~To Save a King his Country~

Despite the late summer heat, Constance shivered as she walked into the great hall of Warwick castle with John at her side. The great Earl waited at the other end, a brooding figure that had seemed to eager to please upon the ramparts but now all had changed.

Before he had been the animal trapped in a cage, forced to comply with his enemies but now, they were the ones who were trapped, in a way, they were in his territory.

This was his castle, his domain, this fine building of stone and marble adorned with colourful tapestries woven with gold. His young daughters had been herded away by his wife to their rooms so there was no chance of them catching sight of the Queen they worshipped as a goddess or their beloved Uncle.

Richard knew Isabel wished to return to her service even though she was with child, he knew Anne once again wished to be the beloved protege and perhaps one day she would be.....

His brother marched towards him like a dark shadow of himself, his usual smile no where to be seen and one hand clamped firmly on his sword. John was a famed swordsman, one that his own brothers revered and Warwick knew any who dared to cross him would end up with their limbs hacked to pieces.

Neither brother made a move to embrace the other and even though he wanted to, the Earl refrained from embracing the Queen, seeing the stony look consuming the dark depths of her eyes.

There was none of her usual warmth swimming within them, none of her usual friendliness or the light laugh that would emerge right before she'd embrace him. Her heart wished for the usual affection between them, but her head would not allow it.

Marie was not their either, the little bouncing bundle of joy that would scream his name before jumping onto him; clinging to his clothes like the monkeys at the Tower menagerie. Weather he would ever see the Princess again was as uncertain as the future of England.

But he could sense defeat was near and almost felt like cowering before it like he would have done as a young boy.

"Lord Warwick" He snapped from his dark daydreams to see the Queen and his brother before him, both faces stoic with concealed rage. Constance appeared a true ruler at that moment, her crown on her head and a commanding note to her voice that had developed over her years of marriage to the King - now put to use.

Warwick opened his mount to speak but she held up a hand, swiftly cutting him off before a syllable had even passed his lips "Take me to my husband" her eyes narrowed slightly "your rightful King"

He had no choice but to bow and begin to lead the way, a wave of guilt crashing over him until Constance spoke again, brushing past him cooly.

"And keep George out of my sight, my Lord, or the Woodvilles will not be the only casualty of this treason. Do remember, if you try anything Dickon is waiting outside with ten thousand men willing to bring this castle to its knees" Her eyes flicked to John and he gave her a short nod, glaring at his brother before taking a seat by a near window.

"This way, your grace" Warwick murmured and Constance stalked up the stairs, not waiting for him to lead the way. She did not need his help, she was sure of it. Together they wound through the corridors and passageways of the castle, Richard's voice echoing throughout the stone building whenever he called directions. He tried to lead her, tried to gently catch her arm to steer her but she would not be caught.

Every time he reached for her she would move away without even having to look at him, always shifting effortlessly just out of his grasp.

She walked in a stony silence, her cloak rustling in the wind that flew through the open windows until they reached a door where two guards stood either side, almost falling asleep in the heat. Constance almost smirked to see their shocked expression when they saw her approach, boots clicking on the stone floor, but her heart began to pound and all the same.

Behind the sturdy door that they guarded, it's great metal key in the lock, was her husband. Was he well? Had he been fed, looked after? 'Lord above help me' She thought, ignoring the guard's bows and their wide eyes that were trained on her.

"Open the door" She ordered, her eyes daring them to refuse, which they did not, watching as they turned the metal key the heavy lock giving a loud click. Constance waited no more for Warwick or the guards, pushing open the door and striding inside the large chamber, slamming it behind her.

"You know, cousin, I've been thinking" A deep voice called from the bed where a strong figure lay, golden curls fanning the pillows where his head rested "Have you always been such an entitled ass?"

"You tell me, my Lord"

Edward seemed to spring to life at her voice, his body jerking from the covers where he lay so that he was on his feet in a moment. His blue eyes stared at her, growing brighter as they swept her figure from her crown to the hem of her crimson gown while she curtsied.

