Her Rightful Place

29: The Musings

"Well, that went better than expected," Christelle remarks cheerfully as she and Mireille return to their chambers after Vespers. Mireille smiles in reply. King Christophe had caught on quickly to the the meaning behind the theme of their song at dinner. When he asked what prompted it, Mireille played a quick, improvisational piece with spontaneous lyrics to explain, somehow metering and rhyming it as she went, although she resorted to Mordalcean. Christelle translated only too happily, and then both young ladies had the privilege of watching the King tear into the Queen for her inconsiderate behavior and revoking their punishment despite the Queen's protests.

"Darling," he reasoned calmly, "if you want them to love God as you do, then you cannot portray spending time with Him and His agents as a punishment." Queen Généviève did not appreciate this line of logic, but she was powerless to argue. Furthermore, everyone present was extremely pleased with Mireille's and Christelle's progress in all subjects, and this further vindicated both girls. Even Queen Généviève had to admit that their progress was phenomenal.

"Can we see the letters now?" Mireille asks primly, curling up in her window seat expectantly. Christelle starts, having forgotten the packet from earlier.

"Of course," she replies, pulling the packet from a pocket in her skirt and opening it with one long fingernail. She takes Mireille's separate packet from Prince Xavier out of the larger packet and deposits it in Mireille's lap. The Princess contemplates it for a moment before slowly opening it with a large sewing needle she borrowed from one of the maids. She has taken to altering her gowns after evening Chapel, by candlelight, partially out of her distaste for Vyrunian fashions and partially because she misses her trade so much. She unfolds the letter just as slowly and deliberately as she opened it, but her eyes devour the words voraciously. Christelle is similarly enthralled with the dispatch from her own would-be lover, and thus the young women go several minutes without speaking.

"He invited you personally to the ball, I take it?" Christelle inquires after laying the Duke's letter aside. Mireille nods, as yet unwilling to speak for fear of laughing aloud at the news of the Duke's displeasure in Christelle's dance lesson conduct. "Anything else of note?"

"Apparently His Royal Highness was quite the prankster in his day. He has included a few decent suggestions for us. I propose writing our next essays for Countess Orelanjara backwards in Lanourese," Mireille replies with a mischievous smirk. "And it seems the Duke is less than pleased by your conduct during our dancing lessons."

Christelle colors hotly with indignation. "And how would he have learned of such a thing? I certainly didn't mention it to him. What sort of friend are you, to go spreading things like that?"

"I only mentioned it in passing to the Prince in my last letter. I never dreamed he'd pass the information on. I pray your forgiveness. I thought you'd want him to know, anyway, as you claim that jealousy helps things move a little faster."

Christelle chuckles darkly. "Well, we'll see, then, won't we? Mayhap I shall step up my game with the lads on the dance floor. It may yet prove useful."

"Have you any noteworthy intelligence from this Duke you abuse so needlessly?"

"It will come out all right, you'll see. And he mostly tells me of his daily doings. It seems he spends altogether too much time helping your Prince rescue unfortunate servants from Queen Bêtel's clutches."

"I also find that troublesome. It seems she is worse that I thought."

"No mean feat, what with the way she treated you."

"Indeed not. Does he speak of Enzo at all?"

"He tells me Enzo is doing well. Also, the Duke says that he is thinking of procuring another dog, a female, as a companion for Enzo."

"Oh really? Would you perhaps be the keeper of this companion?"

"He has indicated nothing of the sort, only mentioned it in passing." Mireille just shakes her head and smiles. "Oh, come now. You don't really think that's something he would do, do you? How ridiculous." It's exactly something he would do, Mireille counters silently.

"Time will tell," she replies aloud with her usual placidity. "But for now I think we had best be getting to bed, don't you? There will be plenty of time to write reply letters, since we are no longer required to spend those extra hours with Father Tarrenora."

"And praise be to God for that. Yes, let us enjoy our sleep while we can, for you know that once the preparations for your Sanctification and this Ball begin that sleep will be a rare luxury indeed."