I haven't updated partly because I was too lazy, and partly because I have a lot of schoolwork to do. But fortunately my exams end next Thursday (whoop) and I will try to update in the Easter Holidays.

"What do you mean, you must leave?" Lola, who was still wrapped in her blankets, looked at her husband with big uncomprehending eyes. She didn't understand why he had to suddenly leave her side. After what had happened, she thought that she might be able to spend more time with him. And to be honest, she needed to know him close, for she felt safer in his presence. She needed to know why he was leaving… and if it had anything to do with her admitting her love for him.

"Because of last night's events, Lola. You don't seem to understand, the King and the Queen will hold me responsible for this attack sooner or later…"

"So you decided that fleeing was the best option" Lola's voice sounded more sarcastic than she had intended to. Of course she knew that they would blame her husband, just as they blamed him for everything that went wrong in the kingdom. She didn't want him to go. She needed him, although she would never voice this wish aloud.

"The Protestants came, just as I have predicted. They would have killed Mary and Francis… and who knows what would have stopped them", Stéphane looked at John Philip, who was soundly sleeping in his cradle, then back at Lola, "I take no pleasure in being right, especially as I may have been wrong about other issues" Lola looked at her husband quizzically and put on the first piece of clothing she could get a hold on (which happened to be one of her husband's shirts that was obviously too large for her, but which covered enough of her body so she could decently have a conversation with him). She took his hands in hers, silently encouraging him to go on.

"What happened tonight was reckless", he continued in a whisper, looking in her yes, "it was the act of a people who thinks it has nothing to lose. To rope people of hope is a dangerous mistake… and I suspect it may have been my doing"

"Through your pressure on Francis", Lola stated, pressing her body closer to her husband's. She understood the situation well, and still she wished there was another way. Lola wanted Stéphane to stay. Maybe if he confessed to his crimes, maybe if he pleaded the King and the Queen to have mercy on him… all would be forgiven… maybe not forgotten, but at least forgiven.

"I fear this nation is burning and I am the man who lit the match", her husband confessed, his heart racing in his chest. Lola could hear the worry in his voice, the worry of a man who had acted believing he was doing the right thing, and who now saw the error of his ways. "Or perhaps I overvalue my role in the matter"

"You control a King. Let's say you're being accurate", Lola whispered, placing a soft kiss on her husband's cheek. "But maybe it is not too late to admit that it was partially your fault. Maybe Francis will be as generous as to forgive you…" The ironical smile on her husband's lips told her that he didn't believe this would be so easy.

"Yet, you betrayed me. You called me an enemy of those you hold dear, you called me selfish and doubted me, when I was doing everything to make you feel safe and wanted. And even then, when there was danger last night, my worry was for you", his fingers brushed her cheek softly as he told her this in an emotion-stricken voice. She felt her own tears well up in her eyes. "I think about you… and I will think about you even when I'm gone. I promise" Lola lowered her eyes so he wouldn't see her tears.

"Will you come back to me in the end?", she asked, "Will I ever be allowed a 'happily ever after', like in those fairy tales?" Stéphane raised her chin with two of his fingers and kissed her lips tenderly.

"I promise you, I will return and then, we can concentrate on making you the luckiest and happiest woman in France" Lola smiled softly.

"And what about children? When you come back, can we maybe think of having children? Our children?" Her question was rewarded with a broad grin and yet another tender kiss.

"Of course. Once all of this has calmed down, we will have children" Stéphane looked at her as if he wanted to say something else, but he only kissed her passionately in the end.

"I believe that my shirt suits you better than it suits me", he noticed smugly, "however, I still want to rip it off your beautiful body" His lips kissed her neck softly, lingering on her collarbone. Lola sighed with pleasure.

"Be my guest"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Mary, they told us you were in your old chambers", Kenna said, as she, Lola and Greer entered Mary's room. Lola, just as the other girls, wondered why Mary had suddenly decided to return to her old chambers, instead of sharing a bed with Francis. It had come so unexpectedly, taking everyone aback. Lola knew that something must be wrong.

"Why are they moving your things in?", Greer asked.

"I'm going to be staying here for a while", Mary told them neutrally, smiling reassuringly. But Lola saw that something was wrong. She felt Mary's distress and felt like embracing her friend. And yet, a voice in her head told her to keep her distances. So she did.

"Why?", she asked instead.

