บท 5: The Ball of Politicking
Today was the day…
Me and Aldric were really busy since this morning.
I tried thousands of combinations of clothes that by now they made a giant pile on my bed.
I honestly didn't expect that Aldric would be so set on finding me the best clothes possible
Finally, we settled on a black coat with a white waistcoat, the coat and the waistcoat of the panoply called habit à la francaise are fully embroidered with golden and silver threads and other multi-colored threads, sequins, and artificial gems.
Then I wore black breeches and a pair of white stockings finished with black shoes.
Dear God to think that I would have to wear stockings… This was truly wounding my manly spirit…
But I got to admit that I looked really good in the mirror, though I disliked all those extravagant decoration elements, but from I got from Aldric, that men in this century dressed in a manner that would maintain class distinctions, flaunting their privileged status and as Prince and the Dauphin of France I have to look better than all of the nobles that will gather at the ball.
''We will go with these.''
I said as I twisted and turned in front of the mirror looking for any anomalies that are visible.
''As you wish, your Royal Highness.''
Aldric said as he lifted the mirror with a sigh.
Don't worry; I'm just as happy as you are that finally, we were done playing dress-up.
Afterward, Aldric called in a couple of maids who brought makeup with them and wanted to apply it on me. I, as you expect, refused, it's already embarrassing enough that I have to wear stockings and now I have to apply makeup? No thanks, my manliness is already wounded no need to rub salt into it and damage it further.
Next step and the most crucial one was remembering the most important people that will be at the ball like:
Rene Nicolas de Maupeou, The Chancellor of France
Joseph Marie Terray, Controller-General of Finance
Duc d'Aiguillon, The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Those three have the most power and they are known as The Triumvirate.
Other noticeable members of the Royal Court were:
Madame du Barry, who was Louis XV mistress and from what I gathered had the King's ear
Louis Francois de Monteynard, Secretary of State for War. While he wasn't influential like The Triumvirate or Madame du Barry, he was still a well respected man.
Pierre-Etienne Bourgeois de Boynes, Secretary of State for the Navy, one of the most important office positions of France.
These are the people that I will have to look after and then I still need to make connections with other nobles…
And here I thought that the ball will be just dancing, laughing and singing. I just now started to realize that the ball is a diplomatic battlefield where most of the connections, friends and enemies are made.
I feel like my head is about to explode from all the information trusted into me. So much to know, so much to do…
I'm already having double thoughts about inheriting the throne, I'm not even started ruling and I'm already tired.
At least I could have been thrown into a body of Francis I, Charles the Great or during the reign of Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria or in any other relatively peaceful time, but no! Of course, it has to be pre-revolutionary France, where people hated government and the government hated the government, ohh and let's not forget popping people's heads from their bodies like they would pop the wrapping paper.
I'm really not looking forward to my accession to the throne.
''My Prince, the King is calling for you, it is time.''
Aldric informed me.
I followed him as he escorted me to the King who was already waiting for me with Madame Du Barry.
''Your Majesty, Madame''
I greeted them with a head bow and Aldric gave a full bow.
''Your Highness.''
Madame du Barry did a small curtsy while greeting me. She was wearing light green Sack-back with some white wave patterns, her small face and brown eyes were heavy with makeup while her brown hair was done into two braids.
The King on the other hand just like me wore a coat, waistcoat, and breeches with stockings, except his coat and breeches were red while his waistcoat was grey with white stockings, though unlike me he too wore makeup making his face white while his cheeks had some red tint on them.
I could see how the king observed me probably looking if I look presentable as dauphin of France.
''Just don't embarrass me''
The King said in dismissive tone and I nodded, I wasn't expecting anything else from him really, then he locked his hands with Madame Du Barry while the servants opened the luxurious-looking red double doors.
I stepped in behind the king and went in into what I suppose is the ballroom.
What greeted me was a spacious room filled with gold.
The ballroom had white walls and it was really big judging by the number of people gathered here. Golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, various paintings of every size covered the walls and the ceiling, while golden statues of cupids, women and other mystical figures were present on the walls too.
I just screamed luxury, even the chairs were so perfectly made that I was worried to even sit on them otherwise I just soil them with my presence alone.
I felt so out of place here, everything looked so surreal, it was I was in some kind of fairy tale that I even pinched myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. No matter how much I look into this room I'm always entranced by the beauty of the ballroom, it surpasses everything that I so far have seen.
Just imagine how much time was spent making this room. All the details of the sculptures, every pose, the bodies and wrinkles were worked to perfection. The painting looked like the job of Vincent van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo combined, even the chairs looked like there were made with such precision and care that even they looked like a piece of art.
I felt like I was standing inside of a masterpiece.
