LOVE AND WAR
— 24. Woman in Red

Elizabeth sat in the courtyard of Westminster as her mother and her brother Anthony stood in front of her, listening to her complain about Nora.

"Nora of Lancaster. We've all heard stories about her over the years, but now that I see it up close, I cannot believe it," Elizabeth confessed, an uneasy look on her face, "Before we married, Edward said Nora was gone from court and was never coming back, yet here she is."

"And how does that affect you? She broke the king's heart. They are done and finished. What they had was in the past. You are his wife and his queen, not her." Jaquetta complained, clearly not believing Nora was something her daughter had to be worried about.

"They say she's a queen in all but name."

"Have you tried asking your husband?" Anthony asked, causing Elizabeth to turn to him with an angry look.

"And what should I ask him?" Elizabeth complained, "I don't have to ask when I can already see. The moment he laid eyes on her when he was introducing me to his siblings. I could see it. I could see it in his eyes. He cares for her. Deeply, I imagine, if he still looks at her like that after she broke his heart."

"You are the queen, Elizabeth. She is nothing more than a widow and the daughter of Thomas FitzRoy," Jaquetta argued in a stern tone, "You flatter her to even dwell on her name."

"Her two children are his, I know it. She's given him two children. A boy and a girl. A boy who may challenge my future sons' claim to the throne if the rumors are true and Edward did, in fact, marry her," Elizabeth continued on, standing up from her seat.

Knowing they weren't listening to her, Elizabeth glared at her mother and her brother before storming off.

Just an hour later Jaquetta Woodville walked into the room Duchess Cecily sat in with her ladies and Nora. She stood alongside her daughter, Elizabeth Woodville, and a few of her other daughters.

Elizabeth looked uneasy when she locked eyes on Nora, the only person in the room given a seat beside the Dowager Duchess.

Cecily sat before her, wearing a gown covered in jewels and a large headdress that resembled a crown. Nora wore an elegant dress as well, but didn't wear the holier than thou expression Cecily did.

When Elizabeth entered, neither Cecily nor Nora made any attempt to bow to her, despite her now being Queen of England.

Each woman smiled, curtsying not only to Cecily, but both Duchesses, seeing as though they hadn't been able to do it to Nora earlier, what with Edward dragging Elizabeth away so quickly.

"Duchess Cecily. Duchess Nora," Elizabeth greeted both women, a large smile on her face, "It is an honor to meet you both--"

Cecily turned her head away from Elizabeth, as if to tell her to shut up. Nora smiled slightly, an amused look appearing on her face. It was obvious to her at that moment that Elizabeth would not be favored by Cecily as she was.

"I am not happy about this marriage," Cecily spoke up, slowly turning to look Elizabeth in the eye once more, "You are not the Lancastrian woman I expected my son to marry in these previous months."

Nora tensed up, noticing all eyes now seemed to be on her. "Cecily," She warned the woman who, just months ago, she believed would have been her mother-in-law.

"Quiet now, child. You and I both know it to be the truth," Cecily continued on, placing a comforting hand over Nora's.

Nora sighed in defeat, realizing that Elizabeth and her family now had every reason to hate her even more than they most likely already did.

"That's a shame. We're all delighted," Jaquetta Woodville spoke up and Cecily had an unamused look on her face.

"I would remind the 'Lady Rivers' that the wedding was a secret one which--" She began to say, only to get interrupted.

"Private one," Jaquetta corrected her in a calm tone, "It was private. Not a secret one. I was there. As were other witnesses. Which is more than I can about the other marriage you speak of."

Slowly, Nora turned her head, beginning to glare at Jaquetta. She was referring to her. Nora didn't understand why. She didn't ask for Cecily to bring her up in their argument. Nora had nothing against the Woodvilles. She was actually quite impressed. They went from being commoners to practical royals in a matter of weeks. She admired that.

"But if your son the King did not invite you to this one, I'm afraid you'll have to take it up with him," Jaquetta continued on, snapping Nora out of her thoughts.

"Your daughter is a widow and years older than my son!" Cecily complained, her anger toward the Woodvilles beginning to rise up to the surface.

"Though he is hardly inexperienced as he has already two bastards to his name," Jaquetta retorted, causing Cecily to quietly gasp, an offended look on her face since she knew she was referring to little Arthur and baby Elizabeth.

Nora shifted uncomfortably in her seat, growing frustrated with the fact that they were shaming her, despite her doing nothing to have them feel such anger and hatred toward her.

Perhaps Jasper was wrong. Perhaps she didn't belong in London anymore.

"And the age gap works to our advantage as my daughter as proved herself fertile handsome and legitimate boys, so we may feel confident that God will bless this new royal family with issue," Jaquetta continued and Nora found herself beginning to glare at her and her daughter.

"Your daughter could never be 'royal'," Cecily snapped at Jaquetta coldly, "She was not my choice nor that of my nephew Lord Warwick! Her father was a commoner. And while I might overlook it if Edward were not the King--"

"He is the king," Elizabeth finally decided to speak for herself, causing Nora to turn to look directly at her, "And he has chosen me."

