Antonia of Austria

"Suck in now, that's it Miss," Lucille my servant said pulling at the ribbons of my corset tightly. I exhaled deeply finding it hard to regain my breath, with caged lungs that couldnt hold it's full capacity of air. My inhaling was short, uneven, and jagged. "Now don't breathe like that dear the inspectors must find your manners suitable," she scold, this tone was rather unexpected on her she was like sweet macaroons. She pulled an elaborate baby blue dress over my head, the buttons on it were golden and had little anchors. She then fitted several hoops under my dress making it large and full.Then she went to work on my hair with her nimble fingers she created a masterpiece with little braid pieces she made wave like patterns my hair became heavy and tall.Lucille put on the finishing touch, A sail boat hair accessory rested in my sea of braids and ribbons. " It's all the rage in Paris dear, you must became favored by your people, that is most important Antonia," she said trading in her light joking manner for seriousness. She quickly added russe to my lips and rosewater to my pulse and neck.

My mother burst in now. Her frowning scolding face was not changed when she saw me. "You'll have to do," she said sternly. I wanted so much to please her, to make her proud of me. I don't think she thought highly of me though. Marrying me off while I'm still so young at an age of hardly twelve, my older sister had been 18 when she was married off. But something had to be set in place to keep peace betwee Austria and France. A living peace treaty. I thought it rather pitiful. "Come now Antoinette!" I nodded and followed my mother balancing my 3 foot hair and walking women like in my heels. "Antoinette meet the men whom came all the way from Paris," I curtsied very low and smiled. The men looked like a group of penguins in their black and white expensize suits. The leader of them smiled at me studying my every manner of my being. " Very pleasing to the eyes ,yes?" said the man in his thick accent, he did seem pleased. "Thank you sir," I answered. My mother now seized the opportunity to sign a peace treaty. "Men, I am a lady of business , shall we get onto signing those papers?"

"Very well Madame,"

"Mother dearest may I take a breath of fresh air?" I asked. My mother nodded and waved me away. I smiled and curtsied quickly. Once out side I kicked off my shoes and slipped off my stockings, "ERIC ERIC!" I called running through the long grass. I spotted him in the distance with his new stallion.

I sped off at full speed wishing my hair would be coasting through the air

the air and not so stiff. I stood up straight hoping he'd think me beautiful as I came nearer him. " Hullo Miss," he said cheerfully his dimples carved in his cheeks, his curly dark brown hair, and adoring blue eyes. "Why miss....." he gasped looking at me. Happy I had the desired effect. " you look like an parisian model, just lovely miss," I walked closer. " You can call me Antoinette or just Marie you know,"

" we musnt," he said low as I I stood on my tip toes trying hard to make it to the 17 year olds height

"Love experienced and lost is better than love just love, ain't it?"

"Mi- Marie, you are officially engaged are you not?" he asked pain flashing in his eyes

" Engaged indeed, but not engaged in love with Sir Louis of Pari," I said grabbing his hand

"I hope he will love just as much as I," I smiled becoming a light hue of magenta.

He lifted me up to his height and kissed me, OH! How I like it, I kissed him back shivers of joy danced up and down my spine and my heart just about beat out of chest. I twirled my fingers around his brown curls kissing him fiercely. "Marie," he whispered. As I held him tightly against me.

" don't stop,"

"Antonia !" Lucille was piping hot grabbing my arm, dragging me away I shot Eric a glance behind my back. We exchanged a silent I love you as she whisked me away.

"WHAT were you thinking?! Are you a fool Antonia ? You could never be with him! Stop this at once!" she yelled. Tears started to well up in my eyes.

~~~

Of course a spirited young Duchess as I , would not let myself be discouraged. Eric and I snuck about for our last day spent idle in the mountain meadows riding his painted horse Bou, visiting the village below, Eric would milk his cow and we drank the delicious milk. He picked me flowers , I made him a crown of them. In our pefect world he was the king of Paris and I was queen. But the day came of my parting. We had hugged and shared one last kiss. We couldn't write each other too risky, we would most likely never see each other again. But i still stand by what I said love experienced and lost is better than love just lost. " Marie darling, this is for you," he said ," handing me a small bundle of pink as I opened sat the was a little wrinkly faced baby pug. I gasped "Oh Eric , I just lover her!" I hugged her close, how I just adored animals." I'll name her Rue ," I said smiling,"I love you." "I love you too," Eric said caressing my cheek. With that we parted and I met with my carriage.

The ride was uncomfortable not only because my heart was aching but I had to sit in my corset and even grander clothing and hair than when I met the inspectors for today I would be meeting millions of inspectors, the people of Paris and I must make a good Impression, for the fate of my people was in my hands, the only thing was I was nervous about was my fiancé Louis . I had heard he was most disagreeable, he was nearing twenty five which seemed most disturbing to me as i am merely a child. I had also recieved a locket with a picture of him in it , his looks had to be the most disagreeable thing above all. With the package came a large diamond ring which is around my finger now. It seems somehow I am betraying Eric Although he has already come to except what I must do. Even when I was 8 and he was around my age working with our hours and watching them we had been friends, it wasn't until the recent months when we realized what had to happen that we'd became like this. "Antonia," Lucille said interruption my thoughts ,"you know you mustn't carry on with your affair, the people of Paris will search for any reason to hate a foreigner,You must even think of Eric he

Is forbidden," I nodded to Lucille but silently I knew I would never agree to that.

At sometime i had drifted off to sleep with rue curled up in my lap . When I was aroused from my sleep we had made it to the resting spot where I'd meet with some Parisian who would take me fro

There. Lucille quickly did my russe again and rosewatered me

And made some fixes to my hair. Which today was a birdnest with dainty little birds resting in it, and white tree branches and feathers and such, my dresses was an most expensive grande peach colored one.I hugged Lucille and we exchange I love yous for this was the last time we'd see each other.Now was my time to meet some of my people. I said a silent prayer for luck in France, it's a shame for if I'd known my fate if I stepped out that wagon I would've never even gotten close to the door.

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