~The Joker and the Queen~

The sounds of the coronation festivities were muffled slightly by the heavy walls and thick doors that separated the rest of the court from where Bella stood on the pillared balcony overlooking the courtyard but nothing could quieten the riotous din that engulfed the city of London.

It was deep into the night and the sky was dotted with shining stars that she took an interest in to pass the time, mapping out the different constellations before her eyes. For most of the afternoon she had attended her sister, filling her wine cup, dancing with any noble that was required but after many drinks and the ever increasing noise she had decided to retreat outside.

The first breath of air that she had taken on the balcony had been one of sweet relief to her for the copious amount of alcohol she had consumed had begun to make her mind swim! That had partially been the King's fault. Edward was a merry man who clearly loved to revel in celebrations and had been determined to see each member of his wife's family had their fill of the best wine!

He even had little Leena rather in her cups and dancing with him in front of the court while Elizabeth watched and clapped in time to the melody! Bella smiled at the memory created just an hour prior and leant upon the stone wall of the balcony so that she might peer more clearly into the night.

"So you are Isabella Woodville?"

She spun around at the sound of an unfamiliar voice, a pang of alarm rushing through her chest as she suddenly realised she was alone. The voice that called out to her was not quite a boy's but not quite a man's, still holding an element of youth within its deepening depths and from the shadows, Bella could see a tall, well dressed figure.

"Who enquires, my Lord?"

She did not know why she relaxed when the boy stepped forth and she saw that it was George because she did not know him but felt the tension in her body leave all the same.

The young Duke smiled at her demure curtsy and sauntered forward, holding out one of the two silver goblets he held. She took it and slowly lifted it to her lips, taking a sip at the same time as he as if to settle the air between them despite knowing she had had more than enough alcohol that eve.

"Really, all the Woodville girls are pretty" he remarked after a moment, coming to stand next to her, a movement so relaxed it made it seemed he had known her his whole life. Bella found it in herself to scoff, recalling his words from earlier that day.

"I thought you saw us as fish, my Lord?" She asked and his deep laughter rang through the air, coaxing her to smile like he had done at the banquet. His dark eyes found hers and she was sure he had moved a little closer. But why?

"Ah, but very beautiful fish, surely?" He returned "with glimmering golden scales" his right hand was suddenly at her cheek, one ringed finger brushing away a stray golden curl that had fallen across her face. Bella felt her heart quicken as his finger brushed her skin, ever so slightly, ever so softly, as if it were an accident but something told her it was not.

"You, my Lord, are a flirt" she told him pointedly, though made no attempt to move away which only seemed to embolden the young Duke and he took a small step towards her.
"I am, Lady Isabella, but a flirt with charm I hope?"

And just like that he had coaxed another smile from her, making him grin mischievously like the boy he was. She knew she should not be here, with him, unattended, it was wrong, oh so wrong by every rule of court....but the air was warm, the wine in her goblet sweet and the Duke enticing.

No, she decided, she did not want to leave.

"Leena would know better than I!" She admitted, turning to look out into the stars again and George chuckled beside her "she seems rather taken with you!"
"Ah yes, little fox, she's an amusing girl, I like her!" He saw her raise her eyebrows at the endearing nickname and take another sip of wine. He was glad that she liked it. "And I like you, my Lady"

Bella swallowed, the liquid in her mouth suddenly losing its taste as she heard his words. She shook her head.

"You do not know me"
"No" George conceded with a nonchalant shrug "but Dickon told me what you said to Isabel and that has swayed my mind in your favour" the girl beside him chuckled to herself.

"And whoever said I should like to be in your favour, my Lord?" To her surprise, she was growing bolder by the minute, though she knew it was best to stay demure, not forget how powerful the man beside her was despite his rather innocent appearance at that moment. Yorks were dangerous, she had always been taught that, and it was a hard lesson to forget.

Taking another sip of wine, she waited on his reply with baited breath and for a moment feared she had gone too far.

"Who does not want to be in the favour of a royal Duke?" He asked, leaning on the balcony wall but his voice was not only filled with Princely arrogance, there was a genuine question too. Bella was tempted to laugh and her momentary fear fell away, he truly was sure of himself!

"I'm sure Lady Isabel will resent me now" she admitted after a moment, leaving George to wonder what her answer would've been "just as her Father does" he snorted at that, a sound that made her smile. It was almost familiar in a way, warm and comforting. He turned to her, absentmindedly tapping one of his ruby rings on the rim of his goblet.

