~Away to War~

Gathered around the table in the chamber that was serving as a makeshift seat for the council, the nobles, King and Queen all looked troubled. Robert Brackenbury still held his letter in one hand and stood from his chair with all looking to him.

"It is from the Earl of Huntingdon, Countess Katheryn's widower" he proclaimed and Eleanor made a mental note to thank William the next time she saw him. He was still grieving, which was why he was away from court, yet he did not hesitate to help them "he is staying in his lands in Wales and he has had word from some of his tenants that the Tudor has landed"

"He is sure?" Richard asked and Sir Robert nodded.
"He would not have written if he hadn't been" Eleanor remarked and the others nodded "its a warning" a heavy sigh filled the room.

"Well then, we must prepare for war" rising from his throne, Richard clasped his hands behind his back and began to slowly pace around the table, his brows furrowed in deep thought. This was the last thing they needed or wanted for that matter. Another war! Another threat to his crown and his children! To Eleanor!

"What do you want to do?" Sir Richard Radcliffe asked and Richard stilled his pacing next to a window, looking out into the courtyard where servants hurried below, some of the children laughing and playing in between them.

"I will defend my land" he said slowly, a determination in his voice that was only ever heard when he talked of war. He was a seasoned battle commander, a successful and respected one. When he talked, men listened and where he lead they followed "I want call to arms sent out to all of England, I want an army to be mustered by the months end! I want us ready to defend my crown! I want us to be ready!"

"Aye, your grace" the men chorused and he gave them a short nod before turning to Eleanor who was watching him with tear filled eyes. She was scared for him. For him, for their children. She had suspected that war would come if they took the throne since the night she had had her seeing and now it was to come true.

But he would win.
He would fight and he would win.

"What do you wish me to do?" She asked, steadying her voice and Richard walked back to his throne, sitting beside her before he looked to the rest of the council. Over the past two years they had grown to love and respect Eleanor almost as much as they did him.

At first they had rejected her authority, not used to obeying a woman's orders, but she had proved herself with swift decisions and a sharp wit and they were now devoted to her.

"I will make you regent" he announced and murmurs of approval were made around the table "you will fortify the capital and rule while I am away" she gulped a little. If she was to fortify the capital then she would be away from him! She would not be by Richard's side when she knew she needed to be! She needed to be with him yet it seemed they were destined to be at opposite ends of the country!

Eleanor forced herself to take a breath. She needn't worry. Richard would win the battles to come, how could he not? This Tudor was no match for him! Why, he had never fought a battle in his life and the people detested him, they loved Richard!

"Of course" she replied, taking his hand "do you all approve?"

"I doubt you need our approval" Francis said with a grin "but I think you have it" he looked around him and the Lords all nodded in agreement.
"Long live Queen Eleanor!" One called and the phrase was soon picked up so the whole chamber rang with it.

꧁꧂

August 1485....

As still as a statue, Richard stared at his reflection in the mirror as his squire fixed his royal livery over his polished armour. Deep blue and murrey, lions, lilies and boars in gold adorning the velvet. The boy's face was one of concentration and determination, he had been selected to tend to his King and was determined not to fail.

He darted upwards and into a deep bow as the door clicked behind him and he saw the Queen, regal as ever in the matching colours of her husband. Her hair was loose and fell down to her waist; golden crown serving as the only adornment, placed perfectly on her head.

For a moment she studied Richard, gaze sweeping from head to toe. He looked handsome in his armour, strong and regal, every inch the mighty King and knight he was.

But it scared her.

Ever flash of polished armour, every clank of metal against metal, every rattle of buckles and belts.

It scared her.

With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the boy and he darted away to leave his King and Queen alone. Richard was fiddling with his sword belts, making adjustments to things that didn't need adjusting; a signal of his nerves. He looked up as Eleanor's gentle hands covered his and green eyes met blue, full of adoration.

"Oh my love" she breathed, studying his face for a moment and then his lips were on hers, almost desperate as they pressed against each other, cold metal against smooth silk. One gauntleted hand found its way to her hair, combing through the fiery curls while the other caressed the curves of her body, intent on committing her to memory.

They were breathless when they broke apart but did not move away, not a single inch as if one slight movement would force an ocean between them.

"Eleanor...."
"Don't"

His eyes widened a little with amused surprise but hers were merely pleading as she kissed him again, clasping her arms around his neck.
"Eleanor, you must listen..."
"Don't" she said again, more in earnest this time but he caught her wrists, gently pushing her away from him "don't you dare" she whispered.

"Eleanor" he repeated more firmly this time and the slight tilt of her head conceded defeat for the moment. His grip on her wrists softened until she were virtually holding them in the air and he took one of her hands, guiding her to a window seat where they settled on the cushions.

Cupping her cheek he looked deeply into her eyes and managed a smile which she returned.
"Eleanor Woodville" he began, this time uninterrupted "Eleanor Plantagenet" she smiled properly at that "I have loved you more than any man could love any woman, more than any Lord could love his Lady and more than any King has loved his Queen" she nuzzled her cheek into his hand "you are my home. You are my light and my heart and there is not a day that goes by where my love for you does not grow but...."

Richard chuckled as he found a finger against his lips.
"Don't" she said again though this time her voice was firm and unwavering; determined.
"You must let me speak, sweetheart"
"Well I will not" she retorted "I refuse to listen to words of 'what if's', of you telling me to carry on if you fall....I won't listen to it, Richard, I wont!"

He took her hand again and gently kissed her finger, making her grin indulgently.
"You know I will try to win" he told her softly "I will win really, my army is strong, Stanley is yet to turn up but he will come"

"I doubt we need Stanley" she muttered with a roll of her eyes and he grinned to himself.
"My men are loyal and I have you to govern my lands for me but I must make plans with you if something were to go wrong....I have seen you in mourning, my darling and...."

