Étienne
The evening had begun like any other, with soft music playing in the background and the murmurs of polite conversation flowing through the halls of the château. The scent of roses and lavender lingered in the air as I stood by the grand window, staring out into the vast garden. The quiet stillness was a temporary escape from the chaos that churned within me. But then, everything changed in a moment—a moment that shattered the calm.
A servant entered the room, his face pale, his movements hurried. He bowed slightly, his voice trembling as he addressed my father. "Monsieur le Comte, urgent news from Paris. The Prussians... they've declared war on France."
The room fell silent. My father's face, usually so composed and full of authority, twisted into an expression of surprise and disbelief. His lips parted, but no words came out for a long moment. And then, finally, his voice broke the stillness.
"Are you certain?" he asked, though there was no question in his tone. He had received the news, but he needed to hear it again, to ensure it wasn't some mistake, some rumor.
The servant nodded. "Yes, Monsieur. The news came directly from Paris. Prussia has mobilized its forces and declared war. The King has given his blessing, and the armies are already on the move."
I could feel the weight of the news sink into the room like a stone. Everyone around us had heard, and the tension in the air was palpable. The music continued, but it no longer held the same grace—it felt like an echo of a life that was already slipping away.
Victoire
I had been standing at the balcony once again, watching the moonlight shimmer on the surface of the pond below when the news reached me. At first, it sounded like nothing more than a ripple—something that would soon fade. But the servants' hurried steps, their whispered conversations, and the urgency that seemed to hang in the air told me otherwise.
I followed the path back to the ballroom, where the mood had shifted dramatically. What had once been a scene of idle chatter and polite smiles was now heavy with dread, with uncertainty. My father stood among a group of men, their faces grave as they listened intently to the messenger who had just arrived from Paris.
My pulse quickened as I approached. This wasn't just news of another skirmish or distant political game. This was war—war in the heart of Europe. War in our world.
My father's voice reached me as I neared. "Prussia has declared war on us?" he asked, disbelief still lacing his words.
A hush fell over the group as the messenger confirmed it once more. "Yes, Monsieur le Duc. The Prussian army is mobilizing. France is no longer safe. The King has already summoned the generals to discuss the defense."
I couldn't help but feel a cold chill sweep over me. The certainty of it was terrifying. The world as we knew it was on the brink of change—perhaps forever.
Étienne
My father's gaze was fixed on the messenger, his mind already working through the consequences. "Mobilize the soldiers," he said in a low, controlled voice. "Prepare the defenses. This is not a drill."
I stood by silently, the weight of the news pressing down on me. Prussia, a formidable force, had always been a threat lurking on the horizon. But I hadn't imagined that it would come to this—an open declaration of war. The reality of it felt surreal.
"Father," I spoke, my voice barely above a whisper. "What happens now?"
He turned his sharp gaze toward me, the same look he always wore when discussing matters of importance. "We will defend France, Étienne," he replied, his tone cold and final. "You will follow your duty, as I have. It's the only way forward."
The only way forward. The words echoed in my mind, and for a moment, I felt a strange sense of loss. My life, the one I had begun to envision for myself, seemed so distant now. My family's duty, the honor we had sworn to uphold—it had all come to a crashing halt.
Victoire
I could feel the weight of my father's words as he turned to speak to me. "Victoire," he said, his voice softer now, but still firm, "you are to stay within the estate. This is not a time for any of us to be outside. You are to ensure your siblings are safe."
The coldness in his tone wasn't lost on me. It wasn't just concern—it was an order. I had always known that my role in the family was to serve the needs of our legacy, to protect the name, and to follow the course laid out for me. But in this moment, with the reality of war setting in, I wondered just how much I would have to sacrifice for that name.
I nodded silently, retreating to where my brothers and sisters were gathered. They, too, had heard the news. The younger ones were frightened, their faces pale and wide-eyed. My heart twisted for them. Their world, as innocent and carefree as it had been just hours ago, was about to be turned upside down.
Étienne
I left the ballroom, the weight of the news pressing against my chest like a stone. I needed air, space to breathe. I didn't want to think about what my father had just said—what my future held. But there was something else gnawing at me, something I couldn't ignore.
Victoire.
She had disappeared into the crowd when the news broke, but I couldn't shake the thought of her. What was she thinking now? What would she do in the face of all of this?
As I stepped outside into the cool night air, I saw her—standing by the garden's edge, her back to the moonlight. For a moment, she seemed so still, as if the world had stopped turning around her.
I walked toward her, my footsteps quiet on the stone path. She turned slightly, her eyes meeting mine with an unreadable expression.
"You heard," I said softly, the question hanging between us.
She nodded, her gaze never leaving mine. "Yes. War. It changes everything."
It felt like an understatement. The weight of the world was shifting before us, and we were caught in its wake, unsure of where we would land.
Victoire
Étienne's presence felt like a comfort and a burden all at once. There was something about him, about the way he understood the depth of the situation, that made the tension between us seem almost... bearable.
"I never imagined it would happen," I said quietly, my voice barely carrying over the distance. "War. It seems so distant, so far away. But now... it's here."
He stepped closer, his gaze softening for a moment before he answered. "No one does. We live in a world of stability, of power. But it can all fall apart so quickly."
I nodded, but I didn't have the words to express what I was feeling. My family's legacy, the ties that bound us all—it felt so fragile now. The future I had been raised to expect was slipping through my fingers.
"Do you think we'll be safe?" I asked, my voice small, unsure.
Étienne's expression hardened. "I don't know. But I do know one thing: This will change everything."