- 𝐸𝑚𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒, 𝐸𝑚𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 -
It's the year 1485 and King Richard III has been slain at the battle of Bosworth along with his beloved wife and Queen, Marian of Lancaster. Their eldest daughter, Lisbet, is given little time to...
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"Any sign of them?" Lisbet called after the three had spent half an hour looking for Ed and Magda. Both Ned and Francis shook their heads, trying to catch their breath and Lisbet kicked the wall in her frustration "where could they have gone?!"
"Somewhere that isn't here" Ned grumbled and Lisbet glared at him. "How very helpful baby brother" she scoffed before turning away as a thought hit her "the gate!" She cried and both men looked at her as if she had gone insane "the gate!" She repeated and Francis went to her side, taking her hand.
"Are you well, Lillibet?" He asked and she pulled away, nodding before she turned on her heel and ran, picking up her skirts as she went.
"Follow me!" She yelled over her shoulder and the two men could do nothing but obey, following her outside and through the gardens until she cried out and came to a halt "Edmund!" She shouted "Edmund please stop!"
"Don't, my love!" Came the voice of Magda from behind the Prince and Ned and Francis at last came into sight and gasped when they saw Edmund and Magda standing together before an open gate, a small boat floating on the moat behind them. Both were dressed in travelling clothes and had hunted looks in their faces; took steps back every so often.
"Stop Edmund!" Lisbet cried again and Ned walked forward. "Listen to her, brother" he said but Edmund drew his sword, pointed it at Ned's neck, making the other man draw his blade, quickly followed by Francis who went to Lisbet's side.
"Don't make me do this brother" Edmund hissed, clutching Magda's hand "but you will not stop me...I will be with my true love" "No Edmund!" Lisbet said, stepping forward only to find her brother's sword pointed at her chest "Don't to this, Eddie...come back with us...think of your family...of York...of all the people that are depending on you!"
"No!" Edmund yelled "no! I'm leaving with Magda and if you don't get out of my way then you will find that Papa and Dickon have company in heaven" "No, my love" Magda said gently, taking his arm and lowering his sword "do not harm your kin...I know that you do not wish to harm them...truly you don't and nor do I...they have been my loyal friends for years and I do not want their blood to be shed on this day or any other day...now let us go" she raised her eyes to meet with Lisbet's gaze and shook her head "let us leave Lisbet" she whispered "let us go"
"Never" the Princess returned, her hands curling into fists "you can leave if you wish, Magda...Lord knows I do not wish it was like this...you are one of my dearest friends... but Edmund's crown...our crown is at stake here. This is no game, Magda" "I know that" she hissed "Then for heavens sake let him go!" Lisbet cried "if you know what the consequences of this act will be, what it will mean for us, for all of us then let Edmund go now and leave! You have my word that you will be taken care of, Magda! Always! But your time with my brother is over..."
