LOVE AND WAR
— 10. Rightful Queen of England

OCTOBER 25, 1461
FIVE MONTHS LATER

"This is treason, Mother!" Nora shouted at her mother, staring down at the letter Katherine had handed her to read, "You are conspiring with Margaret of Anjou. You are spying on the Yorks and feeding the Mad Queen information about them."

Katherine scoffed, snatching the letter from her daughter's grasp. She tore it up into several pieces before tossing it into the scorching flames of the fireplace.

"You said it yourself. Edward is a bastard who doesn't deserve to rule," Katherine complained, earning a weird look from Nora.

"I didn't mean a literal bastard. I meant it as he was a bastard for breaking my heart," Nora argued in a low tone.

After she ended any involvement she previously had with Edward, her mother was the only person she had left. Her mother might have been treacherous and half-mad, but she was the woman who birthed her. If she got past the part where her mother was hellbent on making her queen, her mother wasn't all that bad.

If her father could love someone like Katherine Neville, there must have been some part of her that was good and redeemable.

"I need some air," Nora confessed, placing a hand over her stomach, "I fear spending so much time around you is poisoning my mind."

"My daughter, always one for the dramatics," Katherine muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes at her daughter as she watched her leave her chambers.

Nora exited her bed chambers, running a hand through her hair. She took a deep breath, seeing as though she constantly felt suffocated by always being in her mother's presence. After all, most of that time her mother was speaking of all her plans to overthrow the Yorks.

Her mother was a cunning woman, smarter than many might have thought. Everyone always just viewed her to be a cold-hearted bitch, but in truth, she was one of the smartest people Nora had ever met.

She didn't fear death, either. She was willing to have herself executed, just to have her ungrateful daughter become queen, a daughter who didn't even want to be queen.

Nora suddenly stopped walking when she spotted Edward making his way down the hallway as he spoke to Richard and George.

She sighed in frustration, on the verge of turning around. However, as much as she attempted to avoid him, Edward had already locked eyes on her.

He quickly bid his brothers goodbye before chasing after Nora. After all, she had been avoiding him for months now and believe it or not, Nora was actually quite skilled at avoiding him, despite Edward being the king of England.

Prior to that very moment, she had always made sure that whenever they saw each other, it was in a public setting, a place so crowded that even Edward wasn't foolish enough to attempt to speak to her in fear of causing a scene.

"Nora!" He called out to Nora, who ignored the king's demands, "Nora, wait."

Knowing that despite giving an order as a king, Nora still wouldn't listen to him, Edward chased after Nora before finally grabbing ahold of her arm.

She rolled her eyes in annoyance, hesitantly turning to face him. As she did so, she made sure to place a kind expression on her face. She forced a smile upon her lips as she politely curtsied in front of him. "Your Grace," She bowed to the York king, refusing to use any formalities.

"Nora—" Edward began to say, but Nora was quick to correct him.

"Forgive me, Your Grace, but seeing as though we are not familiars, I wish to be called 'my lady' by you," She answered, causing Edward to frown in confusion.

What the fuck was she doing?

"We are well past familiars, Nora," Edward whispered to Nora as he leaned closer to her, "We shared a bed for more than a month. I dare say I've seen more parts of you than you yourself have."

Nora's mouth gaped open. She stared at Edward in both shock and horror.

Edward began to smile, satisfied with her reaction. "Now, Nora, you've been avoiding me for months. It's getting a bit old, don't you think?"

Nora sighed in frustration. "You hurt my feelings," She admitted, earning a look of sympathy from Edward when he saw the hurt look on her face, "You said it yourself, Edward. I was just a bedwarmer for you."

"I was hurt as well," Edward confessed, earning a loud scoff from Nora, "I was. You called me Warwick's lapdog and I am not. I am King, not him. He doesn't control me."

"You would do anything he says," Nora complained and Edward was quick to argue.

