Salmanusha - by Michelle
Chapter 1
Danielle held onto Henry as though her very life depended on it. She never wanted to let him go. She loved the smell of his manly sent. She never felt such a mixture of wildly divergent emotions. After the day that they shared and the night that they just spent at the Gypsy Camp, and the kisses that they shared she knew that she was head over heals in love with this man. She sighed deeply, the knowledge that this relationship can never be, overwhelmed her, she buried head on his back and silently cried to herself.
When he woke this morning he had lost all hope of ever seeing her again, he'd asked all over the Kingdom for her whereabouts, to no avail. He was close to having the Royal Guard spend the entire day searching for her if need be. As Henry drove the horse ever forward towards the De Ghent residence, he had a huge grin on his face. He couldn't keep from grinning; this has been the most glorious day of his entire life. Fate truly was on his side he couldn't believe his luck this morning when he ran into that young painter gentlemen, who actually knew where the Comtesse lived, not only that but she was also home instead of at church.
This truly has been a glorious day and night for him. He was in love with a woman who loved him, Henry, not Prince Henry. He was drawn to her spectacular mouth at the Gypsy camp and couldn't help himself as he found himself kissing her. She was so timid at first, *I couldn't have been her first kiss, could I? Someone as beautiful and wonderful as his Nicole has surely had other suitors, before him.*
He loved the feel of her arms wrapped around him as he drove the horse. The little sighs of contentment that she would make, her breathing on the back of his neck, sent chills down his spine. She has opened up a whole new world of options for him. Before he met her, he always felt lost, unwanted, like a little boy seeking acceptance from those who would never give it to him, if he was not the Crowned Prince of France.
He heard her start to cry, and grew concerned. These certainly can't be tears of sadness. His heart was breaking this incredibly strong, sensitive woman was now crying. Should he ignore the tears? Should he stop the horse? He wasn't sure, but decided that he couldn't stand to see her cry, so he decided the best course of action would be to stop the horse. Besides it would give him a chance to spend even more time with her. He knew it was extremely late and would be morning soon, but he just didn't want to let her go.
Danielle was surprised that Henry had stopped the horse, she smiled, ever the gentlemen he helped her off the horse, and Danielle smiled at him, never wanting him to take his hands off her waste. "What's wrong, milord? Why did you stop the horse? I really need to get home."
"Nothing is wrong Nicole. I heard you crying and wanted to find out why." He said with concern on his face.
She looked at him with love in her eyes. He was positively glowing, he was the most wonderful man alive, she desperately wanted to tell him the truth, but didn't want to break his heart. "Nothing is wrong, it's just the opposite. I have never been happier in my life."
"Neither have I Comtesse, nothing could of prepared me for the emotions and thoughts that are going on in my head. Thank you for spending the day with me." He said as he leaned in and gave her a tender kiss.
Danielle, had no idea what she was thinking, she couldn't hold back anymore, this may be the last opportunity that she gets to show him how she feels about him, so she threw caution to the wind and kissed him with all the heart and soul that she could muster.
He was surprised when she responded by kissing him even more passionately. He could feel the passion that she had for him, in this one kiss. It took his breath away.
After a few more minutes of sharing passionate kisses, they reluctantly climbed back on the horse that the Gypsies loaned them and headed back towards the De Ghent Manor. This time when Henry heard the Nicole sigh and then start sobbing, he smiled, because he knew that these were sobs of happiness. He also sighed, he knew, knew, that this was his perfect mate and that in two days time he would let the whole world know his intentions.
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Chapter 2
When they finally arrived at the manor, they both sighed in unison, knowing that their dream was finally about to end. To Danielle she felt like this was going to be a permanent end, to Henry, he thought that this wonderful dream would be the first of many more to come. He had to see her again, before the masque, but wasn't sure how he could arrange it. Not with Nicole's conniving cousins chasing after his crown.
