Dedwydd Pasg Everyone!! Or Happy Easter in English!

J'ai foi en vous = I have faith in you

R&R Please

{ }-{~ J'ai Foi En Vous~}-{ }

Eirlys and Griffith had left the Bastille Cathedral that night. Griffith rode back to his small apartment in Versailles as his sister rode back to the sanctuary where she eagerly awaited the news of what was to happen next.

Day by day she sat around awaiting news from Aramis and day by day none appeared. For two weeks nothing came and then on a Sunday at midday a rider appeared carrying a letter addressed to a 'Winter Maeve', her cloaked identity.

Eirlys sat calmly reading a book in the rose gardens that had finally come to bloom. The air was warm and the sun was bright and cheerful as it shined down upon her face. She spotted Faith, some of the hired help, approach and laid down her book onto her lap. Faith walked to her with the rolled parchment in her hands, a light smile on her face.

"Mademoiselle, it iz addrezzed to you." Her thick accent poured through her words as she handed the letter to Eirlys before taking a step backwards.

"Thank you Faith." She spoke softly as she moved her book next to her and took the letter in her hands. She quickly undid the ribbon around it and unrolled it to see the thin wispy writing she recognized as Aramis's.

We are going to obtain the 'jewel' tomorrow night.

I need you to be ready for when we arrive in half a week's time.

Take special care mon amie,

A.

"Faith!" Eirlys called to the girl who had stopped walking. Faith turned around and looked at Eirlys.

"Oui Mademoiselle?" She asked, stepping forward again, her hands clasped at her front over her apron.

"Could you please fashion four beds by next week for our guests?" Eirlys looked up from the letter, a smile drifting across her rosy lips at the girl who was not much older than herself, "And also, please tell Montague to have the carriage waiting at the coast for the General."

"Oui, Mademoiselle. Existe-t-il autre chose dont vous avez besoin?"

"No that is all Faith, thank you." Eirlys gave a laugh and smiled as Faith gave a small bow of her head and departed, leaving Eirlys to her thoughts. Eirlys lifted the letter and tapped it gently against her chin, pondering to herself.

"The orchards most likely." She thought aloud to herself and picked up her book. She began heading to the orchards where the twins, Violette and Valérien, were sure to be picking at the ripened fruit. The trees were in full bloom, thought, some still had flowers budding on them. The sweet smell of nectar floated on the breeze as it passed Eirlys from the opening of the orchard.

A little ways in underneath an orange tree stood two small children. A girl no older than nine with red curls pulled back and clipped behind her head to dangle at her shoulders. She wore a pale yellow dress and her shoes seemed missing from her feet. The boy sat with matching colored hair, back against the tree, in a pair of brown pants rolled up to his knees and an oversized white shirt.

"Bonjour Violette! Bonjour Valérien!" Eirlys walked up behind them, holding the bottom of her pale blue sundress up as not to step on it. The grass felt cool against her bare feet as she gracefully moved along it. The two twins looked behind them and Violette waved as they spotted her walking up.

"Eirlyz!" Violette cried out as she ran full force at Eirlys, jumping into her arms when she was close enough. Eirlys laughed and hugged the small girl and walked on to where her brother was moping.

"Some how I knew you two could not resist being the first to pluck the fruit from the trees." Eirlys laughed and set Violette down on the ground. She looked over at Valérien and cocked her head to one side, "Are you well today Valérien?"

Valérien sat against the tree, his knees scrunched to his chest. A scowl was portrayed on his face as he stared across the field, avoiding Eirlys's gaze.

"Oh, he iz juzt upzet that he cannot reach the applez." Violette placed her hands on her hips and gave a small huff, staring down at her brother.

"Is that so?" Eirlys bent down and picked Valérien up and placed him on her shoulders, "You can reach them now, can you not?"

Valérien's scowl turned happy as Eirlys walked towards the tree, allowing Valérien to pluck the fruit he wanted. Eirlys and the two children spent the day walking through the orchards, picking fruits from the trees. As night came upon them they walked back to the sanctuary where the children met with their mother.

