~Pro Gloria Dei~

"Pro Gloria dei" Eleanor said slowly as she read from the Latin bible she held had placed in her lap. She sat in her solar, windows wide open to let in the fresh summer air and to light the words that she read.

Beside her on the blue silk chaise that had become her very pride and joy sat Katheryn, her brow furrowed in confusion as she tried to make her way around the new and confusing language the Duchess had been trying to teach her for that past week.

Behind her sat Eliza, contently humming to herself while she braided Katheryn's dark hair. She was supposed to be paying attention to her Aunt's lesson as well but found herself far too easily distracted by her half cousin's braid that she was working upon so diligently to be concerned with learning. Besides, she had no need of it.

And so Katheryn was rather left to fend for herself in the realm of Latin. Not that she minded.

Again and again she tried to think what on earth Eleanor had said. 'Pro Gloria dei' she pondered to herself, her nose slightly wrinkling as it often did when she thought. Surely she could remember something of what the Duchess had taught?

Pro Gloria dei....pro Gloria dei....pro Gloria dei....

"It means for the glory of God" Eliza said at last with a heavy sigh, though she did not look up from the braid in her hands as Eleanor smiled at her, nodding.

"It does, sweeting!" She confirmed, almost clapping her hands together in delight. Katheryn merely frowned. She had wanted to translate the phrase! She had wanted to be the one to impress Eleanor as Eliza always seemed to be able to.

Of course Eliza had had a head start in Latin studies for the nuns at the convent had taught her the language from an early age. 'But still!' Katheryn though stubbornly, suddenly feeling the urge to take her braid back for herself and shake it loose 'I shall prove myself!'

After living at Middleham for over a year she had come to not only respect and admire her Father's wife and Duchess but had also found herself beginning to love her, in a way.

Katheryn had found herself wanting to impress Eleanor at each turn just as she had wanted to impress her own Mother, Kate! Wanted for Eleanor to turn her charming smile on her as she did all of the children whenever they pleased her.

She took each chance she could to spend time with her, finding that trailing after the Duchess was one of her favourite pastimes, especially when Eleanor did not dismiss her to the nursery, simply talked to her, laughed with her. Treated Katheryn as if she were her own.

When she and Eliza's studies had begun at the end of July, the five year old had resolved to be the best, to outshine all others but so far her half cousin had proved nothing short of a genius in this new language!

She looked up cautiously as she felt Eleanor's hand come to rest on the shoulder of her purple gown only to find the Duchess smiling down at her in a way that made her feel completely at ease once more.

"You shall learn in time, Kit" she said softly, using the affectionate nickname she had developed earlier that year, a small thing that the little girl simply adored "you are your Father's daughter so intelligence is in your blood!"

It was at that moment that Richard himself chose to enter the solar, frowning as he pushed the door shut behind him with the heel of his boot before striding forward. His head was bent over a letter, one with fancy, well crafted letters written carefully across the crumpled page.

Eleanor knew in an instant it was George's hand.

Shutting the book of Latin, she gave Katheryn another reassuring smile before rising from the chaise and joining her husband where he had planted himself rather unceremoniously in a window seat.

It was clear that whatever mysterious contents the letter held that they were worrying for Richard took great pride in appearing in high spirits whenever in the presence of any of the children and that he was now frowning with all his might was a telltale sign of trouble.

Fingers gently curling around one of the corners of the parchment, Eleanor brought it away from Richard's gaze and smiled tenderly as his eyes found hers.

"What is wrong?" She asked quietly, well aware of the two little girls who were now peering curiously over the top of the silk chaise, ears pricking up to catch snippets of the adult's conversation. Richard opened his mouth to speak, only to shut it again as his daughter called out to him.

"Eleanor has been teaching us Latin, Father!" Katheryn said excitedly, trying to hold up the heavy bible her little hands had grasped onto. At once a smile lit the Duke's expression and his eyes shone with amusement.

