~Birds of Prey~

February 1484, Middleham Castle....

Surprisingly, Christmas did not pass unnoticed by Middleham, in fact it was made most festive - though Constance and Richard still trod lightly.

Bows of holly and ivy, decorated with red berries were placed around the castle and upon Christmas Day a great feast was held where the two prisoners sat either side of Richard Grey upon the dais. The food was excellent (though the company as self enamoured as ever), the music pleasant and there was even dancing which both Richard and Constance partook in.

They couldn't help but truly smile.

On New Year's Day, gifts were bestowed upon them by Grey and they reciprocated, Constance giving a beautifully embroidered cushion while fawning over him even more than usual while Richard gave a bejewelled pin for his hat!

The Scropes broke their silence, sending her two new gowns of black velvet damask and light blue silk while Grey brought her jewellery and a beautiful peregrine falcon she was genuinely enamoured with. He was a beautiful bird with soft feathers and dark eyes that watched her intensely as he sat on her hand covered with an embroidered leather glove that was gifted along with him.

She named him Jest.

She'd only held him in her chamber but hoped that one day she would see him fly. It was a lovely gift an even she felt her heart soften for a moment when Grey gave it to her.

Richard in turn received new clothes, a fine book with gold lettering and was only too happy to consume the excellent wine served on the Christmas Day and in the days after when the castle feasted together!

And so December turned to January and January melted into February, leaving the ground hard and windows frosted; fires blazing in every room. Though she had worked hard for four long months, Constance felt only a little closer to regaining her beloved daughters or her son's throne.

But she would not let her act falter, not for one second, nor would Richard, and one February morn, their efforts at last bore a little fruit.

Alice and Martha had been dismissed and she was alone, attending to more embroidery when the door swung open and Richard strolled in, eyes shining; mouth curved into a gleeful grin.

Constance jumped, staring at him from her seat in utter disbelief.

"I've done it!" He laughed when the door shut behind him "I've done it, Connie!"
"Richard! What on earth are you doing here?" She exclaimed, though couldn't suppress the smile that appeared purely because of his joy. She lowered her voice "And using the right door for once too!"

He strode towards her, still beaming and knelt at her skirts, grabbing her hands from her embroidery frame and holding them firm in his. His hands were warm, she noted, they were always so warm as hers were always cold....

"Grey is taking us riding!" He told her with the same amount of excitement as a boy receiving his first dagger, shaking her from her momentary thoughts "This very afternoon!"

"Really? Riding? Outside?" She exclaimed, eyes blowing wide. To step outside the bounds of Middleham Castle was a novelty and to be on horseback again well, it was a dream that had seemed long lost!

"Outside!" He confirmed, squeezing her hands "I thought you would like it!" Her heart warmed. He knew she longed for the outdoors, that she loved to ride and hawk and hunt. Laughing loudly, she drew her hands from his grasp; flung her arms around his neck.

"Oh, Dickon! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
He happily returned her embraced, his curls tickling her nose. So close, she could see strands of silver sparsely threaded through them.

"You will finally be able to see how Jest fares in the sky!" He enthused as he gently pulled away, watching her nod happily. She had wanted to see her pretty bird soar since she first laid eyes upon him! "Grey says to bring him and he shall bring his own bird!"

"We can watch his liberty and pretend it's our own!" She laughed "But you have given us the first taste of freedom in a long time and I find myself indebted to you once again! Truly, Dickon, I shall never pay off such a debt, I shall be paying it still when I am dead!" Richard tilted his head to the side.

"There is no such debt" He told her - his voice softening from giddy excitement to solemn affection - standing and holding out his hand for her to take; helping her to her feet when she did so "I do all I have willingly and without want or need for reward. If there must be a reward then it is our victory and when that is achieved any debt you believe to exist shall be settled in full" He sighed then he smiled "Alice and Martha have been called to ready you, and be sure to wear your warmest cloak! The air is biting today!"

"I'd rather my nose fall off than spend another moment in here!"

༻᯽༺

She hadn't felt so free for ten months. The icy air pricked her cheeks, turning them pink, pinching her nose, brushing through the sable fur of her deep green cloak. She soared, the frosty grass crunching beneath her stallion's hooves as she, Grey, Richard and four armed guards (who stayed around twenty yards or so behind) rode across the Wensleydale hills.

