Everything was silent for a moment, then the field exploded into noise. Mostly the men arguing amongst themselves. To many of them, the idea of just packing up and leaving was inconceivable. Leaving behind everything they'd ever known? No!

Lord Armand allowed the men to argue for a while longer then he cleared his throat and said, "Alright that's enough."

To my surprise they shut-up. He didn't even have to raise his voice.

Observing the apprehensive but silent crowd, he nodded and continued. "I understand that the idea of having to leave is daunting but think about it men. We are an isolated community true, but we're not completely cut off from the outside world. People do come in from time to time.

Young Pierre is right, if even a hint about a surviving son of Louis XVI ever escaped we wouldn't last the night. Especially right now."

He ran his hand on the pommel of his sword as he continued, "However much we prepare for a fight it should be with the intention of buying our people enough time to leave. The question would be where?"

Muttering among the group started again before places were thrown out, the most common being the Austrians or Britain. That made me think for a moment, Austria was closer and didn't involve marching through all of France and stealing a ship to get there. On the other hand it involved trying to get through the war torn German states, with much of the population either not friendly to Frenchmen or were toadies of the Empire. That wasn't including whatever garrisons ole Bonnie would keep in Germany to keep his 'Confederacy' sweet on him and France.

Then when we got to Austria one had to wonder how much support we'd get there from the emperor, yes he was the prince's maternal cousin and what was left of his father's family was still there if I recalled correctly. Actually that was a question, were they in Austria right now? If they weren't then we'd be in a bit of trouble. Then there was the question of whether or not they would accept him as the long lost Dauphin, if we could find his sister she might be able to confirm him.

Our other option was Great Britain. Great Britain, with her mighty fleet. Great Britain, with her incredible wealth. Great Britain, with one of the best trained armies in the world, officer corps notwithstanding. Great Britain, with a large population of emigres with a chip on their shoulders and a bone to pick with ole Bonnie and who would be more than happy to support a Bourbon restoration. If we could get there and prove our case I'd imagine they'd love to give us money, arms, and training. The problem would be getting there.

We'd have to fight our way through the entirety of France, hijack a ship, get through the British blockade without being blasted to kingdom come, land in England without getting shot to pieces while trying to prove who we are.

Then there was the question of Belle, Belle Feron, a brilliant and beautiful woman if ever there was one...but had about as much royal blood as Louis our carthorse. If they confirmed our Prince as being who he was, a hundred guineas against a bent copper penny they'd demand he end the marriage and marry someone else. Someone with proper breeding.

And it'd be a cold day in hell before he did that.

But those were problems we'd have to face later. For now we needed to be ready to fight anything that came to this valley. Besides we needed to meet with the person who we were going to put our necks on the line for and get his thoughts, or at least get him into the know.

All that went through my mind for a few minutes, when I noticed that the men were starting to become agitated I cleared my throat. "Well either way where we go isn't important right this second. For now we need to prepare to defend ourselves."

Thinking about it for a moment I went on. "It might be wise if a small group ride up there and speak with the prince and whomever else may be up there. For all we know he doesn't know that Napoleon," a few spat there, "crowned himself emperor. Though with this thing he might know anyway." I flourished the unactivated mirror to prove my point.

"Either way we need to make sure everyone involved in this mess knows what's going on. I suggest a small group." I glanced over to the Baron, "Milord? Would you be willing to lead a small group up to the castle if some of the men show you the way?"

The old man bowed his head, "It would be my honor, it's about time I got out of retirement." That got a few dry laughs from the men. "I would also prefer to have that mirror of yours when I go up there. It might help with any talks I have with the Dauphin."

I shrugged and handed the thing over to the baron who slipped it into a pocket inside of his coat. He nodded his thanks.

"Right, so…" Spotting Father Henri I said, "Father, would you be kind enough to join the group? I think your presence would be appreciated."

