~Dagger to the Heart~

With her sister just one step behind her, Eleanor brushed her hands on the skirt of her gown, trying to smoothen the nonexistent creases in the cerulean silk. Cat had been the only person she had told about the plot to rescue the two boys in the Tower and now, as she looked behind her, the flaxen haired widow offered her a reassuring smile.

"What was he like when he asked for you to fetch me?" Eleanor asked and Cat took her hand.
"There was something wrong....but I couldn't say what. It could be a number of things, sister"
"Or it could be the one I know we are both thinking of"

Eleanor took a breath and nodded to herself before she stepped forward and placed a hand against the cold handle. Twisting it, she looked back at Catherine one last time before she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.

Richard was standing behind his desk and staring out of the window, twisting something over and over in his hands but she could not see what. All she knew was there a sense of anger in the air, of sadness and betrayal. Walking to the middle of the study, Eleanor took another breath before she spoke.

"You asked for me?" But her words were simply met with a silence that was cold as ice and a small look to the side that acknowledged her presence.

"England has seen two Kings called Richard. Neither of them met happy ends" he said at last and Eleanor found herself looking at the hem of her skirt; fingers tugging at her sleeves "One from disease. The other murdered by his own subjects" he paused a little and his shoulders heaved slightly, her heart twisted as she realised he was crying "But it seems that my misery is to be set upon me in the form of betrayal by my own wife and Queen"

He turned around slowly and held up the object he had been twisting around and around in his hand. Eleanor's dagger and she felt herself pale. She had thrown it away to show the boys she wasn't a threat to them....but had forgotten to pick it up again "this is yours" he said, tears sliding down his face and onto his doublet "I know because I gave it to you"

As his eyes met hers she could see all his sadness melt away into rage, cold and unforgiving "why?" He suddenly yelled "why have you done this?"
"I had to" she replied and flinched as he threw the dagger to the ground.

"Had to?" He roared "so you had to betray me? You had to scheme behind my back? You had to plot with that bitch of a sister you have?!"
"If I hadn't rescued them they would have died, Richard!" Eleanor cried "I didn't decided to do what I did lightly and I felt guilty and I feel guilty every time I think of it!"

"Not guilty enough to stop you though?" He snapped, glaring at her with all his might before his eyes narrowed "this plot is why you asked to stay at Grafton isn't it?" He hissed "you said you wanted to spend time with me but it really was so you could betray me and our entire family I might add!"

"No!" Eleanor denied, stepping forward but Richard stepped away with a shake of his head.
"Don't touch me!" He ordered, standing behind his desk again "Christ I can hardly bare to have you in my sight right now, I'm thinking about sending you back to the North" her eyes widened and her lips parted slightly.

"You would send me away?"
"What reason have I to keep you here?" He demanded "I can't trust you!"
"You can!" Eleanor yelled, despair seeping into her voice "I did this not only for my family but for you too!"

"For me?" Richard raged as he banged his fists down upon the desk "do you know what the court are saying?! They are saying that I murdered our own nephews!"
"That's nonsense and you know it!"

"But they don't! They think that I am a murderer of children! All because of a plot you arranged!" He shook his head, biting the inside of his cheek so harshly it drew blood before he suddenly strode forward and took Eleanor's arm and pulled her behind the desk, pushing her up against it with him staring down at her "you will tell me where they are" he ordered "you will tell me right now"

Eleanor looked up at him, tears surfacing in her green eyes as she shook her head.
"I'm sorry but I cannot" she said and Richard's jaw clenched.
"You will...."

"I wont!" She cried, pushing at his chest though it didn't move him one inch "I will not let them be locked away again! They are safe in a place where only I and a few others know and they will stay hidden there until it is safe for them to be returned to us! Then all the rumours of you being an apparent murderer will be scorched! But I cannot tell you and I will not tell you were they are!"

The pair stared at each other, chests heaving with anger as their eyes raged until Eleanor saw Richard's change slightly, from a roaring fire of anger to a dangerous flame of a different kind.

"Why do you always have to be so goddamn stubborn, sweetheart?" He asked, his voice a deep whisper and she shrugged a little, one of her hands trailing up the front of his doublet.

"I've always been this way" she replied "as you well know, I thought you sometimes admired me for it"
"Your stubbornness, your boldness and your bravery" Richard murmured as he took her jaw between his fingers, the fire in his eyes burning brighter still "are three things I love about you, Eleanor. And I always will"

And then his lips were on hers, hot and demanding as he pressed her harder against the desk behind. She pushed her body against him, gasping when he finally tore away, his breaths heavy and laboured as he stared down at her now with the clearest lust in his blue eyes.

"Again" she demanded, curling a fist around locks of his hair and pulling him back to her for another bruising kiss that was a mess of tongues and clashing teeth and drawn out moans. Wrapping an arm around her waist, Richard used the other to clear away the papers and books on his desk before he lay Eleanor on top of the wooden surface, his body covering hers in mere seconds.

