The wrong happy ending

"Au nom du père, et du fils, et de l'esprit saint."

As the priest made the sign of the cross I followed his lead as I always did and uttered the sacred word 'Amen'. I hoped it would be loud enough to drone her constant cry but nothing would hush the shaking girl beside me.

She does not want this, I don't want this but it must be done there is no other way.

Or is there?

A sudden remembrance of the tear streaked Nicole as she runs from the masquerade ball not long after I discover whom she really is.

For she was never Countess Nicole De Loncre but a servant. She had lied to me. I wonder was she ever going to confess. Did she arrive at the ball to tell me the truth or still yet another lie?

I will never forget how she looked when up on those stairs. A marriage to Marguerite seemed preposterous when compared to the woman I once loved so dearly.

It pains me to remember how I scolded her so harshly when she tried to explain. If only I had not reacted the way I did then she would be beside me instead of Gabriella.

Perhaps there is a way we can be together. There is still time, if I leave before the vows than I can beg for her forgiveness.

My decision is made, I will leave this place.

As I rise to my feet I glance upon my parents. My mother is sympathising the weeping Spanish princess but my father has a stern look upon his face. He was ashamed of the son who was in love with a commoner.

An echo of the constant saying shook me from my plan – 'You were born to privilege and with that comes specific obligations.'

At that moment I realised that if I were to leave then I would disgrace the King.

I had no choice.

I arrived as a man and left as a future king and a husband. Were these the sacrifices that my father used to comment on endlessly? Was Nicole my sacrifice? If she was, none the more would be as difficult to let go.

Dearest Nicole, wherever you are, my love for you is eternal. You will not be forgotten.

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Perhaps I deserve this. I am certain I deserve this. I deceived him and he didn't even hear the truth from me. I am ashamed with myself.

When leaving the masquerade ball, I tripped and my mother's precious glass shoe slipped off my foot. As I scrambled up to retrieve the item, I glanced up to see Leonardo rushing towards me with a shocked expression. I left the shoe and ran away from him… from everything. In my absent state of mind, I failed to remember to come back for it. By the time I did it was no longer there.

I hurried to get back to the manner for I desperately needed the warm embrace of Paulette and Louise. Approaching the door, sorrow prevented me from entering. I collapsed onto the doorstep, soaked by the downfall of rain.

I was to marry Henry. If only I had told him the truth about me from the very beginning then none of this would have happened. Hearts would not be broken.

I am angry with myself for doing this to him. He deserves a better bride. However it should not have happened the way it did. The Baroness was cruel to publicly display my faults. How could she do this in hope to rekindle a non-existent passion between Henry and Marguerite? They aren't ought to have Henry.

Henry? I must withdraw from referring to him with that name. He is no longer Henry but the Prince of France. I shall refrain from going near him for as long as I shall live.

Tomorrow I will discontinue forming conversations with both Rodmilla and Marguerite. Soon they will move into the palace and I can stay here with Gustave, Maurice, Louise and Paulette.

With this dream, I stood up and quietly entered my home.

The next day I busied myself with chores in hope to avoid the questionings of my friends or the vindictive comments of my stepmother.

This did not last long. While working hard to release a rock from the ground using a metal rod, Rodmilla caught the chance to increase my annoyance with one of her snide remarks.

"I have it on good authority that before your rather embarrassing debut, the prince was about to choose Marguerite to be his bride."

I dropped my rod and picked up my basket full of herbs and tried to get away from her as quickly as possible before saying something else. I was too late.

"Men are so fickle aren't they? One minute they are spouting sonnets, and the next you are back to being the hired help. Although I have never seen you quite this dedicated to your chores." Rodmilla said, enjoying every moment of it.

"What makes you think I do any of this for you?" I responded whilst trudging up the path.

She moved to block the way and crowed, "My my my, aren't we feisty this evening."

My annoyance was reaching its breaking point. I had to get away. "Let me pass." I demanded.

"You've brought this on yourself you know." She sneered, ignoring my comment.

"I've got work to do."

"Let the others handle it." An image popped into my head of Paulette and Louise doing my share of the housework as well as their own. I sighed and pushed passed through the trees beside her.

Walking away I could not fight the urge to yell back at her, "Don't you understand? You've won! Go move into your palace and leave us be."

"You are not my problem anymore." She stated while following me up the hill to the house.

I turned to face her with a shocked face. "Is that what I am? Your problem? I have done everything you have ever asked me to do and still you deny me the only thing I've ever wanted."

"And what was that?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

"What do you think?" astounded to believe that she could not guess, "You are the only mother I have ever known. Was there a time, even in its smallest of measurements, that you loved me at all?"

"How could anyone love a pebble in their shoe?" she responded.

Tears welled in my eyes but I fought hard not to allow them to spill on my cheeks. Thankfully Paulette caused a distraction by calling out from up above, "Danielle! My lady. Oh come and see, its back. All of it!"

I ran up the hill, not so much as to see what Paulette was talking about but just to escape from Rodmilla's glare.

