The Runaway Royals - Part Twenty One
Danielle giggled as she looked out of the carriage window. She had not been so excited since she was a child, when she would wait for her father to return from his business trips. Henry was still refusing to reveal their destination to her. The evening before when he told her of the King's decision to allow them to continue their trip, she was so pleased, she did everything she could think of to make him tell her, but his stubbornness astounded her. Maybe that was one of the reasons why she loved him.
Henry too was in an excessively happy mood. He was doing something special for his bride and he had his father's permission to do it. He had a feeling that his relationship with the King would be somewhat different in the future. His cheerful disposition had been improved not inconsiderably, by seeing the odious Pascal clothed in the manner of a groom and working in the stables.
"Excited?" Henry asked, already knowing the answer. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. Then he moved her hair to one side and began to kiss her neck. The feeling of his breath on her neck made the beauty of the scenery around her melt away. How could she take joy in anything else when he was so close to her?
"Will you not tell me where it is we go?" She whispered, still desperate to learn of their destination.
"You know very well that I will not milady." He replied. "But if you are patient you will soon see."
"And if I am not patient?" she jokingly asked.
"Then I shall just have to punish you by keeping you here in this carriage until we have to return to the chateaux."
"Sir, I could imagine no worse torture than being confined in a space so close to you." She kissed the tip of his nose as she said this.
"Shall I have the carriage turn back and we can spend a happy morning in the not so confined area of our chambers?" He leaned forward as if to call on the driver. Danielle grabbed him and pulled him back onto the seat beside her.
"Henry de Valois you shall do no such thing. I have travelled many miles and have seen many troubles to find out your secret destination. Your raging passions are not to stop me now." Henry pouted at his advances being rejected. "But if you must, I see no harm in a kiss, to help you on your way until we can be alone tonight."
"How can I resist?" He encircled his arms around her waist and pulled her close. For a moment he could do nothing but look at her. Could this angel in his arms be the same Danielle that just two days ago lay almost lifeless in a peaceful slumber in a strange bed? She looked happier and more beautiful in these days since her recovery than he had ever seen her before. The joy of her being alive had made her all the more radiant in his eyes. Although he could not discover how in his heart, she could possibly have grown more exquisite than he had seen her before. But she was indeed so lovely and fair now, how could she ever have looked better?
Danielle also took this chance to gaze on Henry for it was not often that she was so close to him that she could study his features without being pulled into a kiss. The gravity between thier lips was such that they could not be kept apart when in such close proximity. His features were fine and proud, not so delicate that they were effeminate, but delicate enough so that they were not crude. His eyes were the most amazing colour. They were more grey than blue, but they sparkled. She ran her fingers along his jawline and then entwined them in his hair. She loved to feel his hair more than anything.
Eventually this staring was overcome by an urge to get as close to one another as they possibly could. They allowed their lips to touch. Every time they kissed it felt like that first time. No matter how many times they explored each other's lips it always felt fresh and exciting as if the thousand times it had happened before had never really happened.
It was in this mode that they continued their journey. Not another word was spoken between them, they allowed the feel of each other's bodies to do the talking.
They were flanked on either side by their personal guards. Laurent was worn out after having been riding up and down the coast looking for them, but he could not neglect his duty. His obligation to Henry was greater than any personal weariness or injury he could face. Also Jacqueline was a part of this party, he hoped to be able to speak with her later. Any chance he got to speak with her was a blessing for him. She always had the most wonderful conversation. He surreptitiously looked back to where she was riding horseback. He had been surprised to learn that she was a very accomplished horsewoman. She looked wonderful, riding side saddle on the small grey mare. So elegant and ladylike.
She was riding by the side of Captain Polignac. Laurent was not very happy with the attention he had been paying to her. Polignac was very natural and affable with women and had charmed many a lady into abandoning their morals with promises of love and passion. This was one of few guards who did not frequent the brothels, he did not need to. He was a legend in the regiment for his liaisons with beautiful high born women. The thought that Jacqueline may be his next victim made Laurent's blood boil. She was too sweet and innocent to be defiled by a lusting monster like Polignac. He would request that somebody else be posted at the manor, but besides himself and the other personal protection officers he was the best man in the regiment, he would just have to keep an eye on his behaviour. But right now he was only keeping an eye on Jacqueline.
To the other side of the Royal carriage was Steven who was riding alongside Hélène. Were he a member of the guard such an open friendship with a lady-in-waiting to the royal household would have been strictly forbidden. But fortunately for him he was not a real guard. He had agreed to do this as repayment of the debt he owed to the French crown and so was not treated as a guard should be. One of the things he liked most about living in the palace was the chance to talk to Hélène. He had never met anybody like her. She was the sort of best friend everyone should have, open, considerate and loyal. Her continued allegiance to the Prince was very much proof of that.
Hélène was likewise glad to be with Steven. he offered her companionship that did nt exist for her anywhere else inside or outside the palace wall. She found the Princess charming and sweet, but she was not much more than a child and, despite the traumas of her life, was still very much an innocent in the ways of the world. Especially the world of the high born. In Steven, Hélène felt that she had someone who she could relate to. The use of a private sitting room had been a godsend for the pair of them. It allowed them to discuss things openly without the worry of prying eyes and ears interfering.
"So what is this place we are going to?" Hélène asked Steven, tired of the silence.
"All I know is that it is some sort of ancient port and fishing village, but I think it has some significance to the Prince and Princess. I don't know what it is though. I don't think that even Danielle knows."
"Well Henry always was a dark horse. Although he did usually say where we were going, but those places never had any significance to us." Steven could hear the bitterness loaded with sorrow as she said this. He could do nothing but feel compassion for what she had gone through. He knew that she would not welcome any more talk of what she had confided in him. She had told him about it and that was the end of it for her. From now on there conversation would go back to what it had been before any of this ever happened.