"It's because of the attacks last night, ehm… I can't stay in my old rooms anymore"

"You told us you were fine", Kenna said slowly, "that your guards had been killed, but that the men had fled before they could get in"

"That was a lie I told… and one you will have to tell, too" Lola looked at Kenna and Greer, who seemed just as confused as she was. Something was terribly wrong, Lola could sense it in her bones. "The truth is… those men broke into my chambers and I was raped" This statement came abruptly, coldly, as if Mary were speaking of the weather outside. Lola felt her heart break in her chest and she pitied her friend. What had happened to her was nothing compared to what Mary had had to go through. Lola forgot all about her own problems, she forgot that her husband was gone and that she had to protect him by lying to her friends, she forgot that a man had almost raped, which was nothing compared to this. Lola wanted to take Mary's hand, but her friend backed away.

"I'm still in some pain and I'd prefer not to be touched", she explained. Lola nodded, understanding how her friend was feeling. Kenna and Greer were as equally shocked as Lola. They desperately wanted to help their friend, but there was nothing they could do but keep all of this a secret. Lola felt more alone than ever. She wished she had someone to talk to.

"These men were they… captured?", Kenna asked.

"No, they got away. So I will be staying here, under guard for a while, I cannot hear any talk of an heir. At all, not from you, not from anyone, not until I'm sure that any pregnancy, any child isn't…", the last bit of her sentence remained unspoken, but Lola understood what Mary had meant to say.

"Of course, we'll make sure no one asks"

"I'm not ashamed of what happened to me. This was an act of hatred against the monarchy, which is why no one can ever know", Mary announced in a strong, determined voice. Lola could see that this was affecting her, how couldn't it? But she was trying to be strong. She was being a Queen, and Lola admired her courage.

"Mary, right now we don't care about the monarchy, we're your friends, we care about you", Lola said with tears in her eyes. Despite Mary's courage, Lola felt horrible for what had happened to her. Especially when she remembered what Stéphane had told her this morning… that this might have been his doing. She didn't know how she was supposed to feel about this situation. "What can we do?"

"Francis will make this right. He will find those men, he will slay them and it will be over" Lola knew that Mary would never be able to forgive those men for what they had done to her. And this was understandable. What she needed the most now was friends. And Lola would be a good friend!

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Lola spent the afternoon with Kenna and Greer, discussing what had happened and how they should go about helping Mary. They talked for a long time, but Lola didn't mention what had happened to her once, and she didn't mention that her husband had fled, either. She knew that she would have to deal with this alone. When they had finished discussing the matter, Lola had returned to her chambers and finished reading the diary. Nothing really exciting happened in the last few pages, for the former Lady Narcisse had stopped writing soon after her son's birth. Lola felt jealousy rise in her towards this woman, who had shared a child with Lord Narcisse, while Lola had to live apart from him for God knew how long. And what if someone recognized him and killed him? The people knew him, they knew him to be against the Protestants. He might be a talented sword fighter, but if 20 people attacked him at night, he wouldn't stand a chance, no matter how skilful he was.

Lola felt lonely. She held John-Philip close to her heart, which gave her some kind of comfort. He would never judge her, no matter her choices. She was his mother, she was the woman who had loved him since the first moment she had laid eyes on him. Her perfect little child. He was too young to understand that one day, if Mary and Francis failed to provide an heir, he might become King of France. Francis had legitimized him by christening him. Lola wished that such a weight wouldn't rest upon her son's shoulders. He was just a babe. A babe, predestined to be King. This excluded everything else from his life. What if John-Philip had wanted to become a scholar? Or a merchant? All of this was out of reach, for he was the future King of France. This made Lola's heart ache.

Hours after she had put John-Philip to bed, Lola heard a soft knock on her bedroom door. She wondered if her husband had returned much earlier than planned, or if he had decided to apologize to the King and face the consequences of his acts. But deep inside, Lola knew that it couldn't possibly be Narcisse. She sighed and opened the door, only to find Francis standing on her door step, followed by two bulky guards. Lola looked at him incredulously. Why was he visiting her at this time of the night?

"King Francis, what is the…"

"We found your husband hiding in one of his properties. He was planning on running away like a thief. Do you know any of this?" Lola shook her head reflexively, knowing that her husband wouldn't have wanted her to get herself into trouble because of him.

"No I haven't seen him all day and I was waiting for him. Where is he now?"

"In the dungeons", Francis announced coldly, making Lola's heart skip a beat in her chest. How had they found him? Had someone turned him in? Had a villager reported to the guards stationed in town, who had then arrested Narcisse?

"In the dungeons? What is he being accused of?" Francis gave Lola a look that said she knew exactly what her husband was being accused of, and that she was lucky not to be considered his accomplice.

"May I see him in that case?"

"No! We want to isolate him as much as we can", Francis explained, "you will not see your husband until I say so. If I find you lurking in the dungeons despite my order not to go see Lord Narcisse, you will be punished, too. Is this understood?" Lola nodded, holding back her tears. Francis left without a word. Lola closed the door behind him and thought the King to be very naïve if he believed that she would follow his orders. Lola only followed Mary's orders anyway.