Strongman 2
2.
Asa, sitting astride his tall back andalusian Echo, made his way through the town square. The place was filling with venders and merchants trying to sell their wares. Then he spotted the Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent and her daughters in the market place.
Word had reached him through the palace gossips that the Baroness De Ghent was living at the Manor De Barbarac. When he had found that out he remembered something Danielle at told him not long after they met. She had told him that her father was bringing home a new mother and sisters for her. When he remembered this it didn't take him long to put two and two together.
"I'll bet that Baroness knows exactly what's going on around here," thought Asa, "But it's not likely that she would just tell the first person who asked her about it!"
Asa decided to avoid the Baroness, for the time being, and go straight to the Manor. He reasoned that if he could talk to the servants without the Baroness around they might be more willing to give him some answers.
Bringing his horse to a trot, he headed out of town. No sooner was he out of sight of the market place than the Baroness received a message asking her to meet with Claude the page. She met him in an unused room in the place servant's quarters.
"What is it, Claude," she snapped, more impatient to get out of the second class surroundings than anything else.
"Milady, we've got trouble," said Claude keeping his voice low, "Those mercenaries that Le Pieu sent us to, they failed miserably."
"What?!" hissed the Baroness,
"Four of them are dead, and the other two came back raving about the boy fighting with the strength of Samson of old," Replied Claude, "They said he threw them about like rag dolls, and smashed three of them with a giant log right before I returned."
The Baroness looked incredulous.
"And what of the fourth one," she asked, "how did this modern Samson kill him? Pull his jaw apart?"
"No, I killed the fourth one with my dagger," Said Claude, "the boy was about to make him admit who hired him. The point is the boy is still alive, still snooping and still a threat, not only to our plans but to our safety!"
"Any word of Danielle herself." Said the Baroness, "She never came back last night."
"The Palace physician's apprentice was overheard to say that the doctor treated a young woman fitting Danielle's description out at the Chateau Le Valle last night!"
"Le Valle," said the Baroness, "As in the Duke and Duchess Le Valle?!"
"The same," said Claude, "You think we've got trouble now, what you think will happen if that girl manages to get them on her side, we'll be sent straight to the headsman's Axe!"
Gustave, who had come over to the Manor for the fourth time that morning, was again disappointed when there was no word about Danielle. All anyone knew was that she hadn't been seen or heard from since the night of the Masque. They were all worried.
Suddenly the light from the open kitchen door darkened, they all turned and were surprised to see a tall young nobleman standing in their back doorway.
"Good Afternoon all," said the young man, Paulette, Maurice's wife, and the other Kitchen maids started to curtsy but the young nobleman held up his hand.
"Don't bother," he said, "I detest formality." When Asa stepped into the room so his face and not just is silhouetted form could be seen, Gustave and Maurice broke into wide smiles.
"Asa," they said in unison, "I don't believe it after all this time!" added Gustave excitedly. He rushed to embrace his old friend but stopped when he remembered the difference in their stations. Asa guessed what had stopped his friend, rolled his eyes, and pulled Gustave into a manly hug. Then he walked over and did the same with Maurice.
"I honored you remember me, old friend," said Asa with a smile.
"You're not an easy man to forget," said Maurice with a chuckle, "I still remember the day you single handedly lifted my wagon out of that ditch!"
Asa laughed,
"And I can still remember the look on your face when I did." He said
"Maybe your arrival is more of a godsend than you realize," said Gustave, "Danielle disappeared last night and we haven't heard from her since. I going out to look for her and I'll need all the help I can get."
"You don't need to go out looking for Danielle," said Asa, "I know where she is!"
"Where?!" said several voices together.
"She's lying unconscious in one of the guest rooms back at the Chateau Le Valle," replied Asa, "My Godparents and I found her last night lying face down in the road. Apparently she and a carriage had a disagreement over who was tougher."
"Is she going to be alright?" asked Gustave
"The doctor didn't know for sure," said Asa, "So far the minor wounds seem to be healing fine, but she's still unconscious."
"Actually," Continued Asa, "Danielle is the reason I came here. When the doctor examined her back he found that she had been whipped and more than once. And when I started digging into Danielle's background, trying to find out what was going on here, someone tried to have me killed. I was hoping to find some answers to my questions here."
"I know why she was on the road last night," said Paulette, "the Baroness and Marguerite have been gloating about it all morning. Danielle went to the Masque last night at the invitation of Prince Henry. "
"Yeah," said Gustave, "but because of her little stunt of dressing up as a Comtesse and going into Hauteford to rescue Maurice the other day. The prince thought the she was Comtesse Nicole De Lancret."
"She went there to tell Prince Henry the truth," said Paulette, "but the Baroness beat her to it and told a twisted version of the truth causing the prince to spurn Danielle in front of everybody and break her heart."
"So that's why she was on the road last night." Said Asa, "But why would she need to give the prince a false identity?"
"Because," said Maurice, "Ever since her father died Danielle has been forced to be servant in her own home!"
"What?!" cried Asa. Just then they heard the Baroness arrive home.
"Where is everybody?!" she thundered.