Cecily began to glare at Nora, a mischievous look on her face as she began to lean forward. "Unless I should unseat him," She replied, causing even Nora's eyes to widen.

Nora's mouth gaped open, shocked by the woman's suggestion. "Cecily!"

Elizabeth frowned, turning to look at her mother, who was quick to speak up.

"And how will you do that, Duchess Cecily?" Jaquetta asked with an attitude.

"I could disown him," She answered, the slightest of smiles on her face, "I could put his brother George upon the throne in his place. How would you like that as the outcome of your 'private wedding', Lady Rivers?" She asked, standing up from his seat.

Jaquetta smiled slightly, clearly not feeling threatened by the woman's tone. "Yes, I did hear some talk when Edward was born. Umm...It was an archer, wasn't it? By the name of umm..." She trailed off, causing Cecily's eyes to widen, "Braybourne? That's it."

Slowly, Jaquetta walked toward Cecily, a satisfied look on her face. "Yes. People said that you made a cuckold of your husband, but in fact, I was one of the few who swore that a lady of your standing would never stoop so low. And yet it seems you did," She paused, narrowing her eyes at Duchess Cecily, "If that is what you're saying, Duchess Cecily, that you admit yourself a common whore and declare your son, the king, a bastard for I cannot see how else you would unseat him. Is that why you are so intent on him wedding Nora of Lancaster so badly, so that she may strengthen your son's bastard claim to the throne? That is the only way I can see it, Duchess Cecily. Or are you to say otherwise?"

"Enough!" Cecily quickly exclaimed, taking a seat next to Nora once more as she sighed out, "Enough."

"So then your words against the King will go no further," Elizabeth spoke up, placing a large, yet fake smile on her face, "And now that we all are friends, I believe you do know the proper custom when presented with the Queen of England is to curtsey?"

Cecily turned her head, exchanging a look with Nora. She forced herself to stand up and she, alongside her ladies, curtsied to their new queen while Nora remained seated.

"Duchess Nora, will you not do the same for your queen?" Elizabeth asked in a polite tone, causing Nora's lips to curl upwards.

"You are not my queen, nor will you ever be," She decided and just as Jaquetta was about to speak up, Nora raised her hand as a way to tell her to shut up, "And though saying such a thing is treason and treason is punishable by death, you may take it up with the king, lady Elizabeth. You are not queen yet if you have not noticed. You've not had your coronation and have not officially been crowned queen."

"And will you perform the curtsy after the coronation, Duchess?" Elizabeth asked as Nora rose from her seat next to Cecily.

Nora chuckled, shaking her head. "God, no," She replied, much to everyone's shock, even Cecily's, "I shall never bow to you. When I first saw you standing next to Edward in the courtyard, I did not have anything against you. In fact, I admired how quickly you climbed to the highest ranking of nobility for a woman after spending years as a mere commoner. However, when you and your mother came in here, disrespecting the king's mother and myself, despite me not doing anything to wrong you, you have lost the little respect I had for you. You are nothing but a whore who sank her hooks into the king just after he had his heartbroken by the woman he loved," She paused, pointing toward Jaquetta, "And you are nothing at all. You claim Duchess Cecily stooped low when you did worse when you married your former husband's squire. A husband that happened to be my grandfather's brother."

Nora took a deep breath, slowly walking forward until she was standing right in front of Elizabeth. "In a way, I pity you," She confessed, a sympathetic look on her face, "I saw the way you looked at Edward in the courtyard when you first arrived. You love him. For that, I shall always pity you. He will never love you the way you'll want him to, for his heart already belongs to another. Me. I've put up with his issues and whoring for three years like it was nothing. I doubt you'll even last a year when you realize you must share his affections with half the women living at court. Most of all, with me. He is, after all, called the whore of England for a reason. Can you stomach that, Lady Elizabeth? I can, but can you?"

Elizabeth tensed up, remaining silent. Nora smiled, lifting her hand to stroke Elizabeth's cheek before she walked away.

Jaquetta and Elizabeth exchanged a look, watching Nora leave without a care in the world. They slowly turned to look back at Cecily, who smiled in satisfaction due to Nora's victory over Jaquetta and Elizabeth.

____

That night, after being told by Edward's sister Margaret that her son and daughter had been placed in the castle's nursery, she headed straight there. She suddenly froze in the doorway, however, when she saw Edward sitting in a chair, Arthur sitting in his lap as he spoke to him with a smile on his face. He held little Elizabeth in his arms as well. Despite being awake, she did not cry in her father's arms as she usually did with her mother.

"Never treat my son the way you did earlier," Nora suddenly spoke up in a cold tone, causing Edward's smile to fade as he turned to look at her, "He called out to you, his father, and you ignored him as you walked away with your new wife."

"I've already apologized to him," Edward responded in a calm tone, looking down at Arthur with a smile on his face, "Didn't I, my son?"

Arthur smiled back at his father and nodded his head. "Yes, Father."

