In French

Chapter Seven

The crossing-over ceremony. Traditional to the French. My belongings were packed up and along with me loaded into a royal carriage. I travelled with forty three other carriages in this gold and silk lined fleet. Josepha and I had exchanged a tearful farewell, Madre and I shared a somewhat less emotional goodbye but nevertheless I'd still miss her. She was part of my old world. Jeanne was glad to see the back of me and I her but Nikola was different, I felt more warmth for her than I did my own sibling. My brothers had wished me luck and congraulated me furiously.

I had been travelling for nearly two days and although it was not a particularly long journey to France it was long enough for me to become agitated, bored and uncomfortable. Eloise, Senor Vargas and one of my ladies in waiting travelled in the same carriage with me. The scenery didn't change that much. I played cards for the most part with my lady in waiting but we grew bored after a few hours.

We stopped twice during the second day so that the horses could rest and we could get out and stretch our legs. I paced back and forth with my hands on my hips, encased by a circle of footmen that refused to let me be alone. "How are you feeling?" Eloise pressed as she handed me some cake on the carriage.

"Nothing but boredom," I replied with my eyelids flickering drowsily. I was eating yet falling asleep at the same time. "How much longer?"

"Only a few hours, princess," Senor Vargas spoke from behind his notes. He had to learn a lot about the aristocracy of France as he would be living with me. He would be the only one meeting me on the other side of the cross-over. "Do not fear, we are making perfect time princess and we shall reach the point within a few hours and sleep for the night in the carriage."

I frowned, "Are you being serious? I cannot possibly sleep yet another night in this God forsaken carriage! My neck is already shot to pieces as it is!" I folded the rest of my slice of cake back up in the dainty looking napkin and thrust it forcefully back to Eloise. "I have lost my appetite."

"Now, now," she scolded, "Patience is a virtue, Rosanna, you must remember that. Do not let all of this nonsense go to your head; know who you are and where your manners are at. We have not the time or the energy to go over everything again. Now just rest and relax." I knew that she was right, she'd been a mother to me since the day I was born and reared me like her own. Eloise had been my wet nurse when I was a baby and continued to care for me up until the day I would be handed over. I would miss her much more than the Queen, my biological Madre. I allowed the bustling of the carriages and the sound of the many horses outside lull me into slumber.

When I awoke it was because Eloise was nudging me. Morning light prickled in around the blind that had been pulled down and it was a sharp cold morning that made my nose run. "Here," she handed me a handkerchief so I blew my nose. My lady in waiting, Lavonia started brushing and pampering my hair despite that being a lady maid's job.

"Whatever are you doing that for?" I frowned as I stifled a yawn.

"Do you not realise that this is the last morn that we spend together? I will miss you, my lady, this is my gesture of goodwill if you please." She paused then continued and after a moment's thought I let it slide and sat there patiently. Senor Vargas had gone off on his duties orgnaising everything, I felt guilty for he had so much on his shoulders. Eloise doused me in perfume and I felt my hair being twisted harshly on top of my head. It felt like my lady in waiting had not ever touched another person's hair before and her tugging caused my eyes to prick. Still, out of goodness I sat there silently and waited.

I changed into a pale gold dress and a smart light yellow woman's jacket which was a very tight fit and then I was finally allowed to get out of the carriage. I stood in amongst the trees stretching my legs and placing my hands on my hips, standing as tall as I could to stretch my spine. I was feeling as if I had been crumpled into a ball for the past few days and I ached.