~Queen of Hearts~

Wrapping her thin shawl tightly around her shoulders, Eleanor rushed out to greet the messenger that had brought her news of the battle which had taken place just three days earlier.

"Father? What news is there?" She cried as Elizabeth appeared beside her and Baron Rivers cracked the red wax seal that held the parchment in his hand together.

"Another bloody battle" he grumbled as all of his children gathered around him while he walked, heavy steps that betrayed his weariness of war and strife.
"Who has won?" Bella asked breathlessly, clutching her chest as she tried to regain the air she had lost running down four flights of stairs.

"The Lancaster forces were routed" her father replied "Henry is defeated...."
"Edward?" Elizabeth cried, a smile forming on her face as she took Eleanor's hand "Edward has won?"
"Henry has fled to the moors with a price on his head" Rivers continued, ignoring his eldest as he walked back up to the manor and crumpled the letter in his hands "like a border rebel! He's lost his wits again!"

"Oh, poor man!" Anne sighed, looking to her mother "and Queen Margaret?"
"She's taken her son to Scotland!"

"She won't give up though" Anthony stated firmly "she'll never give up until her son is on the throne"
"Which will never happen" Eleanor whispered to her sister as the others walked inside "you are the Queen now Lizzie....not Margaret. And it shall be your son who sit on the throne after Edward...not hers!"

꧁꧂

August 1464, Grafton...

Eleanor and Jacquetta watched with wary eyes as Elizabeth paced in front of them, strolling down the cobbled path of the garden, huffing as she yanked the hanging sleeves of her grey damask gown from the ground every so often.

Again and again her eyes scanned the letter that Edward had sent to her, the first she had heard from him since his last visit in late may. After that then there had been no word. For three whole months he had stayed silent and now a glistening summer would soon be blown away by autumn winds.

'Perhaps Anthony was right?' She wondered yet again before catching Eleanor's eyes and watching as she shook her head, appearing as if she could read her thoughts. 'He has not left you' the trusting green eyes so alike her own said 'have faith, Lizzie'

Curling a finger around one of the red strands that had escaped her simple braid, Eleanor dared not tear away her gaze from her sister's worried face. In truth she held the same doubts as she but would not let it show, would not let those thoughts pass her lips. Her sister was the Queen of England and Edward would announce her as so....soon....he would tell Warwick too! She was sure of it....so very very sure....

"He writes me, Lady Elizabeth Grey" Elizabeth finally began with a frustrated sigh "he does not write wife he writes my love, there's nothing here that speaks of a marriage, mother!"
Jaquetta shook her head a little, clasping her hands together in her lap.
"Read the rest" she simply said and Elizabeth began to once again.

"He writes that he's busy but shall see me soon" she muttered "the court is in London, the council is sitting, Henry has still not been captured and Queen Margaret has sailed home to France with her son demanding help...."
"Margaret is not the Queen" Eleanor cut in as she stood "you are, Lizzie"
Elizabeth have her a small smile and nodded before she continued.
"He says that he loves me, that he burns for me. That's lovers words nothing more!"

"And does he say weather he has spoken to Lord Warwick?" Her mother asked.
"He does not say!" She cried "which means he has not....oh what should I do?"

Jacquetta sighed and put an arm around Elizabeth's shoulders.
"The messenger also brought a summons for your father and brothers to go to court....it has gone out to all the nobles"

A flicker of hope brightened the younger woman's face and Eleanor's too as they looked at each other, smiling.
"It will be to announce his marriage!" She breathed "to me!"
"Oh think of that, Lizzie!" Her little sister giggled "soon you shall be at court and ruling over us all!"

But their mother did not join in their moment of joy and soon enough the two had turned to her with frowns on their faces.
"It seems...." Jacquetta said "the French Princess Bona is at court"
"No...." Elizabeth whispered "that's not possible"

꧁꧂

September, 1464....

Eleanor ran out of the manor, raising her skirts so she would not trip and jumped high into the air to catch the parchment the messenger held out before he galloped away.

