Je T'aime. - Chapter 2: Chapter 2

I was awoken by bright sunlight in my face. Pia was already in my room, and had pulled open the curtains. I groaned and rolled over, throwing the covers over my head. "Come on, Christina, rise and shine," Pia came over and pulled the covers off of me. "Let's go, get up."
I lazily pulled myself out of bed and stood up. I stretched, throwing my hands over my head. "Ugh, I need a coffee."
"You can get one downstairs. I was told to get you dressed as soon as possible. Maybe if you wash your face first, that'll get you going."
I went over to the wash basin and splashed my face with fresh, cold water. "Did you have to wake up this early when you lived on the farm, Pia?" I asked. I always liked Pia's stories from her childhood on a farm in the countryside. She had moved to the palace to work after her father died four years ago. At that time I had outgrown the nursery and my governesses, and was given my own apartments. Pia and I were of similar age and personality, so she became my handmaiden. We had been close ever since.
"Well, yes," she replied. "Even earlier sometimes. The chickens get hungry, the cows need to be milked. And they don't have a drop of patience in all of their bodies."
I began to dress myself, lacing up my stays and putting on my panniers. As Pia got my gown ready, I looked out the window at the courtyard below, and the city beyond. The cobblestone courtyard was empty now, but soon it would be filled with carriages and carts containing luggage, close friends brought along, and Isabella herself.
Once I was dressed and my hair was done, Pia admired me in the mirror. "Oh, you look so pretty! I'm sure that you could impress pretty much anyone, maybe even Prince Albert," Pia said with a cheeky wink.
"I'm not really trying to get a proposal out of him, Pia. Besides, he's back in Poland with his father. We've been writing ever since he went back in March." I tried to explain.
Pia gave me a confused yet amused look. "If you want him, you're going to have to hurry up. He's a nice-looking man. Very sweet, too. A little socially awkward, but that's part of the charm. If you don't get to him soon someone else is going to scoop him up, mark my words."
"He's not high enough in rank to be the focus of anyone I'm too concerned about. I don't want to get married right now, anyways. Let's focus on Joseph and Isabella today, Pia. It's their marriage today, not my non-existent one."
I went downstairs, where my family was all together in the grand foyer. A butler came around and served me a cup of coffee and a few pastries. "Good morning, Mimi," said my mother, the Empress. My father sat next to her with Maxmilian on his knee. "Don't you look lovely!"
"Thank you. Is the Princess close?" I glanced over at Joseph, who was standing by the window, watching out like some sort of princely sentry.
Joseph broke his trance and turned away from the window. "A pageboy came by and said she entered the city half an hour ago. She's going on a tour of the city, so it may be a while." He turned back to the window again and continued to stare.
My fifteen-year-old brother Charles scowled from his seat. "You know, Joey, we have guards. You don't need to watch out like that."
"Shut up, Charles. When she arrives, I want to be the first one to see her."
Charles huffed and sank back into his chair with a roll of his eyes. I could see the stress that was building within Joseph. I walked over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'm surprised you're not pacing."
"I'm so nervous I don't even think I can pace," Joseph replied. Subtly he shook off my hand. "Here, would you like to see her?" From under his waistcoat he pulled out a miniature portrait on a gold chain. It showed a beautiful young woman in a blue dress holding a basket of flowers. She had deep brown eyes and dark hair that was put up messily. Perched on a crown set behind her was a blue and gold macaw. As soon as I had a glance at the portrait, Joseph put it away again.
"Aw, Joseph, she's so pretty!"
Joseph smiled slightly before turning back to the window. "Today's the day my life changes forever. Maybe almost as important as the day I'm crowned, whenever that day will be. I'm meeting my wife. I'm finally getting to see her." He took a deep breath and checked the time on his pocket watch.
My father clasped my mother's hand in his. "You remember our wedding, don't you Theresa?"
My mother sighed nostalgically. "Yes, Franz, I do. And ours was more political than anything. But we've gotten along pretty well, don't you think?"
My father motioned to all of us. "Well enough to have all of these children!"
A guard came up the hall. He doffed his hat and bowed deeply. "Your Majesties, the Princess's carriage has just passed the gate."
Joseph left the window and opened the door. We all arranged ourselves in front of the door and waited for the Princess's carriage to arrive. Stone-faced guards stood all around us, bayonets fixed. We stood there in silence. The only sounds were the distant barking of a dog and the clack of hooves on cobblestone. Isabella's baggage train was longer than I had ever seen. Carriages, carts, and mounted escorts stretched out in a line that still reached into the city.
Antonia tugged on my dress. "Is she coming, Mimi?"
