Versailles: The King's brother

Chapter 14: Curious Pheasant

Renee
Following the events of the Beaumonts grim arrival to Versailles, little time was wasted on behalf of Renees mother to best prepare her and Victoire for life as a true noble. Renee was not permitted to consume more than one glass of wine per day unless permitted by the King to do otherwise, no sword training - no matter how private - was to be done between Victoire and Renee, and absolutely no courting was to take place for either of them. "All this talk of love potions, special drinks, and foods that stimulate sexual arousal are rampant within this palace. Both of you are strictly forbidden to even think about involving yourselves in any of these nefarious activities. Do you understand?"
Their mother had easily been the most stressed upon arriving, it was a good thing the day of their arrival she was not around to witness the soldiers suicide and was instead ushered off to greet old friends. Though the entire court ended up hearing of the incident regardless, and the siblings eventually got into even more trouble with their mother for not mentioning it the moment it happened. The evening of their second day had arrived, and both of the siblings had special roles to play in the events to come. The King had arranged for the Beaumont family to join him in his private dinner that evening  that was exclusive to those who were currently in the Kings favor. Victoire was arranged to be a dish bearer that evening, presenting one of the dishes to the King personally - a great honor, once one understands the culture of court life. Renee and her mother were offered seats at the far ends of the dining table, "A good start", Renees mother assured her, "We could easily have been chosen to stand and observe the favored nobles eat their dinner. His Majesty does us a great favor by letting you, especially, start your place in ranking by eating at the same table the King does". Renee only rolled her eyes; since she regarded how the King handled the solider incident, she had lost a bit of pride in being in the same vicinity as the King of France. Where once her heart would have skipped several beats as she gazed out at him, now her mind only replayed his reactions to the solider suicide and the unconcerned, jaded expression on his face.
Standing cloistered together near the entrance hall to the dining room, the nobles all bowed as the man in the blue dress coat, the Kings valet, now known as Bontemps, announced the arrival of the royal family for dinner. Filing into the dining room the Beaumont mother and daughter finally sat down and waited for the feast to begin. While waiting, Renee utilized the time to glace out at the setting before her. From the checkered marble floors, to the intricate red wallpaper, to the candle holders that held at least twelve sticks as the minimum, the room glowed and pulsed with an energy Renee had never been exposed to. It almost felt threatening, even more so when she realized how out of her place her presence imprinted on the others. She caught the glances of a few other noble women eyeing her down, studying her every move.
"Pay them no mind", her mother whispered to her as an usher came forward bearing water and gold chalices, "But respect them no less, some of these women have been standing in this room for years and have not once ever been offered a seat at the Kings table. Imagine their shock as we enter the picture and obtain the position on our first week. It's no easy task being a woman of court. Remember that".
Everyone now seated or standing in their assigned position, dish bearers began filing into the room, Victoire entering first. In his arms stood an awkwardly positioned baked pheasant, its skin shone brightly in the candlelit room, glazed with butter and swimming in a decorated pool of herbs and stock. Bowing as deep as the dish would allow, Victoire placed the pheasant in front of King, who acknowledged him politely before sending on his way.
Passing in front of his mother and sister, he paused briefly, all grin and blushed cheeked, "Curious pheasant!", he whispered to them before walking off. Plucking off pieces from every dish, the King finally beckoned everyone to begin eating, to which everyone at the table did. Reaching for what she could, Renees mother filled her and her daughters plates heartily before they began eating. It was after Renee took her first bite of a spiced pear that Philippe walked in with his wife, Henriette. Seating themselves, Renee noticed Philippe still wore the same, darkened expression as the day the solider had hung himself. After a bit, he turned to the King and began talking. If only she could hear what they were saying. Staring intently at their lips to make out their words, she nibbled carefully on another piece of pear.

Philippe
It was now or never,  if his brother would not bring the discussion to the table, Philippe would do it himself. "I notice your friend, Pascal de Saint-Martin has come to Versailles", Louis began with no particular interest in his voice. "He came of his own accord", Philippe said, plucking a grape from a nearby dish. "But now, he has no where to sleep tonight", Philippe teased, feeling Louis glare at him through the corner of his eye. "He will be accommodated in due course", was all Louis cared to say on the subject.
Sighing, Philippe pressed on, "Your builders are unhappy. Let me talk to them".
"I will not discuss politics at dinner, and certainly not with you", Louis warned, picking off a piece of flesh from the grotesquely elaborate pheasant dish. Philippe noticed Louis kept sneaking glances at a young girl sitting at the far left of the table. She was beautiful, he thought, though a pity it is going to be once she slips into his grasp like a ship at sea to the colossal arms of a kraken. He recognized her face from the group of new arrivals from the days before. She had a brother, he remembered that much.
"I fought with many of them", Philippe encourage, "They followed me into battle. Perhaps, they might follow me back work", thinking upon what he had just said he realized now it would be difficult to get his point across. He hardly made sense to himself. Louis kept eyeing the girl at the end of the table, and it was only when she finally looked up from her dish to glance back at the two staring brothers that Louis - looking flustered - unexpectedly announced, "We will go hunting tomorrow!"
Simultaneously, Philippe and the girl raised an eyebrow at him, to which Philippe smirked. At least she knows somewhat of the truth, he thought. "You ignore my offer?", he asked as Louis took in the uproar of approval from the other nobles. "I do, brother, I am glad you noticed".
"Why, then, are you keeping me here?", growing frustrated, Philippe began pushing the limits, "My own house is ten miles away. If I have no function for you, if I have no position of which you deem worthy but that of a brother, why am I still here? I can go to Saint-Cloud and be your brother in the comfort of my own bed. If you wish to see me, you can send up one of your fireworks!"
"You are here because I want you to be here", Louis growled at him, silencing the room, "And that should be reason enough".
Realizing the this was the end of the conversation, Philippe sighed and properly served himself dinner, picking at it without much interest. It was strange, eventually he too began sneaking glances at the girl across the way. Until finally it hit him. Her brother stood behind her, casually conversing with the other dish bearers. Philippe noticed he was a spitting image of his father, Jean Beaumont. It made him feel foolish for not recognizing them both sooner. Their father was practically his own, yet he knew nothing about them. Jean talked so rarely of his actual children, though perhaps it was for the best. Taking note that their father was not with them, his heart grew heavy at the idea of the famous Jean Beaumont having perished at battle. If so, he never got word of it. Making a mental note to speak to her and her brother about the whereabouts of their father, he dismissed himself from dinner and departed for the evening.

[Written 06.03.2019]