Danielle's first night in the servants' quarters was not that bad. Luckily she was already used to less than mediocre accommodations from her "bedroom", if you could call it that, in her father's old home. The servants' quarter was really just a long wooden cabin with cots set up along the walls on either side. She had already made her first friend, Abby and many other of the girls were friendly enough. Danielle did wonder though why Abby seemed to hate her fiancé (which of course she did not tell Abby). She tried to ask her but that didn't seem to go very well.

After hours of giggling and chatting about their lives and figuring out everything from favorite book (both love Utopia) to favorite cleaning supply (well they are both servants!):

"Oh Abby, I'm really so happy I met you. I was so scared I'd be lonely here. I don't know anyone." Danielle remarked.

"I'm really happy to have met you too. I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."Abby said.

"I agree whole heartedly. Abby can I ask you something?"Asked Danielle who was never very good at containing her curiosity.

"Sure. Go for it."Abby replied with that same genuine smile Danielle first noticed about her.

"Why don't you like Prince Henry?"

"Oh."Danielle could see Abby's bright features visually droop.

"Danielle, to be honest I'd rather not talk about it…right now anyway. Just please if you see him stay away. Trust me he's not good news."

The whole next morning Danielle could not stop wondering. What could Henry have done to make such a sweet girl like Abby so upset? She wanted more than anything to ask again but knew that probably wasn't the smartest move. At least not yet. She was sure there must be some misinterpretation. She'd be sure to ask Henry the next time she sees him. Which to be honest at the moment she felt did not look to be any time soon. After breakfast which was actually a pretty decent tasting porridge (which she was absolutely sure she would not be served if she worked anywhere else besides the palace) she was assigned her first job: stable cleaning. Ughhh. M. DeVaulle had a very smug expression when she assigned this job. It seemed she still wasn't over her encounter with the prince the previous night. Danielle loved horses but not really cleaning up after them and she was sure doing a whole stable's worth was not going to be enjoyable.

After hours of cleaning all of the stables, she went to groom the horses. When a young man looking no older than 22 entered the stable. Even as an engaged woman it was impossible not to notice that he was rather good looking and definitely of high social stature. But he did not even glance at Danielle as he selected a horse and led it out of the stable. Although he did not acknowledge her existence, it was nice to have a few moments of company. By the time she was given her 15 minutes of lunch break she was put on laundry duty. Finally she thought she's at least going to have company and be going into the palace. Maybe even see Henry.

Unfortunately though while doing laundry duty, she realized pretty quickly that there was no chance of her seeing Henry. She had to enter through a servant's entrance which was not connected to where the Royals walked and led straight to the laundry room (which was a dark dingy room half the size of a football field). But there were at least other women in this room as she'd hoped.

"Oh look at this hole!" a woman who looked to be in her mid thirties scowled while holding up a huge table cloth with a hole the size of a nickel in it. The table cloth was lovely though, made of the finest material that Danielle had ever seen besides for the clothes that Henry wore.

"Oh well I better run this to the seamstress."The woman announced and exited the room.

The whole of the room was busy but then again did not seem too stressed at the same time. Around the room she could see chatting all around her. This was definitely the most relaxed setting she's seen at the castle yet.

"Hi, I'm Michelle."Said a blonde tall girl beside her.

"Oooh and I'm Monique" said the stouter red head to her right.

"Hi, I'm Danielle. I just started working here."

"Ooh a newbie. Poor girl. Where did you come from? Did Madame DeVaulle just snatch you?" asked Michelle with a pitying glance .

"No actually the prince had found me and brought me here" Both girls stared in shock at Danielle for this statement.

"The prince has never brought anyone here before. You must have done some to catch his eye." Danielle somehow managed to control herself from bursting out in laughter from the irony.

"Well he's definitely caught my eye." Monique said dreamily. "Hmmm he is quite handsome.

"Don't even kid yourself!" Michelle responded a little too harshly. "He could have any girl in all of France. I'm sure he plans on going for a peasant like us. Honestly, the amount of girls who throw themselves for even a piece of him…. It's ridiculous."

This news somehow shocked Danielle. She had always known how Margureete and the Baroness had fawned over Henry but she had never really thought about the other ladies in the kingdom. Of course they would be all over him. He was the prince. A damn good looking one at that. This definitely brought on a whole new set of issues to the forefront of her impending marriage. Somehow he had failed to mention any of these girls she noticed.

"It's not so ridiculous you know." Danielle snapped back. "I mean…. It's not like it could NEVER happen…"she said ending a little less sharply.

Both girls burst into hysterical laughter.

"Oh Danielle you live in quite a fairytale."