~The Tudor Threat~

July 1485, Nottingham Castle....

Eleanor moaned, her fingers gripping the pillows on either side of her as her chest rose and fell at a rapid pace. Her nightgown was tossed to one side, the covers rumpled and discarded in a mess caused by love and just. Hearing her pleasured moans Richard raised his head from between her thighs, his lips and chin glistening in the morning light that filled the chamber.

"Well, my love, this is a pleasing sight" he teased, letting his fingers wander across the inside of her thighs, caressing the soft skin and smirking as he felt her tremble.
"Even when I am big with child?" She laughed and they both looked at her belly.

"You know that wouldn't stop me" he replied and slid back between her legs, tracing circles around her clit with his tongue and holding her waist as she jerked at the sudden contact that made her see stars. He groaned when she slid her hands into his hair, tugging on his curls while she rolled her hips against his tongue, rocking back and forth, her breaths short and ragged.

One of his hands wandered up her body, lightly pinching her nipples that were hardened into sensitive pink buds and she cried out his name. Grinning to himself, Richard moved up her body, leaving light kisses as he went while Eleanor grasped his shoulders, trying to pull him to her so that she could claim him for her own.

For the past hour he had been sending her up to heaven, making her see stars behind her eyes and her body shake, a layer of sweat appear on her pale skin.

"Let me have you" she breathed impatiently as he paused to gently suck on the tips of her breasts, taking all the time he wanted "Richard I swear...." her words died away as his lips were crashed to hers and her legs went around his hips; back arching desperately.

꧁꧂

Richard chuckled to himself as Eleanor followed him around the corridors of the castle, her steps almost childish stomps as she bunched her skirts in her hand, watching him pull on his gloves.

"And why may I not come?" She asked indignantly, huffing as he managed to dodge her free hand which made to cling to his doublet to stop him "I never quit hunting before and you know I normally refuse confinement! Why can I not come hunting"

"I don't want you to hurt yourself!" He told her, hopping down the steps that led to the courtyard and adjusted the tight leather of his gloves "you are with child"

"You are with child" she imitated, pulling a face that he laughed at the sight of "and when has that ever stopped me? When?"

"You had better stay here and look after the children! Chase them around the gardens if you wish" she was forced to bite back a heated retort as they strode into the courtyard together, him smiling, her scowling like a storm.

"You had better bring me back a prized stag if you are content to lock me up here" she muttered under her breath as they came to stand by his horse, a fine chestnut stallion that whinnied happily at the sight of his master "if you don't I may just lock you from my room tonight"

Richard merely arched an eyebrow, clearly unfazed by her words and as amused as if she had just told a joke; a secret smile met his lips "what?" She asked, folding her arms over her chest "why are you smiling? What's so funny, my Lord?"

He simply nodded behind her and not a moment later she felt the familiar push of a horses nose on her shoulder and a puff of hot air against the back of her neck. Looking to the side she saw her favourite hunting mare rest her head on her shoulder and practically glowered.

Richard chuckled to himself and swung himself up into his saddle, grinning down at her as he doffed his cap, the pendant on it sparkling.
"Well, my Lady, it seems you may be with us after all!"

"One day, Richard" Eleanor muttered as she climbed up the mounting block and sat herself comfortably in her saddle "I will throttle you" a sickly sweet smile lit her lips and she bent down, rubbing her mare's neck, affectionately "what do you think, Artemis? Would you like to stomp his grace to death beneath your hooves?"

He offered an equally sickly smile back and nudged his horse into the motion, the horns of the hunt filling the summer air.
"Come on!" He called and Eleanor could not hide her grin, shaking her head with a laugh.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" She ordered with a shake of her head "or you will find yourself flattened between Artemis' hooves! Really, I sometimes think you're a child with the way you behave!"

"Likewise" he simply teased and expertly dodged the playful slap that was aimed at his arm with a grin.

꧁꧂

The sounds of laughter and galloping hooves, leaves and branches swept aside and the call of horns filled the air as the royal hunt raced through the trees; courtiers mere flashes of bright colour in the hurry.

Horses saddled with their kill followed behind, stags and birds piled high while the hunters carried on.

"I'm going to get another one!" Georgie called as he once again drew back his bow while the herd of deer tried to outrun the court, their heads frantically darting from side to side, looking for a way to escape "Ive shot five already!"

"Five!" Rob hooted, grinning at Francis beside him "my my, Francis we had better watch our backs or mighty hunter over here will be shooting us too!"

"Leave the lad alone!" Jack said with a shake of his head and the two chuckled to each other while Georgie turned crimson and urged his horse onwards, determined to prove himself.