She tapped him on the shoulder as they got to the manor driveway. "You can stop here. I don't want to wake the house." She whispered. He was planning on taking her to the front door. At this point he didn't care who knew where he was all day. He started to protest, but then he thought of her reputation, and didn't want it ruined with wild gossip.
Again, he helped her off of his horse and again, he didn't want to let go. She had her hands on his shoulder. She couldn't help herself she had to hear the sound of his heart beating so she placed her head on his heart. When she did this, his breath caught in his throat, and he just stroked her head and sighed. They stood like that for several minutes before she sighed, and looked toward the manor. "I must go. Thank you again for such a wonderful day." She said as she gave him a small peck on the cheek."
Henry, trying to think of any excuse to prolong the evening, held on to her hand and stared lovingly at her, "You saved my life you know. Back there in the woods..."
She smiled at him, "A girl does what she can, Sire."
He smiled at her, "how many times do I have to tell you? It's Henry."
She smiled, and whispered, "Henry".
Henry melted at the sound of her saying his name. At that moment she could have had anything from him that she wanted. He leaned in and gave her a passionate kiss. After the kiss she started to head back to the manor, when he called out to her.
*I have it, the perfect meeting place!* He smiled excitedly at her, "Do you know the ruins at Amboise?" He smiled when she nodded her head, yes. "I often go there to be alone, will you meet me there tomorrow?"
"I shall try" Came her tentative reply.
"Then I shall wait all day" He gave her one last smile as she turned and walked towards the manor.
Danielle's heart was breaking, after coming home so late, there is no way her step mother would let her leave the grounds. This would quite possibly be the last opportunity she would have to tell him the truth. She stopped in her tracks, and looked at him, and then looked at the manor, then looked at him again, he was so filled with hope and love. She had to tell him, she could not go to sleep with this on her conscience.
Henry's heart skipped a beat when she saw him coming back to him. He had a huge grin on his mouth. He grinned at her mischievously and whispered, "Well Comtesse, I see you couldn't stay away."
She smiled at him "it appears sir, that you trying to bait me with your arrogance has succeeded." She said before giving him a tender kiss. She started to cry again, "Henry, we have to talk."
"Certainly, I'm all ears madam." She grabbed his hand and led him over to a small pond that was in a secluded part of the estate, ironically enough it was right on the other side of the apple orchid. He looked at her with such love in his eyes, that her heart ached.
Through a deep sea of tears, she said "I could not let you leave here thinking that there is any hope for us."
Henry was stunned he was not expecting her to say that. She loves him, what can she be saying? Henry's felt like his heart was being crushed, he didn't want to believe what she was saying, "what are you talking about? How can you say that, after the day that we have just shared? If you are scared about becoming a Princess, believe me I understand, and will do everything in my power to make the transition easy for you." He said.
She immediately stopped crying, she was stunned. Did he just say what I think he said? "Pr, Princess? Princess? What are you talking about?"
"Nicole, I was going to tell you, no ask you, tomorrow at Amboise, but I'll ask you now. Nicole De Lancret, you are unlike any woman that I have ever met, and in two night's time, I shall make that known to the world. I would very much like for you to be my wife."
"Oh my. I totally forgot that you were the Crowned Prince of France, Sire."
Said Danielle, feeling really stupid, she was so caught up in the moment and the day's events that she completely forgot who she was in love with; which made telling him the truth even harder for her.
Henry started laughing he couldn't believe that she forgot who he was, and that made him love her all the more. "That's Henry, to you madam." He said with a smile on his face and love in his voice.
"I'm sorry Sire, but after what I must tell you I'm not sure if you would still want to marry me." She started crying again, "I am not who I said I was. I am not a Comtesse, my name is Danielle De Barbarac, I am nothing more than a Servant." There she said it, she felt as though a huge weight has been lifted off of her shoulders. But was it fair for her to put that burden on Henry. Her breath caught in her chest as she waited for his reaction.
He totally surprised her by smiling even bigger, and laughing at her. "I know Nic...Danielle."
She was shocked and angry, she went through this entire day fearing the worst, and here he'd known all along! "What?! How? How long have you known?" She asked.
