~Catching Conniving Prey~

Edward had embraced his Uncle with such ferocity in the castle courtyard Constance had thought he would knock him over as he'd almost done her! Richard laughed as he caught his nephew, and when he pulled away, laughed again at how much he'd grown, the affection shining in his eyes so great it was almost as if he were looking upon his own son.

He'd laughed even louder when he reunited with Rob and Francis, exclaiming his fears (as the latter had done on the beach) that Rob was indeed dead! His friend had given one of his usually sharp-witted replies in return.

Squeals filled the air and then it was Edward who was almost knocked to the floor as his little sisters launched themselves at him, Aliénor almost climbing up his legs like a monkey in her eagerness to receive his embrace! The greeting they gave Marie was much the same, only she wept at the sight of them, gathering them to her almost as their Mother would!

Constance had almost wept at the blessed sight of her brothers when they dismounted and bowed before she took them into her arms, kissing their cheeks as if they had spent not one day apart. Even so, Charles she'd had seen as an adult but Peter! She barely recognised him apart from the look of their Father he shared with their siblings!

Instantly, they had both declared their intention to avenge their brother and she'd nodded, crossing herself as they did!

"Thank you, brother" She'd whispered when she embraced Charles again and Peter offered her a handkerchief to wipe away the tears upon her cheeks for which she then thanked him.

"We have no need of thanks, sister" He'd replied with a smile "You are our blood and we swore a vow to come to your aid if you ever did need it. We are glad to bring men to your cause and to your son. I was most glad to bring yet more from Queen Charlotte, despite your son's alliance with Brittany!"

She'd gasped.
"Queen Charlotte has sent men?"
"Indeed, despite our nephew's alliance with Brittany" He confirmed and she embraced him fiercely "We fight for you, your son, our dear brother and in the name of our Father"

'Our Father' She thought. When she could scarce remember his face, how much did they remember, she had been the closest to him. He was more a name than a person now, she supposed and looked at the onyx rosary at her waist before joining her children.

Richard with an arm around his nephew's shoulders, Marie and Constance behind along with the other new arrivals, they headed into the castle and that night, feasted to their heart's content. Middleham was filled with merry laughter and for a few hours, hardly any thought was given to war and instead to rejoicing.

༻᯽༺

4th of July 1484....

Constance smiled when Edward offered her his arm as they walked in the gardens of Middleham together. Divested of his armour from the day prior, he donned a crimson cloth of gold doublet, head only crowned with the golden curls of his hair, and she thought him very fine.

"You look much like your Father" She said, thinking of how her sweet son also almost matched her Ned in height and carried himself with the same effortless regality; strong steps that announced his presence without having to speak a word.

Curling one hand around his offered elbow, she rested the other upon his arm, gently squeezing "I have so missed you, my boy" She sighed "And I am sorry I have not been with you to see you grow into the fine young man I see you have become" That was at least the third time she'd said such a thing since his return and it was the third time he smiled warmly down at her in reply.

"You must not blame yourself, Mother" He told her, his voice deeper than she remembered "Twas not your fault you were held fast by the snakes infesting this land. Now I have returned, we shall be rid of them for all eternity. With you and Uncle Richard by my side, how could I fail?" He gave a determined nod, looking forward again "I will make Father proud"

Warmth spread across Constance's chest at his words and she gave another squeeze to his arm, not once looking away from his face. She wanted to be as familiar with it as when he was a babe, wanted to know each and every thing, no matter how small, about him!

She wanted to know his favourite pastimes, his favourite deserts, his favourite type of hunting, whom his friends were in Burgundy, what his favourite weapon was to train with, even what fabrics he favoured for his garments!

"You already have, sweet boy" She replied. There could be no doubt Edward would be proud of their son! He was already proving a worthy successor and would be a great King! Of course Edward was proud! "And he shall watch over you from his throne in heaven"
"As shall you and Uncle Richard on Earth! You make a fine partnership!"

It was then she had to turn her face away to conceal the coral blush that painted itself upon her cheeks at the mention of her and Richard together - though she knew full well that was not what her son meant.

"Yes, yes we shall" She replied hurriedly, praying that if anyone dared catch the stain upon her skin they would think it due to the heat "Lord, it is stiflingly hot, isn't it?" She exclaimed so Edward would think the same and he instantly halted his steady pace of walking.

"Do you wish to go inside, Mother?" He asked, voice quite full of concern "Are you well?"
"Nay, I am well!" She laughed patting his arm and facing him again.

