In French

Chapter Thirty two

    It was his study. Of course it was. The man spent most of his free time there, innocently absorbing himself in literature. There were guards outside but strangely they did not stop me as I lurched forward into the study. The stench of blood hit me first followed by the bitter aftermath of death. In the shadowy light I saw his mutilated body, smothered in blood with wounds all over his torso. "What is she doing in here?" A high ranking guard barked. "Get her out." The damage was done, I was dragged out of the room in silent horror where I then gripped Agate's arms, staring mortified into her sorrow filled stare.

    "Come on," she whispered in a hushed tone, leading me on, "come on Anna, I'll take you to the King."

    Upon passing snarling and smirking courtiers who whispered and muttered snide comments like: “Sad your lover’s gone?” And ridiculous things like that, I found my eyes welling up. Philip was in his study talking to his adviser who I narrowed my eyes at. He was dismissed, walking smugly passed me as I closed the door sharply on his tail. “Philip-”

    “Please do not start, my darling.” He cut across as he slowly paced towards me. “I did what I did and it is what it is. My, you look remarkably well so soon after bearing us another son."

    I stared, pale faced and open mouthed in pure horror at his casual manner, at how easily he could brush this off. This was far worse than a slight misjudgement. A life had been ended! “Are you sure that he is yours?” I snapped unable to control my anger any longer. He became taken aback. “After all, the only reason why Senor Vargas has been butchered is because he is supposedly my lover and is giving me bastard children. You obviously ordered it so you must believe it too. August is not the Dauphin then?”

    He sucked in a breath, annoyance drifting across his features and settling there. “You want to go into this?” I stood tall and adamant. “You really want me to tell you why I allowed that to happen to him?”

    “Yes!” I snapped, the air was hard to reach my lungs as my chest heaved up and down rapidly.

    “Fine,” he retorted, quite clearly fuming as well. “I wanted him out of the picture! It will be far easier to solve the problem by taking away one of the accused and since you are not disposable to me I must get rid of him and we will lift this stigma from your head. I did it for you, Anna.”

    Astounded, I was astounded. “Since I am not disposable to you? I am not a piece in your game of chess! Neither is Senor Vargas! He is a human being and we both know that he is an innocent one at that. Was." I corrected myself with a saddened voice. "He was those things. Before your men stabbed him like he was a pin cushion! He was innocent and you will be condemned by God for killing an innocent being.” I trembled in rage and grief as tears carved down my cheeks.

    Philip slapped me hard around the face. I cupped my raw, stinging cheek with a sharp intake of breath. “I was chosen by God to be King. How dare you tell me what will happen to me? I am KING and I will not be damned by you. Know your place and get out of my study.” I straightened up, I must have had a red handprint across my face.

    “I thought we worked together.”

    “You are not King or God so therefore I do not have to answer to you.” He snarled. I left and as soon I was alone with my ladies I cried and cried. What was there to do? I still feared for myself and that of my children so stationed guards outside of their nursery to give me some peace of mind. Philip was cruel and not the man that I had fallen in love with all those years ago. He had changed and not for the better.

    I was crying with my face in my hands when my ladies stirred, sniffing I raised my head up to see a stunned August stood there beside Louis. “Boys.” I cooed softly wiping at my eyes. I held my arms open and they came and hugged me very tightly. They'd never know how much I needed them right then.