They all sit down at the table and listen to their mother's story.
"Long ago, before I ever met your father, I had a child, Danielle out of wedlock and my father was furious with me, so he came and took me away and found someone to marry me, your father, so no one would ever know of what had happened. He said he did it for my own good but he just did it so I wouldn't ruin our family name, so I married your father and I lived my life as normal as possible, but there was always something missing, don't get me wrong, I love you Marie, Bernard and Isabelle more than anything, but there wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think about Danielle, what she was like, what she looked liked, what she was doing at that very moment."
Everyone was silent, waiting for their mother to continue.
"I felt so horrible about leaving her behind, not ever knowing about me , never knowing a true mother, so I went back to the place I left so long ago, but she wasn't there, but the servants were there and they had told me about her, and where I could find her."
"Oh Mother, do go on where did you find her." Isabelle blurted out becoming impatient.
"It is getting late and i am exhausted from our trip, I'm sure Danielle is too, we shall continue the story in the morning."
Everyone awoke the next morning excited to here the rest of the story everyone that is, except Danielle.
"Has anyone seen Danielle? Is she up yet?"
"No mother, maybe she is lost, she may not be used to such a large house."
"No, Marie I don't think that is the reason, I shall go get her, tell Agnes we shall eat our breakfast in the garden this morning it is such a beautiful morning, Isabelle, come help me find Danielle."
They begin their search for Danielle, Isabelle knocks on Danielle's door but no one answered, so she enters.
"Oh Danielle there you are, we were getting worried about you."
"I wasn't feeling well, but I am better now, I did not mean to worry everyone."
"It is alright, come on everyone is waiting for us in the garden."
They all met up in the dining room.
"Danielle, there you are what kept you? Did you sleep well?"
"I am alright mother, I wasn't feeling well when I woke this morning but I am better now."
"Well come lets go join the others Agnes has prepared a wonderful breakfast for us this morning."
They walked outside to the gardens, when Danielle suddenly stopped and fell to the ground.
Her mother rushed to her side.
"Danielle, Danielle can you hear me?" "She's fainted, Isabelle go and get Agnes...anyone quick."
Marie and Bernard were just sitting down to breakfast when they heard their mother yelling.
"That was mother shouting." They both jumped up and ran to see what was happening.
"Mother what happened?" asked Marie as she tried to catch her breath.
"I don't know poor Danielle jus..." before she could finish Isabelle returned with Agnes the servant.
"Agnes quick I don't know what has happened to her she just fainted."
"We must get her up to her room, Bernard please help me carry her." everyone followed Bernard and Agnes up to Danielle's room.
"Lay her down on the bed, now someone go fetch some water and cloth."
"I'll do it" replied Isabelle; she was excited because she never gets to do servant work.
"Well child please be quick with it." Agnes snapped at her.
"Isabelle do be careful, I don't want you falling in the well." her mother cautioned her.
Isabelle rolled her eyes and said "mother you do worry too much"
"Bernard, Marie why don't you go and eat your breakfast now I'll send Isabelle down when she brings back the water."
"Yes mother." they both replied not wanting to further upset her.
"Madam, has Danielle said anything to you about being ill or..."
"Well she said she was sick when she got up this mor...oh my... Agnes do you think she is going to have a baby?"
"Well it could be, she must of been totally exhausted poor dear"
"Do you think she knows?"
"ISABELLE, child what took you so long?"
"I am sorry mother but I had an awful time finding a cloth."
"Bring us the water and go and eat breakfast."
They cooled Danielle off with the wet cloth and waited by her side.
"Oh I do hope Danielle is alright." blurted Isabelle
"You're such a child Isabelle, she probably has one of those diseases commoners get."
"She isn't a commoner Marie, she doesn't dress like one."
"That doesn't matter, she is a commoner why else would she come to live with us, mother probably felt sorry for her and gave her some of her old gowns."
"Marie, you ought to be ashamed of yourself" her mother had just walked in and had heard what Marie had said.
"I am ashamed of you, I know I raised you better than that" her mother continued to scold her for her quick tongue.