Father Henri was a bit taken aback when I called him out, I figured a representative from the church would help. I was still amazed he went along with that slap-dash wedding my brother tried to pull a few weeks ago.

Recovering quickly the older man nodded, "If you feel that my presence would help then I would be more than glad to come along. Though I have my doubts a parish priest like myself would be of much use."

"Considering all the magic that had been thrown around up there I think a priest might be one of the best things possible besides. Imagine the poor people up there, they've been without a priest for the past ten years. Besides if things go right you might be officiating a prince's wedding. That would be something to tell people." I replied, trying to stroke the good Father's ego. Father Henri wasn't a proud man by any measure but the thought of being the priest for a prince's marriage had to have been tempting him on some level.

The priest nodded again, much more enthusiastically this time. "As you say, it seems to be God's will that I go with you so with you I shall go." He then started making a mental list of the sacraments he might need to bring up to the castle incase any wanted a mass or a confession.

Nodding in satisfaction I then looked around at the rest of men, "Alright now since I'm not mad enough to send two elderly men into the mountains alone I think a few volunteers to accompany them. Do I see any volunteers?"

Hands shot up and voices spoke up, "Alright...you, you, you, you, and ...you." Pointing out five men, two of them being the eldest of the du Rhin brothers, their final triplett had busted his leg a few weeks ago when a log bridge he'd been crossing had broken and he'd fallen into the gully below. He'd recover but he was still on crutches for the time being.

The five men nodded and with that I said, "Alright the rest of us will start taking stock of what we have on hand and see what we'll need for a fight. But first, we need to celebrate!"

That took many of them aback for a moment, "What? Don't you realize what this means? We have the proper king among us and he's probably about to get married soon, to one of our own. Doesn't that call for celebration?"

When that connected in their minds I grinned and continued, "Alright boys, I just brought in a good six barrels of beer just this morning before everything went screwy. Two free rounds each for everyone? Hows that sound?"

That got the entire crowd roaring in anticipation with cries of Vive le Roi and Vive Pierre! Well damn, if that's what it took for people to cheer your name, I'd have done it a long time ago.

"Alright, let's GO!" and with that the crowd began to move towards the tavern.

I made to follow them and get things set up before they tore the doors down to get to the booze. I paused when I make eye-contact with my brother, "Gaston...are we alright? We're not going to have any other problems right?"

Gaston looked me in the eyes for a long while and I began to get worried that he was going to make an ass of himself...again. Then he sighed and said, "Well...if I had to lose...to anyone...I guess there's no shame losing to a prince, and the Dauphin at that."

I grinned and slapped his back, then made a face when I saw him wince at the force of my hand, "Sorry…" I muttered.

He glared at me for a moment then shrugged, "Fine… now come on brother, before they burn the tavern down trying to get to the beer you just promised them. Rather strange of you giving free beer like that."

"What can I say Gaston, I'm in a giving mood." I shrugged my shoulders.

That set the both of us chuckling and we jogged towards the tavern, a grin on my face, my brother, my blow-hard-but-not-malicious brother was back.

We managed to get ahead of the crowd just in time opening the door with a flourish and bringing the barrels I'd recently bought out from the basement. There were some groans when they sat the St. Germain mark on the barrels but I managed to calm them down with a reminder that with the war we weren't going to be getting the good stuff for a while at least. That calmed them down and they took comfort in the fact that at least it was free.

With the sisters absent my brother took over handing out the drinks, using every single solitary stein, wineglass and even the old drinking horns we'd collected over the years to cover everyone. I just filled them as they came. Eventually it became obvious that Gaston wasn't going to be able to handle the demands and so we set up a line allowing the drinkers to just walk along in a single file line to the booze.

When they came for their refill I made sure to mark the mug with a piece of chalk. The idea being that if they had one drink already then they couldn't cheat their way to another drink.

That fell apart damn quickly when the men figured out that they could just wipe out the chalk mark with a sleeve. I tried to check sleeves as they came round but it was soon apparent that it was a futile effort and decided that until the beer ran out it was a first come first serve.

