Chapter 5
Saturday June 14th, 1997
Versailles, France
Château de Versailles
Salon de l'Oeil–de–boeuf
3:09 p.m.
Bill had been more than a little surprised, and concerned, when he had arrived at his sister's rooms not ten minutes after the Queen had left them, to find Ginny not there. Thinking she perhaps had decided to explore, he didn't really become too concerned since it wasn't like she could have gotten far, and he began to look for her. It wasn't until Étienne found him and explained that Draco had never been on the Hogwarts Express, according to Blaise Zabini who had recognized the Musketeer, even in actual honest to god, in style, 'Muggle' clothing. That little bit of news left Bill hoping and praying that Draco had come straight to the Château and that Ginny was with him, and led to the two men starting a massive, if small since it was just the two of them, hunt throughout the Château.
And four hours later, they had finally admitted defeat, even with the two of them being the highest of the Musketeers under the Captain, neither had the ability to use the specific spells that checked if anyone had entered or left the castle that wasn't supposed to, only the Captain himself could cast those, and so they had finally gone looking for André, both fully expecting to be demoted the Gods only knew to where, likely cleaning duty, but the concern for their charges, and more importantly his sister in Bill's case, left them with no other choice.
After running into Fleur, a fortunate event to be sure, they made their way towards the Salon de l'Oeil–de–bœuf after being informed the Queen had retired to her bedchamber for an afternoon rest an hour or so prior, which meant André would be in the salon no doubt checking up on various things, but still keeping watch over his Queen.
So, once at the salon and standing before André, they gave their explanations and their tales, then waited as the man looked back and forth between them for what felt like an eternity as they tried desperately not to fidget from nerves in regard to what was going to happen to them, and worry as to the safety of Draco and Ginny, though if you asked André, both were failing spectacularly.
"So let me see if I understand this correctly," André began after a few more moments of watching them. "Monsieur Malfoy never rode the train back to London where he was to meet you," he focused on Étienne, "And you were informed of this fact by the Duque di Savoy. Then, instead of immediately alerting me that the man who is the only current possible heir to the throne has gone missing, whose family unfortunately has ties to Voldemort himself, who we all know already is after our Queen and any other who can lay claim to the throne... You found William..." he finished.
"Yes sir," Étienne answered quietly.
"I see," André nodded. "And Mademoiselle Ginevra, the fiancée of Monsieur Malfoy who has all those same issues, disappeared from her rooms. And instead of again, seeking me out, you joined forces with him," he pointed at Étienne, "to search the entire Château on your own. Did either of you forget to actually turn your brains on this morning?"
"Sir..." Bill began before closing his mouth when André sent him a look that clearly said, shut up while you're ahead.
"The stupidity of men," André muttered as he turned and moved to a desk, pulling a hand-drawn map of Versailles from within his uniform along with a simple black wand. Unfolding the map he laid it out on the tabletop and quietly cast the spells to check for anything that shouldn't be, and raised an eyebrow when he noticed that someone was using the Appartement du Duc d'Orleans, before he smiled. Quickly reclaiming his earlier expression he turned back to the two. "You're in luck; there have been no alarms raised or any such thing. I would suggest that you check the South Wing however..."
"Sir... we did," Bill spoke up.
"The rooms belonging to the Duc and Duchesse d'Orleans in years past?" André countered, and then he shook his head when the two looked quickly at each other. "Well then, what are you still doing here? Hurry up and go find them for heaven's sake."
The two men looked at him in shock a moment before quickly inclining their heads "Sir," they spoke before turning and quickly moving towards the door.
"There won't be a next time," he called as they reached the door, watching them pause then hurry out of the room. As soon as the door was shut, he promptly collapsed in the nearest chair as he laughed.
"André?" Louise asked as she opened the door to her bedchamber, eyebrow raised. "Is everything alright?"
"Everything is alright, my Queen," he managed to say as he looked up at her.
"What pray tell is so funny?" she asked with a smile as she leaned against the doorjamb.
"Drac and young Ginny managed to escape both Étienne and William," he explained with a smile. "I think they just about had need for a new pair of pants when they finally came to tell me..."
"Really now?" she asked as she giggled. "Any idea where my cousin and his intended are?"
"One of the salons in the Appartement du Duc d'Orléans," he shook his head as he tried to contain his mirth.
"Dance lessons," she nodded before straightening, "Well then, enjoy yourself," she smiled as she turned back to her rooms.
"I shall," he agreed with a smile, "And you, my Queen.
Pausing she looked back at him, then shook her head, "Evil man, you are an evil, evil man to be teasing me so. I'll tell on you..."
"Isidora, you should know by now, I do not fear any man," he countered with a smirk.
"Hmm, we shall see," she countered with a small smile before turning to continue into the room, then pausing as she looked back over her shoulder, "What of women?"
"Oh, of them I only fear three, and only know two of those three... You, my mère, and the woman I one day marry," he winked.
"Well then, I now have something to tease him about," Louise laughed as she turned back and continued into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
"Poor man," André chuckled before sighing. After a moment he flashed back to the two Musketeers and immediately broke out into laughter once more.
