Thread: An escape from Versailles

Girard Molyneux had been in the service to the Royal family as a servant in the guest houses for the last two years. He had been assigned to various dignitaries and the friends and family of King Louis the XVI and to the stunning Marie Antoinette. He was well regarded among the servants of Versailles and was blessed to have been personally commended by both Louis the XV and Louis XVI during his tenure with the royal family. Girard learned quickly when to be seen and when to be unseen, keeping him out of trouble with the Royal family and the hedonistic lifestyle that many of the royals took as their good given right. This had made Girard very popular among both the male and female guests of the guest houses. He would never divulge who was having an affair - and with whom. His role was to serve those who he was told to serve and to do so with loyalty. Girard was of average height, 5'10 and medium build. He was not tall or big enough to be intimidating. His mannerisms were refined and specific, without being rigid. Girard was fluid in his movements. If you did not see him move, you would almost swear he had not done so at all. His hazel eyes and brown hair were average as well. He was extremely well kept and took pride in his appearance, as he was answerable only to the head of the servants department in the main palace of Versailles and to his guests. Girard's was held him in high regard among the ladies who also served at the royal courts. When he was not serving he was free to move about Versailles and would fraternize with the other servants of the palace. He was friendly and kind - something not all servants were lucky enough to receive from their benefactors. Those who had it worst were those who served in the palace itself. There were many who could not handle the pressure of dealing with Royalty and the expectations of the King and Queen of France. Girard was free with his good humour and kind spirit, and loved nothing more than making the young ladies in attendance laugh. One of these ladies that he had a particular fondness was one of Marie Antoinette's personal ladies-in-waiting Margeaux. The two would be indistinguishable were it not for their clothing. Once, as a joke, Marie and Margeaux even switched places and walked about the castle. Margeaux said nothing at the time and only nodded to passers-by, but the guards thought nothing of it. Margeaux giggled about it afterwards Oh, Girard, you should have seen the guards. The would never know, unless I had spoken. Then, maybe the jest would have been caught. I suppose I could have gotten into trouble, perhaps even put in prison for impersonating the queen but I had to choice. She even insisted I call for the royal chef to bring me some fruit and wine. The poor page didn't even know it was me, and we've known each other since childhood! Girard visited Margeaux whenever possible, especially late at night. They would both sneak out of the servants quarters and sit on the walls of Versailles and look at the stars and the gardens. Girard would coo sweet nothings into the ears of Margeaux and they would consider their lives outside the castle. They both entered into indentured service to the royal family the same year. In three years they would be able to continue their services or retire to take on a new role or life elsewhere. Later that month Louis the XVI was going to leave Versailles for the first time in years to negotiate with Benjamin Franklin of the United States, a country which had rebelled against France's greatest enemy England. This was when everything changed.