Essence Of The Heart (The Royal Tutor) (3 page)

 

          "But is having a soldier tutor her the right thing?" Lord High
Chamberlain asked.

 

          She spoke slowly, as if she had pondered this for a long time, and
still did. "You have always been wise in counseling me in political matters,
Matthew, but this time, I am looking at what is best for Marie - not as her
Queen, but as her mother."

 

          Lord High Chamberlain turned away as he rolled his eyes and spoke
somewhat under his breath. "She dances like a cow in a mud hole."

 

          "What was that, Matthew?" the queen asked.

 

          Lord High Chamberlain cleared his throat. "I was just saying that
the young princess says she would rather be a man than a woman, and tends
to feel that dancing is, how should I say, ridiculous."

 

          "She can learn."

 

          "She'd rather climb trees and fight than learn philosophy or listen to
music."

 

          The queen nodded. "That may be true, and I don't want to destroy
her free spirit, just broaden it."

 

          "What are you looking for this young man to do?" Lord High
Chamberlain asked.

 

          "To change her heart," the queen replied.

 

          "In what way?"

 

          The queen had a deep meditative, look about her as she answered.
"To help her think of others besides herself. I will be honest, Matthew. I
have raised a daughter who is self-centered and thinks of no one but Marie.
That is not the kind of queen I want to leave to rule my people."

 

          "But Your Majesty, what if she falls in love with him?"

 

          The queen's eyes sparkled. "That is a very distinct possibility - one I
have considered and would not condemn."

 

          "Your Majesty, he is but a soldier. It is unheard of for a person of
royal blood to marry a commoner, especially a soldier. And what of an
alliance? We are not a strong country."

 

          Instantly the queen's soft demeanor disappeared. It was obvious she
had been pushed about this more than she liked. "Hang any alliance! This
is my daughter that we are speaking of!" Just as suddenly, she softened
again as she looked at Lord High Chamberlain, and knew very well he only
meant the best. "Besides, Matthew, I feel the strength of my people is not in
their arms, but in their hearts. I only want that for my daughter. And,
Matthew, you have to admit that, with Marie, he's got his work cut out for
him."

 

          This brought a smile to Lord High Chamberlain's otherwise solemn
face. "I'm not sure he has a prayer."

 

          The queen chuckled lightly. "I was much like Marie until I met my
Alexander. His kind, gentle, yet firm spirit helped mold me during that
summer my parents sent me away from the palace to live with his family. I
know my mother hoped we would fall in love."

 

          "As I remember," Lord High Chamberlain said, "Alexander wasn't
all that excited about it."

 

          "No, but he was just what I needed," the queen replied.

 

          Lord High Chamberlain nodded. "It must have been for the best,
because you have always ruled wisely by following your heart."

 

          The queen thought about this. She had known Lord High
Chamberlain long before that office had come to him. He was almost old
enough to be her own father, and could have long since retired from the
work of the court, yet he still had more vigor than a man half his age. He
had been at the palace for as long as she could remember, probably even
before she was born. There was no one she trusted more. His kindness,
loyalty, and wry sense of humor were her source of strength now that she
had neither her father nor her beloved Alexander.

 

          The queen's smile turned into a full, mischievous grin. "You are
kind
and
diplomatic, Matthew. Sometimes a big liar, but kind and
diplomatic. That is why I want
you
to be the one to tell Marie."

 

          The look of sheer terror that broke Lord High Chamberlain from his
solemness was priceless. "You want
me
to tell Princess Marie you are
having a soldier tutor her?"

 

          The queen's stifled grin gave way to a feigned innocence. "Can you
think of anyone who would be better?"

 

          "I can think of everyone as better," he growled. "I would rather face
the guillotine."

 

          The queen looked amused. "With Marie, it may be about the same.
Good luck. And you best be going. She will be waking soon, and I want
her to know early this morning."

 

          Lord High Chamberlain let out a very audible sigh and rolled his
eyes, but bowed slightly and went to fulfill the unpleasant task.

 

          As the queen thought about her young daughter, and the difficult
task ahead for Captain Richins, she said to herself, "And good luck to you,
young Captain. My prayers are with you."

 

 

 

 

          As the queen prepared for the day ahead, she smiled as she thought
about the young captain attempting to tutor Marie. It wasn't by chance she
had chosen him. He reminded her so much of Alexander when he was a
young man. In fact, she found herself having strange déjà vu experiences
when Jacob was around. It was as if she was young again, and she was
watching Alexander.

 

          She thought back about that summer her parents had sent her to live
with Alexander's family. She had been defiant and was talking back to her
parents - a lot. Her father, the king, had always wanted a son, but instead,
he got her. He had raised her much like a son: riding horses, learning much
of war and defense, and even competing in predominantly men's sports.

 

          And then, as she had grown older, and had ridiculed the pomp of the
court, she found her mother and father frustrated and upset. They had
clashed until her father had threatened to take a birch branch to her. Her
mother had suggested that it might be best if she went away from them for a
while. She had suggested that they send her up north to live with Duke
Reginald and Lady Margaret at Denville Castle in Bernodia.

 

          Her father had, at first, said he wasn't about to pawn his troubles off
on someone else. That had angered Louise, to be referred to as 'his trouble',
but her mother had prevailed again, suggesting that if their daughter was to
be queen someday, it might be good for her to see the other parts of the
kingdom. And Bernodia was the farthest northern province, right next to
Esconodia, on their wildest frontier. If she was to rule, she ought to learn
about the people.

 

          The king finally, reluctantly, agreed, but Louise knew it was mostly
because he was at a loss as to what else to do. As for her, she had agreed to
go if only to show them that she could be independent of them. But as time
grew closer for her departure, her apprehension increased.

