Story timeline: Oscar's still working at Versailles, but Fersen has already returned from America
Characters: Oscar-centered
Fandom: Rose of Versailles
Original author: Aerine
Where to find the original version: excessfanfiction, action/adventure
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Chapter one: in circles
The sun had just appeared in the sky, and its rays entered through the open window to illuminate the face of a beautiful sleeping form. Oscar softly opened her eyes and stretched. Autumn was beginning to settle over the land, and she chose to enjoy the delightful warmth of her sheets a little longer. She even closed her eyes again for a little moment, when suddenly a little tornado with a white cap stormed into the room and yelled in a surprisingly forceful cry.
GM: "Oooscaaar! Wake up my dear!"
O (with a murderous look): "What a delicacy at the waking up this morning…"
GM (smiling):"Oh, don't give me that look. It was you who has asked me yesterday to wake you up, because you have a long day today."
O (grumbling): "I should have been more specific as to the methods for you waking me up: calmly and silent!"
GM:" You're in an excellent mood , I see (what a surprise), well, I'll let you get dressed. I've prepared your breakfast, it's waiting for you in the kitchen. André too, by the way."
O:"André's already up?"
GM:" Yes, he had to shoe the horses."
Oscar watched her leave the room and finally decided to come out of bed, not without stretching another time first. There were such moments when really everything got on her nerves, and this morning was a good example of it. Oscar risked to put her little toe out of bed to feel the temperature of the room, and shivered. She loved to sleep with the window open, but she cursed that habit of her every time she woke up.
"Well, if I really have to, better do it quickly." She thought. Taking her courage with her two hands, she jumped out of bed. First victory of the day for her, she had successfully woken up. Now all she had to do was manage somehow to reach the bathroom to satisfy some natural urges, try to get the sleep out of her eyes, dress herself and go to the kitchen.
As she made her way to the door at the other side of the room, yawning, she didn't pay much attention where she stepped exactly. Fatal error it seemed, because only a moment later, the belt of her ceremony sword, positioned unintentionally on a treacherous place, made her whole body at once connect with the parquet with a loud bump. Oscar's poor chin had to receive the full impact of her fall, earning the belt an impressive torrent of insults, unworthy of a Colonel of the Royal Guards.
After having gotten up again with a lot of difficulties, Oscar threw away the poor belt with a gesture full of rage, and it ended up flying against the wall at the other side of the room. Massaging the painful spot on her chin, she entered the bathroom in a very bad mood. Half an hour later, she came out of it, and marched with big steps to the door of her room. Only, she had forgotten that that damn belt had also ended up in that corner of the room, and for the second time that day, her chin connected with the parquet in all its glory.
Hitting the floor with her two fist, Oscar angrily hurled a "DAMMIT!". She stood up, wiped the dust off her clothes, heaved a heavy sigh, and finally opened the door with a brute movement. When she arrived in the kitchen, André and Granny couldn't help but stare at her, intrigued by the beautiful blue color her chin was showing now, strangely compatible to her eyes' color. She sat down and threw a murderous look at everyone in sight.
O: "The first one who dares to ask something will become my personal breakfast!"
André said nothing (he wasn't suicidal after all), but he couldn't help but think that serving as Oscar's breakfast wouldn't be that unpleasant. Granny held back her natural curiosity in front of the cold expression of her protégée, and contented herself with just serving her a cup of hot chocolate.
One hour later, she and André were on their way to Versailles, and the young man, judging himself to be sufficient protected on his horse, finally dared to ask THE question.
A (radiant) : "So, did you cut yourself while shaving?"
O (entering in a rage all over again): "You really should consider yourself a lucky bastard, that we're riding our horses right now, because otherwise I would have paid back that bad humor of yours with a couple of punched! If you really want to know so much why my face is like that, André, it's just because I stupidly fell due to one of my feet getting tangled in my belt this morning… Well, that's it, you can laugh now."
But André didn't laugh. Because, whatever she said, he still loved his life, and for nothing in the world he would like to be the victim of Oscar's legendary rage, and he didn't feel like being hit as soon as he got of the saddle either. However, the idea of Oscar, his so proud Oscar, sprawled out on the floor because of an simple belt, made him smile inside.
When they arrived in Versailles, they met the man who made Oscar's heart flutter in one of the halls: Hans Axel von Fersen. The good-looking Swede, upon seeing them, approached to greet them. Noticing Oscar's bruise, he immediately exclaimed:
F: "My God, Oscar, what happened to you?"
André opened his mouth, ready to tell the tale of the attack by the evil belt in detail, but one dark glare from Oscar made him freeze immediately.
O: "Nothing important, Fersen, just an argument between me and gravity. But I appreciate your concern."
They talked a while about the everyday subjects, until Fersen excused himself and left to meet Marie-Antoinette. Oscar watched him walk away a long time, her eyes showing a hint of melancholy. André saw it, but decided not to make a comment about it. He knew Oscar had feelings for the Swedish Count and he knew he would never love her as she loved him, not in a romantic way at least, while he knew that, if only she'd give him a chance, even he as a simple commoner, could satisfy her need for love and make her happy. But it was the truth, he was nothing but a commoner, and he had no right to show her his passion every time his eyes met hers, in every gesture he had and in every word spoken to her.
