The rest of the day passed uneventfully for Thérèse. Everywhere she went she could hear the excited titters of the castle's occupants. It reminded her of the day Bayonne's family arrived. Once again, excitement was thick in the air. Thérèse felt like she was choking on it. When the sun set and evening came, a servant girl came to help Thérèse get dressed. It was the same one as last time. She did up Thérèse's corset and helped her get into her dress. As the girl did her hair, Thérèse stared at herself in the mirror.
The black ball gown fit her like a glove. The light danced around on the cloth as it sparkled magnificently. It looked like there were crushed diamonds added to the fabric itself. The gold sash laid elegantly across her body and dazzled in contrast with the jet-black material of the rest of the dress. The gold pleats at the bottom moved slightly when she walked. The soft yellow color shimmered in the dwindling sunlight that poured into her room. It made her look like she floated across the floor. The servant girl added gold ribbons to Thérèse's brunette hair. They mingled playfully with the intricate braids and twists. Finally, she put a thin golden chain around Thérèse's neck. From the chain hung a delicate rose, also set in gold. Thérèse reached up and touched it lightly.
"A gift from your mother." the servant girl said.
"It's beautiful." Thérèse gave a small smile. It was a very thoughtful gift from her mother. Roses had always been Thérèse's favorite flower. When her father was still with them, he would often call her his "little flower", and have the servants bring her roses from the gardens.
The girl moved in front of Thérèse to do her makeup.
"Not too much." Thérèse reminded her.
"No, miss." The girl applied a small amount of blush to her cheeks and black powder on her eyelids. She added a deep maroon color to Thérèse's lips. It accentuated Thérèse's tan complexion perfectly. Finally, Thérèse donned a pair of black heeled shoes with bows at the ankles. The servant stood back and smiled at her.
"Beautiful, miss."
Thérèse looked in the mirror and watched herself twirl around once. This was the most beautiful she'd ever felt.
"I'm sure he'll love it, miss." the girl said.
"Yes, I agree."
"I've heard Sir Claude is very fond of the color gold." the girl replied.
Thérèse was caught off guard. She'd turned on the servant girl with a confused expression. She realized she'd been thinking of Henri again, and assumed that's who the servant was talking about.
Thérèse gave an apologetic laugh and smiled.
"Yes, I'm sure Claude will like it. Thank you for your help tonight. You may go."
The girl nodded and curtsied. She left Thérèse alone in her room. Thérèse turned back to the mirror. She touched the small gold rose again.
The door opened behind her.
"Sir Claude is here to escort you, miss." she heard the guard say. She saw his reflection in the mirror in front of her. Thérèse stood up and clasped her fingers just above her waist. She turned and walked out into the hallway.
Claude was waiting. He had his cane with the gold bear's head. He was dressed in a newly made suit. It was grey, with a gold tie and freshly waxed shoes. It fit him well, but still showed his curved shoulders and frail frame. He smiled hungrily at Thérèse as she came out of her room. He offered his arm and said something to her, but Thérèse didn't bother to listen to what it was. They turned and started off down the hallway. Everyone bowed as Thérèse walked by. Claude waved and greeted the onlookers, basking in the attention like a leathery lizard on a boulder in the sun.
As they came to the ballroom, Thérèse and Claude were herded into a line with the other advisors. The Queen stood at the front. She was on the arm of Blaise, her wartime advisor. He had always been one of her favorites. Thérèse and Claude stood behind them. Thérèse heard a laugh that sounded familiar. She turned to see Brigitte and her fiancé had been put in line behind her and Claude. He was a broad-shouldered man with fair skin and smile lines at his eyes. Brigitte gave her a small wave and an expression that said, "I'm so sorry you're stuck with him." Thérèse smiled sadly and turned back around.
