The Yorkist Rose
The Final Days...
"How is he?" Elizabeth ran, her feet slapping bare against the cold floor, the candle in her hand lighting the way, her daughters Cecily and Elizabeth followed.The word's were directed to Hasting's who stood, shock stricken outside the chambers. The queen stopped and looked at the Lord again before sighing and speaking louder, almost shouting. "How is he my Lord?"
"Sorry?"
"My husband, the king, how is he?"
"I am unsure your grace, we have called for physicians."
"Is he awake?"
"I dont know the duchess is with him, I have been outside for a while."
"So you should be, it is your fault."
The man was clearly about to object when the queen and her girls barges through the huge wooden double doors and through into the bed chamber where the king lay sleeping, almost silently, the exception being the occasional weezing breath, he held tightly - like a clutching infant to his mothers hand. Duchess Cecily looked up, tried to stand and break free of her son's grip Elizabeth held up a hand, not for respect for the woman, instead not to disturb her husband's sleep, she joined the duchess and sat, her hand rested on his forehead, a slight whimper and move before he settled once more. "Has he woken since he fell?"
"He walked to the bed, with aid, then he slept."
"He complained he was cold all night, I should have been firmer."
"You should have been a better wife, a noble born wife, he'd not have gone away from you and got so cold and wet."
"I am not to blame."
"If that is how you sleep I shall not correct you."
"I am not the one who sacrificed my son's happiness for the favouritism of another son, a traitor son."
The duchess just smiled as Edward released his grip and rolled slightly, the queen rested her hand on his stomach softly stroking, trying to sooth and watched her husband relax before her daughters stepped forward the eldest speaking. "You are both as bad, you argue over my father when he is ill, he needs not to be argued for but looked after. He would scorn the both of you."
"Dear Elizabeth, your father just needs rest."
"Dont speak as though i am a child, if he simply needed rest you would have left him to it and not moved from your beds for him. He is ill."
"I am fine." He smiled and looked at her with tired eyes. "I want to be allowed to sleep without you all raising your voice."
"Sorry father."
A small nod and the women stood, each walking toward the door. "Wife."
"Edward?"
"Stay." He smiled and reached out a hand for her. "I beg it of you."
As she sat beside him laying to comfort him she smiled. "I am going nowhere." As they heard the doors close they shared a kiss before, with Eizabeth stroking his hair, Edward drifted to sleep.
April 9th 1483, Westminster Palace.
The days were longer than Elizabeth liked, it had been just two days before that Edward had insisted he be taken to Westminster, something to which she had obected, mainly for the fact he was admitting defeat. Years before he had told her he wished to die at Westminster, where much of his work had been done. She had not wanted the move for she wished him not to die. His rooms were dark and she watched, sat by his bed as he slept their youngest sleeping, her head resting on his chest. The Duchess Cecily had told her that it was normal, children attached to the weak for fear if nothing more, the girl was probably trying to save her father by clinging onto him. She sat silent for some time until early afternoon when he stirred, coughing harshly waking their daughter whom he hugged lightly, his hand stroking her back before his eyes fixed on Elizabeth, he jumped in surprise as their eldest daughter rested a cloth on his forehead. The queen rushed over holding his hand, he squeezed hers tightly and winced. "You're in pain?" he nodded "Where does it hurt my love?"
he fought for breath whispering weakly "Everywhere," his breaths were short, raspy and plenty. Elizabeth couldn't help but wipe her tears.
"Leave us" The queen looked up to her girls, each curtsied, and left. "Elizabeth, fetch your father some wine."
"Mother."
"Just do it, do not argue."
"Of course."
He waited till the children had left and looked at her with a smile. "I get wine."
"I want to help you."
