Let the Hunted Be Game

Princess Charlotte was a patron not only of the arts, but she enjoyed a good game of hunting.  It was her greatest pleasure to romp around the grounds with his Lordship and make flirtatious moves while receiving his invisible kisses from his hands.  They would gently disengage their muskets and lay down next to the picnic basket with ample space between them.  Rachel lavished the cat and mouse play between the two of them throwing bits of cheese and red grapes that he caught with his mouth.  Also, Rachel enjoyed her front-seat view to their prances.  "Your highness," he always chimed, taking a deep bow with his feathered hat lightly held on his fingers.  "Will you take this moment to spend a minute no more than two to embrace by arms with not a step further to a dance?"  He always gave the most sparking smile with a Van Dyck, which is a narrow pointed beard style combined with a very trimmed goatee and a mustache that waxed out and curled on each side.  His attire consisted of his shapely calves joined by athletic limbs (legs) in white stockings, and his padded plaid hunter-green corset coat.  It was specially made by Rose Bertin, designer to Marie Antoinette, but unlike Princess Charlotte he requested the designer's presence as a man from a wealthy status and title.  Also, he spent as much without a wink from a credit card that seemed to offer an endless appetite of spending.  There was no doubt this gentleman was a student of Latin as he attended the private and distinctive education at Eton College that rimmed the Thames River in London.  He was great as a speaker, and always considered himself the next ruler like many students before him.  Apparently, Princess Charlotte was overly won with his intellect, handsomeness, stature, and charm. 

The Color of Crimson

One morning Rachel was searching for her crimson jacket that was given to her as a present by one of the top designers during an showing.  She searched endlessly in the coffer (chest), since that was the last place of its existence.  It was an extraordinary piece of furniture with carvings of women laying by the stream with flowers in their heads. Besides, it was not unusual for royals in those days to have their castles housing such antique furnishings.  For instance, artwork from artists like Leonardo da Vinci, with statues by Michelangelo, and paintings by Raphael.  As a result, some castles became embedded and over-stuffed by greedy royals.  The socially-inclined would shop with no mercy for all sorts of fashion desires full of romance and tragedy.  "I can't believe it is missing," Rachel wailed, as she rummaged through the chest draws. 

Suddenly, the trumpets were blaring in the corridor which meant the princess was soon arriving.  Rachel abandoned the search for the jacket and with a quick gait, to escort her ladyship from her room.  As she walked picking up the pace with her heavy dress trail floating behind her; she quickly glanced at the antique Venetian painted console.  "Yes, she said to herself, the glow is real."  She blinked her long eyelashes to compliment her reflection in the mirror.  "Absolutely stunning!" a sinister voice all to similar echoed in her ears and woke up the goose bumps down her back.  She turned head slightly to lurching image of  Lord Duluth.  He was leaning in the background of the dark hallway shadows with a grimace on his olive and pointy bearded face.  He was always a nuisance to her lady-in-waiting.  He quietly smacked his lips with satifaction as he observed her little, perfectly-lined, soft, and perched lips.  It was formed like a rosebud, with the top a bit smaller than the bottom.  Also, her lips were painted with red, allowed by her highness who thought of Rachel’s status almost as equal to royalty.  Rachel had no time today or any other to focus on the possible schemes of Lord Duluth.  He was never to be trusted.  Those words came directly from Princess Charlotte.  She reminded Rachel every morning, with a pressed smile from the tight grip of her lips, while powdered for the day's appearances. 

Unlike other lady-in-waiting personnel, Princess Charlotte demanded that Rachel represent her royal highness image to the fullest.  So Rachel was allowed to apply white paint to her face, with large streaks of rouge (red powder) on her cheeks, and a beauty patch that was a fake dotted mole.  Interestingly, royals and aristocrats showed their status and title wearing these type of cosmetics.  Earlier, Rachel supervised a team of staffers by observing and instructing the toilette (daily ceremonial dressing, which is for important persons such as royalty).  Also, Rachel circled the noisy crew of makeup artists and stylists who completed their duties pampering Princess Charlotte's face.   It was a normal fashion to fuss loudly while they properly fitted Princess Charlotte into her attire (clothes).  Sometimes the process was too ridiculous for Rachel who had no choice in the rules of the arrangements that was centuries old.  But, her orders were a lifelong commitment to serve in the house of Gwinfold the royal family's surname and crest.

Coins and Bells

It was midday as the chimes of the bell rang out the 50th person who decided to take a leap off the St. Charleslove Bridge. It was named after the princess' uncle who was a romantic encouraging marriages to be witnessed on the cast iron bridge; part of the new technology for those days in the late 1770s.  Wealthy lovers taking their marital vows would ride in blinged out chariots over the bridge or those of poor standing would carry their bride over it. Alas, unemployment was at its highest at 150% as the economy shook no more eggs out of a chicken than the chances of it laying a golden one. Work was scarce as the bad weather twisted its tears onto the villagers’ lives. As a result, the supply for bread, eggs, even goat milk was depleted. Dogs were showing their teeth at passerbys for hunger was the only language they had come to accept. Even some villagers chewed the bones of the underweight morsels of the day's hunt or catch. The king called his ministers to his chamber and demanded one sentence to describe, and end the famine or they would all face some type of torture. So with haste, the counselors scrambled over each other running like mice in different directions. He was a burly man usually full of laughter with rolling rosy cheeks, which now was cold as stone. He blamed the greediness of the merchants plunging his people into the crises as they were guilty of embezzlement. The guillotine was swinging in full motion, weeding them out of the land. The king was very sensitive to the needs of others. As a young prince he would tour the lands and take inventory of the supplies low in demand, vowing to never allow his people to suffer. Once in a good while, he would sprinkle the currency of gold coins off his balcony to those that appeared without shame and pride.  Princess Charlotte, a natural at deception, would be disguised as a poor peasant trying to regain what her father the king would toss.  But she never caught a coin as the crowd was too heavy with demand as greed consumed their minds.  So her little petite frame would be pushed out of the way. It was all role play for her highness, but of no consolation to Rachel who no longer wanted to be part of her games.

