Chapter 7
“Danielle?”
Danielle sat in the corner, and cowered, she was expecting Maurice or Jacqueline to walk through the door, this is the last person that she expected or wanted to see. She turned her head away from him, too ashamed to look him directly in the face. “What are you doing here? Please go away.”
Henry looked at Danielle, and was absolutely shocked at what he saw. His beloved was in her undergarments, cowering in fear. She was dirty and had big red welts on her back. This was a side of Danielle that he’d never in a million years expected to see. She was always so strong, passionate, who would do such a thing to her?
In his most compassionate voice, he walked over to her and kneeled beside her, “No, my love. I will not go away. I will never go away. Do you understand me?” He reached out to touch her and she flinched.
Danielle just looked at him, “but…”
“No buts, Danielle.” He tenderly put his hand on her chin and forced her to look at him, “Danielle, you are the most caring person that I know and I know you are probably blaming yourself for this beating. Whatever happened, you didn’t deserve this.”
“But Sire, you don’t understand, I bribed a palace page to find out that you were at the lake with Leonardo that day. I schemed and lied to get your crown and this is god’s way of punishing me for my sins. They took it…and I’ll never get it back now.” Danielle said.
Henry looked at her, and gently caressed her face “Danielle…Don’t ever call me ‘Sire’ again. You are the love of my life and my future wife; you are to always call me Henry.”
She looked at him and tentatively smiled and said, “Henry.” Then she continued, “But what about my back? I’m disfigured now, and you know that I lied and schemed to get your crown. How can you possibly still love me?”
“Darling, I didn’t fall in love with your back, I fell in love with you, with your mind, your charm, your passion for life. Yes you schemed to get my crown, but I’ve known that all along. Since I had no way of tracking you down, I fed that page certain “privileged” information so that I knew we’d keep meeting by “chance”. I knew he was selling my whereabouts to all the courtiers and I deliberately misled them so that I could be left alone, but I gave him strict instructions to sell you the real information of my daily schedule. Just in case you were scheming to get me.”
He chuckled before continuing “As Leonardo once said, ‘fate can’t do everything, boy. Sometimes you need to give her a hand’. I knew from the moment that I met in you the courtyard that you were the one for me. I just had to find a way to make you see the same.”
He tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes “In the game of love and deception we take our chances with the outcome. When I first met you, I was arrogant, but you have opened my eyes to so much. You made me see life for its infinite possibilities. Every time you looked into my eyes, I knew the truth, that you loved me for me. No matter how good an ‘actress’ you may think you are; your eyes never disguised your heart’s intent.”
This was truly the most wonderful man in the world, she knew then and there that he would always be there for her, to hold her up when she felt down, and she would do the same for him. She leaned over and tentatively kissed him, only to be consumed by passion. He momentarily forgot what he was doing and wrapped his arms around her back, which caused her to scream out in agony.
“Da….Danielle, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
Through a river of tears, she smiled at him, and shakily grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed it tightly, through clenched teeth, “No, it is not your fault, Henry. I just got carried away, but what do we do now?”
“Danielle, we will do, what you should have done last night, you will return to the castle with me. We will have my personal Dr look at your back, and we will announce to the world tomorrow night at the masque that you, Danielle De Barbarac, are unlike any courtier in the world, and that you will be my wife.” He said as he tenderly kissed her.
“Henry, I cannot go to the castle, I have obligations here.” She said.
He was flabbergasted at her statement; he had to hold his anger in check, so he paused before he responded, “After what they did to you today? How could you possibly want to spend another night here?”
“I don’t want to stay another night here. And I’ve given up trying to convince them to love me as a daughter. I honestly do not know why I’ve been so stupid all these years, and how my papa could have been so foolish as to fall for someone like the Baroness. But they have the only possession of my mother that I had, and I need to find it before they ruin it.”
“What did they take Danielle?”
“They took my mother’s wedding dress. It’s why I was lashed today, something inside me just snapped when I saw Marguerite wearing it. I gave her a black eye, and broke her arm.” Henry’s mouth fell open and looked at her with a shocked expression; he made a mental note never to get her mad at him.
Danielle realized what she said, and looked at him sheepishly, before continuing, “I wanted to wear it on our wedding day, and I cannot sleep until I find it. I want them to pay for what they’ve done to me and to the other servants at the manor, you may think that I’m some sort of forgiving and compassionate saint – but I’m only human. I really want them to pay and pay dearly for what they’ve done. Unfortunately because of your laws, they have done nothing illegal, so I’ll have to settle for seeing their expression tomorrow night at the masque when it’s announced that I will become the next Princess and not Marguerite.”
“That’s all well and good my love. But, I’m just surprised to see such a vengeance streak come from you.” He smiled at her, “Just remind me never to make you mad at me. I won’t even ask how you could have broken Marguerite’s arm. After I saw what you did when the Gypsies attacked us, I’ll never question your ability to defend yourself. But I forbid you to stay here, Danielle. We will have your friends at the manor look for your dress and watch the baroness. I will not risk anything else happening to you.”
Danielle started to panic, truth be told, revenge wasn’t the only reason that she wanted to stay. She just didn’t want to become Princess, and couldn’t bear to face his parents. “But Henry, darling, wh…what about your parents?”
He smiled, “Well then…The truth comes out. You really don’t want to stay here to seek revenge. You are scared to meet my parents.”
She looked at him. “Yes. I’ll admit it; I’m petrified to meet your parents. How can I face them after all that I’ve done? Not only that, but your parents are the King and Queen, they will surely arrest me on sight when they hear what I did to Marguerite. Especially after the Baroness twists the story in their favor, and really no matter what the reason is, French Law forbids servants for attacking nobles.”
“Danielle, you don’t have to meet my parents tonight, but you will have to meet them before the masque. I’ll make a deal with you, I have a private little hideaway that no one but Captain Laurent knows about. He will take you there. While I go and talk to my mother about the situation, she will then convince my father that it is ok. Tomorrow afternoon, we will meet my parents in private, at which time; we will grant you a title. You did save my life after all, and a deed such as that cannot go unrewarded.”
Danielle threw her arms around him and kissed him passionately, “You are the most wonderful man alive! And you are all mine!” She said happily.
“Then I take it you approve of my idea.” He said with a grin.
She looked at him seductively, “only if a certain arrogant rogue, with no pride stays with me tonight?” She then said pleadingly, “Will you stay with me tonight? Please?”
He smiled, “Of course, I can think of nothing I’d like better.” He looked outside, “It’s mid afternoon, and the earlier I can get to my parents the better, and the quicker I’ll be able to return to you. So let’s get started.” He put some more ointment on her back, “are you able to move now?” He asked with concern in his voice.”
“Yes, I’m fine, I think I can manage”. She said, but when she stood up, she cried out in pain. Henry gently draped her arm around his should so that she can have some support. He then thought of something, “Danielle, how badly do you want revenge on your stepsisters and stepmother?”
Danielle looked at him, “Very Badly. But I only want Marguerite and The Baroness to suffer. Jacqueline has always been kind to me. Why?”
“Well, I have a plan that just might, make your coming out ceremony all the more sweeter tomorrow night.” He said with a devious grin on his face.
“If we hurry, I still may be able to catch them while, they are having tea with my mother.” He said.
Danielle wondered what he was planning, but was in too much pain to really focus at the moment. When they got towards the door of the cellar, Maurice came running down the stairs, “Danielle, you have to hide. The Queen’s Royal Guards are here to arrest you.”
“What?!?” Said a very angry Prince Henry.
Maurice was absolutely flabbergasted when he saw Prince Henry standing there. What was he doing at the manor and with his arm wrapped around Danielle?