- 𝐸𝑚𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒, 𝐸𝑚𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 -
It's the year 1485 and King Richard III has been slain at the battle of Bosworth along with his beloved wife and Queen, Marian of Lancaster. Their eldest daughter, Lisbet, is given little time to...
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3 years later, August, 1494, Gravensteen, Lisbet is 19...
Lisbet frowned as she observed the small golden locket that had arrived the previous day from England. As she had done countless times for the past few hours, she opened it and stared at the two miniature portraits inside.
One was of a red headed woman, a golden crown on her head and a white rose in her hand. The other, a 7 year old boy with a thatch of dark hair and light blue eyes that made Lisbet smile fondly. Lizzie and Arthur.
She recalled the previous evening. She and Francis had been dancing together (as usual) when suddenly an ambassador from England was announced and swept through the doors of the great hall, earning glares left right and centre from all who saw him and the Tudor rose that he had sewed onto his green doublet.
The man had headed straight to Lisbet, causing her to slowly reach for the dagger she always kept concealed in her sleeve and Marian to move protectively towards her daughter. However the ambassador paid no attention to the Queen of England and simply lay the small golden box he carried at Lisbet's feet before rising and waiting for his dismissal.
"What is this?" Francis hissed as Ned and Edmund left their dance partners and went to their sister's side, hand's firmly clutching at the hilts of their swords. "A gift from her majesty, Queen Elizabeth of England" the ambassador replied.
"She is no Queen! Arrest this man!" Edmund shouted and instantly his men darted forward but Lisbet held up a hand. "No!" She ordered and the men halted, confused on weather to obey their lord or their lady. The fierce look in Lisbet's eyes told them that the latter would be the best course and they slowly backed away, letting the ambassador flee the room.
Lisbet reached down to claim the box from the floor but Francis stopped her, picking it up before she could and examining it intently. "It could be a trap, my love" he murmured and Lisbet 'hm'd' in agreement, keeping a tight grip on her lover's hand (despite the suspecting glances her action earned) until he handed her the box and she waved for the court to continue their dancing and festivities (though many still craned their necks to see what England had sent).
Sensing that she would have no privacy in this matter, Lisbet left with Francis and they went to his chambers, laying the golden box on the bed and slowly opening it, their surprise evident when all they saw was a small golden locket with a note on top.
'Forever in your heart' Lisbet read aloud as her gaze flicked over her cousin's handwriting and felt tears rush to her eyes. Reaching to pick up the locket, she flicked it open and gasped at the small portraits inside, slowly stroking them with her thumb while Francis gave a sneer of disgust and began to pace around the room.
"Why would they do this? Why would she do this?" He hissed "Calm yourself, my dearest love" Lisbet replied, still studying the paintings "tis nothing but a chance" "A chance?" Francis repeated "Aye...my last chance to turn to Tudor...well Ned shall certainly be pleased when he learns of this..." "And why would that be?"