"Yes, yes. She'll be here soon," I glanced over at Joseph, who was wringing his hands. Liesl and I made eye contact. We were both watching him. Liesl just shrugged. I wanted to try to calm his nerves, but I knew anything I did wouldn't help.
The minutes of silence dragged on insufferably. All I could do was watch the bridegroom wring his hands. Finally, the Princess arrived. Her carriage was made of a shiny silver with illustrations of beautiful landscapes on the sides. Four black horses wearing large plumes of white feathers pulled the carriage along. It was bordered by guards in French uniforms on elegant steeds, large swords hanging from their hips. The carriage came to a halt, and two footmen stood on either side of the door. They opened the door, and out came my mother's ally, the aging Prince Joseph-Wenzel of Lichtenstein. "Your Majesties," he said with a flourishing bow before stepping to the side of the carriage's door.
Finally, Princess Isabella emerged. She wore a gown of emerald green and powder pink, and blush-colored roses were tucked in her hair. She was a beautiful woman- she had a soft-featured face, pale skin, and a rounded nose. Her eyes were wide, calf-like and colored like chocolate. Her hair wasn't powdered, dark brown colored, and surprisingly perfect for the long journey she had just completed. She looked like she had fallen from Heaven, but her expression looked like she had seen the deepest Hell. My heart filled with pity. The poor girl was miles and miles away from home. Her face was weighted with a tired look of melancholy. Taking hold of the arm of the prince, she gracefully stepped out of the carriage and took her first step on Austrian soil.
Once she had both feet on solid ground, Isabella curtsied deeply to my parents. Her curtsy was perfect, and of the French style. "Your Imperial Majesties, it is a pleasure to finally meet you." My mother and father exchanged glances, and my mother hummed in impressment.
Joseph stepped forward and took Isabella's hand, kissing her knuckles lightly. "Isabella. Finally, you're here."
Isabella smiled, pink spreading across her cheeks. "You must be Joseph."
"Indeed I am. Welcome to Schönbrunn," Joseph stated.
Isabella looked up at the palace in amazement. "It's beautiful."
"And these are my siblings," Joseph held out his finger to point each of us out as he went down the line. "Anna, Christina, Elisabeth, Charles, Amalia, Leopold, Johanna, Josepha, Carolina, Ferdinand, Antonia, and Maximilian."
"It seems I have a lot of names to remember," commented Isabella.
We all let out a soft laugh. That was a comment we got quite a lot. "Here, Isabella, come with me. I'll show you to your apartments," stated my father, motioning for her to follow him inside.
Isabella curtsied to the prince that escorted her. "Thank you for all of your help and guidance, Your Highness. I don't think I could have made it here without you."
The aging Prince beamed. "What, after being crammed in a carriage with you all the way from Parma I don't even get a hug?" Isabella happily allowed Wenzel to wrap her in a paternal-natured embrace. "Goodbye, Izzy. Now you write, promise?" Isabella nodded before turning towards my father.
Isabella followed my father inside dutifully, making sure to keep a step or two behind. She turned with a soft smile before she stepped inside. "I'll see you soon, Joseph."
Joseph stuttered through a response of "Of- of course." He stood completely still, watching her go until he was out of sight.
My mother ordered for the footmen to unload the Princess's belongings. As I went back inside, my sisters caught up to me. "Did you see that girl?" exclaimed Marianna, taking ahold of my arm. Her back was hurting her again. "What a gem!"
"The grandest jewel in the crown of the King of France," commented Liesl.
I replied, "She's very beautiful. Did you see the way Joseph was staring at her? He's head over heels for her."
"And so dutiful! She must have read royal etiquette like the Bible," said Marianna.
Liesl added, "No court is stricter than Versailles. If she ever visited her grandfather, she would have known manners like the back of her hand. But judging by that accent, she must have spent more time with the late King Philip. A Spanish girl from Italy with a French mother, married to a Austrian prince. How interesting."
Hundreds of pairs of eyes were on my siblings and I as we entered the Augustinian Church, the royal cathedral and monastery. Whispers echoed against the high ceilings of the holy space, but they didn't bother me anymore. Whispers had been following me ever since I was old enough to listen. People overlooked us from the balconies, and organ music filled the air. I took my place near the altar between Marianna and Liesl. My parents, I noticed, were wearing their imperial jewels. Hundreds of candles lit the medieval-built church, and the black-cloaked monks that served as the sextons quietly prayed against the western wall.
