D' Arc || The King

Chapter VI

For the next five days, Isabel pointedly avoided Henry.

They both knew that he had insulted her and, in a way, hurt her and her pride. But every single time Henry approached her, she shot him a glare that froze him in his tracks as she got up and marched away.

"Isabel!" Henry called after her for what seemed like the hundredth time. "Isabel!"

"Henry, just leave her alone," Thomas called. "She obviously doesn't want to talk. What did you say to her anyway?" "I-" Henry sighed and ripped his gaze away from the blonde hair of the girl he was chasing after, but could never reach, before turning to his brother. "I just said that she was more educated than peasants," he protested and Thomas snorted.

"You definitely messed up there, Brother," he said teasingly as he bumped his brother's shoulder. "Shut up," Henry snapped, batting his brother away from him. Thomas laughed and he attempted to protest, "I'm trying to apologize!"

"Just don't make things worse then," Thomas said simply and Henry rolled his eyes. "You make it sound easy, Brother. What would you do in this situation?" He questioned in a flat voice. Thomas draped his arm over Henry's shoulder and lead him away from the edge of the camp. "Well, you've come to the best man in the camp for advice on women!"

"What are you - Thomas I do not need advice about Isabel!" Henry protested and his brother snorted as his cheeks flushed red. "Oh please, you're following her around like a lost puppy! Come on Hal," he said, patting his older brother's chest. "Just listen to me and she'll be yours!"

"I hate you...so much," Henry growled. "Think of this simply as one brother helping out his brother. You can't be that bad considering your extensive time in the streets of England."

An hour later, Thomas had decided that his older brother was completely hopeless.

"You're going to drive even the whores away from you!" Thomas exploded and Henry flopped onto his back in defeat. "It's not as easy as you make it look, Thomas!" He grumbled at his brother who just shook his head.

"How is it that you can conquer France, yet you can't form the proper words to speak to a girl?" A voice asked and both brothers looked up at Isabel who stood at the edge of the clearing with her arms crossed.

"Ah, the wandering specter returns from her adventures!" Thomas called and Isabel gave him a smile that was dappled in the shade and sunlight. "Be honest to me, Thomas. You think me a stubborn donkey that has your brother running around in circles," she said and he snorted before crossing his legs. "You read my mind, Isabel."

She stepped forward out of the tree's shadows and into the clearing. Stopping over Henry, she sat down and looked down at his face. Isabel leaned over him and her words were barely audible like they were for Henry alone.

"Hal," Isabel said softly as Thomas shifted, suddenly uncomfortable. He got up and quickly left with the sound of boots tromping through the undergrowth following him.

"I know you're sorry about many things, things that I don't know about...but I want you to know that I do forgive you. I know you didn't mean to indirectly insult me." She laughed softly and looked down at his face. Henry's eyes were closed and Isabel had the sense that he was taking the only moment of reprieve and rest while listening to her. "And I'm sorry that I was so stubborn for these past few days. Honestly, it was John that convinced me to finally give in," Isabel said talking to herself.

"Thomas did the same. I'm fairly sure, knowing my brothers, that this was a setup," Henry said, his eyes still closed as he smiled. Isabel frowned before realization dawned on her and she glowered. "Le salauds," she grumbled and Henry chuckled, opening his eyes just a crack, and studied the frown on Isabel's face.