Memoire de Chevalier Ch6: Bells of all souls P1
When Philippe de Lorraine returned to Paris one year later, it had been exactly the same season when he left. Yet the world had completely changed for him.
He was not alone for the journey back to France. Louis de Rohan, now called chevalier de Rohan was with him. Both of them had fought at the siege of Turin, Rohan under the command of Vicomte of Turenne, he with his father. They hadn't even met each other on battlefield.
Rohan still liked very much to boast. He couldn't stop talking about Vicomte's victories and this annoyed Lorraine. He was happy to see the king's guards meeting them at the city gate because he could finally stop enduring their Rohan didn't stop being pleased with himself.
"The king is truly my best friend!"said he loudly so that he could be heard by everyone.
The guards had took some horses from the king's table for them to change for their journey.
"Look at that!" pointed Rohan to one of the horses, "I know that one, the king even allows me to ride his own horse!"
It must had been one of the descendants of that beautiful horse they had seen when they were boys. The same white horsehair and black hooves, the same long and slender neck, just so beautiful and stunning that it stole everyone's attention.
But the guard took a bow at Rohan.
"Forgive me, my lord. I received an order form the Duke of Anjou to give that horse to the Chevalier de Lorraine."
"Chevalier de what?"asked Rohan surprisingly, "What did you just say?"
"Chevalier de Lorraine, my lord."
Rohan raised his eyebrow and looked at Lorraine by the corner of his eye, "When did you become a Chevalier?"
"I am a Chevalier since I was eight years old. You are just too ignorant to know."replied Lorraine indignantly. He did not have the heat to argue. That horse was too beautiful to be true. He was breathless just looking at it. It even lowered its head obediently when he tried to touch.
Rohan mumbled a few words unhappily before changing his horse and rode to the were invited to the King's evening party. Until just one moment ago Rohan believed himself to be the most important guest, but now he was overshadowed by such an unexpected show-off prepared by the king's brother.
But Rohan felt once again important when they arrived at the palace. The king came out from the meeting immediately to meet his friend. Louis had already changed into his evening wearings, a light brown jacket embroidered with golden fabrics and a waistband of the same color. He was clearly in good mood. He went to Rohan quickly and patted him on the shoulder, laughing.
"My God,Rohan, you are lucky that you don't dance ballet," He sneezed him on the top of his bicep, "You are going to turn into a bear if you continue to grow like this!"
"I received no complaint from the girls." replied Rohan.
"Nonsense!"protested the king, "I know no girl who likes bears."
"They are not telling you the truth then." laughed Rohan heartily.
"So it seems that you still have something to eat when the city of Turin was besieged for three months." said the king, "or did you kill your horse for eating?"
The king and Rohan were brought up together, they often went hunting side by side as boys. It was obvious that they were close and the king was excited to be with his old friend. It took him sometime to notice Lorraine.
"Philippe de Lorraine," the king nodded to him, "My brother just mentioned your name to me yesterday. He reminded me that you should be called a Chevalier. I think he spoke sense for once." And he raised his voice to announce. "My ladies, my lords, we should address him as Chevalier de Lorraine in the future!" He stretched a hand to the Lorraine, "I believe your father is well."
The now-called chevalier took a bow to the king, "Thank you sire, my father is fine."
Louis's eyes rested on the face of him for a moment.
"He helped the Turenne at the siege of Turin." said the king, "I shall remember to honor him when the war is over."
The king looked up silently, lost in thoughts for a moment, but when he finally rested his eyes on Rohan, he smiled again as if he decided not to let unhappy thoughts bother him.
"Come Rohan,I heard that you became more and more skillful as card player and I do want to see how good you are." He sat down at a table and Rohan took the seat in front of the king without quickly.
"I have learned a Dutch game from the Vicomte of Turenne, will your Majesty try this new game?"
"What? I thought he only learned how to fight from the Dutch." Said Louis, "It will be an insult for me to play a Dutch game, after all they are my enemy."
"Today's enemy may be tomorrow's friend. Think of Spain, Sire."
"Thank you for reminding me," Louis laughed, "Heaven knows that my mind is full of Spain you know that I have to hang Spanish tapestries in my chamber? They have written that down on my marriage contract!"
There was a loud laughter thought out the hall. The king made a sign for the chevalier de Lorraine to sit on his right side. Chevalier was just settled when he heard the room gone quiet and someone came in.
He was sitting back to the door so he could not see who had entered the hall, but he could hear the footsteps slowly stopped just behind his felt his heart beating for no reason.
"Care for joining us?" The king was handing out the cards and did not raise eyes, "We still have a vacant seat."
The person who had just entered the hall didn't answer and this made chevalier only vacant seat was the one in front of him, he did not know if he could look at the duke of Anjou calmly, especially his light green eyes he once knew.
"No, thanks." Finally came the answer. It was a deep, agreeable voice. Chevalier did not know how much he missed that voice, and why didn't he notice how pleasant it was.
The king called for another nobleman to join the table. Chevalier took the chance tolook around, he could not find the Count of Guiche anywhere.
But the Duke of Anjou did not leave. Chevalier could not see him but he could follow his footsteps in the hall. The Prince went to the corner to collect a book and then sit himself down in the chair just behind him. His coat was brushing against the velvet cushion.