"I would not," Edward argued in a stern tone, "That night, what you said, it was as though you were asking me to choose between Warwick and you. How would you feel if your father was alive and you were forced to choose between him and I? Who would you choose? You and I both know the answer to that."

Nora sighed in defeat, realizing that he had a point. Yes, Edward and Nora cared for each other deeply, but for them, their family still came first. They hadn't been with each other long enough to consider themselves family or even close to it.

"Warwick is practically an older brother to me. He gave me my first sword. He's been at my side my entire life. He is the one who fights at my side during battle. He is my family. My chosen family," He explained in a calm tone, earning a saddened look from Nora.

"I wouldn't know how that felt," She muttered under that breath as she turned away from Edward, a small smile forming on lips when she thought about it, "The only ones I've ever felt that way about now view me to be a treacherous whore."

"And who may that be?" Edward questioned, a smile forming on lips as well, "Who in your life has been considered as such?"

"You don't want to know," Nora confessed, giving Edward a stern look.

Edward frowned, a concern expression appearing on his face. "How bad could it be?" He asked and still, Nora didn't answer, "Edward of Lancaster?"

Nora shook her head and sighed in defeat. "Margaret Beaufort and Jasper Tudor," She informed him in a hushed tone and just as she expected, Edward seemed annoyed.

"Jasper Tudor?" He asked in disgust, letting out a loud scoff, "He is fighting against me in battle. He is King Henry's half brother."

"And just a few years older than I," Nora reminded Edward in a calm tone, "He was brought to London by Henry alongside Edmund Tudor when their mother Catherine of Valois died. We shared a tutor and when Margaret Beaufort was brought to be their ward and Edmund's future wife, I grew close with her as well. We all did. Each of us were considered the youngest of this 'royal Lancastrian family'. They were my chosen family, in a way. Margaret married Edmund and soon fell pregnant with his child. Then, it was just Jasper and I. Then, the war started and I never saw them again. Until I returned court seven months ago and saw Margaret again. She's married for the second time and hates me for choosing to serve House York."

Edward remained silent, listening to everything she spoke of closely. He realized that even after they stopped speaking to each other for more than five months, they were so willing to speak freely and truthfully with each other in a way they could not be with anyone else. They trusted each other.

"I have no one left, Edward. No one but my mother and that shows a lot," Nora admitted in a soft tone, "Forgive me for being angry at the man who wishes to tear you away from me."

"No, forgive me," Edward argued, grabbing Nora's right hand and holding it in his own, "I should not have said what I did. It was uncalled for and I apologize. It was unfair to lie of such a thing."

Nora didn't respond. Instead, she smiled and nodded her head in understanding.

"I must return to my brothers, but may I come to your chambers later?" Edward asked, earning a look of disbelief from Nora.

Edward chuckled, realizing Nora had gotten the wrong idea. "I don't mean it like that. I swear it. I just wish to talk to you alone."

"As long as it's just talking, you are more than welcome to come to my chambers," Nora replied, a smile appearing on her lips.

Edward smiled back, grabbing ahold of Nora's hand. Holding it in his own, Edward pressed a lingering kiss to her knuckles. After a long moment, he released her hand from his grasp without another word said. "Until then, my lady." He whispered to her softly, just before walking away.

Nora watched him walk off, smiling softly. She knew she was being stupid, but she couldn't help herself. No matter how many times she denied it, she did care for Edward, more than she originally thought.

___

That night, Nora was sitting at her desk, reading over what she had obtained in the previous months. The original papal decree that proved her father's legitimization.

Her mother didn't know she had it and she intended to keep it that way. She refused to let anyone know about it, especially the fact it stated that her father's mother was the daughter of the first Duke of York, Edmund of Langley.

It proved that her father had been legitimized prior to Henry's birth and the marriage between Henry V and Catherine of Valois. Everything her mother claimed was true, every single part.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. She knew Edward would end up opening it on his own, leading to her rushing to place random papers over the document she had been reading about her father's legitimization.

