~A Princess for York~

February 11th 1466, Westminster....

Eleanor stared with raised eyebrows at the miniature paintings of nobles and of her own siblings while her mother stood grinning beside her, making matches as if she had been born to do it.

The Countess had spent but a month at Leeds castle, returning to court at the end of December as she had wanted to be with, the now heavily pregnant, Elizabeth when she gave birth to the York Prince all in the land were praying for!

However, just because she had spent so little time at her new castle did not mean she had not had enough fun that she thought would last her an entire lifetime! The feasts had simply been endless and so had the dancing which seemed to reach into the early hours of the morning. At Leeds Castle, Eleanor was Queen, ruling over the servants that bowed and curtsied to her day and night, going to the greatest of limits to win her approval and affection. And she revelled in it!

Yet being treated as if she were true royalty was in fact not what she had found most amusing about her stay. Oh no. What she had simply loved was spying on Bella and George. She even had a piece of paper under her bed which tallied the times she had caught them together!

They would stroll through the gardens, slip away from dinners and all the while (without their knowledge) the thirteen year old would be following him, a knowing smile she had come to adopt on her face.

She did not know why she found their relationship so amusing and yet she did at the same time. She would laugh each time George would try to catch up with Bella into for him to take a tumble down the stairs or fall into a pile of horse dung in the stables (which Eleanor may or may not have orchestrated once), or how they would try to keep their growing affections for one another secret but in doing so made them every more obvious to every pair of eyes that fell upon them!

But what would make her roar with laughter the most was when she caught them completely unawares and genuinely by accident!

Remembering one particular time when Eleanor had accidentally burst in on the pair, she grinned to herself, her mother's words fading as her mind hurled her back. It had been a bright Sunday morning and Eleanor had just returned from chapel, her prayer book in her hand as her new resident priest and confessor pointed out the passages that she may find most useful.

Nodding her thanks, Eleanor had acknowledged his humble now with a nod before watching as the grey haired old man returned to his chamber before heading to the solar. Throwing open the door, bible still in hand, she had cried out loud as her eyes were immediately met with the scene of George with Bella on his lap, his hand under the skirt of her gown as she moaned softly into his neck, her golden hair free from its braid and tumbling down her back.

At the sound of her little sister's voice, Bella had shot up, clapping a hand to her mouth as George rose beside her, his face a picture of embarrassment. Both of them had been expecting a tirade of anger or at least shock from the thirteen year old but in fact found quite the opposite as Eleanor crumpled to the floor, clutching her sides as she began to cry tears of laughter!

Tossing back her head she had laughed until her lungs screamed for air and her mind felt like it would crack if she continued, and so, she had merely picked up her bible and threw it at the pair before making the sign of the cross and stumbling out of the room, trying not to fall down the spiral staircase that lead to her chambers while her unrestrained giggles filled the passageways.

"And you, Leena shall marry...."
"No!" Eleanor cried with urgency as her mother's words snapped her from her thoughts and she snatched the little red headed figure from Jacquetta's hands, clutching it protectively to her chest as if it were her own child "no....I will not be marrying anyone, mother....not yet....I know that I must play my part! Do my duty to our family and to Elizabeth....but not yet"

"Eleanor" Jacquetta began in a stern tone only to smile a moment later and nod her head indulgently before turning back to the rest of the miniature likenesses "then I was thinking that our Annie should wed Viscount Bouchier and little Catherine could marry the Duke of Buckingham!"

"Really mother?" Elizabeth said from behind, making Eleanor near jump out of her skin at her elder sister's sudden appearance "is Cat not too young to be matched?" Sitting down beside the small wooden table, the Queen placed her hands on her swollen belly and her expression saddened a little "Warwick has refused his daughters to me, mother" she said quietly "it is a snub, an direct insult to me that shall be read as such by the rest of the court! Of course Duchess Cecily shall be revealing in it but she hates me as does Warwick! He despises my very presence here on earth yet Edward still thinks that we can be friends!"

"You should do as Edward says!" Jacquetta replied with a small smile while Eleanor stared up at her.
"But how can she?" She asked, folding her arms "friendships cannot be forced!"

"Ah, but they can be feigned!" Her mother returned "but that was not what I was talking of. We must make our family strong by marriage so that we may weather an attack from anyone who dares to defy us!"

The door opened and Baron Rivers strolled in, a knowing grin crossing his face, crinkling the corners of his eyes as he entered.
"What spells are you three weaving?" He chuckled, walking over to his wife and kissing her on the cheek before he looked over at the table in front "ah, the goddess of love is busy with her work I see!"

"Hm" Jacquetta replied, picking up another miniature "there is no love in this, Richard, only business!"
Elizabeth laughed a little, wrapping her arm around Eleanor's waist.
"I see mother has changed her tune!" She said, grinning at her little sister.

"Ah yes!" Eleanor continued, pleased to be involved in a family joke which her other sisters were not "when she set her heart on you, father, the lowly squire, she caused quite the scandal saying true love was enough! Now she's even trying to have me married off!"

"It was worth it!" Her father chuckled "for u have the most beautiful lady in the Kingdom!"
"And I the handsomest, kindest most loving man!" Jacquetta said as she gently kissed her husbands lips, an adoring smile on her face.

