Italian Princess
Chapter 1: Too Many Goodbyes
"My lady would you like some more tea?" Jessica asked
"No, but thank you for asking my friend." I said turning my cup over.
"That is what a lady in waiting is for, Princess Isabella. I am honored to serve you." Jessica said curtsying.
"And you do a fine job, now I believe it is time for me to get ready for dinner." I said, my skirts swishing as I rose from my chair.
"Ah, diner with his majesty King Charles and her royal highness Queen Renee is it not?" she asked as she laid out a crimson gown and a white cloak.
"Yes, Father says he has some big news concerning my future I said sitting at the vanity while a servant, Lauren I think is her name brushed out my hair and applied powder to my soft brown curls.
"My Lady is going to meet her future husband, I have a feeling." Jessica said excitedly
"I pray not I am only seventeen, Mother would never allow it. " I said as Lauren gently pined my hair into a bun.
"Of course, Princess." Jessica replied. Does she know something I don't?
When Lauren was done with my hair, Jessica helped me into my corset and my gown. Then she fastened my cloak at my throat so I would be warm when I walked outside. Finally she handed me a pair of crimson high heels. "Jessica hand me my flats, I will kill myself in these things." I said refusing to put them on.
"But My lady you have no flats, Queen Renee ordered me to get rid of them after the blue shoes with the green dress incident. I am terribly sorry." She said her head down in shame.
"Jessica, all is forgiven. What my mother wants she gets. Just stand by me and make sure I don't fall." I said trying to walk with the grace of an Italian princess.
When I walked into the grand hall, my father and a man I did not recognize stood until I sat down.
"Ciao(A/N: hello), Isabella." My mother said
"Ciao, Mother." I replied
"Isabella you look very lovely tonight." My father said patting my hand
"Grazie(A/N thank you)." I replied, he smiled.
"Isabella, I would like you to meet Prince Michel of France." My father said gesturing to the man on his left.
"Bonjour, Princess Isabella, it is a pleasure to meet you." He said kissing my hand.
"Father I demand that this man not touch me." I said pulling my hand from his grasp.
"Isabella! Is that anyway to speak to your future lord?" Father asked
"Future Lord? You mean to say that you are giving me away to a foreigner?" I said appalled "Mother is this true?"
"Yes, daughter it is.' She said solemnly.
"Well, I say no, I will not marry a Frenchmen, how you belittle me!" I said kicking my shoes off, getting ready to run to my room.
"BELITTE YOU? YOU WILL NOT SPEAK LIKE THAT TO ME, I AM YOUR FATHER, BUT MORE IMPORTANLY YOUR KING. YOU WILL OBEY ME!" my father yelled
"NEVER!" I screamed and ran out of the room. Jessica not far behind carrying my cloak, and my shoes.
When I made it to my room I threw myself on my bed, and started to cry. Suddenly I couldn't breathe, I tried to untie my corset, but I couldn't reach the tie. Jessica quickly untied it and helped me into a nightgown. Then I sat down and allowed Lauren to unpin my hair. I was crying the whole time.
Soon after my mother came in to talk to me. "Isabella, you shouldn't have yelled at your father like that. He could have you executed if he wanted to."
"Would be better than marrying a foreigner. How could you do this to me?" I asked tears welling in my eyes.
"Isabella, it is your father who does this to you, not me. I knew naught if this until just a few hours before you did. I don't want this for you, believe me, I don't want you to have to go though the same thing I did…" I saw tears streaming down my mother's face.
"You were forced into marriage by your parents?" I asked
"Yes, and I was the biggest mistake of my parent's lives. I had not the courage to say nay, but I hope you do." She said motioning to the door.
"What do you mean mother?" I asked confused.
"Jacob Black has agreed to take you to the country until I can talk your father out of this. I will not make you go, but if you don't want to marry Michel you need to go. Jacob will protect you with his life; I would not be letting you go if I did not believe you would be safe." She said hugging me.
"Thank you, mother, but how will I get past Father?" I asked, he was a light sleeper.
"I will give myself to him." She said
"Don't you do that every night?" I asked not wanting to talk about this.
"I have not given myself to him since you were born; I gave him an heir and then took to my own bedchamber. I would only do this for you." She said with dread.
"Thank you Mother, but won't father be angry with you? Could he have you killed?" I asked
"I am too loved among the people for him to have me executed with out a revolt, I will have my guards that I hand selected with me at all times, and I will use a slave to taste my food and drink to see if there is poison. Only Jessica will be allowed in my bedchamber so that she may clean, and help me dress. I am sorry that she may not go with you, but she is the only one I trust. Hurry you must prepare for your departure." She said pulling out my black gown and cloak from my closet.