Saturday June 14th, 1997
Versailles, France
Château de Versailles
Appartement du Duc d'Orléans
3:21 p.m.
"No man should be able to move his hips like that Draco," Ginny giggled as they collapsed onto one of the couches that lined the walls, Draco making sure to keep the majority of his weight off of Ginny so he didn't hurt her.
"Oh and why's that?" he asked teasingly as he starting lavishing kissing along her collarbone.
"Because it makes a girl wonder what other things you might be able to do with those hips of yours," Ginny admitted, feeling Draco shift his weight on top of her.
"Would you like me to show you?" he asked with all seriousness as he rocked his pelvis into hers before kissing her deeply.
"Draco we shouldn't…" Ginny said breaking the kiss but wanting desperately to give in to the sensations he was creating in her body.
"We're engaged to be married Gin, we have no reason why we shouldn't," he argued as he captured her lips once more.
Before anything else could happen, there was the sound of a rather frantic knock at the door.
"Ignore it," Draco said, breaking the kiss only long enough to speak.
"Monsieur Malfoy..." Étienne's voice came through the door, tone low but insistent, and stressed, quite stressed.
"Bloody hell," Draco cursed quietly, dropping his head to the couch next to Ginny's.
"We should probably let him in," Ginny said in defeat, although inwardly grateful for the Musketeer's timing knowing that she wouldn't have been able to say no to Draco had things kept going the way they had been.
"Come on," Draco sighed as he rolled off of Ginny, taking her hands and helping her to her feet before leading her over to the door and unlocking it.
"Ginny!" Bill was obviously trying very hard not to launch himself at her as Étienne said Draco's name in nearly the same tone of voice, both men obviously holding themselves back, though if Étienne was holding himself back from hugging his charge like Bill was, or from hurting his charge, only the Gods knew.
"Bill?" asked Ginny in surprise.
"Excuse us," Bill nodded towards the inside of the room behind Draco and Ginny before, much to Ginny's surprise, the two men disappeared with a pop only to reappear inside the room behind them, at which point Bill reached forward and pulled them away from and closed the door. "I have half a mind to take you over my knee," Bill sighed heavily. "I, well we," he looked at Étienne, "were worried sick!"
"Bill, what in the world are you talking about? What did I do?"
"You disappeared," he answered honestly. "And your fiancé didn't meet Étienne in London like he was supposed to, all we knew was that he hadn't taken the Express back to London from the Duque di Savoy..."
"Understandably, I nearly had a heart attack," Étienne spoke up, "Mademoiselle Ginevra, I am Étienne, I have been his," he nodded towards Draco, "bodyguard since he started at Hogwarts. Which is why I can get away with saying, you are an imbecile. You're lucky there was not a full scale search launched crossing both England and France, and that the Queen wasn't alerted..."
"Actually, that's our luck about the Queen," Bill countered.
"Forgive me Étienne, but I simply could not stand being separated from Ginny a moment longer," replied Draco.
"And you could not have sent word to me that you had travelled back to the Château?" Étienne countered.
"I'm afraid the thought never crossed my mind," Draco shrugged. "I've been denied access to my fiancée since Easter and all I could think about was getting to her as soon as possible."
"Are you this bad when it comes to love?" Étienne looked over at Bill.
"I'm afraid I was in the beginning yes," Bill agreed with a small smile.
"See, this is why I do not love just one woman," Étienne sighed once more before focusing back on Draco, "Fine, but don't do it again. Next time I will not be so forgiving."
"Oh honestly now," Bill rolled his eyes, "What exactly would you do to him?"
Étienne smirked, "Make him practice his fencing all day long so he can not see his beautiful intended."
"You would deprive the future Duchesse of her dancing lessons?" asked Draco.
"That would be a reason to not pull a stunt like today then, wouldn't it?" he countered with a smile. "Forgive me Mademoiselle, but your fiancé quite frankly terrified me more than facing a hundred armed men. And if that gets out of this room, I will be forced to hurt some men," he looked over at Bill specifically.
"Not a word will be allowed out to ruin your reputation," Bill held up his hands.
"Bill, I honestly never meant to worry you. Draco just showed up at my door. He never told me where we were going and I just thought that since we were still within the palace…"
"It's alright Gin," Bill smiled gently. "The panic has gone, and really, if anyone should be apologizing," he glanced at Draco. "Just, in the future, can we all be kept in the loop?"
"I really didn't mean to worry you Bill…"
"I know Gin, it's okay, really," he countered softly. "So... we should probably go take up watch..." he looked at Étienne who snorted.
"But that would end the torture that I can do to him," the other Musketeer pointed out.
"Torture him later," Bill spoke as he grabbed the back of Étienne's uniform and apparated both of them back into the hall to stand guard.
"Well now if that doesn't sound all kinds of ominous," mused Draco after the two Musketeers had left.
"Well you deserve everything he can think up to do to you, you do know that right?" asked Ginny.
"I couldn't help myself Gin. I had to see you…"
"You were going to see me anyway," countered Ginny as she walked towards the windows.