Soon men were starting to sing old snatches of songs of wars long over and battles fought long ago. It seemed the martial bug had infested the entire community. I just prayed that it wouldn't cost their lives in the days to come.

Hearing the old war songs, many of the women and children, curious about the crowd around the tavern, soon congregated around the growing party. When they got the gist of what was happening they got into a festive spirit as well, the anger at what Gaston had done forgotten for the moment. Hopefully for a long while but if it were only temporary I'd take what I could get.

Along with the beer, some of the women began to bring food of all sorts, mostly bread, meats and cheeses but certainly more than enough to enjoy. Then someone somewhere started playing a fiddle, and someone else a flute. After a few practice notes an accordion started and a dancing song kicked up.

As music is want to do in this world people almost immediately started dancing, not really a song and dance number but people were drawn to it like iron to a lodestone. Even I, who had two left feet most of the time, felt compelled to go out there for a few moments. But I managed to clamp down on the desire by reminding myself that I needed to keep handing out the drinks unless I wanted to cause a riot when the beer was denied.

Then I happened to look over at one corner of the village square and spotted the triplets standing somewhat aloof from the rest of the party goers. A twinge of...something...went through me as I noticed Claudette playing a with a strand of hair. I'd never really lost my...feelings for her, even if she and her sisters had for years made it blatantly clear they prefered Gaston over me. But that was before Gaston had tried to attempt regicide...it was forgotten in the festive mood but I knew it was going to rise up again, and the sisters hadn't parted ways with my brother on friendly terms. Maybe now was my chance?

I had a nagging feeling that it was likely going to fail...again, but what the hell if I got turned down again then it was time to accept that Claudette and I were never going to be and move on with my own life. Gaston wasn't the only Legume who was ox-stubborn.

Looking around I spotted Andre our alternative bar-keep, a complete lush but he knew his job and if I put the fear of God into him he could cover long enough to make my attempt. Shrugging off my apron I called out to the blond and bearded man. "Oi! Andre! Andre!"

Turning his head the already red-cheeked man spotted me and raised his mug, "Pierre, great party ye' got goin' and thanks fer th' beer!" I was starting to wonder at the wisdom at letting him handle the taps...but needs must and all that.

"I need you to handle the taps for a while, I've got something to take of." I happened to glance over to the corner where the sisters were still standing when he noticed my line of sight.

Chuckling he nodded, "Alright, alright, I got watcher wanting t'do Pierre. Hand over that apron I'll keep things runnin'. Good luck lad!"

Handing over the apron I smoothed my hair and beard, checked my clothes and strode over there as confidently as I could. I began to mutter under my breath different ice-breakers, trying to find the right one. "Claudette, what are you doing here all alone...morning Claudette, fun party no?..."

I was about ten paces from the sisters and was about to make my presence known when someone called out my name. "Pierre. Hello? Pierre?"

My brows furrowed for a moment when I noticed the voice belonged to some young lady I didn't immediately recognize. Turning around I had to look down to spot my accoster. It was a young woman about my age, pretty with pale skin, jet black hair that reached down to between her shoulderblades that she kept in a simple ponytail. Her face was framed by dark bangs that reached her jaw bone and her blue-grey eyes were looking into my own with some sort of anticipation? ...excitement? I wasn't sure.

It took me a moment to recognize her and I my face took a curious look, "Annie? Annie Lachance right? Good morning. What can I do for you?"

Annie Lachance was the niece of one of the local farmers, he'd actually been a member of the mob, the dark haird and thickly bearded man who claimed the beast would wreak havoc right before Gaston broke into song.

His sister had married a book-printer from out of town and the couple had moved to Paris not long before things had gone down-hill. They'd initially supported the Revolution at the start but when they'd become victims of the Terror their daughter had been smuggled out by their friends and brought back to her mother's home town.

