The Farmer's Daughter

May I present, Lady Marie-Annette DuPont

Gather your wits, Annette!

I had been constantly trying to immerse myself with the guests. It was harder than it looked, trust me. I was not sociable in the least. Every time I approached someone; I would retreat almost immediately. I hadn't the courage yet. I stood awkwardly in one corner of the room waiting. For what? I hadn't the slightest idea.

"These types of events are always such a bore, don't you think?" I took a sharp intake of breath. A girl, around the same age as me, had suddenly appeared by my side. She was a tad bit shorter than me but was fairer than I. A true beauty of the time. "I wouldn't know, actually." She smiled so nicely. It put my nerves at ease. "I am all too familiar with what you're feeling." She took hold of my arm and led me away from my hiding spot. "My family lost two of their children. One lost, the other dead. Or so they thought. They found us when I was only five years old. My father had already married and started his life. Much like Duchess DuPont's daughter, your mother."

The tension had left my shoulders. I had found a friend among the strangers. "I am Lady Nicole Blois, granddaughter of the Count of Boulogne." She extended a hand for me to shake, and I graciously took it. "Marie-Annette. Shall we be allies? You and I?"

"Allies? We shall be the greatest of friends!" She was right.

Nicole steered me towards a group of men and women. "Lady Grandmother," Nicole addressed a poised older woman with greying streaks of hair, "may I present, Lady Marie-Annette DuPont. My new friend." I curtsied as she introduced us. It wasn't my best curtsey, I thought. I hope they didn't notice. "Enchante, madame." Nicole's grandmother smiled politely, observing me from head to toe. I had thought she was searching for an imperfection. For something to point at and laugh. "You look just like your gandmother, Lady DuPont. I can only imagine identical you must look to your mother." Her mention of mama had left me speechless.

Papa had always talked of her. I never lived a day where he hadn't. Hearing someone else mention her made me realize how much of this world belonged to her. She should've been here. This should've been her place. Not mine. Maybe I would be like Nicole. Maybe I would've been given the choice. Maybe not. In truth, mama wasn't meant to be here. She knew that and I guess I did too deep down. So why doesn't the guilt in my chest lessen?

I chatted with everyone Nicole introduced me to. Apparently, Nicole's grandparents primarily lived here in Pierre-mont, therefore, Nicole had grown up with most or all of the nobles in this room. When Nicole was of suitable age, her parents had agreed to send her to a finishing school in the city. She frequently travelled here and there many times a year. It was a mystery that we hadn't met before. Any one of these people could've recognized mama's locket and the crest engraved on it.

"Here!" Nicole handed me a glass of champagne. Her infectious joy was infecting me quick. "Have you eaten? The macaroons are lovely!" She leaned in and whispered in my ear. "You must tell me who's your grandmother's cook. She's always kept it a secret." I simply sipped my glass. I'm sure she's kept more than just her cook's identity a secret. In fact, everyone in that room has a secret. It is the way of those with titles, I found out later. "What's the city like?"

She took a bite of her macaroon and covered her mouth with a napkin. "It is not much different from here, actually. Except, it is bigger and busier. There's a grand palace where Court is held. I haven't presented myself to the Queen yet, but I'm hoping that this'll be my year." Nicole's excitement is something I could not share. "The Royal family are incredibly intimidating. Especially the King and his sister, Princess Juliette." That's right. The King and his family live in the city. They don't concern themselves with the smaller populations outside of the major cities and towns. Pierre-mont is on the outskirts of everything.

"Princess Anais and her son has recently moved back to the city," she leaned in. "They say he's very handsome. All the young ladies will be after him once Court is called back to the city. Will you be joining us there? Oh, I would love to have you close."

Servers had begun to float around with trays with hand sandwiches. I quickly snatched one before Grandmother saw and scolded me for my lack of restraint. Before I even knew it, I had five. "Do you have any plans for marriage? I'm sure you'll get many proposals in the upcoming season." I slowly chewed on my sandwich. My appetite had vanished entirely at the mention of marriage. "You are planning to marry, aren't you?" My eye snapped to hers. I hadn't noticed her observing me this entire time. She definitely noticed me tense up at the word 'marriage'.

I swallowed my last piece of sandwich and tried to play it off. "I have not thought ahead, Lady Blois. I'm focusing on my tutoring, more or less." She nodded her reverently. "That is fair. I apologise. I believe I'm getting ahead of myself." I couldn't help but smile at Nicole. Her gentility was pleasant. I knew then that she would truly be my greatest friend. It was hard not to like her. "Non, non! It is alright. Do you envision yourself married by the end of the year?" She tilted her head, pensive in thought as if curating her words. "Well, I-"

A man blasted through the doors, interrupting my new friend. The man was dirt-stained and coated in sweat. It appeared as if he had been traveling non-stop for days on end. He spoke quietly with, who I guessed to be, the announcer. Whatever news he had shared must've been distressing enough for the announcer to step forward and incline the musicians to halt their playing. "My Lords and Ladies," he called everyone's attention, "a message from our gracious King. It is our utmost condolences that our Prince Adrian, His Majesty's son, has passed. Our King has called court and are expected to arrive in two days' time." The silence weighed heavy among us. Most of these people had just inherited new titles, new roles, new power at the cost of a life.  "Long live the newly Crowned Prince Andreas!"

I wasn't the only one who's life had changed from one moment to the next. I sympathized with him. For I knew what it was like to be thrust into a role that I was not born for.