I dropped the basket of herbs down beside the fence and looked up to see Monsieur Le Peau and a dozen of his servants unloading three or more carriages full of objects. It took me a second to realise that they belonged to my father.

"Monsieur Le Peau, right on time." The Baroness exclaimed as she reached the top of the path.

"It's all here Baroness. Down to the very last candlestick." He smirked.

All of a sudden it hit me. "Father's books, his paintings. You sold them to him?"

"Yes and now they're back. We couldn't very well look like paupers when the King arrives." She said.

As always, I had to calm my rage and politely say, "Thankyou monsieur. This means the world to us."

"I'm a business man, Danielle. Not a therianthropist." He stated as he rolled his eyes.

"I don't understand." I said flatly.

"I couldn't have you distracting the prince, now could I?"

"The Baroness and I have come to… an arrangement." He tried to explain.

"You for all this. Although I do think I'm getting the better end of the deal." Rodmilla smiled while rubbing her hands together in satisfaction.

I stared bewildered at her. Not understanding a word that she said. What deal? I knew as soon as two of Monsieur Le Peau's servants came around and grabbed me by the arms. I screamed as they dragged me away onto one of the carriages. Paulette and Maurice tried frantically to get me back but the rest of the servants blocked their way.

Screaming with all my might, on the ride to his house, no one came to rescue me. I had no desire to go with him any of those times he asked me to when buying our vegetables, and still I did not.

It was a dreary place. Hardly any colour nor signs of life, apart from one ripped flag flapping lethargically in the wind.

As we got out of the carriage, I turned and sprinted in the other direction but two servants were ready in expectation that I was going to do just that.

Monsieur came after me and said, "Don't try to resist me. This is your home now. You belong to me."

He grabbed my waist and pushed me forward. Before reaching the door to the house he whispered in my ear, "Sensational things have taken place here. Things that you will learn to be apart of."

This comment turned my stomach and made me even more afraid to go inside. It took him a great deal of effort to push me inside the large iron door and a much greater effort to push me up into his bed quarters.

There he took off his jacket and locked the door. As he came towards me, I appeared to be frozen in my tracks. With a bony hand, he traced it down my arm. With one swift movement, when he was least expecting it, I punched his face with my remaining arm and turned to kick him in the abdominal area. These rapid blows sent him sprawling on the floor.

When remembered that I was locked in, I opened a window and climbed out. I had climbed out of windows a many number of times when back at the manor. It was the only way I could flee under the careful eye of my stepmother without waking anyone up. I used to walk through the forest during the night. Enjoying the freedom and the cool night air.

However it was much harder to climb down the outer wall of Monsieur Le Peau's house for it did not have many potholes that I could rest my feet upon. Halfway down a certain brick crumbled beneath my foot and propelled me to fall down and onto a dead shrub.

The pain forced me from getting to my feet again so it was not long for Monsieur Le Peau to find me and haul me back into the house.

To keep me from escaping yet again, he chained my feet together, making it impossible to run. He told me he would try to infringe me some other day when I have become settled. In the meantime I was given endless chores to help speed up the process.

After feeding the animals, up rooting weeds, planting new crops, dusting, cooking meals, refurnishing the furniture, cleaning the second floor rooms and washing his clothes, my hatred for him became worse.

Whilst polishing his armour, I decided to try and escape one last time. What he did not know was that my father had taught me how to use a sword.

When he called me into his living quarters to inspect my work yet again, I began my carefully staged plan.

"Oh I do hate to see you in irons. I'd remove them if only you'd promise not to run away again." He said when coming nearer to me.

"I have no reason to stay." I replied with distaste.

"You belong to me now."

"I belong to no one. Least of all you." I explained for the tenth time.

"I do wish you would reconsider my offer." He pleaded while nearing closer.

"I would rather rot." I spat and turned away.

Taking his chance, he grabbed a handful of my hair and twisted it around his finger. "I had a horse like you. Magnificent creature. Stubborn just like you. Wilful to a fault. She too just needed to be broken."

After he shoved my hair near his face to sniff, I cautiously reached back to his belt and took hold off his sword. "You will maintain your distance sir."

"Oh do say please." He crooned.

At that time, I withdrew the sword from his belt and turned to aim it at his face. I held his face up with it by the chin and said please.

"I could hang you for this." He warned

"Not if you are dead." I responded.

"I do love your spirit." He exclaimed and pushed my hand away.

I was ready for him. I whipped back with his sword and sliced his cheek. As he stumbled back in alarm, I revealed a good deal larger sword from the sack of armour that I had been polishing. I stood poised in front of him with the two swords ready.

"My father was an expert swordsman, Monsieur. He taught me well. Now hand me that key or I swear on his grave I will slit you from navel to nose." I threatened.

With a shaky hand he held out the key to the chains on my feet.

Outside of his manor I congratulated myself with my getaway. I was free.

I belonged to neither Monsieur Le Peau nor Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent.

Danielle walked down the road with a skip in my step. Heading for a new life.

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