LOVE AND WAR
— 59. A Tudor and A York

      Most of their men laid dead around the two brothers of York and Henry Tudor found himself walking through the carnage, searching for Arthur.

"Arthur!" He shouted out loudly, "Come and finish this, you coward!"

    Instead of Arthur appearing before him, Thomas had, leading to Henry rolling his eyes. Thomas stared, his blue eyes filled with hatred and rage.

"Where is your brother, Thomas? I challenge him to fight in the remainder of our army's stead," Henry informed Thomas, who scoffed.

"No," He snapped at him coldly, "You've already killed the majority of our men. What would be the point?"

Henry stared at the younger man closely. He didn't want to snap at him, only to notice how his own men stared at him.

He sighed in defeat, turning his attention back toward Thomas with an amused look on his face. "Why is the little dog barking?" He asked in a sarcastic tone, beginning to glance around as he shouted, "Where be the big dog! Or is he too much a coward to come face me himself that he sends his little brother?"

  At that moment, Arthur pushed through the crowd, revealing himself to be wearing his helmet that had a crown placed upon it.

"He's here and he believes you mix him up with yourself," Arthur spoke to him in a calm tone, "We were friends, Henry. Why ruin that now?"

Henry glanced around anxiously, revealing that all eyes were on him. He forced himself to remain confident as he turned to look back at Arthur, a threatening look on his face. "You are a York, I am a Tudor. We could never be truly friends."

FLASHBACK
SIXTEEN YEARS PRIOR

At Pembroke Castle, Henry and Arthur stood outside together, throwing rocks into the well in front of them. "Maybe your uncle will let you live with us, Henry," Arthur informed his friend, a large smile on his face as he turned to look at his friend.

"Of course he won't. My mother would never allow it and my uncle does everything she tells him to," Henry complained, a part of him actually wanting to stay with Arthur and his family instead of being forced to run once more.

"My Father is the King. If he says it's alright, they will be forced to agree. We are friends. I don't want to be parted from you," Arthur explained, a saddened look on his face.

"We are more than friends. We are family," Henry corrected with a smile on his face.

"We are," Arthur confirmed, smiling back at his friend.

"Perhaps one day, we'll be brothers if I were to marry Lizbeth," Henry reminded Arthur and instead of him being unhappy by the thought of Henry marrying his little sister, Arthur seemed happy about the suggestion.

"I'd like that. Until then, we shall be friends, no matter comes our way," Arthur responded and Henry's smile became even later.

"Remember, Arthur, it doesn't matter if I'm of House Tudor and you of House York, we are brothers in all but blood. Nothing shall part us," Henry explained and the duo nodded in agreement, just before they were called in for dinner by Henry's uncle and Arthur's mother.

PRESENT
1485

"Come here, big dog," Henry taunted Arthur as he placed his helmet back on and unsheathed his sword.

He tried to contain his sadness, despite it breaking his heart to see how his sword was identical to the one Arthur grasped in his hands.

They were swords meant to be used by brothers, not enemies.

What had become of them?

    "Kill me if you must but just know, you'll be killing your own brother on this day. And I promise you, Lizbeth will never forgive you for this and my mother will make you and your mother pay for what you've done," Arthur explained, exchanging a look with Thomas.

He nodded at Thomas assuringly, telling him to back up. He turned his attention back to Henry, adjusting his helmet.

"Let's have at it, then, shall we?" Arthur taunted Henry, the two of them beginning to circle around one another.

They stopped for a long moment, studying each other closely as they waited to see who would attack first.

Henry grew impatient and walked forward. He swung at Arthur three times, but the latter had deflected each of hits with his own blade.

Their swords kissed several times and while Arthur was on the defensive side, it was still clear that he was the one winning.

He deflected and blocked Henry's swings as if they meant nothing to him and that concerned Henry.

Arthur had always been better with a sword.

He seemed to have forgotten that.

As their swords deadlocked, Henry found himself being overpowered by the weight Arthur was applying to their deadlocked swords.

He yelled out, headbutting Arthur in the face to make him back up. It didn't do much, though, seeing as though they were both wearing helmets. Arthur's crown hadn't even shifted from its spot on the top of his head, which made Henry feel uneasy.