"I couldn't wait," countered Draco with an amused shrug.
"You're hopeless," Ginny giggled as she turned to face Draco.
"But you love me anyway," Draco said stalking towards where Ginny was standing.
"Mmm," she thought for a moment. "I suppose…" she sighed only to break out into a fit of giggles as she was swept up into Draco's arms a moment later. "Of course I love you my Duc. The Duc of my heart," she said as he gently put her back on her feet.
"And I love you. The Duchesse of my heart," he countered before leaning in and kissing her.
Saturday July 12th, 1997
Versailles, France
Château de Versailles
Ménagerie
8:03 p.m.
It had been five weeks since Ginny had come to France, five weeks that had been busy in so many ways, yet in others seemed quite relaxed. It hadn't taken long for a daily schedule of sorts to be established, every morning breakfast would be served in her rooms, and her lady's maid, Marguerite, would help her dress in the style worn at court when there wasn't a formal function. That had taken a bit to get used to, that while Muggle clothing was allowed, most everyone used the same dress code that the Queen did, and wore clothing that was the style from the beginning of the 18th century. Though, the style of dress hadn't been as difficult to get used to, as it was to get used to having someone else help her dress every day, though it was fun to have someone else doing her hair everyday...
Once she was ready for the day, she would join the other Ladies wherever they were gathered, whether if it was with Louise or not, as happened now and again, and the rest of the morning would be spent with Ginny learning some new little tid-bit about Court life, some new skill. Though it was always fun, it never really felt like 'school', certainly not like how things were taught at Hogwarts. Lunch would be with the Ladies and Louise, and then Draco would find her and take her away for the afternoon, where he would teach her more dancing, or to ride, or even just spend time together as Bill and Étienne kept watch. Then the evenings would be spent once more with the other Ladies and Louise, unless Louise was called away on some business, this time no lessons were done, merely time to spend together as the heat of the day drifted away.
It had been strange, in some ways, Ginny had gone from just really the household of boys that was the Weasley home, and the girls she shared a dorm with at Hogwarts who she was in no way close to, to here. The other Ladies very quickly made it clear, in both actions and a few words spoken here and there, that they did not care about her past. They liked her for her, and she was one of them, no matter what... so she had 'better get used to having female companions or else' - at least those specific words had been Anastasia's. Of the others, she was closest to Fleur, and then Louise, but she did have a friendship with all of her fellow Ladies, and did enjoy their time together. And it was never any sort of a big deal if Ginny felt like she needed some time to herself for a while and she would disappear for a few hours of solitude, each of the Ladies did it, even Louise.
Since coming to the Château, she had been given the tour a few times, and within a couple weeks she could make her way about the palace and the grounds without getting lost, though if she even had, Bill was always there. There had only been one day that he hadn't been her constant companion, when she insisted he bloody well take a day off for his honeymoon after his and Fleur's wedding in June. As had been expected, Molly and Arthur did not attend the wedding, neither did Ron, but the other Weasley brothers were there, even Hermione was there with Viktor Krum who was there as a friend of Fleur's. They had kept it from being mentioned that Bill was a Musketeer, he instead being married in a simple suit than his uniform, so Hermione didn't have to make the choice of keeping the secret about his occupation from the Order. It had been a quiet affair, but lovely, although Ginny had noticed Gabrielle giving her looks now and again, but she wrote it off as she concentrated instead on her brother and new sister's happiness.
It was now nearly the middle of July, and the Royal Wedding and Coronation were exactly one week away, which led to all seven of them seeking refuge as far from the Château as possible. The Dowager Empress Anastasia and Isidora, Louise's mother, had joined forces to see that everything was finalized for the wedding and the Coronation the following day, and had taken over the Château early that morning, which led to Louise saying enough was enough and retreating to the Trianon de Marbre, the retreat of the Royal family going back through the centuries. No one had put up much of a fuss about it, seeing as if necessary; it was a simple gondola ride back from the residence to the Gardens. Ginny and the other Ladies had travelled with her, and all had set up residency in the smaller palace for the next week. And the day had continued on as any other, Draco had come for the afternoon to spend time with Ginny, and after dinner someone had suggested going to the Ménagerie, which was how they were all there now, gathered in the enclosure that was home to the lions. Unlike the original Ménagerie built by Louis XIV, through use of magic, the enclosures had been expanded so that the animals that lived there had a bit of a home, and this one looked amazingly like an African savannah, well except for the fact that there weren't any other animals besides the three lions that called the area home.
The seven were gathered in the shade of a group of trees; Marina was of course painting, while Rosabella had recruited Marie-Thérèse, Arabella, and Fleur into playing some game with her. Louise was writing something, a cockatoo that had flown from the enclosure that held the cockatoos and macaws and followed them was sitting on her shoulder playing with her hair, while Ginny had her lap full of the lioness cub that called the Ménagerie home.
"Pray tell Rina, what are you painting this time?" Anastasia asked as she opened one eye to look over at the woman, surprising the others who thought the redhead had been sleeping.
