Chương 22: Meeting Gustav

I looked through the window of the carriage as it went down the dirt roads of France.

It was weird that it was the first time that I left the Versailles palace, well for this body it's not a first but for me, it was the first time for me riding in a carriage.

My destination? Paris.

Knowing what the future Paris looked like, you know being flooded by tourists and trash and having the memories of Louis XVI about Paris was conflicting, to say the least.

One side said that Paris was and will be a shithole, while another said that it will be quite beautiful as fewer people were living in it(A/N: +-600000 in 1770 and 12271794 in 2023) and it not being this over-romanticized tourist attraction.

Plus it still had the Place of Vendôme, the Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Élysées, the church of Les Invalides, and the Panthéon.

And if my memory is right there are a lot of famous people living in Paris right now like Voltaire, Denis Diderot, Étienne Maurice Falconet, and Georges-Louis Leclerc who I think is still intendant (director) at the Jardin du Roi (King's Garden).

"What are you thinking so deeply about, Louis?"

I got nudged into the side and Marie was sitting next to me.

To say she was overdressed was an understatement as she wore a dress in a color of a shade of powder blue. The gown's bodice is tightly fitted, enhancing her petite frame, and is intricately adorned with an array of exquisite hand-embroidered floral motifs in shades of silver and pearl. A wide square neckline elegantly frames her delicate shoulders, and sheer lace peeks from the décolletage, adding a touch of sensuality to the ensemble. The three-quarter-length sleeves are trimmed with more lace, billowing into a cloud of fabric as they cascade down, cinched at the elbow with delicate bows. These bows are adorned with miniature silk rosettes and tiny crystals. The gown's voluminous skirt falls gracefully from the cinched waist, cascading in a mesmerizing sea of fabric that seems to flow endlessly. The fabric is richly pleated and embroidered with silver thread. It's accented with a lavish train that trails behind her, commanding attention and evoking an air of grandeur. To complete the look, Marie Antoinette's hair is artfully styled. She carries a fan made of fine lace and silk. With her beauty and charm, Marie Antoinette is on her way to becoming the epitome of French fashion, I can already see the Marie that we know from history it's Marie who will set trends of fashions in French courts till her death as seen by the dress that she wears right now that I would liken to a work of art, a masterpiece that captures the spirit of the era soon to come and the allure of the Marie herself.

My attire for the occasion didn't lose to Marie either as I wore a coat of fine silk brocade in a deep shade of royal blue, a color that symbolizes my royal lineage. The coat is exquisitely tailored, with a fitted bodice that emphasizes my broad shoulders. The coat's lapels and cuffs are adorned with intricate gold embroidery and military-inspired details as a homage to the victories of Louis XIV the Sun King himself. The buttons on the coat are made of glistening gold, adding a touch of opulence to the ensemble. Beneath the coat, I don a crisp, white silk waistcoat with subtle yet refined patterns, creating an elegant contrast with the rich blue of his coat. A ruffled cravat ascot, tied in a meticulous bow, graces my neck, and it is adorned with a diamond-studded pin. My breeches are made of the finest white silk and are tightly fitted, emphasizing my long legs. They are paired with knee-high, polished leather boots that are adorned with ornate gold buckles. A long, royal-blue sash, elegantly draped from my shoulder to my waist. While I gently refused the wig my hair was done with a few subtle curls and A small, elegant tricorn hat, adorned with a black ribbon, rests atop my head.

My and Marie's appearance was the work of the head butler Aldric and a few others, they worked on these attires for 4 hours.

"Just thinking about who will we meet with, judging by how we are dressed, he is quite important"

I replied to Marie as I took her hand that was nudging me into my own. Lately, this kind of skinship has become a norm between us as our relationship is deepening further and further with each passing day, at first it was hard because I'm accustomed to a free type of love if I could articulate it like that, while Marie who was raised in the 18th century was quite reserved and often got shy and embarrassed, but with patience and perseverance I can now safely hold Marie's hand whenever I want. And with our relationship going strongly forward, hopefully, we will manage to avoid the mistakes of the past or should I say the future?

