~Christmas Celebrations~

December 1484, Pontefract Castle....

Eleanor's fingers scraped mercilessly at the sides of her thumbs, stripping them bare of skin as she paced up and down the corridor outside of Anne's chamber. Her crown was placed to one side on a window ledge, she was unable to carry any more weight then already sat on her shoulders. Worry for her country, worry for her children, her family, her friends.

Most of all Anne.

Day and night, morning and evening, every minute of the day she worried for Anne's health. She sat by her bed and read to her, held her arm to steady her when she was strong enough to take a walk around the castle grounds but her health had been deteriorating rapidly since summer.

Eleanor had objected to her coming with the court to Pontefract for Christmas but Anne had argued her way, something the Queen now bitterly regretted allowing her to do. 'I should have ordered her to stay!' She told herself, feeling like she could slap herself for her stupidity.

The journey from London to Pontefract had torn away all of Anne's remaining strength and when the finally reached the castle she had had to be carried inside by her fellow ladies. A shuddery breath passed Eleanor's lips as she tried not to cry again. In her private chambers she had wept for Anne but she could not allow herself to cry in the corridors where any of the court may see her.

So far none had passed Anne's chambers but her sister Cat and Jane Shore who had stayed (but to the side), worried for their Queen's health as she paced up and down, her shoes echoing on the stone floor.

"I have to know what's going on!" She complained to no one in particular "that physician has been with her for over an hour now!" She threw her hands up, grumbling to herself as she glared at the door that barred the way to Anne's bedchamber.

"You were the one who sent for that physician" Cat said and Eleanor looked to her sharply "have"
"Don't tell me to have patience, Catherine!" She snapped before continuing her pacing "Anne is like a little sister to me, I'm as worried for her as I would be for you were you in this" she waved her hands in exasperation "this condition!"

The door opened, revealing the ageing physician Eleanor had sent for, the best in the country he was said to be, but she did not wait for one word to pass his lips before she had rushed past him and into the chamber.

The first thing that hit her was the heavy smell of intense that assailed her nose so strongly she was tempted to cover her nose with a handkerchief but had no time as she spotted Anne and ran to her side.

Anne was laid below the covers of her bed, her golden hair loose and carefully laid out on her pillow. In the dim light of the chamber her slight figure almost appeared nonexistent, her skin was pale and pasty, her limbs near twig-like. It struck Eleanor (as she knelt at Anne's side) that she looked almost the same as when she had found her after Tewksbury and all that she saw now was that same terrified girl who felt alone in the world and tired of all that life had hurled her way.

Taking her hand, Eleanor was shocked at how cold it was but tried to mask her fear and worry when Anne opened her eyes and a weary smile faded onto her lips.
"Leena" she whispered "I'm so glad that you are here"

"Not as glad as I!" Eleanor replied, squeezing the small hand in hers "I thought that man was never going to let me into this room!" She looked behind her, making sure they were alone; smiling a little more when Anne began to laugh. But the small fragment of laughter that made her grin was short lived as her illness took over and she began to cough.

Her lungs burned and she grasped for air as the now familiar taste of blood filled her mouth and she leaned over the side of the bed. Not a moment later she felt a soft handkerchief at her lips and a soothing hand on her back, rubbing in slow circles.

"It's alright" Eleanor murmured, her voice soft as it was when she spoke to her children "I'm here, Annie" when Anne's coughing finally came to an end, she helped move her friend back to her pillows and resisted the urge to cry as she looked at the blood soaked handkerchief in her hand. It confirmed her worst fears.

"Do not weep" Anne croaked, gulping back the bile that threatened to make her vomit "not for me"
"You're my sister, Annie! How can I not weep for you, especially when...." her voice broke slightly and she shook her head unable to carry on.
"I'm dying"

"No!" Eleanor cried, looking up defiantly.
"I'm dying, Leena" Anne whispered again "you have the strength of a King within you, my friend but even you cannot stop the white plague from claiming me" Eleanor bent her head and pressed it to Anne's knuckles, unable to refrain from tears any longer. She couldn't bare it. She couldn't lose Anne, Anne's daughter Isabel couldn't lose her Mother!

"I will march to the gates of heaven and demand God make you well" she wept "I will! I will make you better, Annie!" Anne slowly shook her head, her own tears beginning to slide down her alabaster cheeks.
"You can't" she said "I wish you could but you can't....I only ask you to promise me one thing"

"And what might that be? I will give you anything"
"Take care of Isabel"

Eleanor's face crumpled as she raised her head from the bed and nodded, her shoulders beginning to heave with sobs.
"I will! I swear I will!" She cried and Anne nodded.

"Mama?"

The two looked towards the door to see the figure of thirteen year old Isabel approaching the bed. Her blue gown was scrunched in her fists, her honey coloured hair loose and partly across her face so as to hide the tears she shed.

"I will leave you, Annie" Eleanor whispered and Anne nodded, watching as her friend rose from the bed and walked towards the door, stopping for a moment to place a hand on Isabel's shoulder before she left.

"Come here, my child" Anne invited, extending her hand to her daughter who instantly took it, her young face stricken with fear on behalf of her Mother "now you must listen to what I have to say, Issy and listen well" Isabel nodded, kissing her Mother's hand.

