LOVE AND WAR
— 31. Queen of England 

     Hours later, after seeing Edward leave the castle on horseback with a defeated look on his face, Nora walked out of her room and down the hallway.

"What happened with Father?" A boy's voice suddenly spoke up, causing Nora to turn around to face Elizabeth and Arthur.

"Nothing," Nora assured them, forcing a smile on her face, "Just go back to bed. It's late."

"He said we wouldn't see him for quite a while, clearly something has happened," Elizabeth argued, earning an annoyed look, "I want to go with him. I want to see Father!"

Nora remained silent, trying not to snap at Elizabeth. She always did favor her father over her own mother. Nora wanted nothing more than to mention the fact that the father she worshipped so much was planning to marry her off to the enemy, but she wasn't that cruel.

"You can't. There's a war coming. I know it. Lord Warwick will betray your father again in the coming months and I refuse to let you be in London when it happens," Nora explained in a stern tone, making her way over to her two firstborns.

She placed her hands on their shoulders, pressing a kiss to both of their foreheads. "Now, get to bed. It's late."

"Father didn't mention Henry and Jasper Tudor living here with us. He doesn't know, does he?" Arthur suddenly asked, earning a scolding look from his mother. He sighed and reluctantly nodded. "Sorry, Lady Mother. Good night."

"Good night," Nora smiled at them softly, watching as they returned to their beds.

Taking a deep breath, Nora turned on her heels, walking to another part of the castle with a lit candle. She knocked on a door before opening it.

Jasper Tudor had been sitting at his desk and immediately stood up once Nora entered.

"I saw Edward leave the castle quite angrily, what has happened?" Jasper asked anxiously and Nora sighed, shaking her head.

"Nothing. It seems my children and I will remain here at Pembroke castle with you and Henry longer than I expected," She informed Jasper, an uneasy look on her face, "He doesn't know I'm letting a traitor to his reign remain here and it shall remain that way. No one can know."

"I know," Jasper admitted as he nodded in agreement.

____

     Months passed and Nora never heard any word from London. She knew it meant all was well with Edward's reign. She knew better than to think it would last, though. It never did. There hadn't been peace for longer than six months since Edward married Elizabeth.

She regretted what she said to Edward, not about the marriage of their daughter or the fact that he had stolen lands, but of what she said about stealing his throne.

She didn't mean it. She didn't want his throne. She was content with the life she lived now.

One morning, Nora exited her castle, only to smile at the sight of Jasper riding into the courtyard accompanied by three other men. "Jasper!" She exclaimed in relief, glad that he had returned after weeks of being away.

She didn't seem concerned about the men who accompanied him, either. If he brought them to Pembroke Castle, of all places when they knew it was owned by Nora now, they must have been people worth trusting.

Jasper wasting no time climbing off his horse. He began to walk toward her, removing the glove on his right hand.

"Your Grace," He greeted Nora as he always did by kneeling before her as though she was a queen. He grabbed her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

Noticing the look on his face, Nora's smile faded, realizing she was missing something about his sudden and unannounced arrival.

"What's wrong?" She asked in genuine concern, "What's happened?"

    Slowly, Jasper rose from his feet, an uneasy look on his face. "There's been an uprising. Our time has come at last," He informed Nora, whose eyes widened in shock since she knew he meant the uprising of House Lancaster, not York.

Despite her surprised expression after hearing the news and not knowing how to feel, Jasper smiled at her happily.

"Has it been called by Margaret of Anjou?" Nora questioned, frowning in concern.

"No, it is being called in your name," Jasper told Nora, despite both of them knowing she wouldn't do such a thing.

"What?!" Nora exclaimed in disbelief, beginning to overwhelm herself.

To stop her, Jasper grabbed the sides of her face. "Easy now, easy now. No need to fret. It is only a farce," He informed Nora, who forced himself to take a deep breath in order to calm herself down, "It is truly stirred by Lord Warwick and George, Duke of Clarence. They know they will obtain more followers if it is done in your name."

"Then, why are you fighting Jasper?" Nora asked him in concern as he continued to cup her face in his hands, "You are for House Lancaster, not the Yorks."

"George has written that he will return Henry his title if we bring men to the field to fight Edward," Jasper explained to Nora, who visibly tensed up, "It's a trick. To lure Edward into battle. He'll be blinded by the need to figure out who would dare fight in your name, knowing you'd never betray him like that yourself."