"You cannot, I will die, perhaps in days..." He looked off, muttered some inaudible words, as though praying to God that he would not spare him so long in this torture but instead take him directly, away from all his worries, he coughed only to sit, coughing blood onto the sheets crying out in pain. It wasn't long before their daughter returned, a pewter cup in her hand and handed it to her mother curtsying she kissed her fathers cheek as he beckoned her close and cried as he whispered goodbye to her telling her he would not see her before his death, that she should leave and be merry and pray for his soul, and her brothers success. She shook her head, if nothing more than to register the fact that she wasn't ready before she broke away from her father leaving the chambers. Her parents fell silent as they heard her cry outside the room.
Elizabeth stood carrying the drink away, standing momentarily by the fire, she looked back watching Edward's eyes close. "Dont." She walked back sitting beside him sitting him up slowly, she put the cup to his lips and tilted his head slightly allowing him to drink. He gulped taking her hand pulling her close, his hand exploring her stomach, then breasts silently.
"Lay with me."
"My lord?" She was shocked, enough to move back slightly, his fingers caught her dress.
"Lay with me, i want to feel you close."
"But you are-"
"Its my final request. Send for the council, ten minutes from now they are to come, then lose your dress and lay with me." his eyes pleaded, in part she agreed. Fetchung the hcouncil before she kept her dress about her body and laid beneath the sheets beside her husband, not objectng as he held her close, his hand lazily wandering with barely feelable touch. It seemed a time too short before his council appeared all at once, Hasting's a shocked look about his face taking the leading role sitting beside the king as requested. A small speech and some exchanges Hasting's asked for some minutes alone with the king, who accepted. The last to leave was Elizabeth, showing reluctance as she walked, her eyes never leaving the man she did not trust.
"I need to tell you."
"I know."
"No I'm sure you dont."
"You've been dying to speak it for years."
"I have, I love you sire."
"I know."
"I mean-"
"As disgusting as the fact is, I've grown to accept it, not had you bedeaded or dragged you through the church as a sinner. You have been loyal to your wife despite it, you have not acted in a way sinful to me, nor offensive, you have been as loyal a subject as a king could dream for. I have known for some time."
"You said nothing."
With a smile the king confirmed the knowledge before coughing once more.
It was later that day, in the arms of his wife, by the side of his friend and before his mother that his breathing ceased. With it, the history of England changed forever.
"Sorry?"
"My husband, the king, how is he?"
"I am unsure your grace, we have called for physicians."
"Is he awake?"
"I dont know the duchess is with him, I have been outside for a while."
"So you should be, it is your fault."
The man was clearly about to object when the queen and her girls barges through the huge wooden double doors and through into the bed chamber where the king lay sleeping, almost silently, the exception being the occasional weezing breath, he held tightly - like a clutching infant to his mothers hand. Duchess Cecily looked up, tried to stand and break free of her son's grip Elizabeth held up a hand, not for respect for the woman, instead not to disturb her husband's sleep, she joined the duchess and sat, her hand rested on his forehead, a slight whimper and move before he settled once more. "Has he woken since he fell?"
"He walked to the bed, with aid, then he slept."
"He complained he was cold all night, I should have been firmer."
"You should have been a better wife, a noble born wife, he'd not have gone away from you and got so cold and wet."
"I am not to blame."
"If that is how you sleep I shall not correct you."
"I am not the one who sacrificed my son's happiness for the favouritism of another son, a traitor son."
The duchess just smiled as Edward released his grip and rolled slightly, the queen rested her hand on his stomach softly stroking, trying to sooth and watched her husband relax before her daughters stepped forward the eldest speaking. "You are both as bad, you argue over my father when he is ill, he needs not to be argued for but looked after. He would scorn the both of you."
"Dear Elizabeth, your father just needs rest."
"Dont speak as though i am a child, if he simply needed rest you would have left him to it and not moved from your beds for him. He is ill."
"I am fine." He smiled and looked at her with tired eyes. "I want to be allowed to sleep without you all raising your voice."
"Sorry father."
A small nod and the women stood, each walking toward the door. "Wife."
"Edward?"
