a continuation of this tale
The scene:
At dawn Lady Cecelia and her entourage have been led to the palace of Agincourt accompanied by counselors for Lady Cecelia, a counselor for William of Edenbridge to enable a parlay with King Phillip's apanage and regency of the estate, some knights and servants to the Court. Among them was a Lord of the house surrounded by wards and vassals of the house of Dauphin.
In attendance to this audience were Ladies of the Court among them Lady Yvette, niece to the Dauphin and with her a silent handmaiden.
There in an anteroom Lady Cecelia and her protectorate were confronted by Yvette, her counselor and handmaiden aside from the formal negotiations. Formal greetings were exchanged and Cecelia thanks her benefactor for her interest in Sir William's ransom until Yvette makes clear in terms unmistakable that William has committed a love's betrayal in her own presence of which she begins to detail until Cecelia in realization of these revelations meaning to her love, flashes with anger and furiously condemns her.
"Daughter of Satan! You have bewitched him! " Cecelia has her arm held by a compatriot.
Undeterred by the outburst which she ignores wryly this Lady of French court comments upon Cecelia's garments.
"Is this the dress of English royalty which claims such sophistication?" bemused, Yvette continued "This is an effrontery to the Court: this a peasant's attire indeed! How unfortunate it is draped upon so lovely a rose."
"Bastard Kings of France to have spawned such a devil in the adulteress who stands before me!" Cecelia's face, flushed with anger, held the blush of youthful beauty's eyes piercingly dark. Yvette, with confidence in which power reigns, turns to her handmaiden and whispers something in her own language to which Cecelia responds immediately
"I understand your language as I do my own, Lady, think not privacy from my ears."
"I see no use for English, "with a wry smile Yvette demurs, "But Lady of England, exceptions are made here. And that no misinterpretation can confuse my meaning: I will speak your tongue as it pleases you which is more than I deemed necessary in the company of your lowly Knight."
"In his company?!" Cecelia blurted barely able to control herself Cecelia drew upon her mission for strength, "I come here with ransom for Sir William of Edenbridge and in the presence of your Dauphin I will demand his release as is in accordance with treaty and be well-done with this land and with you."
Yvette, ignoring Cecelia's frustration, begins appraising the Englishwoman in a manner which draws silence from Cecelia and leaves her strangely exposed. An unwelcome gaze sought to possess her femininity in an unsettling unholy manner. At the same time two counselors spoke in words unheard: Cecelia's ears deafened by distraction.
"I believe...." Yvette interrupted as her eyes never left Cecelia, "you Counselors will find the Dauphin accommodating and useful. He above all is gracious and just, far more than an English invader who seeks to usurp our lands in the name of his God, However, I will entreat the Dauphin to honor your ransom which will unlock this Knight's safe passage from this kingdom and yours Lady Ceceli : once you honor my simple request."
"What request is that, my Lady." the counselor for Edenbridge asked.
"My desire will be revealed in due course. "
The eyes of French femininity were upon Cecelia as the fire of an oven seeks to bake that within whether it be fruit , bread or sweet sugary cake.
For the first time since coming to France Cecelia felt apprehension. Her strength of will had carried her across the sea and marched her to the seat of French power armed with righteous purpose. William of Edenbridge would be released but now she was dangerously at odds with what she had supposed her rights entailed.
She had agreed to satisfy a personal oddity of which there was no precedence! Should her submission carry no honor? What reason did the Dauphin have to release any of them aside from Lady Yvettes' word that Cecelia had honored her pledge? From this unusual position of weakness, Cecelia spent the evening distraught.
Just the smallest word from her love would have transformed her into a
tower of strength. With nothing save isolation and fear to keep her company Cecelia sat pensive unable to be comforted even by her handmaiden in this affair: her closest confidant Lady Lydia.
Fretting her course of action and fearing its consequences went for naught for a knock came to her door a precisely at nine. In this atmosphere Cecelia was called to appear in the chambers of the Dauphin's niece: the Lady Yvette.
As has been said before: the house of the Dauphin of Agincourt was rife with corruption and debauchery. Never in French history was one more decadent than this.
There came for Lady Cecelia and Lady Lydia long candlelit walk. An escort consisting of guard and a watchman walked them through winding upper floors of Agincourt castle to private quarters high above the moat and castle grounds.
This evening journey was the requirement exacted from Cecelia at her audience with the Dauphin counselor and was the requested wish of his worldly niece: Lady Yvette. Here in the darkness, silence was broken only by footsteps on stone and the flicking of mounted hall torches they passed.
Cecelia's thoughts were filled with trepidation. In her hands a carved box containing the sovereigns for her love's release, in her handmaiden for this effort Lydia's hands were the flowers Cecelia brought as a gift, and her preparation for the offer to kiss this Lady's ring as her final humility before Yvette's seat of power.