Disclaimer: I own the rights to Ellie and Lance but the rest is the movie

Disclaimer: I own the rights to Ellie and Lance but the rest is the movie

Chapter2: Manor de Barbarac

The manor had in been in the de Barbarac family for many years. When Auguste was alive the manor thrived. The fields were always full of crops and many prized horses were sired from the manors stallions including those of the Royal Guard. When Auguste died and Rodmilla took over, the manor was destroyed. Most of the land was sold off and what was left put out horrible crops. The stallions were gone. The barn stood empty except for a few pigs and cows. Where there were once many servants, there stood only three. Maurice, Augustes' most trusted friend. Louise, wife to Maurice. Finally, Paulette. Paulette was the head cook and was at one time head servant in the manor. Rodmilla had sold the rest to pay for back taxes and debts.

Maurice and Louise had raised Danielle as their daughter and missed her terribly. They knew that she had married the prince but where unable to attend the wedding, as Rodmilla would have suspected. They also missed dear Jacqueline as even though she was a de Ghent, she was very sweet and nothing like her sister and mother.

When the Baroness was stripped of title, all of her possession became property of the King, including the manor. Danielle knew of this and was saddened but knew that the king would make sure it was sold to the right hands. What Danielle did not know was that the king had given the manor to Henry and Danielle as a wedding present. Henry had been spending the last month preparing the manor to become a summer retreat for them and was just about ready to be unveiled to Danielle.

"Henry. Why must I be blindfolded?" Danielle said, with annoyance in her voice.

"Because my dear, I want you to be surprised." Henry said as he playfully kissed her lips.

The carriage came to a stop outside the manor where Maurice, Paulette and Louise were waiting. Henry stepped out of the carriage and put his finger to his lips in a sign for them to remain quite. They bowed and nodded. Henry reached into the carriage and took Danielle by the hand and helped her out.

"Are you ready for your first surprise?"

"Come on Henry. I am growing impatient."

Henry removed the blindfold and Danielle just stared. She could not believe it. Then she saw her most trusted friends.

"MAURICE! PAULETTE! LOUISE!" she screamed as she flew into their open embrace. "You are still here. I was afraid you had been sold along with the manor. Henry had told me the manor had a new owner and when he said we could come for one last visit I feared you would not be here. I am so happy to see you and I have so much to tell you all." She was crying as were everyone else. Henry went up to Danielle and took her hands.

"My love, I fear I was not completely honest with you about the manor. The manor does indeed have a new owner. Would you like to meet him?"

Danielle suddenly felt weak. She did not realize she would have to meet the new owner.

"Yes milord. I would very much like to meet him." She pushed past everyone and entered the manor.

Henry looked at the three servants and winked. They stifled their giggles and followed the prince into the manor.

Danielle was looking around amazed at the changes. The manor had been restored to it previous look when her father had been alive. Tears were starting to form knowing that this was only done to improve the look for its future owner. She turned to Henry.

"So where is the new owner? I don't see him anywhere."

Henry was trying hard not to laugh. "Well my dear, you are looking right at him!"

She looked around and then suddenly she smiled. "You mean you. The manor's new owner is you?" She ran to him and laid her head on his chest and sobbed uncontrollably.

"No my dear. It isn't mine. It is ours. Father gave it to us as a wedding present and I felt that I should surprise you with it when it was closer to completion. I have a few other things to share with you too but those will wait until after we have eaten."

Danielle pulled back and looked up at Henry. "Do you have any idea how much I love you? Have I told you yet today?"

"No my dear you haven't. I know I love you though with all my heart."

"I love you, Henry."

Danielle and Henry were lost in their own world until they heard a throat clear.

"Excuse me your Highness, but there is something we need to discuss in the barn." It was Maurice. He was embarrassed at seeing the open affection of his prince but was glad that Danielle was happy.

"Of course Maurice. And please, call me Henry." He turned to Danielle. " I must attend to a few things first. I will see you at lunch." He gave her one last kiss and was out the door with Maurice in tow.

Danielle finally had a chance to gather her thoughts. She was upstairs in what used to be Marguerite's room. Henry had had the entire room redone and would be the couple room when they stayed at the manor. How lucky she was to have found Henry. To think all was almost lost because of her horrible stepmother and stepsister. She sat down on the window seat and began to cry. She was crying so hard she did not hear the knock at the door.

"Your highness, is everything alright?"

"Oh, Louise. I am still Danielle. Please don't call me that. There will be no formalities here at the manor. I get enough of that at Hautforte." Danielle began to sob more.

"Of course dear. Now what is wrong? You have a wonderful husband who loves you more than life itself and here you are crying as if Rodmilla was here again. Child whatever is wrong?"

"Louise, I am just so overwhelmed. The king and queen have embraced me with open arms yet I still feel like a stranger. Then to come to the manor and see all the changes, no mistaking I love them, but this does not feel like home anymore either. What has happened here?"

Louise went to Danielle and sat with her and gave her the motherly hug she always used to and began to explain what happened to the manor.

When Henry found out the manor was to become his he decided at that moment that he wanted to put it back to its former glory. So the first chance he could he came out and bought back all the land he could. He also hired on more servants and put Paulette and Maurice in charge of overseeing them. Louise too was in charge when needed and none of the three would ever be required to do hard labor again. Every day Henry would go out to the manor and oversee personally all the repairs that were being done. He also bought the finest stallions in the France and started siring foals again. Finally he had Leonardo da Vinci at the manor painting with his young apprentice Gustave and their works now hung in the manor. Henry would tell everyone involved that this was all for Danielle.

After hearing the story, Danielle had stopped crying. He had done this all for her. So this was where he was slipping out to day after day. Her heart was bursting with pride. How she loved him and couldn't wait to thank him.

After lunch Henry was showing Danielle around the manor. He was like a young child pointing to this and that, giggling with excitement and hoping his Danielle was happy with his work. The last stop on the tour was the barn.

"Danielle I have one last surprise for you."

Stay tuned for the next chapter of the saga. Chapter 3: Utopia