~Murder and Hate~

Running into her chambers, Eleanor slammed the door behind her and clutched at her heaving chest while tears ran down her cheeks.

Immediately she was surrounded by her maids, not hesitating to embrace her and gently guide her to the large bed, that was covered with soft furs, and lie her down, unbraiding her hair and removing her shoes. All of them were rather shocked for a crying Eleanor was a rare sight indeed.

She hardly ever cried in front of them, always made them leave so that she could weep in solitude, forever wanting to seem composed in their presence. Only when she was ever truly bereft for some reason would she let her tears fall in front of anyone. And now that she was doing just that, her friends were more than concerned.

"What's wrong, my lady?" Grace said softly as she sat beside her mistress, ever the most caring one of the group "has the King done something to upset you?"
"He has!" Eleanor wept "he's forcing my to marry!"

"Marry?" They all exclaimed, glancing at one another.
"Surely he would not do that!" Isabel cried, rubbing Eleanor's shoulder and dabbing at her cheeks with a handkerchief "you have told us many a time that he has always been kind to you! Favoured you!"

"I think he sees this plan of his as favouring me!" The countess replied with a small smile "for I am to marry his brother! The Duke of Gloucester!"
"And will you try to escape it?" Johanna asked as she fetched a nightgown.
"Of course I will! I will not allow myself to be bullied into a marriage! I do not care if Edward is the King of England! I could not care more if he was the King of the whole world! I will not obey him in this!"

A small knock came at the bedroom door and the maids stepped back from the bed as their countess rose, trying to compose herself for she decided that however angry she was, it would not do to appear weak in front of strangers.

"Enter" she called, clasping her hands in front of her after she had pushed back her loose hair and held her head high as a serving girl entered and curtsied to her.

"The Queen has sent for you, my lady, if you will come with me" she said quietly and Eleanor opened her mouth to refuse but stopped as she thought. Edward's plan was not Elizabeth's fault and by the look on her elder sister's face she had not even known of the arrangements until the King had told them all together.

"I will obey my sister, the Queen" she at last replied, allowing Isabel to put her shoes on again "take me to her"

The serving girl nodded and walked through the door, the countess behind her as she followed her through the winding corridors and staircases of the castle until they reached the largest chamber of them all.

Opening the door, Eleanor walked passed the girl and gave her a small nod as she was announced.
"The Countess of Rutland, your grace"

"Thank you Liza" Elizabeth said from where she sat by a roaring fire. She was wrapped in a heavy fur bed robe and held a book in her elegant hands which she set down as she watched her little sister take a seat beside her, looking into the orange flames "I know that you are not happy...." the Queen began.

Eleanor scoffed and cross her arms, leaning back in her chair.
"Unhappy?" She repeated "unhappy is an understatement as you know full well! How could Edward do this to me? Why did he give me no warning? Nor his brother either! We do not know each other! He has always appeared to rather hate me to tell the truth! Oh god, why did Edward not give any warning?!"

"Because he knew that you would react like this!" Her sister replied, rather calmly for someone who had been decided by their own husband "and I admit I was shocked at first but..."
"But what?" Eleanor hissed before she rolled her eyes and sighed "oh no, you agree with him don't you, Lizzie? Tell me that I'm wrong...."

The Queen bowed her head a little before looking sadly to the Countess again.
"You are not wrong" she whispered before raising her voice as Eleanor stood and made to storm from the room "wait! Let me at least explain his reason!"

"Reason?" Eleanor yelled, throwing her hands up in the air "I see no reason in this! I do not know how you or Edward do!"
"Oh for heavens sake sit down and listen!" Elizabeth ordered and it was with a frown that her little sister obeyed "Edward wants to be able to keep Richard from Warwick. Richard grew up in Warwick's care, that man is like a father to him and Warwick has already married George to Isabel and now we think he intends his little Anne for Richard. In marrying the Duke of Gloucester to you, he is safe from his old tutor...."

"And I am trapped forever!" Eleanor cried "forced to marry a man I do not love and never will!"
"How can you say that, you do not know him!"
"Exactly! I do not know him and he does not know me. All we know is that we certainly do not get along! Really, I thought that you would want me to be happy, sister!"

"I do want you to be happy!" Elizabeth said but Eleanor shook her head, slowly rising from her seat.
"How can you say that....when you know full well I am not? And shall never be....all I have ever dreamed of....all I have ever wanted is to marry for love and now....well now I have no choice!"

