Part 26
Charles and Jacqueline stayed for lunch. Everything seemed as if was returning to the way that things should be. Well, everything except the fact that Francis was still recovering from his stroke. Whenever he was awake, he had visitors. The doctors were optimistic and so was everyone else.
Jacqueline and Charles were telling a story about how Charles once got lost in the woods overnight, and how Jacqueline, pregnant and all, had to find him. She had found him immediately, but simple watched him from a far to see how long it would take him to realize that his property was only a quarter of mile away. Turns out, it took him till lunchtime the next day. Henry had to make fun of Charles, and Charles took the abuse well.
A guard interrupted their conversation. “I beg your pardon for interrupting your meal, but there is someone here for Mademoiselle Valois.” The guard stepped aside to reveal Antoine.
Immediately, Danielle was up. She went straight towards him and gave him a hug. “I was not expecting to see you here so soon.”
He smiled at her. “Well, my sister would not let me wait. She said that she needed to have a firm talk with you for not saying goodbye to her before you left. I must warn you she is very angry with you.”
Danielle lets go of Antoine and looks behind him to see Anne. She embraces her. “Anne, I was not expecting you to come. This is a welcomed surprise.”
“How could I stay away? Once my brother told me that he was coming to deliver your belonging, I knew that I would have to come and see you. When my brother told me of your trouble, I could only wish you the best. How is he doing?”
Charles cleared his throat in the background. Danielle turned around to look at him. “Where are my manners? Let me introduce you to the Marquis de Limoges and his wife Jacqueline, his Royal Highness Prince Henry, and her Royal Majesty Queen Marie. This is Sir Antoine de Vermadios, future count of Vermadois, and his sister Lady Anne de Vermadois. Why don’t you join us for lunch? I am sure you are famished from your journey.”
Anne smiled. “It would be our pleasure.” Her eyes glanced around the room. “It is a honor to meet all of you. I have heard so much about you from Danielle.” Anne whispers to Danielle, “You are right, your brother is handsome.” Danielle blushes at this comment.
As soon as they were seated, Danielle began to talk. “Charles you are not the only one who can be played easily by a woman. I was able to show Antoine a few things thanks to Henry’s training. When I met him, he thought that men were better than women. I proved him wrong in a ten-minute period. He challenged me to a sword fight.”
Henry laughed. “I feel for you Sir Vermadios. Sometimes I have trouble beating her, but I always do.”
Jacqueline glared at Henry, “I would not say that. I think that she has beaten you a handful of times. Besides, you have a little bit of an advantage over her. You have to practice fighting an hour a day while Danielle is not aloud to practice. If she had the time to practice that you did, she would beat you with ease.”
Anne smiles at Jacqueline. “It is a good thing to know that Danielle and I are not fighting alone in the never ending fight against men. I personally tried to prove it to my brother that I was his equal, but it took outside help in order for me to achieve the necessary affect.”
All of them got along quiet nicely. It was surprising how much everyone had in common. Even Henry got a long with the new people. In fact, he really like Antoine, which only made him feel worse about the whole situation.
The new comers were invited to stay in the palace. They took them up on that offer, and went to get some rest in their rooms. Charles and Jacqueline had to return home because Nicole was getting fussy. Marie, who now had newfound love for Francis, returned to his bedside. This left Henry and Danielle alone.
“I here that you are constructing a University where anyone can study.”
“Indeed I am. It was a project inspired by you. The whole fact that you may have not been able to learn what you know now just because you were lower class got me to thinking. We are probably hindering some of our greatest thinkers from making themselves known just because they are not noble. France will be able to achieve so much more once everyone can learn.”
Danielle was sitting on the ground in the garden. There were a few flowers still in bloom, and she was using them to make a little crown. “When I heard about the idea, I was so proud of you. Of course, I could not show this to them because none of them knew who I use to be.”
“What was it like to live on your own?”
“It was scary and exciting all at once. It made me appreciate the simpler things in life. I use to never think much where everything that I owned came from. Now I know that it comes from the hard working hands of the people.” Danielle looks up at Henry who had now taken a seat on a bench by her, “You know that dress that Anne was wearing? I made it. Do you have any idea how gratifying it is to see something you created being enjoyed by others?”
“I hope that the University will have the same effect on me.” The sun was setting in front of their eyes. It was sign to them that the days were getting shorter, and soon the frigid weather of winter would be upon them. “Do you ever wonder what the future has in store for you? Or wonder where you will be in a year?”
“Everyone seems to be asking me that question recently. I have lived the hectic life of a Princess and I have lived busy life of a commoner. I think that may be it is time I settle down. I do not necessarily mean marriage, but if that is what the wind brings then I will take it.” Danielle had now finished her crown. She slides up onto the bench next to him. “It might not contain the most expensive gifts of nature, but it contains the most important ones.” Danielle places the crown on his head.
Henry inquires, “What gifts might those be?”
“Gifts that take time to grow and can not be bought in any store that I know of. Gifts such as trust, respect, friendship lo…” Danielle never finished her sentence.
Henry had gently turned her face to face his with his index finger. Their eyes locked on each other, and Henry slowly let the distance between the shrink. His eyes slowly closed as he went in for the ultimate prize. Henry felt his whole body tingle as his lips grazed over Danielle’s lips. Suddenly, he had an attack of the conscious. He pulled away, “Danielle, I did not mean to…”
This time Henry was unable to finish. Danielle’s lips had now met his. She was enjoying the same tingling that Henry was. Everything suddenly felt right to Danielle. She knew that tonight when she was lying in bed this whole interlude would keep her awake, but now she did not care. She was too busy enjoying sensations that she had never felt before and exploring for more.
Henry slowly moved away from her mouth. As much as he would like to investigate that some more, he was curious about more than that. He moved down to her neck and her scent filled his nostrils. She smelled like roses that had just started to bloom in the spring.
In these moments, Danielle realized that they were sitting out in the middle of the Royal Gardens. They were concealed from the world but not well enough. She gently pulled away from Henry. “This is not the place for this. Someone could easily see us. Besides, I really should go to father. That is why I came home in the first place.” She stood up and looked down on Henry. He had a distraught look on his face. Danielle kissed two of her fingers and let them gently press against Henry’s. “Until we meet again.”