In French

Chapter Three

    Months passed and my fourteenth Birthday came and went with a flourish of fireworks. Nothing in particular happened until  my fourteenth year was nearly up. My parents had been discussing in secret more frequently so I was hoping for a reunion with a humiliated Senorita Dulcinia to be sent packing. This was not the case.

    The youngest of my two brothers; Dion was getting married. Everyone in all of Andorra was inflated full of happiness and delight for his nearly to-be bride. It was, in fact, the next day. I was all set to be a bridesmaid. From her portrait the princess was blonde, fair skinned with long slender features. “She looks like a swan,” Dion had remarked softly once he’d first set eyes on the picture.

    “You will be suited well to princess Nikola, I feel,” Madre had told him.

    It was late autumn and the leaves were gone leaving a sludgy pile of orange at the bottom of the trees. It had done nothing but rain for three whole days leaving a muggy, grey air about the place. “Madre?” I asked, looking up from painting a plate. Not that I was any good, I had neither the patience or the steadiness for such an activity.

    “Yes, Anna?”

    “Can we get a dog?” It had been over a year by now since I had met Philip and since then I had not seen him once. Not that my mind hadn't been thinking of him. Frustratingly I found that my thoughts would often skip back to that night and the precious few moments that we had shared together.

    Madre laughed, “Don’t be absurd! Of course we cannot.” My forehead creased, bottom lip jutting out into a pout before surily questioning for a reason. “Because dogs live for about ten years and I am not counting on you living here for that long.”

    “I could take him with me,” I told her hopefully, sitting a little further forward in my seat.

    “Do not argue with me,” Madre's word was final and her expression was downright frightening!

 ******

    Dion’s marriage was beautiful. The bride’s dress was not as skilfully made nor as divine as Katherine’s who was already expecting her first child. Nikola appeared nervous and agitated as she nearly stumbled down the isle. Senorita Dulcinia smirked through the entire ceremony, I had no idea what she was playing at but I could see that infuriating look out of the corner of my eye. 

    Once Dion had put the ring on Nikola's finger and kissed her on the cheek a lot of the pressure evaporated. There was still the night ahead which I was not dwelling on much. My mind was mainly on the vast gargantuate amount of food that was surely awaiting our arrival back at the palace. I could just about imagine all the different flavours and textures melting on my tongue, Josepha nudged me, hissing that I was daydreaming.

    I could not wait for the banquet or the dance. “The first dance will be magical,” Josepha whispered as we followed the procession out where the public of Andorra cheered and celebrated. The noise was unbelievable, the people worshiped us. We waved, smiling as we headed to the open topped carriages of gold where we returned to the palace. No one could say that we didn't travel in style!

    The newly married pair were greeted by endless amounts of cheers and mirth from outside the palace gates. When we went into the dining room there was one long vast table with so much food that I didn’t no where to begin. “I think I like marriages a lot too,” I whispered back to Josepha as my stomach timely rumbled.

    I sat fairly near to Dion and Nikola, the King did a nice short speech where he congratulated Dion on making a wise choice with Princess Nikola -as if Dion had any say in the matchmaking-. We ate until we were bursting then the first dance came. Dion and Nikola moved a bit awkwardly, probably a bit intimidated by finally being that close to one another. We all applauded then the ball began.