December 2nd, 1804
It was a busy night at the tavern, but Marguerite could hardly blame the citizens of France for celebrating. Napoleon had been crowned Emperor only a few short hours ago, and many saw this as the official new beginning for the country after the Revolution three years ago. Oh, things had certainly brightened considerably since then, but many believed that Napoleon would be the leader that the country needed to become what it once was, some even said he would fare much better than King Louis and Queen Marie-Antoinette.
Marguerite carried two tankards of ale to a table crowded by drunken young men. One of them grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap.
"Marguerite, you are the most beautiful woman in all of France!" The man cried out in a drunken slur.
Marguerite rolled her eyes. Lafayette was a regular at the tavern, making advances often towards Marguerite. Still, she'd grown accustomed to it.
"Shall I tell your wife, Monsieur, that you find me so beautiful?" Marguerite asked with a slight smile.
The men laughed while Lafayette grumbled, releasing Marguerite. Marguerite filled another tankard of ale and delivered it to a man, poorly dressed, and already beginning to pass out from his drinks.
"One more, Monsieur. Then you must go." Marguerite said.
The man lifted his head slightly and gave a bitter chuckle, his unruly blond hair covering most of his face.
"What is so funny, Monsieur?" Marguerite asked.
The man's chuckling stopped. "It's funny how so many celebrate Napoleon's coronation when they wanted so badly to do away with the King and Queen."
Some of the other customers overheard the man and turned to look at him; Marguerite was beginning to fear that a terrible scene was about to start.
"What will happen when he doesn't give you what you want? Will it be his head to?" The man shouted.
"A royalist." Lafayette scoffed.
"I can't believe he'd bother to show his face." A woman mumbled.
"Monsieur, please leave." Marguerite whispered to the man.
"Why should I leave?" The man stood. "Is it so wrong for a royalist to have some drinks? Am I no longer welcomed in my own country because I'm a noble?"
Everyone frowned and shook their heads, all except Lafayette who stormed up to the man and lifted by the collar of his coat.
"All you people care about is money! France is better off without the King and Queen!" Lafayette shouted.
The man spat in Lafeytte's face, which only made Lafayette angrier. He soon had his hands around the man's throat.
"Monsieur, you're drunk. Please, let him go. I'll send him away." Marguerite said quietly to Lafayette.
Lafayette relaxed and dropped the man to the ground. Marguerite helped him to his feet and escorted him outside, where he threw up a good amount of ale.
"Monsieur, will you be able to make it to your home?" Marguerite asked.
The man finally stopped vomiting and nodded quickly. He slumped against a wall and held his head in his hands.
"Monsieur, is it true? Are you really a noble?" Marguerite asked.
" My name is Victor Clement. I am...was...the count of Girdoelle." The man said, in a voice just above a whisper.