𝐸𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 || 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑊𝐻𝐼𝑇𝐸 𝑄𝑈𝐸𝐸𝑁

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑋𝑋𝐼𝐼𝐼

~Jacquetta~

8th of May 1470....

Eleanor smiled as she watched Anais wrap her baby in a soft blanket, embroidered with York roses and golden Phoenixes, a piece Marie had worked diligently on for months and now looked upon proudly.

The Duchess could not remember a time where she had felt so tired nor so happy. For two days and two nights she had been in labour, only having given birth an hour prior to then, just as the morning rays of sunlight began to shine through the windows as if welcoming the little one into the world.

The birthing process had been more painful than Eleanor could ever have imagined and she was thankful that she would never have to be subjected to it again but even the memories of her suffering could not mar the joy she felt blossom inside of her as she gazed upon her newborn babe.

Now with fresh sheets on her bed, dressed in a fresh nightgown and her hair brushed and neatly braided, she held out her arms (though she found the movement difficult) and smiled.
"Bring her to me, Anais" she called softly and the younger woman nodded picking up the small child into her arms and carrying her to her mother.

Eleanor's body relaxed into the pillows propped up behind her as her daughter was placed into her arms, her inquisitive blue eyes staring upwards into her mother's green ones.

"Hello, my little one" the Duchess whispered, gently stroking the baby's wisps of red hair that slightly stuck up on her head "my little daughter" she giggled at her own words leaning down to press a kiss to the babe's nose before a small cough from Marie made her look up curiously.

She followed her Lady's gaze to the door to see Richard standing at the threshold, dark circles under his eyes which blatantly presented his lack of sleep and dressed in his shirt, trousers and boots, no sign of a fine doublet or shining chains of office.

"You may leave us" Eleanor instructed and Anais and Marie nodded, dipping into curtsies towards the Duke and Duchess before they left, closing the chamber door softly behind them "come in!" Eleanor invited with a smile as she watched her husband linger at the other end of the room, his expression almost anxious "come in and see her, Richard!"

The use of his first name seemed to snap him from his trance for it was the first time in his life she had ever called him by it and he slowly made his way over to the bed, staring down at the tiny bundle in his wife's arms. He carefully sat down, making sure that the mattress did not move too much under his weight and shuffled over to Eleanor, who was sitting in the middle of the bed, kicking off his boots.

The Duchess watched as Richard hesitantly held up a finger, brushing his daughter's cheek gently with it before he smiled watching as her small fingers uncurled and reached up to him. "She wants to see her father" Eleanor said and slowly passed over the baby to her husband, her smile growing wider as he cradled her in his arms.