Page 409 of Historical Hotties
With that, he ordered his men, and the king, mounted, and the large contingent of Gloucester’s men began to stream out of the square, away from the cathedral and back towards the main road. The last glimpse they had of Henry was of the boy riding amongst Gloucester’s knights. Gisella was still watching the remnants of the column ride away when she heard Bastian’s soft voice.
“Never did I imagine Henry would come up with an excuse that would save us,” he muttered. “I was fully expecting to bear Gloucester’s wrath.”
Gisella turned to him, smiling. “He was our savior,” she said. “He will make a good king, I think.”
Bastian shrugged. “I hope so,” he said. “In any case, I do believe he made his father proud today.Iam proud of him.”
Gisella watched her husband’s expression for there seemed to be a distant cast to it, as if he was reflecting on something. She was curious.
“Back in the church,” she said. “What did you mean that Henry had a vision?”
Bastian took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow as he began to lead her back towards the livery where their horses were stabled.
“Right after we buried the heart, he said that he saw a golden lady,” he said quietly. “He said that she spoke to him.”
“Truly?” Gisella was astonished. “What did she say?”
Bastian mulled over how much he should tell her. He opted for all of it because he refused to keep secrets from her any longer. A great secret had almost cost him his relationship with her and he would not chance that, not ever again, even if he believed he was protecting her. Gisella deserved to know the truth of everything. He respected her that much.
“She evidently said ‘May God so keep you, ma bête’,” he replied. “I should tell you thatma bêteis what the Maid used to call me. Therefore, I suspect that not only did Henry truly have a vision, but the message in it was meant for me.”
He obviously believed it. Therefore, Gisella did, too. Still, it was a rather stunning revelation.
“May God so keep you, my beast,” she murmured, translating the words. “A lovely message, wouldn’t you say? It sounds to me as if the woman may have finally found peace and she was wishing you peace, as well.”
Bastian nodded, gazing down at her dark head. Lifting the hand that was clutching his elbow, he lifted it to his lips and kissed it gently. “I have found it,” he replied, looking into her beautiful eyes. “I have found everything with you.”
Gisella smiled up at him, feeling more love and joy and contentment than she had ever known possible. “No regrets that you married me, then?” she teased softly.
He laughed and kissed her hand again. “No regrets at all,” he said. “You?”
“Not at all.”
She cocked her head thoughtfully. “But what about the Armagnacs?” Gisella wanted to know. “Do you think they will ever give up the hunt for the Maid’s relic?”
Bastian sighed. “I do not know,” he said honestly. “If they ever contact me again, then I suppose I will be forced to deal with it at that time. One thing is for certain, however. The fightin France is not over. The cause the Maid championed will never be over until the English are driven out of France for good.”
It was a sobering thought. “And you will return to France to fight for England’s rights.”
Bastian nodded. “It is inevitable, considering the wars there have been going on for eighty years,” he said. But he realized that he didn’t want to dwell on that. There would be a time he would have to, but not now. Now, he wanted to focus on her. “But let us not speak of such things for now. Let us speak on more pleasant things, like my white stallion. I must thank you again for such a magnificent horse.”
Gisella giggled at the change of subject. She didn’t want to dwell on him returning to France, either.
“I was glad to give it to you,” she said. “Anything to help you in humiliating a man who truly deserves it.”
Bastian laughed, his big, white teeth gleaming in the early morning. “I think I shall purchase a white stallion for you as well,” he said. “Then, I shall buy all of our children white ponies so that every time Gloucester sees our family, he will be reminded two-fold about the white stallion he gave to you that ended up as my prize.”
Gisella laughed because he was. “Youare my prize, husband,” she said, sobering as her love for the man flooded her veins. Truly, she was the most fortunate woman on earth. “Mybeast.”
Bastian took her in his arms right then and there, in the middle of the avenue, and kissed her deeply. Nothing else seemed to matter anymore; Maids, kings, dukes, or war. He had the one thing he never knew he needed, the love of a woman who had become his stars, his moon, and his sun. Now, life was his to live with Gisella by his side. For all of the sacrifices he had made in his life for king and country, and for the risk he took for the tragic Maid, now, it was his time to shine.
The Maid had been correct. The Beast had been rewarded, indeed.
EPILOGUE
April, 1433 A.D.
Brambleham House (two miles south of Lydford Castle)
