The street lighters' melodic notes meandered their way into the courtyard where Matthias's brow was sodden with sweat.
"Matthias, it is time for you to prepare for dinner and get out of those filthy clothes."
Belicia's harsh voice resounded about the walls, her small thin figure casting a shadow across the tiny pebbles and sand in the activity yard.
His dark eyes pleaded up at her. "One more time Mother. I have nearly got it!"
Belicia shot a irritated look towards Dante's broad back.
"I'm not sure if I approve of this new style of education Carlos. It is your responsibility to ensure Matthias is properly dressed for dinner tonight. His father will be joining us and will be expecting reports from you afterwards."
"Dictum meum pactum – my word is my bond Señora," Dante replied without turning his back. The moon had not yet risen, but the soft glow of the promenade lanterns reflected over the tops of the walls within the garden.
A muffled cough from the doorman took Belicia's attention away from Matthias's activities. A hooded woman stood beside him. The women exchanged looks and Belicia strode off towards the library, motioning her dismissal of the doorman with a flick of her hand.
"To what do I honour such an unexpected visit, Anne Marie? Surely you are too busy catching the eye of the next young duke presented in court." Belicia's voice was sour as she spat the words.
"You chose this path." Anne Marie stood quietly in the centre of the room and slipped her hood from her head.
"I didn't choose social exclusion. I didn't choose a crusty old officer with one foot in the grave. I could have had any pick of the men in court. Even him."
"Don't flatter yourself. He never looked at anyone but the Queen."
Belicia fiddled with the letter opener on her desk. "You didn't come to my home to argue with me Anne Marie." Looking up and staring with venom in her in the eyes, "What is it? Come to check how low I have become? It's been five years. Five long, lonely years and not a word from the Palace. Not a visit from you. Not a letter. Girlhood friends. Phwar."
Ignoring her outburst, Anne Marie quietly countered. "I've come to see the boy. She's been asking after him."
"As you can see, he has his father's looks and spirit, but is tempered with the Queen's sweet nature. His maturity is beyond his years."
"She wants to know he is happy. That you are a good mother. That you will..."
"I gave my word to the Queen. I will take her secrets to the grave."
The pair looked at one another as the uncomfortable silence grew.
"Come out into the yard. You can see him for yourself; but put your hood on again. I don't want him asking questions." With a quick twist and rustle of heavy cloth, Belicia turned and strode out of the library.
From their verandah vantage point, Anne Marie murmured her appreciation of the boys athletic ability.
"She's close?" Belicia asked, ignoring any compliments about Matthias.
"The Queen has started to bleed, but has no pains. She doesn't want the midwife to be sent for just yet, it's still too early. There is something else. You are to come to the palace this evening to watch the new squires and pageboys being chosen and assigned their stations. You still hold a title in France and within this court, so it wouldn't be unusual for you to attend. Carlos can come as well. These days the streets aren't as safe as they were when we were young."
"Carlos, Matthias, attend to me" Belicia commanded.
Matthias ran in panting. "Mother, did you see me? I jumped over the pikes, did a cat roll and snatched up my dagger on the ground and then killed the baddy!"
Belicia wrinkled her brow looking over at the intricate set up in the courtyard – a set of sawn-off pikes set in the ground, and a straw-filled dummy with most of its guts now hanging loose from the cut in its stomach. She cocked a disapproving eyebrow at Dante.
"I got to do that because I learnt my Greek alphabet perfectly!"
"Superbia pro a cado – Pride before a fall Matthias, remember... humility." Dante gave a rare smile across the tangled hair at Belicia, who glared at him, flushing unexpectedly.
Matthias yawned loudly. "I'm tired Mother. Can I go up to bed now?"
Anne Marie cleared her throat. "Carlos, is it? The new tutor?"
Dante bowed slightly toward her. "Señora"
"Admittedly it was a few years ago that I attended a concert you were at, but you seem to have... grown into manhood. Much more than I seem to remember."
"I prayed a lot Señora. God gifted me with many talents and attributes since you saw me."
They stared at one another for a few more moments before Anne-Marie dropped her gaze.
"Carlos," Belicia interrupted. "We have a function to attend at the Palace. Matthias and you are to get ready as we leave immediately."
"What about Papa? Do I have to go? I'm tired." Matthias yawned again.
With a lightning fast hand she slapped Matthias across the face. "Go and get dressed and stop asking questions! No doubt your father is drunk in some officer's home. We will see him in the morning. He will be home for a few weeks. No doubt he is very keen to see your progress with ALL of your studies. Now hurry – dress in your best outfit."
"What are we doing at the Palace, Anne Marie?" Belicia asked as she watched the pair disappear up the staircase to get ready.
"She wants to see him, but it's too dangerous for them to ever be seen together. Just make sure you position Matthias in a conspicuous position. She just wants a glance. You can give her that much for all she has done for you."
"All she has done! Please Anne Marie, don't make me slap you as well. Any one of us could have been Queen. Instead I am stuck with a drunk old man, you are nothing more than a scullery maid and she is the Queen of Spain. I will come tonight, but I want some social engagements in court. I want new gowns.You make sure that happens." Belicia's bony finger bore into Anne Marie's chest.
"I'll see you at the Presentation Ceremony then." Anne Marie adjusted her hood and swept out of the courtyard and into the darkness in the street outside.
