Chapter 6
“I need your help, Marie,� Nicole said, pushing the door open. “The Prince has written back. He’s talking about some kind of well in Avignon.�
“The well?� Marie said looking up from her book. Just then, she closed it. She hadn’t been reading it anyway. “Let me look at it, please,� she said, holding out her hand.
Nicole shook her head. “No, Marie, you began this, you must end it. Besides, the first two were answered in my handwriting and I must continue to do the same.�
She changed the subject.
“Just tell me about the well.�
Marie laughed. “The community well that the Prince almost fell into when he was eight years of age?�
“Fell into?�
Marie shook her had. “I said almost, Nicole. You see, Francis was a little imp and used to get into lots of trouble. In this instance, he was given hell for running around like a commoner in the middle of the street.�
“Well,� Nicole asked, “What happened?�
Marie shook her head and tried not to laugh.
“He was leaning over the side calling into it listening for his echo. A bunch of us children did that, including me. We had no idea it was the Prince until one the Guards came to fetch him.�
Nicole smiled. “Come on, the courier’s waiting to deliver this message to the King.�
Marie nodded. “Just write what I told you and come back here. I need to talk to you.�
~~~~~~~
“You sent for me, milord?� Captain Auguste asked as he leaned on one knee, his hand over his heart.
Prince Francis looked at him strangely and with a little grin. “What’s with the formalities, all of a sudden, CAPTAIN?� Francis said, smiling. “Besides, I need to speak with you on an urgent matter.�
Auguste sat in one of the corner chairs. This was a chair with four legs, but made in an odd way, a sort of triangle shape. It was made for soldiers so that when they carried a sword, they wouldn’t have to remove it from their belt.
“URGENT?� Auguste said, smiling, “Francis, what could possibly be so “urgent?�
Francis smiled. “Well, for one thing, I need a favor from you. I need you to do a little spying, if you know what I mean?�
Auguste narrowed his brows. “What are you talking about?�
“Marie and Nicole, that’s what I am talking about.