The Yorkist Rose
Twenty Six
The weather was cold, it hadn't stopped them. Wrapped in a cape and dublet, shirt and on Elizabeth's order - it had started as a request until he had said no, he was donning a second shirt of wool. Hasting's sat next to the king, if only to keep him company as he gazed out at the water, something he had onyl bad memories of. Taking a boat on water meant only that he was escaping something, escaping to Calais at seventeen, escaping to Calais at twenty seven, escaping the prying eyes and crtitcal brain of his wife now. He sighed at the depressing thought and turned his attentions to the Lord Hasting's who, with a warm smile brought the king back to what he thought the idea of this campaign had been. A fun and manly day out. "Will you fish sire?"
"Of course." He tried not to sound distracted, a mission harder than he might have liked. Hasting's didn't notice, or pretended not to notice at any rate. Always the loyal sobject. "What are we supposed to catch?"
The men on the boat raised an eyebrow before looking toward Hasting's as though he were a piece of meat, the men were commoners, they had some wealth but were not the gentry, they traded, knew Edward from moving his goods up and down and recieving payment. The only reason they had let him join them today was for a handsome tip of 10 crowns to share and all the fish they could catch to eat, they hadn't agreed to Hasting's, though the Lord could tell, the reason for their disgusted gaze was that they had already been paid, and it was only due to his own presence that the King of England had not yet been thrown over the side of the boat for his naive remark. "Sire, any fish you can catch is good."
"You aren't going to specify?"
"I should?"
"How are we to compete if you dont specify?"
"I challange you then, your grace" the words came from one of the commons, Edward looked up, smiling to hear those words, he offered a hand wave telling the man to continue "to catch a salmon, one salmon or three trout."
"that should not be so hard."
"For my hands, no it would not, but with delicate hands like yours-"
"Delicate hands which have swung a sword and seen more blood than you could stomach. Fishing should not be so hard."
"very well, for every second salmon you catch, I take one."
"You order the king of England?" Hasting's rose ready to punch the man when Edward pulled him to sit
"No, he needs to feed a family."
"And 2 crowns is not enough?"
As though the king had ignored the lord completely he continued. "For eevry two salmon you get one, for every four trout you get two. and raise it, for you courage to speak to your king such, I reward you five crowns atop of your two."
"Seven crowns? Your grace is too kind." The man offered a bow and turned to his mission, the other commons sneered, looking over the rich men as though they could easily take them, sizing them up. Edward smiled sweetly, innocently as he heard the larger of them say that he could easily have Edward on the floor in seconds, screaming for mercy and he could take the damned throne without a problem if they'd only have few enough morals to play by York's standards.
"He sounds like George." Hasting's muttered, he had wanted to throw the man in the water and shut his foul mouth, Edward had stopped it, only by seeming so relaxed and unbothered by the comments that it seemed pointless to draw attention. Hasting's looked to his left, the King had changed, tensed, his eyes closed briefly and he sighed. Clear regret. "Sire?"
"You mentioned George."
"Forgive me. I hadnot realised the topic was so tender."
"He was my brother, it was hardly easy was it?"
"The ruling was harsh your grace I must confess."
"You never spoke of that at the time." Edward's words were cold, he offered the lord a hand, indicating he wished not to speakof it, that was for another day, he wished only to focus on what they were doing and take home food to feed his family. It wasn't long before the little boat was anchored at a wide part of he thames,fish could be seen swimming up the murky water. the commons were the first to catch anything, mainly Hasting's believed because Edward was far too busy speaking to them of his family, of his aims, of battles and reminising over past times. Though it wasn't long before the deal pulled through. Edward caught two salmon, handed one to the man he had promised it to and four trout which he awarded to the men also, claiming he cared not for white fish but the salmon would be quite enjoyed. Hasting's had suggested turning back when the fight kicked off. Mainly to do with the mention of Elizabeth's name and the foolish tongue of an uneducated man. It of course, was not Elizabeth Woodville the man had mentioned, instead in the most vulgar of ways the man had commented on the princess's looks, instantly gaining Edward's full attention.
