~Lust~

April 1471, Sanctuary....

Eleanor woke with a start as Elizabeth shook her before clamping a hand over her mouth as she sat up, alarmed. The Queen put a trembling finger to her lips and wrapped a hand around her sister's arm, raising her from her makeshift bed while the Duchess looked around, bleary eyed until she heard the distant sounds of doors being forced open and the clanging of metal.

Nodding at the Queen, Eleanor wrapped a shawl around her shoulders before tip-toeing to the table and picking up the knife there while Elizabeth fetched her dagger.

She dashed to the door and yanked open the small window, her heart near jumping into her throat as she saw three hooded figures in full armour, heading towards the crypt. 'Lancaster!' Her mind screamed. Running back to Elizabeth, they tried in vain to yank the metal gate, that lead to their sleeping quarters, shut but it would not budge and the Duchess cursed under her breath, looking around at her nephews and nieces; finding tears fill her eyes at the mere idea of them being harmed.

"We have to get the children" she muttered "wake them up, put them in the little boat by the river steps and flee. Burgundy! Anywhere but here! I will hold these Lancastrians off as long as I can!"

Elizabeth fervently shook her head, taking her sister's hand.
"No" she commanded firmly, taking to pulling on the gate again while bangs suddenly came at the crypt door, surprisingly not awakening any of the children "no you are coming with me, you are my sister, Leena, and I will not leave you to die.... never shall I do that to you...."

"You must!" The Duchess's returned "if you want the heir to the throne to live then you must go and you must leave me! I will hear no argument. Not even from you!" She gave Elizabeth a small push towards her children, fear and anxiety clearly written on her face as the harsh bangs increased and the children began to stir "for our mother's sake, for England and Edward's sake if not for mine! Go!"

"And what will I say to Richard?!" Elizabeth demanded as she shook Rickon and Tom awake, pulling them roughly from the covers before throwing their jerkins at them "what will I say to him if you die?!"

"Tell him that I died for York and that is just how I would have it! Tell him to marry again and forget me or something along the lines of that! Dont you dare tell him I care for him or I will come back and haunt you! Now go Elizabeth before I push you and all of the children into that boat myself!"

"Children?!" Tom repeated indignantly, though he was clearly scared as he woke the Princesses.
"Oh, for once in your life, shut up Thomas!" Eleanor yelled as the family continued to try and gather themselves while she ran towards a stone pillar, pressing her back against it, knife held to her chest, thinking she would give her family more chance of escape if she had the element of surprise upon the enemy.

"Get in the boat!" Elizabeth ordered, picking up her dagger once more as she handed her infant son to Tom and waved them towards the door at the far end of the crypt "take care of them, Tom, Rickon, promise me you will!"

Eleanor watched in shock as her sister kissed her children before running to her, taking her hand and pressing her lips to it.
"If we are to go down then we shall go down together" she whispered with a small smile "I will not leave you to fight alone....and with two of us, we have more chance of victory"

"But, the children! They cannot manage without you! This act is noble yet stupid...." the Duchess cried only to have the Queen shake her head.
"You are my sister" she said firmly "and I will not leave you to fight alone, I never will....there are only three....we can take them Leena!"

The door banged open and the two sisters hid behind the pillar, squeezing each other's hands, watching as Rickon opened the river door and began to herd the weeping Princesses into it. As the heavy footsteps came closer and closer, Eleanor gave a sharp nod and the two rushed out from their hiding places pointing their daggers at the 'Lancastrians' that had broken into their sanctuary.

"Daddy!" Lizzie screamed as she broke free from Rickon's grasp, dropped a squirming Fortuna, and dashed forward as Edward pulled back his hood and Elizabeth dropped her dagger, looking as if she were about to faint before the King caught her in his arms and crushed his lips against hers, smiling as he did so. As Lizzie reached him he grinned down at her and swung her into his arms, letting her cover his face in affectionate kisses before a small baby's cry alerted him and he looked over his wife's shoulder to where Tom was holding the young Prince.

"My son" he whispered, striding forward as Eleanor's eyes fell on the man standing slightly behind him and finding her knife slipped from her grasp as Richard removed his hood; smiled at her. Without a second thought she ran forward and jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck as she began to laugh in complete joy.

"Hello, sweetheart" he murmured against her neck before she drew back a little and he tilted her chin up with his finger, gazing at her for a moment before he spoke again "there is someone waiting for you outside" he said and slid an arm around Eleanor's waist, guiding her from the crypt while she leant her head against his shoulder and covered his hand with hers.

