King's Tears( Part one)
« Vous êtes empereur, Seigneur,et vous pleurez ! »
— Bérénice,Acte IV, scène 5
Paris, 1658
During the ten years of the Fronde, no noble bad been totally safe or loyal. One mistake could ruin a whole family. If Gaston of Orléan was the worst example, Henri de Lorraine could certainly be a bad one.
This was why Philippe de Lorraine had to join the army when he was fifteen years old. He became a herald under the command of the Count of Guiche. He was lucky to gain favor of the count very soon. The count liked him very much and had been agreeable enough. He not only often talked to him but also taught him drinking and playing cards, even occasionally took him to whorehouses himself.
"With that pretty face you have, we can expect a lot for you. You just need to listen to me correctly." Promised Guiche to Lorraine, "But first, you need to learn something useful."
Lorraine didn't understand what he meant by "useful" until after visiting a place called "Ile d'amour".
"Things are no longer as before and one cannot simply live by birth rights."Educated the Count of Guiche, " You have witnessed your father who spent his whole life on battlefields and you may tell me what he has won. Except for the title which is now worthless, your bothers have nothing to inherit from him. Believe me, if you want to survive in this court, you need significant support and lots and lots of money."
The Count of Guiche had a bad fame. He was recognized to be the most arrogant young man of vanity. But Lorraine preferred him than Philippe Mancini. At least Guiche always spoke straightforwardly and was honest for most of the times.
"Do you know who is the richest person is in Europe, my pretty little boy?" The count was lying on the couch, getting rid of his boots , loosing his cravat. He took a glass of wine from the servant and kicked a stool to Lorraine for him to sit on.
"Are you referring to Mademoiselle they are all talking about, the duchess Montpensier who was coming back to the court?" Asked Lorraine when he took the seat near the Count.
"Clever boy!" Armand de Gramont grabbed Lorraine's chin and smiled.
"But she is too high to be reached for us." Commented Lorraine, " And I heard that she is not easy."
"They are never easy." Commented the Count of Guiche,"The reason why she was pardoned after what she has done during the Fronde is definitely not the love from her family. They have to do something to prevent her from accepting the proposal of the King of England and taking her golds and lands out of France. They want to keep her in the royal family even the king won't marry her himself."
Lorraine felt a slight stir in the chest. "Who will marry her instead?"
"Ever heard of the Duke of Anjou?" Armand smirked, "Since Gaston of Orléan was confined to the Castle of Blois, his lands are almost confiscated by the royal family. His title will be taken by the king's brother as soon as he dies. That left only the rich heritage from his dead wife, the late duchess of Montpensier to their daughter Mademoiselle untouched. Do you think the Queen will let it go? My sister wrote to me two days ago and told me that the Duke of Anjou is now seventeen years old and the queen starts to look for a bride for him."
"So that's why the Cardinal pardoned the Grande Mademoiselle and called her back to the court." Concluded Lorraine, "but what's all that to do with us?"
"Good question, my little pretty boy." Armand sat straight on the couch, "Our dear, precious little Duke of Anjou has a weakness that you don't know."
"What weakness?" Asked Lorraine, although in his heart he did know the answer.
"I will tell you tomorrow evening." Armand took out a letter from his pocket and threw it to Lorraine.
"An invitation to the King's ball. A gift from my sister."
When the Count of Guiche decided to do something he could always find a way. The next evening he applied to the job of escorting Mademoiselle from the city gate to the castle of Fontainebleau, bring Lorraine with him. He wanted to make sure that he would be greeted by the royal family, especially attracting the attention of the seventeen-year old Duke of Anjou.
It had been eight years since last time Lorraine met the Prince, but he remembered what he looked like as a boy. Sometimes he dreamed about him in that blue dress, standing outside the stable of St. Germaine-en-Laye. In those dreams he could only see the Prince from behind, it seemed that each time he turned his face the dream would stop.
But now, he could seem him in real life, standing there just a few footsteps above, calm and slender, placing two well-behaved hands behind the back and looking straightly ahead.
Lorraine got off the horse with the Count of Guiche, they bowed to the Prince.
"Philippe de Lorraine?" He could hear the Prince calling to him, "My God, you've grown up!"
Lorraine could see from where he stood that a pair of sliver shoes first trotted a few steps towards him, then stopped hastily. The duke had realized that it was improper to speak to a herald before addressing to the commanding officer.
Armand now approached.
" I report for my duty, your Highness. The Duchess of Montpensier has arrived in Fontainebleau."
"Thank you, Count of Guiche."The Prince replied politely, "Your sister often speaks of you to my brother. Thank you for your troubles and welcome to Fontainebleau."
He reached out one hand for courtesy.
Lorraine could swear that he saw something familiar in Armand's eyes. His usual vanity and confidence. The count took the Prince's hand and kissed it. He should have stopped above the ring without really touching the skin, but he didn't. Instead he took a little suck around the little finger.
This boldness had indeed scared the Duke of Anjou. The Prince took a breath and drew back his hand in startle, staring at the Count unbelievingly. Guiche, however was looking at him with the most charming and innocent smile.
