Chapter 24

The sun rose steadily the next morning. As a new day dawned, Bayonne's citizens crept towards the palace to evaluate the aftermath of the mutiny. Servants, cooks, and stableboys who had fled amongst the chaos searched the castle for those who had remained, luckily finding most of them had survived. A small crowd gathered on the palace lawn. 

When Henri and Thérèse stepped outside, the crowd fell silent. All eyes and ears were focused on the pair. Henri cleared his throat. 

"As you may already know, my father, King Charles, has been murdered." 

A few gasps and cries of surprise broke out amongst the crowd. The crowd's overall reaction was fairly muted. Word spread fast to the village. Henri continued.

"A terrible thing has happened here, in Bayonne, and also to our neighbors in Argence. Several members of the high court cospired to commit theft, treason, and to overthrow the royal families of both countries. I'm sure you've already seen and felt some of the effects. I am here today to announce that it is over. The traitors responsible have been put to death. Bayonne and Argence are safe once again." The crowd erupted into applause. Henri held his hands up to stop them. 

"Please, I'm not finished. My father and step-mother's funeral will be held tonight. All are welcome, though it is a somber event. King Charles and Queen Lucie always possessed a deep love for Bayonne. It would please them both to have you all there to see them into the next life." 

Once he finished, Henri offered his arm to Thérèse. She hesitantly took it. They turned in sync and walked back into the castle. They could hear the tittering and gossip of Bayonne's residents begin as they walked away. 

—

Henri stood in front of a large mirror in what used to be his father's bedroom. He lifted his chin up as he fixed the collar of his shirt. He patted down the black cotton, and pulled on a velvet jacket. He turned to Thérèse, who was fixing her hair on the opposite side of the room. Her inky satin dress hugged her plump body perfectly, but still managed to remain appropriate for a funeral. She pinned the last of her hair in place. 

"Are you ready, my love?" Henri asked.

"Yes." Thérèse responded softly. She pulled a black shawl over her shoulders. It reached her waist. Thérèse and Henri walked outside hand-in-hand. A carriage was waiting to take them to the cemetery for the funeral. The ride there was quiet. No words were exchanged. The only sounds that reached their ears were hoofbeats and the whip connecting with the horses' behinds. 

Thérèse had several questions on her mind, but none that she was willing to ask. What would happen to her and Henri now that she had to return to Argence? Would they be married, and combine their kingdoms? Thérèse still had friends and people who were like family to help her. Henri would essentially be alone, at least in regards to ruling. Would they simply pretend there had never been any feelings between them? Would Henri want to move on? It would make sense. Who would want a constant reminder of the terrible events that had transpired. 

No, he would be expected to have a queen. It was tradition. Henri would certainly marry. But would he marry Thérèse? Her stomach churned at the idea of Henri taking someone else as his wife. Thérèse took a deep breath in, and her questions started to form in the back of her throat. They came to rest on the tip of her tongue when the carriage suddenly stopped. Footsteps crunched on the crisp ground outside. The horse whinnied. 

"We're here." Henri said. The driver opened the door and Henri climbed out first, holding his arm out to help Thérèse down after him. A huge crowd had gathered in the cemetery. The sky was gray, and a chilly gale spiralled continuously through the air. The needles on the pine trees shook silently. Even the wind was paying its respects.

. As Henri and Thérèse approached the gravesite, the crowd parted. The couple walked solemnly down the aisle of bodies. As they passed, citizens genuflected and bowed their heads. Henri had the urge to tell them it was unnecessary, but stopped himself. It was more important to the citizens than it was to him. They wanted to show respect, and that they accepted him as their new king. The practice was more for their benefit than for his own. Henri continued towards the plot where his father and step-mother would be buried. His eyes watered as he saw the caskets. Even though it was the middle of winter, gravediggers had broken their backs for hours to dig the graves. Henri made a mental note to make sure they were thanked generously. 

Thérèse and Henri came to a stop in front of the open plot of earth. The pathway behind them closed. The crowd was silent. A priest approached, and read a few sentimental verses of scripture. Henri saw his lips moving, but heard nothing. After saying a prayer over the two coffins, they were lowered into the graves. Thérèse released Henri's arm as he bent down. He scooped up two handfuls of dirt, one in his left hand, one in his right, and threw them simultaneously into the two separate graves. The dirt spattered quietly onto the expensive wood. Thérèse then did the same. They walked around to the opposite side of the graves, so they were facing the crowd. One by one, the citizens of Bayonne came forward. Every man, woman, and child, young and old, sank their hands into the cold soil and scattered it over their beloved former king and queen's graves. By the time they had all had a turn, there was very little dirt needed to finish filling in the holes. 

The crowd began to disperse as the graves were finished. Citizens trudged through the snow back to their daily lives while Thérèse and Henri stayed behind. Zin, Mehala, and the rest of the troupe said goodbye, and returned to the castle for the rest of the day. Thérèse and Bernard decided they would spend the remainder of the day in Bayonne, and leave for Argence the following morning. The gravediggers tipped their hats as they finished their work. The priest grasped Henri's shoulder for a moment, and left quietly. Thérèse and Henri sat alone on a cold, stone bench in the cemetery. In a way, it reminded Thérèse of Argence. When she had sat alone, staring out across a vast, wintry landscape, distraught over how to handle Claude. She smirked a bit at the memory, and how much her life had changed since then. 

Henri sniffed, bringing Thérèse back to the current moment. 

"I wanted to ask you something." He said, his smooth voice cutting through the cold atmosphere.

"I want to know if you'll stay in Bayonne with me. Well, not stay, but rule. I want you here as my queen." 

Thérèse smiled. It may have been inappropriate to grin in a cemetery, but she couldn't help it.

"I would love to, Henri. But I have things I need to take care of in Argence, first. I love you with my entire heart, and wouldn't want to lead with anyone else. But my loyalty will always lie with Argence first. I'm the sole heir to the throne, and I need to ensure the kingdom is in order." 

Henri nodded. 

"I understand." He said. "I had a feeling you would respond that way. That's why I brought this." Henri rose from the bench and pulled a small, velvet box out of his jacket pocket. He knelt on one knee, and held it open in front of Thérèse. A glimmering ruby sat in a gold band, surrounded by several smaller white diamonds. Thérèse gasped. It was beautiful. 

"Will you marry me?" Henri asked with a smile. 

"You may be a thorn in my side, but yes, Henri. I'll marry you." Henri stood and embraced Thérèse. She lifted her hand and he slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly. 

"There. Now you have to come back." Henri joked. 

"Were you worried I wouldn't?" Thérèse laughed. 

Henri offered her his arm and they stood for a momet in front of the fresh graves. Henri sighed as he gazed upon the last semblance he had of his father. 

"I love you, Dad." he whispered. 

They left the cemetery and returned to the carriage.