Harfleur, France
April 1471
Charlotte met her husband's eyes daringly as they squared off in the hall.
"You will be on that ship and that's the end of the matter," Edouard snarled.
Her hazel eyes flashed. "It's not safe! Isabel took to the sea heavy with child and the babe did not survive. Would you sentence your own child, your heir, to that same fate?"
Edouard looked her up and down, his gaze stopping momentarily on her hands, laying protectively over her stomach, its small bulge invisible, hidden under the fabrics of her dress.
"I will make a better show having you by my side. You are carrying my son right now, as you just said. What does the Duke of York have? Three daughters? You proved you can bear sons, and now you are going to have my son. The men will rally behind my call seeing you."
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English Channel
Charlotte hadn't worn red or white since they set sail. She'd dressed herself in dark colors, black, blues and greens. She'd even taken to styling her hair in a simplistic braid that mirrored Queen Margaret's.
There was no subtlety in her actions, but there wasn't meant to be. If she was to stay safe and keep her status as hostage out of everyone's minds, it was best to distance herself from the past. The child growing in her womb just made her shackles tighter.
Of course, only Queen Margaret was willing to approach Charlotte not too long after her father's letter arrived.
"Queen Margaret," Charlotte bowed her head as she entered the solar the older woman had taken to using on the boat.
"There's no need for that, Charlotte," Margaret gave a rare, soft smile, though Charlotte could see the slight strain to it. "Please sit."
Charlotte chose the seat furthest from the roaring fireplace.
"I'm sure you've received a letter from your father as well," Margaret said.
"I have," Charlotte nodded. "He told me of how well things were going at court. Uncle Henry seems secure in his throne and my sister and brother-in-law seem earnest in their support of the Lancastrian movement."
Margaret raised her brow. "You seem to be quite content here with us, despite your protests."
"It is best for us all if it remains that way, isn't it?" Charlotte tried her best not to fiddle with her hands in her lap. "If I continued to argue with Edouard, things would just be more and more complicated and there's no need for that."
Margaret sighed and sat down at the desk in between the two of them.
"You know I'm from Anjou, yes?"
"Of course, my lady." Charlotte nodded, slightly confused.
"And you know what my father says, do you not?"
"We pay our debts," her response was swift and easy. "A bold order that has served your family well."
"It has. But I married a weak man and had to rule for him. I gave birth to a boy for whom I constantly fear," Margaret gave a soft laugh. "I will always do my best to protect my family."
"And my family stands in your way," Charlotte said, her heart clenching as she thought of her children. William would likely not recognize her when they met again — if they met again. "You have no need to worry. I will never betray your family."
"Not even for your children?"
Charlotte took a deep breath and looked into Margaret's blue eyes.
This was a strong woman who sat before her. She'd tried rule for her husband when he was incapacitated and if it were not for power-hungry men, men who thought women were too weak, she would have succeeded in securing her son's path for the throne. Instead, she'd been forced to raise and lead an army. Margaret of Anjou was not a woman to be trifled with, but then again, neither was she.
"I love my children, with all my heart," Charlotte finally began, slowly. "Lily and Edmund are bright children who make me proud every day and William is naught but a babe, yet that does not mean I love him any less. And, because I love them, the idea of putting them in harm's way makes me sick."
"Yet, you understand that they are a threat to our hold on the throne?"
"They needn't be," she said immediately, having expected the question. "They can take the cloth, have no children. Lily could marry a man of Lancaster blood, low in the line of succession. There is no reason they can't live long and happy lives under their step-father's reign."
"And who's to say no one would use them against us?" Margaret prodded. "Who's to say they will not grow with a thirst for vengeance for their father? Who can guarantee that your father will not be their puppet master if he feels he is not given his due?"
"I love my father, I do." Charlotte was surprised by how true that statement was. Even if Warwick could be harsh and neglectful, he still gave Charlotte life and loved her fiercely. He just had a poor way of showing it. "But he's thrown in his lot with you. He chose Lancaster and swore it on the Holy Bible. He will not break such a promise. With my marriage to your son, with the prince growing in my womb, he guarantees a daughter as queen and a grandson as king. Trying to crown Edmund or William would be folly."
"Then we might reach an agreement. Your sons will be men of the cloth and we will arrange a marriage for your daughter. Now," the older woman stood up and grabbed a book from her desk before returning to her seat, handing it over. "What do you know of this?"
