I Followed Fires

XII. Adèle

It was an odd thing for Adèle. 

To return home after only staying in the castle for such a short amount of time was an odd thing. Although she continued to bear in her mind that as a daughter and a noblewoman, she had duties, important duties, to attend to, sadness was part of human nature; therefore part of her's too. The valises containing her dresses, her books, and several gifts given by Mary's ladies-in-waiting were neatly placed on the ground. As she seated herself beside the fireplace, Adèle could not help but feel as if she had grown attached the French court. 

But it was not where she belong, as she continued to remind herself. Home, back in Aix-en-Provence, was where she would always return to. As she waited for one of the servants to tell her that her carriage was ready to leave, Adèle reminisced of the small amount of memories she created during her stay in court. Her time of reminiscing and recalling memories soon ceased when queen Mary entered the room. The graceful movements of her svelte body and the features of her face seemed to glow within the rays of the sun, Adèle thought. In her hands, Mary brought two small parchments wrapped in crimson coloured paper. Behind her, came Francis next, as he accompanied his wife into Adèle's bedchambers. 

"A gift," Mary said. "For your little brothers." 

"You shouldn't have," replied Adèle. "They are spoiled little boys, your majesty. I can't bear to see another person giving them special gifts and seeing their pride grow larger everyday," They both laughed. 

"Tell them the future queen of France and current queen of Scotland purchased it especially for them. If they become even more spoiled that it continues to distress you, I shall have to attend them myself," Mary joked, and placed the gifts in Adèle's hands. 

"Tell Theo and Cyril that Francis says hello as well." 

"We are so sad to see you and your brother leave so soon," spoke Francis next. "We were hoping that you were to remain in court for a little longer." 

"That's what I had thought too, your majesty," she said. "But my family needs me more than ever right now, and I can't bear to imagine my little brothers irritating the servants back home as they cry out for Jean and me," 

"We all have family duties, Adèle. We completely understand," Francis replied. 

"Have a safe journey home, and we hope we shall meet each other once more during Francis's coronation." Mary gave a warm smile, and then proceeded to excuse herself and Francis from her bedchambers. A notification of her carriage had not arrived yet, so Adèle had much more time than necessary. She sat on her a velvet-covered sofa placed near the fireplace. She laid out the gifts for her little brother on the table set on her right, and positioned herself into something more comfortable, for she was in need of much rest before her journey home.

The doors of her bedchambers opened and a second visitor entered her room. It was none other than the king's bastard, Sebastian, who appeared as weary as ever. "You haven't left yet?" he asked. A failed attempt of a normal conversation, Adèle thought. Both of them thought whatever relationship between the two of them were more than strange. They had the potential of becoming spouses to one another— a husband and a wife. But what made them uneasy was how Adèle is visibly and physically annoyed by his presence, and although she attempted to hide the facial expressions that showed such feelings, she failed quite miserably. Bash, too, felt uneasy, for when he gazes into her eyes, he sees a beauty that seemed to glimmer, which becomes a form of distraction. 

"None of the servants has notified me of my carriage yet, so I shall lay here and wait," Adèle replied, her eyes still fixed on the flames of the fireplace. 

"Lady Adèle," 

"I'm not a lady," she replied, her eyes now turned to him. "I have no title,"

"So do I," spoke Bash. "Unless you include The King's Bastard a title." Just then, he had almost caught her give a soft chuckle, but it was apparent that she had immediately stopped herself from doing so. 

"I was wondering how your father reacted when you told him that I was leaving court. Did you tell him that you were the one who suggested it to me?"

"Yes, I did," said Bash. "He was angered at first, but I told him that French court is too dangerous for you at these times. I told him that there was unrest and conflicts that needed to be dealt with before our marriage. Conflicts of religion, famine, and so on. Thankfully, he took the reasons that I gave him into consideration, and agreed that you are to leave for a short amount of time before all of the conflicts are removed completely."

"That's something to be grateful of," she replied. 

"Yes, it is."  

"Bash," Adèle stood up from her sofa, and then paced towards him. He could not help but feel his heart beating faster when she slowly approached him. "If we were to marry, and to become husband and wife.. Do you think we would choose the traditional life of marriage, or are we to become a different kind of married couple?" 

"Odd question," spoke Bash. "But I would say that my opinion is unnecessary here. I think that the wife should choose whatever married life she desires," 

"Good," she said. "Perhaps you do actually respect women and not just flirt with them, or maybe the stories I have been told about you are simple lies and rumours." 

Bash smiled. "No, it's fine. I do admit I flirt with many women." 

"How many?" 

"Lots. Unhappy married ones, old widows, princesses from exotic countries, naïve servants.." 

"Oh, of course," Adèle replied sarcastically. "You best meet my grandmother then, for she is a widow with such refined taste. Maybe you might take her as wife, one day,"

"Now that we're discussing of marriages.. Have you thought of my father's offer yet? Do you think you will agree to it? I remind you, you have time to think but I'm afraid it won't be long." 

It was clear that Bash bored Adèle with the topic of his father's offer for Bash to marry Adèle, in order to secure the wealth of France by adjoining the two most powerful families in all of the country. "Well, after viewing the benefits that may follow, it seems like an advantageous marriage, for family, your father, and France as well. However.."

"What is it?" 

"I can't help it, Bash," said Adèle. "I'm a young woman with dreams of a marriage filled with love and ardor, and being united the soul mate who she always longed for. An arranged, loveless marriage is a young woman's nightmare," 

"So what do you ask from me? Forgive me for not being born a young woman but I don't understand your request."

"Well.. Perhaps a genuine marriage proposal would be a good start," said Adèle. 

Bash understood her request, and immediately kneeled before her. He took her hand into his. As their skin brushed against each other, both of them, although they did not admit it to each other, felt something special that made their hearts race. Adèle's cheeks blushed as red as a rose, as she, this moment, was being proposed to. Although she did grow as an adventurous child and a rebel at heart, the thoughts of marriage pleased her from time to time. Like many girls, she expected a grand proposal, under a twilight painted with glittering stars, but this would suffice, as Adèle was to marry someone of royal blood. 

"Adèle, please bestow me the pleasure of making you my wife," Bash said, with gentleness in his voice. "Marry me?"