Chambre de Coralie

Coralie giggled as he tickled her, and she knocked his hands away to catch her breath. "Alright, alright!" she caught her breath.

She smiled, letting her dimples show. "There's only another...his name is Christophe Sinclair." Her eyes went wide, "he is a soldier, like you, and a kind gentleman, and my good friend," she added quickly. She laughed, "he reminds me so much of you, and he," she blushed, "he has been my big brother and protector here."

Coralie looked down at her fingers, nervously. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes again, "he...cares for me as well...he loves me." She quickly turned to face him, "but he has been respectful and-," she began to stutter nervously, "and he has expressed his deepest wishes that I remain virtuous, and he wants to keep watch of me in my time here at court."

Pierpont laughed and let Coralie go, taking a gulp of wine from his goblet as he held her.

Pierpont raised an eyebrow at the mention of a man's name, but when he heard he was a soldier, he suddenly felt ill, taking another big gulp from his goblet. He forced a smile, "then I shall have to meet this friend of yours who has been so good to you. And who I trust has been a gentleman in your company."

Pierpont laughed bitterly, "oh, I have no doubt he wants to keep watch of you!" He held her hips and gently stood up to pace around the room. "Loves you? HE love YOU?" he spoke, more to himself than to her.
He was disgusted with the very idea that not only was an older man in love with her, but it was the king, a man infamous for his many liasons and rompes. A fiery rage began to build up in him: he would be damned if he allowed the king to make his little, and only, sister one of those rompes. "Well you should not encourage it, Coralie," he shook his head, not knowing what else to say, "you can't fall for anything he says, and you especially must never be alone with him," he frowned, turning to her."

Coralie giggled, "oh, I hope you two shall be the best of friends, and I am certain you shall," she smiled.

She felt her lip quiver at Pierpont's statement. Coralie nodded, blinking, "yes...yes he loves me, he has said so." She bit her lip to steady it, "he has said he feels for me in a way he has never felt about another."

Coralie stood up as he moved her off his lap and she quickly sat, watching him pace about the room, though it made her nervous. "But I love him as well, Pierpont, and he loves me, and we are good friends," she explained, her eyes wide. "I cheer him up and make him happy, and he does the same for me!" She felt as though she might cry, "he has been my closest friend and advisor, and he is helping me in my time at court."

Pierpont turned his back on little Coralie to roll his eyes as he listened to her speak. He rubbed his face as he continued to pace around the room, though his thoughts drifted elsewhere.

Pierpont looked back at Coralie and hurried to her, taking a knee in front of her. "Coralie, you would make any man happy, of course the king loves you, I do not doubt it," he frowned, "but he is the king, and therefore, not the right person for you to have these feelings with." He looked her intensely in the eye, "his maejsty has been known to have as many and any woman he wishes at court, so of course he wants you. But you should not fall for it while you have the rest of your life to live, and possibly, the rest of your life to live, as a wife and mother."

Coralie shook her head, "but the king could arrange a marriage for me, couldn't he?" her eyes went wide as she raised her chin. "And mother would have to listen, and that way I could be with him and still have a husband and children!"

She smiled faintly at the thought, "I could perhaps...even bare his children," she breathed.

She knew Pierpont would dispise the idea, yet she did not care. She had grown up quite a bit in her time at court, and has had to learn to think for herself.

Pierpont curved his brow, a look of pure shock on his face as he turned to look on his little sister. He strode over to where she sat and he placed his hands on her shoulders a look of utmost concern on his face.

"Coralie, that is not the way to think," he shook her a little, "and I fear you would never have thought of such a thing had you been left in the country." He frowned, "I am worried the king has perhaps put these fanciful thoughts in your heard."
Pierpont shook his head, "even if that were to happen, you of all people know that his majesty would still want to be with you during your marriage. But, Coralie, little Coralie," he looked her in the eye, "no king can pardon adultery." Pierpont opened his mouth again, "and I am afraid your children would be-" he stopped, closing his eyes as he tokk his hands off her shoulders, he knew he could not break her heart with such harsh words.

"I know you think you are grown up, but you have only been at court for a few months and in the country your entire life. You cannot fully reach womanhood in a matter of months, little one."

