His father's booming voice echoed in his mind, his words clear. "She is only a peasant girl, son." Henry shook his head, as though not understanding the words his father, the King of France, was relaying to him. He sighed.
"She is NOT only a peasant girl, father,"Henry retorted, tired of not being able to break through the walls that separated himself from his father's thinking, "She is the love of my life. I love her. I can't help with whom I fall in love. You, of all people, should understand where I'm coming from."
"Well, I don't,"the king left his chair and wandered over to the window, looking down into his kingdom. Here, he was above everyone. If he were to enter one of his villages, the people may still look up to him, but not in this manner. "She is not one of us, Henry, do you understand? Do you think she knows anything of royal etiquette? Do you? Does she know anything about how we dress, act, eat, and speak in public, son? If she were to marry you, she should have some knowledge of the subject."
"And she will, father. As long as you give her the proper chance. But it seems as though you don't even want to try with her. To see if I'll be happy with the woman I love. Danielle is my life, and I want her to remain in it forever. Please, let us marry."
The king placed his hand on his temples, trying to nudge away the day's events. "I don't know what to tell you, son. Even if it were true love-"
"There is no love truer than my love for Danielle, father."
"Even if it were true love,"the king continued, "How would the kingdom react? They wouldn't accept it, and other countries would deem me a weak ruler and surely, I'll be overthrown. This whole marriage would be a scandal, and it would affect entire generations for years to come."
"Only if I had children."
"And if you married her, wouldn't you plan on children?"
"Well, yes,"Henry replied after a moment, "And I will be a good father.......I'll let my children choose whomever they wish to marry, as long as they love the person. Why can't you grant me that much?"
"It's easier to grant you my entire kingdom when I die than to let you marry that girl, Henry. It's far too difficult to comply with your wishes."
"What is difficult, Father, is trying to understand why you are so against our happiness? Do you really think I would have been happy with Gabrielle? My God, Father, she actually WEPT while walking down the isle! Is that a sign of true love?"
His son was making sense, and the king didn't like it. As much as he wanted all marriages in his family to consist of noble blood, he couldn't help his son's feelings, or why he felt that way. All he could do was give his son an answer. An answer that would do no good either way.
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~
"What is taking them so long, Paulette?"Danielle asked, pacing the castle halls nervously.
"The king is a stubborn man,"Paulette replied, trying to calm down the poor girl, "However, if the king truly saw how in love you and the prince are, he would most definitely let you marry him."
"And if not?"
"Then I should think Prince Henry would have the guts to leave royalty and flee to be together with you." Paulette smiled, which made Danielle smile back. Somehow, the thought of Henry leaving the monarchy to be with her forever was somewhat funny, and yet so romantic.
"Guess what?!"cried a voice fomr behind Danielle, as strong arms lifted her from behind, swinging her up into the air. She spun around to face Henry, of all people.
"It must be good news. You're beaming!"Danielle replied happily.
"He said we could marry, and you, Danielle, can be my princess." He kissed her cheeks happily, making Danielle redden with embarassment and excitement all at once.
"I'll just be leaving,"Paulette winked to Danielle slyly and walked down the hall, turning the nearest corner in order to leave the couple alone.
"This is wonderful!"Danielle exclaimed, practically jumping up and down, along with Henry, "How ever did you convince him?"
"Let's just say my father was thinking forward today,"Henry replied, laughing, "Oh, Danielle. I love you, and I can't wait until we're married."
"Oh, and WHEN will this be, anyway?"
A devious smile played on Henry's handsome lips. "Tonight."
"Tonight? Tonight! Henry, are you mad? How will everything be put together in eight hours--or actually, less! Henry, are you even listening to me?"
Indeed, he wasn't. He had leaned on a window, facing his future kingdom. Tonight, he would wed the woman he loved. And tomorrow, they all had a wonderful surprise in store for that woman he loathed....
"...Marguerite!"Danielle was finishing a thought.
"Hmm? What about her?"
"You WERE'NT listening?"Danielle playfully poked him in his ribs, "I was talking about what my family's reactions will be.....that is, if Paulette doesn't get to them before we publicly announce our engagement."
Henry chuckled at the thought of what Marguerite's stunned face would look like, twisted into an unrecognizable monstrocity, compared to the recognizable monstrocity. "They won't know anything about it until some time tomorrow. My father and mother have discussed everything, and all the events that are to take place. I'll reveal them all to you later this night, after the feast the kingdom is having in our honor."
"But, Henry, tonight-"
"Yes, tonight. We have servants working as quickly as possible trying to arrange everything at once. Now YOU must hurry to your quarters and prepare yourself."
"And where, my darling prince, might I find those quarters?"Danielle asked, taking his hands in hers and enfolding their fingers together.
"Annette will take you there." Danielle furrowed her brows trying to think of who Annette was. Just as she was about to ask, a young girl of Danielle's age appeared from around the corner. She was carrying a white, beaded dress that glittered in the sunlight of the window.
"Henry, where-"
"Just follow Annette."
