Title: Forever Yours
Author: rooster dawn
Pairing: see below
Alternative Universe
Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended. Ever After is the property of Twentieth Century Productions, no copyright infringement intended.
Summary: This story is loosely based on the movie "Ever After"
Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness.
Author's note: In the movie the time period covers five days between the time Prince Henry meets Danielle and the Masque Ball. I have tried to stretch out the story to almost two weeks to give them more time to get to know each other better. Besides I think it would be hard for two people from different stations of life to see each other every day and fall in love.
part 7 Closer and Closer
de Ghent manor
Twenty minutes later she came out of the house to see the prince riding up to the front door. She was surprised to see the royal carriage arriving right behind him.
She had found one of Jordan's dress to wear. It was one that Jordan wouldn't miss. She didn't like the color and hadn't worn it in a long time.
"Your highness, what a pleasant surprise." Sarah said with a smile. Why did he have to look so good? She began to dream about how it would feel to be held in his strong arms.
"Nicole, do you not attend church?" the prince asked.
"My faith is better serve away from the velvet crowd." she replied knowing she would be found out if she attended. Surely the Baroness would have something to say. Besides she wanted to be alone today.
"Yes, I'm afraid that my father's edict has caused quite a phenomenon." he sighed.
Sarah laughed at his discomfort. To have so many beautiful young ladies vying for his affections, poor baby. Why did she find this so amusing? Maybe because while everyone was vying for his attention, she had it.
"Which is why I'm bound for the monastery. The Franciscans have a wonderful library. I was going to go with Senor da Vinci, but he's no where to be found.
I thought that since you're so fond of reading, perhaps you would like to join me. It is a pleasant ride on a beautiful sunny day." he asked almost pleading. He gave her a smile that was hard to resist.
"T'is not fair your highness, you have found my weakness, but I have yet to find yours." she replied a little embarrass that he knew her so well.
"I would think it was quite obvious." smiled Henry.
The look and the way he said it made Sarah blush and caused her to catch her breath as she began to realized that she was his weakness or was she his number one desire. She really didn't know how to deal with his compliment.
She never had the attention of boyfriend or man before. She didn't know how things were done or how she was supposed to feel. But however she was suppose to feel, right now she was feeling pretty good, wonderful in fact.
The prince wanted her company, not Jordan's. Henry gave his horse to his squire and dismissed him. He was going to ride with the lovely Nicole in the coach. His day had suddenly gotten much brighter.
"And please, call me Henry." smiled the prince.
Meanwhile outside the church, Renee's stooge came running up to her with some news. It seemed that the prince had left the castle very early this morning and hadn't returned. He was not in church.
Before he left he gives Renee a small wrapped package. Renee looked at it and understood. She then cursed the fact that the prince wasn't going to be in church. Another opportunity lost for Jordan.
Why wasn't the prince here? Didn't he care about going to church? Was he seeing someone else instead of going to church? Was he with the Comtesse or another woman? She needed to find out, but how?
1130 hours
Franciscan Monastery
Henry and Sarah walked around for an hour as Henry gave her a tour of the library. It had over a thousand books, many of which, Sarah had never dreamt of reading. She was overwhelmed by the experience. And best of all she was there with Henry.
"It makes me want to cry." she wailed softly. She could picture the library as the perfect place to spend the rest of her life.
"Pick one." said Henry. He was interested in what she would choose to read.
"I could no sooner pick a favorite star in the heavens." replied Sarah happily. It felt like heaven to her.
"What is it that touches you so?" Henry asked her. He was totally amazed at her demeanor. He couldn't imagine wanting to be in any one place, though he could imagine being with her all the time.
"I guess it was when I was young my father would sit with me and read all night. He was addicted to the written word. I would fall asleep listening to the sound of his voice." she explained sighing sadly.
"What sort of books did he read to you?" he questioned.
"All kinds, Science, Philosophy, and literature. I guess they remind me of him. He died when I was eight." she said with a sad smiled. "Utopia was the last book he brought home with him."
"That explains why you quote it so often." replied Henry with reverence.
"I would rather hear his voice again than any other sound in the world." said Sarah. It was her deepest and most desired secret. Though she was beginning to relished the sound of Henry's voice.
Henry began to feel melancholy. He walked slowly down the stairs. He never felt that strongly about anything or any event in his life. There wasn't a moment in his life he wished to relive or remember.
"Is there something wrong Henry? Did I say something to offend you?" she asked with concern as he turned to face her. She was worried. It was unlike him to be despondent.
"In all my years of study, not one tutor has demonstrated to me the passion that you've shown me over last few days. You have more conviction in one memory than I have I my entire existence." he explained to her.
