1 CHAPTER ONE

The Palace Courtyard, 1845...

 "Francis, George" a middle-aged woman calls out from where she sat on a bench "Be cautious, thou shouldst ruin thy attire, for thy fathers shall be furious". She yells angrily at the two grown boys playing in the dirt. 

Another woman who sat closer to her laughed "Beware, for shouting shall leave thee with naught but silver locks. I speak from my own experience".

 "Your majesty, how doth thou manage two young men who have already reached maturity?" The first woman asks close to almost losing her voice "Art thou not supposed to be outraged that they behave like children, chasing each other about in such a manner?". 

 "In truth, both of them are still young men as far as I am concerned," Queen Maria says as she puts down her book "I have learned to allow them to play like children so that when their fathers return, they may resume their training" But her words weren't assuring enough for the woman to stop worrying. 

Queen Maria giggles putting a hand on the woman's shoulder.

 "Fret not Martha, they shall be well, their fathers shan't return to the palace until noon so there is ample time".

 Isabelle, who has been beside her mother for a while reading a book, smiles at Martha "Methinks thou art too anxious for those two".

 "Aye, she must, Belle," says Madeline, who lays her head on her mother's shoulder, eyes closed "seeing as mother hath long since abandoned them".

"I have not" Queen Maria protests "I simply believe that all my children ought to have a time to unwind and enjoy their youth".

"Indeed, mother, we feel the same way," Francis says as he and George join their mother and sisters. He sits in between his mother and Martha, resting his head on his mother's lap "I do reckon that at times, we ought to behave more like children". 

Madeline laughs at her twin brother's words as she teases "Alas, brother, thou dost behave more like a babe than a child". Her words earned her a playful tug to her hair, "OW...MOTHER, WARN FRANCIS"

"Children do not vex your mother so. Her beauty is far too precious to be marred by the wrinkles that would come from a headache" Martha implores as Francis lets go of his sister's hair.

Francis looks at his twin sister "Hark Madeline, thou must cease vexing mother so".

Isabelle looks up from her novel and smiles at her brother's words "I do recall Martha saying 'children' and not 'child'".

George looks at Isabelle and walks over to her bench to sit next to her "and lo, who doth finally lifts her head from her book and speaks". He takes her novel and stretches it up in the air for she not to catch it.

"Return my novel to me this instant" she screams as she chases him around the garden. Francis joins in and her book is flown above her head in the sky between the two boys. Everyone seated watches in amusement unaware of the king's presence. 

"Francis, George" the king Philippe calls everywhere, and everyone in the garden grows silent. Martha and Madeline rose to acknowledge the presence of the king while Francis, Isabelle, and George stood silent.

Immediately, the queen stands up from her seat, adjusts her dress, and takes a step towards the king. "Your majesty, I did not expect that you would have concluded your meeting so soon".

With the atmosphere intense, King Philippe didn't quickly answer his wife rather he looked at his son and held a gaze. Maria notices this and decides to shoot her husband another question in the hopes of avoiding any intended disciplinary act against her son and George. 

"Methought it was significant, was it not?" she asks. 

"What was?" he asks her confused as he tore his gaze from his son, Maria was at ease. 

"Your meeting," she asks again "Methought it was significant, was it not?" 

"Indeed, it was, my dear" he answers, smiling warmly "we had to conclude the meeting early, for visitors of high importance are arriving to our land after a long time".

Isabelle's face lights up as she speaks "The warriors". 

"Yes, my lovely daughter," he says, smiling tenderly. 

"The warriors are finally returning home after their triumphant victory over the land of Tyron. They shall be honouring us with their presence tonight" he exclaims with a sense of pride. 

"At last, our ancestors are smiling down on us once more" Martha smiles with a sense of relief as she looks up to the sky. 

"They never ceased their efforts" the king corrected, he laughed and looked at his wife "This cause for a celebration".

"Of course, my king," Maria says as she curtsies for the king then looks at Martha "Would you mind assigning maids to aid in the preparation of the children for tonight?"

"Yes, my queen" she bows before leaving but again stopped by the king.

"Certainly, I shall inform my mistresses of the celebration," he says then turns to Maria "They need to be prepared, for tonight's celebration requires the presence of everyone". 

 Everywhere goes silent as they all turn to Queen Maria for a reaction but it never comes. Francis looks at his father with disgust while Maria stares at her husband and tries to force the perfect smile. 

 For many years Maria has held up a facade that has gotten her her freedom from being involved in her husband's affairs which she believes is destroying their marriage, a composed face she has arranged to show to anyone including her husband that her marriage is perfectly normal even though it is not. The face that has saved her throughout the years from humiliation and gossip, which she believes is going to be the same face that would save her tonight as she goes about her day and evening as she has always done and becomes the Queen of France. 

"Indeed, everyone must be present tonight".