They both went to work on their daily tasks, and luckily for Oscar, this time she managed to finish all of her work without any annoying incidents. Strangely, she had almost wanted something to happen there, even the smallest thing… Versailles was so peaceful, and the daily grind was more difficult to bear than usual. The guards had presented a perfect revue, Girodelle was as gallant as ever, and to finish it all, she didn't even receive the slightest, miniscule mission to have an excuse to get some action..
She secretly hoped that the masked ball that would take place that evening, and where she had to assure the security, would be a bit more exciting. When they had returned from Versailles, she immediately returned to her private quarters in the mansion, hoping to refresh herself and get a little bit of rest before returning for the ball. André would come and get her in one hour, and would accompany her to the reception hall.
When she passed through the bathroom, she automatically looked in the mirror. The blue spot on her chin had changed into a deep purple one, which didn't look very esthetical she found herself surprised to think.
O: "Oh well, since when am I concerned about my looks?" she smiled sadly at her reflection. "Since your heart has started beating for Fersen…admit it Oscar, you're in love with him." Yes, she was in love, but she couldn't distinguish when and why her heart had decided to pull this prank on her. She suddenly pulled away from the mirror, with a quick moment, as if she had burnt herself.
The problem this time was, that unbeknownst to her, the bathtub didn't needed any more to launch the next attack of the day… When her legs brutally bumped against its border, she helplessly felt her body slump backwards, and ended up, buttocks first, on the bottom of the tub. That wouldn't have had the same consequences, if it were so that the tub was filled. But as this was not the case, Oscar's noble behind hit the wooden bottom with a hard thud.
To top it all, that was also exactly the moment André had decided to enter the room. Worried by the angry cries that Oscar had uttered, wondering why all objects seems to work out a grudge on her, he had stormed into the room without knocking.
The view of an Oscar, completely cramped in a bathtub with only her legs and one arm sticking out, made him burst into laughter.
A: "Oscar, if you want to take a bath, you should first put water in the tub and undress yourself! Don't tell me that, after all these years, you've still not understood it?"
Before he was able to sense he had made a big mistake, Oscar had gotten out of the bathtub to give him a taste of one of her most nasty punches, right in his stomach. And even though it made him horribly suffer, he smiled. She was so sensitive sometimes! He adored that part of her.
After the deep red of shame had finally vanished from Oscar's cheeks, and André had finally been able to catch his breath again, they quickly went on their way to the ball. Oscar already had her mind elsewhere. The only thing she was hoping for now was that the ball would end soon, so she could finally go back to bed.
At their entrance in the ballroom, normally accompanied by excited whispers of hopeful wishes at their sight, passed rather quietly compared to usual. Without a doubt this was due to the dangerous flame in the Colonel's eyes, and the unusual color of her chin (deep red/ yellow/ purplish). Oscar quickly sought out a spot in one of the corners of the room, that not only allowed her to keep an eye on all the dancers, but also excellently brought all the plates with different alcoholic drinks into sight.
The day hadn't been one of the best she'd ever experienced, and she needed some comfort…Meanwhile André, he left, walking in the direction of the balcony. He wanted to breathe some fresh air, and sometimes he as well, dared to place some unusually ill-mannered persons on their place when it proved to be necessary, also on the balcony.
The ball passed quietly and peacefully. The dancers were keeping their manners, and in a couple of hours, Oscar would gladly be able to slip between the blankets of her bed. Thinking of that and only that, she smiled, but her happiness lasted only a short time, because suddenly, she heard André cry out her name.
Hurrying to the balcony from which his voice seemed to come, the situation she had in front of her eyes made her freeze. André lied on his back, his eyes closed, bathing in a large pool of blood, his own blood… The hilt of a dagger stuck out of his chest. The murderer was nowhere to be seen, but there was a young woman there, softly crying in a corner.
Oscar ran to her friend. She took him in her arms, and tried to make him sit up as well as she could, supporting his back… André only breathed very weakly, barely noticeable. The other young woman dared to come closer as well.
YW: "How is he?"
O (shocked): "What happened to him?"
YW (crying): "A man tried to take advantage of me… to force me to kiss him, a-and your friend has intervened, but… oh… he was stabbed with a dagger… and that other man fled."
O: "André? André, it's me, answer me!"
A (whispering): "Oscar? Oscar…I … I want you to know… that I …I've always loved you…"
André let one last sigh escape his lips, and then his body slumped back lifeless in Oscar's arms. Oscar, unaware of her environment, and brutally realizing André had just died, uttered an almost bestial cry. Letting his body slide out of her arms, she fled from the ballroom and without looking where she went, she disappeared between the trees in the gardens. She continued running until her own body betrayed her, and she collapsed on the ground. Without being conscious of it, she had run to the riverside of their childhood. She stayed there, crouched on the grass, crying an endless stream of tears, before her body and mind, completely exhausted, drifted off in a dreamless sleep…
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Do not comment about writing style or try to influence the story, because this is only a translation from someone else's story.
Comments to encourage my translation work are always welcome though.