Capítulo 6: The Fated meeting
I followed the servant who was currently leading me to the King.
While I was walking I wondered why would the King call me all of a sudden? The only possible solution I worked up is that he needs to introduce me to someone, but who would be this important?
Definitely not some noble or The Triumvirate as I just met them, so who else could it be?
Maybe a member of a cabinet like Louis Francois de Monteynard, Secretary of State for War or Pierre-Etienne Bourgeois de Boynes, Secretary of State for the Navy? While it was a possibility I had to rule them out as they weren't so important for them to demand the presence of a King and a Prince.
In the end, we will just have to wait and see what will come from this.
''Presenting his royal Highness, The Dauphin of France Louis-Auguste.''
Speak of the devil and he will come, we are here with the servant I fallowed presenting me to the king which gave a nod and gestured me to come closer.
He then called for the servant to get the guest and then everything clicked.
I heard only whispers, but apparently, we will have some foreigners visiting us and obviously it wasn't good news at least for me because I had a rough idea of what will come next.
''Straighten yourself, hold your head high and don't speak anything stupid.''
The King said and I did so as was required of me.
In times like these Duc de La Vauguyon lessons really helped, as I wasn't used to this spectacle as the former host of this body so I had everything drilled into me by my teacher, honestly it was amazing how he managed to teach me so much in so little time, maybe when I will become King I will give him a big dukedom to rule, well we will see later as now I can see the guests coming.
My jaw dropped when I saw the servant guiding a group of people, but the one who stands out was her, a teenage girl who was wearing a light blue dress, she was delicately beautiful, with gray-blue eyes and ash-blonde hair and white skin, she already had signs of developing in the right areas, I even had to gulp down some saliva down my throat when I began to think what would she would look like when she would be an adult, she will definitely be a force to be reckon with.
I then heard the servant started rambling something probably trying to introduce us, but I don't care for some unnamed unimportant episodic character, my attention was solely on her and her bewitching beauty.
I will admit that I never believed in Shakespeare's Romeo's and Juliet's love at first, because you can only be attracted to the beauty of the person at first sight but, his exterior, but not his inside, his soul. But now I'm willing to believe that such a thing truly exist or I was put under a spell by otherworldly beauty in front of me.
I then saw her eyes land on me, those grey-blue orbs staring at me.
Then she blushed and quickly turned her gaze away.
C-Cute!
''My lady''
The servant said as he bowed to the girl and she nodded.
I saw her take a deep breath of air before she moved a couple of steps…towards me?!
''My name is Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna, but you may call me Marie Antoinette, it's a pleasure to meet you, your Majesty and your Highness''
The beautiful girl introduced herself as she did a curtsy.
Her voice was smooth like a gentle wave slowly and calmly rocking everyone caught by it.
''M-Yes, my name is Louis-Auguste the Dauphin of France, it's my pleasure to meet you, my lady.''
I quickly said and bowed in gentlemanly fashion, just like the manners demand of me.
Then awkward silence fell on us with nobody talking that went on for a couple of seconds until the King opened his mouth.
''Now that you introduced yourselves to each other make me introduce you once again, Louis-Auguste meet Marie Antoinette, your future wife!''
The King said happily.
I kind of understand him because by marrying me to Marie he secured an alliance with the Holy Roman Empire and Austria at the same time.
''I understand, it's truly a pleasure to meet such a beautiful lady that will become my wife.''
I said while looking her right into those mesmerizing orbs of her.
''L-Likewise, your Highness.''
Even if what I said was cheesy she still replied with a blush on her while the women behind her just snickered silently, further embarrassing Marie.
''Hmm, so you are good for at least something, your wedding will be held in two days, meanwhile don't embarrass yourself.''
The king said and my mind froze.
''Excuse me your Majesty, but did you say the wedding will be held in two days?''
''I don't know why are you surprised so much, you are technically already married, your wedding was held at the Augustinian Church in Vienna, with her brother Archduke Ferdinand acting as your proxy. But that was a marriage for Austrian people, but this one will be for the people of France and the world to see how France and Austria join hands.''
The King replied to me.
Wow��� just WOW.
Now I know why the original Louis XVI took so long to consume their marriage, this just so sudden even to me and I knew that this will happen. I just met her here and then I learned she was my fiancée, wait let me correct myself, that we are already married without me even being there.
