Searching for a King
4
Jane rose as the door opened, not hesitating to fall by her lovers side as he slid to the floor with audible sobs. She wiped his face with the sleeve of her dress, gentle slaps on his cheek trying to gain attention from him. “Edward…. Edward?” She gulped at his lack of response. Raising quickly she fetched a candle, seeing blood upon his shirt, his hands, saw the tears leave colourless eyes. “Edward, my god what have they-“
“My son… They…” He choked the words, falling completely. No control of his body as he fell sideways, caught only by her as she pulled him close to her, stroking his hair gently.
“What did they do? Edward, who?”
“Buckingham.” He coughed, reaching his eyes in a pathetic attempt to wipe endless tears. “My son, he killed my son.”
“Edward, how could he? Why would he?” She looked in confusion. Unable to stop herself stepping away, leaving him to fight for control enough to sit. She paced, ran a hand through perfect blond hair. “You’re sure it was Buckingham? On his own orders?”
“On who else’s orders?! Do you think me blind and foolish woman! It was Buckingham!” He threw the stool by his hand, watching as the wood splintered on the floor. “By God, it was only for lacking in sword I did not run him through.”
“Jesu Edward, do not jest.”
“I do not jest!”
“If it is my lord of Buckingham we are all in danger, for as much as Hastings he does work with Elizabeth.”
“Lisbet? Her own son?” He stood quickly, using the wall for support, shaking his head as the tears quickly retreated. “This is madness, even for her.”
“Its why you must be sure.”
“Jane!” He cleared the space between them, taking her in his arms holding her firmly in his grasp, taking only a second before kissing her. They stood apart as the door burst open, men in armour grasping them both. “Jane!” He reached, punching the man taking hold of his arm, fighting against the second one, barely stilled by the blade as his throat as she screamed.
“Edward! Help!” There was a moments pause as the man central to them all stopped his walk, turning his gaze from Jane to Edward.
“Edward… Edward.” He muttered as though the name was one alien to him. “Edward, that surely is impossible.” He stepped closer, lifting the visor of his helmet looking at the man before him, struggling under the grasp of two men. “How can it be?” The man reached out and touched Edward’s cheek, as though to check the man before him was indeed of flesh not air. “delightful.”
“Buckingham! Hurt her and I will kill you!”
“Ah yes, you and what army?”
“Buckingham!”
“Now now dear brother you must not fret.” He tutted as Edward made a rash attempt to escape, kicking one of the men only to hit the ground with tooth breaking force. Spitting blood he glared in anger. “I’d suggest you not to fight my lord, if I am still to call you that, for surely you have no titles now, being dead and all. Not so easy when afflicted upon yourself, yet the Beauchamp woman you happily declared dead to law.”
“That’s in the past!” Jane shouted, crying out as her captor held her tighter, squeezing her belly with force enough to cause her panic. “Sir I am with child!”
“Congratulations on another bastard your grace.” The Duke’s tone was rich with sarcasm. “Should he replace your son, the bastard prince and right merry I’d be. My regret is only that I could not find the other, the kings regret also.”
“Richard did not-“
“Oh you wish to believe it, if only you saw the evidence.” Buckingham smiled, clicking his tongue. “Right wroth you’d be.” He thought for a moment turning his attention to Jane and back. “Perhaps you’d kill him like George.”
That was enough to see Edward free, a strong fist connecting with Buckingham’s jaw. The younger of the men hit the ground, his armour denting into his back. Agony soared. He gulped hard as his own dagger reached his throat, the helmet stripped from his head. “I am a servant to his majesty King Richard, to kill me is treason.”
“My brother is not king!”
Buckingham chuckled, speaking softly. “He is now I believe, with his rightful majesty dead and young York nowhere to be seen.” Edward pulled back, slipping into defeat as the men once again grabbed him. He watched as Buckingham got to his feet, dusting off his clothes. “For that show of violence, I shall show no mercy.” All eyes were upon him as he fell silent. “Take her outside, she will burn as a whore and witch. Should he object he shall watch, should he fight, it shall be his own fate.” With that, Buckingham left.
Elizabeth Woodville sat alone, newly under house arrest at Grafton Regis, her childhood home. The children were at court, serving under the usurper of the throne. The man responsible for her sons death, so she had heard from Buckingham. The man was now heading north from London and straight to see her. She did not move as she heard the horses, sending a maid to greet them. Under all appearances she would appear a queen. She smiled and sipped wine as the duke entered, bowing with such enthusiasm she could not help but smile. She stood, held out her hand to let him kiss her fingers, which he did and smiled, knelt at the foot of her golden dress. “My lord, how pleasant, bring you news more optimistic than last I heard?”
