Well it's that time again. As always thank you for all the support and the kind words especially to my guest reviewers and readers since I can't reply directly. Congratulations to Mountain cat, Felicity and Enigma for successfully calling this chapter, though they were a few contenders for it. It was tight. (Apologies if I forgot anyone I checked back through reviews and PMs but I may have missed someone. You guys are coming up with some great ideas. If I didn't already have them set I'd be spoiled for choice. ;))
Now on to Charity.
Charity: Being Generous Towards Others. A willingness, or even desire, to help others and better the world, no matter the cost to your personal self. The path of a graceful and noble spirit. It is the opposite of Greed.
"Mercy is more effective than any whip or gallows." – Queen Anne, Sleight of Hand
Anne's greatest virtue as both a woman and a queen is her charity. She cares for people, she wants to help them, be they her family, her subjects or her friends. When others demand retribution and punishment or react at court with harsh words and angry tones, Queen Anne urges peace and perseverance, encourages love, forgiveness and mercy.
The people of France don't know how lucky they are to have such a gift, for charity in a monarch is a precious thing. It is all too rare and valuable. It should be cherished and rejoiced. Far too easily and too often it is absent, and the people feel the rule of something else.
A minster like the cardinal who'll sacrifice those he condemns as meaningless for what he considers the greater good, be they inconvenient widows and infants, rebellious women or unfortunate street waifs.
A governor like Feron who abuses his power and indulges in terrorising and bullying those in his domain, making cellmates of the innocent and the guilty.
Or a sovereign like Louis who holds no hatred for his country, only the apathy to care.
But Queen Anne cares. She is the epitome of a kind, gentle and gracious queen. Queen Anne thinks of others and she'll welcome everyone to her court be they princess or pauper, sovereign or seamstress because she is generous.
She regularly gives charity and advocates for her people. When she pardons prisoners and gifts them money for a new life she is genuinely compassionate and concerned by their physical appearance, worries that they '"look half dead, poor things."'
She'll meet with a woman who preaches hate for her family in an attempt to protect her countrymen from being unjustly slaughtered. She resolutely returns to the palace despite the danger because the people she cherishes need her there and she cares too much to abandon her son, king or country to vicious traitors just to protect herself.
When Constance talks of the terrible things she has seen with the war, Queen Anne is visibly distressed at realising the depth of their suffering. She worries for the poor French starving in the war-torn country and is upset at the nobility wasting money on extravagance and excess for a six-year-old's birthday.
She invites everyone in Paris to her son's blessing ceremony because she knows how important it is that a king have the love of the people. More importantly she knows a king should love his people.
Those that know her, know her tenderness and philanthropy. The Comtesse De Larroque specifically names her as a potential champion of women's liberation, calling her a 'woman of wisdom and kindness'.
Constance doesn't hesitate to engage her as a sponsor and patron to Sylvie and the other refugees. Constance regularly believes in Queen Anne's goodness, championing her charity to sceptics and common folk.
Aramis notes her kindness when Porthos questions his feelings.
Treville distinguishes her gentle heart even as he cautions her of it. The cardinal agrees that the queen is merciful.
King Louis recognises her altruism even though he thinks it foolish and cannot comprehend it.
Even Milady - self-serving, pragmatic Milady - acknowledges her majesty's '"weakness for charitable causes"'.
Because the queen is charitable. She promises to read the missive that the young Therese died for. She is the only one to worry about the fates of the young girls involved in the affair. All the other courtiers think only of the scandal and the politics and their own interests. She speaks in defence of Ninon against the accusations and intercedes in her trial to ensure her life is spared. And after that grand display of kindness Queen Anne performs a smaller but far more meaningful one. She offers Ninon her hand and helps the other woman to her feet. A small act but one that allows the Comtesse to regain her dignity as well as her life.
When they are held hostage and facing death with Marmion, Queen Anne does not chastise Marguerite for her fear. She is empathetic and admits her own in rapport but urges that they not show it, reminding the governess they have friends to help them and must be calm and brave until then. And when they hear their fellow courtiers' murders, Queen Anne consoles Marguerite and cries for their loss.
After awaking in the company of a mentally-ill man, Anne's instincts are to lure him to the empty gardens away from the crowded throne room filled with people he wants to hurt. It would mean safety for her but peril to others. She loves those there too much to risk them even if the cost is to endanger herself further. She tries to appeal to his compassion and end things peacefully as terrified as she is.
She encourages time to protect Count Mellendorf and his daughter against the charges of treason and insists on the release of Count Mellendorf at the first opportunity she has.
But perhaps the greatest shows of her charity is not those to her allies but those to her enemies.
She forgives those that hurt her, intentionally or not. Be it in a slight of word and gesture or authorisation for her death however reluctant.
She comforts a distraught Marie de Medici even though she does not trust her. She aids and defends Feron despite the conflict and suspicion between them.
When Emilie of Duran is accused of Perales' murder, Queen Anne comes to her defence. An "'angel of death'" with a "'gospel of hatred'". A woman who orates war against Anne's place of birth and slanders her brother as the devil. A woman responsible for the intimidation, persecution and brutal murders of Anne's own countrymen. A woman who had only recently held her hostage and threatened her with death. And Queen Anne defends her against the charges because she does not believe it to be in Emilie's nature and she is too kind to let an innocent woman be maligned no matter what she has done.
She grants Cardinal Richelieu forgiveness and freedom after his attempt on her life. It would be easy to strike against her enemy once and for all. Condemn him to death and be rid of his opposition. But it would break the king's heart and hurt France. Because while he may be her enemy, he is not France's. She believes his loyalty and devotion to king and country. She is too benevolent to make France suffer for her own revenge.
But it is not just to her subjects as a queen, that Anne is charitable. She is caring towards her friends as a woman as well.
She treats Constance as an equal, and a sensible and intelligent companion. She openly and actively seeks and acknowledges Constance's advice and abilities. She praises Constance, thanks her for her help and apologises when Constance suffers in her service. When Constance wakes from a terrified nightmare in a camp that hates Spanish, Anne is immediately there to reassure her and doesn't hesitate to hug her. Never once does Anne treat her as less or throwaway when Anne is royalty and Constance is a mere tailor's wife.
But Anne gives Constance something even kinder. She gives Constance a friend. She supports Constance in her choice to love D'Artagnan and encourages Constance to be happy. She is a confidant to Constance's worries of war and widowhood. She listens to Constance's own feelings and acts as a confidant to Constance as much as Constance acts as one for Anne. She cares for Constance's hopes and wishes as much as her own. She offers support, respect, and freedom to Constance that her marriages sometimes cannot, and her husbands' sometimes do not.
She champions Treville in his roles as captain, minister and advisor. She believes in his loyalty, honour and ability and reminds the king, the court and the captain himself of them when needed. When Treville is demoted Anne still treats him as the captain, even referring to him by title.
When her life is threatened by the mercenary Gallagher, Anne tries to be useful to the musketeers. She actively requests her share of tasks, runs errands to fetch shot and gunpowder, cooks fish to feed them, collects sticks. She does not cry or complain or make unreasonable demands. She doesn't think of these men as soldiers existing only to obey her command and die in her stead. She sees them as brave, honourable men who are risking their lives to save her own and she does everything she can to help them because they are good men and she cares for them.
She is just as considerate towards the nuns who shelter her. She promises to reward their kindness and insists on helping them when they make their preparations. During the first gunfight she prays alongside them, as one of them and calls them by name even after a year has gone by.
Queen Anne is kind, compassionate and generous. Her naivety and innocence may be questioned but her charity never is.
As usual, give your opinions as well.
Next virtue will be Chastity.