꧁꧂

Holding her bed robe tightly to her, Eleanor watched from the stairs as soldiers ran up and down the hallways in full armour, polishing and sharpening their pikes and swords, cramming their helmets onto their heads.

During the early hours of the morning, a messenger had come saying that Warwick and George were on the move with their army and were on the hunt for Edward and for the crown.

The King had immediately gathered up his men and now that the first rays of the sun were settling on the earth they were preparing to depart.

"Go to the city of Norwich, be a Queen and look unconcerned" Edward told Elizabeth as he strode past, his wife by his side.
"I just cannot bear that this is happening!" She cried as Eleanor jumped down the rest of the steps and ran to her father and brothers who were watching grimly as their horses were saddled.

"You have to be careful!" She murmured, rushing into her father's arms "promise me that you will be careful! And you too John and you Anthony!" She continued as she embraced both of her brothers "you must promise that you will return, you must swear to me!"

"We swear" the three men said in unison as they smiled at the young woman in front of them. Turning on her heel, Eleanor made to go back upstairs but she felt a hand curl around her wrist and swung around only to become face to face with Edward.

"I hope we can part friends?" He asked, a note of anxiety in his voice before he sighed as Eleanor shook her head.
"I do not think it would be good of me to not wish you luck and I do, your grace, I will pray that you win....but we cannot part friends for as you may know by now, while my anger may be fleeting, my grudges hold fast"

Slowly withdrawing her hand from his firm grip, Eleanor walked back up the stairs without a backward glance and entered her own chambers, making sure all of her maids were present before she sat down on the coffer at the end of her bed.

"Come here" she said gently "all of you"

In a trice, Annette, Isabel, Grace and Johanna were all by her side, smoothing out the skirts of their gowns as they sat at the Countesses' feet, ready, as always, to listen and obey.

"I want you to return to Leeds Castle"
At once the jaws of all four maids virtually dropped to the floor, looking to once another as they silently deliberated weather to say a word of objection or not.

"W-why....my lady?" Annette asked at last "have we done something wrong?"
"Not at all!" Eleanor said with a smile "but it seems that our country is about to be at war, if it is not already and I do not wish for any of you to be caught up in the fights that are not of your making!"

"But they are neither of your making, my lady!" Johanna offered as the Countess turned to her "besides, if you were to return with us then you may not have to marry the Duke!"
"Exactly!" Grace exclaimed with a grin "then you shall be safe!"
"And free!" Isabel added, making Eleanor laugh.

"That is true!" She conceded "but my sister needs me by her side during this time! Both of my sisters do...." a sad expression clouded her face as she thought of Bella and resolved to take care of her "and so you are to return to Leeds Castle as soon as is possible and shall have guards to escort you. Now, go and prepare your belongings as I am to travel to Norwich with the Queen and her daughters today. You may go"

The four gave her small smiles as they rose and curtsied before leaving the room. Eleanor wondered when she would see them again and looked to her feet where Fortuna was sleeping contently, sweetly curled up.

Perhaps they were right? Perhaps if she did go with them Edward would discard the marriage plans and she would be free once more?

But she knew in her heart she could not abandon her kin now, especially not Bella. And she needed to support Elizabeth in Norwich.

"It looks like I am trapped" she whispered miserably.

꧁꧂

Nudging Apollo, Eleanor trotted around the carriage that held the three Princess and smiled at them as they giggled.
"One day I want to ride like you, Aunt Lyanna!"
Lizzie called and Mary nodded as she held Fortuna up to the window.
"And I!" She said with a smile "and Cecily does too!"

"And one day you shall!" The Countess replied with a nod "I can teach you if you like!"
"Yes! Yes!" The little girls cried and Eleanor laughed before finally riding to Bella who gave her a weak smile.

"Are you well, sister?" She whispered and Bella gave a tired shrug and a sigh.
"A little sickness this morning....but I think that was more due to the upheaval my tears caused if anything" she replied "Elizabeth knows what has happened....she coaxed it out of me and to say she was shocked about the child would be rather an understatement....but she did know of me and George and just as you have she has sworn to have revenge on him"

"And we will" Eleanor said firmly, reaching across her reins to place her hand stop her sister's "we will take revenge for you, Bella. And no one shall stop us."

꧁꧂

August 1469....

For almost a month, all were grim faced and tired as they bustled around Norwich, watching any strangers with suspicious eyes and keeping them self to themselves.

