Title: Forever Yours
Author: rooster dawn
Pairing: see below
Alternative Universe
Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended. Ever After is the property of Twentieth Century Productions, no copyright infringement intended.
Summary: This story is loosely based on the movie "Ever After"
Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness.
Author's note: In the movie the time period covers five days between the time Prince Henry meets Danielle and the Masque Ball. I have tried to stretch out the story to almost two weeks to give them more time to get to know each other better. Besides I think it would be hard for two people from different stations of life to see each other every day and fall in love.
part 10 Time to Say Goodbye
1400 hours
Ruins of Amboise
Henry was sitting on the edge of an old stone window reading the book Nicole had left behind in the carriage when it had broken down several days ago. It was an interesting book. It made for good reading and gave him further insight into her personality.
He had been at the ruins since 1000 hours. He had only one purpose for the day, to spend more time with Nicole. He didn't want to take a chance in getting caught up with some activity that his mother might have planned that didn't include Nicole.
He had been thinking about her since the day that he first met her. He couldn't understand why that was. Sure he had strong feelings for her, but he had had feelings for other women in the past. They never required this much thought though from him.
He had to admit Nicole was a soothing balm for his troubled soul. Before he met her he didn't care about anything. He didn't have a purpose in life other than someday he would be king.
Now he was seeing many possibilities. The first one was spending his life with Nicole. The second one involved her too. He had seen the excitement on her face when she saw all the books.
It had given him the idea that he should build a University so that all could attend and be equally excited about reading and learning. Through education life could be better.
Sarah hurried along the trail to the ruins. It was much later than she liked, but she couldn't help it, she couldn't leave the manor until the Baroness had left with Jordan for their day in the sun, that is lunch with the queen.
The unfortunate part was, she wouldn't be able to spend much time with Henry. The walk was an hour long to the ruins. There was no way she could get back to the manor before the baroness, but she needed to see him.
Seeing him, being with him, was fast becoming an important all consuming part of her life. She didn't know what would happen in the future. What future? There was no future. Henry was the prince of France and she was but a servant girl to down and out Baroness.
Their worlds may intersect, but they didn't coincide. Their world, the time they spent together as great as it had been, would soon be ending. It was the only way it could. She needed to tell him. He was already getting too emotionally attach with her.
The longer she waited to tell him, the more likely it was he would be hurt when he found out, but how was she going to tell him? She didn't want their time together to end even though it must.
She was willing to risk the pain in the end for the feelings of happiness she was now enjoying. But was it fair? Since when had anything in her life been fair. First she lost a mother she never knew.
Then a beloved father was gone before his time. She was only a child who had to grow up without love because her stepmother didn't know how to love. She was a miserable person who only made life more miserable.
She saw him sitting in what appeared to be the remnants of a window in the building. He was reading a book. He looked up to see her and was quickly by her side giving her a hug and then a kiss.
"Hello." she greeted him with a sad smile.
"Hello, Are you well?" he asked with concerned. He hated seeing her in pain.
"I fear I am not myself today." she cried softly.
"I feel that my skin is all that is keeping me from going everywhere at once." he replied excitedly.
"I had a big fight with the Baroness before she left for her engagement with the queen." Nicole wailed softly.
"I'm sorry Nicole, I know I'm at fault, I'm the one who has caused you such pain. If my mother wasn't so concern with me finding a bride ... I'm sorry to have caused so much trouble for you." he replied taking a hold of her hand.
"There is something I must tell you." Nicole began.
"And I you. Ah ... here's the book you left in the carriage." Henry said. He had such great news to tell her.
Sarah felt her heart beat faster. There was a warm feeling in her chest. Her legs felt weak and her mind was as fuzzy as the first time he told her that he loved her. All she could do was smile and take the book from him.
She had noticed a big change in the way Henry view life since the first time she saw him in the meadow. He was a tortured soul looking for his way in life. Now he was actually excited about life and what he wanted to do.
"You are a woman of many wonders." he said. "This book is so different from Utopia and yet it is easy to see why you would read it. It is fascinating reading and when one tries to see the reason behind the writing, one can see why scholars debate. For there is no one answer to any question." smiled Henry.
"Your highness." replied Nicole looking for permission to tell him what she needed to say.
"Henry." he corrected her.
"Henry, I can not stay long, but I had to see you. There is so much I need to say." she tried to tell him why she had come.
"Come I want to show you something." exclaimed Henry excitedly as he took her hand to lead her to another part of the ruins.
She could see the remains of beautifully constructed walls. It was amazing site to see. There also appeared to be what used to be a garden in the center of it all. It must have been magnificent in its day.
"I used to play here as a boy. It was my father's most cherished retreat before the war." beamed Henry.
"It's beautiful." she replied as she took in the splendor.
