Chapter 14
For a moment, Danielle just closed her eyes and relaxed into his embrace – there was something so familiar about it. Then the absurdity of the situation struck her and she pulled away, appalled at their behaviour. What would her father say of her? Kissing a stranger in broad daylight! She closed her eyes and turned away, cheeks flaming in shame.
"Danielle … Danielle …" The man's strangely hoarse voice resonated in her ear. He placed a hand on her shoulder, which she angrily shrugged off.
"I don't know what sort of man you are, taking advantage of innocent girls on the stre– " She broke off suddenly, realising something. He had said her name. He knew her name. He repeated it again, as if reading her thoughts.
"Danielle…"
She turned slowly, hope in her throat. It couldn't be … it couldn't be … she was a fool to hope …
But there he was, a look of profound amazement on his face… and his eyes… hope.
"Danielle." He repeated once more.
"Henry." She replied, freeing the word to the wind.
And then they were laughing and embracing and it was as though the past weeks had not happened. Danielle was the first to pull back.
"Marguerite?" Danielle asked, a slight frown on her face. Henry shook his head.
"No."
How strange that it only took one word to set them both free.
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"MOTHERRR!" Marguerite screeched as she ran into the room. Baroness De Ghent looked up as her daughter came pounding into the room, hair askew.
"What is it?" The woman asked impatiently. "It's not straight, girl!" She snapped at the timid girl doing her hair. The girl bobbed a small curtsey and undid the frippery hairstyle. Marguerite watched in slight interest for a moment, then remembered her errand.
"We have to go to the castle now! Henry is going to ask me to marry him!" She squealed shrilly. The servant girl flinched, but fortunately, she was out of Marguerite's line of vision. Rodmilla looked up placidly at her daughter.
"Your mother is a genius, is she not?" She proclaimed smugly. Marguerite hesitated for a moment, before nodding.
"Yes, Mother, thank you!" She paused again. "Although I'm sure Henry would have fallen for my charms without your help."
"Insolent girl!" Rodmilla snapped. "Was it not I who maneuvered that wretch – Danielle – out of the way?"
"He would have come to his senses – he never truly loved her. He only loved me…" Marguerite fussed, as she flitted around her mother's dressing table, applying creams to her face. Rodmilla bit her lip for a moment, recalling an image of Henry's besotted face at the masquerade as he pulled Danielle down the aisle.
"Mere infatuation!" She muttered, banishing the image.
"What was that, Mother?" Marguerite asked disinterestedly.
"Nothing … nothing…" Rodmilla murmured.
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"How are you feeling?" Henry asked Danielle as they stood outside a little door that led to the throne room. Danielle took a deep breath.
"I'm fine." She smiled. "Just rather nervous."
Henry wrapped his arms around her. It felt so good just to have her with him after all the confusion of the past weeks. Danielle inhaled.
"Have you seen Rafe and the gypsies?" She asked softly, looking up at him. Henry nodded, placing a soft kiss on her head.
"I did."
"Good." They remained like that for a moment, then Danielle pulled away. She clasped his hand.
"You should go."
Henry nodded.
"I love you." He whispered in such a soft voice that she wasn't sure if she had imagined it. Then, with a quick bow and nod, he walked through the door to the throne room.
Danielle leant against the wall, listening to the voices of Rodmilla and Marguerite as they minced and flirted with Henry. They had been her family … her pathetic excuse for a family … yet, still her family.
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"…unless, by some miracle, someone will speak for you."
Rodmilla looked around, panicked. No one stood … her eyes raked over each person, and they glanced away as though she was diseased. She turned back to the king.
"There seem to be quite a few people out of town." She smiled, but her eyes were lit with fear.
"I will speak for her." A new, yet familiar voice spoke out. At last! Someone with sense! Rodmilla turned around to see … Danielle in all her glory. "She is, after all, my stepmother."
"Marguerite…" Henry smiled at the blonde girl. "I don't believe you've met … my wife."
Rodmilla glanced around at her daughter who looked fit to burst. But Danielle was speaking again.
"I want you to know that I will forget you after this moment and never think of you again. But you, I am quite certain, will think of me every single day of your life."
"How long may that be?" Rodmilla asked dryly, in an attempt to regain her composure.
"All I ask, your Majesties… is that you show her the same courtesy that she has bestowed upon me."
Rodmilla's eyes dilated in horror, as she realized the true meaning of the girl's words. Insolent child; ungrateful wretch! How could she do this to her …
Danielle watched the two being dragged away. She closed her eyes and with them said farewell to the last pang of regret. She bowed to the king and queen and exited out through a side door.
"But what of Le Pieu, Henry?" The king asked his son. Henry pursed his lips.
"Oh, let him be shipped to the Americas." Henry said dismissively, waving his hand and exiting after his wife.
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"… you, sir, are supposed to be charming!"
"And we, princess, are supposed to live happily ever after!"
"Says who?"
"I don't know!"
And while Cinderella and her prince did live happily ever after, the point, gentlemen, is that they did live.
The EndA/N: THANK YOU TO ALL MY LOVELY REVIEWERS FOR EVERY SINGLE REVIEW THAT YOU'VE EVER LEFT ON THIS STORY. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU – THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK I'LL REVISE THIS SOME TIME LATER – SOME OF THE EARLIER CHAPTERS ARE REALLY IFFY AND SHORT. WHY AM I WRITING IN CAPS LOCK? BECAUSE IT'S SO SAD THAT THIS IS OVER!
I LOVE YOU ALL.
S.A.R.D.