The room suddenly went silent. I turned to see the bride and groom walking down the aisle, courteously hand in hand at the fingertips. Joseph was nearly dripping with metals of the state, a red sash of royalty across his chest. And to his left, his beautiful bride. She wore a petticoat of rosy pink and a française of white silk weaved with golden thread. Three pink bows crossed her golden stomacher, and a tight necklace of pearls was wrapped around her neck. A veil of white lace hid her face from the crowd, but I could still see her from where I was standing. The poor girl, she looked miserable. I assumed she was just tired, overwhelmed, and homesick. Heaven knows I would be.
Joseph and Isabella kneeled on velvet cushions before the bishop. The bishop smiled down nostalgically at Joseph. He was the man who had christened and confirmed him. The limp, bloodied body of a tortured Christ overlooked the couple from beneath his crown of thorns. A statue of the Holy Mother cradling her child was just below him, leafed in gold and flanked by her son's body and blood. Isabella twisted her rosary over and over between her fingers. The bishop began to speak in his heavily German accented Latin as he held his hands up to the heaven over the couple. The bishop served communion to the two before pronouncing them husband and wife.
The crowd exploded into cheers and applause. Still tenderly holding her husband's hand, a blushing Isabella faced the rows of her future subjects. As the couple turned to leave the church, Isabella stopped in her tracks. Letting go of her husband's hand, Isabella stepped towards my mother and curtsied deeply before her. As the bride passed I exchanged a glance with my mother. "I like her," she said, nearly to herself. "A good girl for my Joseph. How I wish her mother was here to see her."
That evening, it seemed as if everyone in the entire palace had crowded into the large state room. The wedding banquet had begun. Only the royal family was permitted to sit at the table. My parents sat at the head, Joseph next to my father and Isabella next to my mother. Courtiers, who once mingled at court with all of us, took on their traditional roles of stewards and cup-bearers in black silk robes. The table was covered with a white linen cloth, and solid gold silverware was set out for each one of us, which sparkled in the candlelight. I saw that there was an empty chair next to Isabella. "Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
Isabella looked up at me with a sweet smile. "No, go right ahead. You're Christina, right?"
"That's me!"
"Good, I keep getting Johanna and Josepha mixed up, but never you," Isabella commented as I sat down.
My mother tapped her fork against her plate gently. "Do you see this tableware, Isabella?"
"I do," said the bride. "It's very beautiful."
"It's all yours," replied my mother. "Your wedding gift from Franz and I. Look," she showed Isabella the bottom of her plate. Engraved was an image of the interlocking initials I and J, surrounded by vines and blossoming flowers. On the bottom it read,
To the Crown Princess Isabella, from the Empress Maria Theresa and the Emperor Franz Stephen. October 6th, 1760
"I can't thank you enough, Your Majesty. It's wonderful. I love it."
"You're welcome. But no gift can be greater than the stories I have of Joseph when he was a toddler," my mother said with a wink.
Joseph's eyes went wide from across the table. "Mama-"
Isabella smiled mischievously. "Do tell." Mama began to tell a story I had heard many times before about Joseph running into a court ball butt naked as a 2 year old, followed by his flustered governess.
My attention drifted from Isabella's laughter and Joseph's flustered face to a black-robed cupbearer coming towards me. "Here you are, Your Highness," he said, setting a golden cup of red wine in front of me.
I looked up and immediately recognized his blue-gray eyes. "Albert? I thought you were visiting your father in Poland!"
Albert grinned. "Stay in bitter old Poland and miss the grandest wedding of the century? I think not. Besides, a little birdie said there's going to be a ride and hunt as part of the celebrations. I'd love to beat you in a race once more," he teased.
I scoffed, taking a sip of my wine. "Oh, please. Gladiator comes from a long line of brilliant horses. That day, you just got lucky."
"Well," Albert replied. "You'll just have to wait and see. I can see you eating my dust already." He winked, and I could only shake my head in playful disgust.
As soon as Albert left, Isabella turned to me. "Who was that?" she asked in her Spanish-accented German.
"Prince Albert of Saxony," I replied. "The son of King Augustus of Poland."
Isabella nodded. "Ah, I see. Is he courting you?"
"No, no," I said. "We're childhood friends. He's too low in status for me anyways. But he is handsome, isn't he?"
"Well, I'm married now," Isabella dropped her voice to a whisper. "But yes, I'd say so. A little lanky for my taste, but he seems kind enough. Reminds me of the many, many men my father offered to me. Mostly Italian princes, not exactly my taste."
"Your father?" I inquired. "The Duke of Parma?"
"Yes, yes. I miss him a great deal. I wrote him a letter when Wenzel and I reached Vienna, but I don't know if he received it yet. I know if I wrote to my mother, she would have sent it to me as soon as she could," Isabella smiled nostalgically. "She died about a year ago. We were connected at the hip, my mother and I. She was more like a sister than a mother, really."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about that."
