LOVE AND WAR
— 7. Lies

Wearing her small clothes, Nora stood in her tent, anxiously pacing. Edward was due to arrive at her tent soon and a part of him felt nervous about it. She had no idea what would happen. Was she to bed him?

Hearing the flap of her tent, Nora wasted no time turning to see Edward entering. He still wore his daily clothes, the same outfit she had seen him wearing earlier when he accompanied her to find her herbs.

"Your Grace," Nora greeted Edward, wasting no time curtsying to her king.

Edward smiled softly, wasting no time greeting her back. He stared at her closely, looking forward to seeing her wearing her small clothes and nothing else.

"How are you?" Nora suddenly asked, snapping Edward out of his vulgar thoughts about her in her small clothes.

"How am I?" Edward questioned, letting out a large scoff. The question was something that didn't bring any happiness to him. He was, after all, fighting a war he didn't feel like taking part in, "I'm leading an army I would have never expected to be leading three years ago. My father and brother are dead at the hands of the Mad Queen. Your mother is out to get me and I've found myself captivated by that said woman's daughter, a girl who also happens to be the niece of the king who ruled before me."

"It was a stupid question, I'm sorry," Nora quickly apologized, an ashamed look on her face.

"No, forgive me," Edward argued, sending her an apologetic look, "You were being kind. I have no right to speak to you that way."

"You have every right," Nora smiled softly as Edward moved closer to her, "You are a king, after all."

"That's not the king I want to be," Edward confessed, an uneasy look on his face.

"Then, what kind do you want to be, Your Grace?" Nora found herself asking, a curious look on her face.

"The good kind, I suppose," Edward admitted dumbly, causing them both to chuckle, "Most kings grew up as princes for several years being taught how to rule before the crown found its way onto their heads just moments after their father's death. I, on the other hand, grew up being taught how to be Duke of York. When the war began, I assumed if my father won, he would be king. After his death, though, I was the one who became king. I've been left with a crown with no idea how to truly keep it. I have no idea how to end this war fairly. I have enemies all around me, yet I have no idea how to defeat every single one of them."

"You're King Edward of House York. You're one of the best battle commanders anyone has seen in decades," Nora assured Edward, grabbing his hand and holding it in her own, "If anyone can win this war and rule England greatly, it's you."

Edward smiled softly for a moment, slowly looking up at Nora. "What about you? What were you raised to be?"

"By my mother, I was raised to be a proper and obedient wife, one who'd do anything my future husband told me to do. My father, though, raised be have individuality. He taught me to have my own opinion and the right times to express those said opinions in order to avoid punishment by my husband and those around me. He taught me to have courage, a courage that didn't come from wielding a sword as most men do. He taught me to be wise and kind and gentle. He taught me the history of those came before me and how to make history." She explained, a large smile on her face as she thought of her father.

Gradually, the smile began to fade and Edward watched Nora's usually bright and happy eyes became filled with tears of sadness.

Edward wasted no time pulling Nora closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her in order to comfort her as she cried about her father.

"He left me alone. He left me alone with my monstrous mother, a woman I cannot escape. If I don't escape her, she'll marry me off to Edward of Lancaster. He is his mother's puppet. He's just as much a monster as his mother. He'll force himself upon me. He'll ruin me and I'll be bound to meet my end at his hands," She explained, beginning to sob at the thought of being married to Edward, "They want me because I will strengthen their claim even more than it already is. I don't even think being your mistress will help me escape their clutches."

Edward froze, his eyes widening in realization. She was right. They needed Nora for Edward of Lancaster. At this rate, even if he took her virtue, Margaret of Anjou would still want her for her son.

The only way to protect her was to have her be married and not to him, but to someone else. Arthur Neville.

Edward closed his eyes, trying to keep the thought of his head. He refused to have Nora marry that man. He couldn't just give her away like that. He loved her.

Edward's eyes widened, realizing what he had just learned.

He truly loved Nora. It wasn't infatuation as everyone around him told him it was. He truly loved Nora.

He loved her because she could relate to him in ways others couldn't. She didn't try to woo him and get close to him because he was king. She was truthful with him in ways others were not. She wasn't scared of him and she had the courage to stand up to him when he was wrong. She made him feel like an ordinary man, something he at times hoped to be.

Slowly, Nora pulled her head away from leaning against Edward's chest. She slowly looked up, seeing the way he stared at her intently, as if he wanted to say something but didn't have the courage to do so.

He lifted his hands, wasting no time wiping the tears from her eyes. She smiled softly, doing nothing as he cupped her face in his hands.

He leaned forward, pressing a lingering kiss to her lips before pulling away.

She frowned, wondering why he only kissed her once.

"Why did you stop?" She asked softly, a concerned look on her face.

"If I go any further, my lady, I fear I will go too far," He admitted, referring to the fact that they had the chance of bedding one another.

"Would that be so bad?" She questioned, causing Edward's eyes to widen.

"Is it not too soon for us to do such a thing together?" Edward asked, an uneasy look on his face, "If you want to wait—"

"I want you, Edward," Nora wasted no time confessing, cupping Edward's face in her small hands, "All of you."

Edward remained silent, slowly nodding his head in understanding. He leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers.

