Chapter 10- Freedom

Henri was holding Danielle, waiting for Laurent to gather the guard and return to the courtyard with a saddled horse for Danielle's ride to Hautefort. When he saw Laurent returning with the horse, he took Danielle's hand and together they headed towards the captain, but suddenly her step faltered. Concerned, Henri held her in his arms, but she seemed to faint, sinking deep into his chest, overwhelmed by the fatigue. Henri tightened his hold and noted that she looked even paler than before.

Danielle was feeling weak and unwell. Little drops of sweat clung to her forehead and she felt the moisture running down her neck, soaking the cotton shift under her bodice. Even though it was a very warm day and she was sweating, she shivered as an unpleasant feeling of coldness ran through her body.

"You are unwell, my love," Henri said, solicitous. He felt her neck and forehead. She was too warm. He had heard about this sort of feverishness and had seen it after his father's men returned from skirmishes in the field. But he had no experience with women, let alone one he loved.

He turned his head in Laurent's direction and spoke loudly. "Hurry with that horse."

Danielle leaned on Henri and spoke in a weak voice. "I'm just tired, and a little dizzy. Can I just seat for a minute? I have not eaten much in two days and my ankles and wrists are swollen; they ache from the irons. I think the time here at Le Pieu's is catching up with me, especially after all this excitement." She smiled weakly at Henri.

"Why did he have you in irons?" Henri silently considered his question. I've been so worried about my feelings, I haven't even thought of anything else.

He lightened his grip, managing a more delicate hold on Danielle while trying to ensure she was supported. He was angry at Le Pieu and at the situation. He needed to find out exactly what had happened.

"I tried to escape when I got here," Danielle said in a casual tone, shrugging her shoulders to downplay her predicament and how much it had affected her.

Laurent came to join the prince and Danielle, bringing a horse for her.

"Come. Let's get going now. Can you ride? Laurent has prepared a horse for you."

"Yes, I can ride. My father taught me how to ride his horse, and also how to use a sword," she said proudly with a slight smile. She was very tired, her legs could barely sustain her, but she made an effort to hide her weakness. She wanted to show strength so Henri would not worry.

Henri and Laurent began to help her onto the saddle.

"We need to get you out of here and back to my home to be attended by a physician."

As she began to place her foot in the stir-up she turned to speak to Henri. "Your home? I cannot possibly… "

But before she could finish her sentence she became light headed and fainted. She fell backwards and Laurent caught her before she hit the ground.

"Danielle!" Henri lunged to her side and lowered himself while Laurent laid her in the prince's lap.

"Danielle, Danielle please wake up," Henri stroked her face, silently praying, 'please God, I cannot lose her now.'

"Laurent, go get Brissac and come back quickly!"

Laurent rushed to get Colonel Brissac and returned immediately followed by the Colonel and two guards.

"Laurent, help me," Henri called. " We need to leave this place before it gets dark. She is very weak. She may...she may die! Oh no! What am I saying?"

Laurent and Brissac exchanged a baffled look. The prince was being melodramatic. They had never seen him so over-emotional.

Colonel Brissac dared not say anything aloud, but he thought the prince was lovesick. He kneeled next to Henri and took Danielle's pulse. "She will be fine, Your Highness."

The colonel looked at Danielle. He had not attended the masque, so this was the first time he had seen her. 'So this is the famous girl of the masque,' he said to himself, 'the servant that everyone at the castle has been talking about! There is something about her…she seems... frail. She has to be more than a simple servant for the prince to be running after her like this. All in due time. I'm sure we'll find out who she truly is.'

Brissac's contemplations were interrupted by the Prince's concerns.

"She needs water. She must be dehydrated."

"Here," Laurent handed his canteen to Henri and the cloak the prince had brought to cover Danielle. Henri sprinkled water in Danielle face and poured water on her lips hoping she would wake and drink, but Danielle was unresponsive.

Brissac looked at Danielle closely—her pale skin, delicate features and long auburn hair falling loose around her face made her look fragile, and he found her lovely in a very particular way. She is a simple girl but she is attractive, he thought. To Henri he only said, "she is a little feverish, Your Highness."