“I bring news of strange tidings madam.” He stood and clapped his hands, turning to the door and nodded to the man. The doors opened once more. Elizabeth sat as men marched in, each holding chain as though walking an untamed beast, stopped letting them fall to the ground. Each stepped aside. It took a moment, bu the glass fell from Elizabeth’s hand at the sight before her. “We found him, in London. With her.”
“Buckingham, what is this?”
“I wasn’t sure it was true either.”
“Edward, my love.” She stood, falling back only as he looked up with unfamiliar eyes.. “Give us some time my lord Buckingham.”
“Of course your grace.” He bowed once more and turned, leaving with her husband gaolers at tail.
“Come here.” She commanded in a cold tone, not flinching at his struggle as she heard the clinking of chains. He knelt before her wincing as she rested a hand lightly on a cheek rough with facial hair. She did not think to control her actions as with force she slapped him, sending his head lolling to the side. He made no reaction, no word, no sound, not even a movement. It hurt, it was as though she was not there, as though he knelt alone in the great hall. “You whoreson, you bastard!” This time as she went to slap him his hand blocked, she impacted on iron links cursing at the pain.
“You do not hit me.” He muttered the words in a cold tone. Looking up momentarily, their eyes met. “It is not your right.”
“I am your wife-!
“My wife, as my wife you are to obey me.”
“I shall not obey a coward, if not for you I would still be queen!”
“If not for me, you would never have been queen and do not forget it, although it seems you will not, for you wished me your husband only to be queen. Now I am immune to your spells and curses.”
“You call me a witch and a harlot?”
“You take from it what you please, you always did.”
“Edward. My darling, I do not wish to argue.”
“Then should it please you to hear what I have to say?” She said nothing, only gave him a high nosed glance and nodded. “Our son was killed in London two dawns past.”
“By the usurper king-“
“By Buckingham, on Richard’s order.”
“Impossible, Buckingham has our sons interest as his own, he serves the Woodvilles and not your brother.”
“I saw it with my own eyes Lisbet. I wish to believe it no more than you, but Buckingham himself said Richard was behind it, that he served his king loyal and true.”
“He betrays one of us?”
“Or both of you.”
“You’re sure?”
“He killed my son and burnt Jane.”
“he killed your whore?”
“Elizabeth, please-“
“I cannot say I will lose sleep for her. Nor you.”
“My son… They…” He choked the words, falling completely. No control of his body as he fell sideways, caught only by her as she pulled him close to her, stroking his hair gently.
“What did they do? Edward, who?”
“Buckingham.” He coughed, reaching his eyes in a pathetic attempt to wipe endless tears. “My son, he killed my son.”
“Edward, how could he? Why would he?” She looked in confusion. Unable to stop herself stepping away, leaving him to fight for control enough to sit. She paced, ran a hand through perfect blond hair. “You’re sure it was Buckingham? On his own orders?”
“On who else’s orders?! Do you think me blind and foolish woman! It was Buckingham!” He threw the stool by his hand, watching as the wood splintered on the floor. “By God, it was only for lacking in sword I did not run him through.”
“Jesu Edward, do not jest.”
“I do not jest!”
“If it is my lord of Buckingham we are all in danger, for as much as Hastings he does work with Elizabeth.”
“Lisbet? Her own son?” He stood quickly, using the wall for support, shaking his head as the tears quickly retreated. “This is madness, even for her.”
“Its why you must be sure.”
“Jane!” He cleared the space between them, taking her in his arms holding her firmly in his grasp, taking only a second before kissing her. They stood apart as the door burst open, men in armour grasping them both. “Jane!” He reached, punching the man taking hold of his arm, fighting against the second one, barely stilled by the blade as his throat as she screamed.
“Edward! Help!” There was a moments pause as the man central to them all stopped his walk, turning his gaze from Jane to Edward.
“Edward… Edward.” He muttered as though the name was one alien to him. “Edward, that surely is impossible.” He stepped closer, lifting the visor of his helmet looking at the man before him, struggling under the grasp of two men. “How can it be?” The man reached out and touched Edward’s cheek, as though to check the man before him was indeed of flesh not air. “delightful.”
“Buckingham! Hurt her and I will kill you!”
“Ah yes, you and what army?”
“Buckingham!”