The Duchess of Montpensier stepped out of the carriage at that moment. She arrived with one of her half- sisters and a bunch of dogs. It was noisy enough for a distraction. So the Prince turned away, pretending nothing unusual had happened.
"Marie-Louise," He greeted his cousin shyly, taking her hand, "Or shall I call you Madame de Fouquerolles?"
"Where did you learn that name from, my little girl?" Asked the Duchess of Montpensier happily.
"My mother doesn't call me that anymore and you shouldn't either." Reply the Duke of Anjou, "About your fake name, my brother mentioned it once. He told me he has never read any biography with so many spelling mistakes that makes its author unforgettable."
Anne Marie Louise laughed heartily to this. "You see I did that on purpose so he will remember me." They walked by her guards. Guiche and Lorraine had to make way for them.
" The king!" Reported a valet by the door.
At the next moment the king showed up with a dark-skinned girl hanging by his side. Lorraine recognized her to be Marie Mancini.
"I have never welcomed you with such happiness, my dear cousin." The king was smiling to Mademoiselle, "I have a big announcement this evening. France will know her queen. And you, my dear sister, if you can put away your pride, maybe…"
"Maybe I will have nothing left." Finished the duchess of Montpensier.
Alexander Bontemps, the king's first valet interrupted at this moment.
"May I bring you to her Majesty the queen?" Asked Bontemps to Mademoiselle, "She wishes to see you immediately."
Behind them, the duke of Anjou grabbed the king swiftly.
"What are you planning to do?" He asked with a low voice, glancing at Marie Mancini on the other side of the king, "Are you mad?"
The king patted his brother's hand and spoke to Marie softly "My dear, will you go to your sisters now? I will be there in a moment." Marie left obediently.
"You know very well that our mother doesn't approve you and Marie!" Said the duke of Anjou, " Just this morning I overheard her talking with Cardinal about having you marry the Spanish princess and sending Marie away from Paris! And now you told Marie you want her to be the queen of France?"
"My dear brother, I know our mother just as much as you do." Said Louis, "I know she is angry. But I am her son and also the king of France. She cannot decide everything for me. It's about time she understand this."
The Duke of Anjou just blinked.
"If this is what you're thinking, brother, I don't really believe you know our mother." Commented the Prince, "You don't know how much she will sacrifice for your crown."
"On the contrary, I believe I know this better than you do." His brother stared at him, "This is war, the first one between us. And you, my brother, I need you to be on my side."
"I can't choose a side between you two!" Retorted the Prince, "It is a dangerous way that you chose to resist her."
"All wars are dangerous."
"To be at war with your own flesh and blood will cause only tears."
"Yes, I know that!" Louis raised his voice, "But I have to do it. One day you will understand why." Then he left his brother and went inside the hall hastily.
"I'd say the most interesting part of the show is yet to come tonight. Armand walked beside Lorraine and talked to him. But Lorraine wasn't listening. He was watching the Prince slowly went into the ball room alone.
"You didn't tell me that you know the little duke since childhood." Armand threw him a glance.
"Oh, that was a long time ago. I already forgot and didn't believe he actually remembers." Replied Lorraine.
"Did you?" Armand took out a handkerchief covered with perfume and gave it a wave. "Nevertheless, this can only be helpful to our plan."
Both Guiche and Lorraine were served as guards for the duchess of Montpensier that evening. So they were both standing near the royal family. As the count had predicted, the most interesting part of the show hasn't yet took place. The queen mother was certainly unpleasant to see the king dancing with Marie Mancini, but she couldn't get a chance to burst out because the king, so deeply in love with dancing, wouldn't stop until midnight. When he finally sat down beside his mother, the ball was almost over.
"I want to marry Marie." Began him straightly forward, I have asked her for marriage and she agreed."
"Indeed," Said Queen Anne coldly, "Your Majesty is a very lucky young man."
"Are you blessing me?"
"I bless you to take that girl to the chancel, Sire,"S aid queen mother ironically, "Both of you can walk over my dead body."
She knocked her chair hardly and stood up.
"Do you understand the reason why France had been at civil war for nearly ten years, the reason why I raised tax at all cause to have a better control over the nobles? Did I battled through this bloody road of power to see you ruin it so quickly with your own hands?"
"If you want me to have power, should you also give up your control over me?" The king replied calmly.
"My control over you?" The angry mother looked at the king with disbelief," This is how you take my love for! Shouldn't you look around yourself and tell me how much loyalty and support you possess from that place where you are sitting? How many people truly held their respect for you? It is the frivolous youth that controls you, not me! And I will not blame you for that as your mother. However…" she suddenly caught the Duke of Anjou who was watching the argument in anxiousness and pushed the younger prince before the king.
"Your father had more than one son, Louis." Said Queen Anne furiously, "I can put you on that chair and I can also bring you down from it."
Horrified, the duke of Anjou struggled to free himself from his mother's grasp. "Mother, please don't!" cried him hoarsely.
