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Mechelen, late July 1484

Elizabeth was reading the latest letter from her husband, alternating the reading with some worried glances in direction of her aunt, as she often had done in the last days, after she was informed of the death of her last brother, as she feared the effect who that news would have on Margaret’s health. Her aunt was strong but the last years had been very hard for all of them, as they had all lost many loved people and Margaret more than anyone else and she feared to leave her almost alone, as would happen soon now: Maximilian had asked her to depart as soon was possible and reach him in London, where she would be crowned as Queen of England, as the council had accepted her a Queen and while Bishop Stillington has refuted to change his version he was unable to give to Cardinal Bourchier and his investigators any proof of his allegations about the Talbot wedding, of which existed no trace outside the words of the Bishop. Cardinal Bourchier had told to the council Rome would need to declare the verdict, but he was unable to find any reason for which the wedding of the late King Edward and Dowager Queen Elizabeth would be invalid AND he would be glad to crown Elizabeth and Maximilian as her consort.
Responding with a smile to an interrogative glance from her aunt, who had caught her, Elizabeth deposed the letter and told her aunt who they had much work to do.
Margaret’s answer surprised her as her aunt told her who sure they had much work to do and to stop to worry for her: she had Burgundy to rule for little Philip and they would be fine and while Richard’s death saddened her, like George he was the author of his own misfortunes and falling in battle was the best end her brother could have at this point. Elizabeth thought who then in the end Tudor’s killing blow had been a mercy, and strange who that came from Meg’s husband-to-be... Well sometimes Fortune liked to play with the lives on the men but had always favored Maximilian in the end. She had once loved uncle Richard but only hate for him remained in her heart after hearing the death of her beloved brothers, at the point who she had been unable to feel sorry for the death of Anne Neville and Edward of Middleham and was only glad for Richard’... Well she sweared to herself once more Meg and Ned would never pay for the crimes of their closest relative and would be ALWAYS member of her close family...
Now she had work to do and she would not use her state, as she was almost sure of being again pregnant, as excuse for not doing her part: was time to send her stepdaughter, little Marguerite, in France so the baggage of the little girls needed to be done and she needed to control who they were adequate to the girl’s rank as France’s Queen-to-be while she and her followings (who included her own son, her sister-in-law, Cecily with her children, plus her cousins Meg, Ned and Annie) needed to sail shortly after Marguerite‘s departure, as she had tried to explain to Philip... her stepson‘s reaction had almost made laugh, both her and her aunt, specially when the boy relaxed once hearing “grandmother Margaret”‘s promise who she would never leave him...
Time to get ready for returning in England and being reunited with Maximilian and her mother and sisters, but for now she had also to work on her German and Latin as she hoped who Maximilian would not be disappointed by her progress...