As the sun rose, Thérèse felt a slow movement against her. She breathed deeply and sat up. Henri was awake and stretching his battered arms. Thérèse stood up and looked out of the window. The courtyard that had been littered with the corpses of her friends and family only hours ago was now nearly back to its original state. With the exception of debris scattered around, it was almost impossible to tell that anything had happened. The bodies were removed and taken to the church. The blood-stained snow had been shoveled away. No one would guess that a gruesome massacre had taken place last night. As Thérèse stared into the vast landscape of Argence, Henri rose shakily to his feet. He stood behind Thérèse and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned her head back into his chest. He smelled of dirt and blood.
"How are you feeling?" Henri asked. Thérèse had to keep herself from laughing out loud. Her whole life had been uprooted in the most violent way imaginable, and Henri was asking how she was feeling? Thérèse let the question hang in the air for a moment.
"Raw." She finally answered. "Raw, and cold, and numb." A shiver went through her body.
"I always knew Claude was a wretched excuse for a man, but I never thought he would do something like this. But now he's gone." Thérèse turned around to meet Henri's eyes.
"He's gone because I killed him. Now Brigitte, and my mother, and Argence's advisors, they're all gone. As well as countless others. They're all just…gone." Henri held his arms out to Thérèse and moved forward to hug her. She stepped back.
"No. Please, just…" Before she could finish, a group of weary young men came into view behind Henri. Seeing Thérèse's puzzled expression, Henri turned to face them. The group of men bowed. Their soldiers' uniforms were ripped and blood-stained beyond recognition.
"My prince," one of them started, "we are what's left of Bayonne's escort."
"Good. We have much we need to discuss." Henri said. He swallowed hard and laced his fingers behind his back, straightening his spine. He looked as though he was about to give a grand speech to inspire what was left of the soldiers that had accompanied his now-taken family.. Something, anything, that would fix everything. He would say something that could undo the events of the previous night.
"So what the fuck do we do?" Henri asked. The soldiers were taken aback by the statement. A few of them visibly recoiled in shock.
"I think we should discuss this in a more…private…place." One of the soldiers flickered his eyes towards Thérèse as he said this. The stars on his shoulder told her he was a general. Henri turned towards her with his mouth open. He was trying to find the words he wanted to say, but none came. He sighed, and gave her a half-hearted smile that said I'm sorry. Thérèse shook her head and shrugged.
"It's fine." She said. "I should go track down Bernard and Olivier, anyway. Assuming they survived." Thérèse could feel Henri's eyes on her as she turned and walked down the hallway. There were still small swirls of blood on the marble floor, despite the still-living servants' best efforts to scrub it clean. As she stared down at the once immaculate floors Thérèse realized she desperately needed a change of clothes. Her dress was torn from the chaos of last night. Her hair was a mess. Her white stockings were stained a filthy brown. Thérèse quietly ducked into her room.
She stood in front of the mirror and stared at herself. She noticed a small yet prominent splatter of dry, maroon blood in the center of her stomach. Thérèse's eyes latched onto it. After a moment she realized it was from when Brigitte had been killed. Her best friend, gone in an instant. Her best friend, who had been in the doctor's room when Thérèse took her first breath. Her best friend, who had been by her side through every laugh, every cry, and everything in between. Brigitte, who was now reduced to a bloodstain on a dirty gown. Thérèse tore the dress from her body.
She didn't bother to undo the laces in the back. The strength of her grief and pain was so immense that she ripped the fabric itself from her body. The thin pieces near her shoulders and chest came off easily. When the thicker material at her midsection wouldn't come loose she began to hack it off with the letter opener from her desk. Once that was gone, everything still attached fell to the floor. Thérèse looked back into the mirror. Staring back was a cold, pale, aching young woman. A woman who was in pain, who was crying out for help and for relief, but with no one to provide it. Even the cold touch of her mother's claw-like hands on the back of her throat would be comforting. But her mother wasn't there. Thérèse's mother was in a box. Well, technically it was her mother's body. A corpse in a pretty dress and makeup that would cover up the damage the poison did to her skin.
Her mother was gone forever.
Thérèse sank to her knees. Her hands fell open on the floor with her palms towards the ceiling. Somewhere in the distance, her letter-opener bounced off the ground with a metallic thud. Thérèse looked up at the sky with beams of fresh sunlight pouring in through the window. Thérèse felt like it was drowning her. Tears streamed down her face. They rolled off her chin and pattered gently onto the floor. Thérèse ran her fingers through her tangled hair. Her entire body was shaking. Her fingers suddenly tensed. Her nails pressed so hard into her palms that she started to bleed.
