~A Plot of Politics~

July 1469....

Thank you Aunt Lyanna!" Lizzie said as Eleanor lifted her into the royal carriage from the forrest floor. She grinned in reply. Even after 5 days of being called by it by the three little ones, she still found the nickname 'Lyanna' rather amusing and so did the Queen, who would laugh every time the name passed any of her daughters lips.

"Come along girls!" The Queen now urged as Johanna led Mary and Cecily from a row of bushes "we shall never get to Kenilworth if we must stop every three minutes!"

"It looks like we shall have to wait a little longer!" Eleanor said as she began to beam from ear to ear, having to remind herself that she was a countess before she picked up her skirts and ran as she would have done just a few years ago.

Instead she waited, waving a little as her father and two brothers (Anthony and John) approached, all grinning when they saw her.

"Well if it isn't my little Eleanor!" Earl Rivers exclaimed as he pulled his horse to a halt, a proud smile playing about his lips.

"Who is not so little any longer!" Anthony continued, jumping down from his steed and walking to where his little sister stood, sweeping her into a tight embrace "We've all missed you!"
"And I've missed you!" She murmured before pulling away and hugging John who was now beside his brother.

"We have news" he said, his joyous smile fading as did his brother's and father's making Eleanor frown, looking to Elizabeth "there is a rebellion" John continued "a Robin of Redesdale!"

"Ha!" Eleanor exclaimed while Elizabeth laughed "that's one fanciful name for a petty rebel, brother! Really, why is there any need to worry?"
"Someone is paying the men, Eleanor!" Anthony said sternly "they have strong new boots and this is Warwick's country!"

'Warwick?' Eleanor thought as the Queen began to declare that they needn't worry as Edward would stamp it all out in a mere heartbeat. Of course, why would Warwick be a danger to them now? He had been out of favour ever since the secret deal with France in 1465, had been chosen to virtually play nursemaid when Margaret of York went to wed her husband in burgundy. True, he had earned some redemption from Edward when he captured mad King Henry but still he had all but been pushed from court.

Yet still, there was something in the Countesses' mind that told her Warwick was more of a threat than ever....he had power taken from him.....and he wanted it back. But would he truly spark a rebellion against the very king he had put onto the throne? Eleanor thought so.

'They want to keep the power they have accumulated and they will fight to the death for it' Her mother had told her when speaking of the Nevilles. Now it seemed those words were about to truly come to pass.

"Perhaps we should not be so hasty to dismiss this, sister" Eleanor said and Anthony nodded.
"Finally! Some sense is spoken!" He exclaimed "and it is certain! There are thousands of men at arms under Warwick's orders!"

"Truly?" Elizabeth whispered, her face darkening slightly and Eleanor put a comforting hand on her shoulder as she nodded.

"We should make all haste to Kenilworth" she suggested "then we may form a plan with Edward from there....if what our father and the others say is true then we cannot stop for a moment longer"

꧁꧂

Kenilworth Castle....

"Find my rooms and prepare them for me" Eleanor ordered as her maids curtsied to her and scurried away into Kenilworth castle, though they stopped for a moment, their eyes growing wide as King Edward strode past them.

Fortuna was quick to notice him as well, jumping from the carriage and only just escaping her mistresses' grasp as the little dog bounded towards the king and began yapping happily at his heels "Fortuna!" The countess yelled and the Talbot returned to her only to be scooped up and passed to a nearby servant who swept her inside.

"Mother!" Tom and Rickon Grey yelled as the rushed out of the palace doors, ahead of their stepfather, and into the arms of their mother who kissed their hair fondly before she greeted her husband.

"Elizabeth" Edward murmured as he kissed her before pulling away and grinning a little when he saw Eleanor.

"Ah, ma petite boule de feu!" He chuckled "I see you've finally decided to return to us!"
"It was more my sister's will than mine!" Eleanor returned as she dipped into a small curtsy "but I am here all the same!"

"And I am glad of that" Edward said as his face saddened a little "I knew that Warwick was angry with me....but never did I imagine he would raise his own army against me! He has betrayed me! Betrayed the crown! And so has George!"

"George?" Eleanor exclaimed, wondering as the group walked inside, how one of her closest friends could have possibly betrayed the King "what has George done that could cause you to think thus? I'm sure that he is just being foolish as always! He will not be untrue to you, Edward!"

"I hear he has married Isabel Neville against my clear command!" The King yelled and Eleanor stopped in her tracks, her body growing suddenly cold as she gasped. Elizabeth put a hand to her arm, a concerned expression spreading across her face.

"Eleanor?" She whispered "what is it?"

"Where is my sister? Where is Bella?" The Countess demanded, ignoring the Queen.
"In her chambers I should think" Edward grumbled "though you should know that I need you with me to discuss the plans I have"

"They can wait!" Eleanor cried and rushed indoors, bounding up the stairs and darting through corridors until she heard the soft sound of muffled weeping resonating from behind one of the doors.

Slowly, she pushed on the heavy wood and found herself in a brightly lit chamber although the atmosphere personified darkness and despair, especially as she looked to the bed.

Bella was curled up on the covers, her golden curls loose and hiding her face as she clutched her pillow to her chest and sobbed.

"Oh my dear sister" Eleanor whispered as she threw her cloak to the ground and climbed onto the bed, drawing the older girl into her arms just as she had done to her many times before "how you must be suffering"

"He said he loved me Leena!" Bella wept, raising her head a little for Eleanor to see her reddened, tear stained cheeks and swollen eyes that made her heart almost break before anger filled her "he told me that he loved me! Over and over....he always said it.....and I loved him in return....oh I still love him now, sister! How could he do this to me...."