 

          She didn't know Duke Reginald and Lady Margaret very well. Lady
Margaret had been one of her own mother's ladies-in-waiting until she had
caught Duke Reginald's eye, and he had courted her. She knew that her
mother was very fond of both of them, and she was quite sure that was the
underlying reason that her mother had chosen them.

 

          The day for the trip north quickly drew near. Her mother fussed
over her, making sure she took half of the palace with her. Her father
became sullen, and only spoke to her grudgingly. Louise knew that much of
that was her own fault. She was filled with both uncertainty and downright
fear of leaving home. That was coupled with the fact that she didn't dare
show any feminine emotion after her big display of independence. It all
made her heart tremble within her. The more she bottled up her fear of
leaving home, the more it came out in obnoxiousness toward her parents.

 

          As she approached her carriage to leave, there was little emotion
expressed by either her or her father. Her mother had tears streaming down
her face, but was careful in what she said. Her father softened slightly, but
she brushed him off as he tried to kiss her goodbye. She stepped solemnly
into the carriage, her ladies-in-waiting already there, and, with a command
to the driver, they were off. They were followed by a contingent of the
Royal Guard, two heavily-laden wagons carrying everything her mother
insisted she needed, and two supply wagons for the trip.

 

          The caravan hadn't traveled more than a half-mile down the road
when her tough exterior melted away, and she started to sob right in front of
her ladies-in-waiting. They tried to comfort her, but she told them to leave
her alone. They rode most of the day in silence, broken only by her own
sniffling and the quiet tearfulness of her attendants. She hadn't stopped to
realize that they were being taken away from their own homes as well. She
gave them a charge that her parents were not to hear that she was upset
about leaving.

 

          She kept to herself for most of the two and a half weeks they
journeyed north. It normally would have taken only half as long, but they
were slowed by the wagons. When they finally arrived at Denville Castle
she was sullen, dirty, and temperamental. There to greet her with a warm
smile were Duke Reginald and Lady Margaret. This annoyed her greatly,
for nothing makes someone angrier than to see others happy when they,
themselves, are not.

 

          Alexander, their son, stood beside them. She hated him most of all.
He was always gracious and calm, the very juxtaposition of herself. She
remembered him only as a small boy, and was not inclined to think of him
in any other way, even though he had grown tall. He stood there looking at
her - dusty, tired, and homesick - and, as he kindly put his hand out to help
her from the carriage, she caustically slapped it away, saying that she could
take care of herself.

 

          It didn't dim his smile at all as he, a young lord, kindly helped each
one of her young ladies-in-waiting down from the carriage. As he smiled at
each of them, Louise was quick to note their eager smile in return, and knew
each was taken in by his charm. But not her, no sir. She wasn't about to
fall for a pompous stiff like Alexander, especially when she knew how
much her own mother liked him.

 

          She saw Duke Reginald and Lady Margaret glance at each other as
she had brushed Alexander off, but they continued their stiff, fake smiles.
She knew what they must truly be thinking. She knew her parents must
have told them all about her. If they thought they could change her, they
had another thing coming.

 

          Duke Reginald and Lady Margaret excused themselves and left
Alexander in charge of arranging to get everyone settled. That really
angered Louise. He was only a year older than herself, but his parents
treated him like an adult. Her parents wouldn't put her in charge of
anything. Alexander first assigned some servants to help the men of the
Royal Guard and the drivers take care of the horses, while he directed other
servants to help carry the luggage.

 

          As Alexander reached for some of Louise's luggage, she could stand
it no longer. She reached out to jerk it from him. "I don't need help from
any stuffed shirt, know-it-all, wimpy boy."

 

          He held tight and, as she jerked at the handbag, she was surprised to
see how strong he was. For an instant the thought crossed her mind that she
might be wrong about how soft he was. Then her anger overcame her when
he did not relinquish it to her at her command. She took a deep breath and
jerked with all her might. He waited for her jerk and let go at that same
moment, sending her flat on her back into the dirt with the handbag on top
of her.

 

          The corners of Alexander mouth turned up slightly, as she wrestled
the heavy bag off of herself. "As you wish, Your Highness." He offered
her his hand, but she whacked it away.

 

          He then turned and picked up a bag belonging to Lady Elizabeth,
one of her ladies-in-waiting, and, offering Elizabeth his arm, he led her up
to the guest room. Louise was so upset she couldn't see straight, and she
found herself tripping up the stairs after them, followed by her other lady-in-waiting, Marina. She found herself panting, and she felt like her arms
would fall off by the time they reached their room, though Alexander acted
like it was nothing to carry Elizabeth's bag.

 

          She comforted herself by thinking that Elizabeth's bag was surely
lighter, and she was still stronger than this soft, big-headed braggart. After
they set the bags down, she told him the he could see to it that the rest of
their personal items were brought in. He bowed slightly and smiled that
smile she had always wanted to slap right off of his face all of those years.
"As you wish, Your Highness."

 

          Elizabeth and Marina volunteered to help, and Alexander offered
each of them an arm. She was sure he did it just to annoy her, and she
despised him all the more for it. Nevertheless, Elizabeth and Marina ate it
up, and, giggling, each took his arm as they headed back down the stairs.

 

          She was glad to be rid of them and have a moment alone. She
looked around the room. Her eyes first fell on Elizabeth's bag, and she
went over and hefted it. She reassured herself that she was right that it was
lighter. Deep down in her heart she knew it wasn't, but she still told herself
it was. She continued to assess the room. It was very comfortable, though
not as large as hers at home.

 

          It had a nicely-furnished sitting room, with a bedroom off either
side. The one to the right was hers. She stepped in to find a large bed and
plenty of furnishings. She sat on the bed. It was soft, and the quilt, bearing
the family crest, was softer. She knew Duke Reginald and her father were
something like fifth cousins. Hence, the same family crest.