Eleanor was by Elizabeth's side almost every moment, supporting her in her rule during the day and caring for Bella by night (who's longing for George was now turning to hatred). Each day the Queen would hope for word from the King but none came....until late one night.

The three Woodville sisters were sitting in the Queen's chambers by a fire, all in their bedclothes after dismissing the servants.
Eleanor stood by the window, watching as the rain hammered against the glass of the windows when she suddenly saw a torch light on the drawbridge and heard horses hooves.

Thinking nothing of it she turned to the moat and smiled as she began to hear a soft melody fill her ears. She felt as if the angels themselves were calling out to her and gazed down at the dark waters, revelling in their song until it faded away.

Pulling the shutters to, she made her way to her sisters who were sitting by the fire, discussing plans for the baby in Bella's belly.
"Do you have any names?" Eleanor asked as she sat at the Queen's feet, leaning her head against her knee. Bella nodded, seemingly a little happier than she had been in a few weeks as she placed her hands on the, now rather large,bump that rounded her stomach.

"Well, I am six months now....only three months away from shame so I suppose I must think of small happy trifles while I can"
"You will not be shamed" Elizabeth quickly reassured her "remember our plan and tell us the names!"

Bella smiled a little and looked to the flames while the rain continued to shower down, filling the moat to almost bursting point.
"If I have a girl then I shall call her Elizabeth! After the Queen of England herself!" She laughed while Elizabeth grinned and Eleanor pretended to look affronted "and if it is a boy...."

A loud bang suddenly sounded against the door and the three women shot up, Bella wrapping her bed robe around her to hide her belly. Again someone pounded their fist against the door and Elizabeth pulled a silk shawl around her shoulders.

"Enter!" She called and the door burst open, revealing a page who's chest was heaving, making it seem as if he had run a mile.

"Your grace" he said, bowing before almost collapsing at the Queen's feet "there is a message....from the King" holding out a piece of parchment, Elizabeth all but snatched it from his trembling hands before dismissing him and watching as he fled the room, shutting the door behind him.

Bella and Eleanor sat on either side of their eldest sister as she tore open the seal that held the letter and began to read it as quickly as her eyes would allow.

"Good god!" She suddenly exclaimed, her face draining of all colour "Edward has been captured....he is a prisoner of Warwick and George! I swear when I get my hands on those two men they will die!"
"I will help" Eleanor said darkly as she frowned "even if it means I have to swing the axe that kills them myself!....but what of our brothers? What of father? Does Edward say?"

"They have escaped!" Elizabeth replied "They are coming to us but we must hasten to London....we must go tonight!"
"Of course!" Bella cried, standing "I will start to collect our belongings, the rest can be sent on after us!"
"I will go and fetch the children!" Eleanor said, rising and rushing to the door, only to be nearly knocked to the ground as it was thrown open again, revealing Anthony at the chamber's threshold.

At once relief flooded her face and she dragged her older brother into the room.
"It's Anthony! Anthony is here!"
Her two sisters looked up and overjoyed cries escaped them as they both ran over to embrace Anthony only to see that tears were filling his eyes.

Looking behind him, Eleanor stared at the darkened hallway, waiting for John and her father to appear; frowning when they didn't.
"Where is our father?" She asked quietly, pulling out of the embrace "and John? Where is John? Are they at the stables?"

"No" Anthony whispered as he shut the door and hung his head, looking guiltily at his sisters before the tears broke free and he began to weep "they are dead....they were captured by Warwick and killed...."

"No!" Elizabeth cried, shaking her head as she stepped towards her brother "no!"
"They were beheaded...." Anthony continued as Bella began to weep as well, clutching onto the back of a chair while Eleanor merely backed away as if distancing herself would keep her safe from what she had just been told; fear flashing in her eyes "there was no charge....no trial....only the word of Warwick!"

"No!" Elizabeth yelled running forward and beginning to to pound her fists against her brother's chest while she began to scream in grief, tears pouring down her face as Bella sunk to the floor and cried out, clutching her chest while her heart managed to break again.

"They can't be dead!" Eleanor yelled as she pressed herself against a cold stone wall, tears beginning to escape her eyes "not father! Not John! Oh god no!" Just as it had Elizabeth, a pain filled scream tore from her throat as she fell to the floor in a heap of white linen and red curls that shook as her body trembled "they will pay!" She yelled, weeping even harder as her chest heaved "they will all pay I swear it!"