"Are you certain?" He replied with a small frown "You have grown rather flushed" That only made her go redder and she put the hand on his arm to her cheek, startled by the ferocious heat of her skin.
"It seems I am!" She said with another light laugh, spying a nearby bench with tall, blossoming rose bushes stationed behind it, serving to give a little shade "Might we sit, my love?"

"Of course!" He exclaimed, quickly guiding her to the grey stone seat and helping her settle herself upon it before taking a place beside her. Richard had raised him well, she thought as he adjusted his dagger before returning his reverent gaze to her "Is that better, Mother?"

"Yes! Much, thank you, my sweet. Now" She took his hand with a grin "You must tell me all you have learnt in Burgundy! Whom you have met? Oh! Tell me of your wife! The eldest daughter of Duke Francis of Brittany, is she not?"

He huffed a quiet chuckle, nodding.
"She is"
"Our new Queen!"
"You shall always be the Queen to me, Mama" He replied with a swiftness and devotion that reminded her of her younger sons and brightened her soul.

She was still trying to reconcile herself to the fact that once their position was regained she would no longer be Queen (even if Queen Regent gave her more power than she had ever dreamed of holding in her life), that a little girl was to take her place. To know her son still saw her as his Queen was a great solace.

"Anne of Brittany is her name, no?"
"Anna" He corrected "But, yes, she has taken to calling herself Anne now that she is to be my Queen and Anna is not English. Although, it was not her idea, it was her Father's. She obeys his every word"
"Because she is his daughter?"
"Because she is a child" He replied, raising his eyebrows at which Constance laughed.

The irritation in his voice was not easy to miss and was the very same ire Marie had comically described in her letters! She was overjoyed to be able to witness it! Every moment was precious.

"She is a sweet child" He continued, her watching him with amusement "but a child nonetheless! I would have preferred a Queen with whom I was able to properly converse, who knew more of the world as I do! Anne is rather like a doll, she's so very small! Her head barely reaches my waist!"

"Well, you are a tall man, my son!"
"As was Father! But you were above his waist when you two were wed!"
"I was fifteen!"
"And Anne is seven! Seven, Mama!"

"Seven" She repeated with a grin, chuckling when Edward huffed at her mirth "Oh, my love, do not be angry with me! I do not mean to tease! A marriage such as yours is not so very rare amongst those of our station!"

"That does not mean I like it" He retorted, leaning back into the bushes with no care for if his neck were pricked by a wayward thorn. He sighed "but I married her because it is my duty and her house has brought forces to my cause for which I am grateful"

"For which we are all grateful!" Constance said, squeezing his hand again. They had become rougher since last she held them "And I am proud of you for seeing to your duty" He looked at her "It can often be hard and difficult, particularly for one of your age, not that you are a child any longer. But strength in duty is rewarded"

"Fortis in officio" He recited and she smiled. What would his own motto be she wondered.
"Yes, my love, strong in duty and it has served me well. It has brought me here, to you, and shall see I do all in my power to restore you to your rightful throne, your brothers and sisters to safety. And your wife. Besides, Anne shall grow and from what I hear she is most intelligent"

Her boy groaned again, plucking a nearby leaf from its finely pruned branch.

"That is what Marie said"
"What did I say?" They looked up at the call of Marie who was walking toward them, radiant in a gown of purple silk and blue. She looked between her Mother and brother; Edward's put our expression "Oh do not tell me he is complaining of his marriage to you! We have not yet been here for a day, Neddy, and I thought you were reconciled to it! Ma Mére has enough to think on without your whining!"

Elbowing him along the bench toward their Mother, she arched an eyebrow as she sat. Constance herself did not mind his complaining one jot! She was glad that he felt he could divulge his complaints to her and more than glad she was there to hear them!

"I am reconciled to it!" He replied, looking at his sister "And I was not complaining to ma Mére, I was explaining, there is a difference"
"Well if you have learnt the difference when it comes to this matter you must've done so very recently!"

He only glared at her for that and she ruffled his hair, making him let out a cry of annoyance at which Constance couldn't help but smile. She had grown to miss the tiffs that so often arose between siblings!
"Stop it!" He ordered and Marie giggled "I am your King!"

