3

December 18th, 1804

It was a white dress with elegant lacing and gold trimming. I couldn't tie the corset and eventually stepped out and let the maid do it. She seemed pleased to be doing something. We didn't speak. It felt odd having another girl dress me. But this was the noble way. If I was going to blend in, I had to act proper.

She sat me down on the bench and brushed out my unruly hair until it was soft. The maid gave me new slippers and then led me back downstairs. Louis was sitting on one of the couches in the sitting room. He was eating a small sandwich.

"Are you hungry, Sophie?" Louis asked, as the maid shut the door behind me. I stepped forward and took a sandwich from a silver platter. I took a tiny bite. The bread was delicous. The meat and cheese was divine. Papa tried his best to trade for delicacies like that, but my step-mother's medicinal herbs costed so much at market. I savored every bite, afraid I would wake up from this dream.

"Why do they want to kill us?" I asked, sitting next to Louis. The platter of sandwiches sat on a table in front of us.

"We have claim to the throne. If the people, particularly the Catholics, discover we are alive, they could revolt again," Louis said. "It is a logical argument but it is not good for us."

I nodded, taking another bite.

"You look lovely," Louis said.

"I feel as though this is all just a fantasy," I sighed. "I'll go to sleep tonight and wake up back in my bed."

"I assure you. This is anything but a dream," he said, a morbid tone in his voice. I finished off the little sandwich and the door opened. This time a young man in a suit similar to Louis' stepped in.

Louis rose from the couch and I did the same, trying to dust the crumbs off my fingers, on my dress.

"Louis," the man said, smiling. He looked to be Louis' age. Louis walked to him and shook his gloved hand.

"I'm afraid my sister and I have had to forgo many formalities, Henri," Louis said. He turned to face me and held out a hand to me. Henri's green eyes were on me, looking me over. His facial expression softened quickly.

"Miss Sophie," he said, with an elegant bow. I curtsied like I had seen the noblewomen do in the streets.

"Hello," I said.

"Louis, I must say this is a pleasant surprise," Henri said, turning back to speak with my brother. I watched Henri and saw his eyes sneak glances at me while he spoke. "We weren't expecting you until tomorrow."

"We encountered a man on the road. I made the decision to come here first," he said.

"I am glad you are here. Did you get dinner? Tea?" Henri was proving to be an excellent host.

"Of course. Your staff has taken great care of us," Louis said.

"There is an excellent show about to begin in the ballroom," Henri said. "We can discuss business later, Louis. For now, let us enjoy entertainment."

Henri opened the door and the three of us stepped into the entryway. We went to the second door on the right, which was a grand ballroom, in the shape of an L.

"This is beautiful," I mused. No one heard me of course. To them, this was probably commonplace, maybe even mundane. The high ceilings were adorned with chandeliers. In the middle of the room was a piano. A man sat before it and a woman in an elaborate dress stood in front of it, one gloved hand resting on it. Her posture reminded me to correct my own. A few chairs were set up before the performers and most were filled, except for three. We took our seats, me between the two men.

I looked up at Henri before the singer began to belt out an opera piece. He looked down at me. His eyes were a very bright green. It was distracting and enchanting.

But I turned my focus back towards the singer.

"Hello," I heard him whisper. Only I could hear him.

"Hello," I whispered back.

"I'm Henri."

"Sophie."

"My princess," he said. That took me back a little. My heart fluttered.

"Hardly," I whispered.

"I am excited that you're staying here," he said.

"I am as well," I said.

"I hope you're not lying," he said, lightly.

"Of course not," I said. The song continued on, her voice only growing louder.

"I'd like to give you a tour later," he said. "If you're not too tired. I will have to speak to your brother for some time though first."

"I would love that," I said. He looked at me, a smile on his face. I couldn't help but smile back.

His eyes glanced back at the opera singer.

"And Miss Sophie?"

"Yes," I said, almost a little too excited.

"You've got a little speck of dirt under your chin." He smiled as I rubbed furiously at the dirt.

This morning I had woken up on a lumpy mattress in a freezing room, my step-mother crying about her pain.

Tonight I was a princess, listening to opera beside a nobleman and my long-lost brother.

We stayed silent for the rest of the performance, me out of shock, Henri out of respect.