Behind Brigitte and her fiancé were Bernard and one of the ladies of the court. Behind them were the other various advisors and their wives, husbands, sons, and daughters. At the end of the line was the family of Bayonne. King Charles was with an extremely hungover Queen Lucie. Behind them were the handful of court members that had accompanied them. Their servants were scattered among them, helping ladies fix hair and gentlemen shine shoes.
"You're sure you haven't seen Henri today?" Charles whispered to his wife.
Lucie rolled her eyes and snapped back, "I'm sure he's fine."
The doors to the ballroom were opened and the master of ceremonies announced the procession one by one. When Thérèse and Claude's names were called they stepped inside. The doors led onto a large white terrace that overlooked the rest of the ballroom. Thérèse and Claude walked to the edge and paused. Thérèse looked down and saw all of the men and ladies of the court clapping politely for them. Some were holding champagne glasses, some ladies fanned themselves. The crowd was enormous. A group of twenty string musicians were preparing to play in one corner of the cavernous hall. As she and Claude descended the long white staircase connecting the terrace to the main floor, Thérèse took in the splendor of the room. It hadn't looked this beautiful in as long as Thérèse could remember.
Huge garlands of flowers hung from the walls. Circular tables with white tablecloths held refreshments. The walls seemed to sparkle with gold decorations and the glow of thousands of candles. Thérèse soaked in all of the color, the beauty, and the joy that was in the room. Most of the other ladies were dressed in pink pastel and baby blues, with purple and green here and there.Thérèse's dark, dramatic dress was a stark contrast to the other women. All the attention was on her.. She could feel the crowd's eyes watching as she reached the main floor with Claude. At first Thérèse was nervous she'd done something wrong. Then she realized they weren't judging her; they were admiring her. She found her mother's face in the crowd. She looked pleased. Thérèse touched her rose necklace and smiled at her, as a silent "thank you".
Claude led the way through the horde of men and women and children. Greeting a few here and there, shaking hands with the men and laughing at the children. Eventually, they reached her mother.
"Your Majesty." Claude said with a deep bow. "I wanted to thank you for the honor of escorting your wonderful daughter tonight."
The Queen smiled and nodded. "Of course, Claude. I hope you two enjoy your evening."
The Queen leaned close to Claude and whispered something in his ear that Thérèse couldn't hear. Claude nodded stiffly. Thérèse heard the musicians start to play. Couples gathered in the center of the room. Suddenly, they were spinning and twirling in time with the music.
"Shall we dance?" Claude gestured towards the marble-laden floor where the rest of the couples were. Thérèse swallowed hard and nodded. She had often skipped her dance lessons, and had very little knowledge about how to dance appropriately. Claude snapped at a servant walking by with a tray of cakes and handed him his cane. Taking Thérèse's hand in his, Claude began to lead the dance.
By now, the couples had formed a circle on the dance floor. Everyone was moving perfectly in time with the musicians. Claude and Thérèse joined in the circle. Claude pulled Thérèse's body close to his. It was unusual to be so close to your partner while dancing, but Thérèse allowed it.
It's only one night. She thought. I can put up with one night.
They danced along with the rest of the group until the end of the song. As it came to a close, the couples clapped politely. A few left the floor to mingle with their friends. Some stayed behind to wait for the start of the next dance.
"Let's stay for another." Claude said. Thérèse silently agreed.
"May I cut in?" Prince Henri appeared behind Claude. He was dressed in all black, with a gold chain around his neck and gold rings on his fingers. Before Claude could protest, Thérèse freed herself from his grip.
"Of course." She said. Henri took her hand and bowed. Thérèse curtsied and blushed. Luckily, her makeup hid most of the redness that spread to her cheeks.
Claude opened his mouth to protest, but decided against it. He disappeared into the crowd, furious. The song started, and Thérèse and Henri began to dance. The group once again formed a large circle. Almost every couple was dancing now.
"You didn't have to do that." Thérèse said after a moment. Henri smiled.
