Entre ciel et terre
Chapter 1
"Friends!"
Isabelle could hear it; the voice full of affection for the people and the country, shouting at the top of one's lungs, like everyone else's around.
"To the royal palace! Let us drive out the cardinal, and long live the King!"
Surrounding her were countless people, and while trying to spot the owner of the voice, Isabelle glanced back. The fellow Parisians were trying to do the same, they were curious yet hopeful. There was a significant rumor that a noble was secretly aiding them, and until now it had seemed ridiculous. Rubbishly unreasonable. Having lived for roughly more than twenty years, she had never seen-or heard-about a noble who was passionate and caring enough to stand for the commoners. What she had only seen were those ruthless, greedy, and indifferent.
If the rumor wasn't true, was it possible that it was only a result of people's hopes and imagination? As far as she knew, the notion of good noble was nearly impossible to spring in people's minds. The exploitation of those high was too much to enable it.
Then could it be true? She tried to repress her hopes slowly surging inside her. Hopes were dangerous; delights were temporary, whilst sorrow was lasting.
Yet she had to check, just in case. Even if the truth would bring depression, and she didn't want to check it at the same time, because oh, the useless hopes...
"Then who are you," she shouted, "Who are you, commanding the people of Paris?"
The people fell silent, all waiting to hear the answer. Isabelle could now see the figure of the man, though half blocked from her view by the people. The man shifted his pose to find who had spoken, and something glittered under the sunlight: a silver button on the coat. Her heart beat.
Then the wave of excitement swept through the people, cheers bursting out, as the man replied,
"I am François of Vendôme, duke of Beaufort, servant of the King and the State!"
Isabelle turned to her friends and families, the people of Paris, in her deepest delight.
"All hail Beaufort!" she exclaimed, and people echoed back: "All hail Beaufort!"
The night was cast. Stars, shining, each one being a lodestar for each person, revealed themselves at the very moment. They seemed to be telling something important, warnings or blessings, yet without words but feelings. Feelings that often could convey one's thoughts better than words.
Isabelle filled her sight with those glittering herds of stars. Since her youth she'd loved to watch them. Not only were they beautiful, but they were also fair. Everyone was under the same sky, the same stars... regardless of who they were, of high or low status.
And also, that they made her relax on this sleepless night.
A sound of a footstep caused her to jolt, to turn around in surprise-which only magnified after she saw who it was.
"Your Grace?" she said in reflection, then realizing what she had uttered, she bowed. It was a sincere bow, unlike those she was forced to do toward other nobles. The duke deserved the respect, and she was grateful for what he had done-and was doing.
"I didn't know someone else would be here," the duke said, "Isabelle, am I right?"
"You are, sir."
She hadn't told him her name; she hadn't even talked to him after the time she asked who he was at first. Possibly the duke heard it from others.
A few seconds of awkward silence made her shift uncomfortably. She opened her mouth again.
"I can excuse myself-"
"No, it's alright. After all, tomorrow is a crucial day. Some companies would be better than solitude."
Slightly surprised, Isabelle stood still. The comment took her off guard. She would never imagine a noble to say something like that, toward a commoner. Then, on second thought, it would be a mistake to apply the same to the duke, because he was far different from other nobles, as she was constantly being reminded.
So Isabelle stayed. Fortunately, she had just found what to say.
"I just wanted to say, Your Grace...that I am-we are grateful for you. For what you are doing for us."
The duke shrugged; it was so subtle that Isabelle almost missed it.
"It is my obligation. And my belief. Without people the nation is no more. It would be an empty one."
He lowered his eyes.
"It is regrettable that only a few nobles and kings share the perspective."
For a while, Isabelle turned her face to the duke to face him directly. She saw him in awe. An awe that was poured from her deepest heart, toward the noble risking his everything for those he wasn't related at all.
"You're a great man."
Her sincere words echoed in the night air. The duke shrugged again, this time more visible.
"How interesting. Because I think you are the one."
He carefully continued
"You led all those people, hundreds of people, for one cause. At such a young age..."
As much as she was surprised at the duke's praise, she couldn't help but wonder if he was much older than her. He didn't look much older than her, about a few years at most.
Maybe it occurred to him as well, for he chuckled softly at the last part.
Isabelle didn't draw her gaze from the duke, her realistic senses seemed to have fled. This felt like a casual talk...would it be okay, then, if she proceeded with the talk more?
"We have nothing to lose. You have everything to lose."
She was apt to be brave-she was forced to be brave, because she had nothing, and to fight against was the only way to survive. Whereas it was the opposite for him, who could be just fine to continue living comfortably, rich, and flourishing even, without having to fight his way. He didn't need to rebel against the cardinal; actually, it would have brought him more fortune to ignore the pains and hardships of the commoners. Yet, he chose the alternative.
The duke nodded.
"Perhaps, but I think about it in another way: is it so great that I take such risk for the people suffering because of my own relatives and colleagues, to the extent they have nothing to lose?"
For the first time, Isabelle smiled. Although not intended, it formed on her face by itself. She had to struggle in order not to allow it to spread all over her face.
The stars shimmered. Like the sudden surge of emotions welling inside her, shaking silently as they shone in bright colour. Like various feelings mixed in a good way. Those she felt exactly when she was watching the vast night sky...could it be the reason again?
A smile also had formed around the duke's lips, she saw under the dark sky. One more natural than any smile she had seen for the past few years. It reminded her that she had never talked with a man on such a deep topic. She had had longer talks, of course, but sometimes it was the simple words, not the long, complex ones, that made them intense. Important. Deeper. The short moments that led to some of the best acknowledgements.
She wanted to get to know more of him. The curiosity toward someone she had never imagined to exist, perhaps. The attraction toward someone who could be so just, perhaps. She didn't really know.
But what she did know-it wasn't happening.
Isabelle tore her gaze from the duke. The spell, whatever it had been, had diminished. Streams of reality flocked in on its behalf.
"Isn't it too late now? Aren't you going to get inside, Your Grace?"
The smile disappeared from his face eventually, as she reminded him. He slowly opened his mouth...almost reluctantly, she dared to guess.
"I am afraid so."
Isabelle gathered her self-control, only to find out that it wasn't so easy to not follow what her heart was saying, especially at the moment. It took much more willpower than she had expected, to say the words:
"Then, good night, Your Grace."
She made a slight bow, to which he replied with a nod.
"Good night, mademoiselle."
The duke turned, and Isabelle walked away. She couldn't stay longer or speak more. She couldn't turn back or slow down her pace.
What she could only do was to silently wish the blessing of God upon him, upon the people and the country on which his loyalty lay.
A/N: This is a fic in which François(the duke of Beaufort) and Isabelle are the main characters. I will add some more stories between the musical scenes, and write also about what would happen after François is locked in cell. (of course I won't let him trapped there XD) But as much as I want to proceed with the story fast, I have a lot to do these days(including the Le Roi Soleil musical I participate in directing at school)...I do not know how long it would take to post the next chapter, so please be aware of it.