An Outstanding Legend: Hortense the Third

Part Seven: For One is Worth

"All right, Your Grace, how comes your arm is strained?", inquired Geneviève, bringing the medicine back.

"It seems I have pressed my arm too hard in that duel... with your grand uncle..."

"I thought not. This morning it was fine, wasn't it?"

"It has been sore then. I thought it would be fine later... So I ignored..."

"It's hard to deny your identity to your mentor, isn't it, Your Grace?", chuckled Geneviève.

"It seems to me it was more like 'Your Disgrace'..."

"My grand uncle told me you suddenly disappeared some day after your twenty-first birthday. Was it right, mistress? What happened?"

"I could not tell you, for it was a disgrace..."

"Sometimes I just cannot understand what is that 'grace' you aristocrats call", joked Geneviève.

"Essentially it is 'marrying a nobleman for political reasons, then bearing him a son or two to inherit the title and fortune', my little sister is longing for that day, the wedding which I denied... Being married to a decent lord is considered grace and good fortune for women of the high class, did you not know that?"

"I was born lowly, Your Grace. Suddenly I knew I had a grand uncle of musketeer's descent, and then— I'm here?"

"Oh Geneviève, being bound by marriage which I do not wish is my worst nightmare. If my lineage would continue long after, it would be better my female descendants be recognised by not who their husband was, but their skills and dignity. Maybe hundreds years later, there will be one child who accomplishes my wish to-day...", mused Annatoire.

"Do you... consider returning to Reims? I mean, Your Grace has a grand estate left unattended?"

"I will live my life as this Annatoire the Queen's courtière, until time calls. And my estate? I have my butler and nurse attend it, at least for the moment...", smirked Annatoire, glancing toward the stars. "Oh Geneviève, one last request: do not refer me as Your Grace in front of the Queen or Madame de Tréville and my name Hortense should not be revealed to anyone except you and I unless time calls!"

"Fine, then, I shall refer to Your Grace as a fellow commoner? In fact, if my grand uncle knows I 'disrespect' his mistress, there will be troubles. So... I will leave the medicine here?"

Annatoire just nodded. Geneviève took it as a thank-you, though her mistress did not explicitly express that gratitude. Aristocrats seemed always ignorant, she thought, and the mistress tried to live a commoner's way?

"If I would have a descendant, a young dame with outlandishly dreams and hopes... she shall be free of boundaries that had bound me... She shall be anything she wants— an artist, a swordswoman, an archer, a scholar or be a wife— my child, it will be your choices...", mused the young mistress, alone.

Little did Annatoire— or rather, Hortense— know, her wish would eventually come true, but the fate of her descendant that came with it would not be so pleasant.
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One morning of May 1625...

It had been four months in the Palais as the royal maid, Hélène started to get used to the duties and also the life of a courtière. She still wasn't allowed in important ceremonies by the Queen's side because Madame de Tréville considered the young maiden wasn't experienced enough; however, Madame promised would let her follow Her Majesty's court whenever she was ready. In the meanwhile, Hélène was trying to get along with her fellow courtière, the very person who had defeated her in a match other than her father, the aloof and rather arrogant yet unbelievably skilled Annatoire of Champagne. Annatoire had never revealed her surname, so no one knew whom she really was, beside seemingly her maid Geneviève. Some regarded her as some sorts of untrustworthy woman while the others treated her with a well-respected manner. Hélène, otherwise, saw Annatoire as a invaluable companion; though Annatoire acted indifferent toward most of the courtiers and even nobles, she regarded her superiors with high respect, and also the new maiden Hélène. Geneviève said it was that because her mistress had seen the worthiness inside Hélène, yet the truth was never admitted.