"Latin?" He repeated, looking between his daughter and his wife "whatever for, Leena?"
"You intend to teach the boys Latin, do you not?" Eleanor returned, folding her arms as her husband nodded "then I intend to teach the girls! I've never seen why the girls and boys of a noble family should have separate educations! My siblings were taught together! And why should our daughters have any less chance than our sons?"

"Well I quite agree" Richard replied, almost laughing at the surprised expression that momentarily flitted across Eleanor's features "once John turns five I intend to have he and the girls educated together and then the rest shall join them in due course!"

"Really, Uncle?" Eliza questioned, trying to imagine merry little John settling down in a schoolroom but all she could conjure up was the image of him shooting their tutor with his precious bow instead of the birds he tried (and failed) to hit.

Leaning over, she whispered her idea to Katheryn and the two erupted into a fit of giggles, sliding down the chaise onto the floor as they tried to enact the scene, Eliza hopping around like a raven!

"Do you mean it?" Eleanor asked as she turned her attention back to her grinning husband.
"I do!" He returned "and you can hold me to that promise, dear heart, now" he took her hand, raising them both to their feet "I must speak with you"

Holding up the letter, he shook it slightly and she nodded in understanding, glancing at the little girls rolling around on the floor in a fit of laughter as she and Richard slipped quietly from the solar.

Together they made their way to his study, sighing in unison as they shut the door, content to be away from the world for a little while even if it was to face trouble.

Richard hastily cleared away the pile of papers that lay scattered on his desk before he sat down in his large oak armchair, pulling Eleanor onto his lap and smiling at the blush that coloured her cheeks. Even after four years of marriage she still sometimes reddened at things such as this! And it served to endear her to him even more, though he hadn't thought that possible.

"Really Dickon!" She chided playfully, swatting at the front of his doublet, though she made no attempt to move as he wrapped an arm around her waist "what if someone should come in and see?"

"No one ever comes in here without me summoning them first" Richard pointed out and it was true, no one (apart from Eleanor) dared to ever disturb the Duke while he worked, though he was not known for being particularly sharped tonged. Many could say they had never had a cross word from him in all of the years of their employment at Middleham! "And even if anyone did appear uninvited it would only be Francis or one of the children!"

"Or Rob who would mock us sky high!" Eleanor replied, arching an eyebrow as she took the letter Richard extended to her and began to read "George still addresses you as Babykins!" She exclaimed as she read the opening line, trying not to grin as much as she would like.

Her husband merely rolled his eyes with a reluctant nod and motioned for Eleanor to read on. As she did so her smile began to fade and a small frown settled on her lips, little huffs escaping her as she read George's enthusiastic words "what is he thinking?" She sighed as the letter came to an end and she folded it, placing it on Richard's desk.

"Dear brother George is thinking that a war with France would be a splendid idea for England!"

"A splendid idea for him more like" Eleanor retorted for George was now proposing a war with England's enemy, was pushing for Edward to invade France before the year was at an end and was calling on Richard for support in his plan.

It was yet another leap at power plain and simple. Whatever George had, whatever the King gave him he always yearned for more. Eleanor often wondered if it was simply his nature (as had been proved before) or if his grasps at power were an attempt to make himself more secure in the tales that would be told for centuries to come.

While he had a little daughter (Margaret, named after his sister) by Isabel, he still had no male heir. Perhaps his frequent attempts to swipe power were simply his way of setting his name in history even if his line was destined to die out.

Or perhaps he simply wanted more.
Eleanor highly suspected it was the latter, even though it rather disappointed her to admit so.

"Why did you show me this?" She asked slowly. "it was clearly addressed to you, not me?" Richard simply smiled, taking one of her hands, intertwining their fingers.

"Because I value your council, Leena" He explained, making her grin with pride "you are my wife and Duchess, you have a sharp mind and besides, when we first came to Middleham I promised you that we would be equals, did I not?" She nodded, his words still fresh in her mind as the day they had been spoken "well, that means I should involve you in all matters, especially matters such as this!"

