The She-Wolf of France

Prologue

Prologue

My childhood was a happy time of learning and laughter. I remember running around the Château du Louvre with my four blond haired brothers, our mother used to always tell us that we were the image of our father King Phillip. It made me proud to know that I looked like my father who in my eyes at that age was a fabulous ruler.

I run through the palace that is covered in rich cloth, heading towards the gardens which were home to statues made of charcoal rock, there were flowers of many colours and smells and I loved to stand there and inhale it's sweet smell. I ran across the lush green grass not caring that my skirts made of velvet, coloured scarlet were becoming dirtied. I knew I would be scolded but, I did not care. I loved to feel free! 

My brothers were hot on my heels as I ran around the gardens trying to find places to hide, we always had little games where we would chase one another and this time they picked me to chase. I could hear their footsteps and their voices as they shouted that they were coming for me. I fought back my giggles as I continued to roam the garden, I saw a figure in the near distancing inspecting one of the statues. The figure was quickly identified as my mother, and I ran towards her. As I reached her I hid behind her, slowly grasping her skirts as I let out a few giggles.

I loved my mother with my whole heart. To the world she was the brave, bold Joan of Navarre but to me she was just my kind mother who taught me how to be gracious. She was not the most beautiful woman in France, with her dull blonde hair - not the vibrant kind that me and my brothers or father had - and her soft brown eyes. My mother was beautiful to me, no matter how many beauties I came across. I loved the way her eyes would glitter every time she saw me, I loved the way she would laugh at my opinions and I even loved the way she scolded me.

My father behind closed doors was a good father, not the emotionless and statue like man he presented to the French people. I did not know him as well as I knew my mother but I loved him anyhow. 

I clutched my mother’s coral gown as I tried my best to keep out of sight from my brothers who were nearing us. My mother began to laugh as she stayed as still as ever while our brothers ran up to her asking her where I was. My mother spoke to them in a stern voice, telling them that it was not kind of gentlemen to chase a maiden. I launched out from behind my mother and tried to scare my brothers. Louis did not get a fright nor did Phillip, Charles was the one who was a bit taken back. I chuckled at them as they tried to grasp me again. Robert just stood there laughing, I was closer to Robert. 

My mother Joan or Jeanne as they would call her began to laugh again at us, at our 'silly' play as she called it. I always enjoyed my time out in the gardens of the palace with my brothers and my mother. My father did not come out often, though when he did he would always care for us. The hot sun beamed down on me, making my blonde hair look as If it was alight. My blue eyes bright I giggled at my brothers as we ran around the garden, round the statues, the smells of flowers clinging to our bodies. 

I could see the colours which were so vibrant, I later learnt from my mother that they placed the flowers in the palace garden according to their meaning. I had always thought it was for show but my eyes had been opened as I soon realized how to interpret meanings of objects. The red roses showed the love we had, the hawthorn represented hope, the ivy represented the marriage of my mother and father, the white lilies represented purity and pink roses represented the grace in which we were to be brought up with. 

My brothers and I had separate educations. They were taught how to be men, how to joust, how to fight and how to rule a Kingdom. They were all prepared, even Robert who was the youngest - I was too innocent then to realize that each of them could die and that was why my father taught each of them how to rule. My mother did not teach me as she had done in the past, I had been upset about that as I enjoyed hearing her opinions of the world. I enjoyed hearing the knowledge she possessed, but my mother told me that it was not to be and she became more distant.