I don't even know her and now I got to marry her in two days. That's just asking for the impossible.
But I'm not the original Louis XVI, I will see this through the end, plus he maybe hit his head or he was gay if he didn't make any moves on Marie, she was actually beautiful and not some witch with a crooked nose.
''Well, either way, I have things to do, so you two talk to each other, get to know each other because you will be spending the future days together.''
Said the King and he left us.
I turned to her and looked to her as she looked to me and silence between us.
I hate to admit, but I wasn't that romantic or active type, plus I maybe became rusty in this field over the time of inactivity.
I see no other way, but to test it now to see if I still got this.
Steeling my resolve I cleared my throat.
''Could I ask for a dance, my lady?''
I said as I extend my own arm to her.
''It would be my pleasure, your Highness.''
(A/N: If the photo isn't shown please go to my DC or follow the link https://imgur.com/gallery/swetyLc)
She said as she placed her own hand in mine.
Her skin was really smooth; it was nice feeling holding her like this.
Then as much as I wanted to stay like this I led deeper towards the ballroom where a couple of people were seen dancing.
Then I nudged a servant.
''Instruct the musicians to play something precisely for a waltz.''
''It will be done, your Highness.''
And with that, he left while I let Marie to the dance floor.
''Do you know how to waltz, my lady?''
I asked her and she nodded.
Then I took her left arm into my right hand, while my right hand found her lower back and her left one was on my right shoulder, then I brought her a bit closer to me. I was a bit taller than her, but if I had to say it would be around 5 centimeters.
With the change in music, we started our dance.
Waltz was the only dance I knew as it was the only dance you would need for your entire life. So I learned it in my old world and then I re-learned it here under the watchful eyes of Duc de La Vauguyon.
But even my two lifetimes weren't matched for Marie, her pose was strait, her moves were elegant and precise like a surgeon's knife. I had a hard time trying to match her; at one time I was so concentrated into matching her and not messing up that I didn't hear the music as I was immersed in the dance.
We danced to the rhythm of the tune and end it ended I heard clapping aimed at us.
I looked around all the people clapping. When they even managed to make a circle around us?
I then eyed Marie who was enjoying the attention, with a smile on her lips and a curtsy to the applause. Then I led her away from the dance floor.
''Thank you, Your Highness, it was really fun!''
She said happily with a small blush on her face.
''The opinion is mutual, my Lady.''
Never again, never ever have I danced so hard like this in my life. I even managed to sweat while I was dancing; no way am I doing it for a while. Seeing her smile helped my fatigue, but no way will I be repeating that.
I quickly made a servant fetch me something to drink as I was thirsty after all that dancing.
I and Marie managed to make our way through the crowd and sat at one of the corners of the ballroom.
We stayed silent even when the servant returned; instead, we looked at the chattering and movement of the ball. Our silence was well justified and understandable, as we just met each other and now we are to be husband and wife. We don't even know what other likes, what he/she dislikes; do they have any interesting hobbies? How to start a conversation? What topic should be talked about? How should we go about these topics?
This was reality and some game where you can just click on one of the scripted options and think that everything will be alright and if not you can just start over again without any repercussions. Sadly, this wasn't a game and a word was like a bird, once you let it go you can't catch it and act as nothing happened. Words have power, they don't say that to handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs just for fun. By the words that you speak other people judge you.
So both of us adopted silence as we don't want to damage our first impressions and potentially ruin our non-existing relationship, but sitting in silence and without knowing each other would do us more bad than good, we are to be wed you know, we can't just stay silent.
So I opted to talk about the safest topic: Homeland.
''So how is Austria?''
Good going stupid, couldn't have started a conversation more diplomatically and gently?
''Oh… It's quite beautiful especially our capital Vienna, the people where friendly and I had a lot of friends…''
She continued with a sad tone.
''It was hard, wasn't it? I mean leaving everything behind without warning going there where you didn't expect to go and doing things that you don't want to do… Just because someone wished it to be so.''
I don't know if I'm comforting her or am I just wending myself out. I could sympathize with her, in just a span of a day my life turned around. Here I was in the past and in a different body doing things that I never thought I would do without loved ones or friends, all alone there where I didn't want to be…
I wonder what happened to my original body, was Louis XVI living in it? Or was I dead in m world? What about my friends, how are they?
