𝐸𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 || 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑊𝐻𝐼𝑇𝐸 𝑄𝑈𝐸𝐸𝑁

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑋𝐼𝐼𝐼

~Murder and Hate~

Running into her chambers, Eleanor slammed the door behind her and clutched at her heaving chest while tears ran down her cheeks.

Immediately she was surrounded by her maids, not hesitating to embrace her and gently guide her to the large bed, that was covered with soft furs, and lie her down, unbraiding her hair and removing her shoes. All of them were rather shocked for a crying Eleanor was a rare sight indeed.

She hardly ever cried in front of them, always made them leave so that she could weep in solitude, forever wanting to seem composed in their presence. Only when she was ever truly bereft for some reason would she let her tears fall in front of anyone. And now that she was doing just that, her friends were more than concerned.

"What's wrong, my lady?" Grace said softly as she sat beside her mistress, ever the most caring one of the group "has the King done something to upset you?"
"He has!" Eleanor wept "he's forcing my to marry!"

"Marry?" They all exclaimed, glancing at one another.
"Surely he would not do that!" Isabel cried, rubbing Eleanor's shoulder and dabbing at her cheeks with a handkerchief "you have told us many a time that he has always been kind to you! Favoured you!"

"I think he sees this plan of his as favouring me!" The countess replied with a small smile "for I am to marry his brother! The Duke of Gloucester!"
"And will you try to escape it?" Johanna asked as she fetched a nightgown.
"Of course I will! I will not allow myself to be bullied into a marriage! I do not care if Edward is the King of England! I could not care more if he was the King of the whole world! I will not obey him in this!"

A small knock came at the bedroom door and the maids stepped back from the bed as their countess rose, trying to compose herself for she decided that however angry she was, it would not do to appear weak in front of strangers.

"Enter" she called, clasping her hands in front of her after she had pushed back her loose hair and held her head high as a serving girl entered and curtsied to her.

"The Queen has sent for you, my lady, if you will come with me" she said quietly and Eleanor opened her mouth to refuse but stopped as she thought. Edward's plan was not Elizabeth's fault and by the look on her elder sister's face she had not even known of the arrangements until the King had told them all together.

"I will obey my sister, the Queen" she at last replied, allowing Isabel to put her shoes on again "take me to her"

The serving girl nodded and walked through the door, the countess behind her as she followed her through the winding corridors and staircases of the castle until they reached the largest chamber of them all.