Chambre de Coralie

I sit, quietly, upon my bed, sewing and humming to myself as I look out the bright and shining window, hoping to pass the time before I am called to her majesty's chambers to begin my work as a Lady in waiting. I cannot help but dream of what my time here at court shall be, as I am so hoping to make good friends and hope I shall be at the center of any gatherings and parties. I cannot help but day dream of my times at the country manor when I was young, and though I am so very excited to be here, I cannot help but miss my home and family.

Letter:
From her ladyship, Madeline, Comtesse De Fontanay.

Claude walked down the hallway, and the announcer saw she was coming, he walked in and announced her 'La Reine he said and she walked in, with a curtly smile and nodded at Coralie 'Vous êtes mon nouveau, dame dans attente?' she asked the girl and she looked her up and down surveying her, Quel un, innocent chose te sont' she added.

I give a low and humble curtsey, hiding my smile at her majesty's visit to my room.
"Oui, votre majesté, je suis votre nouvelle dame," I smile.
" J'espère que Votre Majesté doit être très heureux avec mes services dans l'avenir."

Claude smiled at the young girl, she was one of them Ladies who wanted nothing more than to please she smiled and nodded 'je suis sûr que vous voulez à s'il vous plaît, je avoir sans doute, te volonté être
un merveilleux, dame dans attente pour moi.' she said and she stuck her nose up in the air and held her head up high.

"Merci, Votre Majesté. J'espère seulement que je la hauteur de vos attentes. Je suis très heureux de commencer mes travailler." I smile.

Claude nodded and pursed her lips together again and smiled 'Et je suis sûr te volonté' she sad with a small smile 'juste venir à mon à lit chambres quand te sont prêt' she said with a smile.

"Je vais, de la majesté," I gie another curtsey and nod. "Si votre majesté souhaite rester un moment?"

Claude looked at the girl and smiled 'Je ne peux pas J'ai des affaires à faire' she said with a smile and she nodded 'mais. merci' she said and she nodded again.

I give another curtsey, "bien sur, votre majeste," I smile.

Coralie hurried into her chamber and shut the door behind herself as though she felt she would faint from tiredness. She looked at her lute that sat upon the chair at the desk, and quickly she went to her trunk where she found the new summer gown and hood given to her by her majesty, Queen Claude. She could not help but smile. Her majesty had surprised her so suddenly when she allowed her to have one of her very own summer dresses as a gift, and she felt as though she should try very hard to be the perfect lady and perhaps to be the head lady, as her mother wanted.
She looked at her writing desk and caught sight of the parchment and quills, standing there alone. She hurried over and took a quill in hand, placing a sheet of parchment down, determined to write a letter to her papa, as she knew he must be very worried about her no longer being at home. She wrote:

Dearest Papa,
I am writing to you from his majesty’s palace at Versailles, where I am a new lady in waiting to her majesty, Queen Claude. I write this to you, papa, because I know mother did not tell you she had sent me away.
I know it has been quite sometime that we have seen each other, papa, and I know you must have been very surprised to have seen all my things and me gone. I hope you will visit me some day, papa, as I miss you so much.
Much has already happened since I have been here at court. Her majesty, Queen Claude has given me one of her summer dresses as a gift, and I have played for his majesty in his Reception chambers and I believe both do like me and my company.
While I am here, papa, I shall try my hardest to make you proud. I know that while I am here, I must carry on the Guyot name with great pride and virtue. His majesty has warned me of the jealousies and affairs of court, and has warned that I should stay away, and so I shall, papa.
I hope that perhaps you shall visit me during Christmas or during Lent, and that you shall see me at court!
With Great Love,
Petit Coralie.
Coralie sprinkled sand upon the letter, and retrieved a second sheet of parchment to write to her mother.

Dear Mother,
I am writing to you, to ask that you send forth all my marionettes, instruments, costumes and journals. I know you shall be most upset, and shall wish to not send them to me, yet I have been asked by his majesty, King Francois himself, that I perform for him and the rest of the courtiers at any upcoming fetes.
I hope you shall find yourself proud of me, and pray for you and papa and my brother’s health. Do not worry for me. As I have maintained myself as a rightful lady, and her majesty, Claude, has even given me one of her summer dresses as a gift.
Sincerely,
Coralie.

Pierpont bit his lip eagerly as he stepped before what one of the courtiers had pointed out to be Coralie's room. He grinned as he lightly tapped on the wooden door.

"Bonjour, mon petit Coralie, are you dreaming?" he spoke through the door, hoping she would remember his voice and their usual greeting.

Coralie gasped, standing up from her seat at her writing desk. She hurried toward the door, stopped and ran back to a full length looking glass, where she adjusted her gown and hood.
She took a deep breath and ran to the door, throwing it open.

"No, I've just awoken," she giggled. She gave a curtsey, yet ran to him, throwing her arms around him, "Pierpont!!" she squealed.

"Mon petit Coralie," Pierpont lifted her off her feet and into his arms, spinning her around.
It had been a long time since he had last seen his little, and only sister, the girl who could always make him happy.

He closed the door after setting her back on her feet and he spun her around by her hand as he led her to a chair. He put her on his lap and began to tickle, "now tell me, how have you been, sister...good, I am certain?" he laughed.

Coralie gave a squeal, giggling as he spun her around, her arms tightly wrapped around him. She laughed as he set her down and was pulled onto his lap as he began to tickle her.

Yet she gave a serious face, slapping his hands away as she stoood up, giving a pout. "No, no, first I must get you a drink," she pouted. She burst into laughter and hurried to a pitcher of copper filled with wine, and she filled two goblets and brought one to him, pulling up a chair beside him. "I'm a lady now...I have to always act like one," she giggled.

