~Rivers and Rose Bushes~

Eleanor took the hands of her two nephews as they rushed forward to greet a waiting Jacquetta Woodville who smiled widely at them, arching a blonde eyebrow when she saw Eleanor.
"Leena" she greeted as she enfolded one of her youngest daughters in her arms "what are you doing out of bed so early in the day, hm?"

"We met the King! We met the King!" Tom and Rickon chanted, making their grandmother laugh and look over their heads to where Edward was walking with Elizabeth, a hand wrapped around his horse's reins while Warwick rode behind him, a suspicious look on his face as he glanced around his surroundings.

"Welcome to Grafton Manor, your grace" Jacquetta said as she swept a graceful curtsy and smiled at the young King.
"Jaquetta Woodville!" Warick exclaimed with a laugh as he ran a hand through his chestnut hair and Eleanor rolled her eyes, already tired of his apparent efforts to diminish her family "is the pageboy at home as well?"

Both of her daughters looked to her, expecting a rage at the insult that had just been dealt to their father but Jaquetta's face remained stoic as she clasped her hands together.

"Baron Rivers is away unfortunately...." she began only to have Warwick cut her off, his brown eyes lighting up with malicious amusement.
"Ha, I forgot! Baron Rivers! A hastily made up title to cover red faces when a high born Lancastrian Lady bedded a grubby commoner as I recall"

Eleanor bit her lip and was about to speak when Elizabeth pulled her back, shaking her head before nodding in the direction of King Edward.
"He was a squire and always twice the man you are, Lord Warwick" Jacquetta continued with an effortless grace as she turned to the other man "will you take a glass of small ale, your grace? Or we have some fine wine from my cousins in Burgundy?"

Warwick huffed and rolled his eyes again.
"Edward....surely you're not..."
"I'll take the wine" Edward cut in, even he now appearing tired of his friend's haughtiness "with thanks, Lady Rivers" passing the reins of his horse to the Grey brothers, he followed Elizabeth and Jaquetta into Grafton Manor, winking at Eleanor as he passed and she ran to join her elder sister, taking her hand and squeezing it.

As the three walked into the main hall, Eleanor spotted Bella loitering by the door and nodded at Elizabeth before running to her other sister, drawing her to the stairs.

"I got back safely!" She said proudly when Bella embraced her and grinned "and King Edward is not what you think! He heard Elizabeth's case!"
"King?" Bella laughed before the same unsteady look that she had held earlier returned to her face "he is a York, Leena, he cannot be trusted, so do not fall into his traps of charm, lest you want to lose your head!"

Frowning, Eleanor put a hand to her neck and looked at her elder sister, pondering over her words.
"My head?" She whispered, wondering why on Earth the handsome Edward of York would want her head. A little girl's voice sounded from above and Bella turned with a sigh.
"I'm coming, Cat!" She called and patted Eleanor's shoulder before lifting the skirt of her green gown and rushing up the steps to her little sister's aid.

Not long after Edward strolled out of the hall, the same arrogant smirk on his face as before until he noticed the young girl on the stairs and she rose, brushing her hair behind her ears.
"You spoke valiantly for your sister today" he said, standing in front of her as she peered up at him, nodding her thanks.

"I want what's best for Lizzie" she replied with a small shrug "W-we all do, your grace....she needs her marriage lands"
"And she shall have them, sweetheart! You don't need to fear for her!"

"Truly?" Eleanor asked and Edward grinned.
"Truly" he reassured her before bowing a little and beginning to walk away "oh, and if you are going to try and hide behind a tree...it might be best to tie your hair back, just like fire, it's rather hard to miss"

꧁꧂

"Where are you going?" Eleanor asked as she lay down her book on the haystack she was sat atop of and slid down to the cobbled courtyard, looking up at her mother and sister in the fast fading light of day.

Jacquetta lifted the lit lantern she was holding, illuminating her elegant features and the deep blue hue of her long gown.
"Tis time you learnt our ways, Leena" she said softly and her daughters eyes lit up, shining like emeralds while Elizabeth smiled indulgently at her, pushing her intricate golden braid over her shoulder.

