I Followed Fires

XXV. Adèle

It was her empathy and understanding that softened Kenna's hatred.

Kenna sat on a velvet stool near the fireplace, as Adèle caressed her back and spoke in a motherly voice to clam her down. But her tears had not ceased to run down her cheeks. Adèle thought of asking her why she came running into her chambers in tears, but she figured it was a very delicate matter that she is not sure that she could handle, especially since she and Kenna have had a troubled relationship. Adèle had just attended to her little brothers and return to her bedchambers, fatigued and longing for milk with honey, but her plans were soon disrupted.

"I know the way you look at him," said Adèle. She did not say this to offend Kenna, however to let her know that Adèle is not clueless of the past that she and Bash once shared with each other. "I know you are still madly in love with him, but I cannot do anything to change that."

"But what about Bash? I need to know if he is still in love with me, Adèle. Forgive me for telling you of such things, with you being his betrothed and future wife and everything... I'm not one who lets go of their past easily,"  

"I understand, Kenna, but I cannot do anything to help you,"  

"Unless.."

"Unless what?" asked Adèle, looking confused.

"Unless you tell Bash and court that you will not marry. Annul you engagement, to put it in simpler terms. What do you think?"

Adèle was startled by her response. "Kenna, I..I don't know. I would risk not one but many things if I was to annul my betrothal. Kenna, my engagement was suggested by Henry himself, and many people in court have expressed their approval, including Mary and Francis.. I would lose my friendship with the king and queen, the members of court, other nobles as well,"

"So you don't agree?" said Kenna. Even more tears filled the edge of her eyes.

"I'm not saying that I don't agree, but your suggestion appears to have many disadvantages, especially disadvantages that would risk me, and my family even more," said Adèle. "I know you love Bash more than I do, and frankly, you look more like a engaged couple than Bash and me. I will think about it,"

"Will you?"

Adèle nodded. Kenna gave a friendly hug which Adèle accepted with full kindness, and excused herself from her chambers. Adèle's smile disappeared off her face and she began to think of what Kenna had just suggested. End Bash and her's engagement would create a preposterous chain of events. She would look like she betrayed the previous king, and now the current king as well. What could she possibly do to handle this matter? There was only one person who deserved the honor of doing so: Bash. Before she agrees to Kenna's suggestion, she would consult first and foremost to Bash, her betrothed. She did not even think of asking Jean-Michel, her mother, or her father to help, for she knew that there was only person that would give her the wisest advice out of all. Adèle asked one of the servants to call for Bash's presence in her chambers.

Not half an hour has passed, and Bash had already entered her chambers. He came, panting, worried that something has happened to Adèle, but as soon as he realized that she was completely and utterly fine, Bash calmed himself down and stood before Adèle, who has just rose from her armchair.

"You called for me?" asked Bash. Although he knew Adèle was fine, Bash still appeared unnerved. Whatever Adèle's response was, there was an equal chance that it would remove all of his anxious thoughts, or make him the most unnerved man in France. Unfortunately, it was the latter.

"Kenna wants us to annul our engagement." said Adèle plainly with an ambiguous facial expression.  

"What?" Bash replied, looking angered, but panicked for the most part. "She doesn't have the right.. end our engagement? Just like that? Months of writing to each other, wasted.. how dare she? She's a woman full of envy towards others," Bash muttered with a low voice.

"Calm down, I'm sure she means no harm. She's in love with you, Bash. It hurts to know that our future marriage brings young woman to such sadness,"

"You do not understand. I was once in love with Kenna, but that was long ago. I have forgotten all my feelings for her, I have forgotten everything.. I don't want her," said Bash.

"It doesn't matter what you want. Kenna is hopelessly in love with you, and I am willing to give up our engagement for the sake of her happiness and well-being,"  

"And what of my happiness? Do you not care for me too?"

"I care for you by letting you marry a woman whom you adore,"

"How can you stand here and say such things? You agreed to our engagement, I remind you."

"But that was before I had known that Kenna was still in love with you, Bash," she replied. "Go to her. Make her the happiest woman in all of France as you did with I,"

"I cannot. Forgive me, Adèle, but I do not want to end our engagement for a young woman who I do not want as my future wife. I want you as my betrothed, as my future wife, my lionheart,"

"I am sorry, Bash. Please do this for Kenna, and for me as well. You will have a happy marriage, one with filled many sons and daughters. And fortunately, you have already fallen in love with each other, and you have known so much more things about each other than you and me. Please accept that you and Kenna's marriage will be a prosperous one, and I believe it," Adèle uttered, and touched his cheek as Bash pulled her closer.

"Have you told Francis and Mary of her suggestion?" asked Bash.

"I have sent them a note. It is done, Bash."

"You cannot do this to us, Adèle. After all of the time we have spent, do you really want to give it all up just for one of Mary's ladies-in-waiting?"

"Yes, for I do not want to see a young woman so broken-hearted."

"And what of you? Where will you go?"

"Perhaps I will marry another young man. Someone foreign, possibly. We will visit each other, Bash. Maybe our children will grow together side by side. This is not the end of our friendship, it is only the end of our engagement; an engagement that has only live through not more than two months."

"Adèle, I am not in love with Kenna, please believe me." Bash said, his eyes suddenly becoming wet with tears.

"You have already fallen in love with her before. You can do it again."

And with that, Bash broke into tears; something that no one except Francis and his mother have seen. He pulled her closer, feeling the warmth of Adèle against him.

It was her warmth that Bash found comfort in, but it was soon to leave his life.