"Ah! I 'ave been looking for youz all day!" Faith chimed as she smiled down at her children. Eirlys took Valérien from her shoulders and gently placed him on the ground, "Go inzide and wash up."

She gave each of them a tap on their bottoms and off they went to clean themselves up. Faith stared at Eirlys for a moment, shaking her head.

"What is it?" Eirlys laughed, knowing a comment was coming from her friend.

"Carrying Valérien like zat iz not very lady like Mademoiselle. It iz unbecoming of a bachelorette zuch az yourzelf." She crossed her arms over her chest, staring Eirlys down with a smirk.

"A bachelorette such as me?" Eirlys laughed, putting her hands on her hips. Her small look of anger let way to a smile, "I suppose it is, but that is what makes me."

"That iz alzo what makez Monsieur Aramis fond of you az well." Faith's face turned to consideration as she looked on at her Mistress, "Upon other thingz."

"Uh!" Eirlys could not contain the laugh and look of surprise that graced her, "Faith he is nearly twofold my age!"

"Ah, but love 'az no age. Love is patient, love is kind..." Faith's voice drifted off into a whisper as Eirlys could tell she was no longer speaking about Aramis, but her own husband.

"Love and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered," Eirlys recited the poetry from one of her many books, "It does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."

"Eh bien récité maîtresse!" Faith laughed, embarrassed at her own ranting from before, "Laurence recited that the day he propozed."

"I remember that day. You came back excited as a school girl reciting it word for word." Faith's cheeks flushed and her head turned towards the ground. Her smile fell as thoughts of her late husband crossed her mind, "Pardonnez-moi mon amie. I did not mean to bring back ill memories of him."

Faith waved away her apology and looked back up at her, tears in her eyes. She brushed several that fell away.

"There iz no need for apologiez. I..." Eirlys place a hand on Faith's upper arm.

"Mama! Nous avons fini!" Violette's voice broke through the sadness, making the two women laugh.

"Your wonderful children call for you." Eirlys looked beyond Faith to see her two children standing at the front door.

"They are very fond of you." Faith whispered, taking a moment to look back at them. Eirlys nodded her head and laughed, looking down at Faith.

"As I them. Now, go. They are waiting." Eirlys smiled at Faith and gave her a gentle hug, urging her to go to them. Faith walked towards her children that stood at the front door awaiting their mother still. Eirlys watched them walk into the sanctuary and then set off towards the garden once more.

She watched the sunset over the bushes of white roses, remembering the time she had spent with her father there. She crossed her arms over her chest and stretched out her legs, crossing them in the process.

"I can almost picture father there, sitting besides you." Eirlys's head snapped behind her to spot Griffith. He stood wearing his musketeer uniform and hat underneath his right arm. Eirlys pat the spot next to her and Griffith slowly walked over and sat down besides her.

"What brings you here so early?" Eirlys stared at the slowly changing sky.

"Can I not come and visit with my sister without being suspected of mischief?" Griffith laughed, placing the hat in his lap and taking a quick glance at his sister. She had yet to take her eyes off of the sunset to gaze upon him. She shook her head and turned to him.

"The King perhaps?" Eirlys suggested, knowing fully well that he was here for business and not pleasure. Griffith sighed and laced his hands together, staring back at the sunset.

"He suspects treachery is afoot."

"He is quick. Maybe too quick." Eirlys's voice was calm and unconcerned with his knowing that they were planning something. Griffith looked at his sister skeptically.

"Have you no disturbed emotion from this?" He asked questioningly of his sister's calm state. She slowly shook her head.

"I do some what, but I know everything will be alright." She looked over at Griffith and gently placed a hand on his, giving it a gentle squeeze, "Everything will be alright. I promise. Now, let us enjoy the sunset."

She looked back at the purple and pink sky, marveled by its beauty. She gave a sigh, letting out the worry she had concealed from Griffith. The King knew? Already? Her thoughts did, in fact, disturb her to the core. As much as she trusted Aramis, she was not completely confident with his plan to replace Louis.

"It will be alright...Everything will be fine...." Her voice was but a whisper. Her words were meant to comfort herself more than Griffith, but seemed as though inept to the nagging she felt at her heart, "J'ai foi en vous."