~Jane and Elizabeth~

Eleanor smiled as she dismounted her horse in front of her brother's London Manor. She had spent the majority of the day with the new King playing chess and even shooting on the green and she had become even fonder of him than she already was!

"Richard will help him find the strength he needs for Kingship!" She murmured quietly to herself before addressing the guards that accompanied her "stay here until I return" she ordered and they bowed their heads in acknowledgment.

She did not have to knock at the door for it flew open and the face of Anthony peered around it, the alarm on his expression ebbing as he saw it was her.

"Who were you expecting?" Eleanor teased, though she understood his apparent worry. These were uncertain times "the axe man?" Anthony raised an eyebrow.
"Of course not" he sighed before reaching out and pulling her inside rather hastily "I have a guest" he said as he slammed the door shut, bolting it.

"A guest? How curious!"
"This is no laughing matter, Leena"
Eleanor frowned. Why was her brother being so serious? He was usually the one to joke with her! It was Elizabeth that did the chiding! Not Anthony! But she did not comment and followed him through the winding hallways of his London home, still dusty from disuse and a hurried clean when he had returned.

Entering a warm torchlit room, Eleanor raised her eyebrows as Anthony shut the door firmly behind her though when she saw the woman sitting by the fire her gasp filled the room and she suddenly knew why her brother was acting so secretive.

Jane Shore.

"What the actual...." she began but trailed away as Jane looked up from her seat and her gaze locked with the Duchess'. Her blue eyes were as captivating as Eleanor remembered, her hair just the same, akin to fire and falling in red ringlets down her back.

She was as beautiful as ever and appeared to know it as a slow smile took over her lips and Eleanor felt her cheeks redden and burn just as they used to when she had been at court.
"Your grace" Jane greeted, standing and curtsying, her voice the only thing that showed the cracks in her calm and alluring facade.

For there was fear in it. An uncertainty. And while still lovely held none of its usual good humour.
"Mistress Shore" Eleanor returned, giving the other woman a nod and taking a seat opposite her which Anthony gestured to before he moved away to fetch drinks "what are you doing here, may I ask? I thought you would be at Westminster"

"I was" Jane replied, suddenly looking crestfallen as she stared at the woman opposite her "until today" Eleanor frowned.

"Why today?" She asked slowly, taking the goblet that Anthony held out to her without so much as glancing up "what has happened today?"

"Your husband cast Jane from court" Anthony answered and Eleanor looked up at him in a flash, though she did not feel surprised "she has been shunned by her family and her friends so I have taken her in, you must not tell"

"I should have known this would happen" she murmured, drumming her fingers against her goblet before she looked at Jane and saw the look of sudden fear on the slightly older woman's face. At that moment she held her fate in her hands, she could tell Richard or she could stay silent "but I will not tell" she said and Jane visibly relaxed, sinking back into her chair.

"Thank you" Anthony whispered and Eleanor nodded.
"I will not be the one to deprive Mistress Shore of safety but you two must be careful" she explained and Jane smiled at her, a little of her confidence returning to her expression as she smoothed out the silk of her pale pink gown with elegant hands.

"I always took you as kinder than your sister, or at least more merciful" she murmured and the Duchess looked at her, tilting her head to the side "you have never struck me as vindictive as she was"

"You haven't ever caused me any trouble, you helped me once" Eleanor returned, recalling the night Jane had helped with the birth of her daughter "I never approved of Edward's.... infidelities but I do not wish you ill Jane, that I will admit, I wish you well" she smiled a little, sighing before she passed her goblet back to her brother and rose "I should be going"

"So soon?" Anthony asked as he followed her from the room and down the stairs to the front door. She nodded.
"You, dear brother, are occupied! I see no point in staying, only to warn you that you and Jane must be careful! If it is Richard who has cast Jane out and he finds that you are the one giving her shelter any trust he has in you will be gone"

"Well will you not fight for me?"
"Of course I will but I stand with my husband, Anthony, make no mistake in thinking otherwise. I want what is best for the young King and for my family"
"And am I not your family?"