If not for the people coming to do their lip service by greeting me and telling me how beautiful I look I would still be standing still with my mouth probably open.
Pulling myself together I looked around the ball already seeing the King dancing with Du Barry to the gentle music that was playing.
Then I saw my teacher Duc de La Vauguyon talking to some men with drinks in their hands, seeing as I don't know anyone here except him and the King I went to my teacher.
I deliberately walked in his field of vision so he could see me walking towards him; so that I wouldn't interrupt them and that he could greet me to the gentleman he was speaking too.
''Your Highness.''
My teacher greeted me with a bow that I replicated.
Then he turned to the three men he was just talking too.
One was an old man, with a lean face and double chine with very dark brown eyes and a white wig on his head, he wore red robes which covered him entirely and on top, he had a bit darker but still red coat.
The second man was a slightly younger man, but still quite old, he had brown eyes and white wig, he wore a blue coat, with a white waistcoat, blue breeches and white stocking with black shoes. He had quite a lean build unlike the first man who was fat.
The last gentleman was actually well built, he had blue eyes and grey hear as the sign of his age, he wore a black buttoned coat with black breeches and white stockings finished with black shoes that everyone wears apparently, well except women who has a lot more variation in shoe colors.
Then I learned their names as they greeted me.
René Nicolas Charles Augustin de Maupeou
Joseph Marie Terray
Emmanuel-Armand de Vignerot du Plessis-Richelieu, duc d'Aiguillon
''The Triumvirate''
I whispered and already could feel my hands getting sweaty. I seriously didn't expect the three most powerful men in the Kingdom right from the start.
''Yes, that how are we called apparently, you are rather well informed, your Highness.''
With a light lough, Maupeou said and I immediately chastised myself for talking out loud.
''You aged quite well your Highness, the last time I saw you were just a little kid and I was just a lowly politician and a soldier.''
Duc d'Aiguillon said as he appraised me, though I don't remember him, maybe Louis didn't pay attention to him.
''Thank you, your grace, you look splendid yourself.''
I replied calmly with a smile on my face.
Though my heart was beating really fast, I just don't know how to handle the conversation and another reason why I'm anxious is that I don't know what a teenage prince should talk with politicians and the most influential at that. I'm just afraid that I will talk about something I shouldn't talk about and then figuring out that I'm not their prince.
Luckily, Duc de La Vauguyon quickly managed to start a dialogue with the Triumvirate while I just stood there and listened, nodding from time to time expressing my agreement on the topic.
Then they started talking about politics and here my ears were on full alert trying to get as many details as possible about the current situation.
Form what I gathered is that the parlements are repeatedly challenging the crown for control over policy, especially regarding taxes and religion, blocking all attempts at reforms that would touch them directly, if to give you an example they are basically USSR during the reign of Leonid Brezhnev, they fought even against the King's authority just to keep the situation as it is.
The Parlement had the duty to record all royal edicts and laws. Some, especially the Parlement of Paris, gradually acquired the habit of refusing to register legislation with which they disagreed until the king held a lit de justice or sent a lettre de jussion to force them to act. Furthermore, the parlements could pass arrêts de réglement, which were laws that applied within their jurisdiction.
The situation is quite bleak if I may say so. The Parlements are preventing The Triumvirate from carrying out many simple reforms, especially in the area of taxation, even when those reforms had the support of the king.
Not good…definitely not good, France needs reforms more than air, even I need those reforms to keep my head on the shoulders….
''What do you think, your Highness?''
I was brought out from my musings by Maupeou.
The members of the Triumvirate looked at me, I even saw Duc de La Vauguyon trying to say something, but with just a simple gesture from Terray, he fell silent.
Shit! I'm not ready for this yet.
I don't even know what to do.
I feel my heart beating against my chest, anxiousness written all over me.
''About the Parlements, right?''
I asked and with their nods, I once again started thinking.
How to change the current situation about the Parlements? Kill them all? No, that would bring too much attention to the government and seeing all the violence the people my go for guns and maybe even kick start the revolution earlier than it's supposed to happen.
Quiet assassinations then? No, they would take too long to complete, and honestly, I think this would just fire back as if we kill one member of the Parlement another would take his place, and with more and more occurring deaths the members of the Parlements would become cautious making assassinations even harder. Even then assassinations aren't really failure-proof and sooner or later the truth that the Government ordered those assassinations would come out thus creating more problems than needed, so this plan is also a bust, it just has too many risks and ifs to succeed.
So what to do?
What do you do about the thing that you don't like? Well, you obviously throw it out, if you don't like your old bed you just get a new one, don't like the taste of coffee in the morning you just go and make another one. You don't like the current T-shirt that you are wearing you just change into a new one.
Hmm…change, new T-shirt…
…
!