It was glorious. The cold winter sun poured down on them and the cloudless sky was a cold blue, like a frozen lake risen to the heavens and above, wings spread, soaring elegantly upon the breeze was Jest.

Constance beamed at him, he was even more beautiful in the sky than she had dreamed he would be!

Richard rode expertly beside her, watching Grey's bird (a large eagle named Thunder) circling above a cluster of trees ahead. His owner was with him, watching him with pride and Constance and Richard slowed their steeds when they neared, maintaining a distance so that he could hear them when they called out praises but not when they spoke at a normal level.

The guards were even further back, keeping away as Grey had instructed - not wanting to appear a weakling in his prisoners eyes or so Richard had guessed.

Grey pressed a golden whistle to his lips and blew, sending out a sharp note that brought Thunder from the treetops; gracefully flying down onto his outstretched arm that was covered with a leather gauntlet, as was one of Constance's for Jest.

"You command him utterly, my Lord!" She called, smiling and he smiled back, puffing out his chest.
"I find a firm had always works, Madam" He replied, stroking Thunder's thick feathers with a finger while the bird watched him with its beady yellow eyes, awaiting the dead mice he knew Grey had in the pouch at his belt "As people do, these creatures need leadership"

"What rubbish" Richard scoffed "What they want is food and are quick to learn how to get it. They're far more intelligent than he is!"
Constance smiled to herself.

"And you are the man to provide it!" She called back "Once more, your fine taste is proven for he is truly a wonderful bird, my Lord!"

"As is Jest!" He returned, giving Thunder his mouse before letting him fly away again, his hair stirred by the flap of his mighty wings.
"He is a true beauty! The greatest gift you could've given me! A companion and great entertainment!"

"Are you saying a bird's company is preferable to mine?" Richard murmured, feigning offence and Constance stifled a laugh, watching Grey ride alongside his bird (clearly trying to display his 'expert' horsemanship) while they were left to 'marvel' at him.

"Mayhap I am!" She teased "After all, when I speak to Jest I receive no reply! It's quite satisfying! I can say whatever I wish and assume he agrees with me!"
"Is that so, my Lady?"

Chuckling, she looked over the landscape, the rolling, frosted hills and their woodlands, the little village of Middleham beneath and the great castle shining in the rays of the sun, it's whitewashed walls gleaming. It was truly beautiful. An Eden amongst the hell of her current life. It was easy to understand why Richard loved it so, as had Anne. Dear, sweet Anne.

Constance wondered how her only son was doing in Burgundy with Neddy. It had long since been clear they were as close as brothers (having been raised together); Eddy looked up to his older cousin. She hoped they would remain so for all their lives, that would certainly have made Anne happy.

She closed her eyes and let the gentle breeze wash over her skin like icy water, tilting her head back.

"I always...." She chuckled to herself shaking her head; sighed "It does not matter"
"Oh go on!" Richard said and a smile curved her lips "I'm willing to speak of anything but war at this happy moment and if there is finally a thought that has entered your head that is not to do with trouble or strife then I beg of you, speak it!"

"You will make fun of me!" She replied, opening her eyes and turning her head towards him. He was grinning like a mischievous child. Of course he was grinning, that was the Ned in him!

"I will not! You mistake me for George"
"Oh gosh!" She laughed, grimacing "George is the last thing we need on this fine day!" Richard's smile faltered a little and he glanced forward, his eyes momentarily looking at the woodland ahead where Grey was weaving in and out of the trees.

"Indeed. My poor, stupid brother...." As quickly as it had faded, his smile fully returned and his gaze returned to her, full of a warmth that somehow kept the cold from her entirely when she held it "Now, distract us with your thoughts!"

"Very well!" She relented "I've always wondered what it would be like to fly!"
"To fly?" He exclaimed and quickly looked away, his shoulders shaking as he pressed his lips closed.
"You said you would not laugh!" She cried, reaching out and swatting him on the arm, though she couldn't help grinning.

"I'm not! It's simply.....well I can't say I haven't wondered the same. Birds are so free, so beautiful. Look at Jest!"
And she did, watching him fly in perfect circles around them, perfectly content.
"He's happier than either of us have been in a long while, Dickon!"