These are just fruitless musing right now, I wish it or not, now this was my reality.
''It is still hard to come to terms with everything, but I'm doing what is expected of me by my beloved mother, plus she made sure that we would keep in contact with the help of letters.''
She said with a small smile on her face and now came my second question.
''How is your relationship with your family, your mother, father, brothers, and sisters if you have any.''
She thought for a bit, probably going over every family member of her and thinking about their relationship.
''I love my mother dearly and I respect her a lot, she is a good mother, trying always to be with us when possible, teaching and singing, she always concerned about our wellbeing and she is a wise ruler, she is the reason why Austria is great as it is, as for my father who is in the heavens above. He had a good sense and brilliant business capacity, but he was a bad father and husband, he had many affairs and didn't pay attention to me or my siblings.''
So basically the same as with my ''grandfather'' Louis XV, he didn't give a shit about anything else, but at least her father did his job because I personally believe that The Triumvirate is ruling instead of The King.
''Sorry for your loss.''
I said quietly and she just shook her head.
''I wasn't that affected as my mother, she was devastated and abandoned all ornamentation, had her hair cut short, painted her rooms black and dressed in mourning. She completely withdrew from court life, public events, and theater. She spent the whole of August and the eighteenth of each month alone in her chamber; I think it negatively affects her mental health. But now she is participating in politics, not as much, but enough. Though I heard she clashes with my oldest brother Joseph frequently, he even started to avoid her.''
She then again and went sad.
Well, I think they just think differently her mother and her brother or that Joseph wants the throne because if I remember right her brother is co-ruler with her mother.
''Don't worry, people always fight as everyone has different opinions on matters and I don't think that your brother will stay mad for long as who could even stay mad at such a good mother.''
I said with a smile and see her smile in return.
''I hope you are right. As for my other siblings well the eldest Maria Anna is smart and caring, she even acted as a sponsor at the christening of me. Then we have the second eldest and now Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria Joseph II he is well learned in politics and as mentioned he often clashes with mother and he is a bit of a hothead that does things first and things later. Then there is Maria Christina the third child, but I didn't really interact with her and she is now married and hold the title of Duchess of Teschen. Then we have the fourth Liesel, oh sorry that is what we call her real name is Maria Elisabeth, she is really beautiful, but then she fell ill with smallpox which ruined her beauty, but she still that cheerful and outgoing self. Maria Amalia comes next, she is another beauty and married last year to a Duke of Parma, and she wasn't happy by it and now she hates mother for making her do this, with her I have a good relationship and I enjoyed her company, she is an excellent painter and very dutiful and representative. Then another brother of mine Leopold who is now Grand Duke of Tuscany is a very sensible man if not a bit boring. His habits were simple to the verge of sordidness, though he could display splendour on occasion. I didn't really interact with him that much, but I think we are ok. Then we have another sister of mine Maria Carolina, but we call her Charlotte, she is a copy of our mother, I love Charlotte dearly, we grow up together, we were so close that even if one of us sought an illness the other did too, but because of something that we did we were separated, but we still kept in touch and now she is married to Ferdinand IV of Naples. She really reacted badly to the marriage crying, entreating and saying that Neapolitan marriages were unlucky. She even wrote to me that her husband is really ugly and that she loves him only out of duty.''
She snickered slightly at the mention of her favorite sister.
Marie was a really social butterfly type girl I see, so many siblings and she knew all of them and even had good relations with them, I can't even say that to myself and I have like four siblings which were all younger than me.
''So what about me, do you think me as ugly?''
I asked an innocent question. I really wanted to know as I think of myself as good looking and I wouldn't get the truth out of servants as they are afraid to lose their lives if they insult me, so I really wondered how do I look from an outside perspective.
I could see her taken back by that question and she started to observe me.
''I-I think you look good, your Highness''
She said with a blush and now my ego was stroked, but I myself started blushing like a love-struck teenage girl. It was really embarrassing asking such a cheesy question and having equally cheesy reply fro a beautiful girl.
''S-So what about the other sibling or are you the last?''
I coughed and then returned our dialogue right back on track.