The sun beating down upon her, Eleanor tore open the message and gasped, happiness lighting up her eyes as she read the first words.
"Elizabeth!" She shouted as her sister emerged from their home "Elizabeth he's done it! He's told the court! You are the Queen!"

"What?" Elizabeth cried as she grabbed the letter from her little sister's hands and began to read, a laugh of joy escaping her lips "oh, Leena! Leena.... did you ever think this day would come?"
"I never doubted it" Eleanor replied, wrapping her arms around Elizabeth's waist.

The next two weeks flew by in a flurry of silks and satins as the finest seamstresses in the country bustled into the great hall of Grafton manor. Each day Eleanor and her sisters watched with sparkling eyes as Elizabeth was presented with every fine material they could possibly imagine and fitted for a new gown using each one.

Out of her joy and generosity, Elizabeth had arranged for each of her sisters to also have a new dress made for them and now she stood on a pedestal with Eleanor beside her as her little sister was fitted for her own gown.

"Look at this one, Lizzie!" She gasped as a green silk with roses embroidered upon it in golden thread was presented to her. Brushing a hand across the fabric, Eleanor nodded at the seamstress who was holding it up for her inspection "this one" she said with a smile "I should like this one!"

Bella looked up from where she was selecting ribbons and grinned.
"Green!" She exclaimed "so you are to finally have a green gown of your own and I can keep mine safe from your little hands!"

"Indeed you can!" Elizabeth agreed and smiled at Eleanor's happy expression as seamstresses began to wrap the green silk around her body and her fingers brushed against the golden roses.
"Which sleeves, my Lady?" The woman asked and the girls face practically lit up at the question.
"The hanging sleeves!" She giggled, just like Lizzie's!"

"Ah, it seems I have an admirer" Elizabeth remarked as she took a length of white silk ribbon Bella handed her "and you shall have them, Leena! Only the best for the sister of the Queen of England!"

The seamstress dipped down into a low curtsy and walked away with the green silk in hand as Jacquetta entered, a bright smile on her face.
"I have written to my family in Burgundy" she said "inviting them to the London for the coronation! They shall confer upon us the royal position we shall need to see this through. And if we fail they will be there for refuge and support"

"How could we possibly fail, mother?" Eleanor asked "Lizzie is the Queen of England! As you said to me once, we are about to occupy the higher position in the land!"
"Precisely!" Elizabeth chuckled, stepping down from her pedestal and lifting Eleanor down from hers "you're making it sound more like a battle than a marriage, mother"

"Oh it is a battle" Jacquetta replied sternly "make no mistake! The King has done what he should not, he has married from another house and a commoner at that! There will be many who will be cursing our luck and wishing us to fall"

At that Eleanor arched an eyebrow and plucked an apple from a bowl in the middle of the table beside her.
"You mean Lord Warwick?" She asked and her mother nodded.

"Yes....and his kin! They want to keep the power they have accumulated and they will fight to the death for it...." she sighed a little, turning to her eldest "but you, Elizabeth, you may have it all! You love your husband and he will give you prestige too! And your sisters shall hopefully make excellent marriages just as you have! Now after the coronation, your boys..."

"No!" Elizabeth suddenly cried, her face paling as she froze in place "my boys stay with me"
"Girls" Jacquetta ordered, clapping her hands, out!"

Hastily, Bella and Eleanor fled the room, although they didn't travel all that far and stood by the door, shutting it before they pressed their ears to the wood, hoping to catch any words they could.

"She's had a seeing" Bella said at last, drawing away "so she is of mother's line...."
"Just as we are" Eleanor replied, grabbing her sister's hand as she heard footsteps come towards them and dragged her up the stairs into their bedchamber before they could be caught.

Elizabeth was not far behind them, her usual colour returning to her cheeks, though still her hands shook as she slid the iron pins from her hair and her golden hair tumbled down her back.

"What is it, Lizzie?" Eleanor asked, moving to her elder sister's side "has something happened to Tom and Rickon?"

"No...." Elizabeth replied, her eyes appearing distant as she stared out of the window "they are to stay with me....but we must protect them, Leena....my boys must be protected"
"I will protect them....I promise, Elizabeth.... always"