Trail through the woods

Coralie laughed, "oh, I am certain she would for you," she smiled. She nodded, "and yes, I am certain you do."

She smiled, admirably. "Then you truly are the utmost of gentlemen," she beamed. "ohhh, if only so many more men could be like you, and like his majesty perhaps."

Coralie shook her head, frowning a little, "I pray you are right, goodsir, as everyday, I have this great fear that time is running out."

She smiled, giving an eager squeal. "Ohh, I am certain you shall perhaps find them the same!" she beamed, "I cannot wait!"

Coralie laughed, patting his shoulder, "well goodsir, that is where I must disagree with you...for I think I, and many other women, should much like other men to be like you," she smiled. She looked down a moment, "his majesty always seems so very down when I see him," she looked at Christophe, "he does not much like all those sycophants who follow him around."

She took a second to think, frowning a little as she often did in thought, when she gave a grin and nodded. "Not too fast?" she smiled.

Coralie nodded. She gave a sigh, "I do not know what I should do if I were constantly followed by a flock of liars and flatterers." She blushed, giving a faint laugh, "and yet part of me thinks that I should like to be the center of attention at times."

She nodded, smiling, as she gave Andromeda a nudge to go faster "Come on, Andromeda," she smiled as the filly began to pick up her speed.

Coralie nodded, imagining everyone's eyes upon her. Even at the Christmas ball it was all too much, and so she knew what Christophe spoke of was certainly true.

She laughed, "oh, but you're such a big and strong man," she smiled, "surely you can handle a few eyes," she jested.

She looked down, giving a shrug, "Chevelier is normally so busy with school, that I only hear from him every few months and he sends me things." She smiled and tilted her head, "and I received a letter from my papa...I think he may be coming to visit!" she gave an excited squeal.

She did not bother to mention her mother. She hardly received a letter from her unless it was to chide her for something she did or did not do.

Coralie laughed, "ohh, yes," she smiled. She nudged him, "and I am certain your Angel shall help you aswell."

She shook her head, "I do not care much to see my mother again," she frowned a little. "And Pierpont is here to spoil me," she giggled, "Chevelier is busy...but I miss my papa, dearly, and-," she stopped. She remembered suddenly, "and I fear that as soon as all my family are come to court, I must face reality." She closed her eyes and sighed, "they will send for the Viscomte to come and meet me, and I fear, I shall be quickly married to a man I do not know, and who is older," she rushed out.

Coralie smiled, "I think you would get along very well with my papa." She smiled, "perhaps, you should like to even be like an apprentice for him...he is an architect and inventor, and I am certain he should like to pick your mind," she tilted her head.

Coralie sighed, looking down at Andromeda, as she pulled on the reins, stopping the filly. She sat up straight as she reached into the pocket of her gown, pulling out a letter with multiple folds. She handed it to Christophe before she untied a locket around her neck and handed it to him, knowing that as he opened it, he would find the portrait of a man with defined parenthesis and curly dark brown hair, a handsome, yet much older countenance. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

"His name is Gaston de Sauveterre," she bit her lip, "he is a Viscount, and friend of my father and the family." She sighed, "I think he is rather handsome...but I do not know him." She began to play with Andromeda's mane, "he had written to mother about the death of his wife, and that he was looking to wed, and mother told him I was at court and that I am almost seventeen, and-," she stopped, blushing embarassed, "and she sent him my portrait." She nodded toward the letter, "he writes to my often, and mother insists I write to him, though I never know what to say."

Coralie smiled, "I think he shall have your answers, and you can tell him all the new things happening in and with the military."

Coralie pouted a little, giving a laugh, "I certainly hope there is more to him." She shrugged, trying not to smile, though it poked through a little. "He asks me how I like court, and what sort of stories I write and whether he could here me sing sometime," she blushed a little, "...I suppose he seems kind, and Pierpont says he fancies me." She looked at Christophe, "he says he thinks I will make a good addition to his manor."

She looked down at Andromeda, smiling, and to Christophe's own horse, then back to the bright green forest around them, the birds singing the sound of a stream in the distance. She sighed.

"I like it so much better out here, Christophe," she smiled, "so quiet...like home."

Coralie smiled, "I am only so very glad that he is interested in my arts...and that he thinks I am talented."

