Fortunes of Change
Here is chapter 2 I hope you like and thank to those who read the first chapter I was worried that it would not be any good
Chapter 2
The next few weeks were a whirlwind for the couple, after their banquet the young couple retired to their separate bedchambers. This was different to the usual tradition of the newly married couple being escorted to bed in order for them to consummate their union. Instead Richard had decided that He and Anne would only consummate their marriage after Anne had turned 15 years of age, even though she was at present of legal age Richard felt that she should have time to grow into a more womanly form as she was still very small and seemingly fragile. Anne worried that Richard’s reasons for rejecting her were that he was not attracted to her. However, the kiss that he had given her before he retired for the evening extinguished those thoughts for the time being. The next day they travelled from her home, Middleham, to court in London. Anne’s parents would rather she remained with them while Richard was away on his duties for the king but Richard had insisted that Anne should travel with him to court as he would like to spend time with his new bride, becoming reacquainted to her.
The ride to London took a whole week with more than a few stops in various cities in order to rest the horses and the men that travelled with them. At each stop Richard could always be found chatting happily with his new bride or stealing kisses from her when he thought no one else was watching. When they finally reached London Richard had been instantly whisked away to advise his brother, the King, on some matter of state. Anne, meanwhile, was ushered into the queen’s quarters where she and her ladies were practicing their sewing.
“Lady Anne, so nice to see you again” said the Queen, however her tone suggested otherwise
“Your grace” Anne said softly as she curtsied and bowed her head.
“Come join us, unless you prefer to rest, no doubt your journey was a long one and you would like to lie down for some time.”
Anne was saved from answering from her husband entering in that minute. “Your Grace” he bowed at Elizabeth “My dearest Anne, I do believe that the King has given me leave for today, come let us retire to our home.”
Anne smiled and curtsied at the queen and her ladies as she took her leave being escorted by her husband taking her arm. As she walked out the door she notice the shrewd look the queen was giving her and Anne wondered which cousin had she prevented from becoming the newly appointed Duchess of Gloucester, by her marrying her Richard.
Late in September the temperature had dropped and the leaves had begun to fall from the trees winter would soon be near. There was a peaceful quiet in watching the colours of the gardens turning from a crisp effervescent green to a more subdued browns and yellow. The peacefulness did not, however, stretch to the castle. In fact the castle was full of fury as there had been news from Calais that George, the Duke of Clarence had eloped and married Anne’s sister Isabel with her parents as witnesses. The murmurs of treason spread throughout court and Anne felt the hostility of stares of those people who needlessly blamed Anne for the actions of her father.
“Ignore them” Richard said as he came to stand beside his wife, kissing her hand gently “you know naught of your father plans therefore you can no more be blamed for them than the King and I can for George’s actions.
“Thank you, Richard you would think that I had planned for my father to rebel against the kings wishes and marry my sister to your brother.”
“Well I can assure you the people who matter do not blame you. “
This seem to calm Anne as she visibly seem to relax from his words, however the presence of Richard at her side seem to always have a calming effect on her. She knew that she was thinking irrationally however Anne wished that she would never have to be parted from her beloved Richard he had become so much to her in their few short months of marriage her only worry is that they had yet to make love and she still had her moments of doubt of whether he found her attractive or not. Those moments were always soon smothered by a secret glance, gentle touch and content smile bestowed upon her by Richard. He always seemed such a dark, stoic gentleman to those who were merely acquaintances, to those who had the privileged to be more than an acquaintance and were actually a friend saw the warm, gentle, passionate and fiercely loyal man that was her husband. Anne was fortunate enough to see another side that even Richard’s closest friend’s had not seen and she had felt ever so special to be the only person that got to see the man deep within and she hoped that she was the only person that was permitted that luxury. Anne stood idly nodding her head not really listening to the chatter that surrounded her. Her main focus was on her husband hand in hers drawing tentative circles with his thumb on her wrist every so often he would gently glance or smile at her. They both knew that months that would follow would be stormy, full of arguments, accusation and possibly even wars but for right now they were happy to focus on each other and politely pretend to be listening to those chatting around them.
