The She-Wolf of France

Chapter One

Chapter One

I had arrived at Boulogne with my entourage earlier, my wedding was drawing closer and I could feel my whole body shaking with excitement and anticipation. I had been waiting for the day that was so vastly approaching since I was just seven years of age.

I had travelled through the city on a grand carriage pulled by some of the finest horses that we owned, the crowds greeted us with cheering and singing. They shouted my name out, and spoke fondly of me telling me that I was the true Princess of France and that I was king Isabella.

To repay them for their words of kindness I rose up out of the carriage, and stood at the front. They were all in awe of me, Isabella the Princess of France standing up to face all of them without anyone guarding her. I spoke openly to them and announced that France was proud of them, I then threw jewels and mountains of gold coins out onto the pavements for them to catch.

They grasped the golden coins in a frenzy of happiness, some of the people who were trying to get the riches had never seen such coins before. After this they all chanted once more for me, and told me that God would bring me good fortune.

I chuckle to myself and I hope that the words they speak are true, for I do not know how I will react when I set my eyes on this King that I will marry. He is not fully the King, he has not yet been crowned, but he is still the King in name. I did not feel any desire for any of the men that I had met so far in my life and this made me uncertain if I would desire my husband.

He had been described to me as a most handsome Prince though I knew to not totally believe the words of people who spoke of him like that. People were not so truthful when it came to royalty, they liked to praise them in order to gain favour in the wheel of fortune.

I walk into the lodgings that I will be staying in. They are grand, and they are befitting to my title as Princess and soon to be Queen. My father will be joining me soon, and I cannot help but wonder if he will be proud of me for trying to channel my mother’s respectful and wise spirit when I am faced with my husband. My husband is staying near the town, I hear that he is with his men and that they are housed in huge tents. I have never once set eyes upon an Englishman. I wonder if they are different from the Frenchmen we see.

My friends tell me that they are not as charming as the French, that they do not play the game as well as we French do. They tell me that the English are much more direct and straight to the point as us French love to play with words and flirt. I hope that this is not true for I do not want a husband who is reminiscent of my statue like father who could be mistaken for an Englishman if it was not for his thick French voice.

I also know that my husband is twenty three years of age, eleven years my senior. I do not know if he will be interested in me as I am but a child. Although men are beginning to see my curves, and my face that is beginning to change..I do not know if he will just think of me as a girl.

I hope that I am pleasing to him as my friends tell me that I am the most sought after Princess in Christendom. That my long blonde mane and my full lips are desired by many.

I begin to settle myself in my lodgings, my most favourite ladies Aenor, Margaret and Diane are sitting with me. I have other good ladies though the three that are in front of me are my closest and most trusted ladies. They are not meek and forgettable. They can talk to me, they do not fear me like some of the ladies do. They can express their opinions to me and I love to hear their thoughts on the world, they are not afraid to question me and it pleases me that they do not act so mouse-like around me like some of the other ladies do.

“We must begin to ready you for tomorrow, Isabella,” the ever friendly voice of Aenor(my closest lady) sounds in my ears. I am close with Margaret and Diane though Aenor has been by my side much longer than both of them. She is not as beautiful as some of the beauties at court though there is a striking look to her. She has deep chocolate brown eyes and chestnut brown hair.

“Yes. I hear that he is a handsome Prince! Isabella you are such a lucky woman!” Diane giggles happily, her blue eyes twinkling. Diane is the prettiest of my ladies. I think that she resembles the Goddess Diana, her namesake. She has blonde hair though not light enough to make her seem like my bastard sister.

“Isabella. You must tell us of how he is with his...actions,” she mutters rather suggestively. I normally would scold my ladies for acting in such a manner, but these three are my friends and I do not feel like their mistress. Even though I am twelve, they speak to me as if I am much older and I am thankful for them for doing so. Margaret is another pretty woman, she has dark eyes which are almost black like the night sky and a jet black mane of thick hair. She looks almost exotic with her olive skin tone and I sometimes think that she is perhaps Italian and not French.

“Margaret! To say such things!” I chuckle at her words, and shake my head. I hide my embarrassment, as I am afraid of him coming to me to consummate our marriage. I do not know what to do, I just pray that he will be patient with me.

“Forgive Margaret, Isabella. Her mind sometimes gets carried away with her!” I watch as Aenor gives Margaret that upturned smile of hers as her eyes twinkle playfully.

“Ladies. Enough of this, let us ready her,” Diane snaps out of her giggles, controlling her cheeks which were crimson.

I rise out of my seat and I am taken over to a large tub which has been filled with warm water to satisfy me. I am undressed by my ladies, my bare skin being revealed to the air around me. My skin is almost as white as snow, and is envied by many ladies for I seem to be able to go outside and not catch the glow of the sun.

I lower myself into the transparent liquids, which seem to caress my skin with it’s comforting warmth. It makes me feel as if I am in the caring hands of my mother are around me, as if I can feel her soft fingers on my flawless skin. They bathed me in rosewater, with all different herbs inserted into the water - jasmine, lavender and daisy. When I came out I smelt like heaven itself, the alabaster kingdom which was situated high up in the sky where gods angels would sing their wonderful tunes their voices flawless. I felt fresher, as I breathed in the scents that clung to my petite and pale body. My ladies sat me down and began to pull at my eyebrow hairs, to shape them and make them more pleasing. It hurt but I did not cry out, I just sat and silently winced to myself. They washed my feet as a way of pledging themselves to God.

I am to be the picture of purity and beauty tomorrow, when I am to be presented to my husband and the man who I would be known for going against.