The Dreams of Kings by Saunders David

Author:Saunders, David [Saunders, David]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Shadenet Publishing
Published: 2014-06-13T16:00:00+00:00

La Conciergerie Prison, Paris, France

1 March 1470

Dawn was breaking as the clatter of hooves stopped. An ominous silence settled over the riders. Margaret of Anjou and her small party, comprising of Sir John Fortescue, Captain Malortie, and Sir Vaux, had arrived at Etienne de Loup’s personal fiefdom.

Margaret looked up and shuddered. La Conciergerie Prison rose up before her, its huge towers disappearing skywards into the grey, half-light. To the right, stood Caesar Tower, named in honour of the Roman emperors; to the left, the Silver Tower, so named for its use as a royal treasure store, and in the centre, the Bonbec Tower. She quickly crossed herself, for she knew that tower housed Etienne de Loup’s torture chambers where he encouraged his victims to ‘sing’.

Glancing the other way, she watched the muddy brown waters of the Seine slipping silently past. She supposed there must have been many who would have willingly welcomed a quick watery death, a final icy embrace, rather than face the horrors that awaited them within the gates of La Conciergerie.

She looked down at the letter she was holding tightly in her hand. King Louis had given it to her, the royal authority she needed to enter the prison and seek out Simon. The king, though, had gently refused her request for his freedom, and she had not pursued the matter too hard fearing that he may refuse her completely. So, for now, she would pay for the best accommodation within the prison and the finest food. Simon would have the pick of everything; his freedom she would obtain later. Her eyes were drawn back to the grim forbidding walls of the prison and her stomach churned. Tears stung her eyes, and a sob forced its way from her lips.

What if he is dead? she thought. What if…?

A hand gripped her shoulder, and she looked up into the steady eyes of Sir John Fortescue.

‘We will find him,’ he said, firmly, ‘but only if I have the Queen of England beside me; someone with the bearing to make these gaolers jump.’

Margaret dried her eyes, and straightened her back. ‘You have your Queen, sir!’ she cried.

‘Well then, what are we waiting for?’ said Captain Malortie. ‘Let us begin, for we know La Conciergerie never sleeps.’

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