VVD0D95
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Perhaps, but given one of the big complaints about Henry otl was that he'd let the Kingdom go to shit, he might see it as a way of showing he's not incompetent.
A Thorn In The Rose: A War Of The Roses TL
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Perhaps, but given one of the big complaints about Henry otl was that he'd let the Kingdom go to shit, he might see it as a way of showing he's not incompetent.
And also Bonville would be the wrong target as he was high in favour with the King until the latter’s illness (and the feud with Devon exploded thanks some not brilliant decisions of Henry VI).
VVD0D95
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*cheesy announcer voice:
"This holiday season, tune in to watch a new Hallmark original, the three Richards."
Chapter 41: Brothers
VVD0D95
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Chapter 41: Brothers
September, 1455
September, 1455
Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, took one look at his brother and laughed. His brother Thomas, frowned. “What is so funny?” His brother asked.
Richard stopped laughing and sighed. “Nothing, apologies, brother. I think everything is just starting to get to me.”
“Everything?” Thomas asked. “What do you mean everything?”
“Oh, you know, having to raise men to fight in a war that isn’t happening, keeping these men on so that those who hate father and I, don’t try and kill us, trying to console my wife about us not having a son, and of course trying to stop that cunt Dorset from doing anything.” Richard replied.
“A lot then.” Thomas said in that manner of his.
“Yes, a lot.” Richard agreed.
“How are you coping?” Thomas asked.
Richard snorted. “That depends on who is asking.”
Thomas frowned again. “Me, I’m asking.”
Richard sighed, his brother always took things literally, at least when it came to these sorts of things. “I’m fine. Mostly. It is a pain having to balance everything with there being no end in sight.”
“You know you could always just disband your men.” Thomas said. “You’re the Earl of Warwick, if you disband your men you’re giving the King less reason to suspect you.”
“The King has not ordered me to disband my men though.” Richard said. That had surprised him, he had wondered if the King had simply forgotten or if there was something more at play.
“So? Northumberland has disbanded his men.” Thomas pointed out.
“Northumberland’s son also tried to kill father.” Richard countered.
“So, do you and father think he’s going to try something again?” Thomas asked.
“Maybe not him. Not now he’s disbanded his men, but I certainly think someone is going to try something.” Richard said.
“Who?” Thomas asked.
“Somerset.” Richard replied.
“You truly think Somerset would bother doing something?” Thomas asked.
“Yes. He holds the Lordship of Glamorgan and therefore has a place with which to strike should he feel the need.” Richard said, he’d heard about Dorset’s aborted attack on some of his men and had started increasing the number of men in his warband.
“Glamorgan and the Marches I can understand, but why keep men raised in Yorkshire, as father is doing?” Thomas asked. “Somerset has no lands in the north.”
Warwick sighed, his brother was right on that count, and he had brought this up with father, but father had refused to even consider disbanding those warbands, preferring to keep them raised and prepared. “I think that’s a matter for you to bring up with father.”
Thomas laughed. “I’m not going to do that.”
Richard frowned. “Why?”
“Father’s not the sort of person I want to be around right now. He’s moody, he’s aggressive and I think he might be slightly paranoid.” Thomas said.
“I’m sure when you wrote to him you caught him at a bad moment.” Richard said, referring to the letter that Thomas had shown him from their father which had been filled with sarcastic references.
“I don’t think so. I think this is becoming a regular thing.” Thomas said. “John wrote a letter to me saying that when he visited father the man was pacing around his room muttering about conspiracies.”
“You know what John’s like; he says things that aren’t always true.” Richard said, indeed, their younger brother loved embellishing things to make himself seem more important.
Thomas laughed. “Perhaps, but this time I think he’s right. I think that whatever is going on at court is adversely affecting our father.”
Richard sighed. “Well there’s not much we can do. Father won’t resign unless York does, and York won’t resign at all. Not with the King’s health still so fragile.”
“Do you truly think the King will become mad again?” Thomas asked. Richard wasn’t exactly sure what his brother thought had happened to the King, but describing him as mad was perhaps the closest they could get to describing the near empty state the King had been in.
“I do not know.” Richard said. “I think it is a possibility.”
“Then perhaps it would be better for everyone if York was named Lord Protector for good no?” Thomas asked.
Richard shifted slightly, feeling mightily uncomfortable. He didn’t disagree with what his brother was saying, but saying it out loud felt somehow different. It was treasonous to think such a thought. “I…I do not think that would be right.”
“Why?” Thomas asked. “If the King is at risk of becoming mad again, we must take the necessary precautions. After all, when the King’s grandfather became mad, his cousins started fighting one another driving France to ruin.”
Richard sighed. “It would not be right to do such a thing now.”
“So, we are to just sit and wait to see whether the King remains sane or if he becomes mad?” Thomas asked.
“Yes.” Richard replied.
“Well then we’re all fucked.” Thomas said.
“Thomas!” Richard exclaimed shocked at his brother’s use of language.
“What? It’s the truth. The longer we sit here waiting for the King to become mad, the more tension builds. York and Father no longer control the council, Norfolk does, and he’s unpredictable at best. So, who knows what the future holds. It would be safer to declare the King insane and have York rule as Lord Protector until the King dies, and then have York raise the Prince of Wales.” Thomas said simply.
“We both know that’s not what would happen.” Richard said.
“What?!” Thomas replied disbelievingly. “You honestly think the Queen would stand a better chance of becoming regent in place of York?”
“Not the Queen, Somerset. If Norfolk moves towards Somerset alongside Shrewsbury and Lisle they can decide who gets the Protectorship. Somerset may be from an illegitimate branch of the Royal Family, but he is still a Royal and one who is close to both the King and Queen.” Richard said. “No, we need to play it safe, and let the King fall into madness naturally.”
“And how long do you think that will take?” Thomas demanded.
“As long as is needed.” Richard replied.
IMHO Warwick is right not to make any move to either a) disband his men or b) try to secure the protectorship for York right now. He needs to be prepared and just wait and see what happens with Somerset and the King.
They're deliberately trying to oppose King who seems to do well right now.
"It would be safer to declare the King insane and have York rule as Lord Protector until the King dies, and then have York raise the Prince of Wales.” Thomas said simply."
Doing and saying are very different things and that idea was shot down by Warwick in like the next line:
“We both know that’s not what would happen.” Richard said.
The good thing is, we "are" in September 1455, and there is no war going on.
Yet.
Yet.