The crown fit on Arthur's helmet as if it was God's own will to have it remain there, that he was the one destined to be king the entire time.

Arthur bent down slightly. He dropped his sword before wrapping his arms around Henry's torso. He tackled him to the ground and it led to Henry's sword flying several feet away from them.

Thomas watched on, a satisfied smirk forming on his lips. He was so caught up in the battle that he was oblivious to the man grasping a dagger slowly approaching him from the back.

Arthur had climbed onto Henry, striking him several times through his armor. Henry tried to block the York man's forms of attacks with his arms, but he seemed to be failing at it miserably.

Henry grabbed Arthur by the shoulders before switching the position. He began to punch him repeatedly and after a moment, he extended his arm out to reach for Arthur's sword since it was the one closest to them.

However, Arthur ended up reaching for it first, but Henry punched him in the first as hard as he could before tossing the sword to the side.

The men who stood nearby watched on, horrified by the sight. They were fighting like vicious dogs in the mud and none of them were able to figure out who would be the victor.

They rolled around in the dirt, the person who was on top changing every few seconds.

Just then, both men found themselves back on their feet. They rushed for their swords before standing back up, both of them panting for breath.

Arthur found himself on the defensive side while Henry was trying his best to keep up. The men gasped as Arthur knocked the sword out of Henry's hand at ease.

Henry's eyes widened and slowly began to back up. Arthur continued to swing at him and Henry tried his best to dodge him.

Henry ended up falling to the ground but he made sure to bring Arthur along with him. They began to fistfight once more, but just then, as he heard someone yell out, Arthur whipped his head around to watch as his brother was stabbed once in the back before being knocked onto the ground.

"No!" He shouted out, watching as the men surrounded his little brother, beginning to kick him until he was left beaten bloodied and lifeless.

Henry looked saddened for a long moment before he turned his attention back toward Arthur.

Despite feeling hesitant, he unsheathed the dagger from his belt as Arthur got ready to run toward his brother. He pushed Arthur flat on the ground and after a moment, he stabbed him in the throat through the gap between his helmet and his body armor.

Arthur began to choke as blood spilled from his mouth and the wound on his neck.

Henry wasted no time removing Arthur's helmet, watching as the man who was once a brother to him by at his hand.

He began to tear up, not that anyone could see that due to the fact that he still wore his helmet.

Henry lowered his head in shame, finding himself consumed with guilt after what he had done.

"I'm sorry," he whispered so quietly that none of his men could hear him.

As he laid dying, Arthur weakly turned his head, continuing to choke on his own blood. His eyes locked on his brother, whose were eyes wide open, yet still so lifeless.

He took his last breath just seconds after his eyes locked on his brother's corpse, a single tear spilling down his cheek.

Not long after, Jasper had bent down next to Arthur's body. He grabbed the Young king's arm, removing the ring from his finger.

He sighed in defeat, trying not to let his emotions consume him at the sight of Nora's firstborn son lying dead before him.

He turned his head, his eyes locking on Arthur's helmet, which still had his crown attached to it.

Before Jasper could even think about picking it up to give it to his nephew, Lord Stanley had beat him to it.

Stanley picked up the helmet and removed the crown from it, just before tossing the helmet back on the ground.

He practically snatched the ring from Jasper's hand, just before making his way over to Henry, who was staring down at Thomas' body with a guilty look on his face.

Stanley held the crown out to Henry, wasting no time kneeling before him. "God save the King!" He exclaimed, placing his balled-up fist against his heart.

Henry glanced around, a hesitant look on his face. He turned his head, his eyes locking on Jasper.

Jasper smiled, placing his fist over his heart as well as he knelt on the ground. "God save the King!"

"God save the King!" The next man said as well, just before everyone else on the battlefield did the same.

Still, Henry stared down at the crown Stanley held out for him, hesitant to place it on. He understood what had to happen for him to become king and it broke his heart beyond repair. He killed two men he once cared deeply for, boys who were like brothers to him. And worst of all, he was losing what he really wanted more than the crown.

The woman he loved.

Henry sighed in defeat and slowly glanced over at the bodies of Thomas and especially Arthur, trying not to look saddened.

