𝐸𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 || 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑊𝐻𝐼𝑇𝐸 𝑄𝑈𝐸𝐸𝑁

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐿𝑋𝑋𝑋𝐼𝑉

~Coronation~

"Hold on, Liza!" Georgie called as Eliza waved to the crowds that cheered for her Aunt and Uncle. She elbowed him in the ribs and he grinned at her over his shoulder, steering their horse with an expert hand.

"I don't need to hold on, brother!" She said confidently and he chuckled at the endearment. They truly were like siblings! She looked up to him with pure adoration and followed him every chance she could while he swore to protect her with his life and (of course) aided her in every single bit of mischief her clever mind could come up with! "My Father used to say that a truly fine horseman did not need to hold onto their reins!"

"Your Father clearly never took a nasty tumble then, Eliza!" Isabella called as she clung onto Bess' waist. Eliza smiled at her, as fond as she had always been of her mother's little redheaded namesake "really, I think I should have been allowed my own horse!"

"At five!" Bess scoffed over the roar of the crowds, exchanging a look of doubt with Georgie and Eliza "There would be no chance of that!"
"How you do know?"
"I'm eleven, I know everything, Bella!"

"Your graces! Your graces!" Holding a hand up to shield her eyes from the glare of the golden sun, Bess looked up as they passed by another timbered house that had four young girls leaning out of the windows, all dressed in their best gowns with smiles on their faces.

Bess grinned and waved to them, they squealed and waved back and she giggled as she nudged her steed onwards. She would never be able to galavant around the streets freely as those girls would, she thought, her smile faltering a little even as a cloud of white rose petals were showered down upon the procession by cheering onlookers.

Not now that she was a Princess. No more sneaking out into the barn to play with the boys or wearing breeches and doublets. Now she must sit prettily in cold chambers, clad in gowns she hated!

"We can't play like we used to anymore" Isabella observed as if she could read her sister's thoughts and Bess nodded.
"We cannot" she admitted and felt her sister lean her cheek against the back of her golden gown. "But at least Mama and Papa are happy"

"Are they?" Edward asked from the horse beside theirs and he felt his twin sister adjust her arms around his waist, fiddling with his belt.

Throughout his years confined to his bed, unable to play with his siblings or friends, the seven year old had acquired a great skill for observation. He never missed a trick or an emotion that flickered across someone's face and could read people as easily as he read books. Now as he watched his parents riding ahead he inwardly sighed, though kept his smile on his face.