"If you must know, I'm painting your fellow red-haired Lady and her little companion," Marina answered after rolling her eyes, "Weren't you sleeping?"
"The strokes of your brush woke me up," she countered with a shrug.
"Then come play with us," Rosabella suggested.
"I'll pass little one," she answered before rolling over to look at Ginny. "So, none of us have asked, how was your afternoon?"
"The usual," Ginny shrugged, not lifting her gaze from the cub in her lap who was having fun batting at the locks of hair that had fallen over her shoulder.
"Ugh," Anastasia groaned as she flopped back onto her back, "I swear no one will talk about their love lives in this group."
"Considering the only ones who have something resembling a love life, are Fleur, Ginny and I..." Louise looked over at her with a smile as she stopped her writing for the moment. "Fleur and William are happily married and have no tales to be told, Ginny and Drac are entitled to their privacy, and my marriage is entirely one of political means... you'll simply have to deal without romantic tales unless you decide to go and have an affair with someone... which considering your Grandmother would kill you..."
"She would not kill me, besides she is too wrapped up in planning your wedding to Alek, and trying to convince Nikolay to pick a bride, for me to even cross her notice," Anastasia countered. "Oh please," she focused on Ginny once more, "One small story? Something romantic Draco did, to tide us over until Fleur starts telling stories again, or we have babies to distract us from our own lack of a love life?"
"There really is nothing to tell Ana," Ginny sighed. "He's teaching me to dance and to ride nothing more."
Anastasia sighed, "That's it, someone in this group needs to have a torrid love affair, we need excitement..."
"Here I thought the first Royal wedding in nearly twenty years and Dora's coronation were excitement enough, no?" Fleur spoke up. "There are times I swear Anastasie, you should have gone to the Tournament instead of me. You would have much enjoyed facing those dragons and such, more than enough excitement for you..."
"That would require me to be attending a Wizarding school in the first place Fleur, and Harry Potter would not have been the only underage champion had that happened," Anastasia countered. "Besides, dragons are harmless; you merely must know how to handle them..."
"I should introduce you to Charlie," Ginny mused, almost to herself."
"Charlie?" Anastasia perked up slightly.
"No, you can't tease Charles like you do any other man you meet Anastasie," Louise interjected quickly.
"Evil one," Anastasia sighed as she looked at the queen.
"Merely protecting the male members of the human race," Louise countered with a smile.
"Besides, I don't think Romania would suit you Ana," commented Ginny.
"True, true," she nodded. "I much prefer my homeland or here... We must go visit the Winter Palace soon, please?" she focused on Louise.
"You are free to go back to your homeland whenever you want dear one, but unfortunately it will be some time before I visit the Winter Palace, even with marrying your cousin. Either way, we shall not drag Ginny from Palace to Palace so each of you can show off your homelands unless she wishes to go."
"Besides, Vienna is much lovelier," Marina teased.
"Oh that is not true, now is it Bella? Dear Roma is the most lovely," Rosabella countered.
"No, that would be my own dear Madrid," Marie-Thérèse pointed out with a smile.
"Personally, as much as I do love Rome, I much prefer here than the palace of my Uncle," Arabella spoke up finally as Louise shook her head. "And I would dare any of you to deny that while you love the lands of your birth, France and Navarre do not hold a dear place within your hearts."
"Thank you Bella," Louise smiled at her friend.
"She does have a point," Rosabella nodded, "Still, someday you'll have to come visit all of our homes, vacations to see the world," she smiled.
"We have a lifetime to go hopping around visiting each other when we're old," Anastasia smirked. "When Dora is no longer Queen and she can travel freely whenever she wants we can always do a months long trip from place to place, reliving our younger years spent together..."
"Considering the fact my Grandpère broke the law my ancestor started in regards to the hundredth birthday... We've returned to the way things were before the Kingdom was separated, so unless I rewrite the laws, I will be on the throne until I die..." Louise shrugged, "That might be a bit difficult."
"But you're going to decree the hundred year law again aren't you?" Marina asked with a frown.
"Honestly, I don't know..."
"It's been quietly asked about among all of the residents of France and Navarre, and the majority do not wish to see the law re-established. King Louis d'Artagnan V proved that a King or Queen can not be diminished simply because of age, and because of everything... the people do not want to have Dora anywhere but on the throne and leading our people for as long as possible," Fleur spoke up.
"Just because a person is old does not mean they can not lead," Ginny observed.
"Exactly so," Louise smiled softly. "My ancestor wrote the law after seeing what happened to her father in the other kingdom. He ruled for more than seventy years and thought he had a number of heirs with his son, grandson, and great-grandson, but illness took all but his great-grandson in a rather short period of time and left him as well as the entire kingdom in fear that there would be no heir should something happen to the last remaining heir. I believe her idea was that by establishing the law of one hundred years, something like what happened to her father could be avoided in our kingdom. Unfortunately, as we all know, it didn't work," she shrugged once more. "But other topics yes? What should we do tonight after Marina finishes her latest masterpiece and we leave the Ménagerie?"
"We could go riding," Marina suggested.