“Now now dear brother you must not fret.” He tutted as Edward made a rash attempt to escape, kicking one of the men only to hit the ground with tooth breaking force. Spitting blood he glared in anger. “I’d suggest you not to fight my lord, if I am still to call you that, for surely you have no titles now, being dead and all. Not so easy when afflicted upon yourself, yet the Beauchamp woman you happily declared dead to law.”
“That’s in the past!” Jane shouted, crying out as her captor held her tighter, squeezing her belly with force enough to cause her panic. “Sir I am with child!”
“Congratulations on another bastard your grace.” The Duke’s tone was rich with sarcasm. “Should he replace your son, the bastard prince and right merry I’d be. My regret is only that I could not find the other, the kings regret also.”
“Richard did not-“
“Oh you wish to believe it, if only you saw the evidence.” Buckingham smiled, clicking his tongue. “Right wroth you’d be.” He thought for a moment turning his attention to Jane and back. “Perhaps you’d kill him like George.”
That was enough to see Edward free, a strong fist connecting with Buckingham’s jaw. The younger of the men hit the ground, his armour denting into his back. Agony soared. He gulped hard as his own dagger reached his throat, the helmet stripped from his head. “I am a servant to his majesty King Richard, to kill me is treason.”
“My brother is not king!”
Buckingham chuckled, speaking softly. “He is now I believe, with his rightful majesty dead and young York nowhere to be seen.” Edward pulled back, slipping into defeat as the men once again grabbed him. He watched as Buckingham got to his feet, dusting off his clothes. “For that show of violence, I shall show no mercy.” All eyes were upon him as he fell silent. “Take her outside, she will burn as a whore and witch. Should he object he shall watch, should he fight, it shall be his own fate.” With that, Buckingham left.
Elizabeth Woodville sat alone, newly under house arrest at Grafton Regis, her childhood home. The children were at court, serving under the usurper of the throne. The man responsible for her sons death, so she had heard from Buckingham. The man was now heading north from London and straight to see her. She did not move as she heard the horses, sending a maid to greet them. Under all appearances she would appear a queen. She smiled and sipped wine as the duke entered, bowing with such enthusiasm she could not help but smile. She stood, held out her hand to let him kiss her fingers, which he did and smiled, knelt at the foot of her golden dress. “My lord, how pleasant, bring you news more optimistic than last I heard?”
“I bring news of strange tidings madam.” He stood and clapped his hands, turning to the door and nodded to the man. The doors opened once more. Elizabeth sat as men marched in, each holding chain as though walking an untamed beast, stopped letting them fall to the ground. Each stepped aside. It took a moment, bu the glass fell from Elizabeth’s hand at the sight before her. “We found him, in London. With her.”
“Buckingham, what is this?”
“I wasn’t sure it was true either.”
“Edward, my love.” She stood, falling back only as he looked up with unfamiliar eyes.. “Give us some time my lord Buckingham.”
“Of course your grace.” He bowed once more and turned, leaving with her husband gaolers at tail.
“Come here.” She commanded in a cold tone, not flinching at his struggle as she heard the clinking of chains. He knelt before her wincing as she rested a hand lightly on a cheek rough with facial hair. She did not think to control her actions as with force she slapped him, sending his head lolling to the side. He made no reaction, no word, no sound, not even a movement. It hurt, it was as though she was not there, as though he knelt alone in the great hall. “You whoreson, you bastard!” This time as she went to slap him his hand blocked, she impacted on iron links cursing at the pain.
“You do not hit me.” He muttered the words in a cold tone. Looking up momentarily, their eyes met. “It is not your right.”
“I am your wife-!
“My wife, as my wife you are to obey me.”
“I shall not obey a coward, if not for you I would still be queen!”
“If not for me, you would never have been queen and do not forget it, although it seems you will not, for you wished me your husband only to be queen. Now I am immune to your spells and curses.”
“You call me a witch and a harlot?”
“You take from it what you please, you always did.”
“Edward. My darling, I do not wish to argue.”
“Then should it please you to hear what I have to say?” She said nothing, only gave him a high nosed glance and nodded. “Our son was killed in London two dawns past.”
“By the usurper king-“
“By Buckingham, on Richard’s order.”
“Impossible, Buckingham has our sons interest as his own, he serves the Woodvilles and not your brother.”
“I saw it with my own eyes Lisbet. I wish to believe it no more than you, but Buckingham himself said Richard was behind it, that he served his king loyal and true.”
“He betrays one of us?”
“Or both of you.”
“You’re sure?”
“He killed my son and burnt Jane.”
“he killed your whore?”
“Elizabeth, please-“
“I cannot say I will lose sleep for her. Nor you.”