The Dark Crown

Chapter 4

Louis sighs as the castle towers comes into view as their carriage draws to a halt at the castle gates. The guards at the gate come up to the window and peeks in to confirm the visitor as they had been ordered to do. They easily recognise Louis and walk away with a bow to instruct the workers to open the heavy gates. Louis takes in a deep breath as he notices the royal flag fying half mast in honor of the princesses' death. A lone tear caress his cheeks when he looks out at the familiar way. He feels her thumb brush his tear away and look up into her green eyes. Even in the dark he could see her emerald eyes now gleaming with hints of tears and compassion. Her eyes held love and comfort bringing his lost mind a comfort of  home. He leans into her arms revelling in her warmth as his mind wanders elsewhere .His thoughts rake through the memories of his childhood and of her- His bestfriend, His Alex. He still remembers the four kids running across the castle courtyard. Racing through the grand halls relentlessly pulling silly  pranks on the helpless staff. He remembers learning to climb in the great apple tree in the castle orchard. He still remembers the day when they raced to climb the highest and Alex got frightened on seeing a bee while climbing  and lost her grip on the branches .She had got a nasty cut from the fall but still she smiled because she wanted to show them that she was tough too and that she was no 'proper lady' as her tutor always claimed she had to be. He still remembers how they used to make fun of the poker face she put on that day to hide her pain  that had been not the least bit convincing to any of them .It would always make her snap at them when they joked about that day  but always a hint of smile would pull at her lips and her dimples will show. He would miss that smile,He thinks drawing in a deep breath. 

He then recalls that day. How could he not? It was the worst day of his life. He remembers them  playing pretend in the throne room. Alex and Edmund would sit in the throne with tiaras made of flowers adorning their heads. They would always insist on being the king and queen and he and Charles always let them .He and Charles would put on one of his father's armours and pretend to be knights. He still remembers when that day the king walked into the room with a grave face. He still remembers how King George held out his hand for him to take and silently lead him away into the drawing room. He still remembers walking into the room and seeing his mother crying in the armchair by the fireplace the queen holding her silently. He remembers how he had rushed towards her and how she hugged him so tight sobbing into his shoulders. "Louis..," she had cried, "He is gone my love...Papa is gone...He has left us" .

He remembers standing there numb , not quite understanding the meaning behind her words and still remaining unphased as her sobs cease and her body falls numb onto his little shoulders. He doesnt not acknowledge the kings and Queens shocked gasps or when he is seperated from his mothers lifelss body. He did not cry. He did not scream. He did not talk. Not when he saw his parents being buried into the ground. Nor when the King honored the brave death of the kingdoms general in the torturous hands of the enemy to the whole kingdom. Nor when he was taken in by the king and given a place to live in the palace. He did not shed a single tear the whole time untill one night when she came into is room at early hours of morning and quietly sat beside him at the windows seat. Mimicking his posture and looking up at the plane grey sky up above and sat there with him. He remembers how a few tears had slipped by unknowingly and how he was instantly embraced in her little arms. Then he cried. He let out all his pains and all the sufferings that his little heart was forced to carry. He let out his anger at the world, at fate, at everything that he saw and at himself and she listened to it all .Wise beyond her mere 8 years of age, she listened when no one else did. Only once did she utter a word that day. As he slowly drifted off to sleep still in her arms, he heard her say, "I will always be here, Lou. Always. And I would never let you cry alone."

He sniffles as reality sets in. Her promise had been a farce. She was not here now to be with him when he needed her to be. She has become  the reason for his tears now. He sniffles as the carriage draws to halt at the castle steps. He steps out and helps  Charolete down as well  before moving up the stairs together. Charles meets them at the top of the stairs, Louis quickly moving to embrace his dear friend. They break the hug in tears understanding how  the other is feeling  at the moment .Charles then looks towards Charolete when she bows before him,"No need for that here Charolete.You are Louis wife so practically you are family.", Charles smiles. "My apologies ,your grace. My condolences for your loss. I cannot even begin to imagine whateither of you could be feeling now,  considering how close the three of you were as children", Charolettes says sympathatically."Thank you, Charolette. Yes, it is indeed hard .She was like a little sister to us.", Charles agrees with a weak smile. "Charles, Have you secured the place where it happened?",asks Louis. "Yes as soon as we found her.I had the guards search her entire room to ensure no one was there. But everything else has been left as such", said charles. "It happened in her room Charles?", Louis asks gravely to which Charles nods with a sigh. Louis takes a deep breath as they begin to climb the much familiar flight of stairs leading to the third floor. "Has she been moved from there?", Asks Louis. "No, we did call in the royal physician to confirm her death but her body has not been removed so far", says Charles as they approach the huge golden doors at the end of the hallway leading to the princesses chamber  .He draws in a deep breath and motion to the guards stationed outside to open the doors and he steps away as the doors are swung open.

