The Lady Justice

Chapter VIII: I Care, I Care Not

Lady Therese De Beauharnais of Roche

9 October, Year 32 of King Frederick V of Monrique's reign

Bordeux Castle, Bordeux

Monrique

"You look rather bad-tempered."

Jules eyed me warily, as I sat down next to her that evening. Lisa took a seat next to her bed as well, observing my countenance with narrowed eyes.

"How can you tell, Jules?" Lisa asked her, bewildered, "her face looks the same as ever: calm, disinterested and unbothered by anything and everything around her."

I remained silent, curious to hear her answer.

"Observe her eyes closely. They can scorch anyone to ashes at the moment," Jules pointed out, offering me a weak smile, "by God, Tess, who are you so vexed with?"

"My mother," I admitted darkly, "her arrival has made it all the harder for me to go to my classes, or visit Lady Madeleine in the dungeons. I swear to God, she seems to be watching me from a corner everywhere I go."

It had only been a week since she had arrived, and she was already up to no good. She had taken to following me these days to find out about my daily schedule - who I met, what I did, and so on - which was, as she had taught me all those years ago, the first step to any scheming.

I had successfully eluded her to come here tonight, but Lord, I did not want to play this game of hide-and-go-seek for the entire duration of my stay in Bordeux.

Jules' eyes widened in horror. "Lady Rosanna is here? In Bordeux?"

I sighed.

Truth be told, she had good reason to be afraid. The last time she had visited Roche two years ago, my mother had tried to drown her in the lake behind our Manor, merely for burying the hatchet with the Crown Prince.

The Lord knew what she would try to do to her now, now that she was married to the same man, and was heavily pregnant with his child.

Lisa placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are safe here," she assured her fiercely, "your food is being tasted before it is served to you, and there is no way she can enter these chambers with all those guards placed outside."

"I am not afraid, Lisa," Jules snapped, "I have nothing to fear from her."

"To remain unafraid of the threat she poses to your safety and that of your child, is rather courageous of you," I remarked quietly, "but to believe that no such threat exists is plain foolishness on your part. You know, as well as I do, that she is capable of anything."

She fell silent.

"However, I agree with Lisa," I smiled weakly, "you and your child are much safer from her here, in confinement, than anywhere else."

"I know. Even if she does manage to enter these chambers, I shall face her without fear," there was a hard gleam in her eyes, "I may be pregnant, but I am still a warrior."

"That is the spirit, Cousin," I remarked briskly, before, "in any case, I came here to inform you both that I have made a list of all the heiress presumptives among the nobility. I am in the midst of writing letters to invite them to meet us here in Bordeux so that we can explain and discuss everything about the petition with them face-to-face. I do not wish to risk putting anything in writing, in case it gets intercepted."

"May I take a look at that list, please?" Lisa requested, "I wish to see if I can add anyone else to it."

I nodded, passing her the piece of parchment I had brought with me. She began to study it at once.