< Back
Learning I'm Lucky
“Have you finished packing, Marie?” my mama called.
“Almost,” I replied. I was going to stay at my grandma’s house for the weekend while my papa and two brothers went on a guys only camping trip. I hate camping. I threw my books into my backpack. Why, why was my school presentation due on Monday? I really wanted to see my grandma but I would have to probably spend a lot of time studying. “Okay, I’m ready!” I shouted, walking out of my room and into the front garden.
“Goodbye, sweetheart,” whispered Mama, embracing me firmly.
“Bye, Mama!” I smiled.
***
“Bonjour, ma chérie!” smiled Grandma as I entered the living room.
"Bonjour, Grandma!” I replied.
“I’ve got a pot of onion soup on the stove,” she said. The tantalising smell wafted into my nostrils.
“Yum! Merci, Grandma!” I grinned. Grandma smiled and sat down on an old, comfy sofa.
“How is school?” she asked politely. I sat down next to her on the sofa as I thought back through the week. This one kid had bullied me, I had to do a tiring presentation, and there was a lot of annoying gossip going around. It could be worse, though.
“It’s okay,” I shrugged. “I have to do a presentation on Versailles.” I watched my Grandma’s face light up.
“Oh, how nice! I visited Versailles when I was your age,” she told me happily.
“What was it like?” I asked.
“It was simply wonderful, Marie. Intricate decorations, polished floors, and lots of long hallways. You would love it.”
I beamed. That did sound nice.
“If I’m not mistaken, the soup is ready now,” Grandma announced. She walked into the kitchen and served the soup into two pretty porcelain bowls. After laying them gently on the table, she pulled out some homemade bread for us to dip in it. I sat down at the old wooden table. “Bon appetite!” Grandma grinned.
***
I slipped on the nightgown that Grandma had made me. It was made of airy white muslin, and had lots of frills and flounces. A bit embarrassing, maybe, but it was sweet that she had thought of me. I ran a brush through my strawberry-blonde curls and got into bed. As much as I would have liked to burrow under the sheets and drift off into the land of dreams, I had studying to do. I opened up one of the books I’d taken out of the library about the Palace of Versailles. I yawned as I read about the Hall of Mirrors, the King’s bedchambers, and the Palace Gardens. There were a few pictures of the Gardens on page 17 that showed the ornate fountains and neatly trimmed hedges. My brothers would love running up and down the rows of trees and getting muddy. I yawned again, and felt my eyes get heavy. I still had Saturday and Sunday to read up on this. I let my eyes close and before I knew it I was fast asleep.
***
I opened my left eye tiredly. I could just make out…a tree? Both of my eyes shot open. I did not appear to be in bed anymore.
“I’m in a garden,” I said in a voice that was barely a whisper. All around me were rows and rows of trees. This was not Grandma’s garden; hers had beds of roses, daises and violets and only one tree. And it wasn’t my garden at home either. This wasn’t any garden that I’d ever been in before.
Where was I? I wandered around, still in my nightgown. Were there any other people here that could help me? I kept walking, the gravel scraping my bare feet. Eventually I came to a stone fountain, in front of a ginormous building, where at last I found people. Lots of people. They were all wearing weird, old-fashioned looking clothes and milling around gossiping. This was unlike any place I’d ever known. It smelled horrendous too.
A woman in a green lacy dress strolled over to me, and said something in French.
“Excusez-moi?” I asked. I was lucky that I’d learnt French from Grandma, or else I’d be lost.
“Are you here to see Marie?” she repeated. How did she know my name? What was she even on about?
“T-to see Marie? I am Marie,” I stammered.
“Oh,” she gasped. “I’m terribly sorry, Madame. We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow! Tell me, where is your carriage?” Carriage? What carriage? And people were expecting me?
“It…left?” I mumbled.
“Come right this way. You can’t be seen in such clothes,” she said, tugging on my nightgown.
I tried to remember what I had been doing before I came to this odd garden. Hmm…I had fallen asleep. So this had to be…a dream! Yes, of course, a dream. All I had to do now was follow Green Dress Lady and wait to wake up. At least, that’s what I told myself.
