To Serve a King by Donna Russo Morin

Author:Donna Russo Morin [Morin, Donna Russo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical
ISBN: 9780758246813
Google: SnxPKlZONooC
Amazon: 0758246811
Barnesnoble: 0758246811
Goodreads: 8853594
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2010-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

18

All strangers love her, will always find her fair,

Because such elegance, such happiness,

Will not be found in any town but this:

Paris is beyond compare.

—Eustache Deschamps (c. 1346–c. 1406)

“Come with me, ladies!” the king yelled to Geneviève, Arabelle, and Jecelyn as t hey crouched behind the hitc hing posts.

The bright fruit careened across the courtyard, whistling by as the men and ladies of the court hurled them at one another, splat-ting with juicy collisions and a bursting of citrus. Out of ammunition, the three women took refuge behind the thick beams, trying to hide the red ribbons on their arms that would give away their location to the blue contingent. The battle of oranges—one festivity in the days’ long homecoming celebration—had ensued. The custom, begun in the twelfth century in Ivrea in the north of Italy, had become a favorite pastime of the king from his earliest days, calling for the contest whether it was carnival or not.

Returning to Fontainebleau proved the greatest elixir prescribed for the king, and he rebounded, taking part in every celebration, both day and night.

Rushing past the women, François seized an abandoned shield and crossed in front of them. “Stay behind me as much as you can, but grab those oranges. We need weapons, my soldiers!”

His enthusiasm was infectious and the women jumped into it, scooping up any fruit not smashed open on the cobbles or the stone walls. Jecelyn gave hers to the king, who launched them with incredible accuracy. Arabelle and Geneviève hurled those they gathered at the opposing team, closely following the king as he cut a swath toward the “enemy” with great guffaws of laughter and whoops of delight.

More who wore the red arm bands joined in their siege, and Arabelle and Geneviève fanned out from the king to cover more ground. From the right Geneviève caught sight of three or four blue bands and swiveled toward them. Lisette, Sebastien, and two other members of the opposition fell in her sights as they tried to flank the red team.

Geneviève cocked back her arm.

Jecelyn stepped up to the king with more oranges, jumping directly between Geneviève and her shot at Lisette.

Geneviève hesitated, barked a laugh, and launched her weapon.

The juicy orange hit Jecelyn squarely on the side of the head. The fruit burst upon impact. The left half of her face became a mess of stringy pulp. She dropped to the courtyard with a cry of pain and indignation.

“I believe you have hit one of our own team, Mademoiselle Gravois,” the king yelled, but not without a peculiar expression contorting his features.

Geneviève batted her eyes, all innocence and coyness, fighting hard against the volcanic laughter in her gullet as she dodged another hurtled fruit. “Oh dear, have I?”

Beside her Arabelle roared, not able or caring to hide her hilarity at Jecelyn’s expense.

“Did you see her go down?” she howled, doubling up with laughter as she grabbed at Geneviève’s arm. “She dropped like a stone! Marvelous!”

Geneviève turned, allowing the mirth to finally burst forth. The two ran off, weak from laughter and no longer useful.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.