"It is true, Warwick was not happy with Ned's marriage to your sister but you can hardly blame him! He worked upon a foreign alliance for nigh upon two years!" He waved his hand dismissively "Pay no attention to Isabel, my Lady, she is disposed to resent anyone who dares to not carry the same airs and graces as she!"

The Nevilles and the Yorks were close (after all his Mother was one of the former) and so had known Isabel since she was born but, in all honesty, she often irritated him! She followed him around like a sad little puppy, ever craving his attention which he was determined to never give and now Bella had seen fit to dismiss her in public, he was drawn to this flaxen haired Woodville girl. It was clear that she had spirit, that was why he had sought her out!

"Thank you my Lord" she said with a small nod that he returned and finished the last of her wine, setting the goblet upon the wall ".....and what of you?" She dared after a moment, exciting George further "what do you think of this unusual marriage?" He grinned at the question, setting his own goblet down and deciding to dare as she had done.

The wine had more than emboldened them both.

"I am less adverse"
Surprise registered on her face.
"May I ask why, my Lord?"

George's grin faded into a smirk then and he stepped a little closer to her, reaching out and catching one of her hands in his own. He felt rather than heard the sharp breath she took but, again, Bella did not pull away. His fingers were warm against hers but not soft, nay, they were rough from the handling of swords and daggers; the weapons that would govern his life.

Bella felt herself begin to blush, a man had never held her hand before, apart from her brothers and that was to help her to her horse or at church, this, this was different. Different in a way that scared and excited her as did his next words.

"Because it has brought you to me"

Raising her hand to his lips, he pressed a gentle kiss to her soft skin before letting her hand drop gracefully to her side once more. He bowed to her, relishing her reddening face and dumbstruck expression "My Lady" he murmured, beginning to walk away, a certain triumphant spring in his step as he approached the palace doors.

Bella stood frozen in place, the world suddenly new before her eyes, as if that simple touch of his lips against her hand had revealed a new life to her. She found her lips parting.
"My Lord?"

He looked at her and her hands met at the front of her gown, like she was trying to keep his kiss from being rubbed away by the night "....most do call me Bella?" George smiled and she could tell she had spoken the words he hoped to hear before he nodded.

"And most do call me George"

꧁꧂

Bella turned over with a groan the next morning as she felt a pair of soft lips brush her cheek and the patter of little feet leaving the chamber that she and Leena shared. Although in sleep, she was still surprised that her younger sister was awake and not deep in slumber from her night of dancing and laughing!

But still, it often seemed nothing could ever stop Eleanor Woodville!

It was another hour before Bella managed to pull herself from the warmth of her bed, discarding the silken covers and stretching each of her limbs in turn.

It was a pretty room she and her sister had been given, spacious, and a vast change from the one they had at Grafton! At their old home all eight of the Woodville sisters shared one long attic gallery, their beds placed along it beneath the oaken rafters that would creak during the night.

It was crowded but there was a warm familiarity that filled their large chamber at night, a veil of safety that encased them all as they drifted to sleep, some whispering, some rustling their covers until their sisters told them to hush! Despite liking sharing with Leena, Bella found that she missed the simplicity of life before court, the shrieks of laughter that would fill the Grafton gardens that were no longer allowed for the sake of decorum.

Walking to the chamber window, she leant on the wooden window sill and looked over the gardens below with a smile. Summer was her favourite time of year, it always had been, for it was a time when the world was filled with bright colour and birds chirped their mirth! As her eyes swept over the grassy banks that led down to the river Thames, the blooming flowers were clear to see, creating a blanket of purple and blue, yellow and white.

In summer the Woodville sisters would always collect flowers from their garden and hang them from their gallery ceiling so that they slept beneath a blanket of sweet smelling blooms! What she would give to do that now, Bella thought before she frowned, why could she not do that now?

Perhaps hanging the flowers from the ceiling would prove a task but she saw no reason why she could not gather some! Nodding to herself, she strode over to one of her coffers and lifted the heavy lid to select a gown. Before court, she had had but two dresses of soft linen and that had been more than enough but now she had a whole wardrobe it seemed!

In the great chest was a sea of silk and satin, fur lined hems and soft sashes that danced before Bella's eyes, sometimes she thought that they would one day disappeared but they never did. Pulling on a fresh cotton shift, she selected a gown of light lilac and began to fumble with the laces at the back.

They were tricky little devils but she accomplished the task and straightened her tight fitted sleeves; the fashionable v neckline that was lined with white silk. She looked into the mirror on the wall, satisfied, before walking to the dressing table and selecting a simple necklace, a small diamond on a golden chain.

It had been a gift from the Queen and as she brushed out her golden curls, braiding the soft locks, she knew Elizabeth would be proud when she saw her!