Charlotte cautiously opened it, her eyes welling up with tears as she recognized the elegant scrawl on the pages, the way the is were dotted and the ts carefully curved at the bottom.
To my petite warrior, was written carefully at the top of the front page.
"It was my mother's," she stated, sure of herself.
"I found it in her chambers at court before we had to flee. I think it's only right you have it. I also...I have no daughter to share any knowledge with, so I made one of my own for the girl that would marry Edouard. It has been delivered to your chamber."
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"Charlotte?" Anne murmured that night as they laid in bed beside one another.
"Hmm?"
"What will happen when we land back in England?"
"What do you mean?"
"Of course, there'll be a battle. But regardless of the outcome, we'll be in danger," Anne sighs. "If Lancaster wins, you won't be able to escape Edouard. You will have to remain married to him, giving him children. And, who knows what will happen to me —"
"No matter what, I'll make sure you and Izzy are safe, Annie," Charlotte promised. "I won't let you both suffer more because of our father's mistakes."
"As I was saying," Anne said pointedly. "If York wins, we'll be considered traitors. Perhaps they'd have forgiven us if you weren't pregnant, but as it is...with a likely Lancaster heir inside you, we won't stand a chance. We'll be at Edward's mercy and you know how he treats traitors."
"No other traitor has been a woman he loves."
"Does he?" Anne asks accusingly and feels Charlotte tense beside her. "Does he love you? Or does he simply love your body?"
"We love each other, Annie," Charlotte says simply. "I know it does not look like we do all the time, but we do."
"Then why does he remain married to Elizabeth? Why does he continue to lay with her and have children with her?"
"He made a mistake years ago, and if I'm honest, I'm not sure if I've completely forgiven him for it. But what's done is done and we have to live with it."
"You married him, Charlotte," Anne hissed. "How can you be okay with what he's doing? How can you have blind faith in him?"
"It's not blind faith," Charlotte snapped. "I hope you find something purer than what I have with Edward, Anne, but what we have is love. I've come to terms with the fact that he married Elizabeth and all I can do is hope one day he will make things right. But I love him and no matter how angry he makes me, I can't jeopardize my future and my children's future." Charlotte sighed, pressing her hand against the swell of her stomach. "I have to trust that he loves me enough to overlook the fact that I obeyed Father. I have to trust that he won't harm my child only because of who its father is."
"And if he doesn't?" Anne challenged, a glint in her eye.
Charlotte was honestly regretting trying to teach her younger sisters how to plot and deceive. "If he can't forgive me, if he does attempt to harm my child...then I will have to fight against him."
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Weymouth, England
A part of Charlotte didn't feel relieved by being back in England. Yes, she wanted to be with Edward again, but now she was his enemy. The proof of her betrayal was growing in her womb.
"Charlotte?" It was her husband's cold voice breaking into her musings and she quickly turned to look at him.
To her surprise, Edouard was standing next to the longboat, his hand extended out towards her. She couldn't help but look surprised as she looked at him. Her husband's indifference and hatred had been explicitly obvious and for Edouard to be standing next to her, waiting for her wasn't something she had expected.
Cautiously, Charlotte took a hold of her husband's hand as she stood up. Edouard's hand felt cold and callous as she took it and she had to suppress a shudder. As she came off the boat, she was reluctantly thankful for his help, especially, as she nearly lost her balance due to the boat swaying. If it were only her, she would not have minded, most likely she would have ignored his hand and ended up planted in the sand. But it wasn't just her. She had to think about her child as well.
"Thank you," she said softly, nodding her head.
Edouard's expression, one which was still quite indifferent, did not change as he heard Charlotte's words and it was almost as soon as she had gotten off the boat, he let go of her hand. She stayed behind to wait as Anne got off the boat, reaching out to steady her sister as she got used to being on land again.
His mother had been well in front of them and hadn't noticed her son's attention on Charlotte and as much as she had been thankful for her husband's help, she was glad Margaret of Anjou hadn't witnessed it.
Charlotte knew how her husband felt about her. His disdain for her was just as obvious as before. The only thing that was different was that now she was carrying his heir. Something he wanted to protect. At least, he did not visit her chambers. But, she was not naive enough to think he had not found ways to satisfy himself elsewhere, if the bruises Anne tried and failed to hide were any indication. That had made her wish she'd not fallen pregnant, because at the very least that way he would have remained focused on her and left her sister alone.