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Her knuckles had turned white against her skin. It was weird for Ned’s nurse to deviate him from the schedule that she had personally had prepare for him. Ned was still a boy. He was still a babe, but she thought that he needed structure from an early age. He was the heir to Richard, to Gloucester and if something happened to his cousins, he would be the sole heir to the crown after his father.
“Nurse Jane?”
The nurse bowed to the duchess, “Milady?”
“Where’s Ned?” Anne asked. “Father John, milady. The Lord Edward is with Father John. He asked a rather peculiar question milady. He asked is he really was an angel before he was born. Father John, milady. He went to explain it to him.”
“Is he?”
“Yes, milady.”
With that, Anne turned on her heel and left Edward’s nursery.
She had told Ned that. He had asked her, and well, as a mother, it was her duty to respond him. And she decided to be creative with the answer. She told her little knight that he himself had chosen her and Richard to be his parents.
It was a question that came out of nowhere, and it was an answer that came from the same place.
“Should I go and look for her Earl, Lady Anne?”
“No.” Anne said, “Stay here. Prepare his clothing for tonight’s feast. The blue and bronze velvet doublet, Nurse.”
The nurse nodded and remained looking at the floor until her mistress left.
Anne wished that the Father wouldn’t take the joy of her little story that she concocted. Ned seemed to like it very much and she herself, would like for him to maintain that white lie.
“Father John!” Anne gasped when she saw that he was alone, “Where’s my son? I was told that he was here with you!”
“Oh Lady Anne. The Little Lord heard his father and he ran out of the chapel. That’s not chapel behaviour, even when the child is small.”
“I’ll talk to the boy myself.” Anne said, “Where did my husband go. I feel like I am going up and down from the east wing to the west to find my son!”
“I am sorry, Madam. I believe that the Duke was with Lord Francis, ma’am. Ned saw them, Lady, and he ran after them. The Duke pulled him up and took him away.”
It was like a wild goose chase, but she knew that at this hour in the day Richard would be in his solar.
It was such a long walk, and lately she had felt a fatigue ever since she rode her horse whom had left her sore. This only made her walking even more painful. But nevertheless, she went up the stairs and sighed.
The thought of her being with child came to her, and it scared her a little. She couldn’t be pregnant. She honestly did not wanted to be. Ned was two years old. He was learning climb seats, he was so active jumping up and down that she did not wanted to miss that.
She was able to hear the laughter. The first one that she recognized was Richard’s roaring like a lion, and a really high one that must had been Francis who probably could not breath.
The guard opened the door for her and she caught Richard in the act.
“Faster horsy, faster!” Ned cheered for his father.
She looked at Francis who was laughing at Richard who was crawling on his hands and knees with Ned on his back.
“Anne!” Francis laughed, “What brings you here?”
“What is this?” Anne asked.
“Papa horsy Mama!” Ned cheered, “Faster horsy, faster!”
Ned was treating Richard as if he indeed was a horse, hitting him in the sides with his legs and asking Francis if he could make him fly like he sometimes did.
“Make him fly?” Anne asked Francis.
“Fran throws me Mama, and I fly.”
“Ned shut up!” Richard said as Anne picked Ned up.
“Mama love you.”
“I love you too my darling boy.” Anne said as she kissed his golden locks, “I cannot believe that the two of you would condone such risky behaviour. Never expected it from you Francis. Never!”
“I am sorry Anne.” Francis said not wanting to laugh.
“And next time that Francis here makes you fly like a bird Ned, tell Mama okay, love. I am pretty sure he still remembers how hard I can pinch.”
“Oh I remember.” Francis said, “Very well that I remember. And your nails too. Your Mama dear Ned, she used to scratch me.”
“Because you bothered me, and you tug on my braids and said that I was chubby!”
“But you were chubby!” Francis laughed. “And had a squeky voice. Ned, do you know that when you Mama and Papa were small, they did not get along? Your Papa was utterly in love with her, and he would not shut up about it. He would talk about how pretty your Mama was, and how charming and that he wanted to marry her.”
“Mama pretty.” Ned said as he touched his mother’s cheek, “Mama flower.”
“You do know that he is just two.” Anne said, “He does not completely understands you.”
“I know.” Francis said,
“You are trying to save yourself don’t you?”
“Is it that obvious?” Francis asked.
“It is.” Anne said, “But I’ll let this one pass.”
He was about to hug her, but Anne pushed him away and pinched his abdomen. “Don’t throw him in the air. If I find out that you keep doing it, I promise that I’ll make you suffer.”
“And that, Francis, she’ll do!” Richard said as he pressed his lips against her shoulder.
“And you are in hot waters too.” Anne said to Richard before heading off.