morningSIDEr: I know! Tut tut!
Mr Sometimes: A good point! Have to make things interesting, I feel! And yeah...those girls...they need to try harder!
Sather: But of course!
blsteen: They sure did! It's a mistake they won't make again.
Boris: I'll start playing France game-wise in 2 updates, so it's at default 1534 mode at the moment. The Count is a little bemused.
Chicken: Thanks!
Dewirix: Yes, she is an odd one, isn't she....
Chapter 16 – The Court of King François
23/8/1533
Fontainebleau Palace, to the south of Paris, was a beautiful structure. Enlarged by King François it was now the royal residence and administrative centre of France. As the carriage finally rolled into the gardens around the Count had been joined by his retainers and other servants who had travelled behind or awaited his arrival.
Many guards and soldiers protected the King’s palace, and the Captain of the King’s Bodyguard personally sent them through.
While the Count and Maria went into the chateaux to see the King Talena was left to herself. She wandered through the gardens aimlessly, annoyed and bored at being ignored. If there was one thing that the experience of living so long had taught her it was that she believed she was important. Was she not a warrior and fighter who had travelled the world? Granted no one knew about it, but still! She didn’t consider being self centred was a bad thing though, but realistic.
She was interrupted from her daze as she walked along the path by a tall, rather handsome man in rich clothes. She realised that she had been wandering for hours perhaps. The man was mounted and wore a sword at his side. Behind him were retainers and servants dressed for the hunt.
Talena stepped aside to let the horse pass, but the rider reined in. “Lady Talena?”
“Yes, Lord?” she asked. It was only now that she noticed the Fleur de Lys on his outfit. She blinked.
“You will address his Majesty appropriately!” a courtier ordered.
“Apologies, Your Majesty,” she said.
The King did not seem overly unhappy by her mistake. “I was wondering where you had gone. The Count of Blois, a member of my court and a friend, mentioned you were a woman of interest. I wish to talk with you.”
Talena bowed. “Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Bring a horse!” the King ordered. “Ride with me,” he commanded.
Talena mounted and immediately cursed the stupid skirts which made horse riding so annoying.
François was not worried by the delay, instead he seemed most appreciative of looking at her, and when she finally pulled the hated skirt up he looked at the revealed legs.
“Let us ride. I see you have no problem doing that?” he said smugly.
“None, Your Majesty,” Talena said. Urging the horse forward she followed the King, and they in turn were trailed by his retinue.
“The Count mentioned that you were on the run from the Spanish, that you had potential information about them.”
“I do, Your Majesty,” Talena replied. “You know of course of the expedition to Mexico and the Indies ten years ago?”
“I do.”
“Another was launched into the southern land named Peru. There is a land greater in size than all of Muscovy, and great in wealth. These heathens possess enough wealth to fill a room ten feet cubed with gold and silver. But the Spanish failed to conquer them.” Talena decided to overdo it a little. After all, she still had a grudge against the Spanish. “In no small part to my interference. The Lady Maria, companion of the Count will testify to this.”
The King seemed interested. “And so?”
“Imagine, great King…they failed to conquer that vast realm. Now they do not have access to that wealth, nor to the other resources of that land. They are weakened. The Hapsburgs will have to divide their forces even more, considering the heretics in the Empire as well.”
François considered Talena as they trotted. “You know of matters of war?” he asked.
“It is unusual I know, Majesty, but I do. For a long time though I was in the far east, in the Indies and Cathay. Their ways are strange there, and manners exotic.”
This seemed to satisfy the King. He could not easily fit a European woman into the mould of a warrior, but an exotic eastern tradition was more understandable.
“And they train women in the arts of war? Have they no men?”
“They do, but circumstances often cause changes. I learned because of necessity.”
“How old are you?” the King asked.
“How old do I look, Majesty?” she asked.
François laughed. “That is a question I know not to answer,” he replied.
They talked some more, and when they returned to the palace the King ordered that Talena be given a room and new clothes. He would not permit her to carry a sword, but she would be around.