"Magic?" Eleanor whispered breathlessly "your magic, mother?"
"And now yours, my child" Jacquetta said, helping her to rise.

Together, the three Woodville women left the manor and their lands, walking swiftly along fields and woodland, Jacquetta: calm and graceful, Elizabeth: seemingly apprehensive and Eleanor who looked as if she had just been given the world on a silver platter; kept looking to her older sister with a large grin that betrayed her joy.

At last they came to the edge of the river, moonlight shining upon the calm waters. Eleanor could see three lines of thin silk that disappeared beneath the small waves and glistened before her eyes.
"We are descended from the River goddess Melusina" Jaquetta said as she lay down her lantern and ran a hand across the strings "magic is in our blood, Leena...and now Elizabeth shall choose a thread"

"You are sure of this?" Elizabeth asked and her mother nodded.
"Nobody knows but you, I and Leena...pick a thread"

Slowly, she reached out and curled her fingers around the middle strand, looking up to Jacquetta who took a pair of scissors from her gown and passed them to Eleanor "cut the lines" she ordered and the girl did as she was bid, smiling up at her sister as she cut the two remaining threads.

"What were they?" Elizabeth asked as she watched the silk float away out of sight.
"Things you will never know, children who will not be born, chances you will not take" her mother answered and Eleanor leant against the tree the threads had been attached to, feeling a gentle breeze brush her face as if magic was in the very air around them. Perhaps it was.

"And what will Lizzie catch? At the end of the line, mother?" She asked, passing the small pair of scissors to Jacquetta who smiled at her and fondly wrapped a lock of copper hair around her finger.

"She shall catch the future, Leena" turning to Elizabeth, she passed her a small twig that had silk wrapped around it "reel it in, a foot every day" picking up her lantern once more, Jacquetta silently moved away as Eleanor watched Elizabeth with a great interest wondering how this simple line of silk could decide her elder sister's destiny.

"We shall see what life is to bring" Elizabeth said, taking Eleanor's hand "thank you for speaking up for me today, although I shall admit I was rather surprised. You have spirit, sister."
"I got it from you, Lizzie...of that I am sure"

꧁꧂

Squeals echoed in the air as the rivers girls rushed around the gardens, ducking under freshly clean sheets and behind trees and bushes to escaped a blindfolded and laughing Jacquetta.

"Come on Maggie!" Eleanor cried as she grabbed her 19 year old sister, Margaret's, hand and together they hid behind their mother, watching as Bella and Cat ran in front of them to Elizabeth. Martha squealed as Jacquetta almost caught the sleeve of her gown and she practically fell into Anne's arms.

"Lizzie! Lizzie!" Elizabeth turned as Mary ran towards her a large grin on her face "the King, Lizzie! It's the King"

At once the game and the squealing stopped as everyone looked at each other, shock and excitement on their faces.
"Let her go alone" Jaquetta said, holing up her hand as her daughters made to go after the eldest but Elizabeth shook her head.

"Let Eleanor come" she said and held out a hand which her little sister took while the others looked on with envious expressions, especially Anne who felt she ought to go since she was the eldest next to Elizabeth.

Entering the manor together with Jacquetta in tow, Eleanor went to her mother and bowed, her small mouth forming into an 'O' of surprise as King Edward held out his arms to Elizabeth and bent his head a little to greet her, kissing her neck.

"Jacquetta!"

The voice of Eleanor's father (Richard Woodville) echoed through the house, making both his wife and young daughter jump before he stormed into the room accompanied by his sons Anthony, John, Lionel, Richard and Edward, the three eldest of which were wielding swords and pikes.

In an instant, Elizabeth stepped away from Edward and he reluctantly dropped his hands to his sides, a low laugh escaping him as he took in the enraged expressions of the rivers men. A few moments later the rest of the rivers sisters arrived only to be sent away by their father, leaving Eleanor who was now standing behind her mother, trying her hardest not to be seen.

