This story takes place a few months after Danielle and Henry are married...

"Milady, there is someone here to see you...she says she's your...mother" Her attendant Jeanne announces as she opens the door, and stands in front of it.

Danielle looks up at her surprised,'why would Rodmilla be visiting me?' she thought to herself "Well bring her in but not for long, I wonder what she wants?" she replies

Jeanne leaves the room and returns with a older woman, it isn't Rodmilla, but she does look very familiar. The woman nervously walks over to Danielle, and begins to speak, "I'm sorry for just showing up unannounced, know you do not know me, and what I shall tell you will seem very unusual, but I must tell you."

" I see, well why did you tell Jeanne that you were my mother?"She asks curiously.

"Because I am, your mother."

"my mmmoth...mmmother?" she mumbled out, "you cannot be my mother, my mother died when I was a baby, it cannot be" she continued in bewilderment.

"If you please, just listen to me… she took a deep breath and continued, 'Well my father had found out I had borne a child out of wedlock and he was quite furious, he took me away to live in Paris far away from all the trouble and rumors here, he set up an arranged marriage and i was married within a month. There was nothing i could do, i wrote your father and told him what had happened and told him it would be best if he told you that I had died while giving birth, Danielle, I am your mother... I started looking for you months ago, but when i was told you were a princess I could hardly believe it, you have done well for yourself."

Danielle sat there in awe, tears in her eyes, she began to speak " i can hardly believe this, all these years i thought you were dead , how could father of lied to me?" she began to weep silently

" I know how hard it must of been for you, all this time,growing up without a mother, please understand that i didn't want to do this to you , i had no other choice. Leaving you was the hardest thing i've ever done."

Danielle embraced her mother ,both of them weeping and comforting one another. They started talking about the past and about their separate lifes. " Danielle told her how happy she was with Henry and how they had met. " Oh you must meet henry, he is probably back from the university by now." Just then he came through the door….

"Henry, there you are, I'd like you to meet my...mother."

Henry stood there confused." Your Mother?"

"Yes, My mother"

Oh mother I must meet them, they can come to the Palace. I will send for them."

"Now Danielle, they don't know about you, i haven't told them. Perhaps it would be better if i went and told them and i could bring them back."

"No, I've got a better idea, We will both go."

"Well Danielle, If that is what you wish to do then I'd be happy to have you at my home."

"Oh Mother, I don't mean to sound Pushy, But i have never known what a real family is like, and I want to meet my brothers and sisters."

"Danielle it is perfectly understandable, you are anxious to meet them and I too am anxious , i had always wished that one day we would all be together."

"Oh mother, I must go tell Henry that I am leaving, oh I do hope he doesn't mind."

"Danielle, we have only been married for 3 months and already you are leaving me?" Henry Complained.

"Henry, It will only be for a few weeks, I promise I will not run away."

" If you are leaving then I will go with you Danielle."

"Henry, You have Obligations here, If you are to leave who will Keep France in order, with both your parents away they will not return for another week , And have you not forgotten about your precious University?"

"Ah yes my obligations, but is it not also your obligation as my wife to keep me happy?

"are you not happy?"

" i am happy for you Danielle , but it gets lonely in the palace and it will be even lonelier without you."

"Oh Henry what would you do without me, if you are really going to be that lonely, I can get Marguerite to come and keep you company..."

"well on second thought, I think I can bear being lonely for awhile."

"oh Henry its only going to be for a few weeks, and when your mother and father return, you can come visit me and we can travel back together."

"We will leave tomorrow, so we can spend the rest of the day together."

The next morning...

"Danielle, it will be very lonely without you here."

"Oh Henry, Im going to miss you so, I shall write as soon as i can."

"Good bye my love I will count the days till your return."

" I love you Henry , good bye."

Danielle and her mother began their Journey...

" Mother tell me about them I want to know all about them..."

"Well Marie, she is your age, she is engaged to be married next spring. and then there is Bernard He is 17, and then there is Isabelle, she is just 15, she is quite the adventurer i worry most about her, I think she is most like you but she doesn't rescue servants or princes...at least not yet."

Meanwhile...

"Bernard, Our mother has been missing for a week now, She vanished without a trace and your telling me there is nothing to worry about?"Marie exclaimed.

"Yes that is exactly what im saying because one of mothers maids found this note while she was cleaning her bedchamber"

i

'Dearest Children, Please do not worry about me i have gone to find something I lost long ago. All will be explained when I return' he read the note aloud.

"Find something what does she mean, has she gone mad?"Marie shouted.

"ah Sister, you know mother she probably went to search for some jewelry she lost, or in search of the perfect silk brocade fabric ,but i guess we will have to wait until she returns. Whenever she decides to, I just dont understand why she couldn't of told us."

"Yes Bernard we will have to wait, oh i hate waiting , shouldn't we tell Isabelle, if we can find her that is"

Isabelle runs into the room, as she tries to catch her breath, she yells out "MARIE...BERNARD... i just saw Jaques and he said he saw mothers carriage Passing by the market 20 minutes ago."

"look look here she comes, let us see what all of this is about."

"Mother, Oh thank goodness your home we all have been worried so about you, Where have you been, why didn't you tell us where you were going?"Marie scolds her mother as she walks out the door and sees her mother getting out of her carriage.

"Marie my dear you shouldn't worry yourself so, i have been fine."

"Oh Isabelle, you look dreadful, what have you been doing?"

"Nothing mother, i just ran into jaques and he told me he saw you at the market, so i ran back here to tell everyone is all."

"Mother, do tell us what is all of this about?"

" i would like to introduce someone to you..."

Danielle steps out of the carriage , and stands next to her mother.

"This is Danielle, she is your... sister."

"Sister? i dont understand mother, how can it be?"

"It is a long story, and it is getting cold out and i am hungry and im sure you are as well, lets go inside and i will tell you everything."