St Albans

[Barry Goldwater]

Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester and John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk have stopped in St Albans on their way to meet King Edward V. St Albans itself is a prosperous Hertfordshire market town 31 kilometers north-west of London, host to England's principal abbey and one of its oldest pubs, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks; it is also a site of recent historic significance, being the location of the first battle & Yorkist victory of the War of the Roses and then the Second Battle of St Albans.

From here, the Duke of Gloucester has dispatched messengers with the fastest and most durable horses he has to Ludlow Castle, to ask if Rivers has arrived and left with the Prince yet; and if so, to track him down and ask him where it'd be best to meet.

[Barry Goldwater]

After some time, the messengers came back to report the truth from Ludlow, ascertained by talking to the remaining castle staff & guards (of whom there were many): the King had left a while ago with only Cambridge and his daughter, Grey's party and a handful of guards & belongings to expedite their travel, and Rivers never even came to the castle.

The Duke of Gloucester was, of course, not pleased in the slightest. Still, as he called Suffolk to discuss the news, he felt almost impressed with the Woodvilles' deception. Of course they would now have to be dealt with, swiftly, but still he had to give it to her - for a woman, Elizabeth Woodville had some impressive testicular fortitude.

---

"We need to leave for London, immediately." Was Gloucester's terse opening remark. "The King is not in Ludlow, and Rivers never even went there. For all we know, the former could be with his mother already and I've no idea where the latter is or what he's up to now. For all we know, he could be marshaling soldiers to oust us in London." Fortunately, he had taken his brother's advice to march his own soldiers to the capital just before departing, and after all this time they should already be entrenched within London's walls - now in addition to protecting the King from foreign enemies, it seemed they'd have to concern themselves with domestic foes too. "I and Clarence have taken certain...countermeasures against the possibility of some sort of armed coup already, but it can never hurt to have more allies and plans on hand. Any further thoughts?" He'd given orders for his men to pack his, and their, belongings already, and fortunately he had packed lightly.

[Oznerol]

"You took countermeasures against a foreign invasion? Hugely convenient when we know the Angevin bastard to be a non-existing threat"

Said Suffolk, half-surprised. If Gloucester was willing to usurp all power why hadn't he told him? Suffolk had pressed the issue, but the royal duke had been elusive. And now he learns both dukes had troops in the capital.

"And Clarence does too? Can you trust your own brother? He could have ousted us while we speak, even if you are fearing about Woodville. Maybe they are together in this, willing to get rid of your Lordship!"

John didn't know what to think anymore. The queen had been bold indeed.

"However, I do think we should try to ask His Grace, the duke of Clarence, about what is transpiring in the capital right now. But you should trust no-one, less so the queen and your brother, both have to gain from exerting power alone, without your interference"

[Barry Goldwater]

"Well, in our defense, Edward of Lancaster has somehow acquired the Duchy of Bar." Richard stated. "With its resources and manpower, who knows - he could build an army and strike back at us any day. That warrants securing the capital, does it not?"

"Clarence...I've scarcely seen hide nor hair of him these last few years. Still, the same can be said of the Woodvilles, and he's given me no reason to think that he is a friend to them. Moreover, bringing troops in to London was originally his idea." Gloucester cupped his chin in thought. "Frankly, if the Woodvilles and my brother are by some twist of fate in league with one another, I've already lost. But that isn't likely. Also, the Queen likely views Clarence as the bigger threat than I - his lands bring him nearly twice as much wealth as mine, and of course he's two rungs above me on the ladder of succession - and will, if I must guess, be less inclined to forge an alliance with him as a result."

"I shall have to dispatch trusted members of my affinity to the seat of every house that the Woodvilles have ever crossed, starting with the Dukes of Norfolk, to prepare for this storm." Mowbray was known to have been one of the Woodvilles' oldest opponents, and the Queen had nursed a lengthy grudge against them for being the first and foremost defender of Margaret Percy. "Montagu too, though his lands lie quite far from London - Woodville's seen to that. And of course, I must respectfully ask you to expend some of your fortune on a sizable troop, and march them to the capital." Gloucester inclined his head towards the elder Suffolk. "Are you willing to do so, my friend?"