The year is 1464.
The War of the Roses rages on; a great showdown between Lancaster and York.
Yet, asleep in her bed, fiery-haired Melissa Woodville dreams of splintered shields, broken swords, and the resounding screams of wounded men in the Battle...
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"MELISSA?" JACQUETTA WOODVILLE'S voice echoed throughout Grafton Manor's dining hall.
Her daughter, perched on the seat at the head of the table, looked up curiously.
"Yes, mama?"
"It is almost time to go down to the river. Are you not ready?"
"I am," she said firmly, closing the book she had been reading. "I was just finishing with *Master Audelay's works."
Jacquetta smiled lightly as Melissa joined her at the entrance to their estate.
"You know, reading will not help you in obtaining a husband."
"Marriage is not all there is to life, mother." The red-head defended. "Besides, my destiny is greater than a life of humble obedience and bearing children to a spouse who likely could not appreciate the superiority of my intelligence over his."
"You are my daughter, Melissa. Of course you are meant for greater things than that."
Jacquetta knew this daughter of hers was the most precocious and quick-witted out of the nine of them. From a very young age, she sought to prove herself the most intuitive of her siblings, stuck at the hip to her twin brother, Richie, who in turn adored her and taught her everything he learned at the lessons Baron Rivers conducted exclusively for his male progeny. Melissa knew her words and numbers, could handle the sword as well as any of her brothers, and did not hesitate in defending herself whenever she felt she had been slighted. Jacquetta had known from the very start that her third daughter, born from the water and flames of their mother Melusina, would not remain a country girl for long.
"Is Lizzie coming with us?" Her redheaded daughter inquired when Elizabeth came into sight, a lantern in hand.
"Yes," the elder woman nodded. "It is time for your sister to choose the route she wishes destiny to take her."