"You had better get out of here before she catches you," said Maurice, "I wouldn't be at all surprised if she was mixed up in that attempt on your life you mentioned."
"But I still have questions," said Asa
"Come on, Asa," said Gustave, "I'll fill you in on the way back to the Chateau."
On the ride back to the Chateau. Gustave told Asa everything else that he knew about Danielle's situation.
The final mile of their journey was ridden in silence. Gustave could tell that Asa was bristling.
"You know," thought Gustave, "If we can't depend on the prince to take the Baroness down, Asa might be just the man who can do it."
When Gustave and Asa rode through the gate of the chateau, they were surprised to see a bunch of sleazy looking armed men standing in the courtyard.
"These aren't my godfather's men, Gustave," said Asa, "Be Careful." They dismounted and walked inside. When they walked into the great room, they found the Duke and Duchess facing and oily looking bald man in black leather.
"What's going on here, Papa Michael?" asked Asa approaching his godfather.
"This man, Pierre Le Pieu, has shown up claim Danielle with this," Replied Duke Michael. He handed a piece of paper to Asa.
"A bill of sale!?" cried Asa reading the paper.
The duke nodded
"Signed by the Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent," Added Le Pieu in his greasy way of speaking, "Now there is no need for any unpleasantness, if you will just tell me which room she's in I'll take her and be on my way."
A few seconds later Pierre Le Pieu came literally flying out of the front door of the Chateau to land on the ground at the feet of his startled men. Asa came stalking out and stood over Le Pieu's frightened form.
"Le Pieu," he snapped, "Danielle is not the Baroness's servant regardless of what the Baroness thinks, she's the Baronesses stepdaughter. Also, Danielle is the Daughter of the Baron Auguste De Barbarac and the Granddaughter and only living relative of the Late Duke Julian De Lancret! All of which means she's a Duchess and this bill of sale isn't worth the paper it's written on!" with that he tore up the bill of sale and threw the torn pieces on Le Pieu.
"Now take your men and get out before I really get mad!"
Gustave smiled as he watch Le Pieu and his guards retreat down the road. Asa watch them until they were out of sight. Then he turned to Gustave.
"I enjoyed that!" he said as he walked back toward the Chateau.
"The nerve of that Le Pieu," said the Duchess, as they all sat down in the great room by the fire place. After looking in on Danielle again.
"He's been lusting after Danielle for some time now," said Gustave, "She can usually handle him on her own, which is a good thing since the Baroness is no help at all."
"Except to herself," Said Asa, he turned to his godparents "From what I've learned today, I'm convinced that the Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent is behind everything that has happened to us since we found Danielle last night."
"But how could she have found out that fast where Danielle was," asked the Duke.
"The Baroness has a Page named Claude who is also her eyes and ears inside the palace," said Gustave
"How do you know that?" asked Asa
"Danielle told me," replied Gustave, "she said that one time when Marguerite came in a little tipsy from too much wine, she let it slip."
"But how did this Claude find out," said the Duchess, "the only person from the palace that has been out here since last night was the Court Physician."
"He or someone in his confidence must have blabbed," said Asa.
"You said a moment ago 'from what I've learned today'," said the Duke, "What have you learned?"
"I learned everything," said Asa, "and I'm glad you two are sitting down because this story is more than a little shocking."
Asa proceeded to tell them everything.
He told them how Danielle's stepmother the Baroness had forced her to become a servant in her own home for the last ten years, The whippings, the prince and the whole ugly affair at the Masque which explained why Danielle had been on the road last night.
"This is an outrage," snapped the Duke furious, "and what infuriates me the most is what Henry did to her! She may have wounded his stupid pride, but he disgraced her and broke her heart in front of half the kingdom!"
Asa was about to reply when suddenly there was a loud crash. The sound of the something hitting the floor upstairs.
"Hey," said Asa, "that sounded like it came from Danielle's room!" they all jumped up and ran up the stairs. Asa was the first one into the room.
Danielle, still clad in the night gown the Duchess had given her, was awake, on her feet, and holding on to a nearby bookshelf for dear life. She had apparently woken up, gotten up, and been overcome by a severe dizzy spell. She looked up at Asa and a looked of recognition came to her face. A small smile appeared on her face through the haze of dizziness as Asa scooped her up in his arms.
"It's so good to see you again, Asa," she said, "but it's rather improper to see a lady in her night gown."
"Hang propriety," said Asa, "You shouldn't be out of bed so soon after head butting a carriage!"
As Asa stuck his friend back under the covers, she spotted what was left of her mother's gown it had been washed and placed on a chair in the corner.
She immediately began to tear up. She clung to Asa sobbing into his shirt.
"It was terrible," she said, "I loved Prince Henry, how could he doubt my love and say such horrible things to me."
Asa didn't say anything he just rocked her gently and stroked her back. Gustave and the others quietly slipped out of the room.
When Danielle finally regained her composure and seemed to be feeling better, Asa pecked her cheek and then stood up and headed for the door.
"Asa where are you going?" she asked.
"I am going to find a certain pin-headed prince's puny neck and strangle it!"
TO BE CONTINUED…
Well there it is folks Chapter 2 of strong man. As always if you like please leave a review and let me know.