I'd seen her from time to time while I growing up but I had never given her too much thought, my focus more on Claudette and or trying not to fuck up the timeline too much.

Seeing that she had my attention she smiled, her eyes seeming to spark, and said, "Good Morning Pierre. Would you like to dance? With me? If you want? I mean you don't have to if you don't want to…" The earlier confidence evaporated and her pale cheeks turned red as her broke eye-contact and she began to ramble….

The hell was going on? Since when was this a thing? Since when does Pierre Legume have girls asking him to dance? I lifted my head and looked around to make sure no one was pulling a prank on me.

Seeing no one watching me I looked back down at the small young woman (only about 5') who was started to turn even brighter red and tugging on her skirts as an act of nerves. Then the dots connected, I glanced up at Claudette, then down at Annie, Claudette, Annie, Claudette, Annie...then I grinned. "Sure."

Annie stopped moving completely and she whipped her head back to face me. "Really?" She squeaked there, then blushed again and corrected herself and said in a more controlled tone. "You will?"

I nodded again, "It'd be my pleasure miss." I offered my big ham of a hand to her, "Shall we?"

She smiled after a moment and place her small slight hand into mine. "Yes, lets." And with that we headed back towards the main party. As we headed back I happened to glance over my shoulder for an instant. None of the sisters had seemed to notice I'd approached them nor did they hear my conversation with Annie. Shrugging my shoulders I turned my head back around and glanced back at Annie. She was wearing a faded green dress, perfect for working on a farm. Her clothes were simple and practical for the most part, the only ostentatious bit of clothing was the bright red silk ribbon she had used to tie her hair into her pony-tail. I wondered where she'd gotten it but figured it wasn't important right then and there.

As we entered the dancing area another more spirited song started up, one of those that involved twirling around with your partner. I leaned down into Annie's ear, "You sure about this one?"

She nodded and said, "Yes, don't worry about it."

Shrugging my shoulders we got into position and started joining in on the dance, a bit clumsily at first but picked up speed as time went on. Soon a smile spread on my face, for the first time in this lifetime I was actually dancing with a pretty girl at a party for all to see. Claudette had always turned me down, instead hoping Gaston would ask her (he almost never did), and I'd never really tried elsewhere.

Seems I'd been missing out as Annie seemed to be almost overjoyed while dancing with me….why hadn't I noticed her before? Chalking it up to Legume bull-headedness and just enjoying myself I continued to twirl around with the young woman. I might have had to bend over a bit and she might been lifted off her feet once or twice when we spun a bit too fast but I didn't care and it seemed neither did she. I was having fun with a girl who seemed happy to be dancing with me...I could live with that just fine.

When the song ended we both were breathing a bit hard, a slight glistening of sweat was on her brow and her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes seemed to almost shine as she looked at me. "That...was fun." She finally said.

"Same here…" I said, a bit stilted but perfectly true.

We stood there, a bit unsure what to say next, I was clearing my throat when we heard excited voices from the end of the village that was closer to the mountains.

Seeing I was taller than anyone else I managed to spot the group of riders coming down the road. I spotted Baron Armand leading the way with Father Henri on a sturdy donkey behind him. Then I saw at least six other riders. Four were wearing the uniforms of soldiers of the Ancien Regime. They were bigger men with solid saberes at their sides and looked ready for a fight or a parade.

But it was the other two that caught my attention. One of them was Belle, riding on Philippe in her regular blue dress but the other. Wearing a pair of dark-brown pants and a white shirt and having trouble riding his white horse, he should have been a comical aberration in the group but something about him seemed to give an aura of royal authority.

It took me a moment to realize who it was but when I did I quickly knelt in respect. "The Prince." I said in a low voice.

Others heard my words and also knelt repeating my words. Soon the entire village were on their knees in homage to their sovereign.

The prince made his way through the other riders and looked around at the kneeling group, he blinked for a few moments, then looked back to Belle and the Baron, the former smiled and the later bowed his head in respect and support.