"He's hardly a lad" Eleanor remarked, trotting up to Jack and letting Richard ride ahead while she caught her breath. She would not let the baby stop her from enjoying her favourite pastimes but she did admit she had to take it a little easier "he's twenty now"

"A man grown" Jack sighed, remembering the young orphan who had hidden behind Eleanor when he had first arrived at Middleham, grief written on his face though he had tried not to show it "I still remember him when he was a little stick of twelve!"

"We both do!" She grinned as she watched the young man ride up to Richard and say something, making them both erupt into peals of loud laughter "he is a fine soldier and knight and his Father would be proud of him, his Mother would be too" Jack looked at her, a small smile on his face.

"I take it you are? And Dickon?"
She nodded and placed a hand to her belly.
"We are proud of all of our children. I really think we should've brought George with us today! Perhaps even Edward! He's well enough"
"Aye" Jack conceded "his illness this winter wasn't as bad as usual?"

"Come on!" Richard called and the two looked to him with a smile as he gave a merry wave "if you two don't hurry up you'll get left behind!"
"Our King awaits!" Eleanor chuckled and nudged Artemis into motion, letting her speed through the trees with hardly a care in the world.

As they drew upon the herd once again Eleanor grinned to herself, and reached for her bow which was in a special pouch in her saddle.

It was beautiful, a crossbow of the finest wood, polished, balanced with an almost delicate quality to it yet it was a killer and a fine one at that! Carvings of leaves and vines, roses whittled into the wood wove themselves along the curved frame and even along the set of arrows that had come with it.

It had been a gift from Richard on her thirtieth birthday and she had treasured it ever since, taking it on almost every hunt, especially when she was with child! While a normal bow served her well and a crossbow took a little more time to load, it carried more precision and she loved it so dearly, she hated to set it aside.

And so she took it up from her saddle and an arrow from the leather quiver and pulled back the taught string, hooking it at the back while she loaded the bolt. She let her hands fall from her reins easily, she knew Artemis would not throw her or bolt unexpectedly, she was a fine horse and Eleanor knew she could be trusted.

Lifting her arms, the Queen's eyes settled on the greatest stag of the herd, leading at the front, antlers proud and high, limbs long and muscled, a beautiful beast and now prey. It sprang from leap to leap and the rest of the herd followed like subjects following their King.

Her gaze focused, all Eleanor needed to do was click her tongue and Artemis was away at full speed, as intent on victory as her mistress.

One shot just one good shot.

"One shot" Eleanor whispered, grinning as Artemis gave an appreciative whinny and surged forward "that's it girl, just one good" she placed a finger on the trigger, took a breath, lined her aim up with the stag's head. Such a magnificent beast deserved a clean death. A little more pressure was applied to the trigger "shot"

The arrow flew through the air, released from the bow in less that a second, almost whistling as it flew. In the blink of an eye the cry of the stag filled the air, a wounded groan as he reared up on his hind legs, the arrow striking through its eyes.

The animal fell to the ground and Eleanor sat up in her saddle, a triumphant look on her face, chin tilted upward. The applause of the court surrounded her and she nodded her thanks, setting down her bow in her saddle and taking up her reins once more.

"Well done, my love!" Richard praised as he trotted up beside her and brushed a chaste kiss to her cheek "you have claimed the greatest prize of the hunt"
"Hm" she murmured, watching as pages rushed forward to carry the dead animal "I always feel triumphant but rather sad when I kill"

"I think we all do" he returned with a shrug. "apart from perhaps Georgie" the two turned around to look at the young man who didn't have an ounce of regret about him at all and never did on a hunt "he bounces around like a rabbit"
"He gets that from Rob....Johnny was like that too"

Eleanor sighed as they turned their horses around, and began to walk back through the trees towards Nottingham Castle. She missed John, they both did, and now it had been almost six months without word from him!

"He will be fine" she reassured them both "John is a tough lad, a York, he will be fine"
"He's only fifteen"
"He will come back to us, Richard....one day"

꧁꧂

The hunt returned to the court at dusk just as the sun was beginning to sink below the trees, colouring the sky in shades of pink and purple and light oranges that danced before the nobles eyes.

Richard dismounted first, jumping from the saddle and striding to where Eleanor was waiting for him. He held out his arms and she slid into them, smiling as he placed a hand against her belly and their child kicked a little.

"Your grace! Your graces!" They turned around as they saw Robert Brackenbury walking towards them, a letter in his hand.
"What is it, Robert?" Richard asked and the man frowned, carding a hand through his greying hair.

"Tudor has landed in Wales"