"I wanted to." He looked into her eyes. Thérèse felt a smile spread across her face. The notes were sweet and light. They reminded Thérèse of spring, of the waves on the coast, of warm sunlight on her face and pastel skies. For the first time, Thérèse noticed a scar on Henri's cheek. It somehow made him more handsome than she had originally thought.
Slowly, the song began to get more dramatic. The notes grew louder and deeper and faster. The energy was building in the room. The strings of the violins sang magically. Thérèse felt her heart beat faster. Henri and Thérèse stared at each other. Henri smiled his charming smile. Thérèse blushed profusely. She felt his hand squeeze hers. She squeezed his shoulder with her other hand. He was a very gifted dancer. They glided effortlessly across the floor. The song was reaching its climax. Thérèse and Henri were now in the middle of the circle of dancers. They were the focus of all the eyes in the room. The couples danced around, with Thérèse and Henri in the center.
"Everyone's watching us." Thérèse said. She laughed nervously and bit her lower lip. She felt embarrassed.
"Everyone's watching you." Henri responded. "How could they not?"
He lifted his arm for her to spin. "You look beautiful. Your dress is dazzling. Your hair is exquisite," she came back into him and he lowered his arm, "and you have that little gold rose at your neck." Henri's velvet brown eyes flickered to the base of her neck to see the rose. They reminded Thérèse of a brisk October afternoon, where leaves crunched under her feet and she could smell winter in the wind. His strong hands met her hips as she jumped and landed lightly on her toes. All without missing a beat of the music.
Thérèse suddenly felt breathless. As she looked into Henri's eyes, she realized why she had been thinking about him so much in the dressmaker's shop. Why she had assumed the servant girl was talking about him instead of Claude. Why he had come so forcefully and suddenly into her life. Why she had pushed him away and avoided him during every waking hour, only for him to dominate her dreams. Thérèse was beginning to fall for him. Her heart fluttered. He slid his arm around her waist and dipped her, almost to the ground. Their faces were close, and Thérèse thought he was going to kiss her.
As the song came to a close, the circle of dancers broke apart, leaving Thérèse and Henri alone on the dance floor. The crowd turned and clapped for them. Henri pulled Thérèse back up, so she was standing. Thérèse looked around, exhilerated. She smiled at the crowd and curtsied deeply. Henri bowed, then slid his hand around her waist again. As the chatter of a million conversations resumed, Thérèse grabbed hold of Henri's hand. She started to walk quickly towards the staircase, pulling him along with her.
"Where are we going?" Henri asked with a surprised laugh.
"Don't ask questions, just follow! Come on!" she beamed at him as they ran up the winding staircase together. One hand was holding her skirt. The other was linked with Henri's. Henri looked back as they reached the terrace. Claude had watched them the entire way. He was still watching them now.
Henri felt Thérèse pulling at his sleeve.
"Come on!" she said. "What are you waiting for?" Henri looked at Claude for a moment longer. He winked at the old man and smiled. Then he turned, and followed Thérèse out.
—
Once they were out of the ballroom, Thérèse and Henri broke into a run. They laughed together as their feet pounded the floor of the castle hallways. Thérèse led them out to the front gates. Olivier was on watch, and let them through without too much of a protest.
"Be back before dawn!" he yelled as they ran past.
"Okay, okay." Henri stopped to catch his breath. "Where are we going?" he asked with a smile.
"We're going to the stable to get Bisou, and a horse for you." Thérèse said. "I want to show you my place in the forest. You'll love it, just trust me."
Henri shrugged his shoulders. "Lead the way, little rose." Thérèse stopped for a moment. She was taken aback by the sudden use of this new nickname.
Henri looked concerned. "I'm sorry, that was inappropriate." Thérèse shook her head and smiled.
