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The things that happen; eddie
Topic Started: Feb 5 2012, 05:40 PM (359 Views)
Eleanor Spencer
Unregistered

February 1513

"I do not want to be tended to, Mistress Meredith," the countess had repeated, for at least the fourth or fifth time, and though her irritation grew, Eleanor's voice did not. It remained soft and pleading, praying to God that they would obey and leave her. Alice, younger than Meredith, had obliged quickly, probably relieved that she did not have to follow Eleanor's misery after Lord Wilmington's imprisonment. Happy to escape it, Alice had curtsied low and left her mistress's bedroom, leaving Meredith hesitating and lingering behind. "Please, go on. I will call for you shall I need anything." The countess nodded and, with a jut of her chin, motioned towards the door. She watched her maidservant finally sigh, look to the floor, and sink into a departing curtsy before leaving. It was only when the door was closed behind her did Eleanor finally throw herself onto her bed, the wall that had been held up so shakily since leaving the Great Hall now falling from the bottom up. In a myriad of sobs and cries, it was left in ashes and rubble, exposing painful horrid memories for the countess that she had no power to push away. She had come to court those two years ago to escape the loneliness and the misery of the walls of Longford, only to be met with a torment that she would have never left the safe confines of her home to face. She had married Edward to escape it all, too, only to what? To be forced into misfortune's cold, unrelenting embrace?

That bloody Tower! How she hated it! With feeble, curled fists, Eleanor beat at her pillows, her blankets, hoping the fabrics of time would be bruised enough to submit and relieve her and her family of this confusion. She had not once considered any possibility of an affront to the King and country from William, and instead cursed the Fates for being so cruel and uninformed. How could God let this happen, how could He let foolish men bring about disgrace for a man so loved by His loyal subjects, even by His holy representative the King! Why was it, no matter where she turned, there was always some sort of betrayal and torment waiting to greet her? Her traumatic miscarriage, her husband's death, Cecil's treason and execution, and now? Her own family! Her heart burst forth into two great pieces and there seemed to be nothing to quell the pain. She thought of Margaret, beloved Margaret, she thought of Edward and Catherine... all of the Spencers that were indeed sharing in this grief and confusion. It was unseemly for the countess to act thus, to let her emotions overwhelm her, and knew it was her duty to act as matriarch of the family whilst the most important of matters were settled elsewhere. Oh, but she just couldn't! Not now! The image of William being grabbed and escorted out of the Great Hall still burned behind her eyelids, the memory still fresh as the evening was, and she dared not to move from her pillows and muffled sobs. She could only pray God would hear her.

It wasn't until the next morning had her eyes finally dried, sore from little sleep and all the relentless amounts of salt, and she was actually quite thankful her ladies had entered that morning to tend to her. They had moved silently and carefully, using gentle touches as they applied powder to her face and combed her thick mahogany curls. A day went by seemingly without notice, and then another, and the Lady Berkshire had all but shut herself out completely. Her bedroom doors only opened when a servant came in and out, either with more logs for the fire, more warm tea and honey or rose scented linens for the countess, merely waiting for something.. anything.. to happen. She had not asked for her husband, and ironically enough, he had not come for her, either, and it was hard to tell how Eleanor felt about it... already she seemed so sullen, so forlorn, her aquamarine eyes almost as gray as the clouds outside as she stared out the cold glass windows. What was happening out there? Had Edward gone to see him? How was Margaret faring? What of Catherine, Sir John and her cousin Henry Percy? She knew she should rise from her furnished chair and go to her family, but she guessed their bones ached at the idea of facing the world as much as hers did. Oh, indeed, where was her husband?
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Edward Spencer
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Earl of Berkshire/Baron Denbigh
Lord Berkshire's footsteps echoed through the corridor as he pressed forward, his countenance grim. Or rather, his countenance remaining grim as it had been for the past several days, ever since his nephew had been arrested. For bloody treason, of all things, which Edward had wanted to find laughable, were it not for the seriousness of the charges.

Not to mention the added burden of responsibility, as the middle Spencer brother suddenly found himself acting patriarch whilst Wills remained in the Tower awaiting his fate. He had spent far more time at court than he'd ever cared to spend (save for the previous year, when he'd been listening for talk of war), and he couldn't say that his time had been pleasant. Quite the contrary, it had been less than such, what with gossip and such. God's blood, there were even wagers against the outcome of Wills' fate! And whilst Edward was normally a gambling man, well ... even a gambling man had his limits, that one line that he dared not cross, nor did he have any desire to do so.

And to think, a scant two months earlier he was enjoying his life as a newly married man once more. He had been busy enough, what with settling into life at Longford Castle along with his two younger children, and then seeing to affairs at Denbigh. He'd managed a side trip to Berkshire at one point, long enough to ascertain that the castle was in capable hands for the time being at least. Which was a good thing, as it seemed that Christmas celebrations were underway, almost in the blink of an eye. And then almost immediately afterward (or so it seemed), Wills had been arrested.

The worst part of all this, was that he had scant seen his wife for the past several days, to the point that there had been at least a day or two where he hadn't seen her at all. Or perhaps it had been longer than that, the days seemed to be moving in a fast-paced blur anymore. He was more than ready for this entire ordeal to be over.

This particular day found Berkshire back at court after his trip to the Tower to see Wills. Satisfied (finally) that Wills had not committed treason of any sort, he had endured more rumours and speculation before deciding he'd had enough. And it was high time that he spoke with his wife.

He had encountered one of her maids on the way to his wife's rooms, and had discovered that Eleanor was of a less than cheery disposition. Well ... that wouldn't do, now would it? Of course not. Berkshire reached her rooms easily enough, stepping in with a frown on his face.

"Eleanor?" Edward looked about the room. "Are you in here, my love?"
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Edward is now Jure Uxoris ("By right of his wife") Earl of Berkshire, or Lord Berkshire
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Isabel Leigh
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Virtue alone is invincible.
This thread has been archived either due to forwarding of board timeline or because of a month of inactivity. If you would like to continue, please PM an Admin!
[align=center]Mistress Leigh

Isabel is in 8 threads and can has more!
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