- 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑟𝑒𝑖𝑔𝑛 -
It's the year 1464 and Eleanor Woodville lives at Grafton Manor as one of the younger daughters of Jacquetta and Sir Richard Woodville. At 11 years old, her worries are little and her joys great but her o...
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~The Yorkist Court~
October 1464....
"I am a true Lady now!" Eleanor exclaimed as she twirled around the bedroom, the hanging sleeves of her green silk gown floating across the floor as she moved. The golden roses shimmered in the morning light, almost as bright as Eleanor's eyes were at the prospect of travelling to court which they were to do that very day!
As she twirled, the dark green silk swayed gracefully from side to side and the girl picked up the train of her gown, smiling as Bella beckoned to her and began to weave golden ribbons through her hair. Gently, she pushed the copper curls back, behind her shoulders, crossing the ribbons over and weaving them into the top of her little sisters head while she left the rest to flow down her back.
"Th court shall love you" she whispered as she finished and Eleanor spun around, winding a lock of red hair around her finger. "Truly?" She asked with a small frown "do you think they will favour redheads? Not girls with golden hair like you and Lizzie?" Bella laughed and rose from her bed, picking up her blue velvet cloak as she did so.
"Of course they will" she said as Eleanor followed her from the bedchamber "how could they not, Leena?"
Together the pair made their way outside where their other sisters were already lined up, proud smiles on each of their faces as they stood in their new dresses of silk, satin and velvet.
Bella and Eleanor joined the line and soon their mother appeared in a dark blue gown under a velvet mantle that flowed behind her and jewels in her golden hair that glimmered in the autumn sunlight.
Behind her was Elizabeth, donning a soft white gown adorned with light green patterns that lit up her eyes as she walked. Eleanor could see her sister's chest rising and falling as she walked towards the dapple mare Edward had sent for her, her face betraying excitement and nervousness as she faced the beginning of her destiny.
As she mounted her steed, her sisters were quick to follow, claiming their own horses and petting them fondly, some feeding theirs apples or carrots. Eleanor immediately ran over to her own, reaching out and laughing as her horse gave a neigh in greeting.
"Hello Apollo" she giggled giving him a small kiss on the nose as Apollo whinnied. He had been a gift from Anthony three years ago when he had been just a foal and Eleanor had loved him ever since.
Stroking his chestnut coat and jet black mane, she accepted the hand of a stable lad as she placed her foot in the stirrup and tried to adjust her position to the graceful side saddle Elizabeth had always tried to teach her. Personally Eleanor thought it rather dangerous, she felt it would be far easier to fall off than if she sat astride.
But as the stable lad draped the train of her gown over Apollo's back, she sat up straight and felt herself smile as her horse moved into a walk behind Elizabeth. Glancing back for the final time, she watched as her home drew away and found herself wondering when she would see her wondrous home again with its gardens that were beautiful during summer and the fields in which she and her siblings could play hide and seek with one another.