After a long moment of hesitance, Henry finally grabbed the crown, feeling as though he had no other choice. He slowly placed it upon his own head, trying not to look saddened.

It didn't feel right. Even after so many years of fighting for such, it didn't feel right.

It would never feel right. Not while it meant that Lizbeth would never be at his side or even forgive him, for that matter.

_____

After the battle, Henry Tudor traveled to the York camps, being forced to execute any men loyal to Arthur and the rest of House York. It was his mother's suggestion, after all. He was always expected to escort Lizbeth, who was still at the camp, back to London with him.

Not to mention, Lord Stanley had to get his son back from being imprisoned.

Henry made his way through the vacant war camp, his men killing any men left who were deemed traitors.

He suddenly stopped, however, when his eyes locked on Lizbeth, who was being dragged out of her tent by two men loyal to him.

She kicked and screamed, a look on her face that was both filled with rage and heartbreak.

Her brothers were dead.

Henry's eyes widened, the sight of Lizbeth leaving him speechless. Yes, they had written to each other constantly, but it had been years since they last saw each other.

She had been just a girl and him a boy.

Now, he was a man and she a woman.

Everything had changed, including them.

"Leave her," Henry spoke up in a stern tone, causing the guards to immediately let go of her, "Leave us."

Lizbeth slowly looked Henry in the eye, her expression emotionless as the men left then alone together. Her eyes were cold and threatening while his were filled with sadness and defeat.

He had won the war, but he lost what he truly wanted.

Her love.

"Lizbeth—" He began to say, only to get cut off as she walked back into her tent.

He sighed in defeat, anxiously glancing around the camp before he followed her into the tent.

Her back was facing him and he had expected her to be crying, but she wasn't. She had no more tears left to cry. She was merely angry. In fact, she was consumed by that anger and hatred and she was trying everything within her power not to unleash it.

"What can I say, Lizbeth? It had to be done. I can't even explain it," Henry managed to get out as he cautiously walked over to her, "You must know that I had no choice."

It was the truth, to say the least, but he knew for a fact she'd never believe that.

"And neither did I," She told him in a calm tone, much to his confusion.

She took a deep breath, balling her right hand into a tight fist.

Henry frowned in concern. He opened his mouth to ask her what she meant, only to be cut off as Lizbeth whipped around within the blink of an eye and punched him in the face.

She had punched him with all the strength she had and it led to Henry falling to the ground, his crown falling to the ground with a thud.

Lizbeth looked down at her brother's crown with angry tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

Henry remained on the ground, staring at her in shock. He was speechless and did nothing as she ripped the two swords from their sheaths on his belt.

One was her brother's and the other was the one that had been given to Henry long ago by her mother. They were hers now, not his.

"You don't deserve these. You aren't worthy, nor will you ever be," She growled at him in a low, threatening tone. She sent him one last glare, just before she rushed to flee the battle camp. 

Immediately after running out of the tent, she found herself being approached by four armed men. She turned, running in the opposite direction of them.

A man appeared in front of her and tried to swing at her. She ducked, just before driving one of the swords into his chest. She pulled the sword out before turning to the next man, stabbing him as well.

She kicked the next man in the groin area and stabbed him, just before slashing the fourth man in the neck and the fifth in the back.

She tripped the last man before stabbing in the chest. She looked forward with drops of blood on her face, her eyes locking on Henry, who had just exited the tent while rubbing his arching jaw.

Their eyes locked and his eyes widened at the sight of the six dead bodies lying at Lizbeth's feet.

She glared at him hatefully and a part of her wanted to kill him as well.

Henry thought she would. There was no guards left close enough to protect him and she had two swords while he had none. She killed five men as if it were nothing she surely could do the same.

"Do it," He told her calmly, "Do it. I can't say I won't deserve it after what I've done."

Tears began to fill Lizbeth's eyes as she took a single step toward him. Henry took a deep breath, preparing himself to be killed by her.

He closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight of the woman he genuinely loved killing him.

However, moments passed and nothing happened. He slowly opened his eyes, only to find Lizbeth nowhere in sight, which confused him.

She spared him.

