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 14 wedding
1000 hours, day 16
de Ghent's manor
Henry and Sarah spent the rest of the day talking as they walked around the lake. They spent the night in Sarah's makeshift sleeping quarters. They ate breakfast the next morning before heading back home.
Sarah wondered what she was going to tell her stepmother. She hadn't exactly left the manor on a good note. How was she going to tell her that Henry had asked her to marry him and she had said yes?
Henry and Sarah walked back to the manor. When they got there they stop outside. Henry really didn't want to see the Baroness or Jordan. Sarah and Henry shared a kiss before Henry said goodbye and got on his horse to ride back to the castle.
"I love you Sarah. I'll be back later with a carriage to take you to the castle." smiled Henry
"I love you too Henry." replied Sarah.
Inside the manor the Baroness, Jordan, and Harriet were watching them from a upstairs window. The Baroness and Jordan were quite upset to see them kissing for it ended any chance that Jordan had of marrying the prince. Harriet was quite happy for Sarah.
She knew that it was a miracle that the Prince would fall in love with a commoner. That her sister Sarah would be that person was unbelievable considering that the first time they met, Sarah thought the prince was a horse thief and she pummeled him with apples and a few rocks.
"What's going to happen now Mother?" asked Jordan in a whiny voice.
"I don't know, but if I had to guess Cinderella is going to be marrying the prince. And if we're lucky the royal family won't send us to the Americas." replied Renee.
"But why? I didn't do anything." whined Jordan.
"Guilty by association my dear. Besides, you haven't been exactly nice to her recently. You did burn her favorite book, Utopia. You knew how much she treasured that book since it was the last one her father gave to her." replied Renee.
Sarah walked into the manor to see them standing by the window. She hoped that they wouldn't say anything to her. She just wanted to go to her room and wait for Henry to return for her. But that wasn't going to happen.
"I see Prince Henry found you." greeted Renee.
"Yes he did. We had a long talk and he apologized for his actions the other night. Though I'm not sure he has forgotten that you embarrassed him." replied Sarah.
"It was his own fault Sarah. He was the one to cause you to act out and behave badly. He's the one who had you running off without telling me where you were going. He's the one who kept you out all night.
You've always been a good girl who always did what she was told. I never had to worry about you getting into trouble. That is until you met him. He behaved very poorly and caused you to get into trouble." argued Renee.
"Aren't you the one who said he could have whatever he wanted? He wanted me. He went out of his way to find me." replied Sarah.
"That may be true, but there is a certain protocol that one is suppose to follow when one is courting. He should have spoken to me first. He is supposed to get permission from your guardian. I am your legal guardian." argued Renee.
"And what would you have said? No. I never expected him to fall in love with me. I never expected to see him again. All I wanted to do was get Uncle Tom back. He just happened by at that time and happened to like that I quoted Thomas Moore. It wasn't planned." replied Sarah.
"I don't know what I would have said. I do know he would have known that you were a servant from the start. It would have been up to him after that if he still wanted to court you.
I did try to prevent what happened the other night Sarah. I told the queen that you were gone. That should have ended what was between you. I even locked you up in the root cellar to keep you away from him.
As you know the nobility can be quite mean to commoners. I was trying to spare you from getting hurt Sarah. You did have two weeks with him. You did know it could have ended badly." explained Renee.
"Is he coming back?" asked Renee.
"Yes, but he has to talk to his mother first, then he's going to return with the carriage. When he does, you better be nice or don't be here." replied Sarah.
The Summer Castle
After making up with Sarah and spending the night with her, Henry went back to the castle to clean up and have a talk with his mother, the queen. He was so happy. Sarah had agreed to marry him.
The emotional roller coaster ride he had been on the last few days apparently was coming to an end. He had gone from being very happy after spending the day with Sarah at the monastery library and the night with the gypsies.
Then came the low of disappointment when his mother told him that Sarah had left to marry another. He was quite depress at that point. He thought his life was over. Then he saw her again. She looked so beautiful, just like an angel.
Once again he was very happy. He felt like he was in heaven with his angel, but it wasn't going to last. The Baroness, a woman he tried to stay away from, had to spoil his happiness, Sarah's happiness out of petty jealousy.
But for once he took charge of his own life, his own happiness. His father had told him he could choose anyone he wanted to marry if she made him happy. So she wasn't of noble blood. Sarah made him happy.
It was time for him to find his mother and tell her about Sarah. She had been right, he had behaved very badly. But he had corrected everything. He was going to marry her.
"Henry! You're home. Where have you been? You didn't come home last night." asked his mother.
"I went looking for Sarah. I needed to apologize to her. I had promised her everything one day and then destroyed her life the next." replied Henry.
"Did you find her Henry?" asked the queen.
"After awhile I did, but I had to deal with the Baroness first. She pretty much blamed me for what happened the other night. She told me Sarah had been a good girl until I came into her life.
I have to admit that I went to the Baroness house knowing she wouldn't be there. I went behind her back to ask Sarah to go with me to the monastery to view their library. It was my fault that we didn't return to the manor before dark.
