There was once a very rich man. His name was Andre. He was related to Queen Marie Antoinette and was her cousine, his grandfather being her great-uncle. If you continued to follow the family line, Andre was supposed to be King now but his grandfather abdicated to marry his grandmother. Andre bitterly hates the Queen, even though, thanks to the Queen, he was living like an aristocrat.
Down the streets from the Palace of Versailles, a group of paysannes (peasants) wasn't living the best life ever. They had to scavenge for food in the garbage of the aristocrats, which meant they were trespassing. They had filthy, ripped clothes and hardly every had baths. The youngest peasant was Henri and he and his father, Jacques, had a home, if you could call it. Jacques was the same age as Andre and Henri was the same age as Andre's son, Louis.
The peasants and the aristocrats never crossed paths. Everyone outside of France, thought that the aristocrats would help the peasants but no one ever did. But the aristocrats never knew what happened outside palace walls, which is why the French Revolution started.
Henri had stolen enough coins to get some nourriture (food) from the market to bring back to her father and the other peasants. Unbeknownst to him, Louis had broken out of the palace walls and ran to the market too to have an adventure. He had taken some peasants clothing off a laundry line.
Henri reached the bread stall and offered a few coins in exchange for a few pieces of bread. He didn't notice the boy in similar clothes to him hiding behind the next stall, following him.
That boy was Louis. He had noticed Henri and wanted to know what he was doing and Louis wasn't positive but he thought he recognized him.
Henri was of course, not a typical peasant boy. Some peasants were 'richer' than them meaning had more talents in thievery. Jacques was one of them and being the son of one of the greatest peasant thieves meant people were cautious around you. So going to the market was sometimes exhausting.
The woman manning the bread stall eyed Henri," Excusez-moi Monsieur, but are you sure you are droite (right) there?"
"Oui!" Henri snapped. "I'm buying your bread, you should be reconnaissante (grateful), or I will go to the next stall,"
"Pardon me, Monsieur," The Woman bowed.
"Just because my father is Jacques, does not mean you have to be grossiere (rude)," Henri snaps at the woman.
He leaves some coins, snatches the bread and heads back to his 'house'.
Louis follows Henri, hiding behind trees. Before long, Henri gets a feeling that he is being followed. He turns around suddenly and spots Louis.
"Monsieur!" Henri yells. "What are you doing?"
Louis presses a finger to his lips and motions for him to hide behind the tree with him. Henri cautiously follows.
"Who are you?" Henri asks.
Without a word, Louis takes off his face mask.
Henri gasps and fumbles around before remembering to curtsy.
Louis snorts," Stop that nonsense,"
Henri picks himself up," What are you doing here and why are you dressed in peasants clothing?"
So Louis tells him the story of his arrogant father, Andre, his aunt, Queen Marie Antoinette, who he much preferred and his deep desire to run away which he did.
When Henri told him who was Henri's father, Louis gasped.
"Jacques was your father? So your last name is Montforte?" Louis asked.
"What do you mean? That is your last name!" Henri asks, confused.
"Ahh, so your father didn't tell you. Your father is actually my dad's brother," Louis said.
"No! Your dad had only one brother, Pierre and the rest were his sisters!" Henri says, stubbornly.
"No. That was what my dad made everyone believe. If you looked further, Dad had 2 brothers, one of them older, which is Jacques, your father, who ran away. He and Dad had a huge row. Dad bitterly hated Great-Grandpere for abdicating. And he hated your dad for being older than him," Louis paused for breath.
"But 2 of his sister's were older than him," Henri interrupted.
"Yes but my grand-pere didn't approve of his daughters taking the royal throne. Even now, when he talks, its always about my dad and Pierre, or me and my brother, Charles, never about my aunties or sister. I don't think he wanted a daughter. So when your dad was born, my grand-pere was so overjoyed he became the favourite. He got massive celebrations and always got new things. That's what my dad hated. Anyway, when Jacques ran away, my grand-pere found out Jacques had ran away after coming home from a ball. He asked my dad where he was. Dad pleaded ignorance to the whole thing, saying he had no idea. One of the maids, Madeline had heard the row. But she hadn't known who was shouting. Grand-pere never recovered from the experience," Louis paused again. He wiped his eyes,"The next part is hard,"
Henri was silent. Louis continued.
"Grand-pere died," Louis gulped. "And my Grand-mere had died before him. Dad was only 21 years old then. A year later, he married my Mum, Charlotte Evans, now Charlotte Montforte. 2 years later, I was born. And I only found out the truth, last year. Then I wanted to find you. So here I am,"
"You mean I am related you and I should be living in the Palace with you but I am not because of something your father did?" Henri said.
Louis nodded.
"I am-" Henri started.
"Prince Andre dead! Prince Andre dead!" The people in the village yelled.
Louis's colour drained. "What?"
Henri ran to the woman in the bread stall.
She eyed him again. "You again?"
"What happened?" Henri asks.
"You did not hear? Prince Andre was found in many criminal offences and was executed just then," The woman said.
"But that usually happens at midnight," Henri says, scared for his friend.
"Yes. But many people protested saying that they wanted to be awake for it," The woman said."I'm Giselle, by the way,"
"Henri," Henri said, distractedly," Merci,"
He ran back to Louis and told him.
Louis nearly fainted," Dad never told me that. What shall I do? Mum is dead,"
Another gasp arouse.
"Jacques? Jacques?" Everyone was saying.
Henri and Louis ran to Giselle.
Giselle smiled at Henri," Bonjour again. Jacques just said he is the oldest son of Princess Louise- No! You are... Your his son!"
Henri nodded. Giselle looked like she was going to faint.
"And you, who are you?" Giselle says to Louis.
Louis slowly takes of his cloak.
"Prince Louis!" Giselle bows.
At the mention of the prince, everyone surged towards them.
Louis and Henri glanced at one another, looks like life was about to get interesting.
6 months later...
"Make way for Prince Louis, Prince Henri and Prince Jacques!" The guard stood.
Henri and Louis shared a smile. Life indeed had changed in both bad and good ways. While Louis was in grief about his father's sudden death, his life was charmed by his new best friend and cousine Henri. And while Henri was sad to leave his friends in the 'Peasant' Family, he was excited to be a 'Aristocrat'. Henri is one of the people to be an aristocrat and a peasant.
After the French Revolution...
Henri looked at his best friend's and cousine grave and placed some flowers on it. Louis had unfortunately passed away during the battle while Henri was spared. Actually no one lived. Even Jacques, Henri's father had died. But Henri had fled to England and was now back. He looked across at the horizon and remembered The Day. When Louis had saved his life. And now Henri hoped his life was going to be better...
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