Whilst all of this passion, resentment and politeness was going on Jacqueline was paying no attention to any of it. She was engaged in conversation with Captain Polignac. He truly was a charming man, and it was going to be a pleasure having him around the manor. She could talk to him about anything, even her mother and her past.
"So is the manor your property now?" He asked.
"No. I don't really know who it belongs to, I assume the crown. All I know is that I am allowed to live there, probably until I marry, if I ever marry."
"And why would you not marry? Surely not all of your admirers are below you, although I can see why you can be choosy." Jacqueline blushed. That was possibly the first time that a man had ever complimented her with any sincerity.
"I have been away from court too much to have any admirers."
"Well the court has been deprived of a jewel then." He looked over at her and noticed how the glow spread across her face. "I'm sorry Mademoiselle, I have embarrassed you. I will speak no more of it."
"Thank you ... I'm sorry but how should I address you. Are you Captain or Your Grace or...?"
"Well my friends call me by my surname Polignac, my servants call me Your Grace and my men call me Captain. But you can call me Antoine."
"Thank you, Antoine." Now she felt totally at ease with him and the rest of the journey was spent happily by all.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Danielle," Henry murmured into her hair.
"Mmmm."
"We've stopped."
"Have we?"
"I think that means we've arrived." This statement, Danielle did take notice of. She pushed Henry away and almost dived out of the carriage window. She looked around and all she could see was a sea of golden corn, but she could hear the roar of the ocean.
"We shall not be needing your services again until later," Henry said to the guards as he stepped out of the carriage. He turned and offered his hand to Danielle to hand her out. She almost jumped down into his arms. He lead his wife away towards the bellowing Atlantic.
The crashing of waves against the cliff face was getting louder, but the noise could not drown out the beat of her heart. The promise her father had made was finally going to be fulfilled. It was almost as if Henry had been sent by him to take care of Danielle.
"Danielle," Henry said quietly. He knew that it was now or never to tell his great guilty secret. "There is something I have to tell you. I can keep my past from you no more."
"Henry you don't need to tell me anything. I know that you haven't been a saint. I may have been a servant, but gossip can make its way to even the lowliest ears, especially when the subject is so well known to everyone. I know that you have been arrogant and selfish at times, and I know that you have been involved with other women, but that does not matter. What matters is the person that you are now. You are my husband, for better or for worse. I don't want to know anything of your past, no details, no names. What matters now is you and I." Henry accepted this, and did not reply. He felt so much better knowing that Danielle did not think less of his for his past indiscretions.
As they walked on, Danielle's mind was brought back to a letter that she had written that morning. It had been sent to Leonardo asking his advice on an idea she had hit on the previous day. She had been so saddened to hear that the school in the Duke's chateau had to be closed because there was nobody to teach. She had thought that Gustave would make a wonderful teacher. He was well read, artistic and she knew that he was excessively fond of children. She wanted to know Leonardo's opinion on the idea. She would be sad to see him leave, but he could do so much good, and it would offer him plenty to paint. Eventually one of the Bordeaux children would take over from him and if he wanted he could return to the province if he wishes, perhaps even as artist in residence. She knew that the Duke would like him.
When the expanse of blue water finally came into view, Danielle gasped. She could not help herself. It was a breathtaking site. Below her the waves crashed against the rock face. Just a little further down the coast there was a sandy beach, where the waves lapped against the shore.
"Henry this is beautiful," her voice had become a whisper. "I have dreamed of the sea all of my life. Since my father died I have longed to see what he had always described to me. As a baby in my cradle he would tell me about the dazzling sight of the sunset on the Mediterranean. But his favourite was the gentle lull of the Atlantic. My mother lived by that great ocean all her life until she married my father. It was in that town where he fell in love with her. She was walking along the sand and he was watching her from the cliff. He had never seen anything so beautiful and he knew at that moment she was the love of his life."
"I know." Henry said. Danielle looked at him quizzically. "This arrived a week after our marriage." He pulled a letter from the inside of his jacket and handed it to Danielle. "It is from a fisherman of this town. Who's aunt was named Nicole de Lancret." Danielle looked at him, a spark of disbelief in her eyes.
"You mean this is..."
"This is where your mother was born. This cliff top on which we now stand was where a young Auguste de Barbarac stood and watched a beautiful maiden walk along a golden beach." Danielle was in awe of her surroundings, but Henry was not finished. He took her by the hand and led her away from the top of the cliff down to the beach.
"Where are we going?"
"Look over there," Henry said, pointing to an cave in the rock of the cliff face. "Did your father ever tell you of such a place."
"Yes. It was in a cavern in the cliff where my father asked my mother to marry him." She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "How do you know all of this? Every detail?"
"It's all in here," he said holding up the letter. "I thought it would be something special I could do for you to show it all to you." She was now crying openly. Henry cupped her face in his hands and wiped away the tears with his thumb.
"This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. At one time I thought that I would be Rodmilla's slave forever and the happiest I could expect to be was when I managed to get away from the manor, the home I loved. But then you rode into my life and everything changed from there. You have brought so much to my life, even the greatest trauma can not make a person deserve so much happiness."
Henry was about to respond, but she gently brushed her fingers against his lips to stop him. This was a moment of pure perfection and she did not want any misplaced words to spoil that. She put her arms around his neck and he encircled his around her waist. As they kissed the world stopped. This moment of perfection would last forever in their minds. It was at this moment that they fully realised the extent of their devotion and the runaway Royals reconciled themselves with the world.