"I've measured my life by these trees. Starting here and all the way up there, and they grow, so much life to live." he continued his narrative of his youth.
She was feeling sad. She knew if she told him the truth, all his excitement, his zest for life would dissipate. She didn't think she could tell him the truth now. It would have to wait, but wait until when? She didn't have an answer.
"But I no longer imagine it alone." smiled Henry looking into her eyes.
"You're not making this easy." wailed Nicole wondering how could she tell him now.
"I've been afraid to sleep fearing that our night together would only be a dream. Last night I had a revelation. I used to think that if I cared about anything, then I would have to care about everything and I would go stark raving mad.
But now I've found my purpose. It's a project that you inspired. And now I feel the most wonderful freedom." Henry declared.
"It wasn't me." she wailed denying any responsibility. He surely did it all on his own.
"Nicole, you are unlike any courtier I've ever met and at the masque I shall make it known to the world." Henry declared happily. He was so happy and he wanted the world to know it.
"Why do you have to be so wonderful?" Nicole cried.
"Now there." he said trying to calm her. "What is it that you wanted to tell me."
"Simply, that night we spent together in the gypsy camp was the happiest night of my life." cried Nicole before Henry took her into his arms to kiss her.
"I must go." she told him as she turns to run away.
"Nicole!" Henry cried out hoping that she wouldn't go.
"No ... no ... no." cried Nicole as she ran away.
She changed out of her dress when she was sure Henry hadn't followed her. She was able to move much quicker. If she was lucky she might still be able to beat her stepmother home.
1800 hours
de Ghent's manor
That evening, everything was quiet through dinnertime. Sarah had managed to get home before dinner, but she had been caught carrying one of her finer dresses with her. Renee didn't have to think very long or very hard to know why she had needed that particular dress.
She knew Sarah must have had another secret rendezvous with the prince. Everything was beginning to add up now. She understood now why Sarah had been late for dinner four times last week. Why she hadn't returned home until the next morning after staying out all night.
She had been spending time with the prince and had been lying about it. She was taking away opportunities from Jordan to be with the prince. How was the prince suppose to get to know Jordan if he was spending so much time with Sarah?
Sarah was beginning to wonder what was wrong. Even though their conversations could be inane at times, the Baroness and her daughters usually talked a lot. Tonight they were very quiet. She wondered why.
"When were you going to tell me Sarah?" began Renee. Her tone was very harsh scaring both Sarah and Henrietta. Jordan though seemed to be beside herself with glee with what was going to happen.
"Tell you what ma'am?" she replied feigning ignorance. Sarah had learned a long time ago not to volunteer information until she knew what was going on.
"Making your mother a Comtesse." Renee snarled.
"I did?" she questioned.
"The queen thinks you're a Comtesse. Why is that Sarah? Why does she think you're courtier?" asked Renee angrily.
"I don't know what the queen thinks of me ma'am." she replied. This only made Renee madder.
"Don't you play dumb with me Sarah. Out with it. Why does the queen think you're a courtier?" Renee yelled.
"Does it have something to do with Prince Henry?" she asked hesitantly.
"Of course it does you fool! You better start telling me everything or I'll give you to Pierre le Peu. I know how much you would like that." yelled Renee.
"It all started when Prince Henry stole our horse. He gave me some money and told me not to tell you about it. I took the money to the town common to free Uncle Tom, but in order for me to do that I had to dress up like a courtier.
If I didn't do so, they wouldn't have paid me any attention. While I was attempting to buy Uncle Tom's freedom, Prince Henry rode up behind me. He asked me why Uncle Tom should be freed. I quoted Thomas Moore and he ordered Uncle Tom freed.
I thanked him and left as quickly as I could hoping that he wouldn't follow me or recognize me from that morning, but the prince decided to follow after me. He asked me for my name and where I was staying.
I didn't want to tell him anything, but he kept after me. I finally told him I was visiting a cousin hoping that it would discourage him from any further inquiries, but it didn't. I couldn't think of anything. Finally I thought of my mother and gave her a title.
I didn't think anyone would know who she was so no one would be able to tell Prince Henry where I was staying. I thought he would soon forget about me, but he was intrigued that I knew the writings of Thomas Moore.
Somehow it made him want to know more about me. I was able to get away from him when he was distracted by his mother the queen." sighed Sarah after that thorough explanation.
"There must be more to this story Sarah. I know you've seen him after that encounter. I know it has been more than once." Renee urged Sarah to tell her more.
"Well, a couple of days later I was swimming in the lake. A friend of his interrupted me. I screamed. The next thing I knew Prince Henry was at my side helping me out of the water. He wrapped his cloak around me to keep me warm while I dried.
We began talking again about Thomas Moore again and other related topics. He seemed to be interested in what I had to say, but at the same time he made fun of my beliefs. I thought he and Jordan would be perfect for each other.