"I think we will meet either a King or a Prince... If we were meeting a duke or other kind of noble we wouldn't be dressed so lavishly like today, but I'm certain that we are meeting a nobility"

Marie replied as she furrowed her eyebrows.

"I agree with you, but I find it weird that we are going to them instead of them going to Versailles."

I reasoned and she nodded.

"That's indeed uncommon, while the sovereign does send out delegations to meet guests and keep them entertained, he himself rarely travels unless he has family ties to that monarch or is a vassal of a visiting ruler"

That is called powerplay Marie. But in the end, she is right. So If the king only greets a familial monarch or his overlord...France isn't vassalized, so my only guess is that maybe someone of the Spanish Burbons is visiting us as Burbons only hold French and Spanish thrones, but even then I think we would go south to meet them rather than north.

"Well, I guess we will have to wait and see."

And with that, I hugged Marie with one of my hand and brought her closer.

"Louis?! That is improper!"

Replied Marie as she was getting embarrassed by the show of affection.

"Just let me embrace my wife till the journey ends."

"But people will see us."

And with her words, I closed the curtains of the carriage windows and just smiled at her.

"W-Well, alright, I think I can accommodate my husband then..."

Now all I wish is that the travel would be a tad bit longer from Versailles to Paris...

Alas, all journeys have to come to an end and mine too has come as the servant opens the door of the carriage and I step out before helping Marie by giving her my hand.

I look around and take in the sight of the Louvre Palace which serves as the royal household residence in Paris.

The Louvre Palace is situated on the right bank of the Seine, between the Quai François Mitterrand to its south, the Avenue du Général-Lemonnier to its west, the Rue de Rivoli to its north, and the Place du Louvre to its east.

The palace itself was of Classical design with its many columns, pilasters, pediments, entablatures, arches, and domes. Though it was quite smaller than Versailles.

"Your Royal Highnesses, welcome to Louvre Palace, please follow me I will show you the way to your rooms and then we will make our way to the dining room for dinner."

The servant said and with a nod of my head, we began to follow him while he gave us a slight tour of the palace till we got to our room and the servant bought a couple of our things like dresses, suits, and jewelry.

Then we were led to the dining area we already saw the king seated at the end of the table.

And we sat to his right and after a couple of minutes, servants came in with plates of food.

"Your Majesty, Your Royal Highnesses, the chefs made black pomfret freshly caught from the Seine, with boiled eggs and salad with violet petals."

Said the servant as he introduced the dishes that were served.

As we ate the King suddenly perked up.

"Ah, I almost forgot. Louis after dinner I will have you accompany me."

"May I inquire why?"

"You will see why after the dinner."

I just nodded my head and we continued to dine after everything was over I bid Marie farewell as she joined a company of young noblewomen while I went with the King.

"Listen carefully, we will be meeting Gustav III of Sweden, I brought you here as my heir, so if nobody asks you anything you will be silent and you will not disclose anything about what happened in the meeting. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

I obliged, while deep down I was excited to meet a royalty of another country and an enlightened one like Gustav III. Gustav legalized Catholic and Jewish presence in Sweden, and enacted wide-ranging reforms aimed at economic liberalism, social reform, and the restriction, in many cases, of torture and capital punishment and he was the one who pursued an alliance of princes during the French Revolution aimed at crushing the insurrection and re-instating his French counterpart, King Louis XVI, offering Swedish military assistance as well as his leadership.

"By the Grace of God, Most Christian King of France and Navarre Louis the Beloved and His Royal Highness Louis Auguste."

An announcement was heard as soon as the wooden doors opened.

As we stepped inside the room I noticed that the large rectangle table was empty and a lot of people were in groups talking.

Soon a man approached us with a couple more men following behind him and by the way the others made way for him I guess he was Gustav III of Sweden.

"Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness it is a pleasure to meet you, I'm Gustav of Sweden."

So I was right. What surprised me was that Gustav II was quite young at least by modern standards he was if I had to guess in his mid to late twenties and he was quite slender. (A/N: In 1771 Gustav was 25)

and his attire was quite was quite well made. His coat was made of the finest silk, in a deep shade of regal purple. The coat featured an intricately embroidered pattern in silver and gold threads.