Coralie shook her head, "no, these are things I have been wondering and thinking of!"

She nodded, knowing that though his words were harsh, that they would not be so if they were not true. She knew much truth lay in what he said.
And he needed not finish his sentence, she knew precisely what he was going to say...

Warm tears came to her eyes, though she tried hard to blink them away. She sniffed, her cheeks turning pink, "But...I love him," she sighed, sniffling.

Pierpont sighed, "then I fear, little Coralie, you hace been too long away from our little manor," he shook his head. "What happened to the Coralie I knew, who only wanted to play in the forest and make dolls out of straw?" he laughed, faintly.

Pierpont wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling his nose in her hair as he hugged her. "Little Coralie.," he hsook his head, "I do not doubt that you love him. You love so much everyone." He pulled away to look her hard in the eyes, though she cried. This was far too serious a matter and he would not let her tears get in the way of the subject.

"But the king's version of love, and your own, are two very different things," he nodded, slowly. "Yours is pure and young, and I fear naive. His is older, and lustful, and," he stopped to bite his lip as he frowned, "carnal." He shook his head, "no, no, you should not be so coupled with a love like that."

He thought for a moment and wondered whether he should write to their mother in the country, but he knew this would only upset the both of them, and only make Coralie tearful, and their mother more bitter than she already was. Pierpont also wondered what young, single, men were at court, and whether he could find someone Coralie's age to court her, and get her mind off of the king.

Coralie sighed, her face growing grim. "She grew up," she looked him in the eye. She stood to her feet and took his place, pacing about the room. "I wanted more to do here...I wanted to fall in love and be courted," she frowned, "not be whisked away to marry some old man."

She wiped her eyes, moving her palms down her face. "Do you not think I know that?!" she burst out, "Do you not think that everytime I kissed him, I thought of the women he laid with, and even the queen?!" She shook, "but I cannot help but love him, because he makes me so very happy...and he makes me feel beautiful," she sighed, sniffling.

She bit her lip, "please...please do not tell mother," she looked down, wiping her nose.

Pierpont shook his head, "I don't believe that for a second."

Pierpont could not help but sigh, tiredly, giving a laugh as Coralie began to pace around the room. He took her place in the chair and sipped from her goblet, intent on drinking it before she could.

"There is still time for all that!" he laughed, holding his arms out wide. "Your betrothal is not final and last I heard, nowhere close to being final. And is the viscount so old?" he laughed. "Besides, what you need is someone who can take care of you and perhaps even pay for more puppets and instruments," he looked her in the eye, "and in the meantime, you will feel his love. And you'll probably even have that little girl you've always dreamed of."

Pierpont downed the contents of the goblet, frowning at Coralie's outburst. "And any man who loves you will do that same thing, Coralie!" he threw his hands in the air, "they'll all love you and make you feel beautiful. The difference between them, is that they would be free to marry you and there would be no sin in it!"

Pierpont snickered to himself, looking into the empty goblet. "Don't worry, I should think she is quite tressed as it is. Besides I don't want to incur her wrath either," he laughed. He pointed at her, "your secret is safe with me." He frowned, "but only let it be a secret, a thought. No More."

Coralie rolled her eyes, sighing dramatically as she plopped down on her bed. "But you know how mother is, she is relentless...and she has already sent me his portrait and has insisted I write to him whenever he writes to me." She laughed, "and yes, compared to me he is!" She shook her head, "I shall marry him and speak to him and he shall be falling asleep in his soup!" her voice squeaked.
She jerked off the pillows of the bed, "and I do not want to think of lying with him...I do not know him!"

She covered her face tiredly, "I do not know...I just do not know," she rubbed her eyes, sighing.

Coralie smiled at her brother across the room, "thank you, Pon." She sighed, "I think it shall have to be a thought...the king is gone away."

Pierpont leaned back into the chair, kicking his legs up on a small table as he reached for his own goblet. He made a face and snickered, easily imagining their mother sending the suitor all kinds of things of Coralie's.