"It's alright," Isabella replied. "She would be happy to see me. Joseph was her choice for a son-in-law. I have a new life ahead of me now." She took a deep sip of her wine, as if she was trying to wash down words left unspoken.
That night, after we were all filled with food and drink, the highest of the court escorted the bride and groom to Joseph's apartments. This was more of a tradition than anything; in days of old courtiers would make sure that the royal couple consummated their marriage that night. But in modernity, we let them have their privacy. Drunk courtiers followed behind me, singing off-key and speaking half-slurred sentences as they stumbled down the hall.
Maximilian grasped my mother's hand, rubbing his eyes. Antonia clutched her favorite doll. It was much too late for them, but my mother insisted they learn how to withstand insufferably long royal affairs. From behind, I watched the way Isabella walked. Her steps were rhythmic and uniform, her skirts swaying gently and smoothly. Her Versailles-raised mother must have taught her that. Her slender fingers gently held onto Joseph's like she was afraid to drift from him. In the dim light her gown sparkled, catching every little flicker of candlelight.
A figure came up next to me. It was Albert. "I haven't stayed up this late in a while," he stated.
"What time is it, even?" I inquired.
He took out his pocket watch and glanced at it. "Two o'clock in the morning."
"Ugh," I replied. "The life of an archduchess."
"The life of a five-year-old archduchess," Albert noted, motioning to Antonia, who was dragging her feet behind my mother.
"If she was my child I would have put her to bed hours ago. But she's not."
Finally, we reached Joseph's apartments at the end of the hall. With a click, the heavy wooden door opened. "Here we are," Joseph said with a tired sigh. Isabella stepped inside. She took a few glances around the room before facing us at the doorway. Even in this lack of light she was strikingly beautiful. The light of the stars reflected in her chocolate brown eyes. We all said our farewells and good wishes before the newlyweds gently closed the door.
A sigh of relief washed over the group. We were finally able to retire. Albert turned to me. "Can I walk you back to your apartments?"
"Aren't yours at the other end of the palace?" I replied.
"Yes, but I don't mind. Besides, I can just crash in the drawing room. I've done that before."
I let out a laugh. "You can fall asleep anywhere. Like when you fell asleep in the middle of mass that one time."
"We had been out riding all day. I was exhausted, and of course it was the most boring sermon in the history of mankind. You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"
"Nope!" I chirped. "You're lucky I didn't tell Isabella. She heard her fair share of embarrassing stories tonight."
"Oh, trust me, I heard," responded Albert. "About baby Joseph showing his bare behind to a room full of ambassadors."
"You should have seen his face when Mama started telling the story. He went as red as a beet. Isabella thought it was hilarious."
"Your mother likes that girl, doesn't she?" Albert inquired.
"I think she does. I like her, at least. She's very beautiful and well-mannered. Joseph needs someone a little more level-headed. He takes after Mama. She'll be a nice addition to court. Hopefully with the marriage, the war will subside too."
Albert sighed. "We can only hope. Why would your mother plan a huge celebration in the middle of a war? Taxes are going to skyrocket. The people will become enraged. And if you don't have the support of the people, what do you have?"
"You know my mother," I replied. "She thinks the common man is none of her concern, even if thousands of them march off to their deaths under her flag. It's the way of the old-time ruler, she says. She refuses to recognize that times have changed."
Albert dropped me off at my apartment door. It was quiet and dark when I went inside. Pia had gone back to her quarter next to the stables hours ago. With a sigh, I lit some candles and began to undress myself, carefully placing my grandmother's jewelry back where I found it.
In the candlelight I saw a piece of paper on my writing desk that wasn't there before. It was folded carefully, and sealed with a perfect circle of blue wax pressed with the coat of arms of Parma. I unfolded the note and admired the graceful, curling letters that were laid out across the page. It read:
Dear Maria Christina, HRH the Archduchess of Austria,
I would like to sincerely thank you for your kindness and hospitality today. I look forward to our futures together as sisters-in-law. I am happy to have someone like you at a strange, new place. If you ever need anything, do not be afraid to ask me. I would be happy to return the favor.
Yours Truly,
Princess Isabella of Parma
Her land of origin in her signature had an add-on, in a slightly different handwriting as if it was added on later.
Parma-Austria
I re-folded the letter and placed it in the drawer of my desk. Isabella's kindness struck me. I had never received a letter like hers. Was it a Spanish tradition, I wondered. This Princess- she went far and beyond royal expectations. How did she even get this letter to me? She must have snuck it Pia somehow. But how did she know that Pia was my handmaiden? I yawned. That was a question for another day. With thoughts of the kind-hearted sister-in-law that now graced my presence, I finally blew out the candles and went to bed.