~Blood and Roses~

April 1464, one month later...

One month. It has been one whole month since Elizabeth had returned to Grafton Manor in tears and still Eleanor did not know why. All she did know was that her elder sister now slept with the dagger she had brought back with her under her pillow and that there had been no sight or word from King Edward since that day. 

Now she watched with Bella from the window of the bedchamber as their brothers rushed back and forth in front of the manor, gathering up their swords and armour with their father while Elizabeth ran after then demanding to know what they were doing.

"Come on" Bella said with a grin, shoving open the window "if they won't tell us what's going on we will find out ourselves!"
"We are to go to war again" we're the first words they caught and Eleanor could not stop herself from leaning out and shouting down to her father.

"No!" She cried "why, father? Why you, Anthony and all my brothers? Not again!"
Baron rivers turned round and suppressed a grin as he saw his eleven year old at the window being held by the waist by an alarmed Bella so she would not fall out.

"The King has commanded I provide a dozen men, I have no choice Eleanor!" He yelled back with a quick smile "but I will come back I promise, now get back inside"

Bella slammed the window shut and turned to face her sister with clear annoyance.
"Why did you do that, you clotpole?" She asked, folding her arms "we could have heard a lot more of you had kept your mouth shut"
"Well at least I'm able to keep my mouth shut sometimes" Eleanor retorted, ducking with a giggle as Bella's hand flew out to hit her.

"War! Again!" Elizabeth yelled as she ran up the stairs, Mary close behind her.
"Mother said we can go and see the army off!" She said excitedly and Bella's face lit up as she rushed to her sister and they dashed down the stairs to tell the others.

"Are we Yorkists now?" Eleanor whispered as she approached Elizabeth who was staring out of the window, watching as Anthony sharpened a sword.
"That is what mother says" she answered, though she did not look in her sister's direction "if Edward wins"

Eleanor arched an eyebrow and went to stand beside her.
"And do you want him to win? King Edward?"
Elizabeth nodded slowly, and reached under her pillow, drawing out the dagger as she so often did when alone. She held it up to the window and then looked to her sister, passing her the blade.

"This belongs to him" she told her quietly "if we are to see the York army to war then I want you to return it to him"
"Of course" Eleanor said, slipping her hand into her sister's. She didn't dare to voice the question that was tumbling around her mind.

Why didn't Elizabeth return the dagger herself?

꧁꧂

2 day's later....

Laughter filled the bedchamber as Eleanor and her sisters readied for the day ahead, each doing different things in order to prepare.

Bella and Eleanor raced around the chamber, the eldest dancing around with the green dress her little sister wanted to have.
"Can I borrow your green dress?" She pleaded "please can I borrow your green dress?"

Bella laughed and shook her head, instead throwing a blue gown at her.
"Wear that one!" She giggled "blue suits you sister!"
"But green matches my eyes!" Eleanor countered as she pulled the dress over her head and smiled at her reflection in the mirror which she and her siblings shared.

"Come here" Mary said as she climbed out of the bathtub she had bathed in and wrapped a sheet around her lithe body, beckoning to her little sister. Wringing out her blonde hair, she took Eleanor's hand and sat her down on her bed, passing her a handful of ribbons.

"These ribbons are beautiful!" Eleanor exclaimed and felt her older sister begin to run a comb through her hair, smoothing out all the tangles in the fiery red curls before she reached around for a green ribbon and began to skilfully weave it into an intricate braid she was fashioning.

"If you cannot have a green gown, Leena" she giggled "then you shall have green ribbons!"
"Thank you!" Eleanor whispered and turned around slightly to stick her tongue out at Bella who was now trying to ready a struggling Catherine with Martha, looking about ready to throw her younger sister from the window.

Patting her braid and kissing Mary on the cheek, Eleanor hopped over from the bed to her own where Elizabeth was sitting, her finest grey gown in her hands.

"What's wrong?" She asked, taking her sister's white gauze veil and gently pinning it to her head "is it Edward? I have hardly heard you speak of him, apart from to Mother"
"He does not care for me any longer" Elizabeth murmured "but...I still care for him...my god Eleanor" looking down a little she lowered her voice even more so the younger girl had to strain her ears to hear "he wanted me to lie with him and I refused....and I think I will regret that forever...."

"Come along girls!" Jacquetta called as she clapped her hands and her daughters began to file out, leaving Eleanor no time to ask the countless number of questions that had sprung to her mind as her mother began to hand out white Roses.

Hand in hand with Bella, she skipped happily down the paths that lead away from Grafton, following her father, bothers, Anne and Mary while Martha and Cat ran to the side of them. Occasionally she would glance over her shoulder and see Elizabeth looking at the white rose she held in her hand but soon enough Bella would distract her again by pulling on her braid or telling a joke that would send the two into peals of laughter.