Edward entered, closing the door behind him. Nora wasted no time bowing to her king and then made her way over to him.

She suddenly stopped walking, frowning when she noticed he held a small jewelry box in his hand.

Edward looked over at her with a smile, waiting for her to ask what it was. He rolled his eyes, growing impatient. "Oh, what is this you ask?" He asked her sarcastically, "It is only a gift from your king and former lover."

Nora quietly laughed, moving closer to him. She watched as he opened the small box, revealing a necklace with a pendant that had the white rose of House York carved and painted on one side and the red rose of House Lancaster on the other.

"I cannot accept this gift," Nora argued, slowly looking up at Edward as she shook her head, "I'm sorry."

"You fear people will wonder who gave you such an expensive gift," Edward realized as he slowly took the necklace out of its box, "You may tell those who question its origin that it was a birthday gift."

"My birthday was more than four months ago, Edward. No one will believe it," Nora reminded Edward, who simply smiled down at her.

"Call it a late birthday gift," He corrected himself, lightly grabbing her by the shoulder before turning her around.

Due to her hair already being tied up, Edward was able to place to necklace on her neck at ease. Nora couldn't help but smile, placing her hand over the visible white York rose on the front.

Nora slowly turned to face Edward, who stared down at her lovingly. "I've missed you, Nora," He confessed in a whisper, beginning to lean forward, "I've longed for you."

Just as he was about to kiss her lips, Nora turned her head to the side. It led to his lips kissing her cheek instead.

Nora quietly laughed, noticing the shocked look on Edward's face. She turned away from Edward, a mischievous smile appearing on her lips. "Missing me didn't stop you bedding half of the women in London, I'm told."

Edward smiled in amusement, realizing that Nora was taunting him. "I had to satisfy my needs," He jokingly answered, earning an annoyed look from her, "I am a king with a king's appetite for pleasure. As I recall, you shared the same appetite as I did. You and I were able to have a go at it for an entire night at ease."

"That was in the past," Nora answered, turning to face him once more with a playful smile on her face, "I have changed. What we had was a mere fling."

Edward slowly moved closer to Nora, continuing to walk forward. He bent down slightly, their faces becoming just inches apart. "Changed, huh?" He asked in a whisper and Nora nodded, "You're saying if I kissed you, you would feel nothing?"

"Perhaps you should try and see what happens," Nora suggested, earning a loud laugh from Edward.

"Careful, Nora," Edward jokingly responded, "I might start to disregard your claims of changing."

Edward was about to turn away from Nora, only to have her grab him by the arm. He turned to face her once more, doing nothing as she grabbed both sides of his face and kissed him passionately.

Edward smiled into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her in order to pull her closer.

After a moment, Edward pulled away from the kiss, smiling happily. "I should go," He admitted, biting his bottom lip anxiously, "I fear if I stay any longer, we'll end up naked in bed together and I know that will just ruin everything."

Nora nodded in understanding, smiling softly. "I shall see you tomorrow?" She questioned, a curious look on her face.

Edward smiled, nodding his head. He placed his hands on both sides of her face, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead before pulling away.

They smiled at each other one last time, just before Edward left the room.

____

The following morning, at the feast being held that afternoon, Nora sat at the long banquet table next to George, Richard, and their sister Margaret, across from Anne and Isabel Neville.

Drinking her cup of wine, Nora looked up to see the way Anne and Isabel stared at her. "What?" She asked, sounding slightly snapped with the two girls.

"Where did you get the necklace?" Anne suddenly asked with a large smile on her face, causing Isabel to kick her sister underneath the table as a way to tell her to shut up.

Nora smiled, placing a hand over the necklace Edward had given her the night before. "It was a late birthday gift," She responded and it was actually the truth.

"From who?" George suddenly asked, a smile on his face since he already had the feeling it was from Edward, "Is that the white rose of York I see on the pendant?"

