𝐸𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 || 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑊𝐻𝐼𝑇𝐸 𝑄𝑈𝐸𝐸𝑁

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐶𝑋𝑉𝐼

~Everlasting Joy~

"My son!"
The scream that tore from Cecily Neville's throat as she fled into the courtyard at the sound of royal trumpets pierced the air like a freshly shot arrow. For once, the older woman did not care for her long sought grace and decorum; she pushed through the nobles on the steps without hesitance, eyes anxiously searching for the face of her son.

She let out a broken cry when she saw him riding beside Eleanor, shining in cloth of silver with his rightful crown on his head. So long she had thought him dead, so long she had thought all of her beloved sons lost to her that now his presence did not seem real! She half expected for his Father and brothers to appear with angel wings and halos on their heads!

Her slippered feet crunched beneath the thin layer of snow that had settled on the courtyard floor but when Richard jumped merrily from his horse she was soon swept into the air and clutched desperately to him.

"Mother" he murmured against the damask of her headdress and she held him like he were a little boy again, combing her ringed hands through his dark hair in an effort to convince herself it was him. All around her, all she could hear were the deafening cries of nobles and commoners alike, calling their love of their King and Queen.

'Leena' She suddenly thought and released her son to hunt for her daughter. It did not take her long for the Queen was gracefully sliding from her saddle, appearing almost a mystical fairy in her garments of gold. Cecily felt another smile spread across her thin lips; she opened her arms and Eleanor's eyes lit up when she saw her.

"Mother!" She cried, hurrying into the loving embrace.

"Queen Eleanor! King Richard!" The crowds chanted and Cecily laughed through the tears that clouded her vision when she pulled back to study the Queen's face.

"They love you, Leena!" She breathed, reaching for her son once more and pulling him close. She felt like she would never let him go again "they love you both!" Turning around, Cecily laced her hands with the King and Queen and raised them high into the air, beaming. A deafening roar was drawn from the royal court.

"York is victorious!" She yelled at the top of her voice, feeling her heart about to burst "Your King and Queen have returned!"

"Grandmama!"

Cecily dropped Eleanor and Richard's hands at the sound of her grandchildren's voices and sought to gather all of them into her embrace at once! One by one, she clasped them close, kissing their hair, telling them she loved them with all of her hearts.
"Oh my darlings, you are safe" she whispered when Eliza embraced her "you are all safe!"