The Sunne in Splendour: A War of the Roses Timeline
- Thread starter pandizzy
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She likes to say she doesn't, but she tends to pay a lot of attention to Ned whenever they see each other, probably because of the distance.
Not yet! Edward is telling Harri to wait 4 years and then he'll give them an answer. It's not a yes, but it's not a no either.
July 1471.
July 1471. London, England.
“The King wishes to send me to Denmark,” said Anthony when Richard Woodville came to see him, pouring his father a large cup of Portuguese wine. They were at his house in London, his son’s, and were speaking and spending some good quality time between father and son.
Richard nodded and brought his bread to his mouth, chewing it slowly.
“Why?” he thought to ask when he finished eating. His son sighed and took a sip of his wine, settling back on his chair.
“To arrange a marriage for one of his children,” he said. “The Queen of Denmark is pregnant again and, with her older son’s death, this child could very well be heir to the throne. The King wants to see Princess Cecily betrothed to him. As soon as possible, preferably.”
Richard hummed. “When are you leaving?”
“In two weeks,” said Anthony.
“Are you bringing your wife with you?”
His son shook his head. “She wants to stay in England and I can’t very well force her to come, can I?”
He couldn’t and yet, Richard did not like that idea. His son had been married to Lady Scales for many years now, though he had no child to inherit their titles. Not even a sign of pregnancy had come between them, which irked Richard. Due to his faithful work to the King, he had been named Earl of Rivers, and he wanted to be certain of the smooth succession to his titles before he died. All his grandchildren came from his daughters, especially Elizabeth, who already had six children of her own.
When he told that to Anthony, his son smiled. “John is soon to be married, father,” he said. “And with how fond he seems of his intended, I’d wager we will have little Woodvilles running around soon enough.”
Richard sighed and nodded. That much was true. “What is her name again?” he asked. He had nothing to do with his second son’s marriage, as his wife had decided to arrange their children’s matches all to herself. John was no exception and, though he paid some attention to the matter when it came to give his blessing and approach the King with John for his permission, Richard preferred to leave it in the capable hands of his wife and son. He would not be marrying the girl, so why should he care?
“Elizabeth Lambert, father,” said Anthony with an amused smile on his face. He poured more wine for them but did not drink, and neither did Richard.
“Ah, yes.” He remembered it now. “She is not noble.” He thought that was worth pointing out.
“No, but she is very rich and John needs the money.” Anthony chuckled. “Not that Elizabeth cares about that.”
“Elizabeth? Elizabeth Lambert doesn’t care that she is not noble?”
“Our Elizabeth, father,” said Anthony. “She is quite angry at John for making what she sees as an unequal match.”
“Ah, so many common names,” Richard said, wondering perhaps if he should have chosen a different name for his eldest daughter. “Leave her to her offences. The match is sensible. John is a second son and, as you said, he needs the money.” He shook his head. His daughter had become quite a nuisance as of late and he found himself becoming more and more exasperated at her, despite their once-close relationship. It was perhaps the effect of years spent as a mistress to a king, instead of his wife and queen, as she intended. Or even the failure to gain offices, lands and coinage for her family, especially her children. Elizabeth was too ambitious for her own good, he always said so. “You must know, she is trying to convince the King to marry his niece to Thomas Grey. As if he would ever agree to that.”
“If you say so, father,” said Anthony, slightly tired. They continued to talk for some hours and Richard was ready to return to the castle and retire for the night when someone knocked. Anthony sighed and stood up, as he had already dismissed the servants for the night. His son opened the door himself and a man walked in, dressed in the livery of the king.
“Lord Rivers,” he said. Richard noticed his long and crooked nose, perhaps born from a childhood injury, and the large birthmark on the side of his face, as dark as wine. “The King is summoning you. I’m to escort you to Westminster Palace.” Richard frowned.
“Why is the King summoning me in such late hours?” he asked as he stood up. He looked at his son and Anthony looked as easily confused.
“I’m only here to escort you to Westminster Palace, my lord,” said the man, serious.
Richard sighed and nodded. A summons was a summons and he was a loyal subject to His Grace, King Edward. He said his goodbyes to Anthony, promising to see him on the next day, and followed the man out of his son’s house. On the courtyard, he was greeted by a group of about five guards, all wearing the King’s livery and he thought that whatever Edward wanted, it must have been really important to warrant such an escort.
They walked down the empty streets of London, his guards warding off the stray drunk or two. Richard was so distracted and tired that he didn’t even notice they weren’t on the path to Westminster Palace until they were in a dark alley, him surrounded on all sides.
“What is happening?” he asked. Two men came up behind him and grabbed hold of his arms, holding him tightly, preventing him from moving at all. “Unhand me at once! I am the Earl of Rivers, the Lord High Treasurer! Unhand me, I demand of you.”
“You’re not in the place to make demands, Lord Rivers,” said the man with the birthmark. From his back, he pulled out a knife, and his two other companions did as well, the blades glinting in the pale moonlight. Richard felt his mouth run dry as his heart sped up, beating painfully inside of his chest. They came closer and the man with the birthmark smiled.
He did not feel the first stab, only felt as the air was pushed out of him and a sharp pain came up on his side. Richard grunted and he was stabbed again, this time on his other side, the blade hitting deeply inside of him. Hot blood spilt out of him, trickling down his chest. They stabbed him again and he cursed, struggling against those holding him.
“Lord Warwick sends his regards,” whispered one of them, his face stained and his nose crooked. His knife twisted painfully and he removed it, grunting with the force of his movement. He stabbed him again.
He was dizzy by the time they dropped him on the ground, cold rainwater seeping into his clothes, freezing his various wounds. Richard thought of his wife and his younger children. Catherine was just thirteen. And Jacquetta… His wife would be very cross with him, he knew it so.
They continued to stab him when he was down, but he didn’t feel it. He only felt the cold and the darkness enveloping him.
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Deleted member 147978
So. . .
Richard and Anthony Woodville got assassinated by men hired by Lord Warwick. I wonder how would the court react to such an act?
Richard and Anthony Woodville got assassinated by men hired by Lord Warwick. I wonder how would the court react to such an act?
Confused as to what problems Warwick has with the Woodville, yes
I mean, Richard is still in the council and he was made an Earl.
Also the guy could be lying.
Well, since she never married William, she didn't become Jane Shore so...