𝐸𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 || 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑊𝐻𝐼𝑇𝐸 𝑄𝑈𝐸𝐸𝑁

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑋𝐶𝑉𝐼𝐼𝐼

~Love and Court~

Laughing and arm in arm Eleanor and Anne walked down the sunny corridors of Westminster together, relaxed and glad to be in one another's company. Anne had never liked court much but she liked it much better with Eleanor as Queen and not Elizabeth who used to look at her as if she were the spawn of the devil.

Of course, Warwick had been the devil to Elizabeth.

"And what news have you from Katheryn?" She asked "have you heard from her since she left court for Wales?" Eleanor nodded and smiled as she remembered the letter she had received from Katheryn just the previous day.
"She is pregnant!" She said excitedly and Anne gasped before she began to giggle a little, grinning.

"My my! She seems to be as fertile as you!" At that it was Eleanor's turn to laugh and she shook her head a little "don't tell me you are pregnant again, my friend?"
"No, Annie! I am not! Really, Anthony is only seven months old!"

"You've been pregnant far before that with your other babes" Anne pointed out and Eleanor nodded her admittance.
"True" she replied "though I am secretly glad I am not carrying another child! I'm almost thirty one!"

"That's not stopped Rob and Francis from making bets on how soon there will be another York babe in the nursery" Anne giggled before coughing a little and Eleanor turned to her, eyes wide with amusement. She wasn't shocked, had she been it would have proven she didn't know the two men at all! This was exactly like them!"

"Christ!" She laughed as they continued to walk. Those two could always find ways to make her laugh and at nineteen Georgie Neville had now fully joined them and Jack in the ranks of the group (which he was more than pleased about). Johnny hoped to join them too but at fourteen he was still too young yet!

Anne smiled at her friend as she thought. She viewed Leena as her sister and as her saviour rather too. Eleanor had been the one who treated her with kindness when she was sure the whole world was against her and had rescued her and her daughter from the clutches of George for which she would be eternally grateful.

"How are things between you and Richard?" She asked and Eleanor smiled again, though more softly this time, love entering her eyes.
"Well" she replied "he is teaching me to handle swords, you know"
"Swords?" Anne exclaimed, though she was not surprised, she could well imagine Eleanor in armour and wielding a blade with as great as skill as any knight.

"Yes, swords!" She exclaimed, clearly proud of her achievement "he began it at Grafton and he says I'm getting rather good! One day I shall disarm him!" Eleanor's smile fell as Anne suddenly began to cough again, harder this time, a hacking cough that appeared to cause her pain as she learnt against a nearby window and pressed a handkerchief to her mouth "Annie! Anne are you well? What's wrong?"

When Anne's coughing finally subsided she managed to straighten her back and tucked her handkerchief back into her gown before her friend could see it. Swallowing a little she tried to smile but Eleanor frowned at how pale she suddenly looked and encircled her waist with an arm to help her stand.