, Elizabeth was recognized as queen and all of Edward's children were in sight.
Before leaving Elizabeth turned to Marie. "I don't know why you're being so kind to me, but I thank you."
"I don't believe your children should die for something they have no control over," she said, refusing to mention Elizabeth herself in her reasoning. "Now, let's go! There isn't much time."