Chasing Promises

Loyalty 11th October 1532

Georgina Pierce - Calais, France

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Georgina lay on the large silk duvet, unsure if she was dead or alive; a venom seem to sear its way from her neck through her veins, through her heart when Francis drank from her. The Dauphin was only fourteen but had the strength of a man in his prime, he held her down despite Georgina's struggles and pleas to be released and drank her blood. She gripped the duvet and watched as the veins in her arm began to shrink. Am I dying now? She thought. She was nearly twenty, her life had not been lived, she wasn't even married despite the amorous advances of Francis Bryan one of the Kings inner circles.

Suddenly the young boy stopped and wiped his mouth.

"Thank you mon cherie." He said as though Georgina had been a willing donor; he looked down at her and smiled as if this was a normal act of courting. She however lay still and stared towards the flap at the far end of the Dauphains tent, not wanting to make eye contact with the monster. "Your very beautiful you know. You shall have to come again and become a lady in waiting to my aunt. She will love you my belle fleur." He stroked her cheek, his hands Georgina thought were cold and clammy like a corpses would be not a living man.

"Lady Georgina." Called a voice outside of the Dauphin's grand tent, she recognised it as Gilles de la Pommerate, the French ambassador. She continued to lay still unsure of what to do as Francis stood and looked at the flap too; within seconds he moved pulling Georgina from the bed and fixing her french hood.

"Ambassador." He said pulling the tent flap open, allowing the afternoon sun to flood the tent until the Ambassador joined him.

"Your Grace, the Marquess of Pembroke, Lady Anne is looking for Lady Georgina have you seen her?"

"Yes, the said Lady has been marvelling at my tent." He turned into the tent and gestured for her to come forward.

"Lady Anne is looking for me Ambassador?" She said eagerly, seeing it as an escape route from the Dauphin's cold clutches. "I'm sorry your Grace, but I shall have to leave. Thank you for showing me your tent." She said more somberly, curtsying to the young dauphin.

"Come Lady Georgina I shall walk you to her Ladyships room." As Georgina made to leave alone.

"I would be glad of your company Ambassador. Thank you. I might get lost if not in this sea of tents." She answered hiding her happiness in leaving the Dauphin who still stood watching her - drinking her in with his eyes.

Georgina walked with the Ambassador at a slower pace than normal, not because she was enjoying Giles' conversation about horses but she literally felt drained - as though Francis had sucked the life from her, even the French October sun hurt her eyes.

"May I be blunt Lady Georgina." Giles asked petting her hand submissively, as if he were petting a dog when they were near Annes large tent placed next to

"Of course your Grace."

"You would be wise to keep this chat and the Dauphin's actions secret."

"I don't know what you mean-"

"Do not play dumb with me Georgina." Stopping and pushing her face up to his, so he stared her straight in the eye. "I know those marks on your neck and the paleness of your face. He has not been the same since returning from Madrid. The Spanish did something. The King can't let this get out, his handsome heir a monster might mean the end to any alliances with your King against Charles. Do you understand the gravity of the situation Georgina?"

"Yes. I won't tell. My reputation would be ruined if I were to say I'd been alone-"

"What would Sir Francis think?" He smiled cheekily, apparently feeling reassured that any possible danger of her retelling the tale had passed, although the thought hung in her mind. Anne and the King had come here, to France to gain King Francis' support in the annulment of the marriage to Catherine - Anne could use this as leverage. "-I rather think the man is quite in love with you." The ambassador had carried on oblivious whilst her mind was elsewhere.