Hearing the royal horn, every person at the large banquet table rose to their feet, which cut Nora's interrogation short. Edward entered and every subject bowed. Once he took his seat, everyone else was allowed to as well.

From across the room, Nora and Edward locked eyes. Edward began to smile at her, earning a playful eye roll from Nora. She contained her smile, turning to make conversation with Richard.

"I brought up Nora Fitzroy's marriage prospects to Edward again," Warwick spoke in a hushed tone to Duchess Cecily, who quietly chuckled at the revelation. They sat at the opposite end of the table of their children and Nora.

"I take it he was quick to disregard such notions?" She questioned, earning a knowing look from Lord Warwick.

"He was, indeed, quite unhappy. He must realize that it is necessary if he wishes to keep his throne before it is too late," He explained to Cecily, who seemed to disagree, "You can't be serious, Aunt Cecily. Edward must marry Princess Bona of France."

"A marriage to Nora FitzRoy would strengthen his claim to the English throne. No one would dare challenge it ever again. All Lancastrians continuing to fight for King Henry would rally to their rightful queen's side," She explained in a hushed tone.

"She is a harlot," Lord Warwick pointed out in a hushed tone.

"To you, perhaps, but to the rest of England, she is the one they secretly wish to be queen. She is, indeed, her father's daughter if you haven't noticed," Cecily explained, earning an eye roll from Lord Warwick.

"Oh, trust me, I know," He replied in an annoyed tone, "As stubborn as a mule. Quick-witted. Opinionated. And loud."

"Loved by the people," Cecily corrected Warwick, who seemed frustrated that the one person he hoped to be on his side was not, "She would inspire the Lancastrians who defy us Yorks and convince them to follow us instead of Margaret of Anjou and King Henry. A union between Edward and Nora could join the two warring houses. It would mean England could finally have peace. Their offspring would be a true monarch of England, a combination of the red and white roses."

Lord Warwick remained silent, refusing to answer. As much as it might have sounded like a wise choice for almost everyone, it wasn't for him. If Nora and Edward married, his hold on Edward would meet its demise.

It was already obvious that the stronger the bond became between Edward and Nora, the weaker the one between Edward and Warwick became.

"I see the way he looks at her. It is soon to become actual love," Cecily confessed, leading to them both turning to see Edward watching Nora from across the room.

She remained seated between Richard and George, across from Anne and Isabel. She ended up saying something, leading to herself, Anne, and Richard laughing. Isabel simply smiled, knowing it wouldn't be wise to laugh. Even George, who hated Nora, began to gradually smile at whatever she said.

Cecily turned again, seeing that Nora's smile had made even Edward, who seemed to be in a bad mood that day, smile.

"Her smile alone could light up even the darkest of rooms," Cecily spoke up, recalling what they used to say about Nora's father. That when he walked into a room, everyone's head turned.

"A toast," Lord Warwick suddenly spoke up as he stood up from his seat, clearly growing fed up with Cecily doting on Nora. He raised his glass, a large smile appearing on his face as he turned to look at Edward, "To Edward, the rightful King of England!"

Cecily looked up at her nephew, rolling her eyes up at the way he emphasized on rightful after what she said about Nora.

As everyone, including Nora, repeated after him, a voice suddenly spoke up from the second level of the dining hall. "I would also like to propose a toast to the king of England," A familiar voice spoke up, which caused Nora to look up in horror to see her mother, "And the rightful queen of England."

Edward's smile faded, turning to look at Nora from across the room. She turned to him, a look on her face that told him she had no clue what was happening. What was happening?