They lingered on the mental breastplate, the momentary worry that she had been captured too fading when he realised she would not have that, nor the dagger at her side if that were the case.

"What...." The words refused to form on his lips. How was she here? More importantly, why was she here? If she had not been captured by Warwick then why was she here, in his grand cell, grinning at him like a Cheshire Cat?

He opened his mouth to speak again, confident that he'd gathered the questions he wanted to his lips but his Queen gave him no time to speak them, walking forward and crushing her lips to his with such desperation he felt as if their air in his lungs was being torn away.

Still, he kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her body flush against him. The metal of her armour seeped through the linen of his shirt and Edward suddenly found himself struggling with the straps that held the piece together while trying to keep their lips together.

"What are you doing?" Constance chuckled, just as keen as he to stay close to her husband, her king, pressing her body to his and relishing the feel of his body beneath her fingers. She too wanted the barriers between them gone, wanted them wound together on the nearby bed, naked and in their own world. But they could not.

Guards and Warwick were outside of the door, a door she was sure could be heard through and, despite her shyness having long vanished in the marriage bed, she was not keen on the idea of being heard.

"Helping my Queen" Edward replied, his lips hot on her neck and his fingers impatient on the buckles that fastened her armour tightly to her. When he finally managed his task, he flung the metal to the carpet-covered floor in triumph.

She cast a glance over her shoulder to the shut door but he quickly turned her chin back to him with two gentle fingers, eager to look into her eyes once more.

"You must let me help you" She said firmly and suddenly the lust seemed to flee Edward's gaze, as if the danger of the situation had dawned on him, finally overpowering the overflow of happiness he felt at the sight of his wife.

"You must leave" He took a reluctant step back, frowning when she did "You must go, Connie" The Queen shook her head, determined, defiant as she reached out to try and take his hand only to find him take another step away.
"I will not"
"You must"

She stared at him in disbelief. Just a moment ago he'd been intending to strip her, lay her naked on his bed and now....now he looked at her with a pain in his eyes that conflicted his heart and mind. One told her to stay, to hold her close, the other, to go, to flee while she could.

For once he seemed to be following the latter and, however many times she had wished he would, she did not wish it now. She wished for him to follow his heart, to take her in his arms once more and kiss her senseless.

When she made no move to leave, Edward sighed wearily and turned away from her, sitting down on his bed.

He put his head in his hands, working the golden strands of his hair through his fingers until he felt Constance rush to his side, kneeling before him almost a supplicant, a subject there to beg, not fight. She proved herself most aptly in that role, taking his hands and kissing them while her eyes filled with tears; shocked to see that his had too.

"Oh my love" She whispered, trying to place a hand to his face but he once again turned away; refusing her touch.

"I will find a way" He told her "Dickon and those loyal to me will find a way to restore me to my rightful throne in Westminster but you" At last his eyes returned to hers "you mon belle amor, must flee while you can"

"I will not!" She retorted much to his dismay "I will not abandon you now that I'm here! To abandon you would to be abandon my heart!"
"Constance!" Edward cried "If you stay here they will lock you away, it will lead to your ruin!"

At that, Constance seized his hands again, kissing them each in turn while her vision cleared when two burning tears slid down her cheeks. She shook her head.

"The only ruin that I recognise is to be without you!"

Suddenly, his lips were on hers again, hot and heavy, desperate in his hurried passion. She pushed herself from her knees, gripping his thighs as she manoeuvred her way up his body, watching him fall back onto the covers of his bed with a restored lust to his eyes.

"I have an army"
He gasped into her mouth when she kissed him, gripping her waist with his hands while she moved to straddle him, pulling up her skirts "An army to set you free, my lord"

"You raised an army?" He exclaimed, helping her to pull off his shirt while she nodded.

"With the help of Dickon and John and my brother, James! Ten thousand men under my command now stand outside Warwick's walls, ready to attack. We believe he has no choice but to set you free" She giggled, no longer caring of the souls behind the door, when Edward grinned, pushing her cloak from her shoulders to pull at her gown.

