King Gives All

Chapter 1

"Sire?" the servant asked gently, he didn't want to set off his master's anger. His lord was already on edge having to leave his lady love before they could be married. King Pierre growled at his servant disturbing him when he was thinking of his bride to be Ashlyn.



"I miss you" Ashlyn Dyer whispered into the wind, she clutched the shawl to her shoulders to keep her warm from the fierce wind that whipping around. She walked the vast property that belonged to the French king, Pierre Lefevre, her husband to be, she fiddled with the ring that was on her finger but it was normally around her neck, no one knew that they were to be married besides the servants.



The king didn't want his numerous enemies to know he had a bride before he could marry her and put her under his protection. No one in the ton knew that he was a king in his own right they just thought he was a reclusive rich man of high authority only the English king knew that the French King Pierre Lefevre was hiding here.



Even though they were not married yet the servants allowed her on the property whenever she wished, the servants knew about her mother trying to get in higher social standing using her daughter. So whenever it became too much for her they would let her in and let her walk the grounds or sit in the library reading.


Ashlyn sighed. Her mother was trying to guilt her in to marrying a English nobleman who expressed his interest when Pierre was around courting her. Since Pierre was gone he probably thought she was up for grabs.




"Sire," the servant tried again "your bride's mother is causing trouble again, she wants your bride to marry another, since you are away..." the servant was stopped as the king grabbed the servant by the neck hoisting him up, cutting off the servant's oxygen. "Sire... Your... Bride... Also... Had... A... Mes...sage..." the servant said trying to get air.


Pierre dropped the servant "Why didn't you start with that?" the king growled but his face softened.


"Your bride says she misses you and wishes the war would end soon so you come home to her." the servant said after he composed himself. The king was back to being seated in the chair staring at the tent wall. The servant left him to his thoughts.


Pierre raised his hand halting his servant progress out of the tent "Send her this in reply if you can, I will win the war for you so i can come home to marry you. If I'm lucky I'll beat this message home, laugh. End message"


The servant nodded and scurried out, he went to find a courier.





Chapter 2

The courier arrived two weeks later at Pierre's estate, the courier had practiced on his way to the estate whether or not to say laugh or to actually laugh, he decided to laugh. He figured the king's bride would appreciate it.


When he got to the estate he was directed by some servants to check the orchard for the king's bride. She was there. He sighed in relief.


"My lady," he called gently not to frighten her.


She still jumped but it wasn't as obvious "Yes?"


"I have a message from his majesty the king."


Ashlyn smiled for the first time in weeks "Yes, what is it?" She asked almost giddy.


He recited the message "his majesty says he will win the war for you so he can come home to marry you. If he's lucky he'll beat this message home, laugh." And where it said laugh the courier laughed making Ashlyn laugh.



Ashlyn stopped laughing abruptly she walked over to the only pear tree in the orchard, she touched the bark "You know he proposed to me under this tree." She started crying, she ran for the manor. Went all the way up to her room opened the connecting door to Pierre's bedroom with her key and collasped on his bed sobbing, hugging his pillow smelling it.


She woke up the next morning her hair plastered to her face, tear tracks staining her face. The maid pushed open the curtains to wake Ashlyn.