Sather: Yes, it certainly took a while. Sadly...well, you'll see.
Chris: That's the plan! Just...not executed well.
Boris: No, Spain got pretty smashed up in that war...then they got lots of regencies. Which means that until the next war they never attacked at all.
Aliasing: I only have one unclaimed core by this stage, and that's Brescia in Venetian territory! Fortunately that dies off. Oh, and Calais, but England's my ally.
blsteen: Well, she's more of a front line leader than a staff officer! How this story might have been different if she had been!
Chapter 29 – A New Player
23/2/1537
Her name was Mireille Du Pre, and her arrival started a most unexpected and long ranging series of events. It all started with the death of the wife of the Duke of Armagnac, Marguerite. This had occurred shortly before the war with Spain, leaving her seventeen year ward Mireille in the care of her husband, Henri. Mireille Du Pre herself was herself the daughter of a prominent nobleman killed at Pavia and taken in by the Duchess, who was herself the sister of King François.
However, in the last days of winter the girl appeared at Fontainebleau unexpectedly, with just a couple of retainers and a dilapidated carriage.
Talena had come out to see the commotion, and saw a blonde girl dressed in very sparse clothing hurrying over the snow towards the doors.
“Wait a moment,” Talena said, stepping in front of her. “What are you-“ she said and stopped. Angelique’s face bore the unmistakeable mark of fading bruises. Her pale arms were likewise blackened, as if she’d gripped tightly.
“Please, I must see the King!” she pleaded. She looked terrified, and worse, she looked haunted by something.
Talena scanned her, and there was no way she could be concealing any weapon. “Of course. Let me give you this coat. You must be freezing.” She pulled off her own coat and gave it to the girl before walking with her inside.
They soon passed the two armoured bodyguards at the entrance to the throne room and entered. There, the King was looking over documents with Cardinal Moreau and Count Reynard. Both the Queen and Maria were not present.
Henri stopped in mid-flow and looked up. “Mireille?” he asked, surprised.
“Your Majesty…please, I must talk to you!”
“Of course but…what happened to your face?” Henri asked, stepping forward in concern. Reynard and Moreau also came forward to help Talena, who was barely supporting the girl.
When Mireille spoke it was barely a whisper. “He hit me, Majesty,” she said in a frightened voice.
“Who?” Henri asked.
“The Duke. He came to my room and…made advances! I tried to get away, but he hit me! I managed to get out of the window and take my friend with me. And I came here because I have no one else! My father died and my mother is gone, God rest their souls.” She started to cry, and her remaining words were cut off.
The King, barely older than the girl, looked awkward. “Why would he do such a thing?”
“His Grace has been known to…indulge in wine,” Reynard said anxiously.
“That is no excuse!” the King said piously. “Talena, take Lady Mireille to a guest room and make sure she is comfortable.”
“Of course, Majesty,” Talena said. “Come along, dear,” she said, helping the distraught girl away.
1/3/1537
It was as Talena was idly perusing some records that she heard the argument. It was hard not to hear it; it was being yelled so loud she could hear it through stone walls.
Talena headed to the door into the King’s private study and carefully opened the door. She was of course curious, but was masking it behind concerned duty.
Mireille was cowering a little in one corner while Catherine de Medici and the King faced off over his desk.
“Catherine, you are being irrational, and I will not be spoken to that way!” the King said sternly.
“But your Majesty I am your wife!” Catherine almost wailed. “Why do you not come to me? Why do you allow this other woman, all the other women, near you!”
“That is surely my concern and not yours,” Henri stated. “I think you’d better leave.”
Flushed red with anger, Catherine turned to leave, almost running into Talena. “You! You…woman!” With that she shoved Talena.
It was a silly thing to do, but Talena disliked the Queen immensely, and instincts kicked in. If she thought about it she should have let herself be shoved. After all, the young girl couldn’t hurt her.
Instead she acted on instinct which was to grab the Queen and twist her arm up her back. It all happened so quickly that Talena soon had the Queen of France pushed against the wall.
“Talena, enough!” the King shouted, rushing forward. “Release her at once!” he commanded. Guards appeared, waiting for orders as Talena stepped back.
For a moment Catherine seemed so overcome by rage and surprise that she couldn’t speak. Finally she glared at her husband. “You would allow your wife to be manhandled?!” she shouted.
“I was stopping her hurting herself,” Talena said, probably unwisely.
“This woman has bewitched you so, has she, that the Queen of France can be touched with no punishment?”
Henri sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Take her away,” he ordered the guards, pointing at Talena.
“Majesty, I…” Talena said, looking hurt.
“I will deal with you later. For now, I have other things to do.” He looked to Catherine. “Madam, I think you should go. We will talk later.”
Talena didn’t resist as she was led away by the guards. There were too many, and she hoped to still convince the King of her innocence. Again she cursed herself for her impetuosity as she was led away.