"Good lord," Pierpont belched, slightly. "Pardon," he sighed under his breath, "...besides, his lordship has visited.I think he truly fancies you," he shruged. "And so what if he is old?!" Pierpont laughed, "he is wealthy and already cares about you. And he's a friend of the family, which means you won't totally be seperated from us like you would if you were married to a young man."

Pierpont took a swig of wine. He idd not like the idea of his little sister lying with anyone, yet he knew it would be better if it were a man whom could take care of her and keep her safe. A man who would perhaps even more faithful than the king.
"You'll have all the time in the world to get to know him through your letters. So give him a chance."

Pierpont gave a nod, "I am sorry to here that, little Coralie."

Coralie could not help but laugh at Pierpont's crudeness and forced politeness. Even when they were children he would do something improper, and apologize for it whole heartedly.

She jolted off the bed and rushed over to Pierpont, kneeling beside where he sat. "He visited?" her eyes widened. Her heart raced a little, as she found herself quickly excited at the idea of him perhaps coming to even visit her. She felt her cheeks grow warm as she blushed, "he fancies me?...how do you know?!"
She nodded, "I suppose I would be able to visit you all more...and you could come and see me and visit!" she smiled at the thought.

Coralie felt her heart sink. "I miss the king," she sighed, "I miss him so much...but, I suppose I knew this might happen." She looked down and began to play with her fingers, "I will give him a chance...I'll write to him as soon as I can."

Pierpont watched the surprise and eagerness in Coralie's eyes, and he could not help but laugh.

"Well, look at you," he threw his head back and laughed. Pierpont leaned forward, "Yes, he visited, hoping you would be home for holyday." He laughed and leaned back in the chair, stroking his stubble. "He fancies you because he asks so much about you. And he admires your beauty and talent," Pierpont nodded.

Pierpont sighed, shrugging. "I cannot say I am surprised," he looked her seriously in the eye, "at least you did not give yourself to him, right?" he asserted, more than asked.

Pierpont nodded, "That would be best and good of you."

Coralie smiled, blushing, "he...thinks I'm beautiful?"

Her eyes went wide as she shook her head. "No, no, I would not allow it...and anyway, he was a gentlemen, and insisted that I did not," she told the truth though she avoided some.

She sighed, "but what do I say?!"

She giggled, giving Pierpont a nudge. "What do you like your ladies to write to you about?" she grinned, hoping he would tell her if there were any women in his life.

Pierpont nodded, taking another sip of wine. "He admires your eyes the most."

Pierpont frowned a little, still a little unconvinced, but he nodded.

Pierpont shrugged. "From what I hear, he mainly wants to know about you, so talk about yourself, just not too much." He pulled at the collar of his doublet, pretending to choke, "I can't tell you enough how many women so absorbed in themselves have turned me away," he laughed.
He shrugged, again. "After that, ask him how things go abroad, and at his manor. Ask him things he asked you, like what he does for sport or hobby."

He drank from the goblet, again. "I haven't any ladies to write to, little sister," he smiled weakly. He straightened up, tossing his long hair over his shoulder. "Perhaps I'll stay long enough to get married or something," he gave a laugh.

Coralie blushed, tucking back a curl behind her ear.

She gave a laugh, "oh, but I thought you fancied those kinds of women," she jested. "The ones that speak what is on their minds."

Coralie nodded, "I suppose I shall try that when next he writes."

She frowned walking over to him, "But what about that girl, what was her name?" she frowned, trying to remember, "back home...she was practically in love with you."
She shook her head, looking down. "I do not think you will want the women here," she whispered a little, "they are not virtuous, and they do not care who sees what whores they are."

Pierpont rolled his eyes, taking another gulp from his goblet. "I fear, little Coralie, that those women have a habit of getting on my nerves, rather quickly," he looked inside his goblet as he spoke. He leaned forward in his chair, looking Coralie directly in the eye. "Those are the types of women I want you staying away from. Vile, scheming, whorish women who live life only for their pleasures, and to vex men like me and speak so plainly."
He leaned back, giving a deep sigh. He didn't like telling Coralie what to do, but he found himself quickly being disgusted by the women he'd run into while in Paris and abroad. The worst, he found, were at court, influencing Coralie and girls like her, teaching them how to open their legs, yet go to mass the next morning.