They both can be so annoying and condescending. I didn't realize how late it was getting until I heard Henrietta calling. I took off with him wondering when he would see me again. I had hoped it would be never." she paused to see whether or not her stepmother believed her.
"How do I know you're telling me the truth Sarah?" demanded Renee.
"You know I don't lie ma'am. I may not always tell you everything when you want it, but I don't lie." she replied.
"So when was your next interlude with the prince? No, let me guess. It was day you decided not to come home. You spent the night with him, didn't you." bellowed Renee.
She was beginning to get angry again as she realized that Sarah had spent more time with the prince than she had thought. She was beginning to see that it hadn't been an isolated incident.
"I hadn't planned on ever seeing Prince Henry again. It was an accident. As you know when you left to go to church, I told you I was going to see Michael. We went to the meadow that over looks the castle.
Michael was painting a landscape of the castle and I was flying the kite that I had found. I was telling Michael about my encounter with Prince Henry and how I wish he would marry Jordan. He made fun of me saying that I really liked him.
I have to admit that Prince Henry is quite handsome and can be quite charming, but he was still too much like Jordan for my taste. So while I was arguing with Michael about it, Prince Henry came riding up.
He had seen the kite and thought his friend was in the vicinity. When Michael saw him coming he challenged me to tell Prince Henry that he should marry my sister. Then he told me the prince was riding up.
I didn't want to see Prince Henry or talk to him so I hid behind a haystack. I didn't want him to see me. Then Michael wrecked everything and set in motion everything else that has happened since. He told Prince Henry I was staying with you and that I was home alone waiting for him to come and visit me." sighed Sarah.
"I knew that little weasel wasn't good for anything. So what happened next? How did you end up disappearing for the rest of the day?" snapped Renee.
"I raced home and got ready to greet him. I thought all we would do was talk and maybe take a walk. Instead he took me for a ride in the country to see the Franciscan Library at the Monastery." answered Sarah.
"That's got to be at least three or four hours away. You shouldn't have gone with him Sarah. You know you're not supposed to be alone with a man for that length of time. You don't know what can happen. It's not done in polite society. You should have had at least a chaperone." scolded Renee.
"You're the one who told me the prince could have whatever he wanted. Who am I, but a lowly servant girl, who am I to tell Prince Henry no? He wanted to share with me an experience, a library filled with a thousand books to read.
I couldn't say no to him even if I wanted to. He's too charming. All he has to do is smile and my will to say no is gone. He wouldn't have taken no for an answer anyways. So I went with him.
It was a nice day until the carriage broke down on the way back. We decided to walk back. That's when we got lost and the gypsies found us." explained Sarah to Renee's horror.
"Didn't I tell you about them. They could have killed you." scolded Renee showing some concern.
"They might have killed the prince, but they wouldn't have killed me." argued Sarah.
"That's not funny Sarah. Many young women have been known to disappear in the woods. Taken by the gypsies for unknown reasons." argued Renee.
"Fortunately for us they weren't in a killing mood. They shared their dinner with us. We had too much to drink. He kissed me and said he loved me. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do. I just smiled.
He took me home in the morning and wanted to see me again. I told him I couldn't, but maybe in a few days. I never expected to see again. He doesn't like coming here." sighed Sarah.
"But you have seen him again haven't you?" demanded Renee.
"Yes, he found me in the meadow flying the kite. We shared a picnic basket together yesterday. I don't know why he keeps looking for me. I haven't done anything to encourage him. He just keeps on showing up wherever I seem to be." replied Sarah.
"What about today when Jordan and I were visiting the queen? She said he had gone off riding again." asked Renee. She knew her actions with the queen had put an end to his affair.
"Yes, he asked me to meet him at his favorite place to think. I went there to tell him that I couldn't see him anymore. I wanted to tell him who I really was." wailed Sarah.
"But you didn't did you." replied Renee. It was more of a statement rather than a question.
"He wouldn't let me. He was so excited about finding his purpose in life. He wants to build a university so that anyone can go there and study. He was telling me all about his plans, I couldn't tell him.
When he kissed me again, I knew I had to leave before things went any further and before he said anything else." moaned Sarah.
"Well you won't have to worry about seeing him again. I told the queen that you have left for Belgium to get married. That should deflate the prince's ego a size or two. He shouldn't be looking for you anymore.
As for you my sweet little Sarah, you're going to spend the rest of the time in the root cellar until the prince marries Jordan. You won't be going to the Masque Ball. I'm through giving you opportunities to mess things up for Jordan." smirked Renee.
"All I did was what you told me. You told me I should make a good impression on the prince. Can I help it that he like me better than Jordan. I can tell you one thing though, the prince will never marry Jordan." replied Sarah.
"And you will never come out of the root cellar." replied Renee.