He saw the fire building in her eyes, and didn't want to receive her wrath. He smiled sheepishly at her, and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Well, um....only since today. When I saw you appear at the front door, I realized that you were the same passionate woman from the orchid the other day. Then it dawned on me that you used 20 Gold Francs to pay for that other servant's release. It was the same amount of Gold Francs that I gave you earlier this morning. So I guessed that you must be the same woman. It takes a strong person not too want to spend such a vast sum of money on themselves. It only made me love you all the more. I spent the rest of the day hoping, waiting, and praying that you would trust me enough, trust in our love enough, to tell me the truth."
He placed his hand on her chin and wiped the tears from her eyes, forcing her to look at him "Ah...Danielle...that name suits you so well. I want you to know that you never have to fear telling me something that is important to you. I love you, Danielle, for who you are, no matter what your station is, my love for you will never change."
"Say it again."
He started to speak again, before she stopped him, "No, the part where you said my name."
*We are so alike, it's scary* He thought. He sighed deeply and knew exactly how she felt, "Danielle."
Danielle was so happy, that she threw herself into his arms, knocking him down on the ground, filling his face with a thousand kisses. Henry just laughed, hysterically at her enthusiasm and happily returned the favor by showering her with kisses as well.
He then asked her, "If your name is Danielle De Barbarac, then who is Nicole De Lancret?"
"She was my mother. You silly goose, you wouldn't let me leave the courtyard and kept badgering me, so when you said any name. That was the first name that came to me. I don't know why I gave you that name it just popped into my head." She said then continued seriously, choking back more tears, "Henry, I didn't mean to deceive you. It's just that Maurice, the man that I saved from being shipped to the Americas, has been loyal to my father since long before I was born and after he died, raised me like a daughter. He, Louise, Paulette, and Gustave - the boy that you saw in the field today, are the only family that I have left."
He chuckled, "How did you know I saw a painter in the field? That was you with Leonardo's Kite wasn't it? I thought I saw something or someone over by those haystacks."
"Yes that horrible little snipe, wouldn't keep quiet, and just didn't know what to say, with you badgering him. You do have a way about you sir. People just can't say no to your handsome face." Danielle laughed again, and playfully punched him in the arm.
"Ow!" He said, as he playfully rubbed his arm. "Well if people can't say no to me, then you still have a question to answer for me. Will you, Danielle De Barbarac, make me the happiest man on earth, by becoming my wife?"
She put her hand in her face, and started crying tears of joy, then her tears turned to laugher, and again she jumped into his arms screaming, "Yes Yes! A thousand times Yes!"
Henry so happy he picked her up in his arms and started spinning her around and around, until they both fell back on the ground dizzy, dizzy with happiness. While they laid there on the ground they stared up at the stars, and then into each other's eyes again. They could have sat like that forever, but there was only another hour or two before dawn, and she had to get him out of there before the Baroness or Marguerite sees him.
"Henry, I'm sorry but I must go, it wouldn't be good for The Baroness or Marguerite to see you here at this time of the morning, least of all with me."
Henry caught the tinge of fear in her voice, and wondered why she would be scared. "Come back to the castle with me. You need not return to the manor, or lift another finger in servitude to anyone ever again." Said Henry with concern on his face.
"I have to go back, I have obligations that I must take care of before the masque. After then, we will have our entire lives to be together, my precious." She said.
"Ok, but we still must meet and discuss plans for the masque, and you still have to meet my parents at some point. I still plan on waiting for you today at Amboise. Will you come?"
"I shall try to do everything in my power to be there. If not you can certainly meet me here after everyone in the house goes to sleep, which is usually around 8pm."
"Then we have a date." Said Henry excitedly.
Danielle looked at Henry, with love in her eyes and said, "Henry, you have made me the happiest woman in the world, and I can't wait until we start our live together." With that she leaned him, and gave him another soul filled kiss. Leaving him breathless.
She walked towards the manor, with a huge smile on her face, that turned into an evil grin.
