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HelpRe: Kingdom Congrats Round 5 -- finished!
in reply to a message by britto08
UN: RowenaRavenclaw
LN: Bonfils
DH: Louis François Philippe Henri Bonfils, King Louis XVII (35)
DW: Adelheid Sophia Margarete Maria (née Kaarmann) Bonfils, Queen Adelaïde (25)
-DD: Catherine Louise Élisabeth Charlotte ‘Käthelëin’ Bonfils, Princess Catherine (9)
-DS: Louis Gautier François Guillaume ‘Lutz’ Bonfils, Prince Louis, Dauphin of France (7)
-DD: Adélaïde Madeleine Joséphine Edwige ‘Alida’ Bonfils, Princess Adélaïde (6)
-DS/DD: Philippe Jean-Charles Henri ‘Flip’ Bonfils, Prince Philippe / Françoise Anne-Marie Victoire ‘Franzi’ Bonfils, Princess Françoise (2)
-DD: Henriette-Élisabeth Sophie Marguerite ‘Heike’ Bonfils, Princess Henriette
Rank: Queen and King (sister and brother-in-law to the King)
{{WARNING: This is probably terrible because I'm very tired right now. Enjoy.}}
It was late when a messenger arrived at the Palace. Everyone had just gone to bed after another one of the King’s extravagant (and frequent) parties. In fact, the King had just passed out in her bed, when a knock sounded on Adelheid’s door.
“Your Majesty,” the voice called, and Adelheid took a moment to savor that beloved title. Was it wrong of her to rejoice in the day when Lady Anne-Catherine Bonfils, the Orlaisian spy married to Prince Charles, had orchestrated the assassinations of both the former King Louis and Queen Catherine? – Probably. But when the King and Queen were poisoned, three events occurred that would make Adelheid happy for many months: 1.) Adelheid became Queen Adélaïde of France; 2.) she was rid of three unpleasant persons – the King, the Queen, and Lady Anne-Catherine Bonfils, who was instantly arrested and put to death only a few months later; and 3.) Prince Charles became single.
So, after another evening of too-drunk courtiers and too-little intelligent conversation, Adelheid took her delight in the simple pleasure of her new title. However, as it was revealed that there was a messenger with urgent news from Bial, Adelheid instantly began to ready herself.
Instead of donning the ornate ballgown she’d worn only a few hours earlier, the Queen opted for a simpler gown which was slightly easier for her maid to lace up. All the while, she worried – who was sick or dying?
Adelheid hurried to an antechamber off of the grand foyer, where the messenger had been allowed to rest beside a warm fire. The messenger informed the Queen of his grave news – the Queen Dowager Elizabeth of Bial was dead. Although outwardly she remained calm, Adelheid was instantly flooded with guilt and shame for not having been a better daughter. For not insisting that she be allowed to visit Bial more often or for the Queen Dowager to visit France more often. She instructed the messenger to eat his fill of what was left over in the kitchen and to use one of the French horses to return to Bial with the message that the Queen of France would be leaving for Bial in the morning. When the messenger exited the antechamber, Adelheid instructed one of her staff to wake the King and inform him of the night’s events. After another moment of solitude, the Queen announced that she was going to go pray.
Adelheid made her way to the royal chapel attached to the palace. She was shocked to find Prince Charles there! It looked as though he’d been there all night! For a moment, Adelheid was unsure whether she should announce her presence or leave, but he must have sensed her, for Charles turned and smiled wearily at Adelheid.
“Seeking solace, Your Majesty?” he asked, standing and bowing. Before she could stop it, Adelheid began to cry. The Prince did not gather her in his arms or ask what was wrong. He simply guided his sister-in-law to a seat, offered her his handkerchief, and waited out the tears. Eventually, Adelheid did stop crying, but it wasn’t so that she could tell Charles why she had been crying.
Adelheid stopped crying because Charles had leaned forward and kissed her.
It started as a chaste kiss, hardly worth mentioning, except by virtue of its forbidden nature. Adelheid closed her eyes and succumbed to the feelings she’d been beating away. For nearly ten years, she’d been so strong; surely, just this one dalliance was her reward for being a good wife, a loving mother, a dutiful princess. And surely, this would help her to forget what a terribly awful daughter she’d been.
But if Adelheid had been hoping that her dalliance with her brother-in-law would help to alleviate her guilt, she was woefully disappointed. Whilst in the moment, everything had been wonderful, but once Adelheid returned to her room, more unspeakable guilt burdened her. Not only had she committed adultery, – and with her brother-in-law – but she had also committed adultery in God’s house! Directly under his nose! Adelheid was certain that she was going to Hell.
The next morning, the Queen of France and all the Princes and Princesses left for Bial with heavy security trailing them. The King made his excuses, sending his condolences, but ‘surely France could not be expected to rule itself.’ Prince Charles chose to stay behind, as well, which was all well and good for Adelheid, since she did not need any more reminders of her failures to her country, her marriage, and her God.
