"...so when you truly think of what these two sisters did, you may find it unforgivable. They came into the Burgudian court as young exiles and died as two of the most powerful women in Europe. But to climb that high they had to do some truly awful things. They betrayed the trust that was put in them and worked with the enemy, all to get to an end. But you can't say that they weren't successful..." Plantagenet Terror: The Sisters Who Shaped Europe by Professor Lindsey Uptin
I entered the office of Lindsey Uptin, neighbour to Grahem Orson, and was amazed at the difference. The house was clean to the point of sterility and any books that had once graced the walls had obviously been hidden long ago. With a cold glass of water at my side, I began asking the questions.
"Professor Uptin, I was wondering if we could focus on Cecily and Anne's time in Burgundy, and how they worked their way up to becoming Duchess and Queen by the times of their deaths."
"Oh, that is simple. They were extremely well-connected young women who were tutored in the ways of the diplomatic royal by their Aunt, Margaret of York. No one raised by that lady could truly be anything other than extremely good at gaining and keeping power."
"Yes, that does make sense. Now, in your book, you go against the current academic theory that Lady Margaret actively influenced the marriae of Philip of Burgundy to Cecily. Could you explained what you think was actually the case?"
"Certainly. I think that Cecily was very much a realist when it came to opportunities. While Lady Margaret may have secretly wished for the marriage, it truly was Cecily who pushed to marry Philip in the end.
"And what of Anne?"
"While Anne was both younger and much less intelligent, at least according to contemparies, she was also more ambitious. I know that my colleage Dr. Orson believes that Cecily was quite influentual in the eventual British outcome, I think it may be the opposite. While England my have been Cecily's pipe-dream, it was Anne's true obsession."
"Is that why she ended up marrying her enemy?"
She thinks for a moment, straightening the papers infront of her and addin to the overall perfection that she has achieved in her office.
"Yes, I guess so. England was what she wanted and she thought that if she ended up marrying the 'King' she could just continue being Queen when he died. It was not the best logic, but the actions of her opponents directly after Henry VII's death let her do just what she wanted. And then some."