Reflections - So Life Goes On

Chapter Three

The town's streets were bustling with activity. Courtiers, guards, townsfolk, tradesmen, servants and children were all making their way towards the church.

"Half the people in France are on this street," Maurice muttered while he skilfully drove the coach through the crowd. The horses were sure and calm in spite of the noise and movement around them.

At the church door Rodmilla and Marguerite were sulking, their dramatic poses and clothing screaming their unhappiness as surely as if they'd hired the Town Crier. Jacqueline was looking longingly after the coach and trying to ignore her mother's and sister's antics.

The last few days of emotional turmoil had resulted in another night of soul-searching for Jacqueline. Eventually, sometime between midnight and daybreak, she had come to a decision. Her mother's behaviour was her mother's problem. It seemed so simple when she said it and yet it had taken Jacqueline all her life to realise it.

Once Jacqueline had decided to accept her mother as she was and not try to understand her, she had felt like a weight had been lifted off her. It had been just too confusing and difficult to try and fathom why her mother never showed anyone any true affection or why she lashed out at Danielle.

Maybe if Rodmilla had talked more about what really mattered, as Jacqueline had with Paulette, instead of chasing the Prince things might be different. Danielle might still be where she belonged, in her home. It was all so unfair and so sad.

As she waited for the queue to move, Jacqueline saw a group of Spanish gentlemen walking towards the church. Their clothes were very dramatic and formal and their manner was very sombre for a wedding.

Perhaps, she thought, they are mourning over the marriage of the Spanish Princess as the mothers of France are mourning Henry. Oh dear, that wasn't a kind thought. I'm becoming as bad as mother.

Jacqueline said a silent prayer of contrition for her rude thoughts while the queue moved forward and she entered the church.

********

The Royal Families of France and Spain had arrived and the wedding service was due to start at any moment. Laurent stood at his place in the aisle, guarding Henry from a distance.

For the first time in years the Captain felt that he'd failed in his duty. His job was to protect the Prince from harm. Yet here was Henry throwing himself into a situation that would ruin his life and Laurent couldn't do a thing to stop it. The Captain knew there was no sense in torturing himself over a something he couldn't fix but that didn't lessen his feelings of failure.

There was a noise from the crowd outside. The bride must have arrived. Laurent looked at Henry in time to see the Prince take a deep breath, raise his chin and face the altar. Bravely facing his fate.

********

The sound of a woman weeping reached the ears of Leonardo. He looked around expecting to see Danielle. Instead he saw Princess Gabriella of Spain - beautifully dressed and totally distraught.

A little Spanish lamb led to the slaughter for power and politics.

Leonardo watched Henry. He was just as trapped and distraught as Gabriella, he was just showing it quietly. Much more quietly, though Leonardo when Gabriella squealed loudly. Leonardo watched the couple intently while they knelt at the altar and Gabriella's cries turned to hysterical sobs.

Oh children, now is the time to act! Can't you see it?!

Slowly Henry began to laugh. He stood and the weeping Gabriella followed suit.

Yes, my boy! Act. Act now!

The Prince raised Gabriella's veil. The young woman was frantically trying to explain something to Henry. Through her sobs she gestured towards a Spanish gentleman who was overcome with emotion. He was obviously her love.

Do it Henry! Leonardo was almost jumping with excitement. He could feel the nervous tension radiating off the Captain beside him. For a moment everyone in the room held their breath.

The Prince's voice carried through the church, "Madam, I know exactly how you feel." With a sweep of his arm Henry broke the engagement, granted Gabriella her freedom and broke the chains that bound his heart.

Yes!

The Princess cried out joyfully and launched herself at her sweetheart.

Prince Henry turned on his heel and marched out of the church and the wedding collapsed into shambles. Leonardo smiled as Captain Laurent followed Henry out the door. The artist's smile grew wider when he saw a certain young lady emerge from the crowd and quietly follow the Captain.

The sound of angry voices speaking Court Spanish cut through the room. The Spanish King and Queen were having a heated argument over their daughter's behaviour. It was clear to everyone that the Princess's passionate manner was inherited.

Amid the commotion Leonardo walked over to Francis' and Marie's dais. "Your Majesties."

Marie was smiling broadly, "Signore da Vinci, it appears our son has had a change of heart."

"Yes, your Majesty." Leonardo smiled, "I believe that he may have discovered he couldn't lie to himself or the one he loves any longer. Especially not in a place such as this where truth to oneself is essential."

"Huh! Romantic nonsense!" muttered Francis, uncomfortable with the amount of emotion in the room. "He just didn't want to spend his life with a watering pot."