"Who has just been made treasurer!"
"Father!" Eleanor exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around Baron Rivers' neck, laughing as he swung her around "truly?"
"Truly!" He replied with a smile.

"Well then Warwick's uncle has been set aside!" Elizabeth laughed "he must really be unhappy with him over his secret deal with France!"
"Anthony now has Admiralty of the Fleet!" Baron Rivers continued, turning to his younger daughter "and Lionel will be bishop as he as always wanted! So you see, Leena! You shall not be the only one among your siblings who has been raised to a higher standing since your sister became Queen!"

Suddenly Elizabeth gasped, a hand flying to her belly as she near doubled over in pain.
"Eleanor, Richard" Jacquetta said calmly.
"I know I know!" Her husband said as he began to walk out while Eleanor simply stared at her sister with alarmed eyes.

"Go and fetch the midwife!" Her mother ordered "I think our first York Prince wishes to join the world!"

Gathering up the skirt of her gown, Eleanor fled the room, her heart beginning to pound as she rushed through the corridors.
"What's wrong?" A voice said and Eleanor nearly screamed as George suddenly appeared beside her, running to keep up.

"It's Elizabeth!" She cried desperately as she rounded yet another corner.
"Which Elizabeth?" George asked and the Countess turned to him, almost slapping him before deciding that she must run on. Now was not the time for his foolish games!
"Elizabeth the Queen! My Elizabeth, you imbecile!" She yelled instead making her friend roar with laughter.

"Imbecile?" He repeated, increasing his pace a little as if to challenge her to a race "well I'll admit thats a new insult from you, Eleanor!"
"Shut up George!" She cried, pushing him down an adjoining corridor to the one she was dashing down "for Gods sake find Edward! The baby is coming!"

꧁꧂

Eleanor watched as Edward paced back and forth in front of her, a frown on his face as he walked and threw his doublet at a near window. For around five hours now the King had been strolling impatiently up and down outside of Elizabeth's chamber and some of the time Eleanor had joined him, though she found it hard to keep up with his longs strides.

Another scream came from inside the chamber and the countess felt a shiver go through her. Whenever Jacquetta had emerged to reassure the King of England that all was well, her young daughter had begged to be let into the room, to comfort her sister but her mother had each time refused her.

"Don't fret, ma petite boule de feu" Edward murmured even though fretting was exactly what he was doing and Eleanor stood, beginning to pace with him again.

"I'm sure that Lizzie will be fine" she said, though it was more than herself than to Edward. After all, she had given birth to Tom and Rickon and had been completely fine so she would be fine with this child too!

Another pain filled scream echoed throughout the corridor and Eleanor sighed, finally deciding to take matters into her own hands. She had to be with her sister; could not let Elizabeth be alone.

Pushing open the heavy door, she shut it firmly behind her before her eyes darted to the bed where she saw her sister leant against her mother in her chemise, her golden hair in a mess and sweat trickling down her agonised face.

"Lizzie!" She cried and Elizabeth's head turned, a tired smile crossing her lips as she feebly held out a hand.
"Leena!" She gasped "I am so glad that you are here...."

Kneeling on the covers of the bed, Eleanor took her sister's hand and almost screamed herself as Elizabeth squeezed it with all her might as she pushed, tears streaming down her face that her sister tried to wipe away with the hem of her gown only for the velvet to be immediately soaked through.

"Push push push!" Jacquetta said as she cradled her eldest child in her arms and Elizabeth screamed again, pushing until a small baby's cry filled the air. Eleanor rushed from the bed to take the newborn from the midwife's arms, smiling down at the small child who was staring up at her with sparkling blue eyes while tiny wails escaped her.

"Give him to me, Leena" Elizabeth whispered, holding out her shaking arms "give my son to me....my little York Prince...."
"It's a girl.....a little girl....a York princess" Eleanor replied and watched at her sister's smile faltered a little, as did Jacquetta's before she passed the baby to Elizabeth and heard Edward's commanding voice behind her.

"The Queen is not ready!" A poor midwife was trying to explain but Edward paid her no heed, pushed passed her and ran into the chamber "I am the king! You cannot keep me from my son!"

In a moment he had appeared by the bed, a relived smile as he saw his wife with their child in his arms.
"Edward, wait" Eleanor murmured, taking his arm so that he turned to face her "you have a daughter....not a son....the baby is a girl"

Just as Elizabeth's had done, Edward's happy expression dampened a little as he processes the news, letting out a small sigh before a smile returned to his face and reached to take the child into his arms.

"Support the head, support the head!" Jacquetta said as Eleanor lifted the baby from her sister's arms and into the King's.

"She is a beautiful girl!" Edward said as he beamed down at his daughter, all disappointment seemingly forgotten as he bent down to kiss her red forehead "and we will love her very well I am sure of it"

Elizabeth gave a small sob as she looked up at her husband, her eyes full of a mix of sorrow and love.
"We will have sons!" She promised "I will give you sons....sons and heirs, Edward....I will!"

"I know!" He said, leaning down to kiss her forehead "you are so lovely Elizabeth, I could not do without you!"