He quickly freed her breasts, taking one in hand and groaning as his rough fingers touched the soft skin he'd long since committed to memory; dreamt of during his long nights in captivity. Now his dreams were a reality and Constance's hand covered his, encouraging him to touch, to explore as he pleased. She'd waited long enough to feel him again.

"Can I take you?" He asked between kisses "even with our enemies so close to hand?" Her eyes, blown wide by desire, looked upon him with youthful mischief, trailing a path over his strong chest with her gaze that was quickly followed by a hand. The act caused him to moan, so long starved of touch he was desperate for any but the one touch he craved he was receiving.

The touch of his beautiful wife.

"Yes" Constance whispered, tracing the shell of his ear with her lips "Take me here and now, Ned. Let us show Warwick and his men that none can keep a husband from his wife, a King from his Queen. Let us humiliate him with our pleasure" It was an enticing offer Edward would never refuse and he eagerly raised her skirts so that she could unlace his breeches, freeing his hard cock.

The King and Queen gasped their pleasure when she sank down onto him, instantly rolling her hips into his; drowning out his moan with a kiss. Tossing back her head, her hair flying wild about her flushed face, she pushed him down against the rumpled covers, placing her hands on his chest for balance as she rode him.

Their long wait made the pleasure all the sweeter and a gasp left Constance's lips as one of Edward's hands snaked up the side of her body, taking her right breast and squeezing.

"I've missed you" She whined and all he could to was moan, his other hand holding her hip as she snapped them back and forth, pulling all the pleasure she could from his body. When he thrust up beneath her, a cry fell from her lips and she grasped the carved headboard  behind them, fingers digging into the wood, breaths quickening every second.

Enflamed and ensnared by pleasure, Edward stared up at his Queen, a beautiful goddess answering his every prayer with every roll of her hips that sent lightning through his body.

Too often in this glorified hellhole he'd had nothing but his hand to relieve himself of desire, but now he had Constance, he had his wife and there was nothing that could compare to her warmth clenching around him, the little noises she made when he touched her.

Wanting more, his hands found their way beneath her heavy skirts, snaking one between her legs to the bud of pleasure he knew would make her come undone. He knew just what to do, which dance to perform with his skilled fingers, the exact amount of pressure and how much he needed to tease before she fell apart.

Within minutes she was breathless, calling out his name as her cunt clenched and her peak washed over her, a thousand shooting stars fizzing through her veins. That was all it took to bring his own peak and he moaned, sitting up to bury his face in her shoulder before he fell back against the pillows, spent.

Rolling to the side and shuffling onto the soft covers, Constance lay her head on Edward's chest, tracing patterns on his smooth skin with her fingers. Pleasure thrummed between her thighs, making her head spin and a dreamy smile cross her lips when Edward held her waist, helping her gown to cover her breasts once more.

"Shall we invite cousin Richard to our little paradise?" He asked, trying to regain her breath, and she gave a small nod, snuggling into him with hardly a care in the world.

"Cousin?" The door swung open and Warwick strode through, arching one dark, disapproving eyebrow when he saw the couple on the bed.
"Really, Edward? Now?"
The King shrugged, bearing a smug smirk as he made a point of leaning over to kiss his wife full on the lips.

"None can keep a King from his Queen" He declared when he pulled away, propping himself and Constance up against the ornate headboard "not even, you, Richard, the great Earl of Warwick" He spoke with an edge of mockery, taunting his rebellious kinsman without having to lift a finger. Warwick turned an angry shade of red, his fists clenching at his sides as he fought for restraint against his wounded pride.

"Now what?" He bit out through gritted teeth and the royals turned to one another, Constance kissing Edward sweetly before she stood from the bed, holding her hair over one shoulder as he laced her gown.

"Now you will let us go" She ordered with a sickly smile, lifting the heavy metal of her breastplate and guiding it over her head, seeing to the leather straps.

