Disclaimer: I do not own RoV.

AN: This chapter takes place in 'real' RoV with 'alternate' Andre and Oscar in it.

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Chapter 7

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Andre stood near the hidden door used by servants in Oscar's bedroom. Oscar's mother, his grandmother, a doctor, two maids and her father's valet were in her room. The general was on duty, on the garrison in northern France.

He looked at her sleeping figure. The doctor was examining her. It's been almost twelve hours since he found her on the street of Paris near the barrack. The doctor had been summoned twice. He found nothing wrong with her vital organs and suspected that she, too, had consummed the same poison Andre did few days before.

So they were targetted, Andre thought. But all of this seemed too bizzare. He was in the world where he could barely know himself. In his 'old' world, he could not think of anyone who would want to harm him, much less Oscar.

Yes, people perceived him as a debauchee and libertine. However he had long left the nights of playing cards and the days of horse-racing. He was debt free and never caused anyone in debt either. As for his libertine life, this was also not entirely correct statement. True, he'd been with a lot of women but for every adventure he had rules.

First, virgins are off limit. He seeked for experienced lover and could not deal with emotional havoc of young, delicate women.

Second, if the woman he's involved with had a husband, he made sure that the man knew about their affair. Andre would always like to stay clear from a gentleman challenged him for a duel.

Third, he always made sure that his partner understood that he wasn't seeking for anything permanent, that relationship with him meant pleasure-seeking and not involve feelings. This was also the reason why he stayed away from virgins.

Forth, during every relationship he was monogamous. It was only after either of them end the relationship did he seek for another. This was often misunderstood. He was unlike those diplomats, who slept with other women while having affair with another.

With all of those precaution, he thought it was unlikely that any of his former lovers would do him harm. Besides, he had not involved with any woman since he married Oscar five years ago.

Andre thought of the irony. Didn't he marry his best friend to ensure his freedom and preserve his lifestyle? Yet for some reason their fake, unconsummated marriage tied him like nothing had ever before.

He concluded then, whatever the reason their being targetted must be coming from what had happened in this world. This Andre and this Oscar must have royally pissed someone. He would only have to wait until Oscar woke up and he would have her explain everything.

"Oscar? Oscar!" Countess de Jarjayes' voice brought him back to the present.

He saw Oscar stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Mother?" she asked, surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Countess de Jarjayes brought Oscar to her breast and sobbed. "My dear child! I was so worried! When Andre came to the palace to inform you have been injured I immediately rushed home. The queen was also worried, Oscar. Oh thank God!"

Oscar gently free herself from her mother and looked around. Andre noticed she looked confused. But then their gaze met and Oscar immediately looked relief. "Andre, what are you doing standing on the corner?"

Andre hesitated. He noticed that this Andre and this Oscar had unusual relationship, beyond relationship between a valet and his master but he wasn't sure just how far beyond and to what extent the rest of the household accept it.

Fortunately, the countess interjected. "Andre found you unconcious in Paris, Oscar. You must thank him. If he came a little later..., we don't want to imagine what might've happened..."

His grandmother sobbed. "No, Mademoiselle Oscar. Andre should've always been beside you! I will scold him. How dare him leaving you alone that you have to suffer like this..."

Oscar did not say anything but again, she looked lost.

At last it was the countess again who thought Oscar needed to be left alone so she could rest. Andre was also walking out of her room when she called him to stay.

"You seem awfully quiet today, Andre," Oscar commented as she re-arranged her pillows to get more comfortable. Andre helped her.

"A lot of things had happened in this past few days, Oscar..."

"Ah yes," said Oscar sympathetically. "Don't worry, Andre. You'll regain your memory soon enough."

Andre gave her a tight smile.

"So... It looks like this time you are my knight in shining armor."

Andre chuckled. "I wouldn't say that. I should've not left you alone during patrol."

Oscar's eye brows raised. "Patrol?"

"Yes, you asked me to escort Count Fersen out of the palace gate so you're left alone. Tell me what happened. Why did you end up in Paris? Did Alain and his gangs tried to kidnap you?"

Oscar looked at him completely lost. "Count Fersen? What are you talking about? I headed to Paris the moment you left for the barrack. I saw this woman who seemed like she's in trouble, she was surrounded by three men wearing the French Guards' uniform. Wait, were these guys Alain and his gangs? I asked them what's going on when all of the sudden this woman stabbed the guy with a red scarf and ran away. So I ran after her and cornered her. She told me the guys were trying to buy her for a night but she refused yet they wouldn't leave her alone. I tried to calm her and ensure her that I would not do her harm, that I am too a woman despite of my clothes. She invited me to her house and offered me a drink." Oscar paused. "It was only after I drank it that I realized this was the same woman who poisoned you in the bar. Yes, I know you were with a woman that night, Belfort. Girodelle told me."