"You are my little brother and I am not your subject" She reminded him "I am not angry with you, not really. He has done his duty very well, Mother. These past months he has acted as the perfect King and shows the promise of a great ruler. Father would be most proud of his efforts"

"As I was just telling him!" Constance replied, smoothing his hair back into place although he protested he could do it himself. She was determined to make the most of every little thing such as that for when he was secure upon his throne, she would no longer be able to treat him only as her dear boy "And I shall say that I am very proud that you are my son"

That brightened his mood a little and he sat up fully again, pushing back his shoulders, a small smile curving the corners of his lips.
"Thank you, Mother"
"And did he not look regal in his armour?" Marie added, clearly proud too.

"Most regal!" Constance agreed "As did you! Now, I have a feeling you came to fetch us, Marie, what are we needed for?"

"Uncle Dickon has requested we gather in the solar!" She replied, standing and brushing down her skirts though there was not a speck of dust upon them "He wishes to discuss our strategy for the coming weeks"
"Strategy? But you have only just arrived! Must I share you with war so soon?"

"I'm afraid you must, Mother" Edward replied, standing too "Uncle Richard is a seasoned warrior and it is better to plan early than leave it too late, there is no telling what may happen. That is what Max taught me" And away he went, striding across the gardens back toward the castle, leaving his Mother and sister staring after him.

Constance arched an eyebrow.
"Max? Who is Max?"

"Maximilian" Marie explained "My Lord husband" Shaking her head, she sighed as she watched her brother "He looks so much like Papa in some ways" She sighed and her Mother looked up at her, finally standing too. Marie had been so close to her Father, perhaps the closest of all his children despite her sex and her Mother mourned the fact she had not been there to comfort her little love in her grief.

"He does, doesn't he?" She said, taking her daughter's hand "As do you" Marie looked at her as a tender hand was put to her cheek "You have his eyes, my love. He will always be with you. He will always be with each of us. Now come" She linked their arms, smiling "we should not keep your Uncle waiting"

"No" Marie agreed, turning back to her brother's retreating form to watch him disappear into the castle "No we should not"

༻᯽༺

Richard and Edward's heads were already bent over maps when Marie and Constance entered the solar above her chambers and for a solitary moment, a painful pang pricked her chest as she saw her husband beside Richard instead of her son.

With their backs toward her, the scene reminded her of ones she'd seen countless times before.

"Have you begun plotting without us?" Marie asked, leaving her Mother's side to join them around the table in the center of the room. There were countless papers upon it, over many of them a large map of England, its corners held down by leather-bound books and what appeared to be chess pieces on various parts of the land. Gold in the North, silver in the South.

They had placed the pieces where the enemy and they were stationed.

"Never" Richard replied, looking up, smiling when Constance arrived at the opposite side of the table "We are simply looking over the land, though I think Edward here may know it even better than I!"

A small, pleased, smile curved Edward's lips.
"I have studied hard, Uncle" He replied "A King must know his land, even more so when there are traitors to purge from it. By my hand will be brought to justice" Constance and Richard's eyes met across the table and he arched an eyebrow at her.

"Have you any more thoughts on what to do with Grey?" He asked.

"I certainly have" Edward interjected and his Mother nodded. As soon as he'd been told of the prisoner in the dungeon, his intentions had been clear, she thought. He wanted Grey dead as soon as possible; wished to begin the culling of his enemies and once he started he would not stop.

That did somewhat worry her.

Despite his loving disposition toward her, even when he smiled she could see the rage behind his eyes; hear it in his voice when their words danced even a little close to the subject of war that past day. He was so young and anger, the unyielding lust for revenge, had no trouble devouring grown men whole, let alone boys!

It was a fine line she would have to watch him walk and had a feeling she would have to aid him in his balance to prevent a fall - no matter how much she wished to see every man who stood against him dead. Richard would help too.

"I would advise we refrain from taking action for the moment" He told his nephew, though was careful not to sound condescending "You have only just arrived and I believe it would be best to wait until our position becomes clearer. We must see what course the enemy takes before we execute the whore's son, though I certainly agree he must die. He may prove useful to us, for a time, as leverage"

"I do not see how" Edward replied "We are not to negotiate with his bitch of a Mother or his bastard brother and he holds no knowledge of their plans. I shall take my throne and they shall die"

Richard gave a slow nod, considering his words.
"True. But it would be best to keep him from death all the same just for now"
"So what is the purpose of this gathering, Uncle?" Richard smiled at him.
"Not do discuss death just yet but the moves of life our enemy thus far and how our own are progressing"

It was then Edward's turn to smile.

"Then please, tell me what you have discovered!"