Marie finally caught her breath, it came to a shock when she heard her mother as she was not supposed to hear that, "I, I am sorry mother, truly I am" she said sympathetically.
"If that would have been you up there in that bed, I would be up there at your side and I'm sure that Danielle wouldn't be down here talking poorly about you."
"Now Bernard, I know this is a tremendous favor to ask of you, but I need you to take this note to the Palace immediately." his mother said with urgency.
"The palace? I'm sure I don't understand mother."
"I would like to inform Danielle's husband of her condition."
"He works at the palace?" Marie asked.
"You could say that"
"I told you she was a commoner" Marie whispered to her sister.
"Perhaps you've heard of him, I might as well tell you, it will not be kept secret much longer. He is Henry, the prince of France." Their mother announced.
After their mother had finished speaking, all three of them sat there in awe with their jaws to the floor.
"So does that make Danielle a Princess?" Isabelle asked curiously.
"Yes, It does Isabelle"
Marie began to speak " I...I...I...I" when Isabelle interrupted her "Oh Mother, Can I please Go with Bernard to the Palace?" she pleaded with her mother.
"Are you going to stay out of trouble, and stay at your brother's side at all times?" her mother questioned her.
"Yes mother, I promise I will"
"Ohh, I don't know darling, it is such an awful journey for a young girl by horse back…."
"Mama, please you've seen me ride, I can ride better than Bernard with my hands tied behind my back!"
"Oh alright, you may go, but for heavens sake Bernard, please watch your sister, you know how she is. You should leave before dark, it shouldn't take you long by horse."
Their mother continued to give them instructions... "When you get there, tell the guards that you have an important letter for Prince Henry, and if that doesn't work just tell them Princess Danielle is sick at her mother's house. Here is the letter; Good Luck and Please do be careful, and hurry."
They said goodbye to their mother and sister and got on the fastest Horse they owned and went off, trying to beat the night.
Hours later they arrive at the palace, when they find themselves in an argument.
"BERNARD! We must give him the note tonight, I'm sure he will not mind once he knows it's about Danielle."
Bernard thought about it for awhile..."
"Oh fine, let's go" Bernard demanded with a bit of urgency
They tied their horse to a nearby post and went to the gate of the palace where they found a guard there sitting on a little stool sleeping.
"Hey you there, Guard." Whispered Bernard, the Guard did not wake.
"oh Bernard you are too sheepish, you have to yell...like this... Isabelle cleared her throat..."HELLLLOOO GUARD"
The guard startled by Isabelle, quickly woke up and jumped to his feet.
"What is all this about can't you see I'm trying to sleep here? The guard asked
Isabelle whined..."Sire Please we must see the Prince we have an urgent message for him."
"Go on; be on your way, The Prince doesn't take messages from just anyone"
Isabelle continued to whine" But this one is about Danielle!"
"Who?" the guard questioned her
"Princess Danielle!" replied Isabelle.
"Oh okay, wait here, I'll go get captain Laurent"
"See I told you they would let us in" Isabelle snapped at her brother. "We are not in yet Isabelle"
"I am Captain Laurent, why are you delivering a message at this time of night?" He questioned.
"I know it seems strange but my sister and I have been riding for hours to get here. Princess Danielle has fallen ill at her mother's home, and we were sent here to give the message my mother wrote to the Prince." Bernard explained.
Captain Laurent looked at both of them and then he said... "Oh alright come with me "
They followed him throughout the many halls of the palace when they reached a large door; Captain Laurent knocked on the door and yelled to the prince "Henry are you in there? I have a message for you"
"Captain, do you know what time it is; I am not dealing with matters of the kingdom at this hour." The prince shouted back.
"Please Henry it is about Danielle." He continued to shout to the Prince.
Suddenly Prince Henry opened the Door...
"Danielle, What about Danielle?" The Prince questioned
"Your Highness, My mother sent this message for you." Isabelle replied. She handed him the note and stood there quietly as he read it.
He read the note...
'Your Highness, Danielle has fallen ill at my home, She fainted this morning and is now sleeping, I wish for you to be here when she awakens, I am not sure of her condition as of yet, please bring a doctor'
He then looked up at Isabelle and Bernard and said "Please you must take me to her."