"You're about to flatter yourself aren't you?" She quipped, settling back against the window panes, the cold glass soothing her and he nodded.
"I simply need to know that if I die....that you will not mourn me" he saw her look of doubt and shook his head "well mourn me by all means" he corrected, almost a smugness to his voice "but you mustn't let grief claim you. If I fall then you must carry on, you must fight for our son!"

Eleanor sat up at that, suddenly at full attention.
"Do you really think that if any of our children was in danger that I wouldn't fight with every breath and drop of blood in my body to keep them safe? That I would lay down my life for them?"

"Now that is the fighting talk that you need but you must mean it, my love" he said, taking her hands and kissing them in turn.
"I do" she replied stoutly "you know how I am once I have a mission" Richard raised an eyebrow and she found it in herself to grin back at him "I love you" she whispered and his eyes softened as he pulled her gently against him, covering her face with kisses.

"God knows I love you too, my darling" he murmured against her hair, breathing in the scent of roses that encased her and him "my Queen, my Leena, my love"
"Come back to me" she pleaded "swear it to me, swear that you will come back to me!"

"I will!" He promised "I will grind Tudor into the mud from which he came and I will come back to you" momentarily breaking their kisses Eleanor looked down at her gown that concealed the soft bump that protected her baby and she felt her eyes fill with hot tears.

"I want our child to know their Father" She whispered, taking his hand and placing it on her belly. He smiled as the child kicked, finding his own eyes filling with tears.
"And they will....they will know their Father as the King of England and we will love them"

꧁꧂

All stood in murrey and blue, coronets on their heads, the royal children stood on the steps of Nottingham Castle, surveying the courtyard where their Father sat mounted regally on his destrier, a fine animal with a coat as white as snow.

Beside him on a destrier of his own was Georgie. At twenty the Duke of Bedford was deemed more than old enough to go to war! He had been involved in the rebellion in 1483 but that had been mere child's play compared to what he knew he was to face and he almost felt small in his armour, as if the weight would crush him despite the years he had spent training in the heavy metal. Suddenly it was almost too much to bear.

More than anything he hoped that his Mother and Father were looking down on him at that moment. While his memory of them was rather faint (more so with his Father) he still yearned for their approval and hoped that they would be smiling at him from their seats in heaven.

Just as he hoped Lizzie would smile at him when he returned home.

"Cheer up, lad" a voice said beside him and he turned to see Rob grinning at him, though his smile was not teasing as usual and there was a sincere edge to his voice that reassured Georgie; making him it up straight "you'll be a true warrior soon!"

"Aye!" Jack chimed in "then you can put us all in our place!" Francis wiggled his eyebrows and Georgie finally found it in himself to laugh, setting them all at ease once again.

Walking down the steps with her head held high, Eleanor slowly approached her husband's horse. She twisted her hands together as she came closer and closer, a feeling of unidentifiable dread filling her from head to toe but she tried not to show it on her face. A dull and reluctant Queen was the last thing that Richard needed to see!

As she came to his side, he reached down and gently brushed her cheek with a gauntleted hand, the metal fingers cool against her skin.
"What I would give to kiss you one last time" he murmured as she smiled "then I think I could leave a happy man"

"You are not just a man but a King" she replied warmly, her feet itching to jump into the saddle behind him so that she could cling to his waist and refuse to let him go "so a smile shall have to do! But you may have as many kisses as you like when you come back!"

Richard sighed playfully and grinned down at her.
"I suppose that shall have to suffice!" He tutted before his expression turned to one of love again and he gazed down at Eleanor who stared back.

"It will but I wish to God I was going with you!"
"I doubt that you wouldn't be able to find a way if you wanted to you little witch!" Eleanor giggled and swatted at his arm for once not caring if anyone heard. Any way to make Richard stay but a moment longer she was willing to risk!
"Hush!" She ordered "really, if anyone heard you!"

"Papa! Papa!" The pair looked down as they heard the voice of their little Thomas crying up at them "Mama! Papa!" He squealed again, demanding "Upsie! Upsie!" Eleanor grinned and swept the little boy into her arms, holding him up to Richard.
"Up you come then, little man" he chuckled, hugging his son who clung to him before tapping his crown with a wide grin.

"Now me! Me!" Nell yelled as she saw the attention her little brother was getting and ran from the steps, ignoring Jane and Marie's calls for her to come back. Within seconds all of the children, even the eldest, had charged from the steps towards their Mother and Father, Maggie and Teddy too, Matilda carrying Anthony!

Eliza joined them though while they all ran to Richard she ran to Georgie, grinning when he jumped from his horse to catch her in his arms. Isabel was the only one who waited on the steps along with Lizzie, the two standing proud with the rest of the Queen's Ladies. All had at least a few tears in their eyes and the older redhead found herself taking the younger blonde's hand, squeezing gently.

"Georgie will come back" Isabel reassured her, knowing the two had said their goodbyes in private at the sight of her cousin's flushed cheeks and reddened lips.
"I know he will, Issy" Lizzie whispered in reply "I know he will"

One by one the children were lifted up to kiss their Father goodbye and even George, who prided himself on appearing a man grown, threw his arms around Richard's neck and planted a kiss to his cheek. And then they were all herded back to the steps, looking back over their shoulders while their Mother stayed.

"I love you, my dearest darling" Eleanor whispered and Richard nodded, taking his reins in his hands "I can't bear to say goodbye...."

"Just as I love you and this is not goodbye, sweetheart" A small smile, full of hope and unspoken promises. "goodbye is a lifetime away"