Upon arrival in Bial, Adelheid and her children were met by all of her siblings and all of her siblings’ children. Adelheid wasn’t surprised when Käthelëin and Katarina were almost instantly as thick as thieves. Käthelëin definitely looked more and more like the Queen Dowager every day, but she seemed to possess every single one of Magdalena’s traits that had ever driven Adelheid mad with envy. Lutz instantly demanded that the staff bring him something to settle his stomach, as the carriage ride had not agreed with him. The Dauphin had always been a fussbudget, and would probably always be so. God knew, Adelheid had tried to change him, but Lutz was set in his ways. Alida hid behind her mother’s or her nursemaid’s skirts, sucking her thumb and staring wide-eyed at the great mass of near-strangers. Flip and Franzi were passed from person to person, which neither twin seemed to mind.
The funeral was a memorable affair that lasted for weeks; Walter seemed determined that their mother would be remembered forever. Throughout her visit, Adelheid never brought up what had happened between Charles and herself, for her pride (another sin) wouldn’t allow her to make any sort of confession to anyone.
A few months after her arrival in Bial, Adelheid realized that she was pregnant. Immediately she wrote to King Louis, informing him that she would be staying in or around Bial until she had the baby – lest she have a miscarriage and damage a possible heir. The King agreed that she should stay, at least, until the baby was born. Several weeks later, he also wrote to say that he was sending Prince Charles to be there for the birth and christening of the babe.
Adelheid’s first reaction to this news was sheer delight; her almost immediate secondary reaction was sheer dread. By now, Charles probably believed that the child was his. How was she supposed to tell him that she didn’t know who the father was? And Adelheid just knew that the moment her siblings set eyes on the two of them, they would know something was awry. Magdalena, at least, would know; Adelheid sometimes thought she might be a witch because of the way Magdalena always seemed to be able to sniff out gossip.
The baby was born premature, which gave Adelheid hope that the baby might be Louis’s, after all. After another long and intense labor, another princess was born! Prince Charles arrived only the day before the baby’s christening with specific instructions on what to christen the baby should it have been a boy or a girl.
Very few words were exchanged between Adelheid and Charles – a curt and formal greeting on both parts. Adelheid spent the rest of the day avoiding her brother-in-law and attending to her child. When the time came to christen the child, Prince Charles unrolled the parchment he carried and announced, “This child’s name is Henriette—”
“Élisabeth,” Adelheid interrupted. Charles glanced at her, smiled, and announced that the child’s name was Henriette-Élisabeth Sophie Marguerite Bonfils.
LN: Bonfils
DH: Louis François Philippe Henri Bonfils, King Louis XVII (35)
DW: Adelheid Sophia Margarete Maria (née Kaarmann) Bonfils, Queen Adelaïde (25)
-DD: Catherine Louise Élisabeth Charlotte ‘Käthelëin’ Bonfils, Princess Catherine (9)
-DS: Louis Gautier François Guillaume ‘Lutz’ Bonfils, Prince Louis, Dauphin of France (7)
-DD: Adélaïde Madeleine Joséphine Edwige ‘Alida’ Bonfils, Princess Adélaïde (6)
-DS/DD: Philippe Jean-Charles Henri ‘Flip’ Bonfils, Prince Philippe / Françoise Anne-Marie Victoire ‘Franzi’ Bonfils, Princess Françoise (2)
-DD: Henriette-Élisabeth Sophie Marguerite ‘Heike’ Bonfils, Princess Henriette
Rank: Queen and King (sister and brother-in-law to the King)
{{WARNING: This is probably terrible because I'm very tired right now. Enjoy.}}
It was late when a messenger arrived at the Palace. Everyone had just gone to bed after another one of the King’s extravagant (and frequent) parties. In fact, the King had just passed out in her bed, when a knock sounded on Adelheid’s door.
“Your Majesty,” the voice called, and Adelheid took a moment to savor that beloved title. Was it wrong of her to rejoice in the day when Lady Anne-Catherine Bonfils, the Orlaisian spy married to Prince Charles, had orchestrated the assassinations of both the former King Louis and Queen Catherine? – Probably. But when the King and Queen were poisoned, three events occurred that would make Adelheid happy for many months: 1.) Adelheid became Queen Adélaïde of France; 2.) she was rid of three unpleasant persons – the King, the Queen, and Lady Anne-Catherine Bonfils, who was instantly arrested and put to death only a few months later; and 3.) Prince Charles became single.
So, after another evening of too-drunk courtiers and too-little intelligent conversation, Adelheid took her delight in the simple pleasure of her new title. However, as it was revealed that there was a messenger with urgent news from Bial, Adelheid instantly began to ready herself.
Instead of donning the ornate ballgown she’d worn only a few hours earlier, the Queen opted for a simpler gown which was slightly easier for her maid to lace up. All the while, she worried – who was sick or dying?