"Well what are we to do about it?" She asked "are we to support George? Has he not had enough of war?" Richard sighed, raising in his eyebrows in a way that conceded defeat.
"Here is the thing, Edward seems to have caught wind of George's plan....and thinks it is a good idea"

"I see" Eleanor muttered, knowing that if Edward enthused the idea then they would have little choice in the matter. If the King called, Richard would go to his side and so would she. "But how much would a war with France cost? The taxes would surely have to be raised which will not please the people! England shall have to achieve an Agincourt victory to sate their rage!"

"Precisely!" Richard agreed "see, your council is of paramour use and...." he looked to the door, clearly surprised as a soft knock resonated on the wood. Eleanor looked up too as Anne's blonde head appeared, her blue eyes searching for the Duke and Duchess.

"May I speak with you both?" She asked quietly as she stepped into the room, shutting the door behind her while Eleanor stood, taking a place beside her husband's chair.
"Of course, cousin" he invited, gesturing for her to sit down. Anne smiled gratefully as she did so, smoothing out the skirt of her gown as she sat opposite her guardians.

"I....you know that Isabel and I were our Father's heirs? And when he died....my sister and I were supposed to share it equally, only George took my half when he handed over mine and Issy's guardianship to you two!"
"How could we forget!" Eleanor exclaimed "it is a great injustice to you Anne, and to your daughter" 

Her friend nodded, fiddling with the rings she wore and the sleeves of her dress, betraying her nerves.
"Thank you, Eleanor" she said quietly, taking a deep breath and she tried to summon the words for her request "but you see, I should like to right the injustice...."

"You want to fight for your lands and money?" Richard murmured, thoughtfully studying his eighteen year old cousin with an increasing degree of interest.

"I do" Anne confirmed "Isabel may not be a boy but she is still my daughter and has a right to the money and lands that I should have and she should inherit upon my death!" A small frown suddenly swept across the Duchess's face and she made forward, taking her friend's small hands in her own.

"Are you well?" She asked, looking for any sign of illness. Anne had always been rather pale and had a rather alarmingly slight frame that had remained despite her return in health since 1471.

Eleanor spent half the time fearing that she would be knocked down by a mere breeze but at that moment could see no change in the younger woman before her; even less so as she smiled.

"No! No I am well!" She laughed before looking to Richard "and I do not want you to think that I am unhappy here either! Middleham is a safe haven for me and Isabel and we shall be eternally grateful to you both...."

"But you feel it is time to move on" Richard finished, beginning to understand that this sudden willingness of Anne's to claim what was rightfully hers had perhaps not been so sudden after all.

"I see" Eleanor mused as her friend nodded and her eyes swept to the letter on the desk. Momentarily locking eyes with Richard as she reached for it, she waited for his approving nod before taking it into her hands. Passing it to Anne she watched carefully as the younger woman read it "as it happens George has taken it into his head to invade France! So if you truly mean to fight him then I'm afraid your battle may be long in coming!"

"W-would you perhaps write to him?" Anne asked quietly, handing the letter back to Eleanor as the Duchess arched an eyebrow, almost amused by the request.
"You think that I have the power to sway the inevitable storm he shall send down upon you?" She returned, her smile widening when Anne nodded enthusiastically, her trust in Eleanor absolute.

"It's true!" Richard conceded as he stood, beginning to pace slowly back and forth behind his chair, hands fiddling with the chain of office that hung on his shoulders "you can control him better than my own Mother ever could!"

"I highly doubt that!"
"Please, Eleanor!" Anne requested in earnest "he will listen to you if no one else!"

"Very well" Eleanor said with a nod, exclaiming with surprise as she suddenly found Anne's arms around her neck, pulling her into a firm hug "I shall write to dear Clarence and put your and my best argument forward!"