They walked down to the dining room where everyone was already seated and waiting for them.
"Danielle, you look so much better now, I am so happy you are better dear." Her mother said as they sat down at the end of the table.
They had their breakfast and Danielle tried desperately to make breakfast last longer, had to ask everyone about anything, she was trying to hold off her argument with Henry. She knew that's what it would end up as and she hated even the thought of fighting with Henry. Eventually the food was gone and everyone started to get restless at the table. Danielle's mother who had many things to do that day finally gave everyone except Danielle the relief when she announced " well that was lovely but I am extremely busy today and I must get going, for beautiful gowns cannot make themselves."
after everyone went off on their own Danielle and Henry were left at the table. "Danielle, I only say this because I love you and I couldn't take it if anything happened to you, but sometimes there are things that you can't control, and you need protection. And there is protection at the palace, you will be safe there. So we must return to the palace." Henry Pleaded with Danielle.
"I don't understand Henry, why do I need protection?" she replied.
"You are to have a baby, not just any baby, this baby will become the heir to the throne. There are people out there who try to take over France, they have been doing it for many years and never were they successful, but I'm afraid they may try it again. They could kidnap you. Once they find out you are going to have a baby, they will plan something, they always do, and you never know what they are going to do." Henry revealed.
Danielle was confused she didn't know what to do, her head was telling her that she should go home were she was safe. But in her heart she wanted to stay, she had finally found that missing piece to her life, a family, she wanted to stay but she knew she had to go. She wanted to talk to her mother, but her mother had left to deliver a gown to one of her wealthiest customers and probably wouldn't be back until the afternoon. She couldn't take being in the house anymore, she went out into the garden and walked around trying to clear her head. But her emotions soon caught up with her and she began crying over the agonizing choice she had to make. she heard someone coming she didn't anyone to see her crying so she hid behind a large rose bush hoping they wouldn't see her.
it was Danielle's mother who had to come back to get a dress she forgot, and she wanted to check up on Danielle as well. She began calling for Danielle. When Danielle heard her mother's voice she sprung out of hiding and quickly ran to her mother. "Danielle what is wrong? You've been crying?" Her mother asked.
Danielle told her mother about her problem. Her mother knew all about making tough decisions and knew what she was going through. "Danielle, I know just what your going through, the decisions you make affect your entire life. Now you know I want you here more than anything, but if you're not safe when your here, I don't think you should be here. Sometimes you have to ignore what you want and do what you have to do, Its not like we will never see each other again, I will come visit you as often as I can and we can write each other, even though I will be far away we will never be apart, I won't let that happen again." Her mother said with a tear in her eye.
Her mother was right, she knew what she had to do and she was going to go back to the palace, after all she did have family there as well and she would be safe and Henry and her mother wouldn't worry about her as much if they knew she was not in any kind of danger.
After her mother left again she began looking for Henry, she eventually found him skipping rocks at the pond behind the manor.
She stopped for a moment and leaned against a tree, she just stood there watching Henry skipping rocks then he sat down on a nearby stump, she didn't want to disturb him he looked so peaceful, like he was thinking, so she picked up an acorn off the ground and threw it at him. Her aim was almost perfect, she meant it to go into the water but instead it hit Henry in the head. He quickly turned around and saw Danielle who had an innocent grin on her face but she couldn't help but laugh. "Danielle what was that for?" he asked while he held the back of his head. She replied "that was for making me look all over for you and having to walk all the way back here...Henry I'm sorry, I was acting awful and your right, We should go back to the palace, I don't want you to have to worry about me all the time."
Henry ran to Danielle and Hugged her. "everything is going to be allright I'll make sure of it." he reassured her. They stood there for the longest time embracing each other, but it was getting late and they didn't want to be lost in the dark so they started back to the manor.
They decided they would tell everyone they were leaving at dinner, when they were all together. Danielle began to pack up her things when her mother came into her room, "Danielle, I didn't expect you to leave so soon but I wanted to make sure I gave you something before you left." Her mother said as she pulled a beautiful gold sapphire necklace out of the velvet bag she was holding. "It belonged to my mother; I want you to have it." She told Danielle. "But what about Marie and Isabelle won't they want it?" Danielle replied.
"My mother left me many things, I have jewelry for them but I will give it to them when the time comes, but I wanted to give this to you now, something you could remember me by." Her mother said as she handed the necklace to Danielle.
She hugged her mother and said "Oh mother, this means the world to me, I have never been given anything so beautiful, I will cherish it forever."
Dinner went by slowly, but it was very lovely, as Danielle's mother had made sure that her last dinner with her eldest daughter was wonderful, they talked and joked around like a family that had knew each other for years. But when the last course was served Danielle knew that she had to tell everyone. She cleared her throat and finally blurted out " before I tell you, I would just like to say that you have been so kind to me and I have wished for this my entire life, to have a true family and you all are wonderful and I will miss you all but Henry and I will have to return to the palace tomorrow." everyone sat there for awhile puzzled as to why they were leaving so soon, but they didn't argue.
After dinner everyone sat in the sitting room, Marie was looking at herself in a nearby mirror, Isabelle was reading a book, Bernard and Henry were playing a chess, and Danielle and her mother were sitting near the fireplace talking contently.
"Mother, that gown and those shoes that were in the trunk in fathers room, were they really yours?" Danielle asked her mother.
"Yes, well I made it, in fact it was one of the first gowns I'd ever made, I sent it to your father when you were about 5, The shoes were mine, I do believe those are the shoes I was wearing when I met your father"
they sat there silent as if they were trying to read each others thoughts, and then Danielle looked at her mother and said "I wish I had something to remember my father by, The only thing I had was Utopia, it was the last book he brought home, but it was ruined, It was my most cherished possession, and its gone... nothing can ever take its place."
The daylight was long gone and everyone was tired, and Danielle and Henry had a long journey ahead of them. So everyone went upstairs to bed, and before long everyone was sleeping, except for Danielle. She was kept awake by the thoughts that run through her head. She consoled herself with the thought that no matter what happens Henry will be right there with her and now she had her mother, she had the love of the two people that meant everything to her and that was all she needed, and for the first time since she arrived, she was sleeping blissfully.
Before long it was morning , and the calm quietness of the house was gone, everyone was helping Danielle and Henry prepare for their long trip home, after breakfast, they said goodbye to everyone and began their journey home.