The lapels and cuffs were adorned with elaborate embroidery. The buttons are made of glistening silver.

Beneath the coat, Gustav wore a silk waistcoat with a subtle pattern of delicate floral motifs. A lace cravat adorned with a discreet diamond pin graced his neck.

His knee-length breeches were made of luxurious white silk, and they met with silk stockings adorned with subtle designs. Polished leather shoes, decorated with silver buckles, completed the lower part of his outfit.

Gustav III wore a sash of deep purple, draped gracefully from his shoulder to his waist.

His powdered wig was styled meticulously, featuring an array of curls and an elegant queue at the back. A tricorn hat, adorned with a lush purple ribbon and a plume of white feathers, rested atop his head.

"It's good to see you come, Gustav, how was your journey?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty. The journey was long but worthwhile. Paris is truly a magnificent city of both arts and culture. Yet, while the sights were welcome, I'm quite eager to discuss matters of mutual interest with you."

"Of course, Gustav. Let us sit and then we can begin with matters of state."

Soon Louis XV and Gustav III sat and the different ends of the table with their delagation sitting between them and I was sitting to the right of the King.

"Your Majesty, your court in Versailles is renowned for its grandeur worldwide. I have always admired French culture and the arts myself, so I wanted to inquire if we can make a cultural exchange by trading writers, painters, or singers?"

Gustav III opened up as others nodded even I thought that it was a reasonable request it was just a cultural exchange, you sent some people to me, and I sent some people to you.

"Ah, the arts! France has been blessed with the talents of luminaries such as Diderot and Rousseau. And in the world of music, Rameau and Gluck are at the forefront of the operatic scene. Certainly, we can do it, I'm quite interested in meeting the Pasch family, I heard all of their members are quite talented."

And now I'm lost, as I was never really into arts I don't know what they are talking about, but I think a lot of nobles were patrons of arts in these times, this was their way of showing how rich and important they are by having multiple artists of various skill working for them.

And I certainly know that both kings were patrons of the arts and shared a deep appreciation for the finer things in life.

"Certainly, your Majesty, I will see what I can do to send the Pasch family to France."

This cultural exchange went on for a couple of hours as both Louis XV and Gustav III talked over their favorite opera plays, artists, or musicians and the gathered nobles/diplomats started to chime in. While I stayed silent as I didn't really know any of the 18th-century artists, writers, or musicians.

Thus I got quite bored, but slowly the topic of cultural exchange shifted to Gustav III wanting support from France for his domestic and external politics.

"Your Majesty. The tensions with Russia have been growing, and I fear for the balance of power in the Baltic Sea. I seek your support, both diplomatically and, if necessary, militarily."

Gustav III said and my ears were perked up.

Louis XV looked at his council and all of them immediately said that war was not possible.

"I understand the importance of maintaining that balance. I will support you diplomatically and provide strategic counsel, yet I will not join the war if you will be the aggressor and if you will be fighting a defensive war I will be sending some "volunteer brigades" to you and we will supply you with weapons and money."

Gustav III gives a nod.

"That's more than I can ask of you, Your Majesty."

"But that is not all boy."

I could see Gustav III being confused by the words of Louis XV

"You are yet a King, while cultural exchange can happen freely, I can't blindly support your military if you are not even a King yet and from my information, your so-called Riksdag holds more power than a King."

Gustav III stayed silent and now I understand why Louis XV didn't refer to Gustav by a title, because he is still a prince, just like me.

"That was my other point. I have a plan drawn up."

"Gustav, you have my attention. Speak your mind."

Gustav III said as one of his men stood up and gave an envelope to Louis XV which he proceeded to read and then gave it to others and me.

"As you are aware, Your Majesty, Sweden faces numerous challenges. The Estates, the nobility, and a divided parliament have hindered my ability to govern effectively. I firmly believe in the principles of enlightened rule, but I find myself stymied at every turn. The influence of foreign powers, particularly Russia, is also a matter of concern as I have proof of some members of Riksdag taking bribes from Russian representatives."

