C3 Chapter 3

She had nodded, puzzled.

"- Can you stop calling me your Majesty and call me Gustave?

- Your majesty, I don't know if I could ... You even forbade your mother to call you like that ... she stammered.

- It is really close to my heart Adélie

- I can try ... give me a little time, will you allow me Your Majesty?

- I grant it to you, but don't delay too long, he concludes with a smile "

Adélie could not have dreamed of better than this moment with the King. So she began to daydream.

"And if the King kept me near him, I could integrate his course and ... No it's impossible, I have no title and not a penny in my pocket, whatever I earn I have it sent to my mother stayed at home. She thought

In her thoughts, she unconsciously brushed her fingertips over her cup of tea. Gustave watched his fingers, which were so thin and graceful for a common girl. He smiled as he imagined those fingers stroking her hair and then running down her cheek.

"Why are you smiling, she asked suddenly, I ... excuse me Your Highness I have been indiscrete forgive me"

Adélie panicked and stood up quickly, tilting her chair to the floor. She stammered out more excuses as she hurriedly left the place.

Gustave watched him run back to the palace. He remained dumbfounded for a few moments in front of the stage. What had happened? Everything was fine and she had run away.

The King rose to join her.

He walked past Baptiste

"She went up to her room," he informed her.

Gustave climbed the steps of the chateau four by four. She was not to be afraid of him. Winning her love was going to be more difficult than expected.

Adélie was sitting on her bed, she wiped away a few tears when Her Majesty made her entrance. She stood up to curtsy. But he stopped her by joining her.

"- My dear what happened to you? He asked softly

- I ... I do not understand your Majesty, she sobbed, hiding her face ashamed "

Gustave grabbed her hands, dressed in style, and raised her chin with a finger.

"- There is nothing to understand my dear, am I no longer allowed to spend a sublime evening in the company of a charming young woman?

- You have a hundred young ladies in your class who would dream of having tea with you, I am only a servant and ...

- You mean much more to me, believe me ... "

She started to sob again

"- Your Highness, I'm afraid, this will all come to an end ..." he stammered between sobs.

- All this will have an end only if you wish it my dear, to dry your tears and to sleep we will see each other tomorrow, he announced while caressing her cheek »

This caress left Adélie like a pleasant warmth on the cheek.

Both fall asleep with dreams in their heads.

About ten servants were busy in the room when Adélie emerged. Surprised, she did not dare to get up.

"Mademoiselle, we have orders to prepare you," said a servant.

Adélie followed her without question.

The huge closet had been stocked with a variety of matching dresses and shawls. Adélie found it all magnificent, but she did not know what to choose.

The servant presented her with a blue and white dress prepared in advance. As well as matching shoes.

Adélie walked up to the dressing table to put on her ruby

set, but a servant stopped her to present her with a new set adorned with sublime blue sapphire.

Adélie was beautiful but she still did not understand why the King was showering her with a present.

Baptiste the valet of Gustave came to fetch her. He told him that the king was waiting for him in the throne room. Adélie remained perplexed in the throne room there is still the whole court of the King. Does he really want to appear to speak with her in front of everyone?

She piously followed Baptiste to this famous room and had only heard about it through the stories of the other servants. She was as she had imagined, very big, two thrones set on a platform in the middle. Jewels had been sewn on the curtains and rugs.

When she arrived, the class stared at her and there was silence in the room. Gustave, seated on his throne, rose immediately. The Queen Mother still seated on her throne until Gustave still gets married.

Adélie couldn't believe it, he had really done that. The more he approached her the more it confirmed his doubts.

The King wore the same colors as her clothes today.

Adélie could not believe the King had dared. In the custom only two spouses can give their clothes. She felt very uncomfortable with the whole class watching her in this clothing.

Gustave seemed proud of his merry-go-round. He had hatched a plan to make her fall in love with him. First he would send her lots of subliminal messages like this to make her understand his attraction.

"- Did you sleep well today my dear? He asked holding out his arm to her

- Wonderfully good Your Highness, the bed is very comfortable, she replied, taking his arm "

Their conversation continued in front of the stunned courtyard. A few young women pouted out of jealousy.

Adélie seemed so small next to the King. They were the opposite of each other. Gustave was very tall, muscular, his hair was brown and his eyes were blue. Adélie as for her, was small and thin, she did not have much chest, her blond curly hair and her hazel eyes gave her an irresistible charm.

Gustave was not the first to consider it. Many peasants living around her house had asked for her hand, but she had always refused. Adélie was still the kind of young woman who believed in love.

" - Your Highness ? She said politely, what will happen to the soup chef?

- See your hand? When she is fully healed, he will be able to leave the dungeon. "

Adélie smiles, so the chef wouldn't kill. She looked at her bandaged hand. She had been physically injured, but it wasn't worth a life.

The King led him to a small drawing room away from the courtyard. A few sofas and leather armchairs arranged to facilitate discussions.

Adélie sat down on a couch in front of the Sovereign. He looked so comfortable in front of her. She had kept her knees tight under her dress and she had put her hands flat on her thighs.

"- My dear relax, I took you, she said to him.

- I am all the same facing the King of Vésan your highness ...

- As you wish after all, he laughed, tell me about your parents ”

Adélie was a little taken aback by her King's request, but she complied. She attached great importance to her family.

"Well, my father is a gardener at the palace, he takes care of your windows at the moment, as for my mother she stayed in our house in the village, she is a very independent woman, she doesn't mind being only. "

Gustave drank her words, he loved to see her talk about his family, a warm gleam appeared in his eyes.

"- You don't have any brothers or sisters? He questioned

- When I was two years old my mother got pregnant, but the delivery went badly, the baby died and my mother was seriously injured, afterwards the doctor told us that she could not bear any more children. So no, I'm an only child. "

They continued to discuss Adélie's family when the Queen Mother barged in.

She glared at Adélie and smiled at her son.

“My son, how beautiful you are today! She exclaimed

- Thanks, Mom

- But tell me why did you match your outfit to ... the maid? She asked with pursed lips

- If I want to go with this beautiful young woman, do I not have the right?

- This is indecent

- I am the King, it is mi who decides what is decent or not now if you would excuse us, we were talking. He said coldly. "

The Queen Mother bowed briefly and left the room in a rage.

A guard entered the room in turn. He walked over to the King, curtsied before speaking to him.

"Your Highness, your advisers need you, there is a problem ..."

Gustave silenced him with a wave of his hand.

"I beg your pardon, I must give you the wrong company"

He stood up and left the room quickly. Adélie was left alone on the couch as the court watched her from afar.

She tried as best she could to slip away discreetly in vain, the running stared at her. Adélie decided to go back to the basement in the hope of talking to Flore.