The Rose of Provence (6 page)

For a second, her hand stopped in the air, then she took a
deep breath and knocked on the door. Nothing happened for a while,
and she was about to knock again when the door opened. There stood
Michel as real as possible, and she forgot to lower her hand raised
for knocking. She came to herself again only when the doctor
greeted her and ushered her in.

“
The princess sent me,” Amrita started her story, but the man
interrupted.

“
What about going for a walk in the park, and you tell me what
you want there? I start every day with a substantial walk, but I
haven’t completed my task for today yet.”

“
Why not?” The girl nodded, and she was glad that in this
case, she did not have to stay alone with the man in his own suite,
within four walls.

The foliage of old lime trees cast a beneficent shadow over
the promenade traversing the castle park. While they were walking
under their interlocking branches, Amrita told him how long the
princess has wanted to have a child, and maybe her dreams will come
true finally, but she does not want to be beset by doubts until the
symptoms appear. That is why she would like the doctor to glance at
the sheets of her future and tell her what you see among the lines.
Nostradame promised her to pay his respects in the ducal suite
right before lunch, then he stepped up to the carefully pruned rose
bush, tore off a palm-full of crimson red flower and handed it to
her.

“
Rose for the rose, as the sign of my homage.”

“
Oh, thank you! This is beautiful!” Amrita leaned over the
velvety petals. “And its smell is heavenly! I hope the king’s
gardener will not find out; he is remarkably sensitive about his
roses,” she giggled confused.

“
It is a really nice-looking flower, but it cannot come near
to your beauty,” said Michel, as he looked into her eyes
meaningfully.

Nostradame tried to conceal the volcano, which was about to
erupt in his soul, with moderate courtship. The love that has been
buried under petrified lava for fifteen years, came to a boil
again, and was burning at the same temperature as at that time in
Provence. Together with passion, hope revived in Michel’s heart:
perhaps now, he can have Amrita, because by being a mature, but
still youngish man, a famous and wealthy doctor, he can offer her a
luxurious life. And by now, earl d’Angerville who took use of the
girl’s naivety, has also disappeared into thin air…

Amrita felt that a destructive storm rages inside the doctor,
but she tried to shoo away the sinister thoughts.

“
Monsieur de Nostradame, without questioning your sincerity, I
must say that you’re exaggerating!” She cast her eyes
down.

“
No, no way!” The doctor protested. “Believe me, I was in
every corner of the world, I met several beautiful ladies, but
their beauty cannot come close to yours.”

Amrita could not really say anything to this, so she
veritably felt relieved when she heard that someone was shouting
her name from the other end of the path.

“
Amrita!” The metallic voice of earl de la Roux resounded
under the foliage of the sleepy lime trees.

Amrita and the Doctor turned around simultaneously, and they
were watching the figure that was approaching fast, so Amrita did
not notice that Nostradame’s face became increasingly darker when
he could detect the other man’s features.

“
I wanted to say good-bye to you before I go back to Langeais,
and they told me that I can find you here,” sputtered the earl to
Amrita at one go, and only after that he glanced at the man
standing next to her. “Morgan de la Roux,” he offered his
hand.

The world crashed down around the doctor. A world that never
really existed anywhere else, but in his imagination.

“
Michel de Nostradame,” he returned the greeting, and he could
not decide what upsets him more: the fact that the man who sours
his life appeared again near Amrita, or that he did not age a
single day, just like the girl. A terrible presentiment squeezed
his heart with an icy hand, but for the time being, he was unable
to think what this could mean. He knew, however, that the time,
which irresistibly streams towards decay, is never so gracious to
mortal human beings.

Chapter 8

Glance behind the Veil

Louvre, Paris – 29 April 1543

By the time Nostradame arrived to the ducal suite, Catherine
was already waiting for him in full flush. Her royal blue, silk
dress was decorated with snow-white frills made of Brussels lace
according to the latest fashion; a sapphire necklace rested on her
chest. Her pinned-up hair arranged in playful curls was ornate with
a tiara suiting the necklace. Her earrings, bracelet and the
gemstone of her gold rings were made of the same precious stone.
Rouge powder breathed color to her pale cheeks and lips; the arc of
her colorless eyebrows was highlighted by a coal pencil. With the
rose water, she got from Amrita, she perfumed not only her hair and
décolletage, but she also dispersed a few drops in the air of the
room.

When Michel entered, the sweet fragrance of rose immediately
crawled into his nose, and because his senses identified this smell
with Amrita back in Arles, the girl appeared in front of his mental
eyes before he would have noticed her in the shadowy end of the
room. First, he greeted the princess, and then he waved towards
Amrita with his head.

“
Dear doctor, sit down here on the sofa, I would like to
interrogate you thoroughly!” Catherine chattered as if she had
changed since the hope arose that she was pregnant. “Some say you
see the future, is it true?”

“
I don’t deny it; I’m able to foresee certain events,” Michel
nodded slowly. “But whether it is a blessing or a curse, I myself
haven’t decided yet.”

“
Amrita says I’m in a delicate condition,” the princess cast
her eyes down. “Certainly you know how long I’ve been waiting for
motherhood, so you have to understand my curiosity: is it true that
a child was conceived?”

But Nostradame, deep in his thoughts, glanced at Amrita
first. The girl felt increasingly awkward in the man’s company
anyway, but practically shivered by seeing this investigative look.
Michel’s penetrating glance wandered to the princess, then after a
seemingly endless moment, the doctor said:

“
Your lady is right. At the beginning of the next year, in the
month of January, you are going to give birth to a boy. He will be
named after his grandfather and his deceased uncle.”