Turning to Warwick, her smiled widened and she held up a hand when she saw him about to speak "I have an army led by your cousin and brother outside your castle walls, ten thousand to your, what?" She arched an eyebrow, holding out a hand that Edward took "your three hundred men at most?" He chuckled slightly at that "So, you will let us go or you will face the wrath of the Queen of England. Which would you prefer to face?"

The look on Warwick's face was almost comical at that and the Queen heard her husband snort behind her, tying the cords of his doublet and shirt with deft hands. His cousin stared at him, biting the inside of his cheek harshly until he forced himself into a bow, for the first time that Constance had ever seen; casting his eyes to the ground.

"Your graces"

He was defeated.

༻᯽༺

The courtyard was bathed in golden sunlight as the King and Queen of England emerged victorious, the King a little void of his usual finery but dazzling with his charming smile all the same. Constance seemed to float by his side, an exuberant angel clinging to his arm; smiled adoringly into his handsome face.

And, for a moment, just a single moment, one of captured dreams and wishes, all around could see the youthful girl she had arrived in England as, sweet and innocent of the world. The brightness returned to her face, making her pale skin glow with beauty and her steps were light, almost as if she were walking on air.

Warwick was the brooding shadow that followed them, one that was flushed a bright red and had a frown plastered upon his face that seemed as deep as the ocean. The humiliation was almost proving unbearable to him and how could it not? He had risked everything and he'd lost. He'd lost and so was forced to follow in the King and Queen's wake while they flitted and frolicked towards their horses who waited patiently by John's side.

Neither brother dared to look at the other.

"I will give you whatever you desire!" Edward declared, pausing to whisk Constance into his arms again; kissing her passionately for all to see. Some lingering maids swooned at the sight of such affection and the Queen smiled against her husband's lips.

"Anything?" She whispered.
"Anything, sweetheart! I would even climb to the heavens and claim an angel if you would wish it!" Constance chuckled at such words, while Warwick merely groaned, letting a finger scrape along his jawline.

"Luckily you will not have to go that far my love for I want but one thing and it is right here, on earth!"
"Tell me, sweetheart, tell me what you wish?"

Despite victory, there was a task at hand to be seen to and she knew, oh she knew, what she would ask for.

"That the Woodvilles be banished from court"

She could hear the intake of shocked gasps that echoed around the courtyard at her request, and what a request it was, one he had denied his brother, the Kingmaker his own Mother and his Queen! It was one with such ammunition stacked behind it that could blow up at any second, and had denied his nearest and dearest, there was no reason on God's earth that....

"As you wish, sweetheart"

Cupping his face, Constance kissed him with all the love that she felt, praising God that he saw fit to finally make Edward see sense! No more would she have to deal with the hoard of golden wolves that prowled her court ready to pounce on any who crossed them. Now she would not have to keep her ladies close at hand in case she came across the leader of the Woodville clan and her son.

They would be gone.
And she would be free of the invisible chains they had wound around her body, making her heart bleed.

"Thank you, my Lord" She whispered while he gazed down adoringly at her, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before he strolled merrily away to his steed. Behind Warwick watched with a slack jaw that was in danger of hitting the gravel beneath, a dazed look in his eyes that was a cross between rage and complete awe for the Queen.

She chuckled to herself, once more turning on him with a sickly sweet smile that prompted him into another bow.

"You see, my Lord. If you ever desire something from the King, you need only ask through me"
"I've taught you well" He murmured, the corners of his lips twitching slightly in a way that almost showed pride in her. She tilted her head to the side.

"You have....and you also taught me the importance of loyalty, a lesson it seems you need to learn again" She sighed softly, placing a hand on his arm. No matter how he had acted, no matter what he had done, now all was resolved, she wished for peace. He was the closest thing in the world she had to a living Father, a rock she could lean against and if she lost him, she would fall "Perhaps it is one I shall teach?"

His eyes found hers and he nodded, a strong hand coming to cover hers with a gentle squeeze.
"I would like that, your grace, if you would permit it....I would like that very much"