"No power in this world can ever compare with duty." Concluded Queen Anne, now calming down herself. "If you don't perform your duty, you will receive no power. It is as simple as that. Louis, you are still very young, but you shall do well to remember this."
She turned her back to both of her sons and left the ball with her ladies-in-waiting.
The Duke of Anjou tried to approach the king, but the king turned away.
"I told you I can't choose between you two." Said the Prince softly.
"I need to think of it." Replied Louis coldly, "Alone."
The Prince pursed his lips and left silently.
This was when Guiche snugged Lorraine.
"Go follow him." Said him secretly, "I cannot leave without attracting attention, but you can. Keep an eye on him and I will go find you later."
Lorraine found the Prince standing by a tree in the garden alone, staring blankly.
He was hesitating, should he listening to Armand, just to keep an eye on the duke, doing nothing or go talking to him? The hesitation costed him the advantage when the Prince broke silence.
"Philippe!" The Prince suddenly called.
To Lorraine's surprise, Philippe Mancini was to be found not far away, wearing a travel coat and preparing to board a carriage.
"Are you leaving Fontainebleau?" Asked the Prince surprisingly, "Without telling me?"
"I…I have something urgent to tend to." Philippe Mancini looked at the duke uneasily. "I need to go back to Paris."
"I will leave for Paris tomorrow myself." Said the Duke of Anjou, "I just can't stay here anymore. Why don't you delay your travel for one day so you can sit in my carriage with me?" He put a hand on the elbow of Mancini as he talking
Mancini smiled, releasing himself politely from that hand.
"You are very kind. But I'm afraid I won't be on time for tomorrow's salon invitation."
"Really?" The Duke of Anjou was somehow disappointed. "Therefore I will see you the day after tomorrow at Palais Royal."
"I will need to go to Provence after the salon." Said Philippe Mancini.
The Prince said no more. He drew back a few steps and put his hands behind back nervously, as if something in the darkness would suddenly appear in midair and bite him without mercy.
Philippe Mancini was already sitting in the carriage, he paused and hesitated before getting off again.
"Monsieur, I shall explain this to you honestly. I don't want you to misunderstand me." Said him. It was one of the moments when this Italian young man lost his elegant composition.
"You of all people in the court will know best the importance of our duty…."
"Duty!" Interrupted the duke with a hoarse voice, "Even you are talking about duty."
"Because it is the weight we all carry for our life." Said Mancini, "What else can we do than to pay our gratitude to those who protect and love us, without whom we are truly nobody?"
"Is that your explanation? Between you and me there is only duty? Now you have fulfilled it and you will leave?" The voice of the Prince started to tremble.
Mancini paused again before speaking. "You have duties of your own, Monsieur. A marriage was being prepared by your mother and my uncle. I am no longer needed in Fontainebleau."
"No, you are not!" The Duke of Anjou now stopped controlling his anger. "But you cannot hide behind this so-called duty all your life either, Philippe. Good evening and bon voyage."
"Your Highness, Monsieur!"
The Duke of Anjou dashed away from the carriage. He was almost running and Lorraine had trouble keeping up with him. He had an impulsion to call the Prince but he restrained himself.
The Prince stopped by a pool in the garden, looking inside for his reflection.
Lorraine wanted nothing else but to go to him and comfort him. But he was afraid to be an unwanted disturber. After all, he didn't really know what to do and what to say. No one had ever taught him this.
"My goodness, how difficult it was to escape!" Guiche appeared from behind him, "Look what you caught, my little pretty boy? A chance to be with the Duke of Anjou alone? It is just too good to be true."
Lorraine wanted to stop him, but it was too late. Guiche pushed him on the back, "Go keep watch over there, give a whistle if someone approaches, understood?"
Lorraine felt the anger raising inside him. He turned to the direction pointed by the Count, not to obey the order but rather to hide his face. He could have appeared to be a ferocious killer at that very moment.
He managed to calm down a little after a few minutes. Turning back, he could see now that he was separated with Guiche and the Prince by some thickets. Guiche was talking to the Prince and the latter was retreating. But the Count wouldn't let go easily. He was following step by step, almost sticking to the Prince. When they were finally blocked by a tall tree, the count grabbed the duck quickly, trying to kiss him.
The next moment, Lorraine saw the Duke of Anjou raised a hand and punched the count hard in the face. The count was stopped, standing there with eyes wide open.
One of the dogs of the Duchess of Montpensier happened to pass by. Lorraine grabbed it and threw it over the thickets. The poor thing was barking while hitting the Count of Guiche right on the nose.
The Duke of Anjou took the opportunity to run way and Guiche came out from behind the thickets after quite a while. He was covering his nose with his perfumed handkerchief.
"Bad luck. I almost succeeded." He told Lorraine, "Where did that bloody dog come from?"
"That's the problem with dogs, isn't it?" Replied Lorraine relentlessly, "They just can't tell when they are needed and when they aren't."
"Yes, particularly that one! You are perfectly right!" Agreed the count.
"But there is one little surprise for me," he removed his handkerchief and looked at the bloody stain on it, " He bites me! That little Prince, he bites when I am kissing him. How interesting is that!"