"pardon?"
"Huh?"
"The Princess Elizabeth, what did you say about her?" The king was coaxing, he knew well the man had forgotten he was in the presence of royalty, Edward now spoke as though he was no more than the Earl of his boyhood, a way Hasting's had not heard him speak - with such little impotance in his tone, for several years. The man repreated his comment saying that the girl was fine, oh how he'd love to show her a good bedding, how he'd of course never marry the fine slut and how hed never want to.
"Women like that think they're overly important yano?"
"Yea, I know." Edward smiled and stood, he walked slowly. "course, a princess, Elizabeth especially would never look at you. If she was so unfortunate as to cast eyes upon you, I'm sure she'd be sickened by it."
"Oh? How'd you know the good lasy then?" It was only now Hasting's noticed the strong smell of ale from the man, as he approached Edward taking the kings arm trying to pull him away. The word's leaving the man's mouth were to be his doom. "You bed her too?"
With those words, a smile from the man Edward's fist clenched and connected with the man's cheek, in seconds they were wrestling, the king coming out on top. The remaining men looked at each other for confirmation of what to do, Hasting's was the first to act taking Edward's shoulders a mistake which saw them both out of the boat and in the water when the man pushed them with enough force, almost tipping the damn boat. Unexpected, Edward barely had chance to catch breath, ducking under the water to bring Hasting's up, the push had been so unexpected to him, he had taken the weight of his friend too when they had left the wooden vessel. He pulled the man up patting his back trying hard to keep afloat. "Hasting's?"
"Your grace."
Edward laughed at the man's breathless formality before starting to swim, looking back seeing Hasting's splashing aimlessly. "Lord please, tell me you can swim?"
An embarrassed look as Edward returned before William Hasting's shook his head. "My parent's werent Duke's and Duchesses, they didnt see a need." Clinging onto the king's back, as though he were a knight in shining armour, William Hasting's relaxed as Edward, struggling to hold them both fought for the edge of the Thames helping his friend out onto the bank first. He slipped a couple of times on the silt before finally, minutes later they were both out of the water and sat at the edge of the river. it was several moments before with a boyish smile and a shiver Edward mustered the words. "My wife? She's going to kill me." Both men laughed.
"Of course." He tried not to sound distracted, a mission harder than he might have liked. Hasting's didn't notice, or pretended not to notice at any rate. Always the loyal sobject. "What are we supposed to catch?"
The men on the boat raised an eyebrow before looking toward Hasting's as though he were a piece of meat, the men were commoners, they had some wealth but were not the gentry, they traded, knew Edward from moving his goods up and down and recieving payment. The only reason they had let him join them today was for a handsome tip of 10 crowns to share and all the fish they could catch to eat, they hadn't agreed to Hasting's, though the Lord could tell, the reason for their disgusted gaze was that they had already been paid, and it was only due to his own presence that the King of England had not yet been thrown over the side of the boat for his naive remark. "Sire, any fish you can catch is good."
"You aren't going to specify?"
"I should?"
"How are we to compete if you dont specify?"
"I challange you then, your grace" the words came from one of the commons, Edward looked up, smiling to hear those words, he offered a hand wave telling the man to continue "to catch a salmon, one salmon or three trout."
"that should not be so hard."
"For my hands, no it would not, but with delicate hands like yours-"
"Delicate hands which have swung a sword and seen more blood than you could stomach. Fishing should not be so hard."
"very well, for every second salmon you catch, I take one."
"You order the king of England?" Hasting's rose ready to punch the man when Edward pulled him to sit
"No, he needs to feed a family."
"And 2 crowns is not enough?"
As though the king had ignored the lord completely he continued. "For eevry two salmon you get one, for every four trout you get two. and raise it, for you courage to speak to your king such, I reward you five crowns atop of your two."
