The Yorkist Rose
Acts Forbidden.
She ran her fingers over the smooth white fur, the horse stood perfectly still as her hand ran over the muscle encasing its leg, its owner had unmounted and stood behind her. Elizabeth Woodville felt a small shiver as those soft and noble hands slipped over her stomach, his body supporting her own, his breath was hot but soft on her skin. “Your grace.” Her voice was just a whisper, silenced as his finger rested upon her lips.
“I wish you not to speak, truly Elizabeth you are beautiful.”
“Thank you your grace.”
“Edward.” His correction was subtle, his lips in dangerous proximity with her cheek, she felt the familiar warm shivers.
“Your grace, Edward, I wish only my lands returned, I wish only my sons to have their fortune and no more, I wish not that you'd be so close.” Perhaps it surprised her a little that the king stepped back, his hand resting on the horse, stroking he stepped around it, his head visible over the horses body, something Elizabeth noted abnormal for men, he was tall, handsome and built strong. “Your horse, he's beautiful.”
“Fast, a good creature, gentle when you're gentle. Of course, he knows what you want.” Edward watched as the woman he currently desired looked down, her hand faltering before she returned to stroking the horse in pattern. “They're prey creatures, by nature I am terrifying to this magnificent creature.”
Elizabeth held back the words she wanted to say, acknowledging his ability to strike fear into her as he stepped closer to her, his hand once again touching her, this time moving the soft ginger locks from her face, his fingers cupping her cheek gently, bringing her face to look at him, his eyes flickered, she noticed his quick blink, his hesitation. “Your grace?”
“Ride with me.”
“But-”
“It would please me, if you followed my will, ride with me.”
“I suppose it cannot harm.” With her words hand wrapped around her and he lifted her onto the saddle, following up without assistance taking the reigns in his hands a soft kick sending the horse to trot a tongue click taking it to canter. Elizabeth's eyes fixed on the young kings thigh, the muscle movement clear, strong. For a moment a part of her wished only to give to his subtle advances, to bend to his will after all his show was only to impress her. He brought the horse to the palace gates and inside the courtyard, her eyes scanned as he brought the horse to a halt, his voice soft, calm jumping down he offered her a hand catching her as jumped, her feet lightly hit the ground. He stepped back slowly taking up her hand, his eyes wandered. “I would request your presence this night.”
“I cannot your grace, for my sons.”
“Are they alone? How could they be when you have no lands for them to be?”
“They stay with my mother, Lady Rivers.”
A nod of recognition, almost disappointment. “I see.”
“Your grace, it would be my will you let me leave without force to keep me here.”
“I use no force, you are free to leave, I do not keep you here.”
She smiled that beautiful smile and tried to turn, his words failed, his promise vanished as he gripped her arm pulling her. “Elizabeth, I cannot-”
“Your grace I insist, do not make me cry out, for that would suit neither you nor I.”
“You would call against your king?”
“I would not wish to but would for need to yes your grace.”
“For need?”
“If he were to regard me dishonourable and take his want.”
The man offered a laugh, cold, as though this situation were one similar to one which before he had experienced. “Then leave, leave and do not return, expect nothing from me.”
“My lands your grace-”
“They will be yours, as was my word.”
Elizabeth offered a curtsy, Edward reached, his hand stroking her cheek she froze as he once again stepped closer, this time moving his hands onto her skirt pulling her closer watching her chest rise and fall, faster now she looked away offering him perfect access to the soft skin lining her neck, his lips moved closer only to settle for her lips and not the warmth of her neck. “Elizabeth, will you truly deny me?”
“Your grace.” Tears brimmed in her eyes as his hand straightened a crease in her skirt, his fingers exploring more than their welcome. “I beg you.” He seemed to pay no attention only to feel his feet leave the floor, her hand on his chest she pushed hard. “Your grace, I begged you'd not touch me nor make me feel dishonoured.”
The surprise had not left him as he climbed to his feet “leave.” he said no more as he charged toward the palace leaving Elizabeth and his horse alone, tears streamed down her face, for heart break, for shame and for relief. He would have found it so easy to ruin her, to lock her from the world, deny her the boys lands and to send her to the tower for death. She looked up, once more stroking the horses beautiful coat her words barely audible. “The heart that beats beneath your chest is one of gold, one of light. A merciful king, alas one I shall see not again.” With the words she turned and left.
Both parties unaware of the prying eyes which had the time been curious, the ears which had heard their words. Richard Plantagenet moved with swift grace into the palace, the secrets were with him, he would not spill them, Edward had taken things no further than a push, the girl was safe. He still took the chance to catch up with his brother seeing the opportunity. “Edward.”
The king turned faced his brother. “Richard.”
“You thought to dishonour the lady?”
“I thought of nothing, your eyes saw nothing.”
“Alas, I wish it were the case for it is not.”
“You saw nothing brother.”
“As for what I heard?” Richard's eyes sank to the floor.
“Nothing brother, unless you wish your head on a spike.”
“Leave it with her, the lady desires you not, you will not win.”
“A fool, I did not take you for such. I am king, any woman in this land can be mine.”
“Your vanity exceeds you yet.”
“My vanity is of truth.”