꧁꧂

A wicker basket hung on her arm, filled with blooming buds as Bella picked the finest flowers for her and Leena's room. Around her, all was quiet for the court was attending to their duties, servants rushing to do their bidding and she revelled in the newfound peace.

The golden kiss of the May sun warmed her skin as she knelt on the soft earth (being careful not to muddy her heavy skirts) while she selected an array of flowers and placed them in her basket.

"Well, I did not take you to be a gardener!"

Holding up a hand to shield her eyes from the glare of the sun, Bella arched an eyebrow as she turned to see George walking towards her. She made to rise but he waved the movement away and, without hesitance, sat himself down next to her, stretching his legs out on the grass so that the tips of his pointed shoes pointed to the sky "Good morrow, Bella"

She could not help but smile when he spoke her name, so right it sounded on his tongue.

"Good morrow, George, what brings you here?"
"I saw you" he said bluntly with a shrug "from the palace" Bella chuckled slightly, her new friend clearly wasn't one to hide his intentions "and I wanted to see you" he shuffled slightly on the grass, for the first time showing any sign of doubt and she took a moment to study him.

Without an abundance of wine filling him, he almost seemed a little nervous and plucked a blade of grass from the bank beneath him, rubbing it between his fingers. In the light of day he appeared almost anxious!

"So I am interesting enough to capture your attention?" She ventured and the boy grinned, throwing his blade of grass away to card a hand through his light brown hair.

"You are" he returned "and I had rather keep your company than Isabel's!" That drew a little laugh from her and George sat up a little, pushing back his shoulders with more surety "why are you picking flowers? You could have sent a servant to do your bidding?" Another of her light laughs filled the air around them and he shuffled a little closer to her, pretending he was peering at the basket on her arm.

Taking a pretty snowdrop from the mixture of blooms, Bella held it up between them.

"We used to hang flowers in our bedchamber at Grafton" she explained, beginning to redden when George's fingers slowly crept up from the ground to wind around the flower's stem, or rather, her hand. Bolt of lighting shot through her veins at the gentle contact "I thought it would be nice to do something similar here!"

He nodded wordlessly, far more interested in finding the path of her soft brown gaze than studying the bloom between them. When their eyes did lock, he smiled, watching the crimson blush that spread upon her cheeks with a certain degree of smugness.

"It would be nice" he murmured, his voice slightly deeper than before "albeit not as nice as you" he began to lean forward but suddenly Bella seemed to gather her senses and pulled away, letting the snowdrop fall from the ground. Now it was George's turn to redden and he did so at a record pace, his pale skin turning from white to as red as the Lancaster rose within seconds.

He had never been rebuffed before and it stung rather harshly but he found that he was not angry, no, he was excited.

"Bella! Bella!" He scrambled to his feet as the call of a young girl filled his ears and he turned to see Eleanor Woodville dashing down the garden path in a flurry of primrose silk. Behind her was the Queen, enchanting as ever in a gown of the same hue, and it was at the sight of her oldest sister that Bella rose to her feet.

"You had better go, George" she told him, hanging her basket on her arm once more and he nodded, finding it in himself to grin before he bowed comically low. She chuckled and he was satisfied as he walked away, knowing she watched him when he embraced Leena and then bowed to the Queen.

Bella watched with a small smile as Eleanor bounded towards her, hoping her little sister would not notice her flushed cheeks but her hope was fruitless.

"Why are you so red, Bella?" The little girl asked as soon as she had reached her older sister, Elizabeth walking elegantly just a few feet behind.
"Aye" she agreed "you look as if you have had one wine cup too many!" After a moment she shook her golden head, green eyes glinting in the sun "it is of no matter, we have discovered something of great worry!"

"Great worry?" Bella echoed with a frown. Elizabeth nodded, a stern expression etched onto her elegant features while Leena rummaged around in the wicker basket like a curious puppy.
"Warwick is plotting against us" she said in a hushed voice, selecting a white rose from the pile "well, against Edward, is that not right Lizzie?"

Elizabeth smiled indulgently and drew the little redhead towards her, running a pale hand along her fiery braid.
"It is, little one but Edward does not see it! Warwick has a secret deal with the King of France yet Edward does not see fit to reprimand him!" A pang of worry ran through Bella's heart.

"We all knew he was a threat to us" she murmured, remembering how Warwick had looked down his nose at them all the first time they had met at Grafton. Even then he had hated the Woodvilles and that was before Elizabeth's secret marriage! "Now he seems he is to prove it"

"We must be careful" Leena whispered, looking around warily as if Warwick may be nearby, for all they knew he could be or one of his spies "and protect our family"