I was led into the ginormous building. There were more weirdly dressed people inside, all whispering and pointing. I gazed around. This had to be the fanciest place I’d ever been, with its intricate decorations, polished floors, and long hallway - wait. There was something familiar about this. My eyes widened as I realised where I was: Versailles.
“This way,” said Green Dress Lady, rushing down a long corridor. I struggled to keep up with her. As she ushered me through the many halls and rooms, she called out to the people we passed; probably servants. At last we stopped abruptly at an ornate door, and I stepped in shyly. There were several more servants inside the room, and they all bowed as I entered. “Time for you to get dressed,” Green Dress Lady announced. There were so many questions I wanted to ask her but I would sound so weird asking them.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but…who are you?” I queried.
“Oh, pardon my bad manners. I am Madeleine, one of your handmaidens,” she replied. Handmaidens? Why did I need handmaidens?
“Let’s get you dressed, Your Highness.” said another handmaiden. Your Highness? What! Wait… I was in Versailles, people were wearing old-fashioned clothes, they knew my name was Marie, and everyone was acting like I was a big deal. Oh man… they thought I was Marie Antoinette!
The handmaidens started pulling my nightgown off.
“Y-you’re doing this for me?” I stammered.
“Yes, of course, Mademoiselle,” replied Madeleine. “You are the future queen. You needn’t lift a finger.”
I felt a sudden power building up inside of me as she said this. Everyone thought I was Marie Antoinette. The future queen of France! I had servants, handmaidens. An entire entourage! Maybe I was stuck here, and it was confusing, but I was in control.
I gasped for air as a tight corset was pulled onto me, breaking my train of thought. They then tied an uncomfortable hoop around my waist, and I guessed that was to make my skirt puff out when they put it on me. They covered me in more layers until I was completely dressed. I took shallow breaths in the confining corset and gazed down at my outfit. It was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen! Silky with beautiful embroidered details. Madeleine and the other handmaidens dusted my hair with an itchy powder to make it white, and put it in a complicated up do. My great-aunt goes and gets her hair coloured each month to cover up her white hairs. It was funny that the servants were making my hair white!
“You look simply beautiful, Your Highness,” sighed Madeline, tying a lace choker around my neck. After placing a feather hairpin behind my ear, the servants were finished dressing me. I breathed in as deeply as I could in the corset. Now what?
I stepped out of the room, the handmaidens following me. Dozens of people were milling around chatting loudly and pointing at me.
“What are they doing here?” I asked Madeleine.
“Versailles is a public place,” she responded. “Anyone can come here whenever they want,” I swallowed hard. Everyone was staring at me. “And,” Madeleine added, “they want to see the future dauphine of France.” Oh of course. The dauphine, the queen, her Majesty. I would have to assume this role until I could get back to the present. Or wait… how could I be in the past? That’s ridiculous. Remember, Marie, I told myself. You’re just dreaming. All you have to do is wait to wake up.
I followed Madeleine through the gossiping crowd into yet another room which I guessed was the dining hall. Without saying a word, more servants served me platters of indulgent foods. I hesitantly picked at a baguette as I felt the scrutinizing eyes of all the people boring into me. I reached for a napkin.
“Uh, uh,” tutted a handmaiden. She picked the napkin up and wiped my mouth for me. “You have servants for everything.” she reminded me.
I suddenly felt all the power being drained out of me. Maybe I had been mistaken for a noble, but my only purpose was to look nice and sit on a throne. I couldn’t do anything freely or without assistance. Anyway, were the peasants seriously going to watch me eat lunch? That sounds really boring for the people watching and really uncomfortable for the person being watched, which unfortunately, was me.
“Look at her dress!” cried a young girl with messy hair.
“She’s so pale,” croaked a man in a ripped shirt.
“Those cheekbones!” gasped a bedraggled lady. I looked at them all sadly. They were filthy, with their damaged clothes barely clinging to their frail bodies.
“I wonder if she’ll let us have her leftovers!” hissed a skinny young woman. They were starving, dirty and some of them were probably homeless. I suddenly felt bad for complaining about my presentation or moaning when I had to have fish for dinner. I was actually lucky. Really lucky.