They both nodded.
"Captain Laurent, Go and get the royal physician, and send him to Danielle's mother's home Quickly" The Prince Demanded.
"We shall leave now, I will go get my horse and meet you at the Palace gate," The Prince Continued to speak.
Isabelle and Bernard quickly walked to the gate and mounted their horse so they would be ready to leave as soon as the prince came.
As soon as Prince Henry arrived they began the journey back to their home.
When they were well into their journey their horse began to slow down...
It had run all the way to the palace with two riders and now it was going back even faster than before.
"Bernard this poor horse is going to fall right over soon" Isabelle said breathlessly "I know Isabelle there is nothing we can do this is the only horse we have and walking will do us no good we won't get there until tomorrow afternoon" Replied Bernard. "I've got an idea, if one of us gets off then the horse might make it, what do you think ." Isabelle Questioned."Oh No I am not getting off and neither are you, Mother said to watch you I can't just leave you here, and if you continue. No, No it's out of the question."Bernard Answered.
Isabelle fell quiet, and they continued to ride their old worn out horse, but Minutes later Isabelle suddenly heard an awful sound, like a stampede of horses, when she looked back she was terrified at what she saw.
"BERNARD! Look at those men, they are chasing us!" Isabelle shouted frantically.
Bernard and Henry both looked back at the stampede of horses and men behind them.
"Oh I cannot believe this!" Henry shouted.
"Who are they Prince Henry?" Isabelle questioned.
"They are Gypsies, Don't worry I'll handle them." He replied.
Prince Henry turned his horse around and stopped. The Gypsies halted when they saw Henry.
"Ah my gypsy friends, it's been awhile has it not, and if you please let us be on our way we mean no harm." Prince Henry yelled to them.
"But of course your highness, but I see your little Girlfriend is not here to save you and carry you off this time." The head of the gypsies replied.
"Sir my wife is ill and I am traveling to see her, so I will not hold you up and you will not keep me, I must go." Henry exclaimed.
"Prince Henry, Our horse is overly exhausted, I do not think we shall make it any further." Isabelle cried out.
The Prince had other ideas he was not going to let anything stop him from getting to Danielle.
Henry shouted to the gypsy leader "My friend, if it would not be too much trouble, could you lend my friends here a horse, you do owe me a favor do you not? for I invited you to the ball and I also did not tell the guard where you were after you robbed senor Da Vinci."
The Gypsies gave them a horse, and they continued on their journey, hoping nothing else would stop them.
After a few more hours they had finally arrived, the sun was just beginning to peak out from the trees. Henry jumped off of his horse and ran to the door, where Danielle's mother met him.
"Oh Henry, Come I will show you were she is, she is still sleeping poor thing, Oh but don't worry I am absolutely sure she will be alright." She comforted him as she showed him to Danielle's room.
When they entered the room it was almost completely dark except for a dim candle, that was bright enough for Henry to see Danielle's Beautiful face, when he saw her he quickly ran to her side and held her hand and gently brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her forehead.
Bernard and Isabelle were completely exhausted from their Journey both slowly crept upstairs to their rooms. Marie, who was waiting for Isabelle in her room, sat in a chair in a dark corner of the room. When Isabelle entered her room, Marie jumped up and startled her sister.
Marie questioned Isabelle "what is he like? Is he Handsome? Is he nice? What does he look like? Does he have nice hair? What is he wearing? Does he act like a prince?"
"Marie, I have just been on the longest journey of my life, I am exhausted and honestly have you no decency, how long have you been in here? And why is it so important for you to know right now, I am going to sleep and you are leaving now." Isabelle scolded her sister.
It had been a long day but finally there was peace in the house, everyone had finally settled down and were all sleeping soundly in their beds.
Danielle finally awoke from her long rest still feeling awful and discovered Henry lying next to her asleep.
She tapped him on the shoulder and whispered faintly "Henry... Henry... What are you doing here?" She couldn't wake him. She tried again, this time a bit louder "Henry... will u wake up Henry?"