Chapter 1
Danielle held onto Henry as though her very life depended on it. She never wanted to let him go. She loved the smell of his manly sent. She never felt such a mixture of wildly divergent emotions. After the day that they shared and the night that they just spent at the Gypsy Camp, and the kisses that they shared she knew that she was head over heals in love with this man. She sighed deeply, the knowledge that this relationship can never be, overwhelmed her, she buried head on his back and silently cried to herself.
When he woke this morning he had lost all hope of ever seeing her again, he'd asked all over the Kingdom for her whereabouts, to no avail. He was close to having the Royal Guard spend the entire day searching for her if need be. As Henry drove the horse ever forward towards the De Ghent residence, he had a huge grin on his face. He couldn't keep from grinning; this has been the most glorious day of his entire life. Fate truly was on his side he couldn't believe his luck this morning when he ran into that young painter gentlemen, who actually knew where the Comtesse lived, not only that but she was also home instead of at church.
This truly has been a glorious day and night for him. He was in love with a woman who loved him, Henry, not Prince Henry. He was drawn to her spectacular mouth at the Gypsy camp and couldn't help himself as he found himself kissing her. She was so timid at first, *I couldn't have been her first kiss, could I? Someone as beautiful and wonderful as his Nicole has surely had other suitors, before him.*
He loved the feel of her arms wrapped around him as he drove the horse. The little sighs of contentment that she would make, her breathing on the back of his neck, sent chills down his spine. She has opened up a whole new world of options for him. Before he met her, he always felt lost, unwanted, like a little boy seeking acceptance from those who would never give it to him, if he was not the Crowned Prince of France.
He heard her start to cry, and grew concerned. These certainly can't be tears of sadness. His heart was breaking this incredibly strong, sensitive woman was now crying. Should he ignore the tears? Should he stop the horse? He wasn't sure, but decided that he couldn't stand to see her cry, so he decided the best course of action would be to stop the horse. Besides it would give him a chance to spend even more time with her. He knew it was extremely late and would be morning soon, but he just didn't want to let her go.
Danielle was surprised that Henry had stopped the horse, she smiled, ever the gentlemen he helped her off the horse, and Danielle smiled at him, never wanting him to take his hands off her waste. "What's wrong, milord? Why did you stop the horse? I really need to get home."
"Nothing is wrong Nicole. I heard you crying and wanted to find out why." He said with concern on his face.
She looked at him with love in her eyes. He was positively glowing, he was the most wonderful man alive, she desperately wanted to tell him the truth, but didn't want to break his heart. "Nothing is wrong, it's just the opposite. I have never been happier in my life."
"Neither have I Comtesse, nothing could of prepared me for the emotions and thoughts that are going on in my head. Thank you for spending the day with me." He said as he leaned in and gave her a tender kiss.
Danielle, had no idea what she was thinking, she couldn't hold back anymore, this may be the last opportunity that she gets to show him how she feels about him, so she threw caution to the wind and kissed him with all the heart and soul that she could muster.
He was surprised when she responded by kissing him even more passionately. He could feel the passion that she had for him, in this one kiss. It took his breath away.
After a few more minutes of sharing passionate kisses, they reluctantly climbed back on the horse that the Gypsies loaned them and headed back towards the De Ghent Manor. This time when Henry heard the Nicole sigh and then start sobbing, he smiled, because he knew that these were sobs of happiness. He also sighed, he knew, knew, that this was his perfect mate and that in two days time he would let the whole world know his intentions.
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Chapter 2
When they finally arrived at the manor, they both sighed in unison, knowing that their dream was finally about to end. To Danielle she felt like this was going to be a permanent end, to Henry, he thought that this wonderful dream would be the first of many more to come. He had to see her again, before the masque, but wasn't sure how he could arrange it. Not with Nicole's conniving cousins chasing after his crown.
She tapped him on the shoulder as they got to the manor driveway. "You can stop here. I don't want to wake the house." She whispered. He was planning on taking her to the front door. At this point he didn't care who knew where he was all day. He started to protest, but then he thought of her reputation, and didn't want it ruined with wild gossip.