_____

Hearing the news about her sons and Richard, Nora stood in her chambers, trying her hardest not to break down. Lizzie had been the one to tell her and the girl stood before her step-mother, an uneasy look on her face.

Nora had lost enough in the past two years and now, it was as though she lost everything.

"You mustn't do anything rash, Your Grace," Lizzie pleaded, tears in her own eyes after hearing about the death of Thomas and especially Arthur.

"Musn't do anything rash?!" Nora screamed at Lizzie as she whipped herself around to face her, "That family have taken everything from me!"

Lizzie flinched, watching as Nora broke down before her. She was heaving for breath as tears spilled down her cheeks. Her hands were trembling and Lizzie feared the woman would never be the same.

"I will take back what is rightfully my family's and if they want to stop me, they shall have to kill me!" Nora continued on and scoffed loudly, "Let them try that, though. The entirety of England would turn on them if they did so. I am God's Anointed. Even Margaret Beaufort isn't stupid enough to kill me. I promise them this. There will come a time where I'm not so easily subdued and on that day, I will make them suffer."

"Nora--" Lizzie began to beg the woman, only to be cut off when Nora rushed out of the room, beginning to walk down the hallway. She made it to the foyer, which had the banners sporting the white rose of House York on them.

She angrily ripped them down, finding herself overwhelmed with her emotions. She turned around in a complete circle, panting for breath as she tried to choke back her sobs.

She lost everything. Her sons. Richard. Her daughter. Or perhaps even daughters if they got their hands on Lizbeth.

And she lost Edward.

It all started with Edward and she feared all that was happening was her own fault. Was it?

Perhaps God was making her pay for betraying him by being with Richard.

She didn't even know why she did it. It was stupid. She needed comfort in her times of need and Richard just happened to be there.

She betrayed him. She betrayed the love she had for Edward. And it was yet another thing she was guilty of.

"This is all my fault," She whispered to herself, running her hands through her hair as she tried to process everything, despite being in such a manic state, "It's all my fault."

Nora tried to calm down, but the feelings were overwhelming her. She felt the need to scream and so, she did.

Nora inhaled sharply before letting out a loud scream, one that was heard all throughout the castle. The scream was filled with anger and rage, but then she screamed again. This time, the pain of her broken heart being heard within it.

The sound made even Cecily tear up when she heard it.

People thought the death of Edward changed Nora. But now, Nora would surely never be the same.

Four sons. She lost four sons. A daughter. George. Richard. Edward. Her father. Her mother.

She practically lost everything during this God forsaken war and now, she was losing Lizbeth too.

If she wasn't dead, she'd be forced to marry the man who killed her brothers and she'd have no choice in the matter.

And it was all her mother's fault.

______

In the woods, Lizbeth ran as fast as she could, trying to outrun the men chasing after her. It felt as though she had been running for miles, but still, she wasn't tired. She was so consumed with the need to get away and avoid marrying her brother's murderer made sure of that.

Lizbeth cried out as she tripped, but was quick to hide behind a tree when she heard the men getting closer.

"She's close," She heard Lord Stanley tell his men before his tone became louder, "Lizbeth! Princess Elizabeth! I know you're near. It's pointless to run. Don't make this more difficult than it has to be."

Just then, a man ran toward Stanley, an alarmed look on his face. "This way!" The man exclaimed, pointing in the opposite direction that Lizbeth was hiding in, "Some of the men are saying they spotted her heading east."

"To Yorkshire," Stanley realized, his eyes widening in realization, "I suppose there would be countless men willing to hide the York princess there. Let's go. Now! The king wants her alive and unharmed."

With that, the men, including Stanley, ran off, causing Lizbeth to sigh in relief. She pushed herself up off the ground and leaned against the tree. She took a moment to catch her breath and just as she was about to continue running, the same man who had lied to Stanley about her whereabouts appeared in front of her.

He pushed her against the tree, placing a hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming. "Shh. I am here to help," He whispered to her and Lizbeth nodded in understanding, which allowed him to remove his hand from covering her mouth, "I have a horse waiting for you a mile south of here near a stream. Head for Bedford Castle. There is more men loyal to House York traveling there to defend you and your mother from the Tudor men. You must go now. I can't lead them astray for much longer."