"I will send the rest of your clothes to you when I can, but for now wear this and take this." She handed me a sliver locket that said Corraggio.
"Courage, thank you mother, for everything." I said hugging her.
"Your welcome, Jacob will be here soon so hurry and change; I must go play my part. I love you." She hugging me for I hoped not the last time.
"I love you too." I said as she slipped through the door.
"My Lady, we must hurry." Jessica said as she helped me slip into my black gown and fastened my cloak around my shoulders. I then pulled the hood over my head and grabbed a small bag to put a hair brush, perfume and teeth cleanser. Then I said my goodbyes to Jessica and slipped out of my room. Jacob was waiting for me outside of my bedchamber.
"Your highness let us be off." He smiled at me.
I stifled laugh and whispered "Jacob you know me well enough to call me Isabella, heck you know me well enough to call me Izzy, or Bella."
He took me by the arm and hurried though the castle. I was grateful that my mother had given me flats so I could sneak quietly in the corridor. We finally made it to the servant's entrance. It was bitterly cold outside; I drew my cloak around me tight trying to keep warm. Jacob gave me the reigns to a white horse that I knew as Bellezza (Beauty)
"You do know how to ride Bella?" Jacob asked
"Yes, in fact if memory serves you were the one to teach me, and the name is Isabella." I said.
"You said that I could call you Izzy, or Bella. I like Bella better." he smiled as I mounted my horse.
We rode out of the city within an hour; he was always close to me sword in hand ready to kill to protect me. I remembered why I had a crush on him when we were little. He was always so protective of me when we were kids. That was back when I was allowed to see him.
Soon we were in the forest; I think we were heading away from mountains. "Jacob were exactly are we going" I asked him
"Your mother told me to take you to her childhood home in Voltaire. Not exactly the country, but safe enough from your father. It could take a few weeks to get there but you will be safe. Bella you do realize that there is no turning back now; you are committed to the journey as am I." he said
"Yes I do realize that and I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you for doing this for me and my mother. You wouldn't believe who Father wanted me to marry. A French prince, I will never marry a foreigner. Prince Michel was twice my age and balding, I might as well marry a donkey." I said as calmly as I could.
Jacob laughed "you have not changed my friend, not one bit."
"Thank you." I replied.
We rode in silence for a few more hours before we stopped to make camp.
"Would you like me to set up a tent for you? I think it will snow tonight." Jacob asked
"No, I don't want to be any more trouble than I already am. I'll just sleep under the stars, I don't mind." I said laying out one of the quilts Mother had given Jacob. He wanted to give me both of them, but I refused. "You'll freeze to death." I said. Then I noticed that he was not wearing a coat.
"You would be surprised." He said taking my hand in his.
"Do you have a fever?" I asked putting my hand on his forehead.
"No, I feel fine this is just how my body works. I am always a little hot. I'll be fine you can have both quilts. I can set up the tent, it wouldn't be a problem, your mother will kill me if you get sick." He said pointing to his black stallion. His horse had to carry him and supplies.
"No, I'll be fine, goodnight Jacob." I said lying down on the quilt.
"Goodnight, Bella." He replied.
Noise woke me up a few hours later, Jacob was awake, sword drawn. "Who is out there?" I whispered.
"Shh." He replied.
"Well, Well, Well, look who I found. The princess and her kidnapper." Michel said as he stepped from the trees.
"What do you want, Frenchman?" Jacob asked putting a nasty emphasis on Frenchman.
"I have come to rescue my future bride from the servant who kidnapped her. You do know the punishment for kidnapping royalty, do you not?" Michel asked
"Death by beheading, but I tell you true I did not kidnap Princess Isabella. She came with me of her own free will." He said pointing his sword at Michel's chest.
With out warning Michel's sword. "JACOB!' I screamed running to his side. I was filled with fury, I took the sword out of Jacob's wound and ran Michel threw.
I cradled Jacob's head in my arms heard him say weakly "Bella, I want you to run as fast as you can away from here, take your horse, but set mine free. I love you" and then he died. Tears fell down my face and on to Jacob's face.
"I love you too." I sobbed. I laid the quilts over him and unsaddled his horse.
He was my only true friend and now he is gone forever. He even loved me, I could have been happy with him for the rest of my life, but that was not going to happen now.
I mounted Bellezza and rode away from the campsite.
I did not know when it started to snow, but it soon became a blizzard Bellezza got spooked by something and threw me off of her back into the snow. I curled up in the snow and waited for death to come.
What do you think? i write more if you want me too.
