In French

Chapter Eighteen

    Everyone was rushing around with the palace in mayhem, people scurried about, the chattering had risen to an unbearable level. With it all feeling too much I slinked away upstairs, sitting in my son’s chamber with the cute baby cuddled safely in my arms. I bounced him lightly, rhythmically on my knee, his chubby soft face lighting up in joy.

    “Look at you so soft and innocent, unaware of the world you were born into,” He gurgled causing me to grin. “Little prince.” I cooed, “Sweet little prince, mama loves you.” I tapped the small royal nose making him blink then gurgle some more. “Loves you loves you loves you.” I whispered bringing my child closer to me so I could hug him properly.

    The Comtesse cleared her throat from behind me then stepped forward with pursed lips. “Your Highness.” She curtsied almost lazily.

    For a moment I ignored her, staring fixated at my little August but the wretched woman wouldn’t be put aside for long. She cleared her throat so I glowered at her, taking in her harsh exterior. She wore a rich wine red dress that seemed to stretch tightly over her large hoop as if the material was not quite big enough. Her greying hair was piled graciously on top of her head with tendrils swirling down to frame her aging face. I raised an eyebrow at her, inviting the Comtesse to speak.

   “Your Highness it is not appropriate for you to be hidden away at such unfortunate and drastic times. Things are happening, everything is moving along so quickly that you cannot afford to be left behind. If you do not show your support or loyalty at this difficult time then you make life harder for yourself.” She opened her arms and took a step towards me as if we were friends, as if I should have trusted her. “The ba-the Dauphin if you please?”

    “No,” I adjusted his position in my arms, refusing to break eye contact with the Comtesse. “He is my son and these are my rules-”

    “Seriously,” she said in the politest tone possible, “This is far above your status Madame.”

    “How dare you?” My eyes narrowed as I fought to control my temper. “How dare you? Get out!” She stared, stunned. Well what on earth did she expect me to do when she said infuriating statements like that? “Get. Out.” Comtesse bowed her head and then charged swiftly from the room. I shook my head, sighing the frustration out of me before kissing the top of August’s head. “We do not need to be told what to do do we little Prince?” I kissed his soft head again, “They’re the ones that are told by us.”

    Not too long afterward there was a hesitant knock at the door then in strode Senor Vargas. He offered a small smile before I returned my attention back to my baby. Senor sat wearily in the armchair nearest to me and cooed at the prince for a minute. “The Comtesse came to see me,” he spoke with deliberate distraction as he continued pulling faces at the baby, refusing to look at me.

    I rolled my eyes and began grumbling under my breath.

    “It is important that you publically show support and loyalty-”

    “I know, I know!” I protested a little too loudly so I ammended my tone quickly. “The Comtesse made that perfectly clear. I-I just wanted some alone time with my son, why is that not allowed?”

    “It is allowed,” he sighed, “A lot of things are quite stressful and precarious at times like this. The crowning of a new King and the death of an old one. You have to show support and unity with the French people.”

    My eyes were welling up and it took a minute before I could speak, “I do not know what I am supposed to do.” I sniffed a little and turned my head to the side in an attempt to shield my face from Senor Vargas's eyes, he did not need to see me weep. “Philip is mourning his father, the French mourn their King and everyone is rushing about in a hurry while I am left without a role. I could not just stand there in the court rooms while I am ridiculed more and more each day. It is nightmarish! My son is away from that, he holds innocence and tenderness that I can escape to.”