Yes, Constance thought, between she and Richard, they could definitely see that Edward did not fall into the jaws of revenge - he trusted them implicitly; certainly he did his Uncle.

"I've had word the Woodvilles are gathering their men, or rather, their mercenaries and it also appears Anthony Woodville is in France, seeking permission to take men from French prisons to fight for them"
"They are so desperate they are now to raid prisons?" Marie exclaimed, almost laughing.

"Five thousand men they seek to claim" Richard continued "with their mercenaries they shall have more but we are yet to have that total and it is well known they have all but drained their coffers on the expenses. It is likely they shall be using their last coin to fund this last campaign. It is said there are also forces arriving from Luxembourg"

"And what of the turncoats who deflected to his side?" Edward asked, looking with hatred upon the silver pieces upon the map. He'd remembered the name of each and every English noble that had betrayed him "Do they muster their men to fight for their so-called King?"

"The bastard sent out a call to arms but days ago" Richard replied "we do not yet know if that call has been obeyed. Rebellion in your name is rising fast and if it reaches our imprisoned friends, such as the De La Poles, not only may they fight to freedom and join us but the traitors may return to you, lessening the bastard's forces even further!"

Edward's expression darkened somewhat at the last remarks and Constance tilted her head, knowing his thoughts.

"I know you have no wish for turncoats to fight at your side but you must learn that in times of war, you shall
always have at least one redeemed traitor in your midst, men that you have forgiven, just as your Father did. It is what's necessary, my love. He had no wish to but it is needed - for peace"

"Peace can equally be achieved if they and their families are scotched from the land" He replied and Richard looked at the table, smiling slightly. Edward may have appeared grown in many things but it was such childish remarks as that which proved his youth and inexperience.

"I have wished for the same thing, lad, to purge the land entirely of traitors, but as your Mother said, it is not possible for such a thing"

Edward grumbled his acquiescence.
"Even if I cannot cleanse England entirely, I shall still see justice served against those who stand against me; who betrayed the memory of my Father"
"Of course, it is only right, they shall be dispatched to hell in whatever manner you so wish"

Pushing away from the table, Edward strode over to the empty hearth where two fine chaises were placed and the others followed, the men sitting on the left, the women, the right.

"I pray our brothers are not returned by then" Marie murmured as she arranged her skirts "You should see the way Richard rages against our enemies, wishing upon them the most painful deaths" Constance frowned, looking at her.

"Richard does? Your brother?" She did not think such a thing possible! He was such a sweet, kind boy. Marie nodded.
"I made him swear not to think on such things while we are away but I'm not sure that shall halt him"

"He has seen his family torne limb from limb" Richard said, seeing the look of worry that had overcome Constance's face and seeking to reassure her "And he has been forced into exile at a similar age as I was when a child. I was scared but I was angry too and said many things against our enemies, wished them every ill I possibly could, every torture I had ever heard of! But such things came from my youth, I did not yet understand the world, my words, and nor does he. Rest assured, he does not truly mean such cruel words"

"You? Scared?" Edward repeated, looking at his Uncle with an almost incredulous expression which made Constance's contentment return somewhat, along with Richard's words. Of course he thought his Uncle Dickon a perfect man and believed him to have been the same in his childhood - a strong warrior who feared naught even when sent across the sea with only his slightly older brother for protection!

"You do not think it possible?" Richard replied with a smirk, half flattered, half amused. Edward only looked between his Mother and sister before back to his uncle, still in a state of disbelief "I was a child! He continued "My Father was dead, my brother and cousin too! I knew not if Ned would prevail"

"I can see you as hesitant" His nephew replied "But never scared!"
"Well I was! Terrified in fact! I liked to hide under beds, as your Mother will remember"

Oh how she did.

She remembered all too well finding him curled up and shaking like an injured baby bird under her bed the night they were told his Father and brother were dead. She remembered his little sniffs and cries, how she had cried too at the loss, when he had told her between sobs how they died, that they both feared Edward would be next to be embraced by death.

It had been mere weeks after her little James died.

"Really, Mother?"
Her son's voice drew her from her moment of bitter remembrance and she forced a small smile, nodding. She had lost sons, many sons, but she had three now, three strong healthy boys whom she loved with all her heart.

"Indeed, darling, I even saw your Father afraid at times" Edward's eyes grew even wider at that "It is human, my love. Only fools are fearless"
"How true that is" Richard agreed, smiling softly at her "And we have proof of that in our dungeons"