Former Queen Wrongfully Accused?
In the months since King Liam announced Queen Everly’s illicit affair we have seen increased trips abroad. As of late there have been glimpses of a mystery woman at the palace, one cannot help but speculate that perhaps the king has misled the press. The king claims that he was blindsided by the queens affair and the fact that the child was not his heir.
We speculate that this is not true. Perhaps he wasn’t in the dark as much as he claims, but instead this was simply an arrangement that Cordonian nobles frequently engage in gone wrong. With the King’s own behavior we wonder if any of his statement was true. Was the child truly not his, or did he slander the queen’s name for his own self gain?
Queen Everly has not been seen since before King Liam’s statement about being lied to and misled as he announced the impending divorce. Where has she gone? Was her child really Cordonia’s rightful heir?
Bastien harshly bit down on his lip to fight back the impending tears, unable to read any further. The article had been out nearly a week, yet it still caused a reaction every time he read it, he was drawn to read the words, maybe if they had come sooner they could have saved her. All the hell Liam put her through driving her to her end, took her from their daughter.
He still remembered the day she thought she had gained her freedom, gained their freedom. She seemed lighter, was once again free, she resembled the woman he fell in love with in the hedge maze once more, but their joy was short lived.
Liam insisted she stay close until the divorce was finalized, and while he kept up part of his bargain, excusing Bastien and keeping his name from the statements made to the press that’s as far as he’d kept his word. While he had filed for the divorce he had made it impossible for it to go through, Bastien had watched his Evie once again fall apart and slowly break beyond recognition. He had tried to be there for her, be her knight like she always said he was, but maybe some people are beyond saving.
His fingers aimlessly traced the words on the open page of her journal. She had written one final entry, so different from all the rest, it showed that she was broken beyond repair, her final words written, not to him, but to their child.
My dear sweet little bird. I’m so sorry you got caught in all of this. I sought adventure, and thought I found it. I followed a prince to a foreign land thinking I was following my heart.
I did find love little bird, but not with the person I thought.
No I could never love the prince, my heart belonged to his knight. But still I belonged to the prince. I had no choice, I had to marry a man I did not love.
I carry secrets little bird. Secrets that feel like they are going to crush me.
Little bird, your father is the only man who I ever loved. Your father is a brave knight and I had long feared what would happen when the King finds that you aren’t his. I feared for me. I feared for you. But mostly I feared for my white knight.
My worst fears came true my little bird. He wanted to take my choice from me once again, he wanted to take you from me. I thought I won, and maybe I did, I gained your freedom, but not my own. No I shall never again be free.
I’m so sorry little bird. Fly free, soar to the heights your heart desires, and remember, mama will always love her little bird. Goodbye my little bird, my sweet Alouette, until we meet again.
Dried tears marked the page, nearly blotting out all the words, Bastien was unsure if they were hers or his own at this point. He had read the letter so many times he could recite the words from memory, yet seeing them in her writing brought him closer to her in a way he couldn’t explain. “Oh Evie, I’m sorry I failed you, I won’t fail her.”
A shrill cry came out over the monitor, Bastien wiped his cheeks as he stood. “Papa is coming mon petit oiseau.”
He walked into the nursery, decorated simply the way Evie had dreamed of decorating before they realized their dreams of being truly free were never meant to be. He walked to the simple white crib, lifting Alouette from the crib. “Papa is here, everything is fine now.” His heart tinged at the words, nothing would ever be fine ever again, Everly would never be where she belonged, never watch their daughter grow, they would never have the joy of expanding their family. He would never again see her smile or hear her laughter, never again see her grass green eyes sparkle. Liam had broken her to the point beyond repair, he would get his happy ending, but she never would.
He changed her diaper, more out of habit then need, she’d only slept thirty minutes this time. He pulled her back into his arms, ready to repeat their all too familiar routine.
Bastien paced the room, his longs strides slow, steady, even. He gazed down lovingly at his daughter cradled safely in his arms as he walked. “Oh my sweet Alouette.” She looked up at him with her big grey eyes, gurgling. “Alouette, gentille alouette, Alouette, je te plumerai. Je te plumerai le bec, Je te plumerai le bec, Et le bec, et le bec, Alouette, Alouette. Ah! ah! ah! ah!” He sang, gently bouncing the infant nestled snugly in his arms. “Alouette, gentille alouette, Alouette, je te plumerai. Je te plumerai les yeux, Je te plumerai les yeux, Et les yeux, et les yeux, Et le bec, et le bec, Alouette, Alouette. Ah! ah! ah! ah!” He watched as his soothing gate and smooth voice made her eyes grow heavy, a soft smile tugging at his lips. Oh how he loved his little bird, he could be strong for her. “Alouette, gentille alouette, Alouette, je te plumerai. Je te plumerai la tête, Je te plumerai la tête Et la tête, et la tête Et les yeux, et les yeux, Et le bec, et le bec, Alouette, Alouette. Ah! ah! ah! ah!” Alouette turned her head, nuzzling her face into his chest , her eyes closing softly. “Alouette, gentille alouette, Alouette, je te plumerai. Je te plumerai le cou…Je te plumerai le dos…les ailes…le ventre…les pattes… la queue…” He smiled as he watched the gentle rise and fall of his daughters chest as she slept in his arms. “Sweet dreams mon petit oiseau, my little bird.” He lowered his head as he pulled his daughter closer, leaving a soft kiss on her forehead. “Papa loves you.” He walked to the crib, gently laying his daughter back in her crib. She’d been having a harder time sleeping, needing to be sung back to sleep at least once throughout the night. Alouette stretched out her limbs, Bastien’s sad smile grew, he never thought he’d have this, never thought he’d get a family. Not with his Evie, not with anyone.
His eyes fluttered closed and he could almost image his Evie in the room.
“You know you’re going to give her a complex if you sing her that song every time you put her to bed.” Everly said pushing off from her spot leaning against the door frame.
“She knows her Papa would never eat her.” Bastien replied not taking his eyes off of his daughter’s sleeping form. He loved putting her to bed so he could just stare at her, watching her sleep.
Everly came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his shoulder blades. “I know, but she’s already going to have it rough growing up in France with her name and then her Papa sings the song to her every night too?”
“She’ll be fine.” Bastien finally tore his eyes from his daughter. He turned around enveloping Evie in his strong arms. “She’s tough like her Mama.”
Bastien sighed as he slowly opened his eyes. That was the life they would never have, the life that was stolen from them, the dream that could never come true. “I’ve got her Evie.” He may have failed the woman he loved, but he would not fail their little bird.
Translation: Lark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youLark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youI’ll pluck your head(I’ll pluck your head)And your head(And your head)Lark(Lark)O-o-o-oh Lark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youLark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youI’ll pluck your beak(I’ll pluck your beak)And your head(And your head)And your beak(And your beak)Lark(Lark)O-o-o-oh Lark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youLark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youI’ll pluck your back(I’ll pluck your back)And your head(And your head)And your beak(And your beak)And your back(And your back)Lark(Lark)O-o-o-oh Lark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youLark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youI’ll pluck your feet(I’ll pluck your feet)And your head(And your head)And your beak(And your beak)And your back(And your back)And your feet(And your feet)Lark(Lark)O-o-o-oh Lark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youLark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youI’ll pluck your wings(I’ll pluck your wings)And your head(And your head)And your beak(And your beak)And your back(And your back)And your feet(And your feet)And your wings(And your wings)Lark(Lark)O-o-o-oh Lark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youLark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck you Lark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck youLark, nice larkLark, I’ll pluck you