It was written there about some people who are high-ranking military officers and some members of Riksdag that are loyal to Gustav III and others who can be persuated be it by gold or steel. There were other plans for how they would move and what would they do, all it asked was for the French to give some men, gold, and weapons.

Basically, this was a plan for a Coup d'etat

"That and I'm willing to marry my first-born daughter to the first-born son of His Royal Highness Louis-Auguste"

Now that surprised me, honestly I'm not all for it. As stupid as it sounds I don't want my children to be diplomatic tools, while they will have to act accordingly, I want to raise them by modern standards and let them choose.

"A coup d'état, Gustav? It is a perilous path, one filled with uncertainty and danger. While your plan is sound, have you considered the consequences and the risks involved? And this is still much of a risk for me to support you."

While I'm still not that learned in the way of diplomacy, but the negatives still outweigh the positives, we will be giving gold, weapons, and men and all of those need a logistical line that has to be hidden so the other wouldn't find out that Gustav III want to do a coup, which means more expenditures and all of them France has to bear.

"I have, Your Majesty. Even His Majesty, Frederick of Prussia has coutioned me and I understand the gravity of such a decision. Yet, my conviction remains unwavering. I believe it is the only way to bring about the change Sweden desperately needs. The Estates have shown themselves unwilling to cooperate, and the foreign powers continue to exert influence over our affairs. This is a pivotal moment for Sweden and its future. Thus next to the marriage, I'm willing to return the borrowed gold five times the ratio."

There was silence, it was much to ask and France intervening in the domestic affairs of a different nation can be a sure way leading to war as others would see this as a provocation and France trying to destroy their influence.

"Gustav, it is undeniable that your dedication to Sweden's welfare is commendable. Nevertheless, I would need to consult my advisors and weigh the potential risks and benefits of supporting your coup. It is a matter of great importance."

"I understand the gravity of this request, Your Majesty. If you require any further information or have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask."

With that, the Sweden entourage bowed and left the room.

"I'm all for supporting this matter."

The King said.

"Your majesty I recommend caution, coups 9 times out of 10 are paved in blood, and if someone finds out that we had a hand in it it would lead to diplomatic tensions and would undermine our spheres of influence."

"Your Majesty, we should support him, if we can give him the throne we can ensure the control of the Baltic Sea, and with us losing Poland-Lithuania in the east Sweden would be a great replacement to keep the Russians in check."

The King was silent until he looked at the elderly man to his left just opposite of me.

"Charles Francois, is it possible to do with our current resources in France?"

The man stayed silent for a couple of seconds.

"Yes it is, your Majesty, It was quite possible, yet I advise Caution we should do the coup to avoid bloodshed as much as possible, while it would take more time to prepare, but I think this is the best way to go about this."

The King hummed and then they talked more about the deal until Louis XV instructed a servant to bring in Gustav and his group.

"Gustav, after careful consideration and consultation with my advisors, I have decided to support your endeavor. I see the potential for positive change in Sweden, and I believe that, with France's assistance, you may succeed in your aims."

"Your Majesty, I am profoundly grateful for your decision. Your support means a great deal to me and to the future of Sweden."

All the Swedish representatives bowed to the King of France as he smiled.

"However, I must emphasize the importance of ensuring that the coup is carried out as peacefully as possible."

"I understand, Your Majesty. I will do everything in my power to minimize conflict and bring about the reforms that Sweden so desperately needs. Thank you for your trust and support."

Their conversation continued late into the evening, weaving together diplomacy, culture, and the "vision of a brighter future". While for me this was my first step into the wider world and I'm surprised about how everything works differently than I imagined.

While I am still adamant about how Louis XV sold my child, hopefully, I can revisit this deal with Gustav when I will become a King.

A/N: First, let me ask you do you want to see how France maddles in Sweden or should I skip it?

If we skip it you will miss some Agent 007 moments.

Second, join my discord. Please. Pretty please?

DC: https://discord.gg/SUeu6Ddejz