𝐸𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 || 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑊𝐻𝐼𝑇𝐸 𝑄𝑈𝐸𝐸𝑁

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑋𝐼𝑉

~Written in Blood~

Eleanor wiped away another tear as she rode through the gatehouse of the Tower of London with Elizabeth and Bella who were both silent in their grief, their faces white and eyes swollen red.

They had rode in silence for near a week and a half as the royal party made its way back to the capital under a bleak cloud of misery. As the days past, more news came of the deaths of Baron Rivers and John Woodville, one piece being that they were executed at Kenilworth Castle.

At once Eleanor had declared with a sob that that must not be possible as they were there just a month before and then she had found herself clinging to the last shred of hope she had in her heart that she and her father may be alive. Only for it to be crushed when the men and servants began to address Anthony as Earl Rivers.

Guards rode beside them at all times and always surrounded the castles and manors that they sheltered in at night, though this did little to make the Woodvilles feel safe.

Edward was Warwick's prisoner, most of the old nobility hated their family and would be glad to see them overthrown with George in his elder brother's place as King.

'Parliament would not allow it" Elizabeth would always rage whenever the idea was raised but her younger sisters were not so sure. After all, Warwick was the King Maker and he was currently Kingmaking.

The portcullis came down behind them, creating a loud clang as the heavy metal hit cold stone and then the gates were shut and bolted, would remain so until they were either breached or ordered to be opened by the Queen. Eleanor felt a chill run down her spine, making her shiver, just as she had done upon entering the tower for his sister's coronation four years ago.

Seeing the two Grey boys waiting for them on the tower steps, their faces ashen with despair, Elizabeth gave out a small cry and didn't wait to be helped from her saddle; rushed over to her sons and embraced them.

Her sisters were quick to follow with the Princesses in their arms and nodded to Tom and Rickon as they entered the tower in the same saddened silence they had withheld for days and nights.

Eventually, they reached a dimly lit room and saw Jacquetta Woodville, dressed in black and standing hunched over by the fire. Placing Lizzie and Mary down onto the bed beside her, Eleanor steps forward.

"Mother" she whispered, her voice turning to a strangled sob as her walk turned into a run and she wrapped her arms around Jacquetta who immediately began to weep as the rest of her children and her nephews joined her.

"What kind of a monster is he? For I am sure he can be no man!" Eleanor yelled as she stormed around the bank of the river Themes with her sister while their mother watched on with tears rolling down her cheeks "there was no trial! No charge! There was no chance for a defence? It was an execution!"