Blois, France

Late 1509

-----

As the warring in Italy drew to a close, the Roi and the Dauphin remained in Lyon to await the return of the victorious armies of France and, more importantly, their noble commanders. In good time the armies did return, marching in glimmering columns behind men of great repute, from the redoubtable Louis de la Trémoille to the redeemed Duc de Bourbon.

After the celebratory feasting and many war stories were shared, the royal party began plans to depart from Lyon once again. Snow threatened, already those who saw them told of the Alps being coated in it. The passes to Italy closed under it. It was well past the time to set off, and so the royals did along with several hundred men of the Gardes du Corps du Roi in all four companies.

In the early weeks of winter the royal party returned to Blois, descending into the Loire Valley and reaching the royal residence in good time. Normalcy returned to the royals, at least for a few days.

There were issues to contend with, however, and a petition from Charles de Rohan-Gié for a private discussion with the Roi brought these to the fore. A frank discussion followed, wherein the Seigneur de Gié expressed the concerns of a growing number of French nobles about the education of their Dauphin-- though circumspect, the accusation was clear to Louis: his nobles believed he was allowing his son and heir to be turned to the Breton cause of independence. What's more, if they felt bold enough to send a petitioner now this frustration must have been seething for a while.

Louis listened to Rohan-Gié but made no promises in the moment, politely demurring on the question of replacing Guy de Laval as the Dauphin's tutor then and there. He had much to think about and spent an hour in quiet contemplation.

Factions formed, it seemed, in his absence. A Breton faction, a French faction. Anne had been busy, and not to the approval of his court it would seem. This would be dangerous if something were to happen to Louis before it was resolved-- if French nobles believed their Roi to be somehow compromised by his Breton mother... it would not bode well. The truth was that he would have to take action he was not particularly pleased with. He was content to rule France while Anne tended to the household, but now these two had become entwined.

Firstly, the question of the Dauphin's education would need resolution. Guy de Laval, while honorable and brave, was proving a vexatious tutor for the Dauphin and would need to be relieved. After some discussion with his French-leaning courtiers, one candidate received unanimous support. Louis d'Armagnac, Maréchal de France, Duc de Nemours, was a famous commander, one of France's best. His lands were close, on the other side of Orléans from Blois, but far enough that it could be argued that the Dauphin was experiencing the realm he would one day be ruling. After a short exchange of letters, the Duc de Nemours agreed to fulfill this role with alacrity.

Louis summoned Jacques de Crussol, captain of the 2nd Company of the Garde du Corps du Roi, and informed him that his company would be traveling to Nemours to guard the Dauphin as he was educated. Six men of the Gardes de la Manche would be dispatched alongside them, to be present with the Dauphin at all times.

That decision made, there was also the question of his eldest child, Claude de France, and her marriage. As long as the marriage contract between Louis and Anne was debated on, Claude potentially held a claim to Brittany. As such, it was not acceptable that she be wed to anyone other than a Frenchman, lest France risk open war with anyone attempting to press her claim to Brittany-- in the worst case the Roman Emperor, or the Spanish. A list of candidates was presented, and in the end two stood the test of the Roi's considerations. It would be her childhood friend François de Valois-Savoie who would be offered the Princess' hand, which he gratefully accepted.

The house set to rights, he began planning for something rather more lighthearted. In celebration of the French victory in Italy, there would be a grand series of tournaments planned in France. He would host one such tournament in Saint-Cyr-en-Val, on the other side of the Loire River from Orléans. Messages were sent to many of France's high nobility to host tournaments on their lands, with the offer to pay some of the costs from the Crown's coffers.