Filled with anxiety, Henri started to give orders to his men. "Brissac, please care for her for a minute," placing Danielle in the colonel's arms. Then he sprang to his feet and began to walk towards Le Pieu's castle.

"Where are you going"? Laurent was alarmed.

"I need to have a few words with Monsieur Le Pieu."

Laurent leapt toward Henri and took hold of his arm to stop him. "Please don't confront Le Pieu now. Not at his place and not while you are so upset. The guards have surrounded the outer wall of the castle but it is only us two who can protect you now."

"Don't worry, I just need to refill the canteen and ask him a few questions."

"I know you, Henri. You want to challenge him."

"Well, you saw what he did to her. But I will not challenge him now."

"Henri, there are many ways to make someone pay."

The Prince shook free of Laurent's grasp. "I know what to do," he said through clenched teeth. "Just stay here and get everything ready, would you? Don't upset me any further."

As Henri walked away, Brissac stayed kneeling, holding Danielle while Laurent retied the horses.

"Good God! I didn't know he was so taken with this simple girl!" Brissac muttered in a voice so low that Laurent could barely hear him over the neighing of the horses. "And to think that today he almost married one of the most sought after princesses in the world. I gather that it would not have been a good marriage, even though Princess Gabriela was a desirable match." He continued to stare at Danielle with an inquisitive look on his face.

"I advise you to treat this girl with the utmost respect, Brissac," Laurent warned the colonel. "Don't dare to make any comments about her in front of the Prince, lest he gets offended. If the Prince gets his way, you are looking at your future Dauphine." Laurent showed neither humor in his face or in the sound of his voice.

Brissac looked blankly at Danielle and back at Laurent. "Do you think that's possible? I mean, would the King..."

"Everything is possible, Brissac." Laurent interrupted him. "Don't underestimate the Prince, I know him well. He is stubborn, arrogant and spoiled, but he knows what he wants, and now he is in love. He'll find a way with the King. Everything is possible." Laurent widened his eyes and turned to finish tightening the girth on the horse he had prepared for Danielle.

Brissac kept looking at the girl lying limp in his arms. It may have been her vulnerability, or her slender frame, or the bruises on her wrists; then again it might be her luscious lips, but he suddenly understood the Prince because despite his better judgment, the colonel felt a strong need to protect this girl. He found himself strangely attracted to her. 'What I am thinking?' He shook his head like there was something like clouds about him and instantly suppressed this odd feeling.

From inside his library, M. Le Pieu had been watching the scene as it developed in his courtyard with incredulous eyes. He had been mentally rehearsing the several explanations he would offer the prince, but was afraid to approach him until he could find out why the Royal Guard was outside the walls surrounding his castle.

Then his thoughts went back to his personal desires. 'I could have obtained Danielle's virtue by force; instead, I allowed her to go. I let her believe she could threaten me with a sword. I could have killed her.' He had given her the keys in part because he wouldn't gain any pleasure by forcing her, but also, because he knew the prince will come for her once he found out she was here, and he didn't want to lose the favor of the royals.

He would rather ask the baroness to return his money, and then, once the prince had his way with her, he would try to start anew with Danielle. He would court her with gifts and money, like noblemen do, and she would behave like most courtly women, even more so since by then she would have been discarded by the prince and she would prefer to be his mistress rather than return to her life as the baroness' servant. 'She would not be able to resist my lavish offers,' Le Pieu said to himself.

Suddenly, his fog lifted and his focus was back on the courtyard. He saw the prince walking towards the main entrance and ordered his guards to open the doors for him. He started his walk to the doors and prepared to face him.

"Your Highness," M. Le Pieu bowed.

"Monsieur Le Pieu."

"I didn't expect to see you on your wedding day. May I congratulate you?"

"The wedding has been called off, and you perfectly know why I'm here," Henri said drily.

"I do not truly know your goal, Your Highness, but it seems to have to do with my property, Danielle. Anyway, I gave Mademoiselle de Barbarac her freedom. If she is what you are here to collect, I would like to be compensated. I paid good money and other valuables for her." He cleared his throat. "Your Highness knows I am a businessman. I was planning to go to the baroness, but I see that you are interested in taking her, so with all due respect, I would like to know if I can expect compensation from you."

