Blood Ties
Love Reincarnated
Part 8: Back in Time Pt 3
SPECIAL THANKS TO: D Culian and Violetembry4ever and superdani-your reviews kept this story going. I appreciate it and so do Henry and Jean-Rene
Part 8
Jean-Rene was shivering by the time Henry let her go. His face was flushed as he stepped back from her. He looked up at the sky; the sun was beginning to set lower. He had to take a few deep breaths to keep from grabbing her again. He wanted so much more than a kiss. He cast a sidelong glance at her; she was staring at the distant horizon; arms around herself as if cold.
Henry shrugged of his cloak and draped it over her shoulders. She grabbed his hand; her hands were cold. He put his arms around her; pressing his chest against her back. The lavender and roses scent of her filled his senses and he relaxed into her body.
"You should have said you were cold." He whispered.
"I did not know if you would care." She said gently, "Forgive me."
He kissed her hair, "Always." He looked out at the palace in the distance. "Come we should head back; they might send the guard after us."
She smiled softly, "Ah yes, they might."
Henry moved to help her up but she swung up on her own. He arched a brow as he watched her settle. He ended up chuckling to himself, "What else can you do under that dress of yours?"
She gave a soft laugh but said nothing to encourage him. Henry gathered the reins of both horses and led them toward the palace. "Your Grace, you should ride."
"No," Henry looked up at her; the darkening sky painted her in violet and navy blue; she was otherworldly in her beauty. "I cannot trust myself not to ravish you."
She smiled gently, "I see."
He shook his head, "I cannot seem to get enough of you; a single taste is but a spark in my soul for more."
"You could be a poet, Your Grace."
He was quiet for a few minutes, "I have never been poetic before; perhaps it is you that brings it out in me."
Jean-Rene sat back; surprised. That was a very honest and telling statement. Somewhere in her mind she understood what it meant. But on the surface she could only hear her father's words.
"Henry, you must know something." She did not want to say this but there was no choice. "I was brought here for your father."
Henry paused; he turned and looked up at her his blue eyes were dark in the deepening evening. "You were?"
She nodded, "That is why my father sent for me." She felt tears in her eyes; she had never cried over a man before; it hurt and she was shaking from the intensity of it all. "I am sorry."
Henry turned and they went back to the castle. Neither of them spoke again; Jean-Rene could not bring herself to stop weeping. Henry had been right about people worrying. William and Charles were about to mount horses to come search for them. Charles swung off his horse and rushed toward Henry.
Henry stepped around the man as he handed the reins to a stable hand.
"Thank god, Henry! Where have you been?" Charles chattered as he followed Henry up the path. "Your father was about to send out a search party."
"My father," Henry's voice was rough.
Jean-Rene stayed seated as she watched him walk further and further away. He paused and finally looked back; the expression in her eyes shattered her heart and she cried harder. William reached out to her; she crumbled into his arms and sank to the ground. William knelt beside her; she was wrapped in Henry's cloak; he put his arms around his sister and held her as she wept from her soul.
"Jeanne, what happened? Did he force you?" William gently smoothed her hair back from her wet face.
She shook her head; not able to speak through the tears. He had never seen a woman cry so hard. There was only one reason a woman cried this way. The idea made William go cold and he ended up sitting beside her as she cuddled his body.
"You love him."
"I am sorry." She whispered, "I don't know how it happened."
William sighed, "He's Henry." As if that was the answer to all things. "Does he care about you?"
"I don't know; but I think so." She buried her face in his doublet; not caring if she ruined it. "My heart is broken and it hurts."
"Yes, it does." He hated Henry at that moment; hated the future king with all his being. "I am sorry you have to feel it."
"It's like my soul has died."
William knew the feeling and cursed the brat prince for having done this to her. "Come, we should get you inside." He stood and carefully lifted her in his arms. She was calm by the time they got to the house.
Her servants prepared a hot bath, while William settled her on the bed. He made her look at him; he paused, "Jeanne, your eyes."
"What about them?"
"They are brown."
She touched her face; "I don't feel any different."
William recalled a story his grandfather had told him once. Their grandmother had once had blue eyes; but upon receiving word that her sons had died in battle; she had wept from her soul for days. Since then her eyes had been brown. Their grandfather had said it was a sign of a broken soul.
"Never mind that now," He kissed her cheek and stood up, "I will have dinner brought to you. Rest for now."
William stepped out of the door and closed it. He leaned on it for a moment; battling the emotions in him. Part of him wanted to beat Henry into a bloody mess; the other half wanted to take her pain away. Neither of which he could do.
Instead he turned and walked away; it was all he could do.
**
The following afternoon he sat in Henry's apartments while Charles spoke of the impending French envoy. Henry hadn't said much; he just sat and glared into space; snarling at any one who touched him. William still hadn't reconciled his anger toward the prince for his treatment of Jeanne.
"So what do you think, Henry? Hmm? Drinking, parties, dancing, French women? Charles did his best to give the prince enthusiasm. Henry just glared at an invisible spot on the wall.
"What has gotten you in such a foul mood?"Charles slapped his shoulder. That was his mistake. Henry sprang from his chair like a leopard and threw Charles into a wall. Furniture scattered as Henry raged and threw things; he grabbed his sword and struck blindly; screaming wordlessly as he destroyed everything he could.
Charles managed to crawl out of the path of destruction. "He's gone mad."
Henry tore the silk wall hangings to shreds; overturned his desk and slashed through his bed. Feather flew into the air as he threw a fist into the bed post. The wood didn't give and brought the prince to his knees.
William shoved everyone out of the room and locked the door. "Keep them out." He ordered.
Crossing to the prince he stared down at the man as he sucked in ragged breaths. William snatched the sword Henry had dropped and held it at his throat. "I should kill you for hurting her. I would be justified in it."
