Hall of Mirrors

1

21st of April, 1770

Vienna, Austria

Dearest Diary,

This morning I was awoken to a gentle spring breeze drifting through the open window of my bed chamber and the sweet whining of my carlin puppy, an adorable creature by the name of Bébé as it licked my ear. For a few, serene moments I was able to lie in peace, staring at the painted ceiling of my room, before one of my maids came crashing in. "Your Highness, today is the day!" She cried.

I frowned, unable to recall what event the girl was talking about as she rushed around collecting various items, corsets, ribbons, petticoats, dresses, shoes, hairbrushes, bottles of perfume, just some of the many possessions in my pretty room. It takes me a few moments longer to understand completely to what she's referring to, but when I do, I groan in an unladylike fashion.

"Come now Madam, your new family in France wouldn't like to hear you make such unflattering noises" she trills.

Yes, now I remember. Today is the day that I leave my home and begin my journey to my new court, where I will marry the Dauphin and become a Dauphine myself.

Bébé whines for me to get up, she was a present from the French King meant to accompany me on this long journey that I must now endure. The poor creature is completely unaware of the task that lays ahead of us, 3 weeks in a jolting carriage with little to no entertainment, minimal exercise and staying in the homes of strangers who are all too happy to open their doors to the Dauphine and her retinue as they make their way to the famed court of Versailles.

To some, that might sound like a dream.

To me, a nightmare.

"Her Majesty asks that you have eaten breakfast and are ready to depart one hour from now. I've laid out your clothing and your meal is being brought upstairs now." The maid curtseyed before leaving me alone, though not for long because her senior and my governess, the Countess of Brandeis entered. It is not usually her job to dress me, but as it is my last day here in Austria and we shall probably never meet again, I requested her help above that of my other, more insignificant ladies.

"Antoine!" She used the pet name that my family coined for me as a child. "What are you still doing in bed?" Countess Brandeis tried to hide her sadness, but the thickness of her voice gave her true emotions away. "Oh, dear Countess, I don't want to go!" I threw myself at her and sobbed into the dark silk cloth of her dress. She stroked my blonde curls and hushed me. "Come Antoine, don't be foolish. You are going to the finest court in the world where you will be the star and the jewel in everyone's eye. Vienna will be a distant memory compared to the grandeur of Versailles."

I shook my head violently. "I don't want to be the star. I want to stay here and be the 15th child, the youngest daughter that everyone overlooks. I want to be Maria Antonia, not Marie Antoinette."

The Countess strided over to an embroidered chair and lifted a plain white chemise from it. I stood up reluctantly and removed my nightgown. I took the chemise from Countess Brandeis, pulling it over my head and let it drop half way down my shins. My travelling clothes are slightly shorter than the rest of my wardrobe, not trailing the ground but stopping at my ankles.

"Antoine, you have always been the star and you always will be, whether in Vienna or Versailles. People are unable to take their eyes off of you."

I was forced into a corset though Countess Brandeis agreed to leave it loose, so that I won't be too uncomfortable for my long journey. I may be only 14, but I already have a woman's body and apparently that is why I'm ready to marry the Dauphin, according to Mama anyway.