She laughed, looking forward and up as she imagined herself in her own manor. "I do not know if I could run it all," she shook her head, though smiling. "But I think I'd like to have a home to walk around..." she smiled, imagining, "perhaps a little girl of my own to play with and love and watch grow...and boys, I suppose," she laughed. "I'd like to make sure everything was lovely, and that there were geese and chickens for the children to play with." She smiled, "I'd want a little chapel for ourselves on the hill, for the people around us to come and pray...and I'd want to have parites and feasts for all my family and friends and the people of the village."

Coralie looked at Christophe, smiling, and leaned over, nudging him. "And you and your lovely Angelique could come and visit."

She laughed, "yes, you have!" She smiled, looking around, closing her eyes as the wind swept through her hair. "I think it shall inspire us both...I, the wood nymph, and you, the brave hunter who watches the forest," she imagined a story. "We shall wander about, lying in the grass and feeling the sun's rays and eating the fruits of the trees and..." she shrugged, laughing, "I don't know, drink the waters of the streams!" she beamed. "Oh, Spring is always my favorite...I shall love to spend it here for the first time!"

Coralie smiled, blushing a little. "I find myself hoping so very much that...that he may love me," she smiled. She gave a shrug, "...I have not seen his majesty in quite some time...so...I suppose I must move on."

She shook her head, giggling, "oh, he does not have to spoil me...for I want to make him so very happy, I know I do." Coralie smiled at Christophe's flushed face, happy to see that he truly was in love. "I am glad to see you so well and happy," she smiled, "it is not often many get a second chance at happiness or love."

Coralie laughed, "we could build a little hut of leaes and sticks, and keep foxes for pets," she threw her head back and laughed. "Ohh, this sounds more and more like the making of a gypsy camp," she placed the palm of her hand against her forehead, shaking it as she laughed.

Coralie laughed, nervously. "Sometimes...sometimes I do not think anyone is ever capable of such affection for me," she shrugged, tucking a curl back behind her ear as she looked away. "I think that is why I was so very flattered by his majesty," she confessed.

She blushed, looking down at Andromeda as she brushed her fingers through her man. She looked at Christophe, yet looked away quickly, looking down. "Will...will you be leaving with Angelique?" she muttered. Now that the king seemed to have forgotten her, Coralie was terrified she would be lonely and sad if Christophe, her only friend in the world, were to leave court. She played with the reins in her fingers, "you know, would you two be moving far away when you get married?" she tilted her head.

She shook her head, laughing. "I'm sorry, forget I asked," she laughed, looking at him. "I must thank you for being my good friend, and so kind a person and gentleman to me."

Coralie laughed, clapping her hands. "Very good!...for I fear I would make a poor hunter," she laughed, "I fear we would starve." She turned to look at him, frowning a little though she smiled. "Do you ever think of such things?...the future, what things will be like for France or for our children?" she smiled, frowning as the rays of the sun shown through the trees.

Coralie looked down, smiling faintly. "I suppose you are right...you are often right," she laughed. "What do you remember of being a child?" she looked at Christophe, trying to imagine such a strong soldier as a child.

She smiled faintly, nodding lightly as he touched her chin. "And you promise to write?" she gave a little pout, widening her eyes, though she quickly gave a laugh, "as I want to hear all about your new life and love!"
She shook her head, "I cannot imagine you as anything but a creator."

Coralie threw her hands over her ears, shaking her head as she laughed, "no no, not squirrels!!" She looked up to the trees, "they are too cute!" she laughed.

She tilted her head, frowning slightly as she smiled. "A France with no king?...I cannot imagine such a thing," she laughed.

Coralie smiled as Christophe spoke, and she imagined he and his sister playing, just as she and her brothers did when they were children. She nodded, eagerly, "ohh, your childhood sounds so very much like mine," she beamed. She gave a faint laugh, "but, my papa always insisted that I not do work...but mother often made me, when he was gone," she shrugged. Her eyes went wide as she sighed, "I suppose I was rather wild...always getting leaves stuck in my curls and staining my gowns with blueberries and strawberries," she laughed, fondly, "...I cried often when my papa left for business," she looked down, "and even more so when Fionnula, my first nursemaid died."

She shook her head, "ohh you shall be like a knight on progress...you shall always be entertained," she giggled, "but...I suppose I could send you some stories, only if you send me some of yours!" she pointed, grinning.

Coralie stuck out her tongue, frowning, "oh, no, no...perhaps geese...'foul little birds," she tsked her tongue. "Always hissing and pinching and chasing after people," she laughed.