King Henry

Chapter 38 - Burning at the Stake

The courtyard was a large open area in the center of the castle that was surrounded by walls on all four sides, but the top was open to the sky. There was a garden and fountain off to the right side and on the left side was lime mortar stadium seating that surrounded a small platform.

As the knights dragged her out there, Eleanor noticed that in the center of the platform was a large pile of sharp pointy logs that wasn't normally there. They dragged her over to it and tied her to the large post in the center of it, making her arms get splinters in a couple places. She struggled to pull her wrists away as they tied them together behind her back to the post.

Eleanor looked into one of the men's eyes and begged, "Please don't do this. I haven't done anything wrong. The only thing I'm guilty of is falling in love with the King."

He looked at her straight faced, striking flint against a stone and making little sparks fall down onto the kindling at her feet, making her heart jump. She was so scared she could hardly breathe.

"Should we go ahead and light the fire your majesty?" he asked Henry's mother, still looking into Eleanor's eyes with a cold stare.

She thought about it and said, "No, let's hold off for just a bit. I want to wait until the word has spread and this entire courtyard is filled full of witnesses."

He looked disappointed, stomping out the burning embers at her feet.

"Tell the servants  to start preparing a huge feast and a ball to celebrate the witch being defeated and the King being freed from her spell," Henry's mother told him.

He finally broke eye contact and said, "Yes your majesty," with a bow of his head before walking away.

Eleanor let out the breath she had been holding in, feeling relieved.

Then Duke Montelbane walked up to the former Queen and even though they were a few feet away and whispering, Eleanor could make out what they were saying.

"Has Guinevere escaped from the Tower of London yet?" she asked him.

"Yes your majesty. Late last night the tower guards helped her escape. She's probably already arrived at the French palace by now."

The former queen nodded with a satisfied smile. "Good, I'm glad to hear it. Pretty soon the French army will be on its way here to help us make sure the transition of power goes smoothly."

"What if the French King doesn't want to help us?" the Duke asked.

She scoffed and brushed his comment aside.

"Guinevere has had the King of France begging to sleep with her for a few years. He'll do anything she asks him to if he thinks it will increase his chances with her. I have no doubts he'll help us."

"Let's hope. We need them. I know most of our royal army are still loyal to you because they loved your late husband, but I'm afraid there may be many that will side with Henry."

"I'm afraid so too," she said with an exhale. "but I've done a very good job of convincing everyone that Eleanor's a witch and that Henry's judgement can't be trusted because he's under her spell. Even his most loyal followers are starting to have their doubts," she said with an evil smile, looking like she was proud of herself. "It doesn't matter whether she's really a witch or not. The only thing that matters is if people believe she is."

Eleanor wished her hands were free so she could slap that horrible woman across her face. She knew full well that she wasn't a witch but was using that to manipulate people to get what she wanted. She had never met such a devious, conniving woman. How someone as wonderful as Henry could have come from someone like her was a total mystery.