Prologue

"My Dear," Odétte looked up to see Philippe standing over her. "We have been invited in the King's tour around the gardens."

"Oh," Odétte said finishing her folding of fabric while seat crossed-legged on the wooden floor.

"And you, my sweet are commanded to come too," Philippe helped his maid and friend up off the floor.

"Of course," She, straightened her skirts.

"Come on quickly now," Philippe appeared to be back to himself again. Odétte laughed out loud at her friend's behaviour. Happy that he was somewhat back to normal. "I have the perfect dress for you," Odétte looked down at the blue and white dress that she was wearing. Philippe pulled Odétte into the bedchamber. He picked up the dress from the bed. It was beautiful but simple. The fabric was finer than the dresses Odétte normally wore. It was a rich dark green with very little pattern. "Do you like it?"

"Yes," Odétte whispered. Philippe handed her the dress and pushed her out of the apartment.

"I will see you in an hour and wear a cape," Philippe called out to her.

Odétte ran down towards her room. She stripped and pulled the new dress on fastening the front buttons. She felt the fabric, it was wonderful. She laughed out with a long giggle dancing around the room as she got ready to go out.

Chapter 1

Louis led the tour of the grounds of the palace and up the path towards the new wing of the palace that he wanted to show off to his guests.

"They all arrived this morning?" Louis asked Bontemps.

"Before dawn, sire," Bontemps replied. Louis nodded.

Odétte walked behind Philippe and Rohan.

"This is bigger than I imagined," Rohan said looking in wonder at the sight in front of them. "The King seems content."

Philippe looked back at his maid and then back at Rohan. "My brother loves the tour."

"Later on, I shall take you on a personal viewing of the gardens," Louis called out to his tour. "But first the east wing, extended beyond the original lodge," The guests follow Louis every word. "It is here that you and your families will be accommodated. It is my wish, above all, that you see Versailles not as the royal palace, but as your home, a place of leisure and conversation. A place of joy and light."

"Our shared glory, sire!" shouted a man. Odétte, as well as the rest of the group, looked up to see the man they continued walking towards the building site. "Up here!" the man called again. Louis stopped and so did the party. "What victories have I seen!" the man was standing on wooden scaffolding. "I fought for you at Douai. I lost my eye for you at Besançon."

"For which you will be compensated," Louis said leaning on his stick.

"And how much for my brother, sire?" the man demanded. "Crushed by a stone as he built your walls."

Philippe moved forward to talk with Louis. Louis stopped him short.

"What do you want?" Louis asked the man.

"You said that France would honour its heroes. That was your promise," The man continued. "Lies!" Odétte looked around her. She understood what the man was saying. Many men had died building the palace. The soldiers who had fought for the king were now working themselves to the bone, building palace. Taking orders like soldiers they took orders. She looked down at her fine clothes and felt anger at herself. "We live and die like cattle, work as your slaves. You say you are France. But if you truly were, you'd know our suffering. You'd feel it in your bones, and you'd take the pain away. Others feel our pain, sire. And they are more than worth our loyalty."

Louis turned to Philippe who had been looking at his older brother as the man spoke.

"Come on, soldier. Don't be a fool," another man spoke up to try and help. Fear wrote across his face.

"The king makes fools of us all," the first man shouted. Odétte saw something odd about the rope he was standing on.

"You will come down here at once!" commanded Bontemps motioning to the royal guards forward.

"You wish me to descend, sire?" asked the man calmly with a laugh to his voice. "Very well. As your brother commands!" the man took hold of the end of the rope that was tied in a noose and placed it around his neck.

"No! Don't" Philippe demanded forcefully. The man jumped and the crowd gasped in horror. They watched as the man took his final breathes at the end of the rope mostly in shock. Philippe turned to Odétte who had silent tears marking her face and then to his brother. The tour was ended for today.

Chapter 2

"The man believed he and his fellow soldiers have not been given the honour and respect they earned on the field of battle," Minister Colbert said to the room. Louis seat down listening to his ministers. Odétte quietly stood watching out of the window trying to not think of the poor man who had hung himself in front of them.

"They were soldiers. Do they not now take their orders?" Louis asked darkly.