"Oh, Pontie, it's wonderful here!" Coralie sighed, "there are always feasts and dancing, and we and all the ladies get dressed up and I am always attending her majesty!"

Pierpont burst into laughter as she slapped his hands away, and he lifted his chin, straigtening back in his chair as he rubbed softly his chin, watching her around the room. As she handed him a goblet, he took it, but gave her a serious look, his eyes hard on her face.
"Do you drink everyday?" he spoke with a serious tone, "I know these other ladies must be telling you it is alright, but you should not walk about drunkenly while at your duties."

Before she could answer, he stood from his chair and began to pace around the room as his father did when he tried to get all his children to speak the truth.
"I am glad you attend your duties, and even more glad that you are having fun," he started to play with the flowers of the room. "Mama said you sent for your marionettes...are you performing here as well?"

Coralie bit her lip, feeling slightly uneasy, as though she'd already done something wrong. Her brother was always a bit hard on her, but she feared she could not tell him all she had been through.

"I try my hardest to drink only apple cider," she looked down, nervously, placing the goblet to the side. She shook her head, her eyes wide, "no, no, I do not walk around like the other ladies...I do not drink wine when I know I am to attend her majesty."

She watched him pace around the room. She smiled, "his majesty has made me one of the court performers," she nodded. "I have been singing and performing and doing my marionette shows," she giggled.

She suddenly tilted her head, "Pierpont...where have you been?" she whispered, playing with her sleeve.

Pierpont nodded, still pacing around the room. "I think it would be best you kept it that way," he turned to face her.

Pierpont could not help but burst into laughter as he saw how excited she was to be performing for the court. "Well done, little Coralie," he guffawed, "and soon you will be a famous singer and puppeteer?" he smiled.

He returned to pacing around the room, moving his boot covered right foot before the other as he looked at the floor. He tilted his head, "so then, you have spoken to his majesty?"

Pierpont took a deep breath, "I have been everywhere, you know that," he gave a slight nod. He turned his back on her, not liking the idea of lying to her, but he did not want to upset her so early in his visit.

Coralie giggled, "ohh, I hope so, Pontie," she beamed. "I am so happy to be able to be here and still be happy and love all that I do."

She blushed, turning her head to scratch her curls. "I introduced myself to him at his Reception chambers," she spoke, her head still turned. She wanted so badly to tell him all that had happened: their meeting, their second meeting, their first kiss...how she had fallen madly in love with him. "I played one of the Celtic songs Fionnula taught us...and he has taken an interest in my talents."

She frowned a little, "but where?" She watched him pace around the room, "Chevelier said he looked for you in Paris...but said he could not find you, you haven't written," she felt as though she would cry, her cheeks turning red with distress.

Pierpont raised an eyebrow as he turned to face Coralie. "So you have played for him. And have you see the king since?" he kept his eyebrow raised as he saw the blush across Coralie's face.

Pierpont nodded, "I have been in Paris, but we were sent quickly to Callais," he made it up in his mind. He sighed, running over to Coralie. He took to one knee in front of her and held her shoulders, "please don't cry.You know I don't like when you cry, please don't cry," he rubbed her arms. "I'm fine, you see I'm here. I'm not some ghost before you," he grinned.

Coralie looked down, still blushing. She nervously played with her own fingers, "he and I ran into each other at the fountain, and we walked and spoke for a while," she looked down, again.

She shook her head, wiping her eyes, "I know, but I-," she sniffed, smiling faintly, "I missed you, and I didn't know where you were and I couldn't write to you."

Pierpont was not convinced. He folded his arms, his eyebrow still raised. "Only spoke? Just that once?"

Pierpont sighed. She grabbed her legs and gently lifted her up into his arms, taking a seat to put her on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her like he used to when they were little, "Petit Coralie, you know we've spoken about this," he wiped a tear from her eyes, "I am a soldier, and there are going to days where you cannot write to me. Months even." He turned her on his lap to better face him, "but you have to have faith that wherever I am, I am alright. And missing you and our little manor," he smiled.

He tickled her stomach, though he knew she would be upset of his fuss over her like she were still a child, and yet he did not care. He took a serious look to his face. "Now tell me more about you and the king, because I know you are not being completely truthful."

Coralie let Pierpont put her on his lap, though she pouted, and she listened to him as she playeed with his long hair, like she used to when she was little. She nodded, "I know...but I feel like it has been years since we last spoke." She looked up at him, "I suppose I should enjoy while you are here," she smiled faintly, "and you can keep me company, and meet my friends."

Though she tried to keep a straight face, bent on showing her newfound maturity, Coralie burst into laughter as he tickled her, and she playfully slapped his hands away. "Stop, stop," she laughed, trying to catch her breath.

She saw the serious look on his face, and she felt a pinge of panic. She turned to face him where she sat on his lap, "well..." she was terrified to say. She bit her lip, looking down as she began to play with her fingers. "He considers me a good friend, and I, him."
She gave a little shrug, "I think I fancy him...or love him," she finally confessed.

Pierpont nodded, still holding her on his lap. "Yes, we'll have to make the most of my stay here."
He tickled her, "you'll have to let me meet all your friends, and tell me what new stories that little mind of yours has come with. And we'll have apple cider and sweets by the fire, and I'll tell you all about my adventures, alright?" he laughed.

Pierpont laughed and stopped tickling her, though he kept her on his lap. He pointed his finger at her, "now, tell me what other friends have you."

Pierpont listened as she spoke, yet found himself frowning at her confession. He took a deep breath, a beat of rage beginning to course through him.
"And what has the king said to you, as I know you have told him of this love," he questioned, clearing his throat in rising temper. He knew Coralie told everyone she cared for the truth, and if so, the king surely knew of this. He wanted to know how often they had had these "run in's" and whether the king would take advantage of his love she had for him. He also wondered if he was too late to save her virtue.