"He would, Jasper," Nora confessed, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Jasper found himself asking Nora in concern.

"I threatened to overthrow him the last time I spoke to him. It is why I am in Wales. He will believe it and he will think me a traitor," She explained, forcing herself to stop as she let out a shaky sigh.

"Once Edward is engaged, Warwick and George will turn their armies on Edward and kill him," Jasper explained and Nora forced herself to contain her tears, "They need us there to work the deception. That's why I've returned here before heading to battle. I need your men. I have half of Wales. You are the face of the Lancastrian side. You may rally the rest."

"But they'll be putting George on the throne, Jasper," She pointed out in a hushed tone.

"Yes, but George is weak and greedy and men will quickly tire of him. When they do, they will turn to Lancaster," Jasper explained, placing his hands on her shoulders as he spoke in a whisper, "They will turn to you."

"Jasper, I do not know if this is what I want..." Nora trailed off uneasily as she shook her head.

"It must be, Nora. You are England's rightful ruler. You must be the one sitting on the throne. It is God's will. More than half of England can agree with me on that. Edward has taken what is yours. He has shamed you by committing bigamy and by marrying another, making her, a mere commoner, his queen. You have more English royal blood running through you than any man alive. You are God's anointed Queen."

Nora remained silent, a saddened look on her face. "I cannot give Warwick these men. You may be doing this for House Lancaster, but it is still Warwick behind this and I will not do this for him. He has done too much to wrong me to get anything from me. I am sorry, Jasper," She explained, knowing for a fact if she were to do this, Warwick could easily blame it all on her later on if he wanted to win back Edward's favor after losing.

Jasper sighed in defeat, but nodded anyway. "I understand. I do not blame you."

Reluctantly, Nora grabbed his hands and held them. "I ask you to be careful, Jasper Tudor. Please be careful," She pleaded in a whisper and by the look in her eyes, Jasper knew she was actually scared of losing him.

"I will. And I shall return to you again," Jasper promised as he grabed Nora's hands, pressing a kiss to them.

With that, he walked away and Nora turned, seeing that Arthur and Henry were staring at her from the doorway. She sighed in defeat, knowing both boys were getting the wrong idea.

Henry, Margaret Beaufort's son, had been staying with them for months now and he'd grown close to them, especially Nora, Arthur, and Elizabeth.

Arthur and Henry were the closest, though, given they were so close in age to each other.

Hearing a horse bleat, Nora quickly turned, seeing that after Jasper left on horseback with his trusted men, a page boy had entered.

Nora rushed toward the page boy, who handed her the letter in a rush before riding away, still in a hurry.

Nora's hands trembled as she rushed to open the letter that had Edward's wax seal on it. When she finally opened it, she wasted no time reading it.

Dearest Nora,

There is yet another uprising. In favor of you, this time. Can you believe it? I pray to God you are truly not behind this, but I do not believe you're capable of such a thing, even if you are angry with me. The Woodvilles think otherwise, but on this, I cannot agree with them.

There is a leader of this rebellion who will not announce his name. It may be a herald of Margaret of Anjou, testing how much support she can raise in your name since you are more loved before she decides to land her troops to free her husband, so I will make quick work of this pretender who dares commit such a crime in your name.

Seeing as though it is my crown, I shall be the one to defend it. I must put my neck on the line with the men who love me and I know that if you were here, you'd be proud of me for it like you always are.

Once I put this uprising to rest, I hope you'll return to court. I miss you and I miss our children. I hope when I return, I shall see you and our children in the courtyard, waiting to greet me. I shall greet you with wine and a basket of dozens of strawberries, which I know are your favorite fruit since I introduced them to you eight years ago. It will be just like old times.

You and I have always kissed before I left for battle, we have done so for the last eight years. I shall yearn for that kiss as I fight in this battle. You are what sustains me through these battles, after all, even after everything that's happened between us, and I hope you will forgive me for what I have done in the past.

Your King,
Edward

      That night, Nora resided in the castle's chapel, kneeling before the altar. She intertwined her fingers, beginning to pray.

"Dear God, please watch over Edward in this battle that is coming. I cannot..." She trailed off shakily, "I refuse to lose him. Strike down Edward's enemies and keep him safe in your love. I have a plan that will lead to victory but I will not do it for my blood, House Lancaster. I shall do it for House York, for the blood my children share with my dear Edward. If that is a sin to betray my blood, I hope I shall be forgiven. Strike down Lord Warwick but allow George to be forgiven, for I have grown to care for him like family and I do not wish to lose him, despite what he has done. Please God, let Edward win. Let him win. And let my plan succeed."