Andre was listening as dread and strange feeling of relief crept within him. "What did you just call me, Oscar?"

Oscar tilted her head. "Belfort? Why am I in my old room?"

Andre grabbed Oscar's face with his two palms and examined her. "Did you just call me Belfort? You know Rose?"

Oscar tried to free herself from his grasp but he ignored it. "What is wrong with you Andre? Of course I know my own daughter. Wait, you know Rose? You mean you've gained your memory back?"

Andre released her and laughed. He was nervous and excited but above all, relief. He was not expecting this but at least now there were two of them. "But I should have known! You were poisoned like I were! My dear Oscar, something happened that I bet not even your bright mind could comprehend."

Oscar looked at him confusedly. "Yes, I realized that I was poisoned like you were. Why did you bring me here and not to our home in Passy?"

"I could not take you to Passy, my dear. It was not my estate."

Oscar's face turned pale. "You are not gambling again, are you?"

"No. I've given you and my late-father my words of honor and I am a man of my words. I cannot take you to Passy, Oscar, because simply I am not Comte de Bourgogne."

Now Oscar looked utterly confused. And whenever she's confused, her anger rose. "Stop playing games, Belfort. Speak clearly."

Andre chuckled. "I am your valet, Oscar. Andre Grandier, at your service, Monsieur de Jarjayes."

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oOo

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"You mean to tell me, that we are now in a parallel world?" Oscar asked again. Andre had fetched a stool and now was sitting beside her bed. She was still lying in her bed with her back on the pillow. She did try, quite stubbornly, to get up but her spinning head would not let her.

"Quite unbelievable, isn't it?" said Andre rethorically.

"And you are my valet?"

Andre cringed. "It appears so. Now now, little countess, do not laugh so merrily!"

"Oh I am looking forward for this," said Oscar between laughter. "But what about Rose?" Oscar's tone suddenly turned serious.

Andre shook his head. "According to Oscar, there is no Rose. And before you wept, chere, Rosalie is very much allve. Grandmother said, yes she is your nanny, she now lived in Paris with her husband, Bernard. Yes yes, Bernard the Black Knight."

"My God! Do you realize how crazy you sound, Andre?"

Andre shrugged. "Crazy, yes. And if you did not come into this... alternate universe... I'd believe I have gone crazy."

"But... how? Why?" Oscar looked at Andre, looking for answer she knew he did not have.

"My guess is that this Oscar or Andre or both must've offended someone so terribly."

Oscar snorted. "You know what they say Andre? A woman's scorn. The reason probably have something to do with you."

"I find it unlikely, Oscar, since it's been five years since I got involved with a woman. Except you, of course. I was considering that maybe it was Oscar's scorn, but now that you're here I do not think that's the case."

Oscar blinked. "You.. Well, I mean, you married me so you could live as an uncommitted bachelor forever. I assume you..."

"Well that is your problem, isn't it? You assumed but never asked."

Oscar fell silent. "Well," she said after some awkward time, "any ideas on how we could go back to our world?"

Andre bit his lower lip. "Well, we can be sure now that the woman indeed poisoned both of us. Maybe she possesed dark magic or something? Maybe we should first find out why are we targetted..."

"Right. So what do we know about... this Oscar and Andre? You said you were my valet?"

"Yes, but apparently we are also good friends. We knew each other since we were 6 and 7, respectively. I used to be your valet when you were the commander of Royal Guards. Then your father enrolled me as your orderly when you decided to transfer to French Guard.(1)"

"So instead of quitting the military life, I joined the French Guard..." said Oscar, she chuckled. "And does this Oscar know anything about the woman who poisoned us?"

Andre shook his head. "No, actually she planned to visit the bar in where I was found unconcious few nights ago. We then met Fersen on patrol, my best guess was he was trying to sneak out of Petite Trianon."

Andre paused to examine Oscar's reaction. But she was indifferent, so he continued, "She asked me to escort him out. And when I came back, I swear it took no more than ten minutes, she was gone. My best guess, again, was those scoundrels kidnapped her. But I have no prove and it didn't explain how she was poisoned and left on the street of Paris."

Oscar had listened attentively. "If this is indeed a parallel world, then maybe it was the same woman I met in Paris... She has rather strange... grey eyes."

"Grey eyes, yes."

"And the reason of why they were targetted probably the same reason why we were targetted... Could it be the Black Knight? He was involved with Duc d'Orleans and his pack of powerful nobility and bourgeousie... Maybe someone found out we had unmasked the Black Knight and want us out of the picture. If so, Bernard and this Rosalie..."

"Are also in danger," Andre cut her. "I better check on them."

Note:

(1) I decided to go with the manga version, where the general asked Andre to join French Guard so he could continue look after his daughter, since I'm more familiar with it.