Tulips

Chapter 9

Adelaide stared at herself in the mirror, she was not focusing on her reflection but concentrating on the day's events. Just grin and bear it, you can do this. She repeated this mantra to herself for some time. Adelaide placed her hand on her uneasy stomach, her face stood stoic - scared to express a hint of emotion. The hall was lined with huge windows on one side and mirrors on the other, the arched ceiling was paintings where light blue like the sky, people and angels looking down over the crowd. Chandeliers hung above them. The gold walls accompanied the gold lamps, cherubs steadied the staffs at the floor. Bustling women huddled round the door, indulging in gossip and vain flattery. As a child Adelaide would like to sit with the ladies of court whilst they drank tea, they would gush over her for a few moments and then forget she was there. Men think they have so much control over politics and economics, but a few words between their wives could upend every government in Europe. At least marriage has some benefit. Even if she were losing the power being queen, consort would still grant some influence. The ground shuddered beneath her, she felt beads of sweat begin to form on her forehead, her jaw clenched, her breathing tightened-

"It's so beautiful, Addie." Gwen grasped at Adelaide's skirt with a childlike smile.

Adelaide looked up at her friends excited face, taking a moment to absorb the question and climb out of her panic.

"I like the lace-y bits on the sleeves," Adelaide lifted her arm for her friend to inspect.

"What do the flowers symbolise?" she questioned as she examined the material. The dressmaker had given Adelaide a long drawl on the matter of embroidery at a fitting which bounced out of Adelaide's mind before she could even process the information that had been given.

"Something about - unity and - prosperity - and I don't know they're flowers!" The girls laughed, Adelaide had never understood people's obsession with assigning meanings to flowers, to her it was reaching to add something interesting to something that was largely mundane.

"Alright," Gwen jabbed "but even you have to admire the detailing,"

"It certainly is something," The dress was made of silver fabric, expensive silver fabric. Layers of the skirt were so fine they were translucent. It was covered in embroidery that swirled round the diamonds that had been sewn in. She sparkled in the daylight that shone through the windows, the sparkles bounced against the mirrors, cascading rainbows onto the floor. Hung around her neck were several blue jewels, dug out from the French collection, their catalogue of jewellery was far more extensive than any other in Europe. Still Adelaide would have appreciated something from the Normandy vault to have been used, the only part of the outfit that wasn't French was her. Everyone had been framing the marriage as a merging, but it was clear to her that it was engulfment.

"So... what's getting married like?" Gwen scrunched her thin nose, wiggling her angular face.

"Not sure," Adelaide shrugged "not married yet,"

"Are you not bursting at the seams with excitement,"

"I'm bursting at the seams with nerves, actually,"

"Ohhhh! Well it's his first time as well. At least you're in the same boat as each other,"

"Of course it's his first time getting married why would- oh." Adelaide's face turned bright crimson. "Gwen, I cannot believe you."

"You cannot skirt around the important things in life," Gwen smirked.

"What if it's really bad?"

"It probably will be," she said placing her arm round Adelaide's shoulder

"You're really not helping." Adelaide pleaded as she squirmed out of her friends reach.

"If Louis is willing to marry you, then he'll be willing to experience a couple of bad fucks for the promise of a couple of good ones."

Adelaide turned to her friend with a worried expression, her heart sitting at the bottom of her stomach. "It's all politics you know,"

"Maybe a bit, but if he didn't want to marry you, he wouldn't. He's stubborn like that,"

"You're right," she wasn't. Adelaide didn't know what being married to Louis would be like. To be honest she didn't know what Louis was like outside of his brooding disappointment with her.

"I think Joseph going to ask his parents about me," Gwendolyn chirped.

"Really? Joseph?" she looked at her friend, her actions in the previous weeks were starting to make sense. "Good for you,"

"I know, it feels like everything is coming together,"

Adelaide turned to the mirror with her head held high.

"Soon, we shall be the most powerful women on the continent," she said, mimicking the old ladies of the courts who used to judge every passer-by with sharp disappointment.

"Where we rightfully should be." Gwen giggled.

The doors opened; Adelaide stood facing the eyes of her guests. Fear struck throughout her system; a storm churned in her stomach. She took several deep breaths and began her parade down the chapel. She passed by the squared columns, walking towards the gold elaboration that shrouded her soon husband. His face was grey, he smiled at her sullenly, his father's health was clearly dragging down his expression. A smile wasn't expected of her now thankfully, under God it was acceptable to keep a relaxed composure.

Traditionally, brides from foreign lands were often married by proxy in their home courts before they had even met their expectant spouses. This meant they would move into the new country a true countryman. However, Adelaide was brought to Versailles still fresh in maidenhood as it had been decided that she would become French at the same time as Louis would become Normandic.

She looked to the priest. You can do this, not in self-thought but a prayer, asking the lord for help in the task ahead.