"Do not look for faults in my words, Anthony" Eleanor whispered, putting a hand to his cheek. "you are my elder brother, my favourite brother I might add and I will always love you. You will always have my support but my husband and my children must come first, surely you to not think me wrong for that?"

"Of course not" he said firmly, taking her hand and kissing her palm "I would do the same"

꧁꧂

The halls of the Royal court was filled with chaos, courtiers and guards rushing to and forth across Westminster Palace with looks of worry on their faces. Whispers of rumours flew from mouth to mouth, ear to ear spreading like wildfire, spinning tales as spiders spun their webs.

"Gone?" Richard demanded, his voice thickened with rage as Francis stood before him, shuffling from foot to foot "what do you mean gone"

"She's taken half of the treasury with her! The Dowager Queen and the Princesses and Prince are all gone, Richard!" Rob explained, stepping forward to support his friend.

"But gone where?!" Richard yelled "that is what I want to know! They have not just sprouted wings and flown away to bloody Luxembourg have they? Although I wouldn't put it past that witch!"

"Sanctuary" Francis said "she's in sanctuary at the Abbey!"
"Sanctuary?! Jesus fucking Christ, Francis! So this is how she means to turn suspicions against me is it?" He pushed back his chair, began to pace around his makeshift study, kicking piles of books and papers out of the way as he went "if the people think that she fears me enough to flee into sanctuary and with her children too then what must they think my intensions are?! And what of the King? What must he think of me"

"Calm yourself" Eleanor's voice said as she entered the room, handing her cloak to a nearby servant "I could hear you two corridors away, Richard" she raised her eyebrows and Richard reluctantly sat back down again, frowning "now, Rob, tell me what is wrong"

"The Dowager Queen has gone into sanctuary with her children, that's why Dickon is shouting"
"As I have full right to do" Richard murmured. Eleanor sighed.

"So she wishes to turn the people against us" she said, perching on the edge of his desk "against you?" He nodded, his jaw clenching slightly.

"And, I hear" he added "that she has run off with half of the royal treasury! Bloody bi...." he stopped abruptly as Eleanor began to laugh, her braid flying over her shoulder as she tossed back her head "why are you laughing?" He demanded. "What about this situation do you find so amusing, my Lady?"

"It's simply so like Elizabeth!" She explained. "Grasping for what power and wealth she can before retreating! I know her far too well!"

"Well, if you know her so well, perhaps you can tell us all how to avert disaster here?" Richard said and Eleanor nodded.
"Do not react" she said "that is all. If you do you shall only add fuel to the fire of my sister's creation! What will the people think if you sent guards storming into an abbey?"

"I wasn't planning on that!"
"Good. Let it remain that way"

꧁꧂

Eleanor could see and feel the worry that almost possessed her husband as he kissed and caressed her that night . He had undressed her with fast fingers, almost tearing her gown of blue silk in his attempts to get her out of it, and done the same to his own clothes; tossed them aside without a care.

His kisses were hurried and desperate, his hands quick as they ventured beneath her chemise, over her hips and breasts as if he were trying to commit her body to his memory.

She moaned as his hand slid between her thighs, one finger entering her and making her back arch against the mattress as she clung to him. Her legs and arms wrapped around him, like silken ropes binding him to her as she rolled her hips.

But Richard suddenly stopped, burying his face in her neck and sighing heavily.
"Richard?" Eleanor breathed, trying to steady her heart as she rubbed her thighs together, aching for pleasure "my love what is it?" Richard rolled off her, sitting up silently as his shoulders rose and shook his head.

Eleanor frowned, her lust ebbing as he remained quiet and she sat up beside him "what is it?" She asked again, climbing into his lap and straddling him while she tried to right her shift.

