Following their actions in The Golden Girl, Marguerite and Céleste must deal with the repercussions of their recent behaviors.
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Marguerite has landed herself in quite the shameful predicament, but she needs to make priorities; to somehow mainta...
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Céleste was right.
All Marguerite had needed was fresh air, a relaxing stroll through the empty gardens to clear her mind.
She and Céleste talked little as they walked, but the silence didn't bother her. She breathed in the chilly breezes, pulling her cloak to her chin, admiring the gardens in a new light.
By the time they re-entered the castle, Céleste had to leave for her late morning lessons.
Marguerite's earlier distress still swam in her gut, waiting to resurface, but she figured a tutoring session with Master Martel might provide a distraction.
"I could chaperone your class," she offered, as they handed their coats to passing servants. "I would enjoy seeing Master Martel again after all these years. Would he recognize me, do you think?"
"Yes!" Céleste clapped. "Lovely! We are meeting in the Library." She led the way past the floor-to-ceiling windows; sunlight poured through, turning the floors to gold.
Marguerite yearned to return outside, to lie by the fountain, kick off her shoes, make shapes out of the clouds. But eventually, her heavy heart would drag her back to reality. She wasn't ready for that.
Master Martel welcomed them, and recognized Marguerite, insisting that she take part in the session. He asked her to pick a history book and seemed unconcerned by any of the past rumors of her death.
He never involves himself in the scandals of court.
Her mind filled with memories of the old man. How she and Antoine always longed to escape him, to instead lounge in the gardens and steal fruits from the orchards and run into the forest—
She stopped herself from remembering anything more about Antoine.
Princess Cordelia soon joined them, and her eyes widened upon seeing Marguerite.
"Oh! I did not know we had a visitor," she muttered, as Céleste and Marguerite curtsied for her. "To what do we owe this surprise presence, Your Grace?"
Trying her hardest to act neutral, Marguerite stiffened. "I decided to sit in on your lessons today. I hope this does not displease you, Highness?"
Cordelia's face flashed with a mix of excitement and anxiety, then she shrugged as Master Martel dropped a dust-filled tome in front of her. "Of course not. You will remember how marvelous these hours passed with our teacher are." Her tone, so weighted with sarcasm, almost warranted a snort from Marguerite; but under Master Martel's scrutiny, she refrained.
***
Master Martel's teachings were the same; long, stuffy, boring. Marguerite nearly nodded off several times, and Céleste had to nudge her awake.
Once he left, the Princess deflated in her chair and ordered tea for them, and coffee for Marguerite. "Did Maggie inform you of how naughty she was when she lived here?" Cordelia leaned in, whispering loud enough for the two ladies to hear. "She always ran off, dashing down the halls and driving butlers and guards insane."
