𝐸𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 || 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑊𝐻𝐼𝑇𝐸 𝑄𝑈𝐸𝐸𝑁

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑋𝑉𝐼

~Duchess of Gloucester~

Eleanor stood still, silent, lost in thought as her mother and sister readied her for her wedding at dusk the next day. She had bathed, had her hair gently patted dry and now was being put into her wedding clothes.

The gown was one of white damask with golden symbols relating to the house of York running along the hanging sleeves that swept gracefully to the ground. It was lined with a soft white silk but Eleanor did not notice its sumptuousness nor the golden girdle or necklace set with an emerald that Elizabeth clasped around her waist and neck.

Jacquetta gently brushed her daughter's copper curls, pinning some at the back before placing a small pristine white headdress onto her. She then attached a short veil and gently kissed Eleanor's cheek though there was no response, nothing but silence.

"How do you feel?" Elizabeth asked gently as she straightened the hem of her sister's gown.
"Like I am going to my death" was the murmured response she received "or rather my execution"

Eleanor flinched as she heard a knock on the door and slowly turned to see her brother enter, a smile lighting up his face; holding out his hands.
"You look beautiful sister" he said while she raised her eyebrows and only managed to return his smile a little.
"Well I guess that's something, Anthony" she said as he linked her arm with his and she let him guide her from her room "but this...this is not what I want"

"I know" he soothed, patting her hand as they walked slowly through the hallways in the direction of the chapel "it may not be what you want, but this is your destiny now, it is what you must do....as your duty to our family"
"Ah yes" the Countess muttered "my duty. The duty which is causing misery beyond measure"

Finally arriving at the chapel, Eleanor halted in her steps, looking around at her mother and sister who nodded to her in encouragement before snapping her gaze to the front as Anthony pushed open the chapel doors.

Eleanor stepped across the threshold, clasping her hands, trying to steady her breathing as she saw her betrothed standing before a priest at the alter, his back to her.

He was dressed in a golden doublet, his chains of office sitting evenly on his shoulders which his black curls lightly touched.

Eleanor hesitated slightly before she forced herself to move forward, staring at the chapel ceiling as she prayed for courage before coming to the alter.

Looking to her right she saw Richard had done the same and he gave her a small smile, rather warm compared to the glance he had given her yesterday, making her relax a little. Smiling nervously back at him as they knelt before the priest and bowed their heads.

Slowly, the ageing man made the sign of the cross over them before picking up one of Eleanor's hands and placing it in Richard's. Once again, the Countess felt her heart begin to race as the Priest began to murmured Latin, words she did not understand and that did nothing to soothe her.