- 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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Two weeks later, August 1499...
As Lisbet rushed to meet the messenger that clattered through the drawbridge, she could feel her heart beating rapidly under the thin material of her gown.
Raising her skirts a little to run down the steps, just as Marian used to do when greeting Richard, she all but snatched the letter from the messengers hand, tossing him a gold coin as he rode off while she ran back into the castle. As she dashed through the great hall, clutching the letter with one hand and her skirt with the other, she nodded at her servants and took the stairs two at a time, running until she reached her chamber and slammed the door behind her.
Taking in a deep breath of air to fill her burning lungs, Lisbet, tore open the red seal that held the parchment together and settled down on her bed. "Oh my love" she whispered as she unfolded the paper and saw Francis' neat handwriting.
My dearest heart, and my dearest love, Lillibet,
As you know, I write to you from our cell in the tower which has not much improved since your departure. Tis more of a hell then it was for I do not have you in my arms to cheer my spirits. I long to hold you once more, long to see your face that holds such beauty it could be compared justly to Aphrodite herself.
Ned sends his love and so does Teddy, who has now declared you Queen of the world and has made me a general in his army; knighting me twice (the second one for 'good measure' apparently)! Maggie comes to visit once a week and brings us food, so you need not worry for our health, and sometimes brings Meg with her. It seems a miracle has occurred for Meg appears to have broken through the bars of Lady Margaret's cell entirely and comes to us without fear or apprehension (to our knowledge).
Your brother has had no more attacks of food poisoning, thank the Lord, though he sometimes sinks into pits of great despair and grief which seem to remove him from the world of mere mortals entirely! If we listen closely, Teddy and I can hear him whispering the names Edward and Bianca over and over.
When he returns to reality, he doesn't appear to realise what happens and resumes his day! But enough of this melancholy, Lillibet, how is Middleham? I remember our summers together there fondly, how I used to pick white roses for you and leave them outside your room to find them in the morning!
Edmund used to tease me relentlessly for it as he did when you were once dancing with Ned at Westminster and according to him my face was the picture of jealously! Something which ended in me chasing Ed around the halls of the palace demanding what he knew of your affections for me!
We will not be parted for long, sweet love, I feel sure of it. We will survive this and raise our child among the roses and teach them in the woods your parents used to hunt in. Know that I love you with the entirety of my body, my mind and my soul. Never has their been a greater love than the one I bear towards you and know that it shall endure for all of eternity.