"Or swimming," Marie-Thérèse offered.
"What do you think Ginny?" Fleur looked over at her.
"I'm fine with whatever the rest of you decide," Ginny shrugged.
"Swimming? We haven't gone in a while."
"Swimming sounds good," Anastasia agreed with Rosabella.
"Swimming then?" Louise asked as she looked at Fleur.
"Swimming would be nice," she smiled.
"Now I know you say you're fine with whatever the rest of us decide, but would you actually like to go swimming Ginny?" Louise focused on her once more.
Swimming is fine," Ginny said. "It's not like Draco will be free to see me anyway," she shrugged.
"Would you rather he were?" Anastasia teased.
"It doesn't matter what I want because his father is visiting and his mother is insisting that he join them this evening," Ginny replied quietly.
"Annoying woman," Arabella muttered.
"Truer words have never been spoken," Louise sighed. "Well then, how goes your painting Rina?"
"I am..." Rina drew out as she did one more stroke, "done," she smiled as she set her brush down and pulled out her wand, casting an instant drying spell, and a protection spell, on the canvas. "Want to see Ginny?"
"Sure."
"Come here little one," Louise spoke softly as she reached out to pick up the lioness cub so Ginny could get up and go look at the painting, everyone already knowing that Marina wouldn't let anyone else see it until Ginny had seen it.
"You like?" Marina asked once Ginny was standing next to her, looking at the painting of Ginny with the cub mid-bat at a lock of Ginny's hair.
"That's me?" asked Ginny in disbelief.
"That's you," Marina smiled.
"But…she's beautiful…"
"My art is merely a reflection of the subject," Marina countered gently. "In other words, so are you."
"You're only saying that because you have to," Ginny said quietly before stepping back and walking out of the menagerie.
"Ginny," Louise called as she hurried after the redhead, falling into step next to her quickly. "Rina didn't mean to upset you..."
"It's not her," Ginny sighed.
"The painting?"
"The girl in the painting was beautiful. That's not me. It never has been."
"Ginny," Louise sighed softly as she stopped and gently made Ginny stop with her, turning the younger girl to look at her, "Listen to me, I know nothing I say, nothing anyone could say, would make a difference in how you feel. If you could see, like all of us see though, then you'd never doubt that you are the girl in that painting. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and each of us is more critical of our own appearances than anyone else is of us. I only pray that one day; you might see the person all of us see when we look at you."
"I think I'm going to go lie down for a while if that's alright…"
"It's perfectly alright dearest," Louise nodded, "We'll see you tomorrow..."
"Good night Dora."
Saturday July 19th, 1997
Paris, France
Notre Dame de Paris
10:00 a.m.
The day had dawned bright and clear as all of France and Navarre was eager to celebrate the first royal marriage in two decades, and now with a marriage, the chance of a young prince or princess was prayed for by all, only then would the kingdom truly begin to move past the fear that had resided over every household since that day sixteen years prior when Voldemort had in one short hour destroyed the innocence of two kingdoms.
Throughout the kingdoms, celebrations were held in every town, celebrations that begin days prior, when one or two, or perhaps a few more, of the town's citizens began the journey to Paris where the people of Paris and those from each of the towns and villages of France and Navarre gathered in the streets watching as the Royal processional made it's way through the streets of Paris. The nobles of France and Navarre had come first, simplicity the rule of the day even as they were dressed in their finest, making their way into the sanctuary of the Cathedral. The Procession from Versailles had reached the outskirts of Paris and begun its journey through the streets of the city as those gathered cheered and waved banners and ribbons. Leading the Procession had been open-carriages bearing the visiting nobility, Emperor Maximillian III and his daughter Rosabella, his niece Arabella shared the first carriage, the two Ladies of the Queen tossing coins to the crowd as they travelled. Behind them had been the carriage bearing the Royalty of Austria, Emperor Franz Joseph II, his young son Prince Francis Karl, and his sister, Archduchess Marina. Like her fellow Ladies, Marina threw coins to the crowd, recruiting her nephew to help, these coins, silver guldens, had been made special in her home Kingdom, on them written the date and the names of Louise and Aleksander on one side, on the other was the Austrian Royal Seal. The same had been done with the coins Rosabella and Arabella had given to the crowd, due to the fact that both kingdoms used the guldens, they both had the same coins, but the ones given out by Rosabella and Arabella bore the Royal Seal of the Holy Roman Empire.
The next two carriages bore those who had travelled from Madrid, King Ferdinand IV and his Queen, the Dowager Queen, Isidora, for whom Queen Louise and her mother had both been named, and Prince Ferdinand. The second carriage bore four of King Ferdinand IV's other grandchildren, representing each of his other children who had already come and entered the Cathedral with their families before the arrival of the nobles of the Versailles Court. Among the four cousins was Marie-Thérèse, who like her other Ladies had recruited her companions to help toss coins to the crowd, Spanish gold escudos.
