❝you think Achilles was of impressive descent?
touch me one more time❞
The one where King Edward IV is captivated by Charlotte Neville and their love has far-reaching consequences. For Charlotte had a place in Edward's heart no one could tear her fr...
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York Minster (The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York)
"What have you done? You fool, what have you done?" Charlotte screamed, shaking her son's nurse furiously.
"I haven't, Your Grace! Please! I swear on the Bible I haven't done anything! I fed His Highness when he woke in the early hours then gave him to Mistress Smith to rock. Nothing else, I swear it! I swear it!"
The frantic interrogation reached Edmund's ears long before he entered the nursery.
Momentarily blocking his ears to it however, he strode straight past his mother and Mistress Tyrell, utterly focused on the cradle that stood in the middle of the room. Its occupant should have been squirming or even howling his displeasure at the noise, yet he wasn't.
Instead, he lay silent and still beneath his coverlet. Unnaturally silent and still.
Already knowing in his heart what he would feel, Edmund reached down with a trembling finger to brush his brother's cheek. It was cold to the touch.
Dread filled him and he snatched him up, rocking him, pressing him to his chest in an attempt to warm the lifeless skin.
"Come on, Rickon. Come on, darling. It's time to get up. Wake up for Mama, hmm? Wake up, please! Rickon! Please!"
It was fruitless. He knew full well it was fruitless, but he couldn't stop himself from trying. The same way he knew his mother would have tried before she rounded on the maids in the way that she had.
"Edmund?" A sleepy voice made him freeze and turn slowly to face the door. Bella peeped around the door frame, her curls riotous with sleep, "What's going on? What's all the noise about? Why isn't Rickon crying? He hates loud noises."
Edmund's heart clenched. His throat tightened, threatening to choke him. He could barely bring himself to speak, especially when Kathryn's head popped out from behind Bella.
"Papa," the little girl lisped, "'ikon sleeping."
Uncharacteristic tears burned behind Edmund's eyelids at his little daughter's words. "That's right," he managed at last, "That's right."
He looked over his daughter's head at his sister. "Take Kathryn into your room and stay there. Mama and I will sort everything out, I promise."
Bella would normally have protested at the fact that brother hadn't answered a single one of her questions, but something in his voice told her that this wasn't the time. She nodded meekly. "Come on, Kat."
Edmund watched them out of sight, then turned back to the scene nearer to him. His mother had finally given up on shaking any information out of Rickon's nurse and had turned her lashing tongue on to the nursemaid.
"Did you truly sense nothing? How can that be? Healthy children don't just die!"
"Your Majesty, please! There truly was nothing out of the ordinary. I beg Your Majesty to believe me! True, His Highness fussed a little after Mistress Tyrell laid him down, but the Prince always does that. Neither of us thought anything of it, not when..."