"Because he is a selfish bastard" Eleanor hissed, surprising herself at her venomous tone as she clutched Bella closer to her "and he had betrayed you....he has betrayed all of us...."
"Three years!" Bella whispered "three whole years it has been since I first lay with him....three years since he first spoke of his love for me! Where is that love now, Leena? Oh, my heart is broken...."

"He will pay for it" her sister returned sharply, kissing her forehead "I will make him pay for it....I will not have my dearest sister hurt without revenge being taken....and you shall have it! I swear...."
"But I don't want it!" Bella sobbed "I don't want revenge....I just want George! I need him by my side"

"No you do not! Why would ever need that stupid man?!"
"Because I'm carrying his child!"

Eleanor's breath got caught in her throat as she heard her sister's words and she slowly moved a hand to her belly, gasping as she felt the bump that slightly curved Bella's stomach.

"Does he know?" She whispered, helping her sit up onto the pillows "Does George know?"
Bella nodded miserably and began to weep again, burying her face in her hands.
"He knows....by God, Leena he's known for over two months now! Ever since just before he left court!"

"And....h-how did he react?"
"He was happy" she murmured as a shadow of a smile curved her lips "he was so so happy....he kept smiling at me, embracing me, kissing me....telling me how joyous he was that he was to be a father...."

Eleanor found tears begin to glide down her cheeks as her elder sister spoke, a hatred for her friend forming quickly within her. In all honesty, this new feeling scared her....she had strong dislike for people such as Warwick and Isabel Neville but never before had she truly found the anger and resentment to hate someone before.

But now she hated George. She hated him for what he had done to her sister. Her dearest older sister who had never done anything to him, only love him in every way that she could and remain loyal. Yet he had now betrayed her, leaving her heartbroken and desperate and with child.

A child that would grow up a bastard with a mother who would be shamed by the court and the country.

As she stared at Bella, wiping away her own tears Eleanor swore to herself that she would protect her elder sister from all who would venture near her to scorn or degrade her in any way. But above all she would have vengeance upon the man who had wounded Bella.

George Plantagenet.

꧁꧂

Eleanor slowly closed the door to her sisters chamber, relieved that she had at last fallen asleep and would be at peace for a little while before morning brought back the troubles she had to face.

Wandering down the stairs she at last heard the voice of Edward and followed the noise to the chamber it was coming from. Entering with a brighter smile as she could, her expression quickly turned grim as she noticed the faces of the others.

Edward, Elizabeth and Richard all stood around a table with one another, staring at a map and then the countess as she shut the door behind her.

"What's wrong?" She asked as she joined her sister "has there been more news? Have the men at arms my brother mentioned made any move?"
"Not that we know of" Edward replied with a low voice "but now that you are here we can begin to discuss the plans I have made which may help stamp out Warwick's rebellion!"

"And what plans would they be, my love?" Elizabeth asked with furrowed brows, clearly as confused as Eleanor and Richard were at Edward's words.

"Why did you not tell me of this before?" The sixteen year old Duke asked, clasping behind his back "you usually make your plans know to me before anyone!"
"Well" his brother replied with a shrug "I'm sorry to offend you, Dickon but I needed Eleanor here! Elizabeth too and now they are both present I can make my plans clear!"

All looked at him with confusion and curiosity in their eyes, wishing the King would tell them what was in his mind instead of just looking between them with a rather amused smile playing about his lips. At last he sighed and sat down as if preparing for something.

"Eleanor and Richard are to be married"

At once everyone in the room fell completely silent, seeming they had all stopped breathing, Eleanor and Richard's faces paling as the slowly looked at each other and then to Edward who was looking rather satisfied with himself until he saw the Countesses' expression.

"No!" She suddenly cried, startling everyone else "absolutely not, Edward! I am not marrying anyone! Least of all your little brother!"

"I second that!" Richard yelled, looking to the King and then to the Queen "I apologise, your grace but I will not be marrying your sister! I will not be marrying anyone as my brother here fully knows!"

"You will be a royal Duchess, Eleanor" Edward offered but this served to infuriate the girl more, her face turning from white to red in a few moments, an angry flush creeping up her neck.
"I do not want to marry for power! Hell I don't want to marry at all! And I won't! This is foolishness! Absolute foolishness and I refuse to be a part of any of it!"

"You will" the King hissed suddenly rising from his chair.
"I will not, your grace" the countess returned "I do not know from what depths of your strange mind you pulled this ludicrous plan from but I will not submit to it or you"

"And is this how you feel, Richard?" Edward yelled as he turned on his little brother who hesitantly took a step back, though rage was clear on his face when he nodded.

"I will not marry her" he said and Eleanor walked forward, clenching her fists.
"Her?" She cried "and what might be wrong with her may I ask, my lord?"
"Oh do not bleat, my lady, I find this arrangement as disagreeable as you and am trying to dissuade the King from it just as you are!"

Narrowing her eyes, the countess stepped back and folded her arms as he continued "I am not in a disposition to marry and if I ever do it will not be to...."

"Enough!" Edward suddenly bellowed, grabbing his brother by the arm and hauling him forward so that he was standing in front of Eleanor "you two will be married! And as soon as may be! I will not have such defiance from the both of you!"

He glared down at the pair and they glared back at him with as much anger as they could muster.
"Leave me and the Queen" he snarled "get out, both of you!"