“I warn you brother, not every woman grows warm at the voice of a Yorkist king, for many despise his actions.” Richard said no more and walked away, leaving Edward deep in thought and gazing out of the window which Cecily Neville had just moments ago used as vantage for her son's advance.
“I wish you not to speak, truly Elizabeth you are beautiful.”
“Thank you your grace.”
“Edward.” His correction was subtle, his lips in dangerous proximity with her cheek, she felt the familiar warm shivers.
“Your grace, Edward, I wish only my lands returned, I wish only my sons to have their fortune and no more, I wish not that you'd be so close.” Perhaps it surprised her a little that the king stepped back, his hand resting on the horse, stroking he stepped around it, his head visible over the horses body, something Elizabeth noted abnormal for men, he was tall, handsome and built strong. “Your horse, he's beautiful.”
“Fast, a good creature, gentle when you're gentle. Of course, he knows what you want.” Edward watched as the woman he currently desired looked down, her hand faltering before she returned to stroking the horse in pattern. “They're prey creatures, by nature I am terrifying to this magnificent creature.”
Elizabeth held back the words she wanted to say, acknowledging his ability to strike fear into her as he stepped closer to her, his hand once again touching her, this time moving the soft ginger locks from her face, his fingers cupping her cheek gently, bringing her face to look at him, his eyes flickered, she noticed his quick blink, his hesitation. “Your grace?”
“Ride with me.”
“But-”
“It would please me, if you followed my will, ride with me.”
“I suppose it cannot harm.” With her words hand wrapped around her and he lifted her onto the saddle, following up without assistance taking the reigns in his hands a soft kick sending the horse to trot a tongue click taking it to canter. Elizabeth's eyes fixed on the young kings thigh, the muscle movement clear, strong. For a moment a part of her wished only to give to his subtle advances, to bend to his will after all his show was only to impress her. He brought the horse to the palace gates and inside the courtyard, her eyes scanned as he brought the horse to a halt, his voice soft, calm jumping down he offered her a hand catching her as jumped, her feet lightly hit the ground. He stepped back slowly taking up her hand, his eyes wandered. “I would request your presence this night.”
“I cannot your grace, for my sons.”
“Are they alone? How could they be when you have no lands for them to be?”
“They stay with my mother, Lady Rivers.”
A nod of recognition, almost disappointment. “I see.”
“Your grace, it would be my will you let me leave without force to keep me here.”
“I use no force, you are free to leave, I do not keep you here.”
She smiled that beautiful smile and tried to turn, his words failed, his promise vanished as he gripped her arm pulling her. “Elizabeth, I cannot-”
“Your grace I insist, do not make me cry out, for that would suit neither you nor I.”
“You would call against your king?”
“I would not wish to but would for need to yes your grace.”
“For need?”
“If he were to regard me dishonourable and take his want.”
The man offered a laugh, cold, as though this situation were one similar to one which before he had experienced. “Then leave, leave and do not return, expect nothing from me.”
“My lands your grace-”
“They will be yours, as was my word.”
Elizabeth offered a curtsy, Edward reached, his hand stroking her cheek she froze as he once again stepped closer, this time moving his hands onto her skirt pulling her closer watching her chest rise and fall, faster now she looked away offering him perfect access to the soft skin lining her neck, his lips moved closer only to settle for her lips and not the warmth of her neck. “Elizabeth, will you truly deny me?”
“Your grace.” Tears brimmed in her eyes as his hand straightened a crease in her skirt, his fingers exploring more than their welcome. “I beg you.” He seemed to pay no attention only to feel his feet leave the floor, her hand on his chest she pushed hard. “Your grace, I begged you'd not touch me nor make me feel dishonoured.”
The surprise had not left him as he climbed to his feet “leave.” he said no more as he charged toward the palace leaving Elizabeth and his horse alone, tears streamed down her face, for heart break, for shame and for relief. He would have found it so easy to ruin her, to lock her from the world, deny her the boys lands and to send her to the tower for death. She looked up, once more stroking the horses beautiful coat her words barely audible. “The heart that beats beneath your chest is one of gold, one of light. A merciful king, alas one I shall see not again.” With the words she turned and left.
Both parties unaware of the prying eyes which had the time been curious, the ears which had heard their words. Richard Plantagenet moved with swift grace into the palace, the secrets were with him, he would not spill them, Edward had taken things no further than a push, the girl was safe. He still took the chance to catch up with his brother seeing the opportunity. “Edward.”
The king turned faced his brother. “Richard.”
“You thought to dishonour the lady?”
“I thought of nothing, your eyes saw nothing.”
“Alas, I wish it were the case for it is not.”
“You saw nothing brother.”
“As for what I heard?” Richard's eyes sank to the floor.
“Nothing brother, unless you wish your head on a spike.”
“Leave it with her, the lady desires you not, you will not win.”
“A fool, I did not take you for such. I am king, any woman in this land can be mine.”
“Your vanity exceeds you yet.”
“My vanity is of truth.”
“I warn you brother, not every woman grows warm at the voice of a Yorkist king, for many despise his actions.” Richard said no more and walked away, leaving Edward deep in thought and gazing out of the window which Cecily Neville had just moments ago used as vantage for her son's advance.