***
I sighed softly as I was tucked into bed. Someone blew out the candles and the room was plunged into darkness. After staring at me for an uncomfortable amount of time, a few servants walked out and I closed my eyes. Goodbye, Versailles, I thought to myself. Tomorrow I would wake to the sound of the kettle boiling as Grandma made me a delicious breakfast, and I would finally be home.
***
Yaaawn… I stretched my arms up above my head and pushed off the covers. I opened my eyes and saw thick brocade drapes framing a long window. Outside the window were the neatly trimmed hedges of… Versailles! I was still here! I wasn’t dreaming, and I wasn’t home! If this was real, then how would I get back?
I moaned as servants began to fuss over me. People rushed in and out, dressing me in heavy silk garments. It was quite mad how some of them had only one job. There was this lady with a big nose and arched eyebrows whose only place in Versailles was to put my shoes on my feet!
I walked slowly into the dining hall to eat breakfast. I took a moment to be mindful and enjoy the buttery taste of croissants and the comforting warmth of a hot drink. Still, peasants crowded around me and chattered.
Then it hit me. I thought back to what Madeleine had said to me in the garden yesterday – that they weren’t expecting me until tomorrow. And today was tomorrow, when the actual Marie Antoinette was supposed to arrive. I couldn’t be here! They would find out who I really was and… my brothers have made me watch too many time travel movies where the heroes open a time paradox. I do not want to have to deal with a time paradox. I had to leave now. Let’s see… how had I entered this place? That’s right - the gardens. So maybe I should go there.
“Um, excuse me for a second,” I said hurriedly, rushing away from the servants.
“Mademoiselle!” they cried, dashing after me. I ran into my bedchambers and began hastily throwing my clothes off. I changed into the nightgown that Grandma had made me. I couldn’t take anything from the past back with me. At least, that’s what I assumed.
“Dauphine!” the servants called, trying to find me. I grabbed onto one of the brocade drapes, took a shaky breath and jumped out the window. I let go of the drape and screamed as I fell into a tall hedge.
Pulling leaves out of my hair, I staggered out of the hedge and kept running. I heard horse’s feet plodding in the background. Marie Antoinette was arriving! I kicked off my shoes and sprinted into the rows of trees.
“Oof!” I cried as I tripped on something. I looked down and saw the book that I had been reading in bed the night I travelled here. Breathing fast, I flipped through it until I found page 17. “Yes!” I hissed, my heart nearly beating out of my chest. “Goodbye, Versailles,” I breathed, taking one last look at the majestic palace.
***
THUD! I landed on the soft bed. I hugged it with a happy sigh. I was home at last. I pulled my hair out of its up do. I gasped as something fell out of it. The feather hairpin! I really had time travelled, I wasn’t crazy. I placed it carefully in my purse which was lying on the bedside table. Thankful that I was sleeping in a room with an ensuite, I washed the white powder out of my hair.
“Marie?” I heard my Grandma’s friendly voice coming from the kitchen. I skipped happily up to the dining room table. “Goodness you had a long sleep in,” she remarked.
I chuckled softly, “I did a lot of studying.”
“Ah, good. Do you think you’re ready for your presentation?” she inquired.
“Definitely,” I responded confidently. Should I tell Grandma that I had gone to Versailles? It was one of her favourite places. Wouldn’t she love to know what it had really been like back in the 1700s? Time paradox, the words echoed through my head. Maybe not.
Grandma placed a hot croissant and a cup of herbal tea in front of me.
“I’m glad,” she smiled at me. There was silence for a moment. “I’m proud of you, chérie,” Grandma said, looking deeply into my eyes. “You’re working hard, even when it gets tough. No matter how difficult school or life gets, you face it with bravery.”
I reached out to hold her wrinkled hand. “Merci, Grandma,” I replied. “Merci.”
“And I’ve noticed,” she said, “your French is getting very good.” Grandma complimented with a less sombre tone. “You could pass for Marie Antoinette!”
I giggled knowingly to myself. I could. “Je t’aime, Grandma.” I sighed, embracing her tightly.