A thankful look on her face, Lizbeth nodded. "Thank you," She whispered to him softly, tightly grasping her swords in her hands.

"Go," He demanded and Lizbeth wasted no time obeying him.

_____

An entire day had passed before Lizbeth finally arrived at Bedford Castle. The men guarding the castle immediately allowed Lizbeth through, seeing as though they recognized their princess almost instantly.

Nora was walking out of the castle when her eyes locked on Lizbeth climbing off of her horse.

"Mother," Lizbeth cried out as she turned to face her mother. She wasted no time running toward her mother, who engulfed her into a tight hug as they both began to cry over the losses they had endured the previous day.

As she hugged her mother, Lizbeth's eyes slowly opened, only to frown when she saw a familiar man walking up the dirt road that led to the castle with a familiar boy alongside him.

"George?" She called out, causing Nora to pull away from her daughter with a frown on her face.

She turned her head as well, only to have her eyes widen at the sight of George being led toward the castle by Thomas Grey, Elizabeth's eldest son.

Nora cried out, covering her mouth as she found herself stunned speechless. She gradually began to smile, pushing past her guards to run toward her son.

"Mother!" George gasped, rushing toward his mother as well.

George ended up running into his mother's arms as they both cried. Katherine had run out of the castle as well, she and Lizbeth running over to their brother as well alongside Cecily and Lizzie.

"It is true what they're saying about my brothers and Grace?" George asked, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

Nora tried her hardest to hold back her tears as she nodded her head.

"Then when I am grown, I vow to avenge them and the rest of this family. One day, I will be king and the Tudors will pay for what they have done. I swear it," George explained and Nora simply nodded, not responding to his vow.

She hugged him tightly while Lizbeth thought hard on the vow, a part of her feeling uneasy.

_____

That afternoon, Lizbeth stood in her room, finding herself grieving alone. Just then, her mother entered, a concerned look on her face.

"Lizbeth?" Nora called out, making her way closer to her daughter.

"I killed more than a half dozen men to get here, Mother," Lizbeth confessed, turning to look at his mother, "And now, I am to be Queen of England when I know that my sons will be cursed because of what Lady Margaret and Henry Tudor did to my brothers and my sister. I find myself afraid."

"You needn't be afraid," Nora assured her daughter, looking down at her as she cupped her face in her hands, "You shall be Queen of England and what queen you shall be."

"I don't want to be Queen of England. I want vengeance," Lizbeth argued, a cold and emotionless look on her face.

Nora nodded, the slightest of smiles on her face as she nodded her head in agreement. "And you shall get it, my love," She whispered to her daughter softly, "We all will. The Tudors will pay for what they have done to wrong us and in the end, none of them will be left alive."

Lizbeth stared up at her closely, studying her mother closely. There was a new look in her mother's. One she hadn't seen before and she didn't know if she should content about it or afraid.

In truth, it was the latter.

It was a look that should have made everyone afraid.

For it would have entire Tudor family paying for what they had done to wrong her and her family.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This is the last chapter 😭😭

But there will most likely be bonus chapters posted here and there in this book revolving around when Edward was like and chapters taking place when there have been time skips.

Honestly, as much as Henry is supposed to be seen as a bad guy, he clearly did not want to kill Arthur and he felt HORRIBLE about Thomas but he was forced to suck it all up bc it was expected of him 😭😭

Lizbeth really punched Henry tho 😂

Lemme just say though, we already know that like her mother, Lizbeth doesn't care who she tells off so be ready to see her doing that in the sequel constantly with Henry and Margaret (which Margaret won't take well, especially when she sees her do it to Henry and Henry does nothing to scold Lizbeth)

Cecily and Lizzie will also be in the sequel. Cecily will have the same storyline she had in the actual show but Lizzie ofc will have something different.

As for Nora, she'll be plotting A LOT and even worse than Elizabeth Woodville did in the actual show cuz Nora will use actual politics instead of witchcraft cuz obviously, she isn't a witch like Elizabeth is and she's most politically-adept 😂

Anyways, I hope you read the sequel!!

Once again, it's called Royal Blood!

Thank you to all of those who took the time to read this book! I hope you enjoyed it. I didn't expect so many people to read it tbh 😭😭