La Marquise

Chapter 1

1773; Versailles, France

It is certainly not everyday when an orphan changes your life.

And it is certainly not everyday when your father arranges for him to come live with you, for a reason he would not tell my sisters and I. After all, we did not know him personally. Well, we had heard of him. I did not know much about him at the time; at thirteen years old, but I did know his name, or at least the short version.

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, from The House of Lafayette, born in The Auvergne, part of The Nobility of The Sword. His father had been killed in The Battle of Minden, and his mother had died of a reason I had not heard of, not too long ago.

Today is the day he will be arriving.

I sat on my canopy bed, doing a needlepoint drawing I still had not finished, my thumb being numb from accidentally poking myself with the needle. My brows knit, my hand tussling with my blonde hair while I simply gave up, setting the art down for the fifth time.

"It's best you put that away, Adrienne. It would not make a good impression to be irritated when The Marquis comes over", Louise, my older sister, hummed, while putting on a pearl necklace. She glanced over at me, "you're still not dressed?"

It wasn't like I was naked; I had my corset tight around me and skirts around tied my waist, but my periwinkle dress lay beside me, wrinkleless and waiting to be put on. "The boy would certainly not like you if you wore your underwear", my oldest, little sister, Clotilde, teased while helping Louise with her dress. I loathed those things; they were heavy and made me sweat, I almost fainted on a couple occasions.

And of course, boys and men don't have to worry about that.

Getting up, I threw the dress over my head, tightening the back so it would be at level with the corset. "It wasn't like I wouldn't change", I retorted, placing the needlepoint in my drawer, looking in the mirror to check if my hair was still up. While it wasn't like the queen or someone of a higher status was visiting us, I still wanted to make a good impression. And of course, my mother would scold me if I was not ready in time. Placing a jewel necklace around my neck, I looked at myself in the mirror, putting powder on my face, as it is considered rude to have no makeup on.

My two youngest sisters, Pauline (though we call her "Paule"), and Rosalie stood in the doorway. "There's a carriage, could it be the orphan?", Paule asked. Clotilde and Louise ran to the window to look, and there was, in fact, a carriage approaching.

"Please, refer to him as 'Monsieur Lafayette' or 'The Marquis', it would be rude to remind him that he does not have any parents", My mother stood behind my sisters, scolding Paule gently. "Come downstairs, we shall greet him when he arrives."

I held onto the railing while I made my way downstairs, picking up my skirts so I would have less to trip on, with my other hand. My father was chatting with The Marquis downstairs.

He looked older than I expected, about a couple years older than me. His hands were tucked into his blue pockets, his thumbs fiddling around with the outside of them. Under his white peruke, I could see he had ginger, no, auburn hair. His eyes seemed to be playing tricks with me; I couldn't tell if they were green or blue. His clothing attire seemed to match mine, being light blue.

Father smiled at us, "May I present Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette."

So that is his full name. My pink lips parted, surprised that my father managed to not stumble on his namesake. Louise nudged my hand with hers, I must have looked more shocked than I thought. Lafayette seemed to notice.

"It is a long name, I know.... I was baptized like a Spaniard, given all the names of the saints my family thought would protect me in battle..." He rambled, and I couldn't help but stare into his eyes, which seemed to be grayish blue. His cheeks illuminated, he was clearly nervous, scared, even. Though I could not blame him; the country is much different than Versailles, or so I have heard. My lips curved into a smile.

"Adrienne."

I jumped slightly, looking at Louise. "Father asked you a question." She looked skeptical, though her mouth was formed into a smirk. My stomach flipped, and I glanced over at our father, seeing my mother glaring at him out of the corner of my eye. Is his question that bad?

"Yes, Father?"

"I thought I had taught you better manners", He sighed, before continuing, "Would you please help the boy bring his luggage upstairs?"

This confused me, we have plenty of servants, I wondered why they could not do it, but I refused to question it any more. "Yes, Father." I lowered my head, before making a beeline to one of the guest bedrooms, with Lafayette on my tail. "Do you need any help unpacking?", I asked, opening the wooden door.

"I am quite capable, thank you, Mademoiselle." He looked around the room, as if astonished by its decor.

"Please, call me Adrienne." My lips formed into a friendly smile, "as that is what my friends, and family call me."

He stared blankly at me, and my smile disappeared. Had I been too forward with him, offering him my friendship so quickly? I fiddled with my hands behind my back, worried that I had made him uncomfortable.

His lips then formed into a smile, "Thank you, and please, call me Gilbert." He opened his luggage, preparing to unpack. I let out a sigh of relief, "let me know if you need help with anything."

I had no idea that day, that our friendship would blossom into something special.