He smiled and nodded back, visibly steeled himself and turned back to us. Clearing his throat he said, "My faithful subjects, I have been told that you have been told my circumstances and the recent events that have occurred. I am here to confirm the ones that are true. I am Louis-Charles, son and heir of King Louis XVI of France and Navarre. I was rescued from the Temple ten years ago. I was cursed in the form of a beast ten years ago which was broken only this morning. I am your Dauphin and I have returned."

His voice trembled at first but as he continued to speak it grew more confident. When he finished he gestured to Belle who moved up to be right beside him. He took her hand with incredible tenderness and then turned back to us. "I also have one other announcement. I have asked Belle Feron to be my wife and she has accepted, we're to be married within the fortnight and all of you are invited."

There was silence for a moment, no king of France had ever married a commoner before at least as far as we knew. But this was Belle, she might have been a bit of an odd duck to the rest of us but she was still one of our own.

I stood up and shouted, "Vive le Roi! Vive la Reine!" Long Live the King! Long Live the Queen!

Soon others took up my shout, long live the king, long live the queen. For the first time in a long time the people of France hailed their rightful sovereign and his bride to be.

A shame that same raven from early that morning wasn't noticing flying deeper and deeper into the crags of the mountains.

AN: Setting the Mood watch?v=QTFLYCMkyiM

At the heart of the mountains there lay a dark ravine, the cliffs coming close at the top and forming a near cave that allowed very little light. Nothing should have been able to grow in that eternal shade...but grow it did. A thick forest of thorn vines, growing to incredible size with the bases thicker around than trees and thorns that were longer than swords and sharper than spears. If the ravine itself was dark then entering the forest was entering stygian blackness. The air was utterly still, no sound was heard, not the movement of animals nor even the creaking of the thorns vines.

If one were to enter that forest, and avoid impaling himself on the thorns, he would soon feel a presence in that forest. Something ancient, dark, hateful, and strong. Something that was a sworn foe to all of the race of man and would brook no intruders. He would never see or hear anything but he knew it was there.

Few had ever entered the ravine to explore the thorns and none ever returned alive. The forest seemed endless and without break...but there was one clearing. At the center of the thorns there was a small clearing, about ten feet across from any angle and at the center there was a jet black sword thrust into the ground. Nothing grew around the sword and if someone managed to reach the clearing then they would feel the sheer black evil that radiated from it. The raven, seemingly unaffected or uncaring landed on a small stone near the sword. It preened its feathers for a moment then it stared at the sword. Never twitching, never blinking.

Suddenly a black miasma emanating from the sword and began to swirl around the sword in maddening shapes. The raven seemed unaffected by the miasma and continued to stare at the sword with its unblinking stare. Soon a more solid form began to take shape, one vaguely humanoid, then a pair of yellow eyes appeared around where the head would be, they glowed for an instant. Then the eyes, those ancient hating, poisonous yellow eyes focused on the raven which had still not moved.

Then a voice emanated from the miasma, a woman's voice. One that would send dark thrills through the heart of any man that heard them. Filling him with a dark forbidden desire for whomever that voice belonged to. "My pet, what news have you?" The raven made eye contact with the eyes of the shape. There was silence for several long heartbeats then the voice said, "I see...it seems that my… "punishment" has been overturned, I did not expect that."

There was silence for a moment, then the shape seemed to shrug, and a sigh that would send dread chills and dark thrills through any man could be heard, like the rustling of dead leaves or the rasp of silk on the naked skin of some wicked paramour. Then the voice spoke again, "Ah well it was not like I did not have other tests. Besides, I think it will be more fun this way...who knows maybe he could do 'that' for me." Then the voice laughed, it was a high melodious tone, but instead of the tinkling of silver bells they were more like the cracking of thin ice as a weight pressed on it.

AN: My mind's image of Annie Lachance .