I was responsible for her safety, but I failed miserably. I encouraged her to go against the wishes of her stepmother." sighed Henry.
"I suppose we should give her some credit. She did try to prevent what happen by telling me that she was leaving to marry a Belgium prince. It was a lie, but I think it was meant to not embarrass you or the royal family. You had after all fallen in love with a commoner." his mother agreed.
"She even locked Sarah up in the root cellar to keep her away from seeing me again." added Henry.
"It goes to show Henry how much she loved you. She risked everything to see you and try to explain to you who she really was." she smiled.
"I was a fool mother, but I have corrected the mistake I made. I asked her to marry me and she said yes." replied Henry with a smile.
"I'm happy for you Henry, do you want me to talk to your father for you?" asked his mother.
"No, I think I should tell him. If I'm old enough to make my own decisions, then I'm old enough to tell him what they are. I'm sure he is going to have a few questions that only I can answer." replied Henry dreading the talk.
de Ghent's manor
Later that day Henry returned to de Ghent manor to see Sarah. He had obtained the use of one of the carriages to take her back with him to the castle. If Sarah agreed, they would be married in a few days.
He was so happy. He didn't think anything could make him feel any different that is until he met up with the Baroness again. For some reason she wasn't going to take the prince's rejection of Jordan quietly.
Renee didn't understand why the prince would marry a commoner. Sarah was only a servant. Her social standing was so beneath the prince's social status. Why would he disgrace the royal family by marrying Sarah?
"Your highness, what a pleasant surprise to see you again today." greeted Renee. "Are you here to see Jordan?"
"Good afternoon Baroness, no I'm not, I'm here to see Sarah. Would you mind letting her know that I here." replied Henry.
"You've already done enough harm to her your highness. I can't let you hurt her again. It wouldn't be right." argued Renee.
Even though Henry doubted her sincerity, he had to admit he had hurt Sarah very badly in front of everyone at the Masque Ball. He had made her feel worthless.
"I assure you ma'am that will never happen again. If she will have me, we will be married." replied Henry.
"How can I be sure of that your highness. I promised her father when I married him that I would always take care of her and not allow any harm to fall upon her." replied Renee in a defiant manner.
"And you have done an excellent job for she is worthy of marrying a prince. Now please go inside and get her. My mother is not very happy with you right now. Don't make it worse." replied Henry.
Enough was enough. He had made his decision. He was marrying Sarah. Jordan was a beautiful girl, but he wasn't interested in her. He only wanted to be with Sarah at that moment. He didn't want to waste time arguing with the Baroness.
Ten minutes later Sarah came out of the house with her traveling bag containing her belongings. Henry took her traveling bag and gave it to one of the horsemen. He then leaned down and shared a tender kiss with Sarah.
Renee turned away at the sight while Jordan looked on with sadness that she wasn't the one sharing a kiss with Henry. She was disappointed that she wasn't going to be the one that the prince wanted as his wife.
She had thought that she had made a good impression with the prince given the few chances she had with him. Of course Sarah had spent a lot more time with the prince than she had. It made it harder for her to compete with Sarah for the prince's attention.
But she had to admit Sarah was a beautiful woman. She could see why the prince liked her. While she had tried to fit into the prince's world, Sarah had challenged the prince to create a new one for himself and her.
Sarah had challenged the prince to change his view of the world. Jordan on the other hand liked the world as it was. She sighed and walked away wondering what the rest of her life was going to be like.
Sarah and Henry rode back to the palace. They shared a few kisses along the way. Since Sarah wasn't of noble blood they decided to get married in a small private ceremony.
There was no reason to make it a large splendid affair when most of the people they would have invited had seen the humiliation of Sarah only a few nights before. There would be too many questions and not enough answers.
Renee was summoned to the palace a few days later by the Queen. She had a bone to pick with Renee. She wasn't too happy with Renee's action the night of the ball. She had humiliated her son and the royal family.
"You have a lot of explaining to do Baroness. Your behavior the other night was reprehensible. You disgraced the royal family." screeched the queen.
"I was only trying to protect the royal family you highness. Everything I have done this past week was done to protect the crown." retorted Renee wondering where this conversation was going. Just last week she had gotten along famously with the queen.
"How so?" asked the queen.
"When I realized that the prince was seeing my stepdaughter I told you she had left France to marry another. I then locked her in the root cellar to keep her from attending the ball, but someone let her out.
I felt I had to do something to protect the prince from marrying someone not of royal blood. I realize now that I should have waited to inform you at a more appropriate place and time in private." replied Renee.
"I accept your explanation Baroness, but unfortunately your actions aren't forgivable. You are to be strip of your title and be sent to the America. You will be given ten thousand francs.
As for your daughter Jordan, she will be given three months to find herself a husband. It shouldn't be too hard for her since she is quite beautiful. As for you other daughter Henrietta, she has agree to marry Captain Bud Laurent.
I'm sorry for taking this action Baroness, but you have left me no choice. I wish you well in your future endeavors." ordered Anna.
"Yes you majesty." replied a sullen Renee.
Later that day Henry and Sarah were married with Henrietta and Bud standing up for them.
The End