The Rose of Lancaster | The White Queen

The New Queen

As Marian was lead down the hallway she could feel a growing sense of dread inside her. Surely this new Queen would despise her? After all she was the daughter of the last Queen or 'The Bad Queen' as some called her. Would she have to curtesy?! The only people Marian had curtseyed to in all her life were her parents and even then she had never dipped very low. How low would she have to sweep for this woman? Would she even be able to get up again? All these questions swam through her mind as they reached the doors to the Queens chambers.

The guards stood to the side and the doors opened, allowing Marian inside. Gosh, she couldn't remember how many times she had passed through these doors as a child going to see her mother. But those days were gone for now and so, head held high, Marian stepped into the room ready for a battle.

Looking around, she was surprised to see Queen Elizabeth by herself. No servants or guards, just her. Marian attempted to curtesy as she had seen courtiers do to her mother before rising, looking at Elizabeth again.

"Lady Marian" She almost flinched at her own name. Never before had she been called anything less than 'Princess' or 'Your Grace' now she was just 'Lady Marian'. "Please, sit with me" Marian's eyes widened a little as the Queen gestured to a seat next to her. This was not what she had been expecting. She had been expecting a raging battle of anger; this was quite the opposite.

Taking a seat Queen Elizabeth smiled at her
"I am sorry about your father, my dear" My dear?! Was Marian going deaf or had she really just been called 'my dear'? "I know what it's like to have the people you love taken away from you but I hope you shall find some comfort here at court. I'm sure you shall fit right in!"
"T-thank you your grace..."

"It will all seem strange at first but I dare say you will get used to it in time" The Queen smiled again and took Marian's hand in her own. "You may be wondering why I am showing you my favour. Well, you may have forgotten that I was raised as a Lancastrian and though I may now be a York I do not forget how things used to be..."
Just then a lady entered into the room. It was Lady Rivers! One of Marian's mother's closest friends.

Without thinking, Marian jumped up and ran into Lady Rivers' arms. The older woman embraced the girl and laughed a little.
"Ahh, Marian. I remember when you were just a little one, you seem so grown up now!" Stepping back a little, Marian regained her composure.
"Lady Rivers!" She said smiling for the first time in weeks.

"I see you already know my mother" the Queen said from behind her, chuckling. Her mother?Lady Rivers daughter was the Queen? It could not be! How did Marian not know this? More importantly, did her mother know...
"Yes!" Lady Rivers answered "I used to take care of young Marian here when she was just a babe. Of course that was a long time ago..." she said a little sadly but her voice quickly brightened again "But I will try to take care of you while you are a court"

"As shall I" Queen Elizabeth said "We don't wish to frighten you but there are many who would like to see your family's heads on spikes just as there are many who wish my family to fall because of our rise in power." A silence fell on the room before the Queen continued "There is to be a feast tonight..."

"In honour of my fathers capture?" Marian asked
"Well, yes, my dear. But I would like you to attend. I know it may seem like a humiliation but I think that you might enjoy yourself, you don't look like you have had any fun in many moons"
"I haven't, your grace"
"Then it's settled! I shall send a new dress to your room for tonight then I shall send a maid to collect you and bring you to me before the feast starts."

Marian nodded and curtseyed to Lady Rivers and the Queen before walking out of the room. The secant that had brought her was no longer by the door so she set off in search of her chamber. As she rounded a corner she felt a hand clamp over her mouth and an arm wrap around her waist, pulling her into one of the rooms.

Feeling herself being pushed against the closed door she forced her eyes up and saw a pair of piercing blue ones staring back at her, strands of blonde hair falling over them a little. This boy looked like a younger version of the King only colder and angrier. He slowly moved his hand away from her mouth but kept her pressed against the oak door.
"What on earth do you think you are doing?! Who are you?!" She cried only to find his hand over her mouth again.

"I am the Duke of Clarence and you will not question me." He hissed. Marian glared at him. So this was the middle York brother? "I heard what the Queen and her mother said to you but don't think for one minute that just because they have taken you under their wing that you are any safer. Don't ever try to cross me..." As quickly as he had grabbed her from the hall way he withdrew and with a sly smile, shoved Marian out of the way and slipped through the door.

Stunned, Marian grasped onto the side of a nearby chair and tried to catch her breath. Now she definitely needed a plan to escape! These York brothers definitely seemed an angry trio.

She had been mocked by one, indirectly threatened by another and now attacked by the second! What would happen to her at the feast tonight? All three of them hated her, of that she was quite sure but would they make a scene in public or wait until she was alone to catch her out as Clarence had done? Maybe they would kill her? Throw her body into the river? Marian had had a few attempts on her life during her years at court as a small child so it seemed reasonable to her to think of it as a possibility.

And of course her mother had always said the Yorks were a murderous clan. She said they would do anything to get to power and stay there. Getting Marian out of the way would certainly make them a little securer...

Trying to put the grisly thoughts of her own death to the back of her mind, she made her way out of the room and into the deserted hallway.