Adelheid hurried to an antechamber off of the grand foyer, where the messenger had been allowed to rest beside a warm fire. The messenger informed the Queen of his grave news – the Queen Dowager Elizabeth of Bial was dead. Although outwardly she remained calm, Adelheid was instantly flooded with guilt and shame for not having been a better daughter. For not insisting that she be allowed to visit Bial more often or for the Queen Dowager to visit France more often. She instructed the messenger to eat his fill of what was left over in the kitchen and to use one of the French horses to return to Bial with the message that the Queen of France would be leaving for Bial in the morning. When the messenger exited the antechamber, Adelheid instructed one of her staff to wake the King and inform him of the night’s events. After another moment of solitude, the Queen announced that she was going to go pray.
Adelheid made her way to the royal chapel attached to the palace. She was shocked to find Prince Charles there! It looked as though he’d been there all night! For a moment, Adelheid was unsure whether she should announce her presence or leave, but he must have sensed her, for Charles turned and smiled wearily at Adelheid.
“Seeking solace, Your Majesty?” he asked, standing and bowing. Before she could stop it, Adelheid began to cry. The Prince did not gather her in his arms or ask what was wrong. He simply guided his sister-in-law to a seat, offered her his handkerchief, and waited out the tears. Eventually, Adelheid did stop crying, but it wasn’t so that she could tell Charles why she had been crying.
Adelheid stopped crying because Charles had leaned forward and kissed her.
It started as a chaste kiss, hardly worth mentioning, except by virtue of its forbidden nature. Adelheid closed her eyes and succumbed to the feelings she’d been beating away. For nearly ten years, she’d been so strong; surely, just this one dalliance was her reward for being a good wife, a loving mother, a dutiful princess. And surely, this would help her to forget what a terribly awful daughter she’d been.
But if Adelheid had been hoping that her dalliance with her brother-in-law would help to alleviate her guilt, she was woefully disappointed. Whilst in the moment, everything had been wonderful, but once Adelheid returned to her room, more unspeakable guilt burdened her. Not only had she committed adultery, – and with her brother-in-law – but she had also committed adultery in God’s house! Directly under his nose! Adelheid was certain that she was going to Hell.
The next morning, the Queen of France and all the Princes and Princesses left for Bial with heavy security trailing them. The King made his excuses, sending his condolences, but ‘surely France could not be expected to rule itself.’ Prince Charles chose to stay behind, as well, which was all well and good for Adelheid, since she did not need any more reminders of her failures to her country, her marriage, and her God.
Upon arrival in Bial, Adelheid and her children were met by all of her siblings and all of her siblings’ children. Adelheid wasn’t surprised when Käthelëin and Katarina were almost instantly as thick as thieves. Käthelëin definitely looked more and more like the Queen Dowager every day, but she seemed to possess every single one of Magdalena’s traits that had ever driven Adelheid mad with envy. Lutz instantly demanded that the staff bring him something to settle his stomach, as the carriage ride had not agreed with him. The Dauphin had always been a fussbudget, and would probably always be so. God knew, Adelheid had tried to change him, but Lutz was set in his ways. Alida hid behind her mother’s or her nursemaid’s skirts, sucking her thumb and staring wide-eyed at the great mass of near-strangers. Flip and Franzi were passed from person to person, which neither twin seemed to mind.
The funeral was a memorable affair that lasted for weeks; Walter seemed determined that their mother would be remembered forever. Throughout her visit, Adelheid never brought up what had happened between Charles and herself, for her pride (another sin) wouldn’t allow her to make any sort of confession to anyone.
A few months after her arrival in Bial, Adelheid realized that she was pregnant. Immediately she wrote to King Louis, informing him that she would be staying in or around Bial until she had the baby – lest she have a miscarriage and damage a possible heir. The King agreed that she should stay, at least, until the baby was born. Several weeks later, he also wrote to say that he was sending Prince Charles to be there for the birth and christening of the babe.
Adelheid’s first reaction to this news was sheer delight; her almost immediate secondary reaction was sheer dread. By now, Charles probably believed that the child was his. How was she supposed to tell him that she didn’t know who the father was? And Adelheid just knew that the moment her siblings set eyes on the two of them, they would know something was awry. Magdalena, at least, would know; Adelheid sometimes thought she might be a witch because of the way Magdalena always seemed to be able to sniff out gossip.
The baby was born premature, which gave Adelheid hope that the baby might be Louis’s, after all. After another long and intense labor, another princess was born! Prince Charles arrived only the day before the baby’s christening with specific instructions on what to christen the baby should it have been a boy or a girl.
Very few words were exchanged between Adelheid and Charles – a curt and formal greeting on both parts. Adelheid spent the rest of the day avoiding her brother-in-law and attending to her child. When the time came to christen the child, Prince Charles unrolled the parchment he carried and announced, “This child’s name is Henriette—”
“Élisabeth,” Adelheid interrupted. Charles glanced at her, smiled, and announced that the child’s name was Henriette-Élisabeth Sophie Marguerite Bonfils.
This message was edited 1/31/2011, 7:55 AM
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