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"You promised."
A chill went down George's spine as he heard his wife's eerily calm voice.
How is this possible? He thought.
Isabel had met her Maker two years ago, dead at the hands of his brother's queen. While the physician attending Isabel in her final hours had attributed her death to the perils of childbirth, George knew, deep down, that it was poison that had caused his dearest wife to perish.
The love of his life, the mother of his children, dead. Isabel had also been the calm to his storm, the perfect complement to his fiery nature. As a result, George was cautious around the queen, refusing to eat any food that came from her kitchens when they attended court, but that was not enough. Somehow, the queen bribed a servant in his employ to poison his wife. As far as George was concerned, Elizabeth Woodville was a witch. It was through her potions and magic that she managed to convince Edward, George's older brother, to marry her and crown her Queen of England.
"You swore, George. You told me you would look after Margaret and Edward."
There it went again. Despite his wife's calm tone, her words made George more anxious than he already was. He thought of his children,young Margaret and Teddy. He thought of how hopeless they must have felt. He should've protected them from the Rivers, and he felt that he failed them as a father. He thought of Maggie explaining to her younger brother why they will not be seeing their father anymore, why they will be living with their Aunt Anne and Uncle Richard. What horrors awaited them as their father's execution was near. Children of traitors had their inheritance forfeited and the thought of his children becoming paupers distressed him.
The only thing that would comfort him in his imminent death is that somewhere Isabel would be waiting for him. He would be reunited with his wife. No more plotting and witchcraft for them to deal with. The thought of seeing her once more calmed him down. His world was always brighter with her around, and when she died, all the lights went out with her. Once more, his world will bask in her warmth. And in five days, he will have know her warmth once more.