"Stay." He smiled and reached out a hand for her. "I beg it of you."
As she sat beside him laying to comfort him she smiled. "I am going nowhere." As they heard the doors close they shared a kiss before, with Eizabeth stroking his hair, Edward drifted to sleep.
April 9th 1483, Westminster Palace.
The days were longer than Elizabeth liked, it had been just two days before that Edward had insisted he be taken to Westminster, something to which she had obected, mainly for the fact he was admitting defeat. Years before he had told her he wished to die at Westminster, where much of his work had been done. She had not wanted the move for she wished him not to die. His rooms were dark and she watched, sat by his bed as he slept their youngest sleeping, her head resting on his chest. The Duchess Cecily had told her that it was normal, children attached to the weak for fear if nothing more, the girl was probably trying to save her father by clinging onto him. She sat silent for some time until early afternoon when he stirred, coughing harshly waking their daughter whom he hugged lightly, his hand stroking her back before his eyes fixed on Elizabeth, he jumped in surprise as their eldest daughter rested a cloth on his forehead. The queen rushed over holding his hand, he squeezed hers tightly and winced. "You're in pain?" he nodded "Where does it hurt my love?"
he fought for breath whispering weakly "Everywhere," his breaths were short, raspy and plenty. Elizabeth couldn't help but wipe her tears.
"Leave us" The queen looked up to her girls, each curtsied, and left. "Elizabeth, fetch your father some wine."
"Mother."
"Just do it, do not argue."
"Of course."
He waited till the children had left and looked at her with a smile. "I get wine."
"I want to help you."
"You cannot, I will die, perhaps in days..." He looked off, muttered some inaudible words, as though praying to God that he would not spare him so long in this torture but instead take him directly, away from all his worries, he coughed only to sit, coughing blood onto the sheets crying out in pain. It wasn't long before their daughter returned, a pewter cup in her hand and handed it to her mother curtsying she kissed her fathers cheek as he beckoned her close and cried as he whispered goodbye to her telling her he would not see her before his death, that she should leave and be merry and pray for his soul, and her brothers success. She shook her head, if nothing more than to register the fact that she wasn't ready before she broke away from her father leaving the chambers. Her parents fell silent as they heard her cry outside the room.
Elizabeth stood carrying the drink away, standing momentarily by the fire, she looked back watching Edward's eyes close. "Dont." She walked back sitting beside him sitting him up slowly, she put the cup to his lips and tilted his head slightly allowing him to drink. He gulped taking her hand pulling her close, his hand exploring her stomach, then breasts silently.
"Lay with me."
"My lord?" She was shocked, enough to move back slightly, his fingers caught her dress.
"Lay with me, i want to feel you close."
"But you are-"
"Its my final request. Send for the council, ten minutes from now they are to come, then lose your dress and lay with me." his eyes pleaded, in part she agreed. Fetchung the hcouncil before she kept her dress about her body and laid beneath the sheets beside her husband, not objectng as he held her close, his hand lazily wandering with barely feelable touch. It seemed a time too short before his council appeared all at once, Hasting's a shocked look about his face taking the leading role sitting beside the king as requested. A small speech and some exchanges Hasting's asked for some minutes alone with the king, who accepted. The last to leave was Elizabeth, showing reluctance as she walked, her eyes never leaving the man she did not trust.
"I need to tell you."
"I know."
"No I'm sure you dont."
"You've been dying to speak it for years."
"I have, I love you sire."
"I know."
"I mean-"
"As disgusting as the fact is, I've grown to accept it, not had you bedeaded or dragged you through the church as a sinner. You have been loyal to your wife despite it, you have not acted in a way sinful to me, nor offensive, you have been as loyal a subject as a king could dream for. I have known for some time."
"You said nothing."
With a smile the king confirmed the knowledge before coughing once more.
It was later that day, in the arms of his wife, by the side of his friend and before his mother that his breathing ceased. With it, the history of England changed forever.