~The Storm~

March 1470....

Eleanor took a deep breath as she looked out over the river Thames, her hands clasped as she once again prayed for the completion of hers and her sister's curse. She had not spoken to George since December and felt guilty for even looking to him in her sadness for she had stayed in his rooms till late that night, telling him all of her fears and thoughts.

She knew that was a mistake for now he knew exactly how to destroy her and so the quicker the curse worked the quicker she could wash her hands of him.

Looking down at her belly she felt a small smile touch her lips as she ran a hand over the bump that showed through the layers of her gown. It was not as big as she expected though now she was seven months pregnant she found it rather made her ache when she stood for too long and so decided to sit down on the river bank.

The thoughts of her child quickly drew her to thoughts of her husband and she found herself admitting that since Christmas they had rather oddly been getting along with each other.

The morning after he had hit her, Richard had found Eleanor and given her the most profuse and genuine apology she had ever received, telling her that if he ever raised a hand to her again then she could strike his head from his body, terms she had quickly agreed to. Ever since then a time of peace had descended upon them. Eleanor found that they had not properly argued since Christmas and found she rather liked it that way. It was good for the baby.

"My Lady! My lady!" A voice called from behind and the Duchess turned to see Marie rushing towards her, a look of panic on her face.
"Qu'est-ce que c'est, Marie?" She called as she stood, finding that her Lady's native tongue sometimes served to calm her.

"There is a rebellion, your grace!" Marie replied as she curtsied, trying her hardest to catch her breath "a rebellion against the King"
"Another one?!" Eleanor cried, taking her friend's hand and all but dragging her back up to the palace "Lord I hope it ends quickly....for the sake of my baby"

Together the entered the castle and immediately had to backs against the walls as soldiers rushed through the corridors with weapons at the ready.
"It is as if we are under siege here" Marie muttered and Eleanor nodded before she ordered her Lady to go and find the Queen for more news.

With another curtsy, Marie left and the Duchess went to her husbands rooms where she found squires dashing in and out with daggers and bows, books and quills and Richard standing calmly in the middle of it all.

A small smile crossed his lips as Eleanor reached him, looking up at him with troubled eyes.
"What's going on?" She asked, leaning against a table "I hear of a rebellion! You must not go!"

"You are right and you are wrong!" He replied "yes there is a rebellion but I must go! Ned needs me by his side!"
"But who is it for? The rebellion? Who are the men following?" Eleanor continued, following him as he walked through to his study, gathering up papers and handing them to servants.

"Witless old Henry!" He sighed, almost laughing at his wife's shocked expression "with a leader who will not announce his name"
"A leader with no name? Why it must be Warwick!"
"It is not!" He quickly countered "Warwick stands with us now! This leader may be a herald of Margaret of Anjou testing how much support she can raise among the English before she launches an invasion, that is what Edward thinks!But no worry, we shall make quick work of this rebellion and shall return in the bat of an eye!"

"You had better" Eleanor replied, picking up a book and handing it to him "for I am but two months away from giving birth and I want my child to have a father when they come into this world!"

"You want me to come back?" The Duke chuckled "really I thought that you would want me gone for good!"
The Duchess sighed and shook her head as she stood opposite him.
"Don't be like that" she said slowly "not now....I just fear for the future tis all....so you must promise me that you will return....for my child's sake"

"Our child shall be fine" Richard said gently, taking Eleanor's hands in his own "and I promise you that I shall be returned to Westminster by May Day morning with....what do you like best? Peaches? Apples?...."
"Strawberries" she replied, arching an eyebrow and he grinned at her, nodding.
"Then I shall be here by May Day morning with strawberries for you!"

Eleanor felt herself grin back and nodded a little.
"I doubt you shall find any at this time of the year but if you did then I would be very grateful to you, my Lord"

After a moment, they made their way from the Duke's chambers and to the courtyard that was alive with the whinny of horses and the clanging of swords against armour. Richard was shown to his horse and he mounted with Eleanor staring up at him, nodding at him before he nudged his steed into motion and went to join the King.

"I hope they know what they are doing" Elizabeth said as she walked to her sister's side, taking her hand "for both of our babies"
"You are with child again?" Eleanor cried, her worries melting away for a moment "oh, Lizzie, I am so pleased for you! Do you think you shall have another daughter?"

"Nay!" The Queen said, her green eyes alight with excitement "it will be a boy! A boy called Edward!"
"A York Prince? That is music to my ears, sister! And shall be to the rest of the country when he is born....does Edward know?"

Elizabeth nodded as they walked up the steps to the palace and went to her chambers where they settled in front of the fire, pulling soft woollen shawls around their bodies.
"I am sure it is Warwick who has sparked this rebellion against my husband" the Queen whispered, nodding as Eleanor did "and George too, Margaret of Anjou would not be so reckless in her actions....not now....I am sure of that"

"I agree" the Duchess murmured "I suggested to my husband that it might be Warwick but he would not hear of it and I take it that Edward would not either? Well, we shall just have to pray for them, I suppose"

Elizabeth nodded again and looked into the flames, clutching the charm that hung on the ribbon around her neck. Out of pure habit, her sister did the same.
"These shall keep them safe from harm" she said "and they shall punish the two that have done us wrong....if it is Warwick then his plan shall fail.... of that we can be sure for Melusina shall help us."

