Northampton House

[Gandalfus]

The London house of Henry, Earl of Derby and Northampton; previously owned by the De Bohun Earls, this modest townhouse serves as a decent enough London residence for Henry of Bolingbroke and his immediate family.

[Alexandrine]

Mary de Bohun had arrived in the City of London; with her she brought a retinue of knights, ladies, priests and servants. worthy of a noble woman of great descent. The banners flying over their heads were both, those of her husband as the blue blazon with the golden lions of the de Bohun family. She entered her fathers house in London - her house, together with the two children: Henry of Monmouth who walked next to her, holding her right hand and her youngest, Thomas of Lancaster whom she carried on her hip. Her hair was veiled and together with her children, it was Mary de Bohun who looked beautiful aswel as pious.

[Gandalfus]

Henry stood just inside Northampton house to greet her. He stood in a long red houppelande, though his head was bared, contrary to current fashion. As ever, Bolingbroke looked stiff and formal, though he relaxed slightly as Mary approached and took a few steps forward to pull her into a tight embrace.

"My lady wife, I have missed thee." Henry grinned in mock formality, before turning his attention to his two sons: Monmouth was dark haired, more like his father, whilst Thomas, though young, certainly had a more "Bohun" look about him, with fairer hair and lighter eyes that gazed up dumbly at the man he had not seen for months.

[The Mad Skylord]

Richard FitzAlan arrived to see Bolingbroke.

[Gandalfus]

FitzAlan is admitted into Henry's home, where he finds the Earl of Derby waiting in the main hall with some retainers. They were discussing some matter of import, it seemed, and quickly dispersed when Arundel made his presence known. Bolingbroke inclined his head and then looked at his fellow appellant expectantly.


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[The Mad Skylord]

"Henry" Arundel greeted his nephew calmly and then curtly cut straight to the point - as je was won't to do. "What is ypur opinion on Woodstock's apparent deposition threat?"

[Gandalfus]

"I do not think it was a threat, Arundel." Henry cooly replied, a slight crease having formed in his brow. "My uncle Gloucester was being entirely genuine with his words." Likely, Woodstock saw himself as being the successor, though he was not as well positioned as Mortimer, Henry himself, or even York's son. Surely, his father of Lancaster would return to unseat him if such a crisis did occur.


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[The Mad Skylord]

Richard chose his next words carefully, pondering Gloucester's leadership so far. "What do you think you would do if Woodstock did move to depose King Richard?"

[Gandalfus]

"I'd have to consider my loyalties to His Majesty very carefully, my Lord Arundel." Who would truly support Woodstock? The Duke of Gloucester had won power and seemed contented with merely sitting on it; rather than spending the precious currency of influence that he had accumulated it seemed that he was simply letting it waste away. "The Mortimers, my father, myself, my sons, and my noble uncle York's kin all stand before Lord Gloucester in order of succession from the old king Edward." Bolingbroke smiled slightly. "Though I pray my cousin and sovereign has many sons to continue his line, God forbid his demise."

[The Mad Skylord]

Arundel nodded slowly, but could not retain the wry smile and cutting tone that followed. "I fail to see that as an issue, unless the late Duke of Ireland has become the world's first pregnant male..."

Arundel sighed, more than a little worried over it all. "I must confess I am more than a little bit put out by the Duke. He did not consult any of us as he carved up the realm's positions - despite the fact we are all fellow Appellants, and the fact I am supposed to be a fellow leader of this movement."

[Gandalfus]

"To put it bluntly, Lord Arundel, my uncle Gloucester has craved all this power and achieved it, only to do little and less with it." Henry merely shrugged, as if he did not know the answer to this conundrum. Inaction had left the Appellants exposed from all sides, as well as Gloucester's relatively lax treatment of the King: Richard had been allowed to simply carry on his life unmolested, with visitors coming and going as they pleased. Bolingbroke himself knew this, having sent his own half-brother to sound out the king's camp. "Slowly his influence shall shrink, as they see that this government is a good deal more idle than the one it supplanted. We surely have enemies in Cheshire, as well as the other royal bases of power."

[The Mad Skylord]

"No doubt - Woodstock has put us in a bind." Arundel knew fine and well enemies were looming. "There is always another way. We could force Woodstock out of government - he has done little with the influence we Lords Appellant have wrested from the hands of spoiled favourites. By pushing Woodstock out and stabilizing the situation ourselves - as fellows - we can see our government remains in power while removing the main object of the King's ire."

[Gandalfus]

"No doubt - Woodstock has put us in a bind." Arundel knew fine and well enemies were looming. "There is always another way. We could force Woodstock out of government - he has done little with the influence we Lords Appellant have wrested from the hands of spoiled favourites. By pushing Woodstock out and stabilizing the situation ourselves - as fellows - we can see our government remains in power while removing the main object of the King's ire."

Henry folded his arms. It certainly was possible; surely, Mowbray could be won over to their side, and with the rule of the majority Woodstock would be forced to concede. But would it be worth it?

"To replace him with whom? Our only options are to remove Woodstock and ourselves from power completely or isolate ourselves further from potential allies."

[The Mad Skylord]

"If we forced Woodstock to concede, then we could make our government less... totalitarian looking by including prominent 'loyalists' - if you like - to the table. We could ensure Appellants still held the reigns of rule, while stabilizing our current situation. There is no end of men who would see us removed from power."

[Gandalfus]

"If we forced Woodstock to concede, then we could make our government less... totalitarian looking by including prominent 'loyalists' - if you like - to the table. We could ensure Appellants still held the reigns of rule, while stabilizing our current situation. There is no end of men who would see us removed from power."

"If you were to put in place such a motion, you would have my support." Bolingbroke conceded, knowing that such a move would perhaps go some way to repairing his standing with the King. ​"Make your move, and I shall be with thee."

[The Mad Skylord]

Arundel nodded, then rose to take his leave - intending to seek Mowbray.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Sir Thomas Percy arrives to relay a message from the King, indicating that he desired the Lord of Derby to greet his returning father.

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[Gandalfus]

Henry acquiesced, immediately preparing to gather what men he had to meet with his father on the road to London.

[Gandalfus]

One of Hereford's servants summons his wife, Mary, back to Northampton House. It appears that de Bohun's husband wished to speak with her about some important matter; he did not usually disturb her daily routine in the Queen's entourage for idle chatter.

[Alexandrine]

As a dutiful wife, Mary immediately came without asking questions.