𝐸𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 || 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑊𝐻𝐼𝑇𝐸 𝑄𝑈𝐸𝐸𝑁

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑋𝐶

~Dearest Hal~

Richard sighed as he shut the door to their bedchamber behind him, almost collapsing back against the wood.
"What's made you so tired, love?" Eleanor laughed as she laid her cloak on the large bed that was at one end of the room and lay back on the soft covers.

"Being without you" he replied, walking over to join her and jumping onto the covers, making her giggle "it's been hell and now heaven has returned in the form of you!" She smiled, drawing him into her arms as best she could with her expanding belly "have you been busy while we've been apart?"

"More than you know!" She replied with a groan. "I can't remember a time where I've had more people looking to me!" She paused a little and sat up, ignoring Richard's sigh of protest "and I have something to tell you" Richard merely 'hm'd' as he sat up beside her, eagerly sweeping her hair aside and placing hot kisses to her neck.

"And what might that be, sweetheart?" He asked in between kisses. She took a breath.
"Our daughter Bess is betrothed to King Charles of France" his lips halted and he leant his forehead against her neck, sighing a little "you do not seem surprised" she said "though, why would you, according to Mother you were arranging it between yourselves" Richard sighed again and sat up fully, carding a hand through his hair.

"Are you angry?" He asked "nothing was settled, I only suggested it. It was one sentence in one letter. If I meant for any serious negotiations of course I would have told you"
"No" she replied "I'm not angry, just a little stung that you didn't think to tell me first about something concerning our daughter's future" he shook his head and took her hand, stroking her knuckles with his thumb.

"I'm sorry" he said and she shook her head.
"It doesn't matter, I suppose" she murmured "not now when it is done. Bess may now be the next Queen of France! Your Mother thinks it the best idea in the world"
"Of course she does! Any marriage alliance that involves royalty fuels her determination beyond belief! But now, I think we must discuss the traitor in our midst"

A frown came across Eleanor's face and she instinctively put a hand to her belly, taking comfort in the small kick her child gave her.
"Harry" she whispered and turned to look into her husband's face "you said you were going to" she gulped a little, finding bile rising in her throat at the words she was about to utter "hang, draw and quarter him"

"I am" he replied bluntly and Eleanor's eyes widened "the idea was put forward by Stanley and the others seemed to think it was a good idea....it was voted on and it won. His execution is set for tomorrow morning"
"You can't...." She breathed "you can't be so brutal, Richard. He's our friend"

"He's a traitor!" Richard snapped, making her jump as he rose angrily from the bed and began to pace back and forth in front of it "it's no less than he deserves"
"Stanley's put you up to this" she said firmly "I know you, Dickon, you are not a murderer....you are not like this...."