Crown of Blood | The White Princess

Two Kings

The Yorks were the first to step onto English soil and as they did so a deep silence fell over the family while they remembered the last time they had been on these shores.

Marian, at the battle of Bosworth where she had lost everything she loved.

Edmund, at Grafton where he had been cheated of his crown and forced to flee.

Edward, who had been awaiting his parents return only to be told they were dead and be forced into exile with his brother.

Lisbet, at Westminster where Meg had sacrificed herself and Jasper had let her go.

And Anne who had never even seen England and now looked around warily, unused to the coastal cold as they all had come to be after their years in France. The twelve year old shivered and pulled her cloak around her, reaching out and slowly slipping her hand into Marian's. She squeezed gently in response.

Two hours later, once the whole army had disembarked from their ships and the sun was rising high in the sky, Edmund called for horses and he mounted his destrier, swinging Anne up behind him and making sure her arms were securely around his waist before he turned to the strong sea of murrey and blue and felt himself smile.

Looking to the left he saw his mother, brother and sister, to the right was his wife, sister in law and brother in law, all smiling proudly at him.

"My kin!" He yelled into the bright morning, his golden crown shining "my loyal men at arms! Today we have already achieved a victory for on this day, the second of August, in the year of our most gracious Lord, fourteen ninety eight, we have landed on English soil at last!"

A huge roar erupted from the army as they cheered their King and banged their pikes against the ground. Edmund grinned, his blue eyes alight with anticipation, his dark hair gently blowing in the wind. The image of his father.

"Now we shall March through my rightful Kingdom and scotch the Tudor nest! We shall fight and we shall win! England will blossom under a son of York once more! So raise our banners and sharpen your blades, my men, for we shall take back England!"

At that moment it seemed that every Yorkist in the country began to cheer for the sound of the newly landed army could be heard for miles it was said.

"King Edmund! King Edmund!" They cried at the tops of their voices.

"He will do it" Marian whispered to Lisbet as she gazed at her eldest child, a bright smile gracing her lips "he will win, ma chèrie! For my Richard, for Dickon, for Mary...for England!"

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Two days later...

"King James is to meet us tomorrow!" Edmund announced as he strode into his battle tent where his family were waiting on him, maps and plans spread out on the table that they were sat at "I do not know how he has managed it but his army has managed to get to Cornwall from Scotland unchallenged by Tudor!"