Eventually the Woodville family reached the great oak tree that loomed ahead of them and they all stood together, shoulder to shoulder as they waited for the Yorks to arrive.

Making sure that no eyes were settled on her, Eleanor gently drew Edward's dagger from where she had kept in in her sleeve and looked anxiously ahead through the trees and bushes, sighing with relief when she saw the King's crown glimmering on his helmet.

"The king" she whispered, starting forward only to be sharply tugged back by John.
"What are you doing?" He hissed but his sister shook her head, quickly hiding the blade behind her back and watching as Edward rode towards her family and finally halted, his eyes not once falling on Elizabeth as Eleanor had expected.

"My men, your grace" Baron Rivers said as he stepped forward and gestured to the small force he had mustered "all sword to your service"

Edward nodded and looked at the older man.
"I will not forget your support" he said before Warwick rode forward and Eleanor felt herself impulsively roll her eyes as if she knew what was coming.

"Nor how dizzyingly quick it was conjured out of nowhere!" He laughed, tugging his steed to a halt "tell me if I scratch that white rose will I find it's true red colour underneath?"

At once Eleanor saw her brother's eyes narrow as they looked at Warwick and then the Roses they had pinned to their doublets.
"Leave it" Edward commanded as he dismounted and handed the reins of his horse to a squire and began to walk towards Jacquetta who moved to meet him.

"Your grace" she greeted, sinking into a curtsy and holding out a black velvet purse containing gold "we offer you this to help our cause" handing the pouch to him, Eleanor saw her chance and quickly darted behind the rest of her family who were now fixated on the argument that was brewing between her father and Lord Warwick.

"Edward!" She called softly and saw he turned to her, a small smile appearing on his face as he followed her behind the oak tree.
"Eleanor" he greeted, making use of her first name as she had of his.

Nodding a little, Eleanor drew forward the dagger once again and held it out to him, looking up into his face to find the answers she sought. Edward's brows furrowed a little as he saw the blade in her hand and he slowly took it, frowning.

"Lizzie told me to return it to you" she said and suddenly smiled at her again, taking her hand and kissing it which made her face turn almost as red as her hair.
"Thank you, Eleanor" he whispered "and now I shall go and thank your sister for keeping it safe for me"

At once the girls eyes widened in alarm and she reached out to catch his arm, missing by just a few centimetres; huffing in annoyance when she did.

Walking from around the tree, Eleanor joined her mother and finally payed attention to the venomous words that were being thrown at each other by her father and Warwick.

"You never accepted your defeat at Towton" the Lord sneered "nor given up hope of mad King Henry back on the throne!"
"It seems no matter what we do we lose in your eyes, Warwick" Baron Rivers returned with as much masked hatred "and I wonder if I am so far beneath you..."

Warwick let out a laugh and the Baron glared at him, turning away to where Edward was now standing with Elizabeth, the happiest of smiles on his face and on hers "May we offer you refreshment?" He asked and the King chuckled, walking over to him.

"No" he answered "but I will take supper with you tomorrow if I may?"

Watching her sister, Eleanor glanced to her mother who was beaming and gently tugged on her sleeve.
"What has happened, mother?" She whispered and Jacquetta looked to her, putting a hand to her cheek while she continued to smile, looking as if she were about to burst with joy.

"I think your sister may just have been offered a crown" she whispered and Eleanor felt her heart stop.
"A crown?" She exclaimed and her mother nodded.
"Yes Leena....you are to be the sister of the Queen of England!"

꧁꧂

"Lizzie! Lizzie Lizzie Lizzie!" Eleanor cried as she bolted up the stairs and into the bedchamber, jumping onto her bed and taking Elizabeth's hands in her own.

Ever since she had arrived home, Elizabeth had retreated to her room, not even coming down for dinner and so, of course, curiosity filling her mind, Eleanor had made sure to eat her food as quickly as was permissible before sneaking away to the bedchamber.

"Is it true?" She now asked hurriedly "is it true, Lizzie? Are you to be the Queen of England? The true Queen of England?"
Elizabeth laughed and nodded, her eyes filling with happy tears as Eleanor squealed and threw herself into her arms.
"I am to marry Edward!" She whispered "tomorrow! And I want you to be there! I do! Will you come?"

Eleanor jumped up and began to dance around the room, laughing until her sides hurt and she nodded and grabbed Elizabeth's discarded veil, throwing it up into the air and placing it onto her head as if she were the bride.

"Of course I will come!" She cried "you are going to be the Queen, Elizabeth! And I am to be your sister!"
"You have always been my sister!" Elizabeth laughed as she rose from the bed and pulled Eleanor into another embrace "and you always shall be, Leena...always my dearest little sister"
"And I will always be by your side"