“I love you too, my precious.” she replied.
“Have you finished packing, Marie?” my mama called.
“Almost,” I replied. I was going to stay at my grandma’s house for the weekend while my papa and two brothers went on a guys only camping trip. I hate camping. I threw my books into my backpack. Why, why was my school presentation due on Monday? I really wanted to see my grandma but I would have to probably spend a lot of time studying. “Okay, I’m ready!” I shouted, walking out of my room and into the front garden.
“Goodbye, sweetheart,” whispered Mama, embracing me firmly.
“Bye, Mama!” I smiled.
***
“Bonjour, ma chérie!” smiled Grandma as I entered the living room.
"Bonjour, Grandma!” I replied.
“I’ve got a pot of onion soup on the stove,” she said. The tantalising smell wafted into my nostrils.
“Yum! Merci, Grandma!” I grinned. Grandma smiled and sat down on an old, comfy sofa.
“How is school?” she asked politely. I sat down next to her on the sofa as I thought back through the week. This one kid had bullied me, I had to do a tiring presentation, and there was a lot of annoying gossip going around. It could be worse, though.
“It’s okay,” I shrugged. “I have to do a presentation on Versailles.” I watched my Grandma’s face light up.
“Oh, how nice! I visited Versailles when I was your age,” she told me happily.
“What was it like?” I asked.
“It was simply wonderful, Marie. Intricate decorations, polished floors, and lots of long hallways. You would love it.”
I beamed. That did sound nice.
“If I’m not mistaken, the soup is ready now,” Grandma announced. She walked into the kitchen and served the soup into two pretty porcelain bowls. After laying them gently on the table, she pulled out some homemade bread for us to dip in it. I sat down at the old wooden table. “Bon appetite!” Grandma grinned.
***
I slipped on the nightgown that Grandma had made me. It was made of airy white muslin, and had lots of frills and flounces. A bit embarrassing, maybe, but it was sweet that she had thought of me. I ran a brush through my strawberry-blonde curls and got into bed. As much as I would have liked to burrow under the sheets and drift off into the land of dreams, I had studying to do. I opened up one of the books I’d taken out of the library about the Palace of Versailles. I yawned as I read about the Hall of Mirrors, the King’s bedchambers, and the Palace Gardens. There were a few pictures of the Gardens on page 17 that showed the ornate fountains and neatly trimmed hedges. My brothers would love running up and down the rows of trees and getting muddy. I yawned again, and felt my eyes get heavy. I still had Saturday and Sunday to read up on this. I let my eyes close and before I knew it I was fast asleep.
***
I opened my left eye tiredly. I could just make out…a tree? Both of my eyes shot open. I did not appear to be in bed anymore.
“I’m in a garden,” I said in a voice that was barely a whisper. All around me were rows and rows of trees. This was not Grandma’s garden; hers had beds of roses, daises and violets and only one tree. And it wasn’t my garden at home either. This wasn’t any garden that I’d ever been in before.
Where was I? I wandered around, still in my nightgown. Were there any other people here that could help me? I kept walking, the gravel scraping my bare feet. Eventually I came to a stone fountain, in front of a ginormous building, where at last I found people. Lots of people. They were all wearing weird, old-fashioned looking clothes and milling around gossiping. This was unlike any place I’d ever known. It smelled horrendous too.
A woman in a green lacy dress strolled over to me, and said something in French.
“Excusez-moi?” I asked. I was lucky that I’d learnt French from Grandma, or else I’d be lost.
“Are you here to see Marie?” she repeated. How did she know my name? What was she even on about?
“T-to see Marie? I am Marie,” I stammered.
“Oh,” she gasped. “I’m terribly sorry, Madame. We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow! Tell me, where is your carriage?” Carriage? What carriage? And people were expecting me?
“It…left?” I mumbled.
“Come right this way. You can’t be seen in such clothes,” she said, tugging on my nightgown.
I tried to remember what I had been doing before I came to this odd garden. Hmm…I had fallen asleep. So this had to be…a dream! Yes, of course, a dream. All I had to do now was follow Green Dress Lady and wait to wake up. At least, that’s what I told myself.