"No. It's perfectly fine." she said. Their fingers intertwined as they walked a few yards to the stable. The stablehand held the reins to Bisou while Thérèse mounted the horse, then did the same for Henri. He was borrowing Olivier's horse, Larkspur. Thérèse led the way as they raced towards the forest. The glow of the castle lights faded slowly as the mammoth pine trees engulfed the young royals.
Suddenly, Henri was right next to Thérèse. They were riding side-by-side. Henri gave her a devious grin, and spurred Larkspur. The horse took off at an even faster gallop. He was challenging Thérèse. Thérèse pressed into Bisou's sides and caught up to Larkspur. After only a few moments at this speed, they reached the entry to Thérèse's spot. She pulled off the trail and waited for Henri and Larkspur to circle back around. Henri dismounted and tied Larkspur to a tree near Bisou.
"Come on." Thérèse said sweetly. "This is where I spend a lot of my time. It's beautiful." She clasped both of her hands around one of Henri's as he walked.
She led Henri to the small clearing and brought him to the edge of the ravine. They stood together for a moment to take in the beauty of the forest around them.
"It's very peaceful." Henri said. "I can see why you enjoy being here. I wish I had somewhere like this in Bayonne."
"It's where I come to get away from everything." Thérèse said. "The only other person to be here is Olivier." Thérèse furrowed her brow as she realized that wasn't true. She thought back to the night she witnessed a man be killed and pushed into the ravine they were standing on the edge of now. It felt like it had been so long since that fateful evening.
Thérèse shivered. Not from the cold, but from the memory. Henri took off his jacket and draped it around her bare shoulders.
"Thank you." she said.
"It's funny you say that you and Olivier are the only ones to be here."
"Why?" Thérèse asked.
"I don't know, it's just…it feels oddly familiar to me. But I'm sure it's nothing." Henri gave her a brief smile as he turned to see the rest of the clearing. He started wandering lazily in the other direction. With his hands in his pockets, he had his back to Thérèse.
Suddenly, something in Thérèse's brain clicked. Her blood ran cold and she felt her heart skip a beat.
The scar.
Thérèse gasped. The man at the clearing hadn't been a stranger.
It had been Henri. He had killed the man, along with the group. The scars were identical. He had helped throw the body into her ravine. He had committed murder on behalf of King Charles.
Henri turned when he heard her gasp.
"What is it?" he asked. He took a few steps toward her.
"Don't come near me." Thérèse said. She took a step back. Her heels were on the edge of the ravine.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"It was you." Thérèse responded. "It was you that night. You killed that man. You took his life and just…" she looked over her shoulder into the ravine.
Henri walked quickly toward her. She reacted and tried to take a step back, but teetered over the edge. As she began to fall, Henri grabbed her arms and pulled her forward, wrapping his arms around her. Their faces were centimeters apart. Thérèse looked into the newfound killer's eyes.
"I knew you would recognize me eventually." he said. "It was only a matter of time. I recognized you the moment I met you and your mother. But Thérèse, you don't understand." Thérèse squirmed, and tried to get away from him.
"Let go of me!" she yelled. He grabbed her by the wrists and held them up by his shoulders.
"Thérèse, let me explain, please. It's not what you think!" He pleaded with her. She saw his eyes well up with tears. His voice was flooded with desperation.
"I'm going to tell everyone what you are! A murderous family like yours is not welcome in Argence!"
Henri sighed.
"I was worried you might react like this." He said. He roughly spun Thérèse around and pulled her into him, so that he was holding her from behind. One of his strong arms stretched across her shoulders, holding her in place. His free hand reached into his pocket and pulled out a damp handkerchief. He held it tightly over Thérèse's nose and mouth. She smelled something sickly sweet, and was forced to inhale it as she breathed. She continued to struggle against Henri for a few moments, then felt her body slowly go numb. Henri lifted her off the ground and carried her marriage-style towards their horses.
"It's going to be okay." Henri whispered to her. He moved the strands of hair that had come loose out of her face. She felt his hand brush against her cheek as she slipped into unconsciousness.