Her Rightful Place

7: The Friendship

"Jerôme, you need to go see the Prince," Mireille says breezily as she enters Christelle's home, where her friend and the prince's colleague are locked in a passionate embrace. They leap apart, thoroughly embarrassed. "And Christelle, I'm travelling to Vyrunia as soon as we can arrange it, so let's get busy, shall we?"

Both Christelle and Jerôme just stare at her for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

"Disrespecting the Queen is one thing. That has been long overdue from someone--anyone--for years. But to disrespect friends in such a way--" Jerôme chastises Mireille.

"I apologise profusely for the inconvenience I'm causing, but Xavier specifically requested that I send you to him if I happened to encounter you. And Christelle's used to me, so there's no problem with my orders there."

Jerôme grumbles obscenities under his breath as he leaves, glancing longingly at Christelle over his shoulder.

"Except that you're going to Vyrunia! Why, pray tell?" Christelle gasps.

"Because the Prince thinks that it's for the best. He and Jerôme are convinced that I'm some missing Vyrunian Princess, and if the Queen finds out that I'm not currently burning alive in Agnes's house, she'll make sure that this whole village is wiped out. I have to leave either way, and the Vyrunian palace may hold some clues as to who I am," Mireille replies calmly, sorting through her belongings on Christelle's floor to determine what she is and is not taking with her to Vyrunia.

"They think you're a princess? And she's burning your house? That's hardly fair!"

Mireille rolls her eyes even as her hands continue flying through her few small piles of possessions. "Since when did Her Majesty care about fairness? And anyway, unless you're dying to follow your new lover back to Cloiche Fuar...come with me to Vyrunia? I'll tell you about the theory the Prince laid out for me on the way, if you do. There's no time now."

"What are we going to do if you're not the Princess? In fact, what am I going to do if you are the Princess?"

"Xavier is coming for me day after tomorrow either way. He'll congratulate me on my return if I'm the Princess, and he'll take us away to somewhere safe if I'm not. We have nothing to worry about. If I'm the Princess, you'll stay with me there, one way or another. I'm sure I can get you a paid position to be my best friend."

"They have jobs for that in palaces?"

Mireille shrugs. "I don't care if they do or not. If I'm their long-lost daughter, odds are at least ten to one that they'll give me whatever I ask for."

Christelle laughs. "Bit cocky, aren't you?"

"Mayhap. But that's neither here nor there. Are you going with me to Vyrunia or not?"

"Of course, silly! I'd never let you go on such a journey alone, and besides, even if I would, my mother would kill me for abandoning you. You know she's always had me keep an eye on you. Why should this be any different?" Mireille embraces Christelle tightly with a joyous cry, tears streaming down her cheeks--more an outpouring of all the pent-up emotion from the day than anything else. Their embrace lasts a few moments before Christelle decides that they should stop wasting time. "Now, let's get ready. I'm off to steal a couple horses for us. I'll be back shortly. You'd better be finished packing by then, my things as well as yours." Perhaps Father wouldn't mind our taking a couple horses, so long as they aren't the ones for his carriage, she tells herself as she makes for the door.

"I'll do my best. Thank you, Christelle. You're the best friend anyone could ask for."

Christelle laughs. "What, you think I'm going for you? I'm just going so that I'm guaranteed to see Jerôme again," she teases with a wink.

Mireille rolls her eyes. "Of course you are. You two looked pretty intimate when I came in here. Naughty girl. What would your mother say?"

"What she doesn't know won't kill her. We can discuss this on the way. We're wasting time!"