by Lou Ann Keiser
September, 1674
Workman Charles picked them up with his bare hands, turning each one over to see every angle. He knew what they were, of course.
Human bones.
He scraped away two or three handfuls of dusty soil from under the lowest steps of the staircase. Charles turned the femur over again. It seemed small and felt light in his hand. Then, he picked up what looked like a finger—or a long toe. The elder prince would have been twelve. If the younger was here, he was only nine.
Charles picked up another small bone. Is this the end of the mystery? His brain raced. Have I really found the princes? Can these be the missing boys?
Charles’ heart began to thump so loudly he thought he could hear it. He pulled bones out carefully, working as quickly as he could. Soon, he had a small pile with two skulls, one larger than the other. He called out to William, “Come over here! Ya'll never believe this.”
William ambled in Charles' direction, pick and shovel in one hand. His mouth opened in a round “O” but no sound came out. He knew very well what he was looking at: the remains of two young people. William lifted his chin and looked Charles in the eye. He nodded.
William found his tongue, “Do ya think it’s them? Let me help."
Charles and William dug carefully until both were satisfied they'd found all the bones in that place behind the stairs. Charles found a medium-sized barrel and both men began arranging the bones in it, with layers of wool padding. The skulls went in last.
William turned to Charles, “Has to be them.”
Charles bowed his head a full second. “Yeah. We must tell someone.”
Weeks later, Charles and William, wearing their Sunday finest, watched as two boxes were enterred in Westminster Abbey.
Afterwards, William turned to Charles. "Did ya see the king cryin' crocodile tears as they lowered them boxes?"
"Aye. Ya wouldda thought they'd been his sons, the way he carried on."
"The missin' princes, for sure, they said."
"Aye, Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke o' York. Did ya hear the priest say Edward was heir to the throne when his father, Edward IV died?"
"Yes, but their uncle wanted the kingdom for himself. He killed some lords for it. Do ya think he also killed the princes? They say that one day they was running around and playin' in the gardens, and the next thing anyone knew, they were never seen again."
"Until we found 'em."
"Aye."
"May they rest in peace."
"Aye. May they rest in peace."
To Be Continued…