''Change!''
I exclaimed.
We need to change everything in the Parlements starting from their power finishing with their members!
Then I noticed everybody staring at me, probably waiting for further information as I don't say anything else.
Quite embarrassing if I have to say myself.
So I straighten myself up and formulated my thoughts.
''Sorry… We need to change how the Parlements work, we need to diminish their power, write a new law regarding the Parlements further abolish their free will to refuse orders. Basically, we need to change how the Parlements work entirely.''
I explained to them.
Clap Clap Clap
I was surprised by the sudden clapping.
''Your idea is quite good, your Highness, but you forgot a couple of important factors.''
Said Moupeou with a smile on his old face.
''Which are?''
I asked him.
I clearly understood that I like experience regarding anything politics or ruling that is, but for me, my plan was pretty solid. King is the law if I want to change something I will change something.
''The Parlements would refuse all the changes you proposed, of course, but then if you try to enforce then I'm certain that they revolt and as Parlements are made out of Nobles that won't end well for you or for everyone else, your reign would be over and some other king would be put on the throne and then Nobles would demand that King to surrendered all of the power he had and give it to Parlements, turning us to dreaded England, but with King only serving as a decoration. I agree, your Highness, with the idea of changing how the Parlements work, but we can't risk it, we are already treading on a thin line as it is.''
Terray now spoken, his voice was so calm, every word that came from his mouth was so refined, almost perfect as if I was listening to a lecture from a priest.
To say I wasn't frustrated would be a lie, I was quite angry actually, I was asked without any warning about a topic I had no information on, at least they could cut me some slack…
''I have to agree with my colleagues, but what if your plan went through and you managed to subdue The Parlements, how would you change the nobles who were on those Parlements, because they won't be sitting by and letting us to further limit their power, but they are needed as they are a vital part of the government?''
Duc d'Aiguillon asked me.
He was asking how would I handle the question of manpower.
Hmm…
Of course, you would try to remove those unloyal to you and yes that would mean we would be sort on bureaucrats if I even can call them that, but I don't think that that would cause too much of a problem, because old sooner or later is changed by the new.
''Well if we reduce the power of the Parlements then it means we need fewer people there and then we could do what Holy Roman Emperors did till Henry IV and just give the positions to people loyal to us, or dare I say sell them to a higher bitter, though I would prefer giving it to loyal subjects, especially the younger generations as there are more easily manipulated.''
I finished my little talk.
I think it is quite solid, that's how Holy Roman Emperors managed to gather more power under their hands and as we aren't going to church, we won't be doing anything to incur the disfavor of the Pope so we should be pretty ok in that regard.
''Your quite right in that regard, your Highness.''
Moupeou said definitely pleased with my answer
Then a servant came and bowed down to us.
''I'm sorry for interrupting, my Lords, but his Majesty Louis XV of France demands the presence of his Highness Louis-Auguste the Dauphin of France.''
The servant said with all the bravado it could muster.
I then excused myself and beckoned the servant to lead the way.
I wonder what does the King need of me…
Gouverneur des Enfants de France
I watched the Prince leave, I watched his every step as he followed the servant.
He did good, in the face of the three most powerful people he held himself well, I couldn't be any prouder.
''You thought him well, Paul.''
I turned to the other three gentlemen and saw Moupeou speaking.
''Yes, he is quite smart his age, lacking experience yes, but has a good head on his shoulders.''
Terray seconded.
''Honestly, the changes happened a couple of weeks ago, when suddenly he just became like a different person.''
I voiced my thoughts.
''Different how so?''
Duc d'Aiguillion asked me.
''Well at first he was rather scared of me, he would skip the lessons instead of going playing with his brothers or doing God knows what, but now he carries himself differently, he listens to my every word during lessons, even asks questions if he doesn't understand something. It is like… he's a totally different person right now.''
I was being truthful, something changed in the prince and I like to think it's just for the better.
''Interesting. Either way with a king like him, France has a future and it's on us the old men to clear the way for the young.''
Moupeou said as he grabbed a drink.
''I only wished I had more time with him, but in a couple of days my task will be over.''
I said.
I truly wish to teach the prince some more, but alas fate isn't always that kind, I just hope that he will not forget our lessons.
''Yes. I still don't agree with the arrangement done by Étienne-François, but what is done is done, we can't go on our word like that. I just hope we won't see any Austrians in our court or return of Étienne-François any time soon.''
Moupeou said.
Yes, this arrangement cost France a lot, we went into a lot of wars and even got thrown into the Seven Years War in which we lost colonies in America.
''Let's just hope for a good wife for our future King.''
Duc d'Aigullion gave small lough as everyone agreed.
A good King needs a good Queen, let's just hope she doesn't lead him astray…
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