Ever After: Remix Story
Chapter Three: We Meet Again
Danielle nervously entered through the castle gates and looked around. She didn't see Henry anywhere and breathed a sigh of relief. She did not want to run into him, not here of all places. She saw Maurice and other servants being pushed into a cart. She took a deep breath and made her way over to the cart.
"I wish to address the issue of this gentleman." She said boldly. "He is my servant and I am here to pay the debt against him" She prayed that this would work.
"Too late" The man growled. "He's been bought and payed for" He made to pass her with the cart but she stepped in front of him.
"I can pay you 20 gold francs" Danielle said desperately. She looked around. Would no one help her. "I demand you release him at once."
"Get out of my way!" The man barked.
"You dare raise your voice to a lady, sir?" Came another voice. Danielle took a deep breath and tried to remain calm as she turned to face the prince.
"Your Highness, Forgive me sire, I meant no disrespect. It's my duty to take these thieves to the coast" The man said. Danielle tried to maintain her composure.
"A servant is not a thief your highness, and those who are cannot help themselves" Danielle told him. Prince Henry was intrigued.
"Would you care to enlighten us?" He asked. There was something strangely familiar about the young woman in front of him, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"If you suffer your people to be ill-educated and their manners corrupted from infancy, then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, hat else is to be concluded, Sire but that you first make thieves and then punish them?" Danielle replied, quoting a line from her beloved Utopia. Prince Henry was impressed.
"There you have it, Release him" Prince Henry told the guard. The guard stuttered for a bit, than allowed Maurice out of the cart. Danielle rushed over to him.
"I thought I was looking at your mother." Maurice told her.
"Meet me at the bridge" Danielle whispered. In a louder voice she said, "Prepare the horses, we will leave at once" She turned to go, But Henry hopped off his horse and ran after her. She turned to face him.
"I thank you, Your Highness" She said, trying to avoid making eye contact.
"Have we met?" He asked. Danielle groaned inwardly.
"It is possible, Your Highness" She said, continuing on.
"I could have sworn I knew every courtier in the province." Henry said. She turned to face him, knowing that she could not lie. She took a book out of her bag and handed it to him.
"History of France" He said reading the cover. He looked into her eyes.
"Danielle" He said softly. "I thought you moved away" Danielle sighed.
"No Your Highness, I still live in France" Danielle said softly.
"Do you still live at your father's house?" Henry asked. "I was just there and The Baroness said nothing about you" Danielle cringed inwardly and bit her lip.
"Well, I am visiting Gustav. After my father passed away, The Baroness sent me away. She does not like to see me because I remind her of my father" Danielle hated lying to the prince, but she did not want him to know the truth.
"I see" Henry said. He could tell she was hiding something, but he didn't want to pry.
"Oh Henry" They turned to see the Queen making her way towards them. "Your father wants a word with you"
"He usually does" Henry said. "I'll be there in a second" He turned back to where Danielle had been, but she was gone. He sighed heavily. It was time to call on Gustav. Danielle made her way back to the manor with Maurice and Louise had a happy reunion with her husband. But when Danielle entered the house it was a different story.
"Somebody's in trouble" Marguerite said in a sing song voice. Jacquelin was sitting in a chair unhappily. Because of the exchange between her and the prince, she was not allowed to leave the house until Marguerite was able to find a way to entice the prince with her talk.
"What do you mean?" Danielle asked, just as Rodmilla stormed and grabbed Danielle by the ear and threw her into a chair.
"You stupid, stupid girl" Rodmilla fumed. "How dare you do this to me?"
"What did i do?" Danielle asked, slightly frightened.
"Think Danielle, Think Really hard" Marguerite said. Danielle racked her brain. She looked at Jacquelin who was miming riding a horse.
"Prince Henry stole our horse this morning" She said softly.
"Yes! And that would explain why he returned it this afternoon." Rodmilla said. "How dare you let him surprise us like that"
"I'm sorry" Danielle said sincerely.
"Luckily for you, Marguerite turned in a beautiful performance. She and the Prince had quite an interlude." Rodmilla said. Jacquelin rolled her eyes. The Prince had barely looked at Marguerite.
"I shouldn't be surprised if he drops by again." Marguerite said sweetly. Danielle saw Jacquelin shake her head and realized that the tables must have been turned. She made a mental note to talk to Jacquelin later.
"Come, come! I must know exactly what was said. The simplest phrase can have a thousand meanings." Rodmilla said meaningfully.
"I called him a thief, madam, I did not recognize him" Danielle pleaded. Rodmilla laughed.
Meanwhile the prince was talking to his mother.
"Who dear?" Marie asked.
"Countess Danielle De Barbarac" Henry said. "We used to play together as children"
"Oh yes, She was so adorable" Marie said. "After her father died, Baroness told us that She had sent Danielle to live with a relative."
"Well, She's back, but she's hiding something, something big" Henry told his mother.
"Perhaps she has been treated unkindly, Henry. We do not know where she has been or what she has been doing these past ten years. Anything could have happened. Do not push her Henry and in time, she will come to you" Marie told him. Henry sighed.
"I hope so" He said softly.