He finally woke and as he lay there half-awake he realized it was Danielle who was trying to wake him. He quickly sat up and whispered "Danielle; you're awake, are you okay? I was so terribly worried about you."
Danielle replied "I am not well, I feel so weak and so tired, and how did you know I was ill?"
"Your mother sent your brother and sister. When I found out you were ill I thought I was going to go mad, I couldn't get to you quick enough, and I was so scared."
He started to tear up. Danielle gently touched his face and comforted him, " There is no need to worry I am going to be alright, I bet by this time tomorrow I'll be back to normal, I hear there's a lake not far, I just might go swimming." She smiled.
"Well you're not going alone this time, any other plans I should know about?" "Well actually...Before she could finish the door opened and Danielle's mother appeared
"Danielle oh your awake I am so glad, you had us all terribly worried" her mother exclaimed as she walked into the room and placed a candle on a table and as she opened up the curtains she continued to speak, "there is a man downstairs that claims he is the Royal Physician, now I've never seen a Royal Doctor before but he looks awful ragged. Do you want me to bring him up he claims up and down that he is a doctor so do... Henry interrupted her "Yes Please bring him up".
She brought the Doctor up to Danielle's room and Henry was surprised, in front of him stood a man with torn clothes and mud all over him.
"Monsieur Debonet , what has happened to you?" Henry asked.
"I was stopped by the gypsies they stole my horse so I had to walk a bit but I found an abandon horse and it got me here."
" I see, well Danielle is ill, take a look at her Please, make sure she is alright please don't let anything happen to her." Henry said in a panic.
The doctor took glanced at Danielle and looked at the group of people standing at the door "could you please let me alone with her for awhile so I can take a better examine her." the doctor asked. Everyone went out into the hallway and closed the door behind them and stood there impatiently waiting and starring at the door as if it were to open at any moment.
After what had seemed to be hours the door finally opened and the doctor appeared. Henry can you come in here for a moment? The prince stood there frightened for he did not know what to expect.
He walked cautiously to Danielle's bedside and held her hand and waited for the worst. Nervously he began to speak "Monsieur, what is wrong with Danielle, Do you know what it is?"
The doctor stood at the end of the bed at a loss for words, he finally spoke " Your Highness, there is nothing wrong with Danielle." The prince looked confused. The doctor continued "for you are soon going to be a father, Danielle is going to have a baby." Henry was in shock, he slowly sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at Danielle and whispered "a baby?"
Danielle nodded and whispered "a baby"
After the shock wore off, Henry jumped up and shouted "A BABY! Oh this is amazing, absolutely wonderful. Mother will be so pleased; just a few weeks ago she was asking me when she would become a grandmother. We have to tell her, she and father have probably returned from their trip by now we could leave tomorrow."
The doctor excused himself he needed to go clean himself up. Danielle sat there in shock she had not expected to leave so soon, "Henry I just arrived, I've been here but a few days, and I've been asleep most of that time, I haven't even got to know my family, I'd at least like to stay here another week."
This had been the first time that Henry and Danielle didn't agree on anything, and Danielle didn't know what to do, neither did Henry. They sat there in silence, until there was a knock on the door it was the doctor asking if it was okay if the rest of the family came in. As they all gathered around the bed Danielle put on a fake smile for she in her mind she was bubbling with anger at Henry for wanting to leave so soon. She continued to smile and looked around at her long lost family, then she announced "I am going to have a baby." Everyone was surprised, they did not know what to say, but they were overjoyed.
As the excitement began to fade everyone was back to their regular morning routine. Marie was in her room sorting through her clothes seeing what she would wear that day. Isabelle was outside picking wildflowers for her new sister. Their mother was in the kitchen making sure that breakfast that morning was perfect. And then there were Danielle and Henry who were still in the midst of their dispute...
"I don't understand Henry, I realize that things have changed from my original plan but why must I leave now, I've spent most of my time here sleeping. I just don't get why it is so important to leave now." Danielle argued.
"I know it may seem irrational now but I don't want anything to happen to you, even the doctor said it may be best for you to return to the palace where he can keep an eye on you, he said you may have trouble with this baby and If anything happens to you Danielle I don't know what I would do, I could not live without you"