Her hands tugged his doublet open and he shook the garment from his shoulders, moaning when she slid a hand under his shirt and trailed it up and down his chest with her nails leaving sharp red lines in their wake. Reaching down he pulled up her skirts, hiking the heavy material above her knees before pushing it up to her waist.

His hands reached between her legs pulling them apart in one swift motion to which she offered no resistance, leaving her exposed to him. Grabbing the collar of his shirt, she pulled him back to her and kissed him desperately, moaning at the feeling of his hands roaming across her bodice to the top and gasping as she felt the material rip.

"What do you want?" He murmured hotly, ripping the blue silk further and wrapping his lips around one exposed nipple that hardened under his warm touch.

"You" she moaned, pulling at his hair, arching her back, aching for more "I want you to fuck me, Richard"
"I think that can be arranged" he replied, releasing her breast and reaching for the laces on his breaches, undoing them in one quick tug.
"Hurry" she breathed, spreading her legs wider as her hips rolled of their own volition before she cried out as Richard entered her.

He groaned, burying his face in her neck while she wrapped her arms around him and clung to him with all her might as he roughly thrust in and out of her.

"Christ Leena" he moaned through gritted teeth as he felt her begin to shake slightly in his arms and she whimpered his name as she quickly fell close the peak of her pleasure. But Richard was not done yet and smirked to himself as he suddenly withdrew from her and her eyes snapped open, widening as her trembling body was lifted from the desk.

"What are you doing?"
"What you asked me to do, sweetheart" setting her down on her feet he turned her around and caught her skirts as they began to fall, lifting them to her waist again. Placing fleeting kisses to her neck as he swept her hair aside he pushed her against the desk slightly, her back firmly against his chest before he thrust into her again and she moaned, fingers digging into the desk.

He grinned to himself, forcing himself to go slowly and relishing each moan and whimper that escaped Eleanor's lips as she hooked an arm around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder "thats it, love" he whispered against her ear, coaxing another moan from her while she tried to stay upright; legs trembling "moan for your King"

"Heaven help me" she murmured, her eyes fluttering close as she rocked her hips back against his while he snaked his hand around her waist and slipped it between her thighs, rolling teasing circles around her clit with his thumb.

Eleanor cried out as she was finally sent over the edge and would have collapsed against the desk if it hadn't been for Richard's arm around her waist; feeling him following her into bliss just a moment later; moan against her neck.

"Did you enjoy that, sweetheart?"
She nodded and let herself melt into him as he laced his breeches and practically collapsed into his chair, lifting her into his lap.
"You'll have to fetch a new gown for me" she remarked with a smile before shuddering again with pleasure as Richard's hand slipped beneath the torn bodice of her gown "what must I look like?"

"Like my beautiful wife and Queen" he replied and her smile widened as she rested her head sleepily against her chest.
"Am I forgiven, Dickon?"
"You are....I suppose you did what you thought was right....and at least the boys are safe....the rumours will be scotched in time"

꧁꧂

May 1484, Baynards Castle, London....

It was late afternoon when Eleanor and Richard received an invitation to dine with Duchess Cecily at her London residence at Baynards Castle along the river Thames and it really was rather out of the blue!

If she wanted to speak to either of them, Cecily went to Westminster so for her to invite them, well, it meant something important had to be afoot!

"Perhaps she simply wants to see her family?" Lizzie (who was now the Queen's Lady as was her younger sister Cecily) suggested but Eleanor had simply laughed and shaken her head.
"My dear niece!" She had chuckled "you know your Grandmother is not a sentimental type!" And Lizzie had nodded her agreement before sending her younger sister to fetch a cloak for the Queen.

Together, Eleanor and Richard had travelled in the Royal Barge from Westminster to Baynards, much to the approval of the Londoners who had gathered along the banks to wave and cheer, and had enjoyed a sumptuous meal with Cecily. Both kept glancing at the older woman for she looked as if she were harbouring some secret victory of her own and it made both suspicious.

Now, as she swept into her solar in a flurry of silk damask, she smiled at her son and daughter in law sat in front of the fireplace and took a seat opposite.
"This" she said as she produced a letter from her sleeve "is a letter from the Duchess of Bourbon, regent for the young King Charles of France"

Eleanor sucked in a sharp breath and felt Richard take her hand. Ever since she had agreed to the betrothal of Bess and the French King she had heard no more of it (even if Bess had been accepted or not) but she knew now she would and had a feeling she wouldn't like it.

"And?" She asked, her voice slightly quiet with nerves and Cecily arched an eyebrow, handing the letter to Richard.
"What do you think? She asked and Eleanor looked to her husband, gulping as she saw his eyes widen and he looked at her.

"The Duchess....Duchess Anne wishes for Bess to be sent to France as soon as may be so she may be married and crowned"

And in that moment, Eleanor felt her heart shatter. She shook her head.
"No...."