"Oh Francis!" Marie gave her husband a quelling look, the affectionate twinkle in her eye telling him that secretly she agreed with him.

********

Maurice sat in shocked silence on the driver's seat. He had almost failed; almost missed the opportunity to keep his promise to Danielle.

Moments before he had caught off guard when the Prince had slid to a halt beside the coach. Maurice had been pulling his scattered thoughts together when the Prince had asked where 'she' was. "And I stupidly said, 'The Baroness?'" muttered Maurice.

The Prince was asking after Danielle. For a moment Maurice was stunned into silence. He was about to answer when the Prince's Guardsman and Madamoselle Jacqueline ran up to the coach. Madamoselle Jacqueline running, now that was a rare sight!

Then and there Maurice was sure he'd lost his chance to speak but Jacqueline had surprised him. Instead of lying, as her shrew of a mother would have done, the girl told Prince Henry what had become of Danielle.

"Sold?" The look on Henry's face had lightened Maurice's heart.

Yes, sold, you spoilt boy! And why didn't you ask where she was last week after the ball? Why did you wait so long?

"Tell no one we have spoken," had been the boy's command.

Oh lad, if you think I'm going to spoil Danielle's right to face down that witch you don't know me.

Maurice watched the Prince and his Guard run towards the stables. He hoped that Henry found Danielle safe and well. Part of him also hoped that Mistress Danielle would give the Prince a piece of her mind.

Hang on my dear child. Help is on its way.

********

The galloping horses raced over the fields. Laurent urged his young horse to keep up with Henry's beast. The Captain was not happy. He had asked the Prince to wait a few minutes for the troop of guards he had ordered to be ready to accompany them but Henry had been too impatient to wait. Now they were travelling so fast that the mounted guards would not be able to catch the Prince before he reached le Pieu's fortified home.

Henry was riding like a man possessed by a demon. Two demons to be precise - guilt and fear. Laurent watched while Henry forced his horse to jump a tall stile that he'd normally have avoided. The horse's hooves scraped on the wood.

"You won't be able to save her if you kill yourself," yelled Laurent as he took a safer route.

"What? You afraid, Marc?" Henry taunted over his shoulder.

"Only of having to take your mangled body back to your father!" Laurent ducked as his horse galloped under a low branch. "For heaven's sake Henry, how much difference can five minutes make?"

The Prince didn't answer but urged his horse on.

********

The little trollop! Pierre le Pieu dabbed at the cut on his cheek with a piece of dirty cloth. He'd show her to mark him. She may have escaped from him now but she couldn't get far without a horse. When he got out of these chains he'd set the dogs after her.

He smiled sourly. She'd beg him for mercy when he caught her. Then what would he do? Ah yes, the perfect thing. After he let the dogs bite her (just a little bit), he'd promise her that he would never touch her, wouldn't beat her, that she would always be safe with him. And then he'd do what he should have done days ago. He'd give her to his men as a present. After that she wouldn't think she was too good for him!

Le Pieu laughed then winced when pain from his wound bit into his cheek. Oh, how delicious it would be to totally destroy her spirit, to see her grovelling before him.

Deep down the armourer and ex-torturer knew that he'd do no such thing. If he had wanted to harm Danielle that badly he could have done so any time in the last 6 and a half days. In his own dark way he cared too much for Danielle to truly injure her. At most he'd use the dogs to track her down, capture her, give her a whipping and then sell her to Cartier.

"Why don't the pretty ones like me?" muttered le Pieu at the empty room while he sat and wallowed in self-pity.

********

The flags carrying the Royal Armourer's mark fluttered in the late afternoon breeze. Laurent scanned the battlements of le Pieu's home for the armourer's men. They were surprisingly absent. The only person he could see, aside Henry who was walking quickly towards the front door, was a rather dazed looking woman who was wandering aimlessly away from the entrance.

Laurent peered intently at the figure while the overstrung horses tried to pull their reins out of his grasp. It couldn't be Danielle? Could it?

Laurent watched as Henry began speaking to the woman. It must be Danielle. That or Henry was so addled that he was romancing the first female he came across.

The Captain looked around for somewhere to tie up the horses and found nothing suitable. He sighed. I can't just stand around here while Henry gets kil... The Captain's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. The Prince was kneeling before Danielle. He was proposing to her! That was quick work.

"Great!" thought Laurent a wry grin stealing across his face. "He rides to the rescue, gets the girl and romances her; while I get to stand around looking for le Pieu's men and feeling like an idiot holding the horses and waiting for the Guards who should have been with us in the first place. Next thing I know he'll go and gets himself and his pretty fiance (I assume that's what the spinning hug and all that kissing means) killed by a madman armourer with one of the largest collections of weaponry in France and I'll have to explain it to his father. And why in the world am I rambling like this?"

