~𝕭𝖊𝖙𝖗𝖆𝖞𝖆𝖑 𝖎𝖘 𝖔𝖓𝖑𝖞 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌~
Born the youngest daughter of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon, Constance of Bourbon grows up amidst comfort and splendour on her powerful family's estates in France. A shy child, she prefers her...
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~Death~
Early June 1471....
In the weeks that followed King Henry's death, Constance tried to forgive her husband. He was her Lord and her King as well as her love, the Father of her children, it was her duty to stand by him in all. Even in murder.
In her mind she understood his motives, he had not killed the old man for the sake of it, he had done it to protect his family, their children whom she knew she would kill to protect and that was what she tried to focus her thoughts on. But still, the images of that night would not cease flashing through her mind when she looked at him or his brothers, nor would her heart cease its sting whenever she heard the old King spoken of.
Deep melancholy for the death of his son was announced to the kingdom as his cause of death and Constance was sure she'd never felt so ashamed.
Still, she went on as every Queen and woman must.
Two weeks later Constance stood in her bedchamber being readied by her ladies, staring into the hearth blazing in the fire. The weather was warm but the rooms inside the stone Tower fortress were still cool and Constance could not wait to step into the sun but not for its golden rays.
She anticipated the death of Edmund Beaufort - the man once known as the Duke of Somerset, the man who'd had her beaten and her children taken. She was to finally see him die that day.
She didn't possess a taste for bloodshed but found she could not wait to see the man die. He had been tried for treason four days prior and found guilty by the King who sentenced him not to death by beheading as most nobles were given but to be hung drawn and quartered.
Now he would suffer as she had suffered, as Edward had suffered, as their children and kin had suffered. The King and Queen would watch, so would the King's brothers and many of his loyal followers - including his own Mother.
"May I attend with you, sister?" Anne asked as she brushed out the Queen's long hair for it to be loose beneath her crown. Constance smiled, nodding her assent. The freedom from her husband had given Anne in law a new lease of life, it seemed, her smiles were brighter, her laughs louder, her steps merrier when she danced.
It pleased her entire family greatly.
"Of course, any who choose to do so may attend - the entirety of London already awaits at Tyburn" "I shall certainly accompany you" Isabella voiced, placing a necklace of diamonds around Constance's throat and Katherine nodded her agreement.
"And I" Beth voiced "The name Somerset has long caused pain to our house and I shall see it ended" "Not I, I can hardly stomach blood" Lizzy murmured and Constance turned to her with a soft smile, taking the girl's hands in her own.