"I cannot disagree with that" He said "but I am happy now! I am finally on horseback again, I can breathe in fresh, Northern air and I have the best company I could wish for!" She laughed again and he raised an eyebrow "Well, for the most part, I cannot vouch for our little captor"

They both looked to Richard Grey who was becoming a small moving blur further up the hill, face bared to the sky where Thunder flew and seemingly following the bird without paying any thought to where his horse was taking him.

"If the Lord is real I wonder why he makes creatures so dim witted" She murmured, shaking her head and Richard hummed in agreement.

"Like a child yet children have more wits than he!"
"Perhaps a baby then?"
"Nay, still too intelligent"
"A goat?"
"That is an insult to goats, Constance!"
"An onion?"
"Carry on so and you shall end up insulting every living and non living thing!"

They both burst into laughter, their voices filling the air and Richard glanced behind to see if the guards had noticed but they were far too busy talking amongst themselves and keeping an eye on their hapless Master.

It felt so good to laugh again and when he turned back, Constance was beaming at him, her eyes alight with joy!

Pulling a silver whistle from her belt, she held it to her lips and called to Jest who swooped down elegantly from the sky and landed on her leather gauntlet, shaking himself before settling.

"There, my pretty dear" She cooed, stroking a wing "You were very fine today!"
"Very fine!" Richard agreed as she reached down and collected a dead mouse of her own for Jest to feed on.

"There you go" She murmured softly and his yellow beak plucked the creature from her fingers. She held out her arm, watching as he flew away again to find a perch where he could feast in peace "He could fly away forever if he wished" Richard nodded, watching him too.

"I wish that we could, that we could fly to London and get the girls then to Burgundy where your boys and mine are"
"You raised Neddy well" She said "You raised my sweet boy so well, Dickon"
Richard breathed a quiet laugh, smiling softly when she looked at him.

"He is Ned's son, Connie, and yours. With such blood he did not need raising as such, he was already the finest lad that could be"
"But you gave him the first steps to becoming the finest man, just as you are! With you...." She bowed her head, sighing as tears pricked her eyes "With you at his side he will not have Ned's faults....or mine"
"You have no faults"

His response was instantaneous, so certain and pure.

One of his gloved hands covered hers and her gaze shot to meet his, a solitary tear sliding down her cheek.

"I couldn't protect my children, I couldn't stop the Woodvilles....I thought they were gone, I believed Elizabeth would leave my family alone....I was a fool"

"No" Richard corrected sternly "You did not believe she would be so stupid! None of us did! You did not know that Elizabeth's stupidity and greed would stretch so far as to put her bastard on the throne when three true Princes live! If you are determined to find a failing in yourself then let it be that you thought too highly of her which only shows your good nature!"

Constance nodded. She had, she supposed. Even though she despised Elizabeth she hadn't thought about the possibility of a Woodville uprising because even she didn't believe Elizabeth would stoop so low!

"Stupidity will be her rise and her downfall" She sighed "And by God I hope it comes soon!"
"The Scropes have made contact and we have been let out a while. Steps have been made Constance and we must make more, but carefully! Now" A smile returned to his face "Shall we race to Grey. I can guarantee I will win"

It was a definite ploy and she was more than happy to take it; grasped her reins, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Oh will you?" She asked and sped off over the field, leaving a laughing Richard behind as he kicked his horse into a gallop.

༻᯽༺

Her children's screams echoed around her head, their eyes flashing before hers: desperate, pleading....

'Mama!'

She tried to move but invisible chains bound her, keeping her rooted to the spot in the darkness she was trapped in, seeing no end nor a beginning.

There was only her sons and daughters, flitting in and out, their shadows dangled tauntingly in front of them before being ripped away.

"Edward!' She screamed 'Edward where are you?'

'Mama!' She heard her babes cry again, ghostly arms dragging them into darkness as they tried to run towards her, reaching for her. She could almost feel their delicate fingers against her skin.....

Their voices faded, as did their figures and a new noise filled the void, the cold tap of shoes against stone, circling her, mocking her as she looked around for its source that finally materialised in front of her as the repetitive clicking stopped; Elizabeth Woodville appeared....

Bedecked in her jewels and finery, hands clasped, she stared down at Constance with the same triumphant gaze, laced with malice, she'd held when she'd had her and her family dragged from sanctuary.

Her rosy lips parted, a cruel smile curving the corners.

