Story timeline: Oscar has gone to the ball in a dress a short time ago
Characters: mainly Oscar and André : I don't own these characters
Fandom: Rose of Versailles
Original author: Peach
Where to find the original version: excessfanfiction, romance
…
Chapter three
Even while clearly seeing the particular kiss, Amber didn't seem convinced and went to them. Before she arrived, Oscar whispered in the ear of a still very dreamy André.
O: "I beg you! Please play along."
A: "…Hm hm" was the only thing André managed to utter, still lost in his own world.
Amber arrived at the place they were standing.
O: "So, do you believe me now?"
Am: "I'm not convinced. Are you bluffing?"
O: "Not at all! Isn't it, André?"
A: "…"
Am: "He seems a little weird today."
O: "Probably he's just shocked because of our kiss. We had decided we'd keep our relationship a secret here, but our love is too strong." Said Oscar, bringing herself closer to André.
Am: "Really? And how about Father, is he informed of your 'so-called' idyll?"
O: "Is Father informed you're cheating on your husband with several lovers?"
Am: "… It was an easy choice for you to pick André. He's so devoted to you that he would never dare to do something that could harm you in any way and everybody knows it. That kiss was obviously a fake one!"
O: "You're only saying that because you're jealous."
Am: "No. What I'm saying is, your kiss didn't resemble a true lovers' kiss."
O: "Enough! André and me need some space, excuse us for a minute."
Am: "There will be a moment you'll betray yourself, my dear Oscar, and from that day on, you'll never be able to claim André is your lover again." Smirked Amber.
O: "I'm not afraid of you."
Am: "I'll have you cornered before the end of this week."
O: "You can always dream you could."
Oscar dragged André to an isolated spot. In the meantime, he, his head spinning from all those confused thoughts, hadn't listened at all to Oscar's conversation with Amber. All he could remember, were those sweet lips that kissed his. When they had arrived on a quiet place, Oscar checked the surroundings to make sure Amber hadn't followed them.
O: "It's alright now. We're alone now." She turned back to André. "What's the matter? You have a weird expression."
André approached Oscar and lowered his face to kiss her. She pushed him away.
O: "Stop it!"
André didn't listen to her and pulled her against him, kissing her again, even more passionately now. Oscar managed to break free a short time later.
O: "Have you gone crazy? What do you think you're doing?"
A: "What do you mean 'crazy'? It's you who kissed me first."
O: "But for me, it's different."
A: "What? Why? Tell me why."
O: "…"
A: "Oscar, are you hiding something from me?"
O: "…"
A: "Oscar, I know you. Don't keep everything inside. Please tell me."
So Oscar told André everything without forgetting a single detail.
A: "YOU'VE MADE THEM THINK I'M YOUR LOVER?" André yelled angrily.
O: "Shhhhht! Stop shouting like that! Nobody has to know the truth."
A: "YOU ARE… You're totally crazy. What folly has driven you to say such a thing?"
O: "I told you I would lose temper one of these days and… well, it happened."
A: "Yes, but…, why me? I'm not the only man on earth, you know."
O: "Your name was the only one I could think of at that moment, and it had to be convincing."
A: "So… what will we do now?"
O: "What do you mean, what are will we do?"
A: "Oscar, this little comedy of you has lasted long enough! Go tell Amber you lied to her!"
O: "Never! She'd be way to happy to win this!"
A: "Win? Win what?"
O: "The right to make a fool out of me, as she does each time when I'm in her company."
A: "Make a fool out of you? But she has her reasons I suppose. In her case, it will probably be jealousy."
O: "I know, but for once, I'd like to be the one laughing last. Please help me, I don't want to tell her the truth."
André couldn't resist her. One would have the impression she was a helpless little girl asking for some help."
A: "…Alright, Oscar! I want to help you. What do you suggest?"
O: "We could… play along."
A: "No, I can't do that!"
O: "But… why?"
A: It's not right to play with one's emotions. Sooner or later, we'll both suffer because of it.
O: "Please, André. It's just for a couple of days."
A: "I'm sorry Oscar! But I really can't do this."
He couldn't do this! He couldn't act as if he loved her, when in reality he was head over heels in love with her. If he had accepted, he would have behaved himself as a true lover, but Oscar would only put on an act, and to see her pretending to have feelings for him would have made him suffer beyond comparison.
O: "…Very well. I've understood! I'll go tell Amber the truth."
Oscar was about to leave, when André suddenly grabbed her arm.
A: "Oscar, wait!"
O: "…"
A: "… Alright, I'll do it! I'll play the role of being your lover."
Oscar thanked him, and showed him her most radiant smile. Ah! Her smile! He would have killed somebody just to see her smile like that once again. Even if his heart would greatly suffer, knowing that smile was meant for him, only him, was worth all the pain in the world.
Morgane suddenly approached them.
Mo: "André! Oscar!"
O: "What is it, Morgane?"
Mo: "I'm happy I've found you two."
O: "What happened? You seem totally out of breath."
Mo: "Oh! I wanted to tell you André is more than welcome to join our table to eat together with us."
O & A: "What?"
Mo: "Yes, we've all discussed it together, and in the end, who cares if André is a commoner or not. Seeing you love him, he should be with us. After all, he's a little our brother-in-law now. So, what do you think?"
O: "I don't know… what do you think, André?"
A: "Euh! Your invitation has deeply moved me, and I would gladly join the table to take my meals with you. I am honored you've thought about me."
Mo: "You should rather say those words to Amber! It was her idea. Well, I'll leave you two alone. Don't let yourselves get carried away too much, love-birds, it will soon be dinnertime!
Oscar and André looked nervously at each other. What was Amber planning to do?
During that time, Angélique had gone to tell her mother and Granny about it.
MrsJ & G: "WHAT?"
An: "Oscar has sworn to us that André is her lover. Is that true?"
MrsJ: "Of course it's not, isn't that obvious. They're only friends, nothing more."
An: "I already had my doubts, to be honest! Luckily, Amber hadn't thought yet of going to ask some of you directly."
G: "But why did you come to tell us?"
An: "Because I want you two to play along."
MrsJ: "What? You want us to act as if André and Oscar are lovers? Why?"
An: "Because it's time we learn Amber a good lesson. Oscar's idea isn't half bad, and to attack somebody on a domain you're not familiar with yourself, asks a lot of courage. And, if Oscar and André manage to be credible, Amber will have lost."
MrsJ: "I that case, I'll do as you say. I'll keep the truth silent! It is true it might be a good idea to teach Amber the world doesn't evolve around her."
An: "And you, Granny?"
G: "Count me in."
An: "Good! Then let's go eat now. The following days promise to be particularly interesting."
…
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.