Son of Edward II. Removed Mortimer and restored royal authority. One of England's most formidable military kings. Grumpy Grandpa. Royal badass. [Parody/RP]
"Ah...Catalina, is it? Nothing wrong with piety, but it also doesn't hurt to crack a smile now and then.
I'm wellโ if a little worn out. Yule with such a large family can take it out of you", he laughed. "How are you, Your Majesty?"
He chuckled. โI referred to the first Mrs. Henry. The one who likes to wear hair shirts to bed. I tried to give her an opening and she went more pedantic than my scribe. How are you faring, Your Grace?โ
"Are you here to bring me more hot water, my lord?" she asked with bright anticipation and a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "The water could use heating up."
@arcadianregxnt โIโm not lashiโโ, he barked reactively, before pausing to take a breath and level his tone.
โIโm not lashing out at you. I simply donโt understand why you give her the time of day.โ He glanced down at their hands, a brief pause before he gave hers a reassuring squeeze. โWe are.โ
Philippa was never a person to Isabella. She was a resource. Once the bargain was fulfilled, isolating her was the She-Wolfโs futile attempt to keep Edward from any influences that might challenge hers.
Ned opened his eyes, observing her.
โSpeak your mind, love.โ
For two long years at the start of their marriage, Isabella had forced Philippa into the shadows.
Philippa didn't speak for some time as she measured her thoughts. Instead, she focused on his left foot before moving to the right one.
"And trouble follows," she finally said.
Edwardโs jaw clenched. His thoughts on their father wereโ complex. He considered himself more his fatherโs son than his motherโs, though the opposite was probably more accurate.
โShe wonโt.โ He deliberately omitted their late father. โOnly if we allow it.โ
She slowly worked his second boot off, and removed his hose. She poured essential oils into a small wooden bowl and dipped her fingers into it.
Carefully, she began to massage the oil into his left heel, slowly working the liquid upward toward his toes.
"You are tense, my love."
He does, sadly. The painful reminders are inevitable.
โI donโt want her peaceโ, Edward snapped, then sighed. โYou might find it in your heart to forgive her, but please donโt press me to do the sameโฆ
I wonโt have her do to my children what she did to us.โ
@IsabellaTheFair โI can change that very quickly.โ He wasnโt above banishing her. He fought dirty; she taught him that.
โA count, who took her back after her dramatic display. Her methods might be a little extreme, but it appears she is capable of handling things herself.โ
Sighโฆ
Forgive him if heโs overly coarse. He bears her no ill will. Their motherโs presence brings with it a dark cloud of animosity that he canโt help but become succumb to.
Edward let his eyes close, weary from the road, just listening to the soft hum of her voice. Forgetting his motherโs caustic presence, and his sisterโs whining.
Pulling up a footstool, Philippa sat on it as she carefully pulled the first boot off and placed it aside whilst humming a Flemish ballad.
Knowing Ned's mercurial moods, she would curb her tongue waiting for him to express his thoughts, if he chose to do so, at his leisure.