I was led into the ginormous building. There were more weirdly dressed people inside, all whispering and pointing. I gazed around. This had to be the fanciest place I’d ever been, with its intricate decorations, polished floors, and long hallway - wait. There was something familiar about this. My eyes widened as I realised where I was: Versailles.
“This way,” said Green Dress Lady, rushing down a long corridor. I struggled to keep up with her. As she ushered me through the many halls and rooms, she called out to the people we passed; probably servants. At last we stopped abruptly at an ornate door, and I stepped in shyly. There were several more servants inside the room, and they all bowed as I entered. “Time for you to get dressed,” Green Dress Lady announced. There were so many questions I wanted to ask her but I would sound so weird asking them.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but…who are you?” I queried.
“Oh, pardon my bad manners. I am Madeleine, one of your handmaidens,” she replied. Handmaidens? Why did I need handmaidens?
“Let’s get you dressed, Your Highness.” said another handmaiden. Your Highness? What! Wait… I was in Versailles, people were wearing old-fashioned clothes, they knew my name was Marie, and everyone was acting like I was a big deal. Oh man… they thought I was Marie Antoinette!
The handmaidens started pulling my nightgown off.
“Y-you’re doing this for me?” I stammered.
“Yes, of course, Mademoiselle,” replied Madeleine. “You are the future queen. You needn’t lift a finger.”
I felt a sudden power building up inside of me as she said this. Everyone thought I was Marie Antoinette. The future queen of France! I had servants, handmaidens. An entire entourage! Maybe I was stuck here, and it was confusing, but I was in control.
I gasped for air as a tight corset was pulled onto me, breaking my train of thought. They then tied an uncomfortable hoop around my waist, and I guessed that was to make my skirt puff out when they put it on me. They covered me in more layers until I was completely dressed. I took shallow breaths in the confining corset and gazed down at my outfit. It was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen! Silky with beautiful embroidered details. Madeleine and the other handmaidens dusted my hair with an itchy powder to make it white, and put it in a complicated up do. My great-aunt goes and gets her hair coloured each month to cover up her white hairs. It was funny that the servants were making my hair white!
“You look simply beautiful, Your Highness,” sighed Madeline, tying a lace choker around my neck. After placing a feather hairpin behind my ear, the servants were finished dressing me. I breathed in as deeply as I could in the corset. Now what?
I stepped out of the room, the handmaidens following me. Dozens of people were milling around chatting loudly and pointing at me.
“What are they doing here?” I asked Madeleine.
“Versailles is a public place,” she responded. “Anyone can come here whenever they want,” I swallowed hard. Everyone was staring at me. “And,” Madeleine added, “they want to see the future dauphine of France.” Oh of course. The dauphine, the queen, her Majesty. I would have to assume this role until I could get back to the present. Or wait… how could I be in the past? That’s ridiculous. Remember, Marie, I told myself. You’re just dreaming. All you have to do is wait to wake up.
I followed Madeleine through the gossiping crowd into yet another room which I guessed was the dining hall. Without saying a word, more servants served me platters of indulgent foods. I hesitantly picked at a baguette as I felt the scrutinizing eyes of all the people boring into me. I reached for a napkin.
“Uh, uh,” tutted a handmaiden. She picked the napkin up and wiped my mouth for me. “You have servants for everything.” she reminded me.
I suddenly felt all the power being drained out of me. Maybe I had been mistaken for a noble, but my only purpose was to look nice and sit on a throne. I couldn’t do anything freely or without assistance. Anyway, were the peasants seriously going to watch me eat lunch? That sounds really boring for the people watching and really uncomfortable for the person being watched, which unfortunately, was me.
“Look at her dress!” cried a young girl with messy hair.
“She’s so pale,” croaked a man in a ripped shirt.
“Those cheekbones!” gasped a bedraggled lady. I looked at them all sadly. They were filthy, with their damaged clothes barely clinging to their frail bodies.
“I wonder if she’ll let us have her leftovers!” hissed a skinny young woman. They were starving, dirty and some of them were probably homeless. I suddenly felt bad for complaining about my presentation or moaning when I had to have fish for dinner. I was actually lucky. Really lucky.
