Disclaimer: I do not own Ever After or any of the characters. Simple as that.
Scene begins right after Henry was about to marry the princess of Spain.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Prince Henry raced from the side door of the church, his heart pounding, an odd feeling to him now as the past two days it had felt like it stopped, after he had found out that the only woman he had ever loved lied to him. Though her betrayal was not what bothered him now, it was his own faults that kept him up at night. He had been so harsh with her, thinking back he hated himself, for ignoring the pain in her eyes. Looking around he swiftly made his way towards Maurice, his heart stinging as he realized he was the reason Danielle had pretended to be a courtier, to save a man's life. Her heart was far greater than his, and he probably didn't deserve her, but he had to try.
"Where is she?" He demanded frantically of Maurice, staring up at the aged man.
Maurice gave the Prince a confused look. "The baroness?" He questions.
"Ni-Danielle. Where is she?"
Maurice looked quite sadden as he again spoke. "Sire, I do not know." He spoke softly.
Henry shook his head. "What do you mean, you don't know?"
From his side, Jacqueline walked up. "She did not return to the manor when she fled the ball, Your Highness." She began speaking, and Henry felt his heart stop again. "We have heard no word of her."
Henry shook his head once again. "I have to find her. You must do me a favor, Jacqueline. If Danielle does return, bring her immediately to the palace. I will inform them to await her arrival."
Bitting on her lower lip, Jacqueline shook her head. "I do not think my mother would allow me to do that, Sire."
"Then tell her is it so my Father may enforce the law upon her, anything! You just have to get her there!" He pleaded with Jacqueline now.
Jacqueline nods, curtseying. "As you wish, your highness. I will do my best." To her surprise Henry wrapped his arms around her, giving her a hug. "I owe you, Milady, and I always repay my debts." He says, before turning to Captain Laurent, and motioning for him to come. Henry runs off, to find a horse quickly, as Laurent turns to a still bewildered Jacqueline. "Do not worry, I think the Prince has finally decided on whom he will marry." He offers the girl a warm smile, before turning his horse to follow after the prince.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "You are just like them..."
Those words rung out as sharp as a dagger piercing her heart as Danielle stumbled on the worn path, her once white dress was now muddy, and she doubted she'd ever get the stains from it. Her hair had fallen down more than a day ago, and she knew she looked like a mess. Though nothing could compare to the mess that her heart was in. She had longed stopped crying, and now just walked in silence, almost unfeeling of any emotion, except for the cruel image of Henry's smile, or his laughter. The illusion that his arms were around her threatened to bring back the tears, but Danielle fought the urge, and just concentrated on walking. She didn't know where she headed, but it didn't matter anymore.
"Nothing matters, not life or death. For my heart is already dead." She whispers to the morning air in front of her. Somewhere deep in her mind, a familiar face floated through her head.
"Papa..." Danielle broke down, dropping to her knees. "I can not do it. I lost you when I was so young, and now have lost Henry, how can I live?" She felt the unwanted tears spill out, but made no move to cover them up. Around her the trees gave her the solitude that she needed, only the wind making a whisper, or the occasional chatter of small forest animals, which worked to comfort the young woman as she cried, for everything that she had lost.
After she had calmed down, Danielle looked to the sky. "I mustn't give up. The manor will always be ours, Father." She says decisively, pushing herself to her feet, and walking in the other direction.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Another day gone by, and another day I have lived without her."
"Henry, we will find her. I promise you that. I have sent out the guards to find her." King Francis places a hand on his son's shoulder. "I pray that you will rest, my son."
Henry moves to pull away from his father, but sighs, turning to face him instead. "My heart will never rest until I know she is safe, father. Why did I let myself fall so madly in love?" He asks in distress. Surprisingly, Francis put his arms around his son.
"You will be with her, my boy. We will find her. It matters not that she is a servant, or lied to you. You love her. You're mother has helped me to see the error of my ways, and I only hope you can forgive me."
Nothing else was spoken, as they stood in the open hall for a few moments, a silent forgiveness passed, before Henry turns to retire to his room, though he planned not to be there too long, giving orders to be awoken no later then noon.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As the sun rose past the low lying, darkening clouds in the sky, Danielle breaths a sigh of relief at the sight of the manor, leaning back to catch her breath. She was exhausted, having walked through the night, and only briefly stopped to rest during the precious day light hours.
"How could I have been so foolish, so selfish, to leave the others at the mercy of the baroness? Leave my fathers manor to her?" Danielle criticizes herself as she makes her way across the fields, not bothering to watch where she was going.
This could have saved her from running into the Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent who now stood outside the manor, her arms crossed, and nose in the air. "Danielle, Danielle, Danielle." She tsked.
Looking up in indignation, Danielle doesn't speak, waiting for the Baroness to continue.
"My, my, my Danielle. You have indeed neglected your duties. What would your father think?" She gets no further before Danielle brushes past her. "Are you sure you want to go in there, child? We are just preparing to go the palace. They have invited us to break our vast with them. It seems the Prince wishes to spend more time with Marguerite." The smug smile upon her lips almost made Danielle sick.
"Then go, leave me be. Leave us be! Leave the manor be! It is no more yours than I am! In all your years of living here, you never once cared for it, for me... the one things my father put all his heart into. And you shun it!" Danielle snaps, turning to try and storm to the manor, though Rodmilla quickly clasps a hand firmly on the girl's arm.
"You will do well to learn to bite your tongue, Danielle. I have had enough of your rebelliousness. That will cost you another lashing." The baroness's eyes were dark as she dragged Danielle into the house.