"You'll never see them again" Her voice was almost an echo, the same as when one spoke in a church. It was everywhere. The tap of her shoes resumed as she began to walk around her prisoner "You'll never hold them again, you'll never hear them laugh. If you hear anything at all it shall be screams but you will not see them, no, not ever. I will kill them" She hissed in her ear and Constance tried to struggle against her invisible bonds but was still held fast.

Slowly, Elizabeth came to face her again and began to step backwards, her smirk growing more victorious "Instead, it shall be my boy that rules. He shall be King until he breathes his last and my line shall rule from this century to the next and the next. He shall wipe out any and all who oppose him" A shaft of light appeared behind her, a golden throne holding Arthur, though although his flaxen curls shone his face was in darkness, hands firmly on the intricate arms. Elizabeth stepped beside him "No matter how innocent they are"

Three wooden spikes grew from the back of Arthur's throne and Constance found her eyes forced to trail upwards, to see the crimson streams of blood running down each and where wood met torn flesh, up pale necks to the faces of three little boys.

"No!" Her scream echoed all around, growing louder and louder as she was forced to look upon the heads of her three sons; skin pale and eyes permanently held open in fear and anguish "No! My boys!" Sobs shook her body and blood began to seep from her eyes in place of tears as she wailed, painting red rivers down her face and neck, staining the white of her nightgown.

Elizabeth and Arthur did not speak but even though their lips were closed, their laughter surrounded her, tearing her heart from her body, mocking her pain while she screamed and screamed for her children, for revenge, for....

"Richard!"

Her body bolted upright, covered in sweat, tears streaming down her cheeks, sheets twisted around her legs. Her chest heaved as her lungs fought for air, limbs shaking; lower lips trembling "Richard...." She whispered. She needed Richard, she had to get to Richard.

Pulling back the covers without a second thought, she tore her legs from the tangle of sheets and shakily began to stumble towards the door, remembering only at the last minute it would be guarded. She forced her feet to turn her and rushed to the servants passage.

Constance had long since memorised the way from her room to his (he'd told her how to get there numerous times) but it still proved a struggle in her terrified state, when her heart was pounding and mind filled with pictures she could never forget though she wished to. Feeling her way blindly along the bare walls in the cold darkness, a shaking sob left her lips when she found his door and quietly opened it, sidling inside.

It was only then, as she saw his desk, his bed with him sleeping in it that it hit her - what on earth was she doing? Sneaking into his room in the middle of the night seeking comfort! It was insanity, it was insubordinate!

That was what her mind said.

Her heart screamed for comfort.

Her fingers pushed the door shut behind her.

No sooner had the latch made one sound, Richard sprung upright from the pillows and in the dim light of the dying fire, she could see he thrust a dagger in front of him, eyes searching for an attacker, nightshirt rumpled.

All he found was her and his face softened, shoulders relaxing somewhat. He sighed, lowered his weapon as a look of confusion came across his face.

"Connie?"
"I...." She stammered, suddenly hurrying to wipe the tears from her face, aware she wore nothing but her nightgown "I couldn't sleep"
"I can see that" He said softly, slipping the dagger under his pillow.
"I cannot be alone" She whispered fretfully and Richard tilted his head.

"Would you like to stay?"
She was grateful he had said it instead of she. He made it sound so easy, so simple. That was exactly what she wanted, what she needed. Constance nodded and he sent her a gentle smile, leaning over to the free side of his bed and pulling back the covers.

"Come" He invited and she padded over to the bed, accepting his hand as she climbed onto the mattress. He was warm and real and strong and safe. Her breath shuddered and he laid the covers over her as she lay down, his pillow soft beneath her head. It smelt of him and she found herself nuzzling into it "You're safe here" He told her before lying down himself and she shuffled onto her side, facing away from him.

"I know....thank you"

A hesitant silence fell between them and, after around a minute or so, she felt a gentle arm slip around her waist, a warm firm body gently press itself to hers. His head lay next to hers and she felt his gentle breaths brush across the juncture between her neck and shoulder.

"Is this.....is this alright?" He asked.
It had been so long since she'd felt the warmth of a man beside her, so long since she'd been held as she drifted to sleep. She'd missed it so much and she liked it, she liked a man's embrace, Richard's embrace! She felt so safe, dare she even say....loved? She took his hand.

"Yes....more than alright"