#Comtesse Giselle Du Lac

[theroyalthornoliachronicles]

Manoir de Montavin: 01 Juin 1850, 10:30

Comtesse de Montavin: Pardonnez-moi...

Comtesse de Montavin: Have you see le Comte?

Footmen: Oh...uhm...Non, Madame.

Footmen: Excusez-moi. [Rushes Away]

Comtesse de Montavin: Oh...Wait!

Marquis de Montavin: Giselle? Is that you?

Marquis de Montavin: Ah...bonjour.

Comtesse de Montavin: Bonjour, Monsieur.

Marquis de Montavin: [Chuckles] Phillipe, s'il vous plaît. How are you, ma chère? Did you sleep well?

Comtesse de Montavin: Oui...Phillipe, I am well...though, I was looking for Gaston.

Marquis de Montavin: I see...

Comtesse de Montavin: Is...is this normal? I asked one of the footmen and he didn't seem to have an answer. Much less want to give one...

Marquis de Montavin: It's not...necessarily uncommon...

Comtesse de Montavin: Oh? I'm not sure I-

Marquis de Montavin: I wouldn't fret, ma chère. I'm sure he's out riding. He and Oliver are known to have morning rides from time to time, and with today being Oliver's birthday, I'm sure he went to join him before the festivities tonight.

Comtesse de Montavin: I suppose it's decent of him to spend time with le Monseigneur.

Marquis de Montavin: You'll soon find those two are as close as brothers. Now, can I interest you in a tour of the estate? There's still some time before we should all prepare for the evening.

Comtesse de Montavin: I...that sounds lovely, Phillipe...Merci.

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[theroyalthornoliachronicles]

Manoir de Montavin: 31 Mai 1850, 11:45

Marquis de Montavin: The weary travellers return! Bienvenue!

Comte de Montavin: Père.

Marquis de Montavin: I trust you both enjoyed a lovely time away?

Comtesse de Montavin: Oui, Monsieur.

Marquis de Montavin: Call me Phillipe, s'il vous plaît. We are now family, after all.

Comtesse de Montavin: Of course...Phillipe. Pardonnez-moi, I am tired after such a long journey and I'd like to rest.

Marquis de Montavin: Oui, oui. Duval will show you to your rooms.

Comtesse de Montavin: Merci. [Leaves]

Marquis de Montavin: Is she alright?

Comte de Montavin: Honestly. You forced us into this arrangement. How do you expect her to feel?

Marquis de Montavin: You have no one to blame but yourselves on that score, mon fils. But may I offer you a piece of advice?

Comte de Montavin: [Scoffs] If you must.

Marquis de Montavin: Allow your marriage the opportunity to grow.

Comte de Montavin: ...That's your advice?

Marquis de Montavin: When I married votre mère, we were both dreadfully unhappy.

Comte de Montavin: Quoi? You've never said this before. You're telling me yours was an arranged marriage?

Marquis de Montavin: Son père was a powerful man, but a man prone to gamble. That addiction put him into substantial debt with mon père, and the only way he could settle that debt was with the dowry of his eldest daughter. It was an unfortunate circumstance. Neither of us wanted anything to do with the other, which continued to carry on for years after we were married. Eventually, she decided to come to me. You see, she was always so clever at avoiding me I rarely knew we were under the same roof. So the day she suddenly appeared in my study startled me. But she came offering me a gift, a small portrait of myself she'd painted...the very one that hangs in my study today. It was...an olive branch...to reconcile our unhappiness.

Comte de Montavin: Why are you telling me this?

Marquis de Montavin: You need to realise situations change. The two of you may be unhappy with your lot now, but there may come a day when one of you find a way to extend your own olive branch. The day votre mère offered me that portrait...it was the day I fell in love with her.

Comte de Montavin: [Sighs] I doubt this will apply to our situation.

Marquis de Montavin: You think it now, but how will you know unless you try? Now come inside, it looks as if it might rain at any moment.

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