Flavor of the Day: Claude's Pensee
Author: lady_leia_solo
Story: The Mondian Chronicles
Title: Claude's Pensee
Challenge: Flavor of the Day: pensee (A reflection or thought)
Toppings: None
Word Count: 579
Summary: Claude reflects on his wives and his friendship with Henri.
Rating: G
Notes: Claude is the Duke of Friene and was Henri I's best friend since childhood. The year is 1141 AW.
“Goodnight sweetheart,” Gertrude said kissing his cheek.
“Goodnight,” Claude said.
Once his wife had retired to their bedroom, Claude was left all alone in his study. He looked around the room. Everything was in place except for the tiny portrait of Claude and Henri as boys.
The portrait was sliding to the side. He got up and crossed the room. He put the portrait in the correct position.
“Look at us,” Claude said to himself.
10 year old Henri stared from the canvas. His bright blue eyes looked just as mischievous as they did some 48 years ago. He looked to his child self and frowned.
“What happened to us?” Claude mused.
He thought Henri would live forever, but his friend had succumbed to pneumonia at the grand age of 56. It felt strange that he wasn’t here now doing what he loved.
“Between us we’ve been married nine times. Who could have imagined it huh?”
Claude stepped back from the portrait. He and Henri had often joked at how much they seemed to marry, but he knew that if Henri was still alive, he would have kept marrying. The King had confided in him that he had met a young lady that would make a great wife.
“But what about Cosette?” Claude had asked.
“I love Cosette, but I am not in love with her anymore, Claude. Besides my sons needs brothers.”
Claude had laughed. “But Henri has brothers.”
Henri had smirked at him. “Legitimate brothers to secure the throne.”
Henri had died a month later. The Queen had been devastated. Claude had comforted her, but he didn’t dare tell her what Henri had said. Henri had a habit of leaving a trail of broken hearts behind him.
“But I’m different, aren’t I?”
He had fallen in love with Angelique back in 1112 after he had come back to court from his father’s estate in Friene. She was young, carefree, and beautiful with her jet black hair and piercing green eyes. He’d eloped with her earning Henri’s wrath. But eventually Henri gave his permission to his natural sister and his best friend. Those years with Angelique had been some of the best. But then she died in the childbed along with their fourth child, he wasn’t allowed to mourn her for Henri had betrothed him to Anais Margas, cousin to his own betrothed.
His first few years of marriage with Anais had been rough, but with her cheerful personality and loving nature, he had grown to love her. She had given birth to his first legitimate son, Adrien, to which he presented her with priceless jewels and diamonds. But fate had taken her from him as well.
He had stood up to Henri when he tried to marry him to one of the new queen’s cousins. He had grieved for not only Anais, but Angelique as well. He didn’t marry for another three years. He had agreed to marry Gertrude to please Henri and his new Queen.
Gertrude was loyal to him. He didn’t love her, but he respected her. After Anais’s death, he didn’t trust himself to love again, for God had taken away every woman that he loved. His mother, Angelique, and Anais. He wouldn’t chance it again.
But he was happy. And to Claude, that was the most important thing.
“I hope you’re happy in the afterlife, old friend.”
Claude stood up and blew out the candle. He didn’t want to keep his wife waiting.
Story: The Mondian Chronicles
Title: Claude's Pensee
Challenge: Flavor of the Day: pensee (A reflection or thought)
Toppings: None
Word Count: 579
Summary: Claude reflects on his wives and his friendship with Henri.
Rating: G
Notes: Claude is the Duke of Friene and was Henri I's best friend since childhood. The year is 1141 AW.
“Goodnight sweetheart,” Gertrude said kissing his cheek.
“Goodnight,” Claude said.
Once his wife had retired to their bedroom, Claude was left all alone in his study. He looked around the room. Everything was in place except for the tiny portrait of Claude and Henri as boys.
The portrait was sliding to the side. He got up and crossed the room. He put the portrait in the correct position.
“Look at us,” Claude said to himself.
10 year old Henri stared from the canvas. His bright blue eyes looked just as mischievous as they did some 48 years ago. He looked to his child self and frowned.
“What happened to us?” Claude mused.
He thought Henri would live forever, but his friend had succumbed to pneumonia at the grand age of 56. It felt strange that he wasn’t here now doing what he loved.
“Between us we’ve been married nine times. Who could have imagined it huh?”
Claude stepped back from the portrait. He and Henri had often joked at how much they seemed to marry, but he knew that if Henri was still alive, he would have kept marrying. The King had confided in him that he had met a young lady that would make a great wife.
“But what about Cosette?” Claude had asked.
“I love Cosette, but I am not in love with her anymore, Claude. Besides my sons needs brothers.”
Claude had laughed. “But Henri has brothers.”
Henri had smirked at him. “Legitimate brothers to secure the throne.”
Henri had died a month later. The Queen had been devastated. Claude had comforted her, but he didn’t dare tell her what Henri had said. Henri had a habit of leaving a trail of broken hearts behind him.
“But I’m different, aren’t I?”
He had fallen in love with Angelique back in 1112 after he had come back to court from his father’s estate in Friene. She was young, carefree, and beautiful with her jet black hair and piercing green eyes. He’d eloped with her earning Henri’s wrath. But eventually Henri gave his permission to his natural sister and his best friend. Those years with Angelique had been some of the best. But then she died in the childbed along with their fourth child, he wasn’t allowed to mourn her for Henri had betrothed him to Anais Margas, cousin to his own betrothed.
His first few years of marriage with Anais had been rough, but with her cheerful personality and loving nature, he had grown to love her. She had given birth to his first legitimate son, Adrien, to which he presented her with priceless jewels and diamonds. But fate had taken her from him as well.
He had stood up to Henri when he tried to marry him to one of the new queen’s cousins. He had grieved for not only Anais, but Angelique as well. He didn’t marry for another three years. He had agreed to marry Gertrude to please Henri and his new Queen.
Gertrude was loyal to him. He didn’t love her, but he respected her. After Anais’s death, he didn’t trust himself to love again, for God had taken away every woman that he loved. His mother, Angelique, and Anais. He wouldn’t chance it again.
But he was happy. And to Claude, that was the most important thing.
“I hope you’re happy in the afterlife, old friend.”
Claude stood up and blew out the candle. He didn’t want to keep his wife waiting.