Vicious Versailles

grumpy grandma

Hello, my name is Esmerelda, my life isn't just the normal life of a 1700s girl. I was born in 1723, in the court of Versaille. I know, I know. Why, your family must be so rich. (They all said.) Well that's a bunch of bullshit. My family is one of the poorest noble families in France. My mother died when I was young; barely 5 months old. My grandmother would always tell me about it. My mother and my grandma had a bumpy relationship, never getting along with one another at all. That's why my mother married my father (a low ranking knight.) After my mother passed away, my father would leave me a year later. I was an orphan with no home, little money, and I was only 1-year-old.
Unfortunately I had to live off my mothers poor fortune that she and my father kept. After the whole parents' death situation, my grandmother let me live at her large estate that she owns. The estate was pleased in Lyon, France. My grandfather had died a couple years before I was born. After I left I never went back to Versaille. My grandmother told me, you will never go back to that, slut show. At the time I didn't know what slut was. At the time I believed her until the day that my time was coming to an end with my grandmother.
"Esmerelda! Get your arse down here now!" My grandma screamed with agony. I scurried with my huge hoop skirt swaying everytime I moved just a muscle. When I reached the bottom of the stairs I saw my grandma with a very angry face. She was holding her hip, to which she only does that when she's really mad. She was holding her pearl shoe up, an annoyed expression on her face. Her shoe looked scratched and dirty, almost as if it was bitten. "Esmeralda! What have I told you about watching bonbon!
"Sorry grandma." I say in a meaningful way. She just huffs it off and starts walking off to do the chores in the kitchen.(PERSONAL THOUGHTS)
Ever since the disease started spreading through Europe most of the maids and staff  in our house have caught the disease. Since we have barely any staff left, my grandma has been doing all the work. "Come come child, i'll make you breakfast!"
I go and sit at the table. I always love when she makes me food. It's always so good and tasty. She then quickly went to the kitchen and fetched me my meal. When she returned she handed me porridge. "What is this shit?" I said with a very snarky voice.
"You'll be eating that for a couple of weeks now.
"What why no!" I cried out.
"Yes Essy. You know with the disease and the hunger strike going on we can barely afford clothes and house appliances." I frowned at that comment.
"Well so you're saying that we don't get to eat decent food anymore?"
"Yes. That's what I'm telling you, Essy. Anyways... eat quickly before Bonbon eats it." She huffed.
"Ok grandma," I started eating as fast as I could eat. It was actually really funny in a way. I then took the last bite of the porridge. It was super nasty, I felt like gagging like a cat. I then got up from the table quickly, before my grandma could see me. I ran as fast as i could to the stairs. While I was running, I felt a hand reach my arm. I then stumbled back a little.
"Where are you going Missy?" My grandma said with a harsh tone.
A nervous laugh escaped me."I was just going up to read."
She glared at me and said, "Bullshit, you were not! You need to practice your russian anyways." She grabbed my hand hard and dragged me to our reading room. She pushed me down into the seat harshly. It hurt my butt. "Now..." She grabbed the russian learning book.
"Why can't I just get a break grandma?"
"because then you will get behind on your studies." She said with a snarl in her tone.
"But--"
"No buts, Sugarcane," She interrupted. God, Ever since the disease started, grandma has had to tutor me. My old tutor was Lacey Mugan, I quite liked her. So grandma would be my tutor until the disease quieted down a little bit. I, on the other hand, hate learning. "Esmerelda! Wake up, it's learning time." She snapped me back to reality.
"Uhh-- Grandma, I don't wanna learn."
"Well too bad, you must. It's the culture of the times." She snapped her hands.
"What if I don't wanna be cultural of the times?" I snarked, snapping back. She slapped the table hard and I flinched.
"I will not take disrespect, young lady!" She said with a loud russian accent.
"Y-yes mam," I said cowardly.
"Let's start now!" Her body froze and collapsed. Her breathing was no longer steady and I screamed for a maid. She started grabbing her neck harshly, "Esmerelda. Help me, please." She pleaded. Tears ran down her face and her eyes turned reddish.
My maid rushed in, "What happened?" She questioned. The woman looked at my poor grandma and fainted. My eyes widened and I slapped my grandma softly and screamed. "Grandma, Grandma don't leave me!" I could feel the hot tears trailing down my face. My little shakes turned more violent and her face was slack. She's dead.
In the weeks following my grandmother was buried. With her was her wedding ring and my grandfather's picture too.
It has been a week now. I was sitting all alone on the kitchen counter when there was a loud bang at the door. Quickly I ran to the door and a man was standing, looking quite pale. "Miss Esmerelda, baroness of lens, his majesty and king have appointed you since you are under age." He coughed kind of loudly. "That you will have to live at Versailles with your mother till the respectful age of 18."
A small gasp left my lips as I was shocked by this announcement. "Miss you might want to start packing now, we are leaving tomorrow morning, just after dusk."
Little did I know this would change my life and the lives around mine.