How to Catch a Thief

The sun rubbed its shine on the princess' forehead causing her to grab the pile of silky pillows to cover her face. It was not unusual in those days for the royals of any family to stay out of the sun as much as possible to avoid any type of facial distortion. A wrinkle can cause a stir as gossip is always the townspeople best friend. Rachel was already standing foot and hand at her highnesses command as she stroked her forehead with a cool basin of methanol water. "Oh, my," Princess Charlotte moaned "where's the blooming courier with the morning mail?" she chirped. With her tasks in order Rachel addressed "My lady and grand highness it is with pleasure to inform you that all inquiries from your father has been replied, just as you requested," Rachel quickly stepped two steps back into her spot. "How do we suppose the jewels be returned back to my king's box?" The night before both Rachel and Princess Charlotte snuck away to attend the ball of an enemy of the king where she was the grand entrée. "It has been done my grace," Rachel replied. It was the ruffling of the night before daylight when Rachel suspected that the jewels were repossessed by the person assigned the task to take the jewels how they were received...through the castle window. "A thief of a thief never knows the mind of the thief they hired to do the thieving."

Current Affairs

Breakfast was served in her highness' bed with soft boiled eggs in the Farbgoblets that were decorated in pink and white lace. The porcelain plates were all original by design with gold and silver trimmings dripping around the surface. Her gold drinking glass was lathered in rubies, emeralds and pearls with her scribbled initials inside. Once they are within view, she would know to stop sipping. Each of the eating utensils had charms with encrusted diamonds and balls of gold that jingled as she ate her food that was perfectly arranged food on the plate. Rachel stood hand and foot wiping any signs that food had escaped from out of her highness' mouth. Embroidered napkins with the family crest surrounded this tiny image (of about 15 years of her ladyship) around the bed. She feared anything dropping onto the nicely sewn expensive linens and quilts is a form of bad luck. Especially since she did her entertaining with her lordship sometimes playing chess into the early mornings. Her tray was stable like a well-behaved child on her lap. The legs on the tray were carved in pewter like the feet of a raven. It gripped the sheets just enough to not leave a mark. She treasured this part of the tray most of all as a naturalist that loved bird watching from her oval shaped bedroom window. It was a grand occasion performed every day for the last 5 years of Rachel's service to Princess Charlotte. The excitement of serving the royal brat of house was no longer entertaining. As they both grew into the women the would be for the rest of their lives deep-level of abilities were starting to form. How they valued life and the emotions that burst between the thoughts would probably cost them both dearly. So like composed and polite individuals they continued to keep their real opinions of each other to themselves. Rachel was beginning to focus more on her father's health and the highnesses' disrespectful and heartless ways that she was asked to keep in silence. Rachel stiff as a corpse stood watch as the last serving was engulfed by the princess who usually would nimble her food. Rachel trembled inside as she was the conspirator to the highness' troubles. Her only evidence of defying the royal house orders was a reminder of the gauzy ball gown made by Rose Bertin (who became the most famous French designer). Sometimes the designer would sneak Leonard who was an infamous hairdresser from Paris to assist with the princess' hairdos. The gown was tossed slightly over the back of the princess' Rococo French style chair. Also she was a devoted patron of the musician Gluck (like many in those days). She also fiddled with the harp when alone in the garden with Rachel at her side. This was her only escape from the messy ventures the princess dragged her into, pleasing her royal selfish needs.

Call of the Night

There was a rustling sound of leaves outside the high arched castle window that faced the north side of the courtyard. It was too dark to see who may have been down below, so Rachel reached for her matches to light the lantern that stood in the corner of the princess' room. She quickly pranced in her soft pink satin slippers making sure not to rouse the sleeping (so it seemed), but snoring highness. Princess Charlotte had the tendency to sneak into the room of her lover Lord Randolph who was also a distant family member. Rachel took dignity in her and the princess' image. Whether it was in the daytime or nighttime, assuming her role as to serve her ladyship meant composure and elegance, even in the most difficult situations. Her neck stretched like a swan in the lake, careful not to tilt her headdress that was designed with encrusted "bling bling." Yes, it was a bit unusual for someone of her status to be allowed to dress as if she was also royalty, but the princess would have it no other way. Rachel is a lady-in-waiting, a commoner, the daughter of a farmer who owed debt. He exchanged a lifetime service of his daughter to the princess. Rachel became her confidant, protector, personal stylist, and friend when needed. If the princess didn't need her friendship on any particular day it was well-stated. But, it was her oath to make sure the Princess did not fall victim to any untimely situations that she had not been consulted. Prestige and honor was the game played everyday in the court. Royal designer trends (as many in those days) caused the most utmost friction between various houses as competition to standout was fierce. The most lavish rugs, furs, dresses, knickers (panties), overcoats, robes, shoes, hair accessories (especially combs) boots, gloves, headdress, bed and linens, carriages--even the wheels were rimmed with jewels. With confirmation that it was probably the wind, Rachel returned back into the bed with the Princess. It was her place to stay on guard 24-hours a day, even if it meant sleeping with her back towards her highness under feather piled-high luxurious imported sheets from India.