***
I sighed softly as I was tucked into bed. Someone blew out the candles and the room was plunged into darkness. After staring at me for an uncomfortable amount of time, a few servants walked out and I closed my eyes. Goodbye, Versailles, I thought to myself. Tomorrow I would wake to the sound of the kettle boiling as Grandma made me a delicious breakfast, and I would finally be home.
***
Yaaawn… I stretched my arms up above my head and pushed off the covers. I opened my eyes and saw thick brocade drapes framing a long window. Outside the window were the neatly trimmed hedges of… Versailles! I was still here! I wasn’t dreaming, and I wasn’t home! If this was real, then how would I get back?
I moaned as servants began to fuss over me. People rushed in and out, dressing me in heavy silk garments. It was quite mad how some of them had only one job. There was this lady with a big nose and arched eyebrows whose only place in Versailles was to put my shoes on my feet!
I walked slowly into the dining hall to eat breakfast. I took a moment to be mindful and enjoy the buttery taste of croissants and the comforting warmth of a hot drink. Still, peasants crowded around me and chattered.
Then it hit me. I thought back to what Madeleine had said to me in the garden yesterday – that they weren’t expecting me until tomorrow. And today was tomorrow, when the actual Marie Antoinette was supposed to arrive. I couldn’t be here! They would find out who I really was and… my brothers have made me watch too many time travel movies where the heroes open a time paradox. I do not want to have to deal with a time paradox. I had to leave now. Let’s see… how had I entered this place? That’s right - the gardens. So maybe I should go there.
“Um, excuse me for a second,” I said hurriedly, rushing away from the servants.
“Mademoiselle!” they cried, dashing after me. I ran into my bedchambers and began hastily throwing my clothes off. I changed into the nightgown that Grandma had made me. I couldn’t take anything from the past back with me. At least, that’s what I assumed.
“Dauphine!” the servants called, trying to find me. I grabbed onto one of the brocade drapes, took a shaky breath and jumped out the window. I let go of the drape and screamed as I fell into a tall hedge.
Pulling leaves out of my hair, I staggered out of the hedge and kept running. I heard horse’s feet plodding in the background. Marie Antoinette was arriving! I kicked off my shoes and sprinted into the rows of trees.
“Oof!” I cried as I tripped on something. I looked down and saw the book that I had been reading in bed the night I travelled here. Breathing fast, I flipped through it until I found page 17. “Yes!” I hissed, my heart nearly beating out of my chest. “Goodbye, Versailles,” I breathed, taking one last look at the majestic palace.
***
THUD! I landed on the soft bed. I hugged it with a happy sigh. I was home at last. I pulled my hair out of its up do. I gasped as something fell out of it. The feather hairpin! I really had time travelled, I wasn’t crazy. I placed it carefully in my purse which was lying on the bedside table. Thankful that I was sleeping in a room with an ensuite, I washed the white powder out of my hair.
“Marie?” I heard my Grandma’s friendly voice coming from the kitchen. I skipped happily up to the dining room table. “Goodness you had a long sleep in,” she remarked.
I chuckled softly, “I did a lot of studying.”
“Ah, good. Do you think you’re ready for your presentation?” she inquired.
“Definitely,” I responded confidently. Should I tell Grandma that I had gone to Versailles? It was one of her favourite places. Wouldn’t she love to know what it had really been like back in the 1700s? Time paradox, the words echoed through my head. Maybe not.
Grandma placed a hot croissant and a cup of herbal tea in front of me.
“I’m glad,” she smiled at me. There was silence for a moment. “I’m proud of you, chérie,” Grandma said, looking deeply into my eyes. “You’re working hard, even when it gets tough. No matter how difficult school or life gets, you face it with bravery.”
I reached out to hold her wrinkled hand. “Merci, Grandma,” I replied. “Merci.”
“And I’ve noticed,” she said, “your French is getting very good.” Grandma complimented with a less sombre tone. “You could pass for Marie Antoinette!”
I giggled knowingly to myself. I could. “Je t’aime, Grandma.” I sighed, embracing her tightly.
“I love you too, my precious.” she replied.