Traitors Vengeance - Part Four



Danielle stood in stony silence. She could not believe what Henry was telling her. How could anyone be so cruel as to do this another person? She desperately tried not to cry, but that was asking too much of herself. She sank to the floor like a dying swan taking its last breaths such was the pain in her heart.



When the tears began flowing, Henry was almost glad for now he could do something to comfort her which in turn would comfort him. After all the bottom had dropped out of both of their worlds with the declaration by the King of Spain.



The words of the Queen of Spain were still ringing in Henry's ears. 'I would laugh but a servant whore as a princess for a nation as great as France is no laughing matter'. The King had laughed bitterly at these words. Henry had so wanted to step forward and wipe that arrogant smile off his face, and almost did on several occasions.



From the beginning Henry could sense that the meeting with the Spanish envoy would not be pretty. He had noticed the way they scowled at he and Danielle in court that day. But why should they be so unhappy with him? After all it was their daughter who ran from the altar first.



The King blamed Henry directly for the events of the previous evening. Gabriella had attempted to climb out of the window so that she and her lover could run away together. At first Henry smiled at the idea, praying that she had made it and would be happy as he now was. But then he heard the rest of the story. The Spanish Royal Guard captured the two of them leaving the castle grounds. Gabriella was now imprisoned in her chambers and her lover was to be executed on the parties' return to Spain.



Henry was shocked that the Spanish Royals could treat their own daughter with such little feeling and respect. He could not wait to get the Spanish out of the way, but at the same time wished desperately for them to stay so that Gabriella may still have a chance of happiness.



It was the next part however that sickened Henry most. They were bewildered that he had married somebody else so quickly. Surely he was aware the King and Queen would not allow their daughter to marry just anyone. When Henry returned to Hautefort that day they had planned to force Gabriella to go through with the wedding. After all she was only a woman what could she do about it?



It was the Kings speech that had angered Henry most. "We have spoken with our advisors who tell me that by your marriage to this filthy pig it is YOU who have broken our treaty and not my daughter. But a member of the court has come forward with a solution to the problem."



Henry was mystified. What solution could there be? The only solution would be for the Spanish to go home and find another idiot Prince to marry their daughter. But he was just blanking the inevitable from his mind. In his heart he knew what they were about to say.



"You must get an annulment. You have been married for but a day, I doubt the Pope will show any resistance." These words were like a punch in the stomach. Francis, who had up to now remained quiet, wanting Henry to fight his own battles, exploded.



The argument was fierce and went on for many minutes. The two Kings almost drew swords, but the King of Spain's final words chilled the two Frenchmen to silence.



"Either you be forthcoming in getting an annulment from this trash you chose, or you will have to fight a war."



Henry had just wandered around the room in a daze at these words. What was he to do? He could either protect his love or his country. Who on Earth could come up with such a wicked plan ? Surely they must know that it would ruin both Danielle and Henrys' lives. From a royal advisor Henry could expect it, but not a simple courtier. This was obviously a person with a taste for revenge.



For Henry however that was not what was important anymore. The reality of the matter was here and now. Danielle was still sobbing uncontrollably in his arms. The answer for what he would do came instantly as he saw her back in the courtyard. But why was Danielle crying with such passion? Surely she cannot think that he would...



"Danielle you do know what I will do about this, don't you?" Henry asked. He was worried about what she was thinking of him. She must think him cruel, cold, not the man she married.



"There is only one thing to do milord, you must ask the Pope immediately for the annulment, we defy Spain and risk a war. You could lose everything."



"Danielle I lose you and I do lose everything. You are the only thing in my world. For you I would defy Heaven itself ." This speech made Danielle cry more. Not for the danger that awaited them in its implications, but for the love that was contained within it.



"But we cannot afford to fight a war milord."



"For you my love I would fight a thousand Goliaths, take on the armies of Troy and battle with all the evil in Hell. You are my only love, my happiness, my life. Without you I cannot be king for I would not have the feelings to be human."



"But it is not we who will suffer. We can be protected, but the peasants cannot. Many innocents will die. Those children you build your university for, to educate them to be a generation of the French people we can be proud of, will be slaughtered. I cannot allow that to happen to them? How could I do that for the sake of selfish passion. I could not live with myself."



Henry didn't know how to answer her for he knew that she was right. As a prince of France he was behaving irrationally. The prospect of endangering an entire nation for the sake of his own desire was ludicrous.



But as a man and a lover he was perfectly sane. Menelaus fought a ten year war all for the love of Helen.* He won his battles, why couldn't Henry. After all Danielle was as beautiful at Helen. With her by his side what army could defeat him.



"I will have to talk with my father about what we should do." Danielle nodded. She was terrified about what King Francis would say. He was a sensible man who would know the right thing. She knew that the right thing was to have the annulment, but she prayed that another solution could be found. To lose Henry would be to die.



Then the doors to the throne room burst open. Danielle and Henry were still sitting on the floor, clinging to each other. Francis entered with his entourage of advisors. He looked angry. Henry and Danielle jumped up. "Father what is it?" henry asked, a little shocked at his father's bold entrance.



"That devious backstabber is not getting away with this. If Spain wants a war then that's what they're going to get."



*In Greek mythology Menelaus was the King of Sparta who fought and won the Trojan war after his wife Helen was kidnapped by Paris.