He pulled away briefly, their foreheads pressing against each other as Edward spoke softly to her. "I'm never nervous," He admitted, referring to the fact that at that moment, he felt beyond nervous.

"Don't be," She assured him in a whisper, leaning forward to kiss him.

"May I touch you?" He suddenly asked and slowly, Nora nodded her head.

Edward extended his arm out and placed his hand on her bare calf. He slowly dragged his hand upwards, his fingertips brushing against her soft, untouched skin.

As his hands moved underneath her smallclothes, he leaned forward and kissed her once more.

Nora lifted her hands, beginning to untie the lace of her small clothes.

Edward immediately removed his hands from underneath her smallclothes and began to assist her in removing the material from her body.

Once it was untied, Edward pulled away from the kiss. He slowly slipped the small clothes off her shoulders and down her body. He continued to look her in the eyes, noticing how she was quick to cover her breasts before he could catch a glimpse.

He smiled softly at her actions, expecting her to do such a thing. She was a maid, after all, she had never done something like this before.

Slipping the material off her body completely, Nora laid down on the bed of furs on the ground. Edward wasted no time unbuckling his pants before removing his shirt. He laid on his side beside her, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

He placed a hand on the side of her face, kissing her again before his hand trailed down her neck, chest, the valley of her breasts and beyond that.

Nora practically trembled at his touch, causing Edward to look concerned. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" He asked uneasily and despite expecting her to say no, she nodded.

"Yes, how many times must you ask me?" Nora asked, an annoyed look on her face, "I am ready. If I weren't, I'd tell you. I swear it."

Edward nodded, cautiously position himself on top of her. He kissed her again, passionately. When pulled away, their faces were inches apart.

Nora stared into his eyes, placing her hand on one of his arms.

"It will hurt the first time," Edward admitted to her softly, "I'll go slow, to make it hurt less. I promise."

"Just kiss me," Nora insisted, the feeling of his lips on hers being a way to distract her from the pain.

The entire night, Nora remained in Edward's arms. As the night went on, the pain dulled and the two young adults found both pleasure and comfort with each other.

Despite not admitting it later on, Edward had even accidentally let an 'I love you' slip. Nora hadn't noticed, though, which Edward was thankful for.

Edward felt guilty. He should have told her before that he was thinking about agreeing to Warwick's proposal of her marrying Arthur.

He had a feeling she'd hate him for it. After all, he was dumb enough to agree to bed her. Nora wouldn't see it as her idea, though.

He knew her well enough to know that she'd start to think he only agreed to take her maidenhead before marrying her off.

She'd think he had been using her, but in truth, he did it to protect her. Protect her from the Lancasters.

The following morning, Nora was woken up by the feeling of Edward running his fingertips along her bare body.

She began to smile, her eyes fluttering open. She turned her head, seeing that Edward was wide awake. "It seems I am as lucky in love as I am in battle," He admitted without thinking.

Nora smiled, giving Edward an amused look. "Is that so?" She questioned as Edward continued to trace his fingers around her chest.

He stopped, wrapping his arms around her to pull her closer. "I expected you to grow tired last night, but you never did. You have an appetite for pleasure I never expected out of you, you wanton woman," Edward playfully growled as he leaned toward her, causing them both to laugh.

"Do I please His Grace?" Nora asked Edward, who grinned widely as he kissed her.

"Most definitely," He replied without hesitation, a smile on his face.

Nora smiled back, only to see the sun shining through the flap of the tent. It meant it was morning time.

"It's morning time. I must go. There are wounded men still to be tended to," Nora began to say, about to move away from Edward when he pulled her back.

"No, stay," Edward insisted, a playful smile on his face as he pressed a kiss to her neck.

"You are not helping, Edward," Nora complained, playfully rolling her eyes at him.

"I am not trying to help, love. This could be the last moment I have with you before I die in battle. I would like to spend those last moments with you, naked," Edward explained, causing Nora to laugh at the fact that he emphasized on the naked part.

Edward sat up slightly, pushing Nora down on her back before he began to tickle her. Nora began to giggle, clearly ticklish, which was something Edward hadn't known about her.

"Edward—" She began to laugh, only to be cut off by a fit of laughter escaping her parted lips.

"Say you'll stay with me. Say you'll stay with me and I'll stop," Edward convinced her, smiling in amusement as he continued to tickle her.

"I'll stay, I'll stay!" She exclaimed in between laughs.

Edward smiled, finally stopping what he was doing. He hovered over her, using one hand to hold himself up while the other one was placed on the side of her face. "I am never afraid, but as of this moment, I am."

"Of what?" Nora asked, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

"Of leaving you," Edward confessed, causing Nora's eyes to widen in shock.

What she didn't seem to realize was he didn't just mean the fact that he could die in battle, but also the fact that in due time, she had the chance of marrying Arthur Neville, which would mean she would be leaving him.

"Don't be," Nora assured Edward as she stared up at him, "You will live. And you will return to me."

Edward smiled, wasting no time nodding his head. He leaned forward, pressing his lips against his once more. He pulled the sheet over their heads, causing Nora to giggle as he began to kiss down her body.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Oop. Edward really slept with Nora, knowing she was a virgin. Not to mention, he's secretly planning to marry her off without her even knowing it yet. 😭😬