"Monsieur Le Pieu, I do not intend to discuss this issue here, but you shall come to Court to settle this matter as soon as possible. You will be summoned, probably tomorrow. The sooner we settle this matter, the better. I warn you, however, that you shall be prepared to prove that you had the right to enter into this transaction with the baroness. The way I see it, neither the baroness had the right to sell Mademoiselle de Barbarac nor you to buy her as property."

"I didn't intend for her to be my slave, Sire, but my lover, and perhaps, even my wife. But she refused," Le Pieu asserted, touching the cut on his face and meeting the prince's eyes defiantly.

"I see. You should have verified some issues before dealing with the baroness. I do hope, for your sake, that you didn't force Mademoiselle…"

"I didn't. I let her go as you could see. She is a woman of character. I decided I must court her… properly," Le Pieu affirmed, with a cynical smile.

"Court her! Ha!" Henri scoffed at the idea. However, he felt a sense of relief. Although he didn't allow his face to betray his emotions he had been worried about Danielle being abused by Le Pieu. He was thankful that her purity was still intact, 'one less thing to address with the King,' he said to himself.

"And, if you intended to court her, why did you begin the courtship with her in irons?" Without waiting for an answer, Henri turned to leave.

"If I may ask Your Highness, why are you so interested in this servant?" Le Pieu said to the prince's back.

Henri slowly turned, controlling his anger. "Monsieur Le Pieu, you and the whole world will soon know that Danielle is not a servant nor should she have ever been treated as such. I'm taking her to Hautefort and soon all will be revealed. But know this, I will expect you to fully apologize to her. You will be soon summoned to the Court at Hautefort to settle this matter, Monsieur."

Le Pieu bowed as Henri turned to leave.

"One more thing," Henri turned back again. "If you expect the King to be merciful, tell no one about this incident. No one should know you held her against her will. And I warn you, do not reveal to the baroness where Danielle is or that I am taking her to Hautefort. She will be notified in due course and you will be present when that happens."

Still in his bow, Le Pieu responded, "As Your Highness wishes."

Henri exited the dark castle and crossed the courtyard. Brissac was still kneeling on the ground, supporting Danielle.

"We shall go now." Henri wrapped Danielle in his cloak and lifted her from the ground. She was still unconscious so he carried her to his horse. It was evident that she could not ride on her own so with Laurent's help, Henri mounted his horse and they placed Danielle in front. They then tied her to him with her head placed against his chest so she would stay upright for the ride and as comfortable as possible for them both. He pulled the hood of the cloak over her head to protect her from the sun.

"Laurent, Brissac," Henri called. "I cannot ride at a gallop with Mademoiselle de Barbarac in this state and I fear that riding at such a slow pace will take us the whole day to get back to Hautefort." Henri worried about the journey with Danielle. "I am afraid she is too weak for this journey. We may need a carriage."

"Brissac," the prince continued, "you must return to Hautefort with the Royal Guard before the King starts wondering about your whereabouts. You should request a carriage to be prepared for us. Laurent will go with you and return with the carriage. I'll continue with my personal guard and we'll stop in Marquay, before Montignac, at the Château de Puymartin of the Marquis de Saint-Clar to wait for Laurent's return."

He turned to Laurent. "We will rest there at the château while we await your return. Please send a guard ahead to alert the marquis of our visit."

"Yes, Your Highness." Together Laurent and Brissac nodded.

"Laurent, when you get to Hautefort please speak with the Queen, alone if possible. I would like my mother to be alerted of the situation. A bedchamber must be prepared for Mademoiselle de Barbarac. Request that the Court physician be there as well to attend to her when we arrive later this evening. And speak of this to no one other than the Queen."

"At once, Sire."

The Captain galloped ahead towards Hautefort followed by Brissac and the Royal Guard. Laurent sent a guard to the Château de Puymartin to announce the arrival of the prince and Danielle, while Henri and his personal guard began their slow ride along the road beside the Dordogne River and then through the hayfields, leaving Château de Beynac to disappear at their backs.

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