Crown of Blood | The White Princess

Passions of the Young

Together, Ned and Edmund carried Francis to his chamber and quickly got him out of his armour, followed by a weeping Lisbet and a distressed Marin who had turned as pale as a ghost; looking as if she would faint there and then.

"He's not breathing!" Lisbet cried as she rushed to Francis' side, taking his hand and kissing it fiercely "he's not breathing, mama!"

"He is!" Ned shouted, placing a hand to Francis's chest, a look in his eyes that verged on insanity "only slightly but he's still with us, Lisbet!"

Marian caught his expression and dragged herself across the room, catching Ned's arm and leading him from the chamber, attempting to comfort him while he raged at himself, fearing that he had all but killed his best friend.

In his place, Gwen bounded in, going straight to Lisbet and curling up beside her. Lisbet smiled at the dog through her tears and put her arms around it, hugging Gwen tightly to her chest. Edmund was quick to join her and leant his head against Gwen's grey coat, his carefully crafted manly facade momentarily gone with the shock of the accident.

A physician rushed into the chamber and instantly began to examine Francis, checking his heartbeat and pulse before breathing a sigh of relief when he saw there were no open wounds.

"He is safe...the impact of the blow knocked him out tis all" the man announced and Lisbet let out a cry of joy while Edmund flopped back against the floor and began to laugh with relief.

"Will he wake up?" He asked when he stood and adjusted his armour. The physician nodded and then bowed, leaving the room in haste.

"Oh thank the Lord" Lisbet prayed aloud, clasping her hands together. Ed laughed again.
"I'm not sure God has anything to do with, sister! If anything I thank Ned's bad aim on this day! If he'd hit his target then old Francis might not have been so lucky!"

The two siblings smiled at one another and finally decided to leave Francis to rest, promising to return when he awoke.

One divested of his armour, Ed walked through the gardens with Lisbet as they reminisced on old times with their parents and what they hoped and feared would come.

"Do you remember one day when you were invested Prince of Wales? I've never seen papa look so proud!"
"Aye" Ed said grinning as they strolled along the grass beside the castle walls, far away from the tilt yard "it is a day I will always remember as well as the evening father gave me my dagger" he gestured to the blade on his belt and Lisbet smiled.
"Ah yes, your most prized possession, dear brother"

He nodded and smiled affectionately at Lisbet.
"Do you still miss him? I fear that one day we shall be the only two of his children that shall remember him" She nodded and placed a hand on her brothers arm.
"Of course I remember him, Edmund, I miss him every day! I always will...but doesn't Ned remember? He must do!"
"He remembers Dickon, Lisbet" Ed answered "he doesn't much speak of Papa, it seems to hurt him too much but I wish we could go back, Lisbet! We were so so happy! We were always happy..."