The Duchess shivered a little as she stepped out into the main abbey and Richard held her a little tighter to him.
"Do not fret" he whispered "you shan't be cold for long now that I am here"

Eleanor looked up at him, flushing a deep red while he grinned at her and kissed her forehead before a small cough made her gaze snap to the front and she gasped as she saw the Duke of Clarence leaning against the wall.

As soon as he saw her, he began to smirk and pushed himself upright, tilting his head.
"My beloved honey pie!" He greeted loudly as Richard merely rolled his eyes, irked, as usual, by his brother's blatant arrogance "are you going to slap me like you did last time I returned? If so, I assure you I am fully prepared!"

Detaching herself from her husband's embrace, Eleanor made her way towards George in silence, taking small steps while she decided what to do with him. Should she hit him as he had suggested? A part of her certainly wanted to! Or should she welcome him back? Forgive as her mother in law believed she had done or follow the curse that her necklace held?

Forgive him....but falsely?

Follow her beloved sister as she had always done since she had taken her first steps....

Eventually the two were face to face and Eleanor tilted her head to the side, studying her old friend's expression before she smiled and flung her arms around him.
"Welcome back, you cocky bastard" she said with a nod while George beamed at her and picked her off the floor, swinging her around until she demanded he put her down again.

"I knew you would not abandon me!" He laughed, looking to Richard "I told you didn't I, Dickon?"
"I suppose you did!" Richard replied with a small smile before he stepped forward and slid his arm around Eleanor's waist, intertwining their hands. George smirked again.

"Oh I see what's going on!" he said folding his arms "then I think I shall take my leave for I'm certain your charming sister shall not want to see me!" Spinning around he pulled up the hood of his cloak, picking up the torch that he had laid on the ground.

As soon as he was gone Eleanor threw herself into Richard's arms once more and brought his head down to hers to kiss him. She backed against the wall, not minding the coldness of his metal armour against her chest as they pressed against each other seemingly desperately, not stopping for even a single breath.

"I've thought of nothing but you" he whispered as he brushed his lips along her jaw before he lowered them to her neck and she gasped a little feeling something akin to fire spark in her stomach before an unfamiliar ache settled between her thighs. She felt herself start to tremble dizzily as Richard began to caress the curve of her waist through her thin shift, her body slipping down the wall slightly until he tightened his hold on her a little, pressing them together even more.

"I've thought of you too" she breathed, her pulse racing as she slid her hands up his neck, winding locks of his dark hair around her fingers "I've dreamt of you....more and more of late"

Richard smirked as he returned his lips to hers, gently coaxing hers to part as he sought a deeper kiss.

"Come with me" Eleanor whispered, moving to fleetingly kiss his neck before taking his hand and beginning to lead him through the abbey, a smile touching her lips as she heard Edward and Elizabeth's laughter from the crypt.

"Where are we going?" Richard asked as the Duchess opened the small door next to the alter and lifted the hem of her chemise as she began to ascend the steps. Once she reached the bedchamber at the top, she took a deep breath before nodding to herself and pushing the door open.

The two stepped inside and Richard walked ahead of her as she bolted the door and turned to face him, watching as he moved in the bright light of the moon that flooded through the windows.

Turning to face her, the Duke smiled and held out a hand, gazing at her with lust in his eyes as she came to him and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips.
"Do you wish to lie with me, Eleanor?" He asked huskily and she silently nodded, reaching up to untie his cloak and finding her breath caught in her throat as the worn material fell to the ground.

Together they removed his armour and doublet underneath and Richard kicked off his boots, leaving him in his breeches and shirt, reaching out and catching Eleanor's waist, beginning to kiss her neck again as he pulled at the ribbon that bound her hair and combed his fingers through the copper curls until they fell around her face, seemingly lighting up her green eyes as she stared longingly at him.

"I still don't really know what to do" she confessed quietly and Richard hugged her to him.
"Then are you sure? I am willing to wait...."
"I have had enough of waiting" Eleanor said stepping back and pushing her shawl from her shoulders rather determinedly. She would have him there and then, she simply needed a little guidance "I've been waiting half a year, Richard.... waiting is something I am no longer capable of"

Nodding, he pulled his shirt over his head and his wife stepped forward, tilting her head a little as she held up a hand to his bare chest and slowly ran her fingers over his warm skin, trailing them down to his stomach where strong muscles tensed slightly at her touch, making her smile.

Slowly moving lower her hand brushed against the waist of his breeches and she peered up at him through the strands of red hair that had fallen slightly over her face. He gave her a small smile in way of reply and she began to hesitantly tug at the laces, adrenaline rising within her with each movement. When she finally pulled the last fine knot loose she gently pushed at the material until the garment fell of its own accord, leaving Richard naked in front of her as he stepped out of the soft fabric.

