Crown of Blood | The White Princess

Separation of York

April 1498...

"Why can't you just drop it you stubborn bastard?!" Edmund yelled as he and his brother had yet another argument on the future of the house of York.
"We cannot face Tudor divided!" Ned shouted back, his face red with anger as he slammed his fists down on the table.

"Calm yourselves" Lisbet interjected from where she was sitting by the fire in Marian's solar.
"Oh don't you start trying to play the peacemaker" Edmund spat in return before striding over to her and pulling her roughly to her feet "what are your thoughts on this?"

"Mine?" She scoffed, pushing her brother away before going to stand by Ned who folded his arms and glared at his brother "I'm surprised you even want to know my thoughts on the subject!"

"Just speak for God's sake!" The eldest York commanded and Lisbet rolled her eyes.
"I agree with Ned, we cannot face Tudor divided, we shall have no chance of victory then"

"So you have so little faith in me!"
"It's not that!" Ned hissed "but if we wish to reconquer England then we must stand together! We must be as one! Be as the three sons of York were!"

"They became divided" his brother pointed out.
"That's not...oh I swear I'm going to give up with you, Eddie! If it were not for the sake of our family then you would have lost me long before now!"
"Well it's not as if you are to ride into battle with me anyway! So, believe me, dear brother, I can afford to lose you and our whore of a sister as well!"

Lisbet scoffed and slapped her elder brother hard, tackling him to the ground as he reached out to return her hit.

Ned was quick to pull them apart, holding Lisbet at the end of one arm, a raging Edmund at the end of the other.
"Stop it you two!" He ordered sternly "we are Yorks, we are better than this!"
"Better then what?" Edmund scoffed "beating each other black and blue because we disagree? Isn't that what all Yorks do? Just like our father did to Uncle George the night he was arrested?"
"Like I said before, we must stand as one! Put our differences, our disagreements aside and work together"

"How very diplomatic of you, Edward" he snapped scornfully and Lisbet threw him a glare that threatened another slap if he didn't shut up that very moment "how can you expect us to work together?" He asked, wrenching free from his brother's grip and leaning against the wall "we hate each other!"

"I don't hate you" Lisbet muttered "well, not most of the time"
"Well I hate you" was the reply she got and she raised an eyebrow.
"So be it" she said tiredly "though I hope you know that in doing so you are single handedly bringing about the fall of our house. I mean, you're 24, Edmund! Grow up!"

Edmund all but flew across the room at that and had to be wrestled into a chair by his brother to stop him.

"How dare you?!" He shrieked "how can you even suggest that it would be my fault if our house collapsed! I am the only one of us that is working to get us back to England! You two are too busy whoring yourselves to your pleasure loving harlots!"