꧁꧂

"And that was when I tripped and landed in a pile of mud in front of all of my sisters!" Lizzie giggled at the end of her tale, beaming as her Aunt laughed along with her, linking their arms as they walked to the courtyard; shawls around their shoulders. That day the court was to receive the Earl of Huntingdon and his new Countess, Katheryn.

Eleanor was ecstatic at the prospect of seeing Kit again and when she was with child too! Katheryn was soon to be a Mother and she could not wait to ask how the child was treating her, suggest names and laugh with her daughter as she loved to do.

"Have you ever talked to Katheryn? Properly I mean?" She asked the redhead beside her and Lizzie thought for a moment before she shook her head and looked to her Aunt for a response "Ah" Eleanor simply said "I think you two shall get along well! At least I hope you shall"

"I hope so too, Aunt Lyanna!" Lizzie replied, eager to please the kinswoman she adored as always "I can help care for her while at court if you like? I know she is with child?" The Queen smiled her approval and nodded.

"That would be lovely, my dear! I would love to have you and she be friends! You are my beloved niece, she is my beloved daughter!"

"Daughter?" The younger woman repeated and Eleanor smiled, nodding again.
"Aye I view her as my daughter, just as I view her brother, Johnny, as my son! I take that you know him?" The wide grin that appeared on Lizzie's face provided an answer.

"He is one of the funniest boys I have ever known!" She declared "and he follows the young Duke of Bedford around, Georgie that is, like a loyal hound!" Eleanor saw her blush slightly at the name and raised an eyebrow.

"You two were once engaged" she recalled and saw her niece look to her with something almost like hope in her eyes "I was opposed to the match at the time but....but I suppose it could be arranged once more should anyone wish it"

Lizzie blushed almost as red as her hair but Eleanor did not notice all that well as she let out a happy cry at the sight of Katheryn's carriage.

Picking up her skirts she tried not to run down the steps as the carriage came to a halt and William stepped out. He bowed, a charming smile on his face as he greeted the Queen.
"Your grace" he said merrily before extending a hand to the side accompanied by a loving glance and within a moment it was taken by Katheryn.

The sixteen year old practically jumped from the carriage, all smiles as she stepped onto the courtyard cobble stones and saw the woman beside her husband.
"Mother!" She cried and threw herself into Eleanor's arms.

"Kit! God I am pleased to see you!" Eleanor replied, laughing as snow flakes began to land on her skin, melting in an instant. Katheryn was dressed in a gown of bright red damask, a long veil covering most of her hair and polished jewels adorning her neck and fingers. Her button nose wrinkled as she suddenly sneezed and her Mother frowned slightly, only then noticing how pale Kit looked.

"Are you well?" She asked, looking to William then back to Katheryn who nodded.
"I have a little cold is all and the baby doesn't rest!"

"I tried to convince her to stay at home until she was fully better but she insisted we set off at our appointed date!" Her husband chuckled, encircling her waist with an arm and gazing at the soft swell that curved her gown "I can never deny her anything" Eleanor smiled.

"Come inside!" She invited, turning and leading the way to where Lizzie was waiting anxiously at the bottom of the castle steps "ah! And you remember my niece, Elizabeth!" Lizzie and Katheryn curtsied to one another, shy smiles on their lips "I hope you become friends during your stay!"

"I would be happy too!" Katheryn said, offering her arm to Lizzie who beamed and took it. 'They shall get along well' Eleanor thought.

꧁꧂

Boxing Day 1484....

Katheryn tried to keep on smiling as she watched Eleanor and Richard dance together, gazing lovingly into one another's faces while they laughed and hopped from side to side. She felt as if she were about to burst into flames and put a hand to her forehead only for it to come away as hot as if it had been burnt.

Her mind swam and she could no longer feel her baby kick and move but she was not worried, they seldom moved in the daytime.
"Are you sure you do not wish to dance, my sweet?" William asked from beside her as he took her hand "you look rather flushed, perhaps a dance would help?"

"Thank you, love" Katheryn smiled but shook her head "but I think if I tried to dance now I would fall" William nodded sympathetically and turned to refill his goblet. She clapped along with the rest of the court as the dance ended but was suddenly seized by a bout of sickness as couples returned to their tables, their figures all a blur to her.

"Excuse me, my darling" she said, rising from her chair on shaking legs "I'm going to go to bed" WillIm frowned as he saw her paling cheeks and heaving chest.
"I'll come with you, Kate" he said, reaching to catch her arm but she shook her head, pulling away.

"No, my love, stay and enjoy the festivities, I will see you in the morning...."
"I'll take her" Lizzie volunteered, rising from her seat a few places down from the young couple and put an arm around Katheryn's shoulders "come along, Katheryn, let's get you to bed. She will be safe with me, my Lord"

Guiding the younger woman from the dais, Lizzie helped her from the hall but with each step Katheryn seemed to become more unsteady, swaying from side to side as her vision blurred and nausea filled her to the brim.

Her breaths thinned and her head pounded, pain struck at her belly where her baby lay and Katheryn groaned, the steady arm of Lizzie not enough to hold her up anymore as her legs gave way and she collapsed.

"Katheryn!" Lizzie screamed as the girl fell to the floor, all consciousness leaving her. Looking from side to side she tried to figure out what to do, shaking the countess a little before she looked back towards the great hall where she knew the one person who would know what to do was.

"Eleanor!" She yelled desperately "Eleanor! Come quickly! It's Kit!"