Mon amour, ma vie

6

Your eyes opened. You were awake and felt the warm blankets on your skin. It was still dark out, the curtains to the left being slightly open. You breathed in deeply, it was a little chilly, but it wasn't bad with the blankets. Looking over, Étiennette was in her crib, sleeping peacefully. You smiled, she looked like an angel. Maybe if you could get a little more time, your wounds would heal, and you could get back on your feet, leave here and go find a new job somewhere else. Though, looking around, you didn't know if you were meant to leave, or at least, anytime soon.

Sitting up, you noticed there was another tray on the side table with a teapot and breakfast. It looked hot, meaning someone had been here earlier this morning. You didn't mind though, you needed food that was other than dry bread. Your mother had warned you that a bad diet while breastfeeding wasn't good for a baby. With some proper food, you knew Étiennette would get healthier. She was small, but soon enough, she'd grow up and be a happy and healthy little girl.

You looked down on your hands. They were still wrapped in white cloth with the vague hint of blood from the glass, though you were sure they were healing. Things were getting better, even though you were still confused and discombobulated by the last few days. You knew that this home belonged to someone rich, perhaps powerful, though you couldn't rack your brain to find an answer. A poor Normandy girl like you had never met anyone rich enough to have maids.

Maybe it didn't matter. It was probably better to stay quiet. You didn't want to go back on the streets again. And, now a friend of Clement's knew you were alive. Yes, it'd be better to lay low and stay quiet here for as long as possible, you decided.

Though you desired to go somewhere else, perhaps to leave Paris, though you knew it wasn't a good idea. And anyway, you didn't think you could get out, there were probably guards everywhere.

You didn't understand why Paris was viewed as such a great city. It seemed like your old village in Normandy, poor and sad, but with more crime and less morals. Most people in Paris seemed miserable, as if the people went on like life had no meaning. You didn't know why the Emperor of France didn't help all the poor, helpless people, you were certain he had the money to fix these issues, but it was obvious nothing had changed.

Perchance, getting rid of the monarchy hadn't been such a great idea. Very little had changed since the death of Louis the XVI and his wife. Maybe they had just been caught in a bad situation in a declining country. But now France was at war with other nations, most of which you didn't know the names of. War had always been so pointless to you, but then again, you didn't know anything about politics, and as a woman you didn't desire to know, or at least that's what you told yourself.

You were about to go on another long thought train, but you heard a knock on the door. You said to come in, and in stepped a different maid from yesterday. She was older than the other two from yesterday, but more calm and less tense.

"Hello, I was wondering if you would like a bath." She said, You saw in her hands a dress and some towels.

"Yes, I would love that. Though I would prefer to bathe by myself, if you wouldn't mind. I'd also like to give my daughter a bath, if that'd be alright." You said. You were very dirty, you hadn't washed in over a month, and Étiennette had never been given a proper one.

"I suppose so. But won't you need help with your corset, madam?" She asked. You blushed, not sure of what to say.

"Oh no. I'll be fine, I'm used to putting it on by myself." You said, hopping out of bed and picking up your corset from yesterday, trying to be convincing, you didn't want to come off like some ungrateful and annoyed child, disliking corsets and all, even though you did find them impractical.