Sarah paused for a moment before replying. She was trying to understand what he was trying to say. She was beginning to realize the impact she was having on the prince. He was changing.
He was reflecting about how little he had done with his life. It appeared to her that he was trying to figure out what he wanted to do for the rest of his life that would make it more meaningful.
"Henry, if there is anything I've said or done ... " said Sarah looking to apologize before he interrupted her.
"Please, don't! It's not you." interrupted Henry. Sarah became sad as she saw the despair in his eyes, the tone of his voice, and the way his body slump without energy.
the church
Renee realized that one couldn't count on the prince to be at any given place at any given time. One day he was where he was supposed to be, the next ... no one knew where he had gone off to. He was an anxious soul looking for a place to rest.
Time and opportunities were running out and she had to make sure Jordan was in his sight and in his mind whenever possible. If there was any other competition for his attention, it had to be eliminated.
She had to find a way for Jordan to spend more time with the prince. The best way it seemed would have to be through the queen. Fortunately her stooge had gotten her the perfect prop.
Queen Anna was in her carriage waiting to leave. It was now or never. Renee nudged Jordan to approach the queen with the lost item. She hoped the queen would show the appropriate appreciation.
"Your majesty ... you dropped this on your way out of the church." Jordan informed the queen as she held out the necklace.
"My goodness, I don't even remember putting it on today. Thank you for returning it to me." replied the queen.
She turned to ask someone in the coach who the young lady was. They informed her the young lady was Jordan de Ghent.
"We shall have a chat. You shall bring your mother with you. I'll send a carriage for you in a couple of days." commanded the queen.
"As you wish your majesty." replied Jordan as she bowed.
She rushed back to her mother to give her the good news. Renee was quite please. They had gotten a private audience with the queen. Now it was time to come up with a strategy to get closer to the queen and the prince.
1400 hours
on the road home
Henry and Nicole were conversing about the library on the ride home. Sarah was still radiating from the experience. The happiness in her face brought Henry out of his morose. She was excitedly chirping away.
All of the sudden they felt the carriage hit something and a wheel becoming unstable. It was wobbling badly. Then the carriage tilted when the wheel fell off causing Sarah to end up into Henry's lap.
They shared a smile and a look of desire before Henry helped her up so they could exit the carriage. Henry was disappointed when he was told there wasn't anything that could be done. The coachmen told him they were heading back to the monastery.
"Well, this totally embarrassing. You would think the carriage of the royal family would be in excellent shape and well maintain." moaned Henry. "And if it should fall apart, you would think it would be able to be repaired."
Sarah knew that going back to the monastery at this late time wasn't really an option. She knew she needed to get back home. If she were late the Baroness would have a hissy fit. She wouldn't hear the end of it. Nor would she be able to explain where she had been and with whom.
Nicole took off down the road and announced to one and all "And we shall continued on foot." She knew Henry would follow her. She knew he wanted to be with her and would do almost anything to do so.
That wasn't exactly the idea that Henry had in mind. He never walked anywhere. It's why God created horses. It wasn't what the nobility did.
He whined "It's a half a day's walk back."
But the thought of being alone with Nicole had its merits. He loved being with her. She was so honest and direct. He loved the passion she felt whenever she talked about something she cared about.
"Honestly Henry, where is your sense of adventure?" she challenged him. She gave him a big smile and kept on walking. Henry was hooked, he couldn't say no.
"Well when you put it that way, I guess I should go with you." he replied as he ran after her. This had been the longest they had spent any time together.
Now his time with her would be extended to almost the rest of the day. Life couldn't be any better, well it could if he didn't have to walk. But then again he was with her.
de Ghent manor
Meanwhile Renee and Jordan arrived back at the manor. Renee was still upset that the prince wasn't in church. She was disappointed that Jordan wasn't able to spend more time with him and curry his favor.
"We can't be too comfortable Jordan. The prince wasn't at church today. We need to find out why. We need to find out if he was with anyone else." declared Renee as she left the carriage.
"Jordan gets to do everything." whined Henrietta. She was upset that she wouldn't be able to go to lunch with the queen. It seemed to her that her mother was neglecting her almost as much as Sarah.
"Oh don't be daft Henrietta, the queen doesn't even know that you exist." chuckled Jordan. Henrietta could be such a twit at times.
"What Jordan does is for all of us Henrietta. I'm counting on you to help Jordan get ready." Renee assured Henrietta.
"Great! Next thing you know I'll being cleaning out the fireplace with Sarah." whined Henrietta.
