- 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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The next morning...
"I have saved this dress for 25 years, ma cherié...I cannot believe how long it has been since I married my Richard" Marian murmured as she drew out her wedding dress from the coffer she always kept securely locked and smiled at it, blinking back the tears that sprang to her eyes as she remembered the happiest day of her life.
"Mama..." Lisbet whispered as she stepped forward, playing with the ties of her chemise and brushing back a lock of her freshly washed hair before reaching out to touch the shimmering golden fabric"you would trust me with it...it's so beautiful...so very beautiful..."
"Your Aunt Elizabeth had it made for me" Marian chuckled "I shall always remember what she said when I asked how she had commissioned it so quickly! She said: I saw this wedding from miles away!"
"Was your love for papa that clear?" Lisbet asked, looking up into her mother's face and trying to picture her wearing the golden gown, holding hands with Richard in the chapel of Westminster. "Aye" Marian whispered "and he loved me too... will you wear it, Lisbet?" "Of course I will mama!" Her daughter cried, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek "I've never seen a gown so beautiful...and I'm honoured that you should trust me with it"
"I would trust you with me life, ma chérie" Marian laughed. "And you mine!"
The pair moved to the centre of the Queen's chambers and Lisbet smiled as her mother helped her into her wedding gown. She marvelled at the delicacy of the fabric, how the hanging sleeves, trimmed with white fur fell gracefully to the floor and the plunging neckline highlighted the bodice perfectly.
Marian smiled as she laced up the back of her daughter's gown, remembering how Meg had done the same twenty five years ago and again brushed back a stray tear that escaped her eyes. 'Not today' she told herself firmly 'no tears of sadness today'
Walking round to face Lisbet, Marian let out a small gasp as she saw a younger version of herself smiling back at her and gave the other woman a small kiss on the forehead. "Today you shall do me proud, daughter" she said while Lisbet blushed "as you always do"
A small knock came at the door and Maggie entered, dressed in a dark blue gown and holding a candle; a small smile on her face as she walked into the room, admiring her cousin.
"Tis beautiful" she whispered, slowly reaching out to touch the fabric of the gown's sleeves "and perfect for the Duchess of Exeter" "How did you know that?" Lisbet laughed as she embraced Maggie, kissing her on both cheeks and silently thanking the Lord that her cousin had managed to escape her husband unnoticed. "Francis! He's pacing up and down his chambers relentlessly, clutching the hilt of his dagger as if he's about to fend off an attack from Tudor! I went to see how he was faring and he told me about the dukedom...he told me that his father and mother would be proud, that it was what they wanted for him"