Again, he helped her off of his horse and again, he didn't want to let go. She had her hands on his shoulder. She couldn't help herself she had to hear the sound of his heart beating so she placed her head on his heart. When she did this, his breath caught in his throat, and he just stroked her head and sighed. They stood like that for several minutes before she sighed, and looked toward the manor. "I must go. Thank you again for such a wonderful day." She said as she gave him a small peck on the cheek."
Henry, trying to think of any excuse to prolong the evening, held on to her hand and stared lovingly at her, "You saved my life you know. Back there in the woods..."
She smiled at him, "A girl does what she can, Sire."
He smiled at her, "how many times do I have to tell you? It's Henry."
She smiled, and whispered, "Henry".
Henry melted at the sound of her saying his name. At that moment she could have had anything from him that she wanted. He leaned in and gave her a passionate kiss. After the kiss she started to head back to the manor, when he called out to her.
*I have it, the perfect meeting place!* He smiled excitedly at her, "Do you know the ruins at Amboise?" He smiled when she nodded her head, yes. "I often go there to be alone, will you meet me there tomorrow?"
"I shall try" Came her tentative reply.
"Then I shall wait all day" He gave her one last smile as she turned and walked towards the manor.
Danielle's heart was breaking, after coming home so late, there is no way her step mother would let her leave the grounds. This would quite possibly be the last opportunity she would have to tell him the truth. She stopped in her tracks, and looked at him, and then looked at the manor, then looked at him again, he was so filled with hope and love. She had to tell him, she could not go to sleep with this on her conscience.
Henry's heart skipped a beat when she saw him coming back to him. He had a huge grin on his mouth. He grinned at her mischievously and whispered, "Well Comtesse, I see you couldn't stay away."
She smiled at him "it appears sir, that you trying to bait me with your arrogance has succeeded." She said before giving him a tender kiss. She started to cry again, "Henry, we have to talk."
"Certainly, I'm all ears madam." She grabbed his hand and led him over to a small pond that was in a secluded part of the estate, ironically enough it was right on the other side of the apple orchid. He looked at her with such love in his eyes, that her heart ached.
Through a deep sea of tears, she said "I could not let you leave here thinking that there is any hope for us."
Henry was stunned he was not expecting her to say that. She loves him, what can she be saying? Henry's felt like his heart was being crushed, he didn't want to believe what she was saying, "what are you talking about? How can you say that, after the day that we have just shared? If you are scared about becoming a Princess, believe me I understand, and will do everything in my power to make the transition easy for you." He said.
She immediately stopped crying, she was stunned. Did he just say what I think he said? "Pr, Princess? Princess? What are you talking about?"
"Nicole, I was going to tell you, no ask you, tomorrow at Amboise, but I'll ask you now. Nicole De Lancret, you are unlike any woman that I have ever met, and in two night's time, I shall make that known to the world. I would very much like for you to be my wife."
"Oh my. I totally forgot that you were the Crowned Prince of France, Sire."
Said Danielle, feeling really stupid, she was so caught up in the moment and the day's events that she completely forgot who she was in love with; which made telling him the truth even harder for her.
Henry started laughing he couldn't believe that she forgot who he was, and that made him love her all the more. "That's Henry, to you madam." He said with a smile on his face and love in his voice.
"I'm sorry Sire, but after what I must tell you I'm not sure if you would still want to marry me." She started crying again, "I am not who I said I was. I am not a Comtesse, my name is Danielle De Barbarac, I am nothing more than a Servant." There she said it, she felt as though a huge weight has been lifted off of her shoulders. But was it fair for her to put that burden on Henry. Her breath caught in her chest as she waited for his reaction.
He totally surprised her by smiling even bigger, and laughing at her. "I know Nic...Danielle."
She was shocked and angry, she went through this entire day fearing the worst, and here he'd known all along! "What?! How? How long have you known?" She asked.