"Matthias, it is time for you to prepare for dinner and get out of those filthy clothes."
Belicia's harsh voice resounded about the walls, her small thin figure casting a shadow across the tiny pebbles and sand in the activity yard.
His dark eyes pleaded up at her. "One more time Mother. I have nearly got it!"
Belicia shot a irritated look towards Dante's broad back.
"I'm not sure if I approve of this new style of education Carlos. It is your responsibility to ensure Matthias is properly dressed for dinner tonight. His father will be joining us and will be expecting reports from you afterwards."
"Dictum meum pactum – my word is my bond Señora," Dante replied without turning his back. The moon had not yet risen, but the soft glow of the promenade lanterns reflected over the tops of the walls within the garden.
A muffled cough from the doorman took Belicia's attention away from Matthias's activities. A hooded woman stood beside him. The women exchanged looks and Belicia strode off towards the library, motioning her dismissal of the doorman with a flick of her hand.
"To what do I honour such an unexpected visit, Anne Marie? Surely you are too busy catching the eye of the next young duke presented in court." Belicia's voice was sour as she spat the words.
"You chose this path." Anne Marie stood quietly in the centre of the room and slipped her hood from her head.
"I didn't choose social exclusion. I didn't choose a crusty old officer with one foot in the grave. I could have had any pick of the men in court. Even him."
"Don't flatter yourself. He never looked at anyone but the Queen."
Belicia fiddled with the letter opener on her desk. "You didn't come to my home to argue with me Anne Marie." Looking up and staring with venom in her in the eyes, "What is it? Come to check how low I have become? It's been five years. Five long, lonely years and not a word from the Palace. Not a visit from you. Not a letter. Girlhood friends. Phwar."
Ignoring her outburst, Anne Marie quietly countered. "I've come to see the boy. She's been asking after him."
"As you can see, he has his father's looks and spirit, but is tempered with the Queen's sweet nature. His maturity is beyond his years."
"She wants to know he is happy. That you are a good mother. That you will..."
"I gave my word to the Queen. I will take her secrets to the grave."
The pair looked at one another as the uncomfortable silence grew.
"Come out into the yard. You can see him for yourself; but put your hood on again. I don't want him asking questions." With a quick twist and rustle of heavy cloth, Belicia turned and strode out of the library.
From their verandah vantage point, Anne Marie murmured her appreciation of the boys athletic ability.
"She's close?" Belicia asked, ignoring any compliments about Matthias.
"The Queen has started to bleed, but has no pains. She doesn't want the midwife to be sent for just yet, it's still too early. There is something else. You are to come to the palace this evening to watch the new squires and pageboys being chosen and assigned their stations. You still hold a title in France and within this court, so it wouldn't be unusual for you to attend. Carlos can come as well. These days the streets aren't as safe as they were when we were young."
"Carlos, Matthias, attend to me" Belicia commanded.
Matthias ran in panting. "Mother, did you see me? I jumped over the pikes, did a cat roll and snatched up my dagger on the ground and then killed the baddy!"
Belicia wrinkled her brow looking over at the intricate set up in the courtyard – a set of sawn-off pikes set in the ground, and a straw-filled dummy with most of its guts now hanging loose from the cut in its stomach. She cocked a disapproving eyebrow at Dante.
"I got to do that because I learnt my Greek alphabet perfectly!"
"Superbia pro a cado – Pride before a fall Matthias, remember... humility." Dante gave a rare smile across the tangled hair at Belicia, who glared at him, flushing unexpectedly.
Matthias yawned loudly. "I'm tired Mother. Can I go up to bed now?"
Anne Marie cleared her throat. "Carlos, is it? The new tutor?"
Dante bowed slightly toward her. "Señora"
"Admittedly it was a few years ago that I attended a concert you were at, but you seem to have... grown into manhood. Much more than I seem to remember."
"I prayed a lot Señora. God gifted me with many talents and attributes since you saw me."
They stared at one another for a few more moments before Anne-Marie dropped her gaze.
"Carlos," Belicia interrupted. "We have a function to attend at the Palace. Matthias and you are to get ready as we leave immediately."
"What about Papa? Do I have to go? I'm tired." Matthias yawned again.
With a lightning fast hand she slapped Matthias across the face. "Go and get dressed and stop asking questions! No doubt your father is drunk in some officer's home. We will see him in the morning. He will be home for a few weeks. No doubt he is very keen to see your progress with ALL of your studies. Now hurry – dress in your best outfit."
"What are we doing at the Palace, Anne Marie?" Belicia asked as she watched the pair disappear up the staircase to get ready.
"She wants to see him, but it's too dangerous for them to ever be seen together. Just make sure you position Matthias in a conspicuous position. She just wants a glance. You can give her that much for all she has done for you."
"All she has done! Please Anne Marie, don't make me slap you as well. Any one of us could have been Queen. Instead I am stuck with a drunk old man, you are nothing more than a scullery maid and she is the Queen of Spain. I will come tonight, but I want some social engagements in court. I want new gowns.You make sure that happens." Belicia's bony finger bore into Anne Marie's chest.
"I'll see you at the Presentation Ceremony then." Anne Marie adjusted her hood and swept out of the courtyard and into the darkness in the street outside.
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