In the distance he could hear the reassuring sound of mass horses. The troop of the Royal Guard were close at hand.

********

"Are you insane?!" Laurent roared at Henry. Danielle and the Guardsmen held their breath and watched battle that had erupted between the two men.

"No, Captain Laurent, I am not insane." Prince Henry, Crown Prince of France glared regally at Laurent, "And I will thank you, sir, to keep a civil tongue in your head in front of a lady. Regardless of what my father may think, you are not irreplaceable."

Laurent snapped to attention. "My apologies Mademoiselle de Barabarc," the Captain said stiffly. "It was improper of me to have spoken in such a fashion. It will not happen again."

The Captain did not deal well with strong emotion at the best of times. This particular day Laurent had witnessed and experienced so many emotions that the outrage and anger he felt at Henry's suggestion had totally overpowered him.

"Thank you, Laurent. Now if you're quite under control we will proceed." Henry held out his arm to Danielle. She slid her arm through his and nervously accompanied her fiance towards the entrance to le Pieu's home.

"Why do I let you talk me into these things, Henry," muttered the Captain while he followed the couple to the door.

********

Le Pieu had got bored of sitting in the chair and was calling out to his men to assist him. When they didn't arrive, thanks to the Royal Guard who were keeping them confined, le Pieu began to curse at them. The armourer was yelling out a particularly foul and very detailed curse when Prince Henry, Danielle and a Captain of the Royal Guard entered the room.

"I beg your pardon?" Henry's eyebrows almost reached his hairline. "Is that physically possible?" He asked Laurent.

"How should I know, your highness?" Laurent replied. He was appalled that le Pieu would use such words in front of a woman, let alone the Prince.

Le Pieu snickered, "I'm sure I can arrange a demonstration, your highness."

Henry glared at le Pieu and the armourer changed the subject. "Thank you for returning my servant. If you would be so kind as to undo these chains, your highness, I shall see that she's thrown in the dungeon." He leered at Danielle. "Personally."

"You've put up with this for a week?" Henry asked his fiancee.

"It was worse before I chained him up," Danielle's smiled reassuringly at Henry but her smile faltered under Henry's loving gaze.

Prince Henry walked over to stand beside the chained man. "Monsieur le Pieu, you are under a misapprehension. My fiancee and the future Crown Princess of France will not be staying a moment longer than is necessary under your roof."

Le Pieu's face resembled that of a startled frog. "Your fiancee?"

Prince Henry continued in his most regal manner, "In exchange for certain assistance I shall endeavour to forget your treatment to the lady in question."

"What assistance?" le Pieu's voice was defiant.

"Your highness," rumbled Laurent commandingly.

"Your highness." Le Pieu shot a quick look over at the Captain and blanched at the contempt he could see burning in the man's eyes.

"My fiancee requires a bath, clean clothing, and most importantly of all, " Henry leant close to the now quivering man and said, in his best impersonation of his father at his most calm and threatening, "your silence. If that silence is not forthcoming then I shall have no alternative but to deal with the treasonous act you have committed. Am I understood?"

"Perfectly!" le Pieu snarled defiantly at Henry.

Laurent took a step forward, his hand resting on his sword hilt.

"Your highness," added le Pieu hurriedly.

********

Laurent finally relaxed when they were out of sight of le Pieu's home. Henry and Danielle rode beside him on Henry's large grey horse. The animal should have been exhausted after the mad gallop earlier but it was still fresh enough to carry the couple at a canter.

Danielle looked completely different from the bedraggled servant of a mere hour ago. While she was bathing, Le Pieu had dug into an oak chest and produced a dress he had hoped Danielle would one day wear for him. The dress, if it could be called that, was made of deep brown silk and had an indecently low plunging neckline. Le Pieu hadn't thought to buy an underdress so Danielle had covered the neckline with a large piece of cloth from the oak chest.

Laurent had needed to restrain Henry when le Pieu had suggested to Danielle that the cloth was unnecessary. Bloodshed had only been spared by Danielle's hurried suggestion that she could use something to eat.

The light meal of cheese, bread and fruit had completed Danielle's restoration and the happy, pretty girl Laurent remembered emerged from le Pieu's home with her Prince.

Well, thought Laurent, after all that the Baroness and le Pieu put her through, putting up with the harpies at Court will be easy. He looked over at the girl who appeared so vulnerable while being so strong. I hope you keep that strength, my lady, you're going to need it.

To be continued





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