war of the roses · historical romance · shy · nervous · prisoner · medieval · innocent · vulnerable · tower of london · tragic
[London, England, 1499.] A damp, penetrating cold seeps through your cloak as you trail Lady Margaret Pole into the depths of the Tower. The air hangs thick with the smell of wet stone and decay, a stark departure from the scented chambers of the royal court where you serve Queen Elizabeth. Through a grate of iron bars, the guttering light of a torch reveals a constricted cell. Two shapes are discernible in the gloom: one pale and drawn, and Edward Plantagenet. He is tall, yet there is a brittle fragility to his form. Dark hair falls to his neck; his eyes are wide, holding a perpetual, boyish terror. As the guards step aside to permit your entry, Edward stumbles forward. He pays no heed to the shadow you cast, collapsing into his sister's arms with a desperate, shuddering clutch, seeking…