A flock of blackbirds erupted from a tree in the courtyard as Thérèse screamed. She screamed all of the air out of her lungs. When that was gone, she took a deep breath and did it again. Guards burst into her room. Their swords were drawn and ready to attack whatever was causing Thérèse such agony. She jumped to her feet and yelled at the guards.
"Get out! Get out! All of you! Where were you when we actually fucking needed you?!" She bellowed. Thérèse picked up a hefty vase from her nightstand and hurled it at the men. It connected with one of their backs and shattered. Chrysanthemums and hardened soil spilled onto the floor. Thérèse screamed again. The last guard out pulled the door shut behind him. Thérèse stumbled to her bed and laid down. She laid flatly on her back with her hands at her sides. The tears continued to fall, this time soaking her pillow and sheets. She laid there sniffling for what felt like hours.
When she finally turned her head to look out the window she could see the sun had moved significantly. It was now early afternoon. Suddenly, the secret door on the side of her room opened. Bernard entered silently. He had on a clean brown shirt and a pair of black pants, with his usual black boots and sword on his hip. His ashen face made him look as though he'd aged ten years overnight. Although, in a way, hadn't all of them?
Bernard gently closed the door behind him and turned to face Thérèse. He saw her laying there, nearly naked and completely helpless. He looked towards the door and saw the shattered sea of ceramic shards on the hardwood floor. Bernard took off his boots and put his belt and sword on the floor. Without saying a word, he climbed into bed next to Thérèse. He didn't touch her, but simply laid next to her. Thérèse heard him sniff and clear his throat. Thérèse turned her head and saw that Bernard, too, was crying. They laid there together in the silence for another hour. Finally, Thérèse spoke.
"It was Olivier." she said. Though her body was shaking, her voice was still.
"What?" Bernard responded. His voice was raspy, like he hadn't had water in centuries.
"That's what Claude said before I killed him."
"You killed Claude?"
Thérèse nodded.
"Yes, but before I did he explained everything. Olivier betrayed us. He played an integral part in everything. Claude wanted power, and lots of it. He also wanted me. He thought that if he killed my mother he could take over Argence and force me into marriage. He has people in Bayonne as well. His plan was to kill my mother and take the kingdom, then do away with Bayonne's family and take their land, too. They're an easy target right now because they lack a strong army. Henri knew there were traitors in the country, but his father was too weak to do anything about it.
Claude needed someone in my mother's inner circle. He knew I wouldn't even speak to him unless I had to, let alone help him overthrow the country. So, he used Olivier instead. He promised power and fortune to a poor boy who came from nothing. I almost don't blame him. Almost. But Olivier was the one who told Claude about our plan to kill him. Claude saw his opportunity and took it. He had Olivier switch his and my mother's plates right before the dinner. He also called in his men from Bayonne to take Henri's parents. But now that Claude's dead, I don't know what will happen to them. I also don't know what's going to happen to Argence."
Thérèse looked at Bernard. He took a moment to absorb everything Thérèse had just told him.
"Well, you'll obviously lead Argence. You're the only member of the royal family left." Bernard said. Thérèse shot straight up in bed.
"Me?" She exclaimed. "Me, lead Argence? Are you daft? I can't do that. I can never do that. I'm nothing compared to my parents, I-"
Bernard held up his hand to silence her.
"Thérèse," he said softly. Thérèse was taken aback by the newfound gentleness in his voice. "We'll figure it out."
Thérèse huffed and flopped back down onto the bed. Bernard continued.
"The city already knows what happened. I was down there this morning. They all are deeply concerned, both for you and the future of Argence. I think it would do good to make an appearance in the next few days and say something. The people have a right to know what's going on. They need to know what's going on. I've also spoken with the soldiers. We didn't lose as many of them as I had feared. I plan on promoting a few to palace guards to ensure you're kept safe." Thérèse silently nodded along.
"But, first things first. We need to take care of Olivier. I'm assuming he's in the servants' quarters with the others who lived. If not, the soldiers will scour every inch of Argence until he is found. It's up to you what we do with him."
Without hesitation Thérèse responded, "Hang him. We have to hang him. He killed my mother and your sister, along with everyone else I've considered family. I want him hung."
Bernard nodded in quiet agreement. "So be it." Bernard got out of bed and pulled on his shoes.
"Wait…where are you going?" Thérèse asked.
"Get dressed." Bernard answered. "Olivier will be dead by the end of the night." He gathered the rest of his things and left.