"By the way where is she? Where is Sarah?" asked Renee a little annoyed that she wasn't there to greet them. "She should be home by now. I told her when we would be returning."
"Probably catching rabbits with her teeth." laughed Jordan.
"She better show up soon. She needs to help get dinner ready." moaned a disgruntle Renee.
She wondered what was going on with Sarah. She had been taking off all week to God knows where. She was always late in getting back. Something was up, but what? It better not be a boy she thought. They were nothing but trouble.
In the Royal forest
Henry and Sarah had been walking for a couple of hours when they found themselves in the dense forest. Nothing looked familiar to Henry. How difficult could it have been to walk back. All they had to do was followed the carriage road back.
Somehow though they must have taken the wrong fork in the road. He figured it had to be something about being on foot and being distracted by Nicole. He had been on autopilot since they started walking.
If he was on horseback he could ride along quickly to see if he saw something that looked familiar. But traveling on foot it took much longer to figure out if one was going the right way or not.
After they both agreed that they were lost, Sarah decided she would climb a tall tree to see if she could see the castle. Henry didn't want her to, but he wasn't too keen about heights.
Sarah removed her gown, pulled up her undergarments and tied them so she could climb the tree. It took a few minutes before she reached the top.
"Be careful Nicole, I don't want you to fall." Henry called out as she climbed.
"Don't worry your highness, I grew up climbing trees. I was the best tree climber in the province." she yelled down to him.
"You would think I would know the way back to my own castle." cursed Henry, who was angry with himself at his own ineptitude.
"Why is it that men never stop and ask for direction. Ah, there it is. It's back that way." she cried out pointing in the direction of the castle.
"I still can't believe that I'm down here and you're up there, in your undergarments no less." he whined.
"I couldn't very well climb up here with that gown on could I. Besides, where would we be if you broke your royal neck?" she laughed.
"You swim alone, climb rocks, climb trees, and rescue servants. Is there anything you don't do?" he asked in amazement.
"Fly!" she cried out raising her arm. It was the one thing in the world she wished she could do.
"Now turn around so that I might climb down this tree." she demanded.
Henry was surprised when he turned around to see the gypsy he had chased the other day now standing in front of him. He wondered how they were able to sneak up on him. He hadn't heard a sound.
Then again, he had once again been distracted by Nicole. The gypsy threw a punch knocking him down. Henry was up quickly and engaged him in a duel. While they were fighting the leader of the gypsies came over to where Sarah's gown was lying on the ground and picked it up.
"My wife thanks you for this fine gown Mademoiselle." he yelled up to Nicole.
"You will give me my dress Sir." she ordered.
The gypsy leader ignored her as he watched the fight. Nicole quickly made her way down the tree and jumped onto the leader. Unfortunately she dropped from too high a height and she wasn't able to hang on to the leader.
One of the other gypsies grabbed her from behind and held on to her. Henry beat the gypsy he was dueling, but gave up when he saw that Nicole was being held.
"Let her go, your quarrel is with me." demanded Henry in resignation.
Seeing that he was in the position of control the gypsy leader looked around before commanding "Let her go."
Sarah wrestled away from her captor. She was not going to leave without her dress and the prince. She decided to take back some control of the situation.
"I insist that you return my things at once and since you have deprived me of my escort, I demand that you give me a horse as well." ordered Sarah with the authority of a queen.
Henry was stunned at her intestinal fortitude. The gypsy leader was equally surprised by her spunk as well. He decided to give in a little, but not to let her have what she really wanted, the prince.
"Me lady, you can have anything that you can carry." he replied with a hearty laughed. He thought she would take her dress and scamper off.
"So you think you can out fox me huh. I'll show you who really is the smart one here." she said to herself.
"May I have your word on that Sir?" Nicole asked the gypsy looking for confirmation, daring him to change his mind.
'My word', thought the gypsy leader, who would ever consider taking the word of a gypsy. But he was feeling good about himself. He had the gown and the prince. So why not let the little lady have whatever she wanted.
"My honor as a gypsy, you can have anything that you can carry." he replied grinning.
She had him now. She'll show them what being smart was all about. She would show them who the real fools were. She took her gown back from him and walked over to Henry. Stooped down a little and pulled Henry down so that he was draped over her shoulders.
She straightened her legs as much as possible under his weight and proceeded to walk down the trail with him draped across her shoulders. Everyone was stunned. The leader had realized that he had been had.
He knew he had met his match. He realized how much the prince must mean to the little lady. He laughed at her gall.
"Stop! Please come back! You can have a horse!" he yelled to her retreating form. He joined in the laughter of his men for they realized the prince was a kept man.