The next carriages held the Russian Royal Family, the first held the Czar and Czaritsa, and Tsearevich, along with the young Grand Duchess, Aleksander's five-year-old sister. The second held more members of the Royal family, among them Anastasia who was rather zealously throwing rubles to the crowd with the help of one of her cousins. The third held only two, the Dowager Empress Anastasia, and Aleksander himself, a cheer from the crowd louder than before whenever their carriage passed on it's way to the Cathedral.
Now that the other Kingdoms had passed, and the man who would soon be the Prince Consort of their Queen had passed, those gathered in the streets grew quieter for a moment, as behind the Royal carriage of Tsarevna Aleksander was a legion of the Musketeers, led by André, all in full regalia as they rode down the streets, an elegance in their actions. Directly behind the Captain were his two most trusted lieutenants, William and Étienne, and fifty more men behind them. And then, behind the Musketeers, the first of the Royal Carriages were seen. In the first sat the heir to the Duchy d'Orléans and his betrothed, along with Fleur. Officially Fleur was there as companion to Ginny, a right given to her as Ginny's sister-in-law, and further accepted because of Fleur's place as the eldest of the Queen's Ladies, and the one who had been by the Queen's side the longest. Fleur sat on her own, across from the seat shared by Draco and Ginny, the women tossing gold Louis d'or coins, the same currency kept in Wizarding France and Navarre since the time of Louis XIV, to the crowd, coins that like those from the other four Wizarding Kingdoms had been specially done for this day.
The next carriage held the Dowager King, Louis d'Artagnan V, and the Madame la Princesse de Douarière, Isidora; those gathered along the streets of Paris cheered for their beloved former King, and the Queen's mother. It was the carriage that followed however, that held their true attention. When those on the outskirts of Paris first saw the Royal Wedding Carriage, a cry louder than any heard before echoed into the countryside. By the time the carriage had reached the steps of Notre Dame, the cry of the people was deafening, and those inside the Cathedral had no doubt that the Queen, and bride, had at last arrived.
Inside the famous cathedral, it was actually rather quiet and peaceful, or so Ginny thought as she sat in one of the pews closer towards the front, not quite sure she belonged there among the other French nobility as they shared the pews with the visiting Royalty. But, as Draco gently squeezed her hand and smiled at her, Ginny let her nerves fade away as she turned her attention to watching as the woman, who had yes become her friend, was married.
Turning her attention to the back of the church, she watched as Aleksander was escorted down the centre of the church by his Grandmother, the former dressed in the full dress of the Russian Naval Officer that Aleksander was, while the latter wore a bronze coloured suit. When they reached the area where the Czar and Czaritsa sat, Aleksander turned and kissed the Dowager Empress' cheek before she moved to join her son and daughter-in-law, and he continued on his own to where Cardinal Berwick waited with a collection of Priests. Everyone remained quietly waiting as the Dowager King and the Queen's Mother walked to their seats, and a few moments later the cheer from the crowd was heard before it was muffled, the shutting of the doors no doubt. A few moments later, everyone rose and turned to face the back of the Cathedral as the organist began to play, and there stood Louise.
She wore a simple gown in many ways; the under gown was white silk, while over it was yards upon yards of white lace. Surprisingly, it wasn't a gown in the style of those typically worn at the Court during formal functions, or even the style that Louise preferred on a daily basis from the eighteenth century. Instead it was a simple a-line silk dress that was strapless, the bodice fitted. Over it all was a lace overdress with full length, off the shoulder, sleeves; in front the lace reached the floor, while in back the lace continued to form a long seven-foot train. Her hair was pulled up in a simple bun at the base of her skull, a lace mantilla that had come from her Great-grandmother, and namesake, laid against her hair and fell down her back to the floor where it blended in with the lace of her train, the lace of her dress having been made in France to look similar to the mantilla, but with small fleur-de-lis emblems worked in. A simple white gold and diamond tiara rested where the mantilla and her hair met, and simple diamond drop earrings were her only jewellery save for the engagement ring Aleksander had given her when their betrothal was announced; and finally, in her hands was a large bouquet of white roses.
As she walked down the centre of the church, Louise smiled at those gathered, looking from one side to the other as she walked and those she had past turned back towards the front. When she reached where Ginny and Draco stood, she looked over and winked at them, before looking to her soon-to-be in-laws on the other side, and as she moved past, Ginny caught Aleksander's older brother, Nikolay, staring after her with a look that was a bit indescribable, but gone before she could really begin to try and figure out what it was exactly.
Aleksander came down to take Louise's hand that she held out, and together they walked the last few steps to where Cardinal Berwick and other Priests waited, one of them taking her bouquet before the two knelt before Cardinal Berwick and the man began to speak in French. Ginny bent her head as the others there did the same, having no idea what was being said. She had begun learning some French, but honestly it was mostly the basics…
Over the next two hours, Ginny and her fellow guests watched as the traditional Catholic wedding was done, Aleksander having had to previously 'convert' in a sense from the Russian Orthodox Catholic he had been raised, to the French Catholic of his new people. More than once Ginny glanced at Draco, she couldn't help but wonder, and realized she should probably ask someone soon, was their wedding to be like this? Even if it weren't for the fact the ceremony was in French, she would have been lost anyway having never been raised in any religion in England, let alone Catholic, and now that she thought about it, Fleur and Bill's wedding had been Catholic, a small one compared to the one she was attending today, but Catholic just the same. She made a mental note to talk to Draco, Fleur, or Louise later and find out what was to be expected for her own upcoming nuptials as the rest of those gathered rose, and the newly married couple made their way back down the aisle to the Royal Wedding Carriage, behind them walked Cardinal Berwick and then everyone gathered began to leave the church in the opposite manner of how they had entered it, to make the trip back to Versailles.
