Boy King

// henri part 2 //

"You got no evidence from searching last night and this morning?"

   Bash folds his arms, and let out a sigh of frustration of his work, "Yes. We didn't get any! No tonics, no liquids, or anything poisonous from their houses nor chambers, Charles."

  I press my lips and think about it. I have to resist my impatience for this. I mean, it's only been a day. But still, I have to hurry.

  Bash seems to be disappointed at himself as he slightly scoffs, and folds his arm. I open my mouth to say something but I stop as he gives me a small nod and his eyes softens at me. "I know, I know. I will do whatever you command, and nothing more," he simply says.

  I avert my eyes from his bright ones. His speech stings me and yet, I simply return a nod and pat him on the shoulder. I glance at his men and they all bow their heads in return. With Bash and his companion, Alec, I gave them dismissal and they all depart the the council room.

   After their departure, I sink down on my chair and proceed to my study of the clan of The Huguenots. It keeps me at night and it increases the bile in me the fact that they attack the people I love and not me. Why? Why not me.if I were the main target? To be honest, I am really easy to be killed. But instead of I, they choose to attack the innocent ones.

   In fact, I am also innocent. What did I do? It all started with Elisa's attack when she was on the carriage with Vallenté.... what have I done to alarm them? What have I done to anger Condé?

  Or maybe he is just plain stupid or turned into a psycho.

  Or....

   I looked down at Lady Greer's old diary and re-read her elegant swirls of sentences. According to her accounts, my brother's widow, Mary, had an affair with Condé and Francis allowed it to happen for some reason. Then, it turned out that Mary was the ticket to Francis' throne so Condé strikes up a massacre or a war against the whole french court with the Huguenots. Condé thought Mary was supporting him but she knew all about it and betrayed him by imprisoning him.

  But he escaped.

  I still don't understand. Francis is already dead, does he still want the throne after all this years?

  And there's another one. The records keep saying that he's dead. It bothers me alot! and I've been requesting for a portrait but they said that it was all burned because of his massive threat.

   What if he's really dead? What if those tattoos or some sort of it are just old ones to remember him? What if there's a new leader?

  Stop this, Charles. You're fooling yourself again.

  Somebody knocks on the door and I called out to come in. A corridor opens revealing a manservant. "Your Majesty, the lady Louise requests an audience with you and the queen at Prince Henri's chambers," The servant says.

  I lift my head up from the book. An uneasy churn growls on the bottom of my stomach. Suddenly, my concern increases: What happened to him? Did he got better or worse? Why does Louise wants a word with Elisa and I?

   I shut my endless my thoughts and put my book down. "I shall come," I say, and the servant nods and leaves. I stand up from the desk, I gather my books under my arm and depart the isolated council room.

  The bright sunlight illuminating from the right windows nearly blind my eye as I walk down the hall with people around me. I have to go and find Elisa, do I? I put a hand up to block the light while marching, and without even noticing, I bump into a person causing my papers and books to drop on the floor.