“
Oh, and it’s a boy! Francois… But this is wonderful!”
Catherine was clapping her hands jubilantly. “And will he be the
king someday?”

“
Yes. But he is not going to be your only child, and not the
only one who will come to the throne.”

“
What?” The princess asked eagerly.

“
In the following thirteen years, you will present your
husband with ten children, and three of them are going to be
crowned.”

“
Oh my God! This is wonderful and unbelievable at the same
time! Ten children after ten years of infertility! And three
kings!” Catherine sprang up excitedly and ran to Amrita. “Thank
you! So the potion you gave me really has magic power!”

Amrita's and the Doctor's eyes met. She was not glad at all
that the princess blurted out the secret in front of Michel, who
eyed her suspiciously. Meanwhile, in the man’s mind, troubled
thoughts were in a whirl: he was increasingly sure that Amrita is a
witch. That is why he did not see their common future back in
Arles, or anything in connection with her future: he could glance
only at the path of mortals’ fate. And obviously that is why the
years have passed over her without a sign. Compared to this
recognition, it was nothing he saw about the princess’ sons coming
to the throne: Catherine has no room for happiness because her
successors will not sit on thrones of various countries but on the
same French throne: they are going to reign after each other
because they will have a short life. He was watching the princess’
face irradiated with happiness, and he rather kept this knowledge
to himself.

“
First of all, the road leading to the throne opens to your
husband, the Orleans prince,” he said the pleasant news
instead.

“
When?”

“
Exactly on his twenty-eighth birthday.”

“
So it’s only four years, and I’ll be queen… Then, I will have
more say, won’t I? Can I get rid of Henri’s favorite, Diane de
Poitiers?”

“
Unfortunately, I cannot flatter you with this Milady. You
must accept the princess’ presence because she will stay next to
Henri until his death.”

“
My husband dies before that slut?”

“
Yes, as a consequence of an injury received in a jousting
tournament.”

“
When will this happen?”

“
I see exact dates within fifteen years, and I cannot see this
one so all I can say is that sometime after the spring of
1558.”

“
I see,” nodded Catherine, calming down. “Then, I won’t be sad
because there is so much happiness waiting for me in the next ten
years. Amrita! Give the doctor some cold punch that you made
yesterday.”

Amrita was about to leave, but stopped by hearing Michel’s
objection.

“
Thank you, I’m sure it’s magnificent, but I never drink
stupefying beverages.”

“
Oh, come on, Monsieur de Nostradame! Don’t reject it, you
will regret it!” The princess said in a kind but peremptory
voice.

Amrita brought the Murano glass bowl, and the crystal
glasses, and then, with a deep silver spoon, she took out some of
the light red drink. As soon as the luscious juice touched the
doctor’s tongue, the only thing he could think about was whether
the witch’s brew poisons him. It was apparently the most delicious
punch he has ever tasted, but Amrita’s proximity, smell and the
suspicion that wormed its way into his heart, made him say good-bye
to the ladies as soon as possible, and leave.

When Catherine and Amrita were left alone, the princess flung
her arms around the girl’s neck and squeezed her so much she could
hardly breathe.

“
I wish you had come to the court earlier! But I don’t want to
be dissatisfied, because the future crown prince is on its way, and
then nine more children are going to arrive!” She released the
clench and looked into Amrita’s eyes seriously. “You can ask me for
anything. Do you understand? Anything!”

“
Thank you, but I have everything I need.”

Catherine smiled conspiratorially.

“
Don’t you want to be the doctor’s wife? He is an honored,
wealthy gentleman, and it's obvious to anybody with eyes how he
gazes at you! I'll arrange for him to propose you, just say the
word.”

“
Oh no!” It slipped out of Amrita’s mouth too
quickly.

“
Do you consider him old? But he is in his prime! All right,
if you prefer the younger ones, just give me a name. Who do you
like?”

“
Nobody, and I don’t want to get married at all,” she swayed
her head.

“
Don’t say such things, every girl wants to get married,”
laughed Catherine. “Oh, I see, you must have been crossed in love,
because you were disappointed in someone. Who was that bastard that
gave you pain? We will punish him!”

“
Nobody gave me pain….”

“
Then you are hopelessly in love!” The princess got into the
swing of guessing. “Is he married already?”

“
There’s nothing like that…” Amrita shook her head, and the
conversation started to become increasingly embarrassing for
her.

“
Well then, if you don’t want to talk about it, it’s not a
must,” Catherine gave up sulkily. “But don’t tell me you don’t like
the earl de la Roux either! I saw it from my window as he ran after
you in the park when you were walking with the doctor. I bet he
didn’t skitter because of Michel!”

Amrita blushed, and it extremely annoyed her that there is
something even
witches cannot control,
despite their magic abilities.

“
Oh, of course, you like him! Your complexion does not lie!”
The princess winked playfully.

“
All right, I admit that I find him attractive,” whispered
Amrita as if she was afraid that the man might hear it. “But
please, don’t tell him a word about this!”

“
What’s wrong with you? Probably, you must have caught his
attention,” said Catherine uncomprehendingly.

“
Please don’t interrogate me about this,” the girl glanced at
the floor, and she raised her eyes after a long while.

She felt terribly bad that she has to conceal things from her
mistress, but she avoided lying as much as she could, and she
obviously could not tell the truth either: that she has been in
love with Morgan, the blood-sucker, for several millennia, who
besieged her since time immemorial, and who is also immortal just
like her, the witch. “Immortal”, she was savoring the word, and she
knew it well that it does not mean that they cannot be destroyed at
all.

Chapter 9

Vengeance

Louvre, Paris – 3 May 1543