Monday July 21st, 1997
England
Lord Voldemort's Stronghold
7:26 p.m.
"My lord, MacNair thought you would like this," one of the Death Eaters spoke.
Glancing at the man, Voldemort reached out and took the papers before dismissing him. "Curious," he mused when he opened the paper and discovered something written entirely in French along with a picture of a woman in a white ball gown with a long white mantle, a simple crown rested upon her head. Casting a simple language spell, he waited until it was written in English, before beginning to read.
Royal Coronation
Sixteen years have passed since all of France and Navarre gathered to celebrate the Coronation of King Louis d'Artagnan VI, and today all of France and Navarre was gathered to once more celebrate the coronation of its ruler.
The real celebrations began Sunday morning; hundreds upon thousands were gathered in the streets of Paris and along the road to the gates of the Château de Versailles. Just after eight in the morning, the gates of Versailles opened and the heralds made their way out, giving the proclamation that the Queen was to be crowned that very day. And thus, the Royal Procession had begun, after the heralds came Cardinal Berwick and the Priests in their vestments. Behind them was the carriage that carried Isidora, Madame la Princesse de Douarière.
Following the Queen's Mother were fifty Musketeers on foot, leading the Royal Carriage bearing Louis d'Artagnan V, Dowager King of France and Navarre. And following the Dowager King was the Captain of the Musketeers, leading one hundred Musketeers on horseback. Once the last of the Musketeers had passed through the gates of Versailles, the Queen's carriage appeared, though no one could see the Queen as the procession made its way to Notre-Dame de Reims.
The first sight of our beloved Queen, was at the Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral, she was dressed in a white gown, with gold Fleur-de-Lys embroidered on the skirt, a large gold Fleur-de-Lys embroidered on the back of the white mantle that rested upon the young Queen's shoulders, around her neck she wore the Royal French Blue Fleur-de-Lys Diamond, just as Queen Marie-Thérèse wore the day of her Coronation three hundred and fourteen years ago.
The Coronation lasted five hours, during which Queen Louise prayed for all of France, Navarre, and their people, and swore the oath to rule the Kingdoms and preserve them as Queen; and she entered the alter to receive Holy Communion. The Queen was then crowned with the crown of her ancestor, King Louis XIV, who many have compared her to often in the past. A gift of God to the people of France and Navarre as Louis XIV was so long ago.
After the service ended, Queen Louise exited the Cathedral and a great cheer sounded throughout Paris as cannons fired and all the bells of the Cathedrals of Paris rang in unison. The Queen then journeyed back to the Château de Versailles in the Royal Carriage, the Dowager King travelling back with the Queen's Mother, where five thousand guests dined at the Coronation banquet. Among the Royalty, not only those from France and Navarre but from each of the other four Wizarding Kingdoms, the room was filled with plain French and Navarre people in simple dress, guests from every town and province of France and Navarre as well as those there by hereditary right, descendants of people who at one time or another saved the life of a King or Queen.
"Interesting," Voldemort mused when he had finished reading. "The young brat has been truly named Queen, and she is finally wed…" he chuckled. "It seems we will have to do something about that before she has time to have an heir…"
Friday August 1st, 1997
Versailles, France
The Trianon de Marbre
9:27 p.m.
It had been almost two weeks since Louise and Aleksander's wedding, and the official coronation the day after, and things had quieted down a great deal at Versailles. Though there was a bit of excitement at the same time since Draco had convinced Ginny to have their wedding the Saturday after her birthday, and he would have to return to Hogwarts in September. Ginny hadn't quite decided if she was going to return to Hogwarts or not, the option was there either way, and no one was pressuring her for her decision one way or the other, which she was thankful for – she had enough worries preparing for her upcoming nuptials.
Deciding to take a bit of a break from everything, Louise had once more retired to the Trianon de Marbre, Ginny and the other Ladies following. The unofficial plan was to stay for a few days, but perhaps stay until Ginny's birthday or the wedding even, no one was quite sure really. But everyone was enjoying the quiet and the peace away from the festivities of the Court.
Ginny had found herself with a craving for something sweet, and decided to not bother the staff since she knew there was a collection of cookies down in the kitchen pantry, so she had left her rooms and made her way down, gathering some cookies and a glass of milk before she started back towards her rooms. She was side-tracked though, when she heard what sounded like giggling down a hall, curious, because she knew that everyone else had, to her knowledge, been up in one of the salons playing games that Rosabella had dragged them into, she looked down the hall.