Pierpont frowned. "Marie-Elaine," he nodded. He looked in his goblet, again. He shrugged, "she was a simple country girl, not a match mother would have. approved," he took a deep breath and sighed.

Pierpont looked Coralie in the eye, again. "I hope you have stayed away from those kinds of women." He was only being so hard on her because he knew she was unsupervised at court, even with older men as friends. It had been long months since either of them had seen their father, and months since they'd seen their mother, and so he knew Coralie needed all the stern advice she could get.

Coralie shook her head, "No, I have told myself that I will stay the same no matter what," she tried to reassure him. She looked down at her fingers, "You-...you would be surprised, though, how few men admire the virtuous qualities of the ladies here," she sighed.

She looked down, nervously. "I am...a simple country girl, too," she blinked.

Coralie nodded to reassure him, again. "Yes, yes...in fact, I fear, I have not made many female friends here at court," she gave a laugh.

She looked around the room, "I hear mother is at court...do you think papa will come? And Chevelier?"

Pierpont spat, jerking forward. "See, I don't understand that? If I could find a truly virtuous woman I would marry her in an instant!" he laughed. He leaned back in the chair, "maybe it's because I'm just some country boy, but I like the idea that I will-pardon the expression-be the only one forging her pathway," he shrugged, "but they hardly exist here."

Pierpont looked back down at his cup. "If Marie-Elaine had been a maid, I would have married her," he commented taking a drink.

Pierpont frowned, "don't ever be ashamed of that Coralie. It just means we were raised differently, and some for the better."

Pierpont pointed. "I'm not so sure I like that, though," he raised an eyebrow. He broke his stern look, giving a laugh, "not unless I meet these men."

"Yes, our notorious mother is come," Pierpont guffawed, rubbing his neck as he thought of her usual stern eyes. "I don't know. Papa is in Madrid, I think. And Chevelier is so busy with school and his politics that he hardly leaves Paris," he shook his head.

Coralie made a face at Pierpont's expression as she closed her eyes, shaking her head as she gave a laugh. She leaned toward him, "I like that you speak to me like an adult now," she smiled.

Her eyes widened, "But I thought she was?!" she gasped. She shrugged, "I suppose so."

Coralie giggled nervously, "Christophe is away in England, but I am certain he should like to meet you, as he is also a soldier!" she smiled.

She looked down, giving a sigh. "Oh."

Pierpont threw his head back, giving a booming laugh. "It is time you were treated like the woman you are, little Coralie." Pierpont paused as he realized he called her little, but he looked at her, giving a shrug, "but to me, you are still my little and only sister."

Pierpont shook his head, refilling his goblet. "Alas, James Bujold was there before me," he paused, raising an eyebrow, "as was his brother, their cousin, and I believe a hops-farm boy," he snickered, bursting into laughter.

Pierpont nodded, "ahhh, someone to match wits and intelligence with. I would be content," he nodded, giving a laugh.

Pierpont gave Coralie a nudge on the elbow. "Don't worry, we'll all be together soon."

Coralie gave a pout, crossing her arms comically. "Fine," she gave a long sigh. She could not hold the look and burst into laughter.

Her mouth dropped open as she placed a light hand to her heart. "Mon Dieu!" she gasped, "are you certain?!"

Coralie grinned, clapping her hands together. "Ohh, I know you two would be the greatest of friends and gentlemen!"

She sighed, nodding. "I hope so," she hunched over, crossing her arms.

Pierpont laughed, shaking his head. "You could never keep a straight face, Coralie. That's why Chev and I never played cards with you."

Pierpont nodded, giving a booming laugh. "Yes! Marie-Elaine was a fervent whore," he shot back the last of the wine in his goblet. Pierpont swallowed, closing his eyes, "excuse my language."

Pierpont smiled, "If he means this much to you, I am sure we will," he nodded.

Since there were rumors about the kings' new affair with one of the lady- in -waiting, I had to investigate more, for what he is my husband and he belongs to me, I decided to go in the lady Guyots chamber so that I can ask her some thinks:
As I walked in I heard the announcement: 'La Reine'

"My lady I shall see you in my room imminently", and then I left the room.