~Love in a time of War~

1st of May, 1464...

Feeling Elizabeth gently shake her awake, Eleanor opened her eyes and grinned at her sister, sleepily reaching out to brush a hand against the blue velvet gown she was wearing.

"It's beautiful" she whispered and allowed herself to be drawn gently from the covers of the bed, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she felt soft linen  being pulled over her head, her hair brushed and gently braided as she looked at the colour of her gown "green!" She exclaimed with excitement before clapping a hand to her mouth.

"I told Bella you needed it" Elizabeth giggled before greeting Jacquetta who walked up the stairs, beaming at her two girls.
"Tis time" she whispered and Eleanor turned to hug Elizabeth, wrapping her small arms around her waist.
"You are to be the Queen of England!" She said before taking her hand and following their mother from the room.

Together, the three rushed down the stairs of the manor and across the bridge, all smiling at one another as they ran away from their home and into the woods, brushing past tree branches as they went. Carefully, Eleanor picked up the train of her sister's gown, keeping it safe from the mud and dirt of the forest floor until a church came into view in a sunny clearing, the sky above the clearest blue as if reflecting the joy all there felt.

Edward walked forward from the door, hopping down the church steps while Elizabeth rushed to greet him, a gentle smile gracing her face.

Clinging onto her mother's hand, Eleanor watched the pair as they were escorted into the church by a priest and quickly found herself following in her wake, lifting the skirt of her green gown so she wouldn't snag it on the brambles that curled near the door. She and her mother stood to the side as the choir boy began to sing, completely entrancing Eleanor as she gazed upon the young couple before her.

'The King and Queen of England' she thought, smiling as she clasped her hands together to stop herself clapping out of sheer happiness for her sister.

"I'm a fool" Edward suddenly whispered, snapping Eleanor from her thoughts and watching as Elizabeth looked to her and her mother "I forgot the ring! Lady Rivers, do you have a ring I could borrow?"

Slowly, Elizabeth looked down and picked up the small pouch that hung from the sleeve of her gown made of the same soft blue velvet as her gown.

"I....I have one" she said and held up a small silver ring that was shaped as a crown, it's rising peaks topped with small spheres that resembled pearls. Eleanor let out a small sigh of awe as she watched Edward place the ring on the bible in front, wondering where her sister had gotten such a beautiful piece.
"Melusina" her mother whispered and suddenly her daughter understood.

Once the ceremony was over, Eleanor took Elizabeth's hand and skipped out of the church,  with Edward close behind. Gently she held up her hand and admired the crown her sister now wore on her finger, only just noticing as the King passed a bag of gold to the priest, nodding his thanks.

"Lady Rivers?" He then asked with a grin "where can I take my new bride?"
"There's a hunting lodge by the lake" Jacquetta answered, handing the pair a large iron key "I've had it made ready for you. Come, Eleanor"

Kissing Elizabeth on the cheek, Eleanor then curtsied to the King who grinned and playfully tugged on the end of her braid before she went to her mother.

She skipped all the way back to Grafton, laughing with her mother as she twirled around tree trunks and set her hair free from the confines of its ribbons, letting the red locks flow freely in the spring breeze.
"I'm the sister of the Queen of England!" She cried into the air while Jacquetta laughed and clapped her hands.

"We are about to occupy the highest position in the land, Leena" she said "there will be many who will be against us"
At once the smile fell from Eleanor's face and she looked questioningly at her mother. Halting her steps for a moment she waited for Jacquetta to catch up with her.
"What do you mean?" She asked quietly "why would anyone be against us?" 

"Think" Her mother answered, taking her daughter's hand as the manor came into view "who would wish us to fall? Or not rise to power in the first place?"
"Lord Warwick" Eleanor stated, surprising herself at the quickness of her answer though her mother nodded in approval.

"He most certainly has the potential to turn into our deadliest enemy, Leena, we must protect Elizabeth from him. We must protect each other" she said and Eleanor nodded.
"Always" she murmured.

꧁꧂

Eleanor grinned as she saw Elizabeth's happy face in the candlelight of their evening meal. She looked as if she were under some form of spell for every time she looked at one of her siblings her eyes looked distant, it was only when those green eyes of hers fell upon Edward that they came alive with something Eleanor could only describe as akin to fire.

Edward sat in the middle of the high table, between Lord and Lady Rivers, Anthony two seats to his left. He was grinning at his plate, simply picking at the food before him and slowly sipping on his wine.

"You have no appetite, your grace?" Baron Rivers asked and Edward's grin widened a little "I had thought you would be hungry after your hunting?"
"I thought the same myself, Baron Rivers" he answered before his gaze wandered to Elizabeth and Eleanor saw Anthony's suspicious eyes follow, narrowing a little as the King spoke "but I am exhausted. She led me quite a merry dance!"

"Does he have to be so blatant, Lizzie?" Eleanor whispered across the table but her sister merely shrugged before she shook her head.
"Edward knows what he's doing..." she answered.
"I'm sure he does!" The young girl replied before returning to the meat and potato pie that sat waiting on her plate.

"You say Edward is being blatant yet you were the one who spoke" Bella said from the side and Eleanor's head whipped around to face her, regret suddenly dawning on her pale face until her elder sister began to laugh "don't look so fearful, Leena! I think I have already figured out what has happened and by the looks of it....so has Anthony."

"So you know that they are married?"
"Married?" Bella whispered before she began to smile again "why, I thought it less than that!"
Eleanor shook her head and took her sister's hand.