He saw the fire building in her eyes, and didn't want to receive her wrath. He smiled sheepishly at her, and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Well, um....only since today. When I saw you appear at the front door, I realized that you were the same passionate woman from the orchid the other day. Then it dawned on me that you used 20 Gold Francs to pay for that other servant's release. It was the same amount of Gold Francs that I gave you earlier this morning. So I guessed that you must be the same woman. It takes a strong person not too want to spend such a vast sum of money on themselves. It only made me love you all the more. I spent the rest of the day hoping, waiting, and praying that you would trust me enough, trust in our love enough, to tell me the truth."
He placed his hand on her chin and wiped the tears from her eyes, forcing her to look at him "Ah...Danielle...that name suits you so well. I want you to know that you never have to fear telling me something that is important to you. I love you, Danielle, for who you are, no matter what your station is, my love for you will never change."
"Say it again."
He started to speak again, before she stopped him, "No, the part where you said my name."
*We are so alike, it's scary* He thought. He sighed deeply and knew exactly how she felt, "Danielle."
Danielle was so happy, that she threw herself into his arms, knocking him down on the ground, filling his face with a thousand kisses. Henry just laughed, hysterically at her enthusiasm and happily returned the favor by showering her with kisses as well.
He then asked her, "If your name is Danielle De Barbarac, then who is Nicole De Lancret?"
"She was my mother. You silly goose, you wouldn't let me leave the courtyard and kept badgering me, so when you said any name. That was the first name that came to me. I don't know why I gave you that name it just popped into my head." She said then continued seriously, choking back more tears, "Henry, I didn't mean to deceive you. It's just that Maurice, the man that I saved from being shipped to the Americas, has been loyal to my father since long before I was born and after he died, raised me like a daughter. He, Louise, Paulette, and Gustave - the boy that you saw in the field today, are the only family that I have left."
He chuckled, "How did you know I saw a painter in the field? That was you with Leonardo's Kite wasn't it? I thought I saw something or someone over by those haystacks."
"Yes that horrible little snipe, wouldn't keep quiet, and just didn't know what to say, with you badgering him. You do have a way about you sir. People just can't say no to your handsome face." Danielle laughed again, and playfully punched him in the arm.
"Ow!" He said, as he playfully rubbed his arm. "Well if people can't say no to me, then you still have a question to answer for me. Will you, Danielle De Barbarac, make me the happiest man on earth, by becoming my wife?"
She put her hand in her face, and started crying tears of joy, then her tears turned to laugher, and again she jumped into his arms screaming, "Yes Yes! A thousand times Yes!"
Henry so happy he picked her up in his arms and started spinning her around and around, until they both fell back on the ground dizzy, dizzy with happiness. While they laid there on the ground they stared up at the stars, and then into each other's eyes again. They could have sat like that forever, but there was only another hour or two before dawn, and she had to get him out of there before the Baroness or Marguerite sees him.
"Henry, I'm sorry but I must go, it wouldn't be good for The Baroness or Marguerite to see you here at this time of the morning, least of all with me."
Henry caught the tinge of fear in her voice, and wondered why she would be scared. "Come back to the castle with me. You need not return to the manor, or lift another finger in servitude to anyone ever again." Said Henry with concern on his face.
"I have to go back, I have obligations that I must take care of before the masque. After then, we will have our entire lives to be together, my precious." She said.
"Ok, but we still must meet and discuss plans for the masque, and you still have to meet my parents at some point. I still plan on waiting for you today at Amboise. Will you come?"
"I shall try to do everything in my power to be there. If not you can certainly meet me here after everyone in the house goes to sleep, which is usually around 8pm."
"Then we have a date." Said Henry excitedly.
Danielle looked at Henry, with love in her eyes and said, "Henry, you have made me the happiest woman in the world, and I can't wait until we start our live together." With that she leaned him, and gave him another soul filled kiss. Leaving him breathless.
She walked towards the manor, with a huge smile on her face, that turned into an evil grin.