''Oh no, I still have two brothers, my elder brother Ferdinand Karl, he is to marry Duchess of Massa, I can't say much about him as he is the only one sibling that I didn't interact with, but I heard that he had good management skills and had a good head. And the youngest of us is Maximillian Francis is real energy ball he is deeply interested in sword fighting and music, and he really likes when I sing for him.''
I wanted to make a joke somewhere down the line that her father works fast as he produced so many children, but then again protection wasn't really a thing in this world and with the high mortality rates of children I guess it's only natural to make a lot of them.
''What about you, your Highness, how is your relationship with your family?''
That was an unexpected question from the innocent-looking my soon wife-to-be… I don't know how should I answer it, from my own thoughts or the memories of Louis XVI? I just simply don't know how to answer it as I really haven't got to know them, well my siblings at least, because the King is a lost cause.
But really what kind of relationship I had with these people? Well, a bad one with a King and I guess ok one with my siblings.
''I don't really get along with the King, but I have a close relationship with my two younger brothers Louis Stanislas Xavier and Charles Philippe, we enjoy playing rough games, while I have a more distant, but still close relationship with my sisters Elisabeth and Clotilde who I enjoy having small gatherings at the gardens from time to time.''
I replied, with a half-lie, Louis was kind of close to his siblings, but not me.
''So you don't have a good relationship with your family.''
She said and I was a bit shocked by that, just how did you see through me?
''I guess you are right…''
I acknowledged, even if I tried to get closer to them, but still, they were unknown people to me, who I just met not so long ago. Louis XVI was friendly with his siblings, but I wasn't, even if I acted and did things that Louis XVI it's still not the same, no matter how good of an actor you where it's just impossible to recreate the same feeling and warmth that friendships and love makes, even if I convince myself that everything is alright, nothing really was and that was evident between my interaction with my new family, it was all an act, but maybe with time I can learn and love them.
''But how did you known about my relationship with my family?''
I asked her and she giggled a bit.
''Well, first that unlike like me you talked really short and you didn't hold that much warmth in your words.''
Well, she did me good and all I can do is a nod to her words.
Latter we talked some more apparently she was a really good musician. She learned to play the harp, the harpsichord, and the flute. She even sang during the family's evening gatherings, as she had a beautiful voice which was true, even when she talked with me her voice was really gentle almost mesmerizing. She also excelled at dancing, had "exquisite" poise, which I learned firsthand when she and I danced and apparently she loved dolls, well I already know what to get her for her birthday, maybe even I should make a giant plushy for her.
She then asked about me and I just replied simply that I loved books and riding. I just couldn't say that I enjoyed PC games or watching TV as these things didn't exist here, so only source of entertainment was books or opera, which for whatever reason I still didn't go to and riding was more of my new life interests as I in my original life hadn't an opportunity to ride a horse, so I'm taking full advantage of having my own horse, it wasn't as comfortable as driving a car, because your buttocks can start to hurt after some time of riding, but it was a really interesting and unique experience nonetheless and I started to enjoy it.
And so the ball went on, I talked with Marie and then she hinted me that I should invite her for another dance, as it's against the manners for a woman to invade a man for a dance, the man instead should invite a woman for a dance. Never again. And so I acted like a dumb and dense person who couldn't even understand hints that were so obvious that you could see them from space.
Well, she pouted cutely at that and excused herself to find her servants, while I started to walk around and do what I wanted to at first that is meeting nobles and making connections.
It didn't go as well as I expected, because most of them just were bootlickers who tried to get into my good graces or others who just tried to manipulate me in broad daylight. Jesus, what is wrong with these people?
After that failure, I went to find some other members of the cabinets like Louis Francois de Monteynard, Secretary of State for War or Pierre-Etienne Bourgeois de Boynes, Secretary of State for the Navy, but for my rotten luck, the Secretary of State for War was sick and couldn't attend while Secretary of State for the Navy was in the Northern parts of France on some business regarding the Royal Fleet. Well, I could just meet them later I suppose.
So with my spirits low because of the failed objectives I went to find Marie and asked for a dance… which she happily accepted then after a couple of dreaded dances, I even managed to step on her foot, for which I apologized for a lot and her giggling and smiles just further embarrassment me. Then we talked some more
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