Traitor's Vengeance - Part 11
Henry, Laurent and Jacqueline confidently rode into the courtyard at Hautefort. Their horses going so proudly beneath them, holding their heads high whilst passing the entourage of Spanish soldiers and courtiers who eyed them with contempt.
The three of them dismounted their horses and continued to walk so majestically, so as to put the Spanish in their clumsy garments to shame. While the men went straight to the throne room, Jacqueline was taken to the Queen's private sitting room where she was to have an audience with the Queen herself.
Inside the Queen was sitting on a chaise speaking with he lady in waiting, the Comtesse d'Avignon. "Your Majesty," Jacqueline, nervously whispered, in the way her mother had taught her. "You wished to see me."
"Yes, Danielle's sister. Jacqueline isn't it?" Jacqueline nodded. The Queen motioned for Jacqueline to sit beside her. "I'm terribly worried that Danielle will find herself out of her depth here at the castle. I've appointed the best Lady in waiting I could find to help and I am always here for her to come to, but I don't know if it will be enough."
"It is true Your Majesty, that Danielle has in the past been able to do as she pleases."
"That is what worries me my dear. I have grown very fond of the girl in the short time that I have known her and I hate to think that palace life would suffocate her, but I have a nagging doubt in my mind. She is obviously a very caring girl and I don't want her permanently carrying the World's ills. Jacqueline dear, do you know of anything I can do to make her feel more comfortable in moving here to the Palace?"
"Well there is one thing Your Majesty. I know that she is very fond of the servants at the Manor de Barbarac. They are all she has left of the life with her father. With the Baroness gone and the future of the manor uncertain, I know she would be grateful to know that they are provided for."
"Of course, I shall see to it immediately. Do you know of anything I could do for her directly, to make her more comfortable? Does she have any interests which can be incorporated into palace life?"
"She is excessively fond of reading, and she is most at home when she is outdoors. Most of all she needs some measure of freedom to do as she pleases."
"We do have a library here, but it has not been well looked after since Henry finished his studies and the librarian was sent to Paris to look after a collection there. I suppose it is about time that we appointed somebody new and began to update in there. Of course she will be expected at court, but other than that her time is her own. I shall arrange for a horse for her and a carriage to be at her disposal."
"I think that would help her settle in very well," Jacqueline said. She couldn't help feeling envious of Danielle. The Queen was obviously very fond of her. It was a far cry from the Baroness who cared for nothing but Marguerite.
"I shan't keep you any longer," the Queen said. "I just want to thank you for your help. Please accept my invitation to visit us here at the palace at any time." Jacqueline stood and curtseyed to the Queen.
"Thank you Your Majesty it is my pleasure." She then walked away from the Queen backwards as etiquette demanded. As she left the room the Queen couldn't help thinking what a sweet girl she was. How could a woman as vile as Rodmilla de Ghent give birth to a daughter as nice as this?
She couldn't help feeling sorry for Jacqueline. From what Danielle had said she had suffered at the hands of that woman too. But now Danielle had a new family to comfort her. Rodmilla may have been repulsive but she was the only family Jacqueline had, now she was alone. Maybe there was enough room at the palace for another new daughter?
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Henry paced up an down the throne room waiting for the arrival of the Spanish court. He was not going to let them bully him into giving his life away. Danielle was his everything, how could he ever let her go?
"Henry sit down!" the King barked. "I told them that we would meet here at ten, it is now ten thirty. What sort of games are they playing?" As he said this the doors flung open and the King and Queen entered with all of the pomp of an official ceremony. This made the King's blood boil.
"Francis, Henry," the King of Spain said in a very false tone. He was trying to make them even more nervous by inappropriately using their Christian names. Well two can play at that game.
"It's nice that you could join us Charles, Isabella." Francis said. The Queen gave him a bitter smile.
"Enough of the pleasantries," the Queen said. "We all know why we are here."
"Shall we sit?" Henry asked, motioning towards the table set up for their use. He had to keep calm. Getting upset and shouting would just show the Spanish that he was still the child who could not take a joke that had visited them all those years ago.
The King took out a parchment and laid it out on the table. "We have set out our demands and we expect them to be met completely." Francis took up the piece of paper. As he read the demands he became redder and redder until he thought that he might explode.
"This is OUTRAGEOUS!" he shouted. "You cannot expect us to comply with this." He handed it over to Henry. Henry could not believe what he was reading. They were telling them that Henry must get an annulment, marry Gabriella and agree to their first child being raised by the Spanish court.
Henry couldn't speak, but his father was doing enough for the two of them. "You have no basis whatsoever for making these claims. I have been doing a little talking with my advisors and they tell me that we have not broken any treaty and that Henry was quite within his rights to marry somebody else after your daughter left him standing there humiliated."
The King stood up, knocking his chair back. "I don't care what my daughter did, any man with half a brain knows that a woman must do as she is told. She was not going to marry anyone else so how could he."
"What did you think was going to happen?" the Queen asked Henry. "We were actually going to let her marry Don Carlos, a man with no fortune and only a lowly title to recommend him. Our daughter is one of our most powerful assets. She will bring a great alliance to Spain."
Henry stood up violently. "Your daughter is not a possession, she is not a piece of land that you can give to appease your enemies. She is your own flesh and blood, not a negotiating tool. You make me sick. That you could care so little for your own child."
"Speak to my wife again in that manner and I will have your head." Now Francis rejoined the fray.
"Do not forget Charles that you are in France now. You cannot give orders here like you can in Spain. I would suggest that you go back to where you can do as you like, because you can't do it here." Henry was impressed at his father's speech. He had never thought of him as such an emotive man.
"Do not think you can get rid of us like that." The Queen said. "We will stay until we get what we want and I do not care if it takes us a hundred years to get it."
"Well that is your prerogative, I am but a Prince and so cannot tell Your Majesties what to do. But I am a Prince of France and so do not take orders from foreigners. Danielle is my wife. She will remain so forever as I promised her when we declared our love before God. One day she WILL be my Queen. Be ready for that day, because if you stay here I guarantee that it will not be a good one for you."