The King's Artist

Ch 50: The Timeline

Too much happened too quickly over the following months. It seemed as if every day there was a meeting being held to discuss the latest news coming from London as well as the other areas throughout England.

Adelaide currently sat in Jasper's study going over the timeline of events that had recently unfolded themselves. She had grabbed a spare piece of parchment and had begun scratching out the important dates to help her better keep track of what was going on. Despite her formal education alongside Henry, she still wasn't as naturally accustomed as the others to the names of certain individuals and their relative importance. After all, she hadn't grown up hearing them.

She first began everything with marking down the events of Easter Day. That was when Adelaide believed the King first began to suspect he wasn't going to recover from his illness. He eventually announced that his brother Richard Duke of Gloucester would be regent to his son Edward the Fifth in the event of his death. A death which arrived on the 9th of April at the Palace of Westminster.

Henry and Jasper had both known that following the announcement, plans would be made to quickly bring Edward the Fifth to London. However, Adelaide suspected that none of them could have guessed what happened afterwards.

On the journey south, Richard had met with the party guiding his nephew. He had then proceeded to arrest Richard Woodville, Richard Grey and Thomas Vaughan who had been accompanying the new king. At the time, Adelaide had pretended to know their names and the significance behind their captivity simply because the group had reacted so violently after hearing the news of their arrests. Afterwards, though, Adelaide had departed to Jasper's study to try and figure out their identities.

As it would turn out, Richard Woodville, the 1st Earl Rivers, was the father of Elizabeth Woodville who had married Edward the Fourth, making him the late King's father-in-law and the current King's grandfather. Sir Richard Grey was an English knight as well as the half-brother to Edward the Fifth. And lastly, Sir Thomas Vaughan was initially an adherent of Jasper's and Henry's before he became a loyal servant to Edward the Fourth.

It was clear that the Duke of Gloucester was planning something. However, no one had real authority to challenge him or question his motives since he was the King's Lord Protector.

Henry and Jasper weren't the only ones with their suspicions and worries, though. Elizabeth Woodville along with her son Richard, her brother Lionel, and her four daughter all fled to Westminster Abbey to seek sanctuary f. The arrests of her father had understandably caused her some panic, and Adelaide partially wondered what her next plans were going to be considering she was still mother to the king.

"Do you think he's in danger?" Adelaide asked the moment Jasper entered his study. He clearly wasn't surprised to see Adelaide sitting in his chair and proceeded to make them some tea. He didn't speak as he poured them each a cup. Only when the pleasant aroma of lavender filled the room did Adelaide join Jasper in front of the fire.

"Who are you referring to?" Jasper asked, taking a sip. Adelaide was certain he was well-aware of who she was referring to, but she clarified regardless.

"Edward the Fifth," she stated, cupping both hands around the warm china and watching the swirling tea leaves as if she was hypnotized. Jasper didn't answer her, though, and just merely sighed, leaning back into the seat with a crease forming on his brow.

"He's just a child," Adelaide whispered, her grip tightening. "It's obvious that Richard is making plans to remove him from the throne. Why else would he be arresting all of Edward's greatest supporters?"

Jasper sighed again. "I don't know a man in history who wouldn't take this opportunity to make themselves king," he stated softly.

"He's gonna kill him," Adelaide said with a shake of her head.

"Most likely," Jasper nodded solemnly.

Adelaide, of course, did not know Edward the Fifth. She knew nothing about him, not his appearance, his likes or dislikes, or even what his personality was like. All she did know, though, was that he was nearly the same age as Henry had been when he was chased out of England and forced to find protection in foreign lands. Edward the Fifth  was a boy surrounded by greedy adults who wanted what he had. And as every day passed, there were fewer and fewer individuals who would stand up for him. Fewer and fewer people who would be willing to protect him and his throne.

"What do you think is going to happen next?"

"I'm not sure," said Jasper. "I suspect that Richard will most likely take Edward to the Tower of London. As to his next steps," he shook his head. "I can only guess."

Whatever it was, Adelaide didn't suspect they would be receiving any cheery news in the months to come.