In French

Chapter Twenty five

        I threw myself into family. They were my everything, my air and I was good, faithful and adoringly loving towards them. As the years traipsed by I sought to change, after the scandals that led Agate and I to accidently –on my part anyway- lead her husband to his death I decided to become a woman up for contention. I became more involved with the state of the Kingdom, going into the city of Paris with my ladies in waiting and interacting with the public instead of staying cooped up in Versailles.

    The public were quite taken to me, little girls would hand me flowers when I went to Paris and I was often received with cheers or even singing. Unlike my relationship with the courtiers which was as ever terrible because they thought that I was lowering myself by ‘hanging out’ with the public…The “filthy peasants.”

    By the time that I was twenty five I had five children after suffering from another miscarriage. I had three sons, my August, Louis –who was growing into a small and quite weak child- and Philip who was four years junior to Louis. Maria was older than Philip and was the most picturesque little doll of a girl with adorable eyes that captured the hearts of everyone she looked at. There was also my baby Anne Louise. Although I was once again quite full with yet another baby. The King was often described as being as “fertile as a bull.” Which obviously was a compliment that he liked being told quite often.

    “I am organising a ball.” I told Philip as I came into his study. He glanced up from parchments that he had been pouring over.

    His eyebrows furrowed, “why?”

    “Because next month will be our ten year anniversary and I would like to celebrate it.” His eyes went wide, he hadn’t realised that we had actually been married for that long. “It will be magnificent. I will invite all of the finest people throughout the country and neighbouring countries including Josepha and Nikola and of course my brother Dion and-”

    “It all sounds lovely, my love.” He smiled. “I put every trust that you will make it a ball to remember.”

    I came and rested my hands on the edge of his desk, “are you dismissing me?” I asked playfully.

    “Of course not, you are always a welcome distraction…”

    “But?”

    “But I really need to get this done.” He gestured at the parchments. “I have delayed doing this for long enough and I am being pestered.”

    “All work and no play.” I pouted.

    He pointed his extravagant quill towards my bulging stomach. “Apparently I do get time to play.” I smiled but rolled my eyes, stroking his cheek before going to leave the room. It was alright, there would be no budget and I would rope my ladies in waiting to help me. I had grown close to them throughout the years as well.

    “Let’s have ballerinas.” Agate was grinning. “They could just dance amongst the rest of us.”

    “Dancers?” I mused and then shrugged allowing it. “Good idea.”

    “Masked. It must be masked.”

    “But a themed masked ball.” Giselle nodded. “Animals, that is what it should be.” I cocked my head to the side wanting to hear more. “Animals that represent you…For instance…Uh, the King could be a lion and you-you could be-”

    “What would I be?” I frowned seriously. “An ape!” The women laughed but disagreed greatly.

    “You could have a butterfly mask, Anna.” Lucille suggested.