Henry looked at him through a curtain of dark curls. "Do it!" He screamed, "Do it!" He came to his feet and grabbed the blade with is both hands, "I would take death over this madness any day!"
William stared into Henry's' blue eyes and saw an emotion that had never existed before today. Henry kept his hold on the blade; William let it go and knocked it out of the prince's hands.
"You love her."
Henry screamed in defeat going to his knees; shoving his hands into his hair. "I don't know what that is." He threw his fists into the floor. The fur-rug cushioned it. "The thought of any man touching her-I want to kill them! She's mine! Mine!"
Henry lashed out at the last remaining furniture item; throwing it the side before huddling in on himself. William had never seen Henry so broken over anything before. He'd witnessed fits and tantrums from the Tudor heir before; but never this.
"Henry, she is my sister and I love her; I would kill any man who harms her." William knelt down in front of the man as he rocked back and forth. "She undoubtedly told you why she is here."
"My father,"
William nodded, "Trust, Jeanne to be honest to a fault."
"Jeanne?" Henry looked at him, his blue eyes rimmed red with unshed tears, "Why do you call her that?"
"It is the name my mother gave her; the one she wished her daughter to have. My father changed it to Jean-Rene, I don't know why. He never explains himself to me." William dared to touch the man's shoulder; he was shaking. "Listen to me, Henry. Listen very closely."
**
For the next two weeks; Henry did his best to stay informed of Jean-Rene's condition. She was seriously ill and refusing to leave her room for any reason. William was doing his best to keep Henry informed but it was proving a challenge.
With Jean-Rene ill; the great king was forced to look elsewhere for his needs. Much to their father's anger.
William ran through the corridors and halls; the words of his servant rang in his ears. If only he could fly. Instead he pushed himself to run faster; he took the stairs two at a time and saw the door leading to Jean-Rene's rooms. He threw himself against the doors; they opened. William saw his father and heard the weeping of his sister.
"Father, no. Stop!" William lunged at the man; throwing him the side and knocking the dagger from his hand. William didn't hold back as he threw several punches at his father. At his back he heard a man shout.
"William, that is enough!" Henry dragged him off and held the man as he sucked in ragged air.
William's father came to his feet; wiping blood from his lips. "So you are the reason my family is in chaos! You will not live to be king when I am through with you!"
Henry glared at him, "Guards!"
Two men came in with weapons out.
"Arrest him! He threatened the life of the king!" Henry moved William to a chair as his father was dragged away, screaming, William put his head in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. Henry rose and went to the bed. It was empty. Jean-Rene was trying to stand but her body was weak from the illness.
He put his arms around her and crushed her against him. "Forgive me."
She held him, "Henry."
"Shh, rest now." He lifted her into bed and sat beside her.
She stared up into his face; framed by dark curls he looked like a fallen angel. Her hands found his and they kept hold until she finally fell asleep. Henry leaned into kiss her cheek; but stopped short, remembering her brother in the room. Gently he left the bed and went to help William about the chair.
They walked quietly for a while, "This doesn't mean you joust any better." Henry reminded him.
William laughed, "Yes, Your Grace."
**
William had to admit he liked seeing this other side to the brat prince. He had never thought of the man as compassionate or caring. But each day that Henry came and spent his time with Jean-Rene made up for his past mistakes. For many days he would sit in her room and read to her or they would sit and talk when she was stronger.
When the doctor said it was okay; Henry was the first to take her on a walk through the gardens. William was always a few steps behind them. Charles had become scarce in his attentions to Henry and that suited both men just fine.
Henry paused in the walk; noticing the pale flush to her face. "Come, let's sit." He led her to a bench and helped her to settle before joining her. The gold gown she wore brought a touch of warmth to her pale face. Henry loved to watch her as she studied nature; he never found it fascinating but she did. Watching her smile at the sight of a bird or pause to listen to their song; made him that much more passionate about her. It took a gentle soul to enjoy the song of a bird.
The wind caught her hair and Henry caught the strands in his fingers; he tucked them behind her ear. Henry ached to kiss her; it had been so long since he had. He leaned in to kiss her cheek; but paused. He did not want to rush her; perhaps she was not well enough for such things.
He sat back; clenching his free hand into a fist to fight the growing desire in his body. He stood up and had to move a few paces away from her.
"Henry?" She looked up at him; he turned back and saw the quizzical look on her face. "What is it?"
He wanted to tell her; he wanted to show her. But instead he shook his head; looking away from her. Moments later her arms slid around his waist and she peeked around his left side. She was shorter them him so it made for a cute pose.
"You are distant today."
"I am sorry." He whispered, "Truly I am." He gently pulled around to the front and put his arms around her. He used one hand to brush back more strands of hair from her face.
"Talk to me, Henry. What is troubling you?"
"He tried to think of a how to put it without hurting her feelings. "I am in need of more than kisses, my love." He saw the look in her eyes; she understood what he meant. "I do not want to rush you; as you are still recovering. But that is what troubles me."
"I see." She looked away from him; taking a few steps back she hugged herself. "You have not indulged yourself while I have been ill."
"No." Henry glanced at William who stood a discreet distance away. "Your brother would try to take my head if I did that."
Jean-Rene smiled softly; it was a ghost of her old smile. "You could have anyone you want, Henry. You did not need to do this to yourself."
Henry quickly closed the gap between them; gently grabbing her arms and making him look at her. "I don't want anyone else. I cannot bear to look at anyone." He kissed her forehead, "Jean-Rene, you're all I want. I will wait as long as I must to have you."
She lifted her chin and looked at him, "Oh Henry."
He held her close; resting his cheek on her head; arms wrapped around her. "As long as it takes."