"Seven crowns? Your grace is too kind." The man offered a bow and turned to his mission, the other commons sneered, looking over the rich men as though they could easily take them, sizing them up. Edward smiled sweetly, innocently as he heard the larger of them say that he could easily have Edward on the floor in seconds, screaming for mercy and he could take the damned throne without a problem if they'd only have few enough morals to play by York's standards.
"He sounds like George." Hasting's muttered, he had wanted to throw the man in the water and shut his foul mouth, Edward had stopped it, only by seeming so relaxed and unbothered by the comments that it seemed pointless to draw attention. Hasting's looked to his left, the King had changed, tensed, his eyes closed briefly and he sighed. Clear regret. "Sire?"
"You mentioned George."
"Forgive me. I hadnot realised the topic was so tender."
"He was my brother, it was hardly easy was it?"
"The ruling was harsh your grace I must confess."
"You never spoke of that at the time." Edward's words were cold, he offered the lord a hand, indicating he wished not to speakof it, that was for another day, he wished only to focus on what they were doing and take home food to feed his family. It wasn't long before the little boat was anchored at a wide part of he thames,fish could be seen swimming up the murky water. the commons were the first to catch anything, mainly Hasting's believed because Edward was far too busy speaking to them of his family, of his aims, of battles and reminising over past times. Though it wasn't long before the deal pulled through. Edward caught two salmon, handed one to the man he had promised it to and four trout which he awarded to the men also, claiming he cared not for white fish but the salmon would be quite enjoyed. Hasting's had suggested turning back when the fight kicked off. Mainly to do with the mention of Elizabeth's name and the foolish tongue of an uneducated man. It of course, was not Elizabeth Woodville the man had mentioned, instead in the most vulgar of ways the man had commented on the princess's looks, instantly gaining Edward's full attention.
"pardon?"
"Huh?"
"The Princess Elizabeth, what did you say about her?" The king was coaxing, he knew well the man had forgotten he was in the presence of royalty, Edward now spoke as though he was no more than the Earl of his boyhood, a way Hasting's had not heard him speak - with such little impotance in his tone, for several years. The man repreated his comment saying that the girl was fine, oh how he'd love to show her a good bedding, how he'd of course never marry the fine slut and how hed never want to.
"Women like that think they're overly important yano?"
"Yea, I know." Edward smiled and stood, he walked slowly. "course, a princess, Elizabeth especially would never look at you. If she was so unfortunate as to cast eyes upon you, I'm sure she'd be sickened by it."
"Oh? How'd you know the good lasy then?" It was only now Hasting's noticed the strong smell of ale from the man, as he approached Edward taking the kings arm trying to pull him away. The word's leaving the man's mouth were to be his doom. "You bed her too?"
With those words, a smile from the man Edward's fist clenched and connected with the man's cheek, in seconds they were wrestling, the king coming out on top. The remaining men looked at each other for confirmation of what to do, Hasting's was the first to act taking Edward's shoulders a mistake which saw them both out of the boat and in the water when the man pushed them with enough force, almost tipping the damn boat. Unexpected, Edward barely had chance to catch breath, ducking under the water to bring Hasting's up, the push had been so unexpected to him, he had taken the weight of his friend too when they had left the wooden vessel. He pulled the man up patting his back trying hard to keep afloat. "Hasting's?"
"Your grace."
Edward laughed at the man's breathless formality before starting to swim, looking back seeing Hasting's splashing aimlessly. "Lord please, tell me you can swim?"
An embarrassed look as Edward returned before William Hasting's shook his head. "My parent's werent Duke's and Duchesses, they didnt see a need." Clinging onto the king's back, as though he were a knight in shining armour, William Hasting's relaxed as Edward, struggling to hold them both fought for the edge of the Thames helping his friend out onto the bank first. He slipped a couple of times on the silt before finally, minutes later they were both out of the water and sat at the edge of the river. it was several moments before with a boyish smile and a shiver Edward mustered the words. "My wife? She's going to kill me." Both men laughed.