"Their grievances are many, sire," Minister Louvois spoke up. "Many suffer from injuries sustained at their work that are as yet untreated."

"How many have joined this stoppage?" Louis asked.

"So far 2,000," Colbert said worriedly. "2,000, sire. And unless they return to work, construction cannot continue. The rooms on the second floor are not yet complete and winter is fast approaching. With no lodgings yet to house them, I fear our new arrivals might soon depart."

The room was nervous. Louis rose from his chair.

"Order them back to work and in the meantime, the rest of the builders will continue," Louis ordered. Odétte shook her head.

"I fear not, sire," she spoke at the same time and the same words as Colbert. He took over. "Apparently they, too are refusing to work."

"Why?"

"They claim that working conditions are too harsh. Not enough attention is paid to their safety," Colbert put.

"Is this true?" Louis turned the men around the table.

"We lose half a dozen men per week, sire," Colbert states.

"And many more are injured," Odétte said quietly.

"We have a reckoning of compensation," Colbert finished.

"What will this man's family receive?" asked Louis.

"Nothing, sire. His injuries were self-inflicted," Colbert simply said.

"Pay them anyway," Louis looked over at Odétte who was back to staring out of the window. He saw that she nodded her hand slightly and took it as proof he was correct.

"That may assuage their grief, sire," Colbert spoke again. "But not the anger of the men."

No-one spoke for about a minute as Colbert's words washed over everyone in the room. Louis turned and walked away from the table to stand next to Odétte. The men around the table looked at one and other unsure how to move forward.

"By the age of 30, Alexander the Great created an empire stretching from Greece to India," Louis spoke quietly as if to himself. "But without his men beside him, King Darius would have driven him into the sea," he turned to see everyone looking at him. "Last year we retook the Spanish Netherlands. Soon we shall turn our eyes to Holland. We profit from our trade with the lands of King Annaba, even as the Duc de Cassel bows his head." Louis turned from the window and moved his chair tight to the table. "I will not be pushed into the sea by a builder on a scaffold."

Odétte focused her eye on a bird in the distance. she could see its wings beat hard and then stop and glade through the air. She missed most of what was said in the rest of the meeting. When she next turned back to the room, she was alone with Louis who was watching her.

"My love, I have yet to say how lovely you look today," Louis whispered into her hair as he hugged her tight to him. "I was correct in sharing with my brother what fabric and colour."

"Yes, sire," Odétte looked Louis straight in the eye. "I wish I could have worn it on a better day."

"Shush, my love," Louis kissed her softly on the lips. "Walk with me in the gardens?"

"Of course, sire," Louis took hold of Odétte's hand and guided her into the gardens of the palace.

Louis spotted his head gardener and smiled. The man bowed to Louis with respect.

"You at least do not withhold your labour," Louis said.

"But I am not a builder, sire," the gardener said. Odétte smiled at the man as she stood next to Louis and waved, he waved back. She had spoken with the gardener, Jacques, many times over the last couple of weeks about how she could help Philippe recover from the war.

"But you were a soldier," Louis walked towards the man. "When you fought for me, did you ever encounter rebellion in the ranks?"

"Occasionally, sire," Jacques simply said.

"How did you come by your scar?" Louis stopped pacing to ask.

"War, sire," Jacques said.

"And the other one?" Louis asked.

Jacques looked down as if in shame. He looked up at Odétte who watched the two men. "Rebellion."

Louis nodded and continued to pace. "How did the generals react?"

"That depended on what kind of men they were, sire," Jacques thought about the many generals he had served under. "But I can tell you one thing…." Both men paused and turned to face each other. "The king that brings soldiers to face down soldiers…" he paused again. "Rarely stays king for long," he warned.

Louis walked back to Odétte's side. "I can see no resolution."

"There is one man to whom they might listen to, sire," Jacques offered. Louis sharply turned back to face Jacques. "He has their respect. He fought alongside them," Odétte nodded in understanding. Louis scoffed that this. "Brothers can disagree with each other without opposing one another, sire."