"Yes, but where-"
But Henry needed to meet with his father, and prepare the wedding that would take place that very night, in only a few hours.
"She is NOT only a peasant girl, father,"Henry retorted, tired of not being able to break through the walls that separated himself from his father's thinking, "She is the love of my life. I love her. I can't help with whom I fall in love. You, of all people, should understand where I'm coming from."
"Well, I don't,"the king left his chair and wandered over to the window, looking down into his kingdom. Here, he was above everyone. If he were to enter one of his villages, the people may still look up to him, but not in this manner. "She is not one of us, Henry, do you understand? Do you think she knows anything of royal etiquette? Do you? Does she know anything about how we dress, act, eat, and speak in public, son? If she were to marry you, she should have some knowledge of the subject."
"And she will, father. As long as you give her the proper chance. But it seems as though you don't even want to try with her. To see if I'll be happy with the woman I love. Danielle is my life, and I want her to remain in it forever. Please, let us marry."
The king placed his hand on his temples, trying to nudge away the day's events. "I don't know what to tell you, son. Even if it were true love-"
"There is no love truer than my love for Danielle, father."
"Even if it were true love,"the king continued, "How would the kingdom react? They wouldn't accept it, and other countries would deem me a weak ruler and surely, I'll be overthrown. This whole marriage would be a scandal, and it would affect entire generations for years to come."
"Only if I had children."
"And if you married her, wouldn't you plan on children?"
"Well, yes,"Henry replied after a moment, "And I will be a good father.......I'll let my children choose whomever they wish to marry, as long as they love the person. Why can't you grant me that much?"
"It's easier to grant you my entire kingdom when I die than to let you marry that girl, Henry. It's far too difficult to comply with your wishes."
"What is difficult, Father, is trying to understand why you are so against our happiness? Do you really think I would have been happy with Gabrielle? My God, Father, she actually WEPT while walking down the isle! Is that a sign of true love?"
His son was making sense, and the king didn't like it. As much as he wanted all marriages in his family to consist of noble blood, he couldn't help his son's feelings, or why he felt that way. All he could do was give his son an answer. An answer that would do no good either way.
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~
"What is taking them so long, Paulette?"Danielle asked, pacing the castle halls nervously.
"The king is a stubborn man,"Paulette replied, trying to calm down the poor girl, "However, if the king truly saw how in love you and the prince are, he would most definitely let you marry him."
"And if not?"
"Then I should think Prince Henry would have the guts to leave royalty and flee to be together with you." Paulette smiled, which made Danielle smile back. Somehow, the thought of Henry leaving the monarchy to be with her forever was somewhat funny, and yet so romantic.
"Guess what?!"cried a voice fomr behind Danielle, as strong arms lifted her from behind, swinging her up into the air. She spun around to face Henry, of all people.
"It must be good news. You're beaming!"Danielle replied happily.
"He said we could marry, and you, Danielle, can be my princess." He kissed her cheeks happily, making Danielle redden with embarassment and excitement all at once.
"I'll just be leaving,"Paulette winked to Danielle slyly and walked down the hall, turning the nearest corner in order to leave the couple alone.
"This is wonderful!"Danielle exclaimed, practically jumping up and down, along with Henry, "How ever did you convince him?"
"Let's just say my father was thinking forward today,"Henry replied, laughing, "Oh, Danielle. I love you, and I can't wait until we're married."
"Oh, and WHEN will this be, anyway?"
A devious smile played on Henry's handsome lips. "Tonight."
"Tonight? Tonight! Henry, are you mad? How will everything be put together in eight hours--or actually, less! Henry, are you even listening to me?"
Indeed, he wasn't. He had leaned on a window, facing his future kingdom. Tonight, he would wed the woman he loved. And tomorrow, they all had a wonderful surprise in store for that woman he loathed....
"...Marguerite!"Danielle was finishing a thought.
"Hmm? What about her?"
"You WERE'NT listening?"Danielle playfully poked him in his ribs, "I was talking about what my family's reactions will be.....that is, if Paulette doesn't get to them before we publicly announce our engagement."
Henry chuckled at the thought of what Marguerite's stunned face would look like, twisted into an unrecognizable monstrocity, compared to the recognizable monstrocity. "They won't know anything about it until some time tomorrow. My father and mother have discussed everything, and all the events that are to take place. I'll reveal them all to you later this night, after the feast the kingdom is having in our honor."
"But, Henry, tonight-"
"Yes, tonight. We have servants working as quickly as possible trying to arrange everything at once. Now YOU must hurry to your quarters and prepare yourself."
"And where, my darling prince, might I find those quarters?"Danielle asked, taking his hands in hers and enfolding their fingers together.
"Annette will take you there." Danielle furrowed her brows trying to think of who Annette was. Just as she was about to ask, a young girl of Danielle's age appeared from around the corner. She was carrying a white, beaded dress that glittered in the sunlight of the window.
"Henry, where-"
"Just follow Annette."
"Yes, but where-"
But Henry needed to meet with his father, and prepare the wedding that would take place that very night, in only a few hours.