"We will go to Versailles tomorrow." The king announced, he seemed to be holding good cards and it made him happier, "It is hunting season again and this time Rohan isback, I will not let go this great opportunity."
"Excellent idea, Sire." Rohan agreed, "Chevalier de Lorraine would be happy to ride that beautiful new horse of his."
"Unfortunately I have a mission and need to leave Paris tomorrow." Replied chevalier.
"That's a pity." said the King, he looked over the shoulder of chevalier to address his brother sitting behind him, "Should you take back that horse and go to Versailles with us? You don't want our young chevalier to take it to battlefield, do you? It will be such a waste!"
"I don't think so."Answered the duke indifferently, "It shoud be happy to be a war horse. In fact it is such a waste to stay in the king's stable and having nothing to do except for you not agree? Besides, I don't want to go to Versailles tomorrow. I have plans in Paris."
The king made no answer. But he stopped smiling.
"Four layers of the troupe, and a double siege! This is historical! I dare say it isthe most complex battle in this century… now the Spanish was lost without doubt!" The nobleman in front of chevalier was talking excitingly about the siege of Turin.
"I am very pleased when I listen to the report." Said the king, "My aunt is lucky to holdher power in Italy and she has the greatest French army to thank for."
"I have been on the battlefield myself and I could swear to your Majesty that the last battel was unforgettable." said Rohan proudly.
Chevalier was impatient to this topic, he tried to take a pause to reach for a glass of wine he just left on the table behind him, but his hand accidently touched someone else's , so he hurriedly drew back.
That hand he touched was so cold that it made him to glance back. He could see the Prince's profile from this angle. The Prince was motionless, with eyes down, listening to the conversation attentively, a hand still on the book but the book had sliddown to his lap.
"We cut down the communications line between the second and third layers of the siege and chose to attack at dawn." reported Rohan excitedly, "The situation had when the Vicomte ran into an intercept, trying to reach the east gate form the west side of the city."
Suddenly, a loud sound interrupted the conversation. It sounds like someone closed a book with unnevessary force. Everyone form the card table looked up to see who had done this.
"Surely you didn't mean you actually cut down the communication lines between the Spanish."The duke of Anjou broke into the conversation, "Or one should wonder why did the Vicomte ran into the intercept."
Louis coughed at this moment.
"And the distance between the eastern and western city gates of Turin will not allow the cavalrymen to travel within half a day." continued the Prince coldly, "The troupe that actually beat the Spanish can only be the one staying in the south, the one under command of Henri de Lorraine. Tell me why did you all lie to put the victory under the name of Turenne?"
"Philippe!" The king had to intervene, "Stop. You don't understand these things."
"I heard the report too." The duke of Anjou didn't seemed to be convinced, "I know they are lying, and you just let them. This is unfair to the count of Armagnac whether or not your purpose is to please the cardinal."
"That's enough!" The king was now angry. He suddenly stood up, hammered the table that it made the cards scattered everywhere.
All the nobles in the room had to stand up, chevalier among them.
"Leave us, all of you." said Louis. His voice was calm, but his eyes were on fire when helooked at his brother.
Bontemps came quickly moved to let everyone out. Chevalier was the last to walk to the door, he could see the king ealked towards his brother and almost pushed the prince into a corner.
But the door before him at that moment.
Suddenly he felt all the eyes upon him. People were talking about him secretly, casting looks and pointing fingers. But Chevalier did not care what they were talking about, he could felt nothing else but a strong warmth inside him that he never felt before. It made him more proud than the moment when he received the beautiful horse as a gift. The excitement seemed to have nothing to do withhis family honor, but the simple fact that the Prince was arguing with the king for him, that the Prince simply cared for the truth.
It may have taken long time or just a few minutes, the king went out of the room. Chevalier was feelung dizzy, perhaps due the wine he had drunk. He didn't even stay to check if the king wanted to say something to him, instead he ran directly backinto the room, to that chair where the Prince was still sitting.
He was breathless when he stopped and had to suppt himself on the back of the chair to pant heavily. The Prince turned to him right away.
"I…en" he always believed himself to be talkative, but his tongue was frozen at that verymoment. I must looked very silly. Thought him miserably.
But thePrince smiled at him.
"I hope the king didn't annoy you. "
Oh why can't I think of something clever to say?
"Do I looklike annoyed? "Came the answer of the duke, his eyes were so shiny.
"And do you like that horse?" He added gently.
"Do I like it? It is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. "Replied Chevalier.
"It can be yours, if you but want it this time." said the Prince with his most magical voice. For some reason, chevalier felt some part of his body went hot by hearing this.
"Really? "He felt overwhelmed, "I thought only your brother can have the most beautiful horse. "
"Even a King can't have everything." said the Prince, "Maybe that horse will prefer to choose a chevalier."
"Maybe." He couldn't help leaning to him, but to his surprise, the duke drew back and put a hand on his chest to stop him.
"Are you really leaving Paris tomorrow?" Asked the king's brother.
He that, now he had to admit the truth sadly.
"You should wait at the Palace door this evening to look for your beautiful horse." of Anjou whispered to him.
" To do what ?" Chevalier asked.
"To listen to the belles of all souls." The prince answered, his hair on the shoulder slightly touched the chevalier when he left the room.