A moment later, Louise dashed into the hall, but apparently didn't notice Ginny as she quickly turned around so her back was to Ginny. For a moment, Ginny thought it was Aleksander that followed the older girl, before it clicked in Ginny's brain that Aleksander was not as broad in the shoulders as the man who grabbed Louise around her waist and picked her up, causing the young queen to let out a muffled shriek as she held her own hands to her mouth, Aleksander's hair was more curly and a bit longer than the spiked hair of the man who kicked a door open and walked into the room with Louise in his arms as Ginny stared in shock.
It took her a moment, or perhaps a few minutes, but Ginny snapped back to reality and quietly made her way back towards her room, not quite sure what to think of what she had just seen, mostly she was just extremely confused… The last thing she expected then was to run into a body as she turned the corner towards the direction of her rooms.
"Ginny?" Fleur asked as she quickly stepped back, after she steadied both of them. "Are you alright?"
"I don't know…" Ginny trailed off looking behind her.
"What is it?" she asked concerned as she looked down the way Ginny had come. "Did something happen?"
"I saw…It was…It was Dora but…but it…it wasn't Alek…"
Fleur sighed heavily, "Come on, we'll go sit down and talk," she gently took Ginny's arm and led her sister-in-law to her private salon. "You saw Dora with Nikolay," she began after they were both seated and Ginny's glass and cookies were on a table.
"But Dora's married…" argued Ginny.
"She doesn't love Aleksander," Fleur began softly, "I'm not condoning that everyone in the world goes and has an affair if they don't love their husband or wife... But there are special circumstances you might say."
"Then why did she marry him if she doesn't love him?"
"Because she's Queen," Fleur answered with a sad smile, "Dora is held to a higher expectation than any of us. She had to marry and have an heir as soon as possible. If she could, she would have married the man she loves and has loved since she was fifteen, but she can't."
"So, she did what my parents and my brother were trying to make me do by marrying Harry?"
"Pretty much," Fleur nodded. "Dora has lived her life as expected of her, she was our kingdoms' only hope for the future after the rest of the Royal family was killed, so she knew from the time she first could understand the world around her that she had certain expectations. She would become queen when she turned sixteen, she would marry as soon as possible afterwards, and as quickly as possible produce an heir, preferably more than one. She had resigned herself to her fate, to never know what love was, and marry someone for political reasons. And then one day it hit her rather forcefully over the head that she was in love, she smiled like an idiot that entire day," Fleur smiled at the memory. "But Nikolay is the eldest, and he is heir to the Russian throne, so there was no way they could be married. I still remember how Bella and I found her after she and Nikolay had spent hours trying to think of any possible way they could be together, unfortunately though, there is none. Russia would never accept Aleksander as Czar unless Nikolay died, and there was no other possible ruler for France and Navarre, and a marriage between two monarchs simply isn't allowed. So, both of them resigned themselves to the lives of their ancestors, an arranged marriage simply for political reasons. That doesn't mean Dora doesn't care for Alek, she loves him dearly, as a friend. And Alek does not love Dora either, both of them knew going into this that it was never to be a love match, though he doesn't know about Nikolay, only a select few of us know of their feelings. And Dora gave Alek the choice, she wouldn't agree to a marriage treaty unless Aleksander agreed to it first; she made that stipulation to the Czar when he approached her about the marriage, a marriage originally designed by the Dowager Empress... And I am rambling as they say..."
"It's alright Fleur; it makes the things I saw make sense. Like I said, my own family is pushing me towards Harry," Ginny sighed.
"I know Sweetheart," Fleur smiled softly, "But that is something that they can not make you do, in two weeks you shall be marrying the man you love, and you shall have your happy ever after like Bill and I."
"And I'm a nervous wreak about it," admitted Ginny.
"If you weren't, I would be worried," Fleur countered. "Everyone is nervous before their wedding, even Dora who had no choice and had been preparing herself for her wedding since she was a child. But you my Sweet One, you have more reason to be worried, because your marriage will cause many possible occasions of heartache in your future, even if it will bring you happiness because you get to be with the man you love for the rest of your lives."
"Why would it cause heartache in my future if I'm marrying the man I love?" asked Ginny in confusion.
"I meant with your parents," Fleur answered softly.
"Oh…yes, well I suspect they will most likely disown me when they learn I've married into the Malfoy family," Ginny said rising from her spot and walking towards the fireplace.
"Well, your family that truly loves you will not abandon you, and you have gained five sisters besides me who will happily drive you insane," Fleur offered.
"Thanks," Ginny laughed.
"You are very welcome," she smiled. "So, you have cookies?"
"I kinda got the munchies," Ginny admitted.
"Well, good choice," she giggled. "You do realize your milk is getting warm though right?"
"Well that is the joy of being in France after all since here I can do magic," Ginny countered digging out her wand.
"That is true," Fleur agreed. "So, I would raid those cookies before I hunt down your guard and claim wife privileges and make him go get me some cookies from having to stare at your pile forever," she teased.
"Alright, alright," Ginny giggled as she flopped back down into her chair, picking up a cookie in the process.
