The following contains spoilers for Requiem of the Rose King Episode 19, "I Will Protect Edward. That Child Is My Son." now streaming on Funimation.
While Richard and Buckingham try to prolong their one night in paradise together in Requiem of the Rose King, Richmond is back at the kingdom, sowing seeds of doubt into people's minds about the new king. But this time, he's targeting Edward of Middleham, Richard's son. Edward doesn't look anything like his father, which makes him the perfect target for Richmond to use to topple Richard from the throne.
The rumors take a toll on Edward. He had always looked up to and adored Richard, so to hear that he might not be his real son is an enormous blow. Richard sees so much of himself in Edward that he can't help but try to comfort him -- but in doing so, he gets pulled farther and farther away from Buckingham.
In an effort to be more like his father, Edward tries his hand at sword-fighting with Catesby, knowing that one of Richard's passions is fighting. The boy would rather study than fight, but this feels like the only way for him to prove to all the gossipers that he is Richard's son. After he heard Richmond's insinuations about his bloodline at the banquet, the rumors kept on coming. More and more people began whispering that Richard and Anne weren't really a couple, Edward wasn't Richard's real son and that Richard was a demon.
But it wasn't the people saying all of those awful things that made him upset. Edward was more distraught because he had no way of protecting Richard. The sword-fighting isn't just so he can bond with his father but to ensure that one day, he can be strong enough to stand up against those who hurt him and his family. Edward reminds Richard too much of his past. He's afraid that once his son realizes that his father really is a 'demon', then he'll be abandoned by Edward just like his mother did to him when he was a child. He and his father didn't look alike either, Richard tells Edward, but it didn't matter because the bond they shared transcended beyond appearance.
Edward hugs his father, proclaiming that Richard is his light. It's a heartbreaking echo to how Richard saw his own father and now Edward, despite his perceived flaws and demonization, sees him the same way. And it's interesting that for Richard, this is the point in Requiem of the Rose King where he realizes what love looks like. That epiphany didn't come when he fell in love with Henry or with Buckingham, but ironically with the son of his sworn enemy.
Nonetheless, with Buckingham, Richard believes he's found his soulmate -- they're two halves of a whole. When he fell into darkness as a child, he had always feared being alone and trapped there but this time, he had someone else. Buckingham was just as willing to be a 'demon' alongside Richard and inadvertently found himself falling in love with him. This acceptance and love were everything Richard had ever wanted.
Except, it turns out that Buckingham's feelings aren't as unconditional as he believed. After realizing the truth of Edward's lineage, Buckingham feels betrayed. After all, they had promised to never keep any secrets from each other and here was Richard keeping yet another crucial detail from him. Even worse, Edward's existence threatens Richard's spot on the throne.
Buckingham's cold-hearted ruthlessness shocks Richard when he orders him to disinherit Edward. As much as it breaks Richard's heart to stand against Buckingham, he will not allow Edward to come into any danger. Richard sees so much of himself in Edward even though they aren't related by blood; when he was younger, he didn't have anyone protecting him after his father died, and he doesn't want that to happen to Edward either.
Buckingham's departure sends Richard spiraling into an anxiety attack. It hits too close to home -- another reminder about his traumatic childhood and how he had been left in the darkness by himself. If he truly loses Buckingham as Requiem of the Rose King continues, Richard might not be able to recover this time.