Eleanor moved towards him so that her body was lightly pressed against his while her hands began to explore, running along his shoulders, and gently down his back, eliciting a soft moan that startled her.
"Am I hurting you?" She asked nervously, as her hands suddenly stopped, slightly biting the inside of her cheek with worry.

Richard shook his head, his mind dizzy with the desire for the woman before him. His wife and Duchess.
"You are not hurting me" he said gently "continue....if you wish....I don't want you to be frightened, sweetheart"

Letting out a shallow breath and a small nod to reassure herself, Eleanor let her hands move once more her nails gently scraping along his skin as her fingers made their way down his thigh, causing shivers to run down his spine and his need to have her increase.

Slowly bringing up his own hands to her shoulders he felt her still as he came to the small knots that that held her shift together.
"Untie them" Eleanor whispered, turning her head to look up at him again "the good Lord knows I have waited six months for you to do so" A small smile lit her face as she said the words, assuring Richard that she meant them and in one swift motion he pulled the knots loose, the material leaving her and falling to the floor.

She immediately looked down, squeezing her eyes shut. She wanted him to see her but as her shift fell a worry suddenly sprang up inside of her. Would he find her desirable? Just as she knew he had another. Would she compare? Would she be enough?

She found the courage to open her eyes a little as she felt soft hands slide around her waist, beginning to gently move up and down, soothing her.
"I'm not worthy of such beauty" Richard whispered, causing her to look up at him "I feel as if I am gazing upon an Angel"

Eleanor giggled softly at that, shivering a little as her husband pulled her closer to him, cupping the side of her face before he kissed her. After a few moments, she felt herself being gently moved backwards and eventually felt the soft covers of the bed and moved to lie down, wrapping her arms around Richard's neck as he lay down next to her.

She felt as if lightening was rushing through her veins as he reached out and lightly touched her breast, his finger gently circling around her nipple until it peaked and Eleanor found her breaths becoming heavy with need, her chest rising and falling in anticipation; back arching towards him.

"I want you" she moaned, surprising herself with her forwardness as she took Richard's hand, slowly pulling him on top of her. He smiled down at her, once again claiming her lips while she rubbed her thighs together to soothe the ache that had settled there. Her husband chuckled as he saw what she was doing and slowly ended their kiss, watching as Eleanor opened her eyes and sighed in pleasure.

Raising a finger to the tip of her nose, she grinned as he began to gently trail it down her body, down her neck, between her breasts and slowly across her stomach until he reached her thighs and Eleanor found they parted willingly for him with only a moment of hesitation beforehand.

She gasped, her fists curling around the cold sheets beneath her as his fingers met her centre, causing her to tremble in delight and soft moans to escape her lips. She cried out as he slid a finger inside of her, making her suddenly wrap her arms around him, gasping and moving her hips gently up and down with Richard guiding her.

Suddenly she felt a strange sensation beginning gather at the pit of her stomach, increasing as Richard began to move faster. Her back arched and gasps escaped her lips, mixed with moans that made him smirk a little as he watched her writhe with pleasure beneath him.

"Do you like that, sweetheart?" He asked, kissing along her shoulders and down her chest, gently nipping at her breasts, making her moan louder. She nodded, unable to speak as her hands grasped at his hair, holding him in place until she felt something inside her snap and she was sure she saw stars behind her eyes. Her body suddenly went limp and her limbs trembled as she cried out Richard's name.

Richard immediately gathered her into his arms, kissing her repeatedly until she floated down from the cloud he had managed to send her up to.
"I never knew....I could feel like that...." she whispered her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath, gently tracing her husband's lips before she tilted her head up for another kiss "I don't think I ever will again...."
"You will" Richard murmured and gently pushed her shoulders back onto the pillows before moving on top of her "it may hurt a little, my darling, but...."

"I want it" Eleanor whispered, lifting her head up to kiss him again "I want it all"
Nodding, Richard gently nudged her legs apart and she wrapped them around his waist, sucking in a sharp breath as he thrust into her for the first time, gently, but there was a sharp pain none the less that made her wince and him still.

"Carry on" she urged, beginning to move her hips slightly to replace the pain with pleasure and smiling when her husband began to move with her. The more he sped up little by little the more Eleanor moaned and moved her hips, begging for more of him until she felt the same sensation as before, an unyielding ache and pressure within her that increased until she could contain it no longer and she cried out again, Richard quickly following her before they sank downward into each other's arms.