"And if it not Warwick and George?" Eleanor asked, though she found it an unlikely suggestion.
"Then we must wait for another opportunity for our curses to take action....which I do not doubt will be very long for they have a lust for power.... both of them and that will be their downfall"

꧁꧂

Late April, 1471, the Tower of London....

Eleanor watched as the Queen knelt before the ornate Westminster altar, a blue veil wrapped loosely around her head as she began to pray.

The Duchess thought of doing the same but found her mind too clouded to focus and instead placed a hand to her belly where she could feel her baby kicking. They were strong, that was for sure.

It had been over a month since the York army had departed London and were now hunting the rebel army in the North. Eleanor hoped that it was not a trap set by Warwick for in leading the King away from London, the capital was now undefended, ready for the taking if he or George decided.

Then what would become of the Woodvilles? Would they suffer the same fate as John and their father had? The Duchess did not doubt that Warwick would try to send them all to their death, including the Queen.

But at least they were housed in the tower. Elizabeth had made the decision to move her and her kin there a week after the Yorks had left for the rebellion and, just as when the King had been captured, the gates were barred and the defences ready if they were needed.

Personally, Eleanor did not think that fleeing to the Tower would help encourage the people if Edward did lose. In barricading herself in the great keep, the Queen had blatantly showed her doubt in the chance of a York victory and her fear to the citizens of London and therefore they were fearful too.

The Duchess thought that if she were Queen and a rebellion arose then she would do everything in her power to stay at the royal court, to not show worry or doubt. That way the people's morale would be raised and they could be called upon to defend their city if need be. Only if London was attacked would Eleanor then go to the tower but still she would not lock herself in until the enemy were at the gates.

But, as she once again reminded herself, she was not the Queen. Elizabeth was. And therefore Elizabeth knew best in her mind.

When she finally rose from her knees, Eleanor took Elizabeth's arm and they began to wander through the tower together, talking of the rebellion and such. They both found it strange that there had been no news for a week now, surely there would be if there had been a battle as expected? But would the King have not sent word of there was peace once again?

"Girl! Girls where are you?" Jacquetta's voice rang out and her daughters turned to her, immediately eyeing the piece of opened parchment that she held in her hands "yes it is from the King" she said but her expression was grave, making the two women in front of her frown "he has been betrayed by Warwick and George"

"I knew it!" Eleanor cried, throwing her hands up into the air "Elizabeth did too! But would our husbands listen to us? No! Really, this country would be a much better place if we women were in charge"

"I agree" the Queen muttered "but if George and Warwick are now known traitors once more then where have they fled to? They cannot think to stay in England! Edward will have sent his troops after them!"

Jacquetta shook her head and looked out of a window to where grey rain clouds were gathering in the sky.
"They are to flee to France it seems" she said "Anthony has captured the Neville fleet at Southampton...."

"So we must see that they do not get to France" the Queen suddenly hissed and her sister nodded as they began to walk towards their chambers with their mother on their heels. Elizabeth was quick to pick up a bowl and fill it with the icy cold water that was inside the metal jug she lifted "this shall be the carrier of our magic" she explained while Eleanor watched with a strange form of wonder in her eyes.

"To conjure a storm?" She asked, taking the cursed necklace from around her neck as her sister did when she nodded.
"Precisely....if we are correct than we shall ensure that those two traitors will not even make it to France....and that shall be the end to our troubles. Now open the windows"

The Duchess did as she was bid, opening the wooden shutters and pushing open the windows despite the howling wind that immediately filled the room, whipping her neatly arranged hair from side to side, setting the copper curls free from restraint.

She made her way back to the Queen's side and followed her actions as she slowly lowered her necklace into the bowl, before beginning to circle the water with it. Suddenly a soft whistle left Elizabeth's lips as she closed her eyes and soon Jacquetta joined her, though her expression appeared rather hesitant, almost regretful as she began to weave her magic into the air.

A few moments after, Eleanor joined them, blowing gently onto the water below her until a small whistle escaped her slightly parted lips and before she knew it the wind seemed to grow stronger, the sky darker. It scared her, made her hands tremble as she felt raindrops as sharp as arrowheads splash the back of her neck.

It was scarcely an hour later when the Woodville women stood at the window together watching as the banks of the Themes threatened to burst and rain pelted down onto the innocent citizens below. Thunder cracked in the sky, rumbling dangerously as if warning the three to go no further and Eleanor wanted to obey as she took her mother's hand, her heart now pounding.

This storm was enough to kill anyone at sea, sink any ship but Elizabeth did not seem to care simply stared stoically out into the distance, clutching the charm that was now around her neck again.

"This is too much Elizabeth!" Her younger sister cried over the roar of the storm "we have to stop! We must calm the storm! Now! Please! Once our magic is out we cannot call it back!"
"This is what happens to traitors, Leena" the Queen replied firmly as she turned away "do not let yourself be soft hearted against those who have betrayed you"

Eleanor stared helplessly as Elizabeth swept from the room before she turned back to the window.
"What have we done Mother" she whispered "we may have destroyed our enemies....but who else will suffer as the cost of our revenge?"