Gift of the Fox

Chapter 51: Settling Matters in Frankheim

A large, agitated crowd was gathered in front of an immense, beautiful Frankish castle, yelling, roaring, and swinging flambeaus and hoes. It was a mob of rebellious peasants.

"Give us our fortune back, you thieves! Pilferers! Filthy peacocks!"

They were already on the edge of their nerves. They had born the rage and humiliation for years and now it had, at last, burst out and caused a massive revolution. This time, they would not back down easily anymore. They would not stop until all of these shameless noblemen were punished as they deserved. 

Inside the palace, all of the servants and the household were worked-up. The maidservants prepared chests and suitcases, and the men-servants had already readied a horse carriage. They were willing to help their beloved madam escape - she was, after all, the only noble in the De La Fer household who actually respected her servants and was gracious and kind towards them. Everyone loved Madam Schettner. 

"Madam, the carriage is ready!" the main maidservant, Odette Moreau, ran up to her and bowed as a sign of respect and obedience. "You should go now until the mob has broken through the doors!"

Madam - the gracious, kind-hearted lady - sighed in response:

"We noblemen brought this upon ourselves, Odette. There is no need for me to flee. If I fled just now, I would prove to be as shameless as my husband and other noblemen who indeed exploited these poor people. I do not feel angry towards them - if we judge wisely, they are right in this affair. We have been too harsh and disrespectful to them. So I am willing to go out and listen to them, and if they wish to take revenge on us for our shameful deeds, then be so."

"But Madam! How can you be so hard on yourself?" Odette got worked-up, "You are the most kind-hearted lady we all love! You have never done anything wrong! I follow you from the Schettner household - you were wedded to Monsieur De La Fer against your free will, by the common agreement of the two families. You had nothing to do with the evil Monsieur from the very beginning. You were always benevolent towards us servants and even the peasants! Please!"

Lady Schettner bitterly smiled upon her servant's loving words.

"I am sorry, Odette, but I cannot flee and put a shame on my name, the Schettner name. It is against my dignity..." Tears appeared in her eyes. "Years ago, my only child, my beloved Liz, was taken from me by peasants, all because of my husband's shameful crimes, yet he still continued his tyrannic rule, not even caring about his daughter's loss, while I shed tears every night and day... Monsieur De La Fer got what he deserved - this rebellion and revolution are what the noblemen have cultivated themselves. When I look at these people, at their misery, I imagine how my little daughter would have felt when she fell into slavery and got to experience terrible humiliation right after being raised as a true noblewoman... From the top, she fell to the very bottom. When I imagine how painful and hard it must have been for her, I cannot bring myself to look at these peasants from above anymore. To just imagine how she felt... and maybe the noblemen of that country where she found herself were just as disrespectful and sarcastic towards her as these Frankish nobles... It is unbearable to even imagine that!" she began crying.

"Aww, Madam, please, do not grieve so much!" Odette put a hand on her shoulder in a comforting way, "I am sure Mademoiselle would handle it. She was always a fierce and strong girl!"

"I hope..." Lady Schettner wiped her tears away. She took a deep breath and walked towards the door. "Leave the house, Odette. All of you. I am no more your lady. The revolution will bring a republic, and it might just be the best way for all of us." 

She stepped out of the room and then out of the palace.

"No, Madam, don't!" Odette wanted to stop her, but to no avail. Tears fell from her eyes: "Why do you have to be so kind even now when they do not desire to listen to you?"