"Baron rivers" the King greeted and the older man looked down, his wrinkled face flushing a bright shade of red that was a stark contrast to his white hair as he struggled for form words.

"Your grace" he said at last "and my sons.... Anthony, Jonn..."
"We've met" John all but spat, glaring at Edward "at the battle of Towton. Where you slaughtered half of England in one day"
"And in Calais" Anthony added "when your father insulted my mother over her marriage and called my father a nobody"

"Anthony" Jacquetta warned before Eleanor moved from her side and went to put a hand on her favourite brother's arm, only just avoiding her father's enraged gaze.

Protectively, Anthony gently wrapped his arms around her and King Edward spotted her at last, grinning a little, and act which Eleanor could tell made her brother's blood boil.

"Because you backed a king whose court was poison" Edward said as if it were the simplest thing in the world "who's taxes were unpayable and who murdered men he had smiled upon and pardoned! Yet you called him pious?" A slightly enraged look crossed his face and Eleanor found herself clinging onto her brother a little tighter "well now your pious Henry is defeated and I am King....Lady Elizabeth tells me she has lost her marriage lands?"

Baron Rivers scoffed and shook his head, his hand placed firmly on the hilt of his dagger.
"She didn't lose them, they were taken from her and all she asks for is justice"

"Justice? From the Yorks" John sneered but at that moment something in Edward seemed to change, his eyes darkened, pain and anger flashing in them as he drew himself up to his full height and stepped forward.

"Your Lancastrian Queen murdered my Father and brother and stuck their heads on spikes so not not talk to me of justice!" His voice rose with every word until he was shouting and Anthony looked down as his little sister shivered; gently pushed her from the room and shut the door.

Eleanor looked around the hall, straining her ears to hear more though her heart was still pounding loudly in her ears, threatening to break through her gown. Edward's father and brother had been executed by Queen Margaret? This she had not known and it had shaken her to the core but she didn't get time to ponder as the door was suddenly flung open and the King himself walked from the room, Elizabeth quickly following behind him.

꧁꧂

It seemed like an eternity to Eleanor as she stared out of one of the windows in the main hall, searching in vain for the sight of her sister's golden haired head or a flash of her purple gown. John was stood beside her, seemingly more impatient by the minute as he played with the ties of his shirt.

"She shouldn't have gone with him alone!" Their father grumbled, pacing back and forth "he is a lecher"
"They are looking at the garden, father" Eleanor said but John merely rolled his eyes as her father ignored her.

"And what comes next?" He asked "he will not return her lands for charity! We are Lancastrians who stood against him!"
"He will want payment" Anthony agreed, looking at his siblings and parents.
"If he has not taken it already! He's bedded every woman in his court! Why would he not take Elizabeth? He could be forcing her this very moment while we argue!"

Eleanor scoffed and walked away from him to their mother, placing a hand on the back of her chair.
"He will not take her in a rose bush, John" she said while her brother glared at her.
"And how could you possibly know that, Eleanor?" He yelled, causing his mother to shush him.
"Dont take your anger out on little Leena" Anthony reasoned "he will summon Elizabeth to court when she is obligated, when he has returned her lands!"

"Lizzie!" Eleanor greeted, running to greet her sister as she entered before leading her to the table where a chess board was placed "play with me" she offered, not wanting Elizabeth to be subjected to the previous arguments but it turned out that she had other ideas.

"I only ask for what is mine to be returned to me!" She announced, reaching for the chess pieces "and now let us leave it at that"

"Leave us, Eleanor" Baron Rivers ordered and Eleanor slowly left the room, glancing over her shoulder as she left only to catch a glimpse through the window and see Edward riding away. Something told her that he would be back and as Elizabeth climbed into their bed late that night, she found she was right.

"He is to see me tomorrow, Eleanor" she whispered, taking her sister's hand, excitement shining in her green eyes "under the oak tree... and I would be grateful if you don't follow me this time, will you promise?"

"I promise" Eleanor replied fervently as she grinned, wondering what was to become of Elizabeth and feeling shocked beyond words when her sister returned the next day in tears, a bloodied dagger in her shaking hands.