My Heart Rests With You 4

Chapter 4
March 1522
Every step my own body rebelled against me. Feet hitting the ground that wanted to turn and run. Eyes open that wanted to close everything out. At least I had the mask to hide behind, one small mercy that I could hold tight to. Up the wide, winding grey stairs to the door.

I allowed myself a second of reprieve. A tiny moment to pause and pretend that Renard was behind the doors and not the entire English court. I had to make myself breathe, it was an effort. The doors swung open and I forced myself to move through them. Only about two or three people turned to look at me as I made my enterance. I suppose that totally escaping attention was impossible.

Letting my eyes drift to the floor I moved forward into the candle light of the masque. There was music playing, various aromas were floating through the air, and anonymous people drifted through the huge space.

Laughter quickly reached my ears and drilled right into my temple, I concealed my heavy sigh. Finally I found my way to a wall and tried to hide myself along its patterened expanse.

Eventually, out of sheer boredom, I let my eyes drift forward. My eyes moved over all the hidden faces on their own. No thoughts followed them, until I saw something that made my heart skip a beat. It couldn't be him-it just couldn't. And yet...

June 1519
"Are we very far now?" Renard questioned, looking back at me. With a start I realized that we were only just down the street from the shop.
"Not at all," I murmured, "this way." Once again I set the pace as we moved forward. He began humming a tune that I swore I knew, but could not place. Too quickly, my feet reached the door.

"I will wait here," he offered.
"Oh, I couldn't ask you to-"
"You didn't," he assured with a quick smile. I moved to pull open the door and went in under the gently tinkling bell. Every second that I spent in the shop pressed down on me. I was almost desperate to get back to Renard. I didn't think far enough to be worried by the fact. Finally I could give the money to the boy at the counter and escape to the street.

Renard was just where he'd been when I had entered the shop and he took the two steps necessary to close the distance between us.
"Back to the palace?" he questioned after a moment. I nodded, feeling weightless in my joy. As with any journey the way back was not so long. At the gates I felt myself sinking, sorry to see him go. We stood silently, unintentionally drawing out the somber moment. Finally he bowed and straightening, he took my hand. "I'm glad that I met you Lady Anne."
"I am equally as glad Renard." He paused for a moment before speaking again.

"Sometimes we expect things, things that we think we deserve. And then in turn we feel things, things that we can't quite describe. This morning, for example, I expected to visit an old friend, only to find him out of the city. First sadness, disappointment. But then I met you, something else entirely. Something that totally escapes my knowledge of words." His eyes were gloriously vivid as his lips spoke the words.

"You flatter me Renard," I said quietly, ducking my head.
"Anne, there are two types of people I have discovered. The people who believe themselves to be something wondrous, that are in fact very common. Then there are the people who simply do not see themselves," he paused again, raising my palm to his mouth, "and are as common as sunshine at the bottom of the sea." On the final word he pressed his lips against the soft skin at the base of my wrist.

The affected patch of skin warmed perceptably. I was completely frozen to the ground I stood on.
"We've only just met," my numb lips objected.
"I see something in you Anne. May I call on you some day?" My eyes shot from his lips to his eyes.
"Yes." He smiled.
"Until then." I watched until he was so far down the street I could not discern his back from the other bodies tangling around him.

March 1522
So similar this moment was, the one I wanted disappearing suddenly. I threw myself against all the people that stood between me and what I wanted. It was worse than picking through a thicket of thorns, but I found my way, following him into a hallway.

I fought to level my breathing, this couldn't be happening. But he was so familar.
"Renard!" my dry lips called out. He stopped suddenly and turned. The eyes behind the mask measured me quickly before the man connected made his way back to me.