Why did Henry VI, Margaret of Anjou, and Prince Edward flee to Scotland after Towton?

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Wars of the Roses Illustration depicting the Battle of Bosworth Field, with King Richard III on the white horse.

Following their decisive defeat at the Battle of Towton on March 29, 1461, King Henry VI, Margaret of Anjou, and their son, Prince Edward, fled to Scotland to escape the advancing Yorkist forces.412

The Battle of Towton was the largest and bloodiest engagement of the Wars of the Roses, resulting in a complete victory for the newly proclaimed King Edward IV. By securing this victory, Edward IV effectively dismantled the immediate military power of the Lancastrian faction, forcing the royal family to seek refuge across the border to avoid capture and further slaughter by the pursuing Yorkist army.341