"You were clearly an only child," Louis marched towards Jacques. Odétte let out a giggle thinking about the brother's interactions. "Why do they behave this way?" Louis asked Jacques, changing the subject back to the soldier issue.

"All men lash out, sire," Odétte stated. "When they are in pain." Jacques nodded in agreement. Louis nodded his thanks to the Gardener and rushed Odétte away. They bumped into Bontemps.

"I need to speak with Rohan," Louis commanded. Bontemps nodded. "Go to your master and mistress, my love," Louis told Odétte kissing her on the lips before walking away. Odétte sighed and continued to Philippe's apartments.

Chapter 3

In the evening Odétte heard crying coming from Louise's chambers. She knocked quietly on the door and slowly opened the door.

"My Lady," she whispered into the dark.

Louise was a mess. She was crumpled on the floor staring into the fire which appeared to be the only source of light in the room.

"My Lady," Odétte tried again running towards the lady on the floor. "Are you alright?"

"Why is he punishing me?" Louise asked through tears. Odétte hugged the crying woman close to her.

"I am not sure. I think it because he is fearful that people will turn against him if they leave here," Odétte stated. "He wants as all to feel at home here with him. You are not the only one who wants to leave."

Louise looked up at the young maid. Odétte pulled out a cloth to wrap away Louise's tears. Louise took the cloth and wrapped her face.

"Thank you," Louise said. "I went to him today and he again said no."

Odétte nodded and helped Louise off the cold stone floor. And hugged the lady close to her.

There was a sudden knock on the door. Philippe walked in.

"I am looking for my brother. Have you seen him?" He asked.

"No," Odétte whispered. "I need some help getting her into bed."

Philippe looked down and nodded his head. He gently picked up Louise in his arms and placed her onto her bed. Odétte pulled up the covers to cover Louise who was now sleeping.

Both quietly left the bed chamber and continued the search for the King. Coming to Madame de Montespan's chambers.

"Philippe, the King might be in there. You know…," Odétte tried to say but Philippe ignored her and opened the door. Letting out a sigh she followed him into the room. Montespan was laying on her large bed in a silk dressing gown. As she eat grapes. She looked very pleased with herself.

"What are you doing?" Montespan demanded.

"I am looking for my brother. I thought he would be there," Philippe joked pointing at Montespan's legs. Montespan moved her hand slightly. "Oh…." Philippe dismissed her and walked to the other door in the room. "I know where he is."

"I am very sorry Madame," Odétte curtsied towards Montespan before rushing to follow Philippe.

Philippe and Odétte continued through the palace towards their destination which was Henriette's bed-chamber. They arrived to hear Louis state. "And yet your eyes tell a different story."

Louis was sat on the end of Henriette's bed wearing a gold robe. Henriette looked as if she had just woken up.

"He does this, does' he?" Philippe states. "Waits until you're tired to have the big talk. He's always done it to me. But it's reassuring to know he does it to you, too."

Odétte rushed more into the room to help Henriette up she placed her pillows around her lady to support her back.

"What are you doing up so late?" Louis asked Philippe.

"Me?" Philippe replied. "Oh, I've only just gotten out of bed."

"Some privacy, brother," Louis asked.

"I think you forget where you are," Philippe said.

"I think you forget who addresses you," Louis said back. The brothers stared at each other.

"Boys," Odétte scorned the two men who were acting like children. "You both love her so maybe stop arguing over her. She is a person not a toy or a piece of meat," both men looked at Odétte in shock. "I am tired I have been up far too long, and I really need to sleep. I am done today for cleaning up after the two of you. "

"Did she really do that?" they both asked each other with a smile on their faces.

"I mean it. Both of you out," Odétte ordered the pair out of the bedchamber and closed the door on them.

Behind the door Louis and Philippe looked at each other and laughed. Before they started to argue again. Odétte sighed and rolled her eyes.

"If anyone else did that they would be in a cell by now," Henriette chuckled.

"They need someone to tell them off sometime," Odétte said with a small smile on her face. "This there anything you need my lady?" She asked.

"I am fine, thank you Odétte," Henriette said. "Good night," Odétte curtsied and left the room. She found the two brother's still outside the door.

"Good night," she said and walked past them.