don't own the rights to ever after...don't want to.
a/n: i am dedicating this story to my dear friends the orignal 4 (I love you guys!), the super sisters (lou, ceeel, mar...I love you!) and Tiffy! (I hope you find this in mexico!!! I love you 2!!!!) and chelsea and emily!!! (dolly crab!!!)
Ok, enjoy the story!
Danielle felt sick from guilt as she listened to Henry pronounce his love for her. How can I tell him? I'll break his heart! Will I be able to live without him? What am I saying?! I have to?! We could never-. She was snapped back to reality when she felt Henry take her hand. "No then, what is it that you wanted to tell me?" I CAN'T DO IT! she thought. "Simply that last night was the happiest night of my life." Danielle's heart sank. I have to get out of here. As she turned to leave she felt her heart break.
Her arm tightened and she turned to see henry's loving eye's gazing down at her. He pulled her closer and gently pressed his lips against hers. At that moment all coherent thought left her and the only sentence her mind could put together was God I love him.
Henry slowly ran his hands down Danielle's arms and around to her back. He pulled her closer to deepen the kiss, but Danielle hissed in pain and broke away. She looked into Henry's eyes. this time full of concern, and frantically tried to regain her composer. I have to! "Henry...I...I'm...I'm not who you-" Danielle fainted and collapsed from the combination of pain and exhaustion. "Nicole!" Henry cried out as he lunged to catch her, but he was to late. She fell into a bed of flowers.
Henry was quickly at her side. She looks so pitiful he thought. Danielle lay limp as Henry lifted her upper body to rest against his lap. Her silky hair outlined her face. Her face was a pale and pure as snow.
Suddenly Henry felt something warm and thick on his hand. He gently lifted Danielle and slid it out from underneath her back. He was horrified at the sight of his blood-covered hand. He gently rolled Danielle onto her side and moved her hair aside and began to shake with anger when he saw the beginnings of lash marks. His hands were trembling as he untied the back of Danielle's dress. Nicole, if I offend you please forgive me.
Henry's anger grew more and more as he progressed further down her back. He peeled away the bloody fabric to revel deep, bloody lash marks extending from the base of her neck to her lower back. A million emotions came crashing down on him-anger, helplessness, pain, pity, love...and countless more. It took every fiber of his being to keep himself from taking her in his arms and squeezing all the pain from her to him.
I have to clean it he thought. Henry ran to the near by spring, tore of the end of his cloak and soaked it with water. He ran back to Danielle and began to gently wash the blood away with his drenched cloth.
the cold water brought Danielle fluttering back to consciousness. Henry watched her as she looked around trying to figure out where she was. She turned and met his eyes and smiled up at him. "Oh, my love," he said as he leaned down to give her gentle, lingering kiss. When he withdrew Danielle looked down at her hands, fighting back tears.
Henry was the first to break the silence. "Nicole. what has happened to you back?" For the first time Danielle noticed that the back of her dress was open and that Henry was holding a wet cloth to her wounds. She looked up at him both embarrassed and grief stricken.
"Your highness, I'm not a Countess and my name is not Nicole de Lencrate. Nicole was my mother. My name is Danielle de Barbarac and I am but a servant." She proceeded to tell him the whole story starting when her father died, about the shame of becoming a servant in her own home, about how horribly the Baroness had treated her over the years, about how she had dressed above her station the day they had met, and ending with why she had been lashed. "I never ment to deceive you Your Highness. I never thought I would see you again. And I certanily never thought that I would fall in love with you." she sobbed into her hands.
Henry took her by the shoulders and brought her close to him and wrapped his arms around her body. "I would love you no matter who or what you were. I understand why you lied to me and I respect you for it." He pulled her in closer. "Danielle, will you marry me?" He waited patiently for an answer. She looked at him both shocked and overjoyed. "YES! Oh yes!" she exclaimed and leaned into Henry and they exchanged a long passionate kiss.
"Come, we shall go home and prepare you for the announcement tomorrow at the masque." Henry said when they finally broke apart.
"The palace? I can't go there!"
"Nonsense. You are to be my wife and you every right to come home with me." And with that Henry got to his feet and helped Danielle to hers, tied her dress back, and together they started back to the palace.
