Disclaimer: Ok, I did it! I borrowed the "Ever After" characters and situation but it was all in good fanfiction style so…Please do not sue me…*whimper* please?

"Faisons Connaissance"

By Casidy

~ Part 7: Going Home ~

The meal left Danielle with a giddy feeling, or perhaps it was being with Henry, either way she stood up suddenly and beckoned Henry to follow. As she neared the shore she began striping down to her corset and slip without a second thought. She failed to notice that she left Henry breathless. Before he could move she had walked into the river and was enjoying a swim.

“Henry, are you going to join me or just stand there?” 

“Actually, darling, both sound rather tempting at the moment.” But seconds later he began to shed his sword, boots, and jacket and wadded out to meet her.

Without a thought of who could be in the vicinity Henry began to kiss his fiancée. Drawing her closer into his chest his hands held her tightly to him. A warm feeling filled Danielle, despite the cold water. Henry’s hands felt like fire as they touched her, gently cradling her back in his arms, consciously aware of her wounds.

She moved one of her hands to the back of his neck pulling his mouth even closer, wile her other hand slowly climbed its way up his right arm, wrapping her fingers around his strong arm. Without a single thought Henry’s lips began to trace their way down her neck and behind her ear. She gasp softly and for a moment she was certain her knees were about to give out.

“Danielle! Danielle, are you here?” The voice came from across the river, down a ways. Abruptly pulling the couple away from each other.

Squinting slightly to see who was calling her she recognized the stout dark harried girl instantly “Jacqueline!” swimming quickly to the shore the two girls were next to each other in record time.

“Danielle, I’ve been so worried about you! I had no idea where you had gone to after-“ the young girl’s voice caught in her throat and she was unable to utter a signal syllable when she noticed not only that someone had been in the river with Danielle but just exactly who that person was. Curtsying clumsily, Jacqueline managed to squeak out “Your Highness” as a sopping wet, barefoot Henry tried his best to walk towards her in a regal manner.

“Mademoiselle de Ghent, it is nice to see you again.”

“Jacqueline, you were saying…?” Danielle asked, trying to act as if nothing unusual had happened.

“Oh, yes…of course. I was just looking for you because mother and Margreet are tarring the manor apart looking for your mother’s dress. It’s only a matter of time before they find it.”

“Oh dear - I’ll have to go back and retrieve it.” Making up her mind quickly she began to form an idea in her mind. “Alright, first I must to Gustave and get my servant’s attire back just in case the Baroness sees me she wont realize anything is out of the ordinary. I’ll sneak into the manor, get my mother’s dress and then head back to the castle with it - with another stop at Gustave’s to change, of course - which reminds me that I need to have that red dress sent back to him. We’ll have to run back to the castle before going to his studio which shouldn’t take long, it’s right in town and - “

“Danielle, darling, slow down.” Henry stepped close to his love and moved a strand of wet hair out of her face as he spoke, “you do not have to worry about anything. I will simply have someone sent to the manor to retrieve your dress for you. You don’t have to go back there again while that woman is there. I don’t want to see you hurt again - “

“But Henry, if you send someone from the castle to get my dress then the baroness will be curious as to why the monarchy would have any interest in a simple peasant. Then when she goes to the masque we wont be able to trap her.”

“Darling, we can easily prosecute her for lying to my mother and bribing a page. I don’t want you to put yourself in danger of being hurt again.”

“Please Henry, what could she do to me that she hasn’t already done? I shall be fine. I have lived in the manor all my life and the baroness has been there for ten years. Every time that she has punished me I have done something to deserve it.” Henry opened his mouth to object again but Danielle continued “Please Henry, she has tried to take away everything that has ever meant anything to me. This dress is the last thing that I have of my mother, please understand. I shall be fine.”

Sighing audibly, Henry looked deep into the eyes, “it is your decision to make Danielle. If this is what you want, then this is what you shall have. I only beg that you are careful.”

“I will be Henry, I promise.” Turning to a stunned Jaquline, Danielle smiled “You can go back to the manor Jaquline, I shall be there soon.