"My daughter, Nora Fitzroy is not a Fitzroy at all. She is the rightful heir to the English throne," She announced loudly and no guards seemed to be attempting to stop her, "Her father was not a bastard at all. Forty-eight years ago, before the birth of King Henry or even the marriage between King Henry the fifth and Catherine of Valois, my husband was legitimized by Pope Gregory himself, in case the late King Henry died in battle without an heir. He was to be king, not his half brother. His mother was a daughter of Edmund, first Duke of York. It makes my late husband of both York and Lancastrian blood. Following his death, this makes my daughter the rightful Queen of England with blood ties to Edward III stronger than any man or woman alive. Her future husband is to be Edward of Lancaster—"

"Remove her!" Warwick shouted at some guards who were practically hypnotized by her truthful words.

Nora glanced around fearfully, noticing how many people seemed to be actually listening to what her mother was saying.

That couldn't be good.

"Any noble here who fears God should follow my daughter and her betrothed, Edward of Lancaster instead of this usurper, Edward of York. He is a bastard, after all. Born of his mother's affair with what people claim to be an archer," She continued on in a confident tone, "To Nora, the rightful queen of England and her future husband, Prince Edward of Lancaster."

Katherine smiled sadistically, extending her arms without a care in the world as she waited for the guards to take her away.

"You truly are mad, Mother," Nora suddenly spoke up, causing each man and woman there to finally turn their attention toward her, "You needn't listen to a word she says. It is nothing but lies. My father was never legitimized by the pope."

"Then, what is this?" Her mother spoke loudly, holding up a large paper that was a papal decree. It even had the pope's signature on it, from what Nora could see from below. She must have stole it from her room. How did she even know about it?

"I have proof. My daughter is the rightful queen—"

Katherine only smiled as the guards grabbed ahold of her and dragged her away.

Warwick gestured for some other guards to grab ahold of Nora, but Edward was quick to stop them.

"Leave her," He demanded in a stern tone, causing Warwick to turn to him with a look of disbelief, "She had nothing to do with this treason, if it isn't obvious."

"I don't, truly," Nora spoke from the other end of the table, trying to contain the sadness she felt due to the fact that she knew her mother would surely be executed for what she had done.

_____

That afternoon, it was official. Her mother was to be executed and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Nora stood in the courtyard of the castle. She stared at her mother closely, who was brought out by the guards in order to be executed. She was forced into a kneel, the executioner standing behind her as unsheathed his large sword.

Her mother seemed to be content about being on the chopping block. She stared at her daughter intently, practically smiling in satisfaction. "You'll never escape your claim to the throne now, my love," She spoke up in a calm tone, "Whether you want it or not, there will always be men attempting to place you on the throne. You have two choices now. Agree and become queen or get executed like your mother for treason."

"I choose neither," Nora snapped at her mother, trying to contain her tears, "You chose to commit treason. Not I. I do not want to be queen and I will never be queen."

Katherine simply smiled, clearly not believing what Nora was saying. "You know what you do today, Nora. You lose the last person that ever truly cared about you. As God as my witness, I swear to you, Edward of York will break you beyond repair. And because of what I've done, he'll never love you in the way you wish him to. You will always be nothing more than a threat to his claim to the throne. Remember that."

Moments later, a loud, heartbroken gasp escaped Nora's lips as she watched her mother get beheaded. She cried out, falling to her knees as she clutched her stomach in emotional pain.

Feeling a comforting hand on her shoulder, Nora turned her head. She looked upwards, seeing that it was Edward.

"I know she was evil, but she was my mother. The only family I had left," She confessed in a whisper, fearing she'd be judged for shedding tears for a woman who committed high treason.

"I know, I know," Edward whispered to Nora, assisting her in standing up.

Once she had risen up from her kneeling position, Edward had hugged her. Nora had begun to cry, realizing her mother was right. She'd never escape her rightful destiny now.

"I can be your family, if you'll have me," Edward told her softly, knowing that it was what she needed to hear and also because it was what he had hoped to tell her as of late, "I swear to you, Nora, that no matter what happens, you'll always have me."

Nora remained silent, not responding to his solemn vow. He continued to hug her, allowing her to cry into his chest.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Oof. A LOT has happened this chapter.