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| A day as my Sister |
Part 3
Written by: Bradamante
The General entered the palace hall, accompanying his guest towards the reception room. The servants were lined up in sign of honour, and Nanny was rushed off her feet giving commands to the maids. Everything had to be perfect. The young Bouill� behaved himself in accordance with his stature, a little bit stiff, to tell the truth.
He showed a mask made up with politeness and pride, that concealed what really was struggling in his heart. He didn't want, at any cost, get married.
He looked around without seeing the opulence of that mansion, something that certainly would interest his parents.
But not him, he wasn't interested in such a things: he was an intelligent youth, as his preceptor acknowledged without obsequiousness, a young man with open and enquiring mind, keen to learning and seeing the world.
He didn't want to get imprisoned in a marriage so young. But there had been nothing to do. His father by now had already decided: he was the cadet son, but even so he had to marry young to give a posterity to Bouill� family. Unfortunately his elder brother, the heir, a lot older than him and married for several years, didn't yet gave his father a grandson who could carry on his name. So, it fell to him. He hated the conventions of his world, the self interest and the hunger of power. He desired only being free. His beautiful green eyes often were seeing a future that he would never be destined for, because already defined by his father and by his rank.
A prefixed path, that he detested with all his heart. And now, he had to tie his life to the one of another unhappy creature, forced like him to be subjected to the family's will.
One of the Jarjayes sisters...at the Court the people whispered that seen one, seen all, those maidens born one after another and so similar each other. Not that he wasn't interested in women...he was charmed by their beauty, but as soon as they opened their mouths the enchantment was broken.
He disliked those silly and vain damsels, frivolous and ignorant, with which was not possible exchange some word in a conversation that wasn't made only of futility.
�Please, dear child, this way, by now I can call you son.� Said the General showing a triumphal smile. Then he addressed Nanny with a whisper as he went past: �But where is Jacqueline, Nanny? Why she is not yet came down? She must come here immediately!�
Nanny murmured to herself: �What is doing that blessed girl? And yet I told her to get ready!� And she went to look for her.
Meanwhile Jacqueline in Oscar's body tried in the very little time left to teach her sister, by now firmly installed in her body, and train her about how to use that strange instrument called dress and related accessories. She did realize that if her sister had done some disaster and if then everything would return back to normality, that is each one in her original body, she could really risk to find herself in a convent, and not so to speak! Oscar didn't risk anything, but she...there wasn't a second to lose!
Oscar tried to walk, but the hem of the long dress represented an obstacle to her military gaits. Jacqueline was tearing her hair out: �Not like that, Oscar, little steps, you haven't to march... you must keep the hem of the dress slightly raised with a hand there, so as not to step o...� Thud!
Oscar had already fallen down, stumbling on the hem. �Oscar, you must listen to what I tell you!�
Andr� was laughing his head off: he began to believe that this story was true: Oscar that says to be Jacqueline and that gives advices about how to walk with a dress...decidedly if it was a joke, they did make it up very well!
�Oscar, when you will meet the son of the general Bouill�, you must give a bow to him: let me see how do you do it.� And Oscar performed a perfect...masculine bow! �No, no, Oscar! You are in a woman's body! You must give a bow like a woman! Keep it in mind!� exasperated Jacqueline cried.
�Listen, big sister...my original body is a woman body as well, although I am a male, do you understand? Stop giving yourself teacher's airs, otherwise I will put a bunch of frogs in your bed! You silly goose!�
Terrified, Jacqueline opened her eyes wide: such a language! Oscar talked like a little girl, or rather, like a ten years old boy! As soon as she would open her mouth, it would be her end!
�O...Oscar...promise me that you will talk the least possible, I beg you! If you have some affection for me, think to the problems you may cause! You don't want make me go to a convent, do you?� Jacqueline said with tears in her eyes.
Oscar got a bit disturbed and turned toward Andr�, who was always seeing her in Jacqueline's body.
�Andr�, is it true that I could cause such a big problems?�
Andr� was very mature for his age. Oscar addressed to him when she had doubts about which decision make, and considered a lot his judgment, even if she will never admit it, never, even under torture.
�Well...you do know the etiquette, don't you?� Andr� answered, by now almost persuaded. That body was Jacqueline's body, but the movements, the gestures, the speech, the look...were those of Oscar! �You have only to be careful when you are in front of the general...with your sister's fianc� it would be enough being kind as you do with any other guest, after all.� Oh, to be innocent! Jacqueline nodded hopefully.
Suddenly, a furious whirlwind broke into the room: Nanny came to remind, kindly, that is threateningly brandishing the spoon, that was ill-mannered make the guest to wait, especially if it was about a official fianc�.
�What are you doing still here!� Come on, move! Everybody go downstairs!� The kids ran down the stairs without having to be asked twice, or better, Andr� and Jacqueline in Oscar's body ran down, while Oscar in Jacqueline's body did her best not to tumble down the stairs.
The general and his son-in-law-to-be had came back to the hall, hearing the children's rackets, just in time to see a graceful little blond dame with chiselled features and a shapely breasts stumble on the dress just on the third-from-last step, to land on her bottom on the floor, in a cloud of dishevelled lace. Exactly before the astonished fianc� who meanwhile had came close to her.
�Dammit, what a knock!� The imprecation broke the perfection of that porcelain doll's mouth, surprising the young Bouill�. A singular girl, of an angelic beauty, but decidedly...not conventional: at least so appeared at this first approach. Chivalrously he held out his hand to her, but she didn't consider it, preferring to raise by herself. The young man was again surprised. Any other girl would have pretended a sudden indisposition, would have blushed and perhaps would have feigned that her ankle got sprained in the accident. Instead his fianc�e got up by herself, muttering swear words under her breath, not to be heard by her father. In the meantime, the real Jacqueline in Oscar's body felt to be close to the end...nothing doing...farewell, home, welcome, convent!
The young fianc� awoke from the enchantment, recalling his manners, and he bowed courteously: �You must be my fianc�e...glad to meet you, my name is Fran�ois Claude de Bouill�.� He raised his look to find before his nose her outstretched hand. He hesitated for a moment and he reached out his hand that the girl shook with unexpected energy.
�Pleased to meet you, I am Os...hem, Jacqueline de Jarjayes.�
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