"I've something to tell you, my darling" he said at last, placing his hands on her hips, rubbing gently. "It's about Thomas Grey, I've ordered for his arrest"

"You've ordered for my nephew's arrest?" Eleanor exclaimed "why? What has he done?" Richard sighed.
"He's been reading the English fleet to come against me, against us, on the orders of his Mother"

"So he stands with her?" She mumbled to herself.
"I'm sorry" Richard said, leaning forward to kiss her but she simply shrugged.
"I love Tom" she said "he's my nephew. But Elizabeth is his Mother and he is loyal to her....it may be better if he is arrested but....promise me one thing, mon coeur?" Her husband immediately nodded "do not hurt him"

"He will go to the Tower" Richard admitted. "there's no other place I can put him! I would put his younger brother there too if he hadn't managed to vanish into thin air! They are both a danger but I promise not to harm him and if he relents in time I will release him"
"Thank you" Eleanor whispered, relief washing over her for a moment "and thank you for telling me"

꧁꧂

Walking into the deserted great hall, Eleanor looked up at the two ornate thrones that loomed above her upon the great daze, their wood of the finest oak, their cushions covered with the finest velvet.

Elizabeth and Edward had occupied those thrones for many year in splendour that had been unrivalled by any monarchs before them but now they were empty and the hall silent as a church.

Edward was dead.

Elizabeth was in sanctuary.

Her shoes clicked upon the stone as she walked towards them, rubbing the sable fur that hemmed the cuffs of her sleeves between her fingers. She hated wearing black and she was dressed fully in it now, from the black veil of her small hennin that hid her hair all the way down to her black stockings hidden beneath her black gown.

Yes. She hated wearing black.

Wearing black meant grief, pain, mourning and a broken heart and she felt it almost trapped her in her grief, preventing her heart from once more opening up to sunshine. Though she had noticed in recent years her heart was usually barely open to the rays of light only to be slammed shut by a death once more.

How many people had she worn black for? How many had she mourned throughout her life? How many times had she felt her heart break and her eyes sting with tears?

Her Father and Brother when she was sixteen.

Her Jaquetta when she was seventeen.

John when she was eighteen.

Her Mother when she was nineteen.

George and Bella when she was twenty five.

Her son Richard when she was twenty six.

Her son William and her sister Mary when she was twenty seven.

Fourteen year old Princess Mary when she was twenty nine.

Now she was thirty. And wore black for Edward. Yet another person now lost to her.

"I wish we could have made peace before you left, though I still won't forgive you for killing George" she whispered as she stepped up the dais and stood before Edward's throne. She could still remember him sitting there on the day Elizabeth had been crowned. Dressed in gold and smiling from ear to ear while Warwick looked like he had swallowed poison!

Eleanor smiled a little.
'Ma petite boule de feu' a voice in her head called and she felt tears prick her eyes, only this time they were happy ones. And then her gaze flicked to Elizabeth's throne and her tears fled, drying in an instant.

Throughout her years at Court she had often wondered what it would be like, to sit on the throne of the Queen of England as Elizabeth had done. To observe the courtiers from it, all seeing, all hearing with hundreds looking to you. As a Royal Duchess she had gotten used with some looking to her but a Queen had an altogether different type of power and influence than she.

Power and influence Elizabeth could no longer wield. 'She could' Eleanor thought as she reached out towards the throne 'if she wanted too....and she does" her hand brushed along the carved arm, fingers dancing in and out of the pictures and symbols. Stepping forward, as if in a trance, she turned and slowly sat down, heart pounding in her ears.

Once fully seated she placed her hands on either arms of the throne and looked ahead of her, a sense of power rushing through her as she overlooked the hall that was deserted of all but she. 'Is this what it is to be Queen?'

"Your grace?" She shot up from the throne, her eyes flying to the side to see Lady Margaret watching her with a small smile. How long had she been standing there? How much had she seen? Did she think she coveted the throne? Looking back at it Eleanor forced a smile onto her reddening face.

"It's been a tiring few weeks, Margaret" she said, trying not to hurry away from the dais as she descended the steps.
"I noticed that you do not have your Ladies with you? Anais and Marie?" Eleanor nodded "well I was wondering if I may offer my services since you will be at Court for quite a while?"

"I suppose I might be" she replied. When would she go back to the North? Would she go back to the North? To Middleham? Her home? "My life is changed forever that is for certain. With his grace as the Lord Protector now we shall be in London frequently for the foreseeable future. I would be glad to have your services Margaret, thank you"

Margaret nodded and curtsied before gliding away.