"And he's our son, not just yours. And little Elizabeth is ours as well," Edward continued on, speaking in a venomous tone since he still had ill feelings toward Nora, "I was planning to tell you that I was sorry for the loss of your 'loving' husband, but it seems you're not wearing black. Instead, I should congratulate you on obtaining the state of widowhood at just twenty-two."

Nora avoided eye contact with Edward, smiling slightly. "I have a feeling I'm going to have to start wearing black to be taken seriously as a widow," She paused, beginning to speak in a mutter, "It seems Jasper Tudor is the only one to not catch on, but I suppose that is because I was in the comfort of my own home."

"What was that?" Edward asked, causing Nora to whip herself around to face him once with an uneasy look.

"Nothing," Nora assured him and Edward narrowed his eyes at her.

"I could've sworn I heard you say the name Jasper Tudor," Edward commented in a taunting tone since he obviously heard what she said, "The same man who nearly ran me through in battle a month ago. I suppose he's dead now, though, given the wound I inflicted on his side right after."

"I highly doubt he's dead," Nora replied and Edward tilted his head, giving Nora a curious look.

"I suppose that is because of a talented healer who took pity on him and treated his wounds?" Edward questioned, raising a brow at Nora, who didn't respond, "I take that as a yes."

"Are you happy with your new wife?" Nora asked, purposely changing the subject as she moved closer to Edward, "You two looked smitten."

"Are you jealous?" Edward taunted Nora with an annoyed look on her face, "Oh, right. You wouldn't be. You, after all, never loved me. You used me for my title."

"A lie I was forced to tell you after my husband threatened to kill me if I didn't," Nora complained and as much as Edward didn't want to believe, he knew he couldn't put it past Arthur, "The night before I told you those lies, I confessed that I was carrying your child. Why would I tell you that and then leave you the following day, claiming to not love you? When I left your room that night and returned to my own chambers, I found my own husband awake. He slammed me against the wall, his hands around my neck. He threw me to the ground and pressed a knife to my throat. He said to end it with you or he would end me."

Edward's eyes widened, realizing that she was, indeed, telling the truth. He watched as she began to cry, unable to hold back her tears any longer.

"He beat me, he raped me, he did everything you could imagine to me after I left that day," Nora confessed, kneeling down in front of Edward so that she be next to her son, who sat in Edward's lap, "Soon enough, I snapped. I couldn't take it anymore. I used my skills with herbs to mix up something that would kill him. And it did. It killed him and I smiled with joy as he laid dying at my feet. I watched as blood poured from his eyes, nose, and mouth. I watched as his body dropped to the ground. I watched as he began to vomit blood, clawing at his neck as he gasped for breath. I took great pleasure in finally being rid of him. I did. I do, even now as I stand here."

"Nora--" Edward began to say, placing his hand on the side of Nora's face.

"I will not shame your wife on the first night you get to spend with her in your castle," Nora argued as Edward used his hand to wipe her streaming tears, "I'm sorry for what I put you through. I know I broke your heart. And that is why you married another. I understand your pain. I myself have felt that way before," She paused, beginning to cry, "But did it have to be another Lancastrian? One who's blonde and has blue eyes, just like me?"

"Mama, why are you crying?" Arthur suddenly asked, leaning forward in his seated position to get closer to his mother.

Nora smiled sadly, immediately taking Arthur out of his father's lap as she stood up. She took a moment before grabbing little Elizabeth from his arms as well. "I'm fine, my love. It's time to go to sleep."

"Nora--" Edward began to say as he stood up, only to be interrupted.

"Go to your wife," Nora insisted in a pleading tone, smiling softly at him, "Give England an heir that can scotch the Lancastrian threat. Then perhaps, when she's carrying that child, you may return to me."

Edward watched hesitantly as Nora walked away. He was shocked by what said. She was insisting that he lay with Elizabeth.

___

That night, after leaving Edward asleep in his chambers after they bedded one another, Elizabeth went to visit her mother.

They were speaking to each other about what would happen in future and when Elizabeth looked into the mirror her mother was sitting in front of, she let out a loud, horrified gasp.

Jaquetta slowly turned to her daughter, a concerned look appearing on her face since she knew Elizabeth had just experienced a seeing. "What is it?" She asked desperately, snapping Elizabeth out of her trance-like state, "Elizabeth, what do you see?"

"A woman!" Elizabeth managed to get out as she continued to stare into the mirror, "A blonde woman with blood on her hands. A woman, wearing red--" She cut herself off, trying to make out what she was seeing, "I do not know."

"Whose blood was it?" Jaquetta asked in a calm tone, staring up at her daughter.

Elizabeth remained frozen for a moment. Slowly, she looked her mother in the eye, a terrified look on her face. "I think it was mine," She confessed in a whisper, tears beginning to form in her eyes, "And I think the woman...I think the woman was Nora of Lancaster."

Elizabeth and Jaquetta exchanged a fearful look, knowing what it meant.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Well shit. That's all I can say 🤷🏻‍♀️