Chapter 995: Alexandra's Counterattack
Sweetness surged in Alexandra's heart as a single line repeated endlessly in her mind: 'There lies my love, bright as the morning star.'
The carriage came to a slow halt.
The Russian princess busied herself with a careful check of her attire, ensuring there were no flaws. Only then did she follow the etiquette she had practiced hundreds of times, stepping down from the carriage while leaning gracefully on an attendant's elbow.
She walked through the hundreds of nobles gathered to welcome her, arriving before King Louis XVI and the Queen. With the assistance of two maids on either side, she lifted her skirts and sank into a deep curtsy. "By the grace of God, Alexandra Pavlovna Romanova is honored to offer her eternal respect, as constant as the sun, to the noble King and Queen."
The royal couple smiled and nodded to her in unison. "Paris has grown more radiant with your arrival."
According to protocol, Alexandra was now expected to step back after her bow and then greet the Crown Prince.
At that moment, a smirk flickered across the lips of Véronique, the maid standing behind Joseph.
The arrival of the Crown Princess in Paris presented her with an opportunity—the hope of using the princess to defeat Perna and Camelia. Afterward, as the person closest to the Crown Prince, she would be in the best position to seize the title of chief mistress.
She had planned for this for a long time, and this was the first step of her scheme.
Indeed, what seemed like a simple exit actually required precise coordination.
Normally, the maids would whisper the step count and warn their mistress if she drifted off-course or if an obstacle lay behind her. If the mistress were to stumble or collide with something, it would become a massive scandal.
At this moment, however, both maids attending Alexandra were appointees of the Palace of Versailles. According to regulations, a princess marrying into France had to undergo a "de-nationalization" ritual. Upon crossing the French border, she had to change all her clothes to French-made garments, and her servants and personal belongings had to be left behind in Russia.
Alexandra took a cautious step back, then gave an inconspicuous cough to alert the two maids.
Still, there was no reaction.
In truth, these two maids had originally served the Crown Prince, meaning they were Camelia's subordinates.
Two months prior, Véronique had repeatedly brainwashed them, claiming the Russian princess would severely undermine Mistress Camelia's position and that they needed to show this "barbarian princess" her place.
The French nobility of this era held a deep-seated contempt for Russians. Even if she was a princess, they felt no psychological burden in bullying her.
And so, the current scene unfolded.
Alexandra realized something was wrong with the two maids, and panic flared within her. The ground here was uneven, and the courtyard was packed with Versailles courtiers. One wrong move and she would be humiliated.
'His Highness the Crown Prince is watching me. What should I do?'
She had initially prepared to risk continuing her retreat, but it suddenly occurred to her that if these maids were plotting against her, they might intentionally lower her train so she would trip over it...
Alexandra's hesitation caused the surrounding nobles to begin whispering.
Suddenly, she shook off the two maids and turned decisively. Before anyone could gasp in surprise, she took several steps forward, knelt toward the southeast, and traced a cross over her chest with her fingers together. "May God forever protect my King, the Crown Prince, and all of France!" she declared loudly.
Then, she clasped her hands together and bowed her head in prayer.
Archbishop Beaumont, who had accompanied the procession, was momentarily stunned. The Russian princess was currently facing the direction of the Holy See, and her prayer gestures strictly followed Catholic standards. Although the official conversion ceremony had not yet taken place, this was a public declaration of her intent to embrace Catholicism.
He hurried to Alexandra's side, touched his signet ring to her forehead, and recited, "May the love of the Father, the grace of Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen."
The surrounding nobles immediately followed suit, bowing their heads and crossing themselves. "Amen."
Archbishop Beaumont helped Alexandra up, nodding with satisfaction. "Your piety is like the roses of the Tower of David; it will surely be pleasing to the Lord."
The Russian princess first thanked the Archbishop, then let her gaze sweep over the two maids before walking straight toward the Crown Prince.
The two maids were momentarily dazed. They hurriedly bent down to gather the two-meter-long train and followed after her.
The surrounding nobles, struck by the solemn atmosphere, didn't dare to speak casually.
It wasn't until she reached the Crown Prince that Alexandra finally breathed a sigh of relief, sinking into a graceful curtsy. "Your Highness."
Joseph returned her greeting with a hand over his heart, then stepped forward to embrace her and offer a formal cheek-kiss according to protocol.
Soft cheers erupted from the nobility, offering their blessings to the pair.
Only Véronique ground her teeth in frustration.
She had originally planned to act as a comforting older sister to the princess after she had been publicly ridiculed and heartbroken, thereby gaining her trust. Then, she could have incited her to fight against Perna and the others.
But the script was not following her plan.
"It doesn't matter," Véronique sneered to herself. "She's just a little girl. I have plenty of ways to make you behave!"
After a series of tedious formalities, Alexandra took the Crown Prince's arm and boarded the second carriage together.
The carriage procession began its return journey accompanied by music.
Inside the carriage, the two sat facing each other. Alexandra stole glances at the Crown Prince's face, thinking to herself: 'His Highness seems to be getting more handsome by the day...'
Joseph looked at her face, which still held a trace of baby fat, and suddenly said, "Actually, you don't have to push yourself too hard. I mean, regarding the conversion."
Alexandra looked up in surprise. "Pardon?"
Joseph winked at her and whispered, "You just need to be mindful in front of others—especially my mother. She's a devout Catholic. In private, you can continue your Orthodox traditions. It's fine."
True, while Joseph often used his title as the Son of Divine Favor to smooth over difficult situations, he wasn't exactly a devout believer. He didn't care what his fiancée believed in.
Alexandra was deeply moved. "Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness," she whispered. "But that might put you in a difficult position..."
"It really doesn't matter." Joseph smiled and pointed toward the sky. "After all, we're praying to the same God. I'm sure He won't mind."
Alexandra suddenly felt like crying. Her faith mattered to her, and she had not expected the Crown Prince to be so tolerant.
She quickly composed herself and gave Joseph a sweet smile. "Your Highness, do you have paper and a pen?"
"Of course." Joseph took a pen and paper from the small table and handed them to her. "What are you planning to do?"
"I'm giving you a gift."
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