Nora took a deep breath before standing up. She left the chapel, traveling to her own chambers. She paced, beginning to think up a plan that would help Edward win and spare Jasper.

She froze suddenly, realizing that since she refused to give him men, he'd go to the last other person he could think of. Margaret Beaufort.

Surely, Lord Stafford would refuse to give men. He loved having Edward as king. It meant Margaret would ask her brother and her brother was a naive fool. He would agree if he knew they were doing it for House Lancaster and Margaret would surely not tell him about Lord Warwick being the one actually leaving him.

It meant she, as the figurehead of that side, could manipulate Welles into doing something that would ensure his side would lose and inform Edward of what was about to happen.

Nora wasted no time rushing out of her chambers, quick to say goodbye to her children before heading to the battlefield.

She wished them goodbye, making Arthur and Elizabeth promise to look after their younger brother and sister. She told them the servants loyal to them would watch over them while she was gone.

She promised to return soon and then traveled to Henry's chamber. She reminded him that while she was gone, he need not trust anyone. That if anyone were to come for her children, he couldn't let them know that he was residing there as well. And of course, he agreed. He hugged her, insisting that she return soon with his uncle Jasper. She had smiled at him and promised to do so.

With that, she left the castle, a part of her feeling uneasy about leaving her children and Henry.

Days passed and finally, Nora arrived at the Lancastrian war camp. At the sight of her wearing her famous red dress and red cloak, numerous Lancastrian men bowed.

Making her way through the battle camp, Nora walked right up to Welles' tent, a smile on her face since no one tried to stop her. "You're Welles, aren't you?" She called out, causing Rickard Welles to turn to face her with a confused look on her face.

"Who are you?" He asked, eying her suspiciously.

"Nora of Lancaster, rightful Queen of England," She played along with her game, a smirk on her face.

Welles' eyes widened as he immediately dropped into a kneel before his queen. "Your Grace!" He exclaimed, beginning to stammer, "Forgive me, I did not—"

Nora walked over until she was standing in front of the boy. "Rise, my lord," She demanded and Welles slowly stood up, an apologetic look on his face. "My lord, I must inform you of something. Your sister has tricked you, as has Jasper Tudor. At this moment, you are not fighting for House Lancaster. You are fighting on a side led by Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. He wishes to put George, the Duke of Clarence, on the throne. They wish to turn on Edward in this battle and kill him. They are the ones who set up this farce."

The boy's eyes widened, staring at her in disbelief after hearing the revelation. "But they said you—"

"I had no involvement in this battle, I assure you. They did it to rally more Lancastrian men without telling the truth of what they planned to do. They have lied to you. They have led you into the lion's jaws, into a battle you cannot win."

"I thought this was God's holy war, I thought this was to lead Lancaster to victory—" He began to cry out and Nora tried not to smile in satisfaction.

"It is not," She responded, shaking her head in disagreement, "They are leading you to death, that is all. But you can escape this."

"How?" He asked her desperately, kneeling before her as he tightly grasped her hands, "Please, Your Grace. I beg of you. You are God's chosen ruler. I beg you, help me escape this! I do not wish to die for my naivety in believing my sister."

     Nora gradually began to smile in satisfaction "You can get out of this, though, my lord. You can escape this traitor's death. You may escape being executed, you may avoid having your head placed on display outside of Westminster," She explained in a calm tone and grabbed him by the hands, helping into a standing position.

    Slowly, Nora leaned forward, beginning to whisper in his ear. "Edward of York is a good king. He will show you mercy. Run to the Yorkist camps. Plead to see him. Ask for forgiveness. He shall give that and more for your loyalty. You must tell him the truth, though. Tell him of what I've said to you, about what is to happen," She explained, slowly pulling away in order to look him in the eye, "You said it yourself, my lord. I am God's chosen. Believe me when I say this is God's will. Now go on."

Nora smiles, taking a step back as she watched the boy rush out of the tent and toward the York battle camps across the field.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Question: If she never got with Edward or had his children, do you believe Nora would be on the Lancastrian's side?

And do you believe she would attempt to be queen of England, as is her right?