"We are the sister's of the Queen of England!" She said happily and Bella nodded in acknowledgement "so whose side are you on now, York of Lancaster?"
"Well I think you are for York already....but I? I'm on our sister's side" she answered, returning to her meal "our family's side"

"I'm glad to hear it" Elizabeth said with a grin, making both of her younger siblings look up "though I'm not sure Edward shall be!" Bella shrugged a little, though Eleanor could tell that she was smiling. However as she looked back over to where Edward sat she felt a shiver run down her spine as she locked eyes with Anthony who looked ready to draw blood.

꧁꧂

Feeling a hand clamp over her mouth, Eleanor's eyes flew open, roughly jerking her from her sleep as her vision began to focus on the enraged face of her older brother dressed in his undershirt and trousers. Before she could even clearly register his presence Anthony had hauled her from her bed and whisked her from the bedchamber to his own where he barred the door behind them.

Eleanor was quick to retreat to the other side of the room, looking around for support but seeing none of her other brothers were there, had already left to train in the fields.

Anthony turned around and walked towards her, his eyes narrowed as they had been at dinner, anger flashing within them.

"Where are they?" He demanded, so loudly that Eleanor feared he would wake the whole household. A part of her mind wished he would and that her mother could rescue her. Tremors of fear shook her body as she stared up at her older brother. The brother who was always so kind and loving, who had taught her how to use a bow, who was always giving her fond embraces, the brother who was her favourite but now scared her to her core.

"W-who?" She asked, making Anthony roll his eyes.
"Don't act stupid, Eleanor" he commanded, moving closer as he folded his arms, his light brown hair falling over his face "where is Elizabeth? I know she is with that lecher. But where? You know....I know you do"

"I don't" she whispered, wrapping her arms around her for protection as she tried to avoid her brother's piercing blue eyes that looked into her very soul "Anthony I don't know...."

"I saw you whispering with her last night!" He yelled, throwing his hands up in exasperation while Eleanor shivered in her thin nightgown "you know where our sister and that man is! And if you...." he suddenly halted, his eyes widening as the answer dawned on him "the hunting lodge" he whispered and made for the door.

"No!" Eleanor cried and ran after him as he yanked open the bedchamber door and leapt down the stairs, his sister's run no match for his long strides.

Pulling on shoes she ran after him as fast as her feet would carry her as he rushed from the manor, pulling on his black leather jerkin as he went. He bolted across the bridge and across the large path that lead to the field. Without any hesitation he ran through the growing crops, trampling them underfoot while Eleanor followed him, pleading for him to stop. He paid her no heed.

She forced herself to be silent as the hunting lodge finally came into sight and Anthony hid behind the side, catching Eleanor's arm and pulling her to him.

"Be quiet" he ordered, his voice softer now, making it seem as if some of his anger had melted away "I'm sorry for shouting at you, Leena" he said, wrapping a lock of her hair around his finger "I know you're loyal to our sister but I needed to know where she was....I will not have our family or Elizabeth dishonoured."

"Neither have been dishonoured...." she began but one look from her brother silenced her as she heard the door of the lodge open.

As soon as Edward had mounted his horse and rode away Anthony stormed out from his hiding place.
"You whore. You have shamed our house and our name and your dead husband who have his life fighting that usurper" he hissed, his anger returning as Eleanor rushed out behind him, trying to stop him from walking towards Elizabeth by tugging on his sleeve.

"Eleanor?" Elizabeth exclaimed as she saw her red headed sister and the young girl could not stop the tears that flooded her eyes.
"I didn't tell him" she cried "I swear it Lizzie! I did not say a word"

"Come here, Leena, do not cry, my sweet" Her sister said gently and the girl immediately ran over, hiding behind the new Queen as she straightened her nightgown and went towards her brother who scoffed and stepped back.

"Do not touch me!" He shouted and Elizabeth sighed, folding her arms.
"It isn't what you think!" She remarked and Anthony turned.
"What? My eyes deceive me? And this is an honourable coupling?"

"It is honourable!" Was the stubborn reply he received and Eleanor could see his face change a little as Elizabeth held up her hand on which held her wedding ring "we are married!"

All colour drained from Anthony's face as he looked between his two sisters.
"Oh dear god, Elizabeth...." he whispered "he's fooled you....oh my poor, dear sister....let me guess, a secret wedding in our chapel? None of his family attended, Lord Warwick must be told?"

"For now!" Eleanor retorted, mustering her courage once more as she stepped forward to face her brother "they were married before my very eyes! And mother's too!"

Anthony sighed and shook his head, another look of exasperation overcoming his face.
"Think Eleanor!" He hissed "as you usually do! This is a man who is King of England! He will marry a Princess! Not some commoner who he found begging by the roadside"

"I will not listen to this" Elizabeth shouted and ran back inside the lodge, slamming the door behind her. Her little sister watched after her helplessly before turning on her brother once more.

"You are wrong!" She screamed, shoving him aside as she ran up the side of the lodge once more "Our Elizabeth is the Queen of England now!"
"No, you are wrong!" Anthony cried, taking her roughly by the arm so that she was forced to face him "how old are you, Leena? Eleven? You know nothing of the world! Nothing!"

"You are wrong!" She repeated, yanking free from his grip "Edward has married Elizabeth and soon we shall be summoned to court with her!"
"But Warwick...."

"Edward is the King!" Eleanor yelled, shocking them both into silence for a moment for she had proclaimed her words with such vehemence and conviction she could hardly believe them herself. So her heart and mind now was for York? Just as Bella had told her.... "Edward is the King" she repeated, a little slower this time while Anthony looked at her with disdain written clearly on his face "he does not have to do what Warwick tells him."

"Warwick is the Kingmaker....without him Edward would have never been able to claim the throne" Anthony replied steadily "you can be sure he shall make the Queen too"