Scene begins right after Henry was about to marry the princess of Spain.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Prince Henry raced from the side door of the church, his heart pounding, an odd feeling to him now as the past two days it had felt like it stopped, after he had found out that the only woman he had ever loved lied to him. Though her betrayal was not what bothered him now, it was his own faults that kept him up at night. He had been so harsh with her, thinking back he hated himself, for ignoring the pain in her eyes. Looking around he swiftly made his way towards Maurice, his heart stinging as he realized he was the reason Danielle had pretended to be a courtier, to save a man's life. Her heart was far greater than his, and he probably didn't deserve her, but he had to try.
"Where is she?" He demanded frantically of Maurice, staring up at the aged man.
Maurice gave the Prince a confused look. "The baroness?" He questions.
"Ni-Danielle. Where is she?"
Maurice looked quite sadden as he again spoke. "Sire, I do not know." He spoke softly.
Henry shook his head. "What do you mean, you don't know?"
From his side, Jacqueline walked up. "She did not return to the manor when she fled the ball, Your Highness." She began speaking, and Henry felt his heart stop again. "We have heard no word of her."
Henry shook his head once again. "I have to find her. You must do me a favor, Jacqueline. If Danielle does return, bring her immediately to the palace. I will inform them to await her arrival."
Bitting on her lower lip, Jacqueline shook her head. "I do not think my mother would allow me to do that, Sire."
"Then tell her is it so my Father may enforce the law upon her, anything! You just have to get her there!" He pleaded with Jacqueline now.
Jacqueline nods, curtseying. "As you wish, your highness. I will do my best." To her surprise Henry wrapped his arms around her, giving her a hug. "I owe you, Milady, and I always repay my debts." He says, before turning to Captain Laurent, and motioning for him to come. Henry runs off, to find a horse quickly, as Laurent turns to a still bewildered Jacqueline. "Do not worry, I think the Prince has finally decided on whom he will marry." He offers the girl a warm smile, before turning his horse to follow after the prince.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "You are just like them..."
Those words rung out as sharp as a dagger piercing her heart as Danielle stumbled on the worn path, her once white dress was now muddy, and she doubted she'd ever get the stains from it. Her hair had fallen down more than a day ago, and she knew she looked like a mess. Though nothing could compare to the mess that her heart was in. She had longed stopped crying, and now just walked in silence, almost unfeeling of any emotion, except for the cruel image of Henry's smile, or his laughter. The illusion that his arms were around her threatened to bring back the tears, but Danielle fought the urge, and just concentrated on walking. She didn't know where she headed, but it didn't matter anymore.
"Nothing matters, not life or death. For my heart is already dead." She whispers to the morning air in front of her. Somewhere deep in her mind, a familiar face floated through her head.
"Papa..." Danielle broke down, dropping to her knees. "I can not do it. I lost you when I was so young, and now have lost Henry, how can I live?" She felt the unwanted tears spill out, but made no move to cover them up. Around her the trees gave her the solitude that she needed, only the wind making a whisper, or the occasional chatter of small forest animals, which worked to comfort the young woman as she cried, for everything that she had lost.
After she had calmed down, Danielle looked to the sky. "I mustn't give up. The manor will always be ours, Father." She says decisively, pushing herself to her feet, and walking in the other direction.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Another day gone by, and another day I have lived without her."
"Henry, we will find her. I promise you that. I have sent out the guards to find her." King Francis places a hand on his son's shoulder. "I pray that you will rest, my son."
Henry moves to pull away from his father, but sighs, turning to face him instead. "My heart will never rest until I know she is safe, father. Why did I let myself fall so madly in love?" He asks in distress. Surprisingly, Francis put his arms around his son.
"You will be with her, my boy. We will find her. It matters not that she is a servant, or lied to you. You love her. You're mother has helped me to see the error of my ways, and I only hope you can forgive me."
Nothing else was spoken, as they stood in the open hall for a few moments, a silent forgiveness passed, before Henry turns to retire to his room, though he planned not to be there too long, giving orders to be awoken no later then noon.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As the sun rose past the low lying, darkening clouds in the sky, Danielle breaths a sigh of relief at the sight of the manor, leaning back to catch her breath. She was exhausted, having walked through the night, and only briefly stopped to rest during the precious day light hours.
"How could I have been so foolish, so selfish, to leave the others at the mercy of the baroness? Leave my fathers manor to her?" Danielle criticizes herself as she makes her way across the fields, not bothering to watch where she was going.
This could have saved her from running into the Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent who now stood outside the manor, her arms crossed, and nose in the air. "Danielle, Danielle, Danielle." She tsked.
Looking up in indignation, Danielle doesn't speak, waiting for the Baroness to continue.
"My, my, my Danielle. You have indeed neglected your duties. What would your father think?" She gets no further before Danielle brushes past her. "Are you sure you want to go in there, child? We are just preparing to go the palace. They have invited us to break our vast with them. It seems the Prince wishes to spend more time with Marguerite." The smug smile upon her lips almost made Danielle sick.
"Then go, leave me be. Leave us be! Leave the manor be! It is no more yours than I am! In all your years of living here, you never once cared for it, for me... the one things my father put all his heart into. And you shun it!" Danielle snaps, turning to try and storm to the manor, though Rodmilla quickly clasps a hand firmly on the girl's arm.
"You will do well to learn to bite your tongue, Danielle. I have had enough of your rebelliousness. That will cost you another lashing." The baroness's eyes were dark as she dragged Danielle into the house.