Louis and Charolete let out  shocked gasps as they see the gruesome sight before them. Though  they had been to countless murders sites including the particularlyhenious ones in the whole kingdom , they now stood  stood shocked at seeing her - perhaps owing to them knowing who she was-who she had been. They draw in deep breaths as they head into the room careful not to step into the pool of blood that were spread everywhere. Louis then gathers himself and steps through the blood towards her motionless body sprawled across the floor. He slowly kneels down beside her and looks at her. She could not be Alex he thinks .He couldnt see her dimpled smile or her electric blue eyes always glistening in mischevious humor. Her eyes were now blank and red  staring up lifelessly at the mahogany ceilings. He closes her eyes slowly with his fingers  and for a moment it looked as if she was in a deep slumber but the red staining her body and  clothes  proved otherwise.

"Could it be a suicide Louis?", Asks Charles with a small voice from the doorway. "Are you insane, Charles? Does this look like a suicide to you? She could never be able to it. If she had to, she would have had to be insane." ,Louis retorts apalled at the suggestion. "I know Louis,I just had to be sure", Replies Charles solemnly still not looking into the room.

Louis gets up from his position and with one last glance at Alex, he begins to look about the room  with Charolete. "Her study seems a bit messy. Did she write something recently?A letter perhaps?", Asks Louis observing the open ink pot and assembled blank papers. "Not that I know of. I would have to ask Granita about it to be sure. She was with her the whole time.", says Charles. "No need Charles. I could do it myself. Its best we do the investigation ourselves", Louis says as he shifts through the papers scattered across the desk ensuring each one was blank. "She seems quite a reader", Charolette comments as she eyes the shelf stacked with books. "She was. She used to love books on literature and poems and adventures and mysteries. She also loved  books on science and mathematics.", Says Louis. "Oh my. She was a very educated woman was she not! It is quite rare for a woman to be able to learn anything remotely educative." ,Comments Charolette . "Well she was taught to be a proper princess all her life and it was rather the late  kings wish to have her be as much educated as possible but the duchess loathed it." says Charles. Just then Charolete lets out a pained gasp as she feels a prick on her toes. "Char! are you alright?" asks Louis rushing towards her. "Yes it seems to be a broken clasp. It is rather sharp.", Says Charolette and they continue with their search. They continue to explore the room but find nothing in particular which could prove to be useful. They exit the room and join Charles in the hallway."Could you find anything?". Charles asks. "Im afraid I didn't.", Says Louis disapointment lacing his tone. Charles sighs disappointedly. "But this is just the beginning Charles. As long as the murderer does not escape from within these walls, I give you my word that we would find him", Louis swears to Charles in consolation. "Have her be examined by the physician.We need to know the true extend of her injuries", informs Charolette. "Certaintly!She will be moved from the room now", says Charles. "Your grace!Your presence is requested. The lords have gathered in the throne room. It is imperative that you are to attend", says a guard approaching them in a hurry. "Pardon me but I should excuse myself for now. The funeral is supposed to be tomorrow afternoon and there is much to be done. The guard will show you to your chamber. And once again thank you for accepting to look into this. ", Charles tells them and with a bow he walks away after instructing the guard to lead them to their room. "Louis, who is  the next heir to the throne?",whispers Charolette as they follow the guards to their room. "Charles"replies Louis. They share a look and then louis whispers. "I know you worry that my love towards this entire family may cloud my judgement, Charolete. But you need not worry. My love towards this family has only rooted from my love towards Alex.", Louis says to her as they are lead into their room and are left alone. Charolete walks closer towards him and caresses his cheeks with her hands. Looking into his blue eyes she whispers, "I know Lou...I know" and kisses his pouted  lips  locked in each others embrace- cocooned in a world of their own.