Finding Stardust 25 The Story of Marie Antoinette

For a moment, Emma could forget her problem when she entered the luxurious Versailles Palace. She did not know that humans could live in such an amazing luxury. Rich people then and now were quite different, she thought. Many items there were true masterpieces of arts that could no longer be found in the modern world.

The government was really working hard to preserve the historical artifacts of the French royals from hundreds of years ago. Today's generations could see first hand how the nobles of the past lived their lives.

Various gold-plated furniture, beautiful giant rugs, luxurious and classy curtains, lots and lots of paintings, medals, swords, armors and royal staff, intricate and beautiful clothes ... all of which succeeded in making the students of St. High School. Catherine amazed. They spent two hours inside listening to Monsieur Thomas and Madame Delaval's stories about French history and culture while observing the contents of the amazing palace.

From the palace, they then continued their visit to the museum and one more garden before finally returning to their hotel to rest. Along the way back, the students were busy discussing the tragic fate of Queen Marie Antoinette and her husband, King Louis XVI.

It was really hard to imagine that the French king and queen, who lived in luxury, ended up with their heads decapitated by guillotines in public.

The people of France who lived in suffering, finally felt enough was enough when they saw the royal family and the nobles living in luxury, while the people were starving. Especially because taxes were raised to the point that it became unbearable. They then carried out a revolution with the spirit of "Liberté, égalité, and fraternité," which means "freedom, equality, and fraternity", which now become the national slogan of France.

1. Liberté (Liberty) consists of being able to do anything that does not harm others. Thus, the exercise of the natural rights of every man or woman has no bounds other than those that guarantee other members of society the enjoyment of these same rights.

2. Egalité (Equality), means The law must be the same for all, whether it protects or punishes. All citizens, being equal in its eyes, shall be equally eligible to all high offices, public positions, and employments, according to their ability, and without other distinction than that of their virtues and talents.

3. Fraternité (Fraternity) means that they are brothers (family), with moral obligations rather than rights, links rather than statutes, and community rather than individuality

Queen Marie Antoinette was considered to be the reason why France was drowning in debt, and the tax was increasing every year. Even though when her husband ascended the throne, France was already buried in debt. The people thought they were starving to finance the lavish parties that she threw, and this made the French people hate her.

It was later suggested by historians, that Marie Antoinette held many parties because she was lonely. She had no friends in France since she was sent to Paris as a political bride from Austria when she was 14 years old. She was married to the crown prince of France, who was then 15 years old, as a sign of peace treaty between Austria and France.

When the French revolution took place in August 1792, Marie Antoinette and her husband tried to flee with their children to Austria, but their escape failed, and they were imprisoned while awaiting people's trials. Because of the stress of being separated from her young children, Marie Antoinette's hair turned white.

After the court ruled that King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were guilty, the two were sentenced to death by beheading with a guillotine. Louis XVI in January 1793 and Marie Antoinette nine months later.

Everything they heard about the couple's story made the students of St. Catherine felt like they had just read a novel with a tragic ending. By seeing Versailles' palace in person, it was as if the story came to life, and they could imagine how it was unfolding before them.

Emma herself had a slightly different thought from her school friends who were engrossed in discussing the king's family. She was actually reminded that her father often called her mother as Princess Arreya.
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Actually, if she thought about it now, it felt strange to remember how her father calling Arreya Stardust as Princess Arreya. While her mother calling Kaoshin Stardust as General Stardust. Weren't they husband and wife? Why address each other that way? She was so confused.

Was that because they were already so used to such formalities? Emma tried to guess who her parents really were.

She finally ended up with a conclusion. Her mother was a princess, and her father was a general. They were from another planet far away from here. Was her mother supposed to marry the crown prince but, instead, she ran away with the general?

Was that why they worry that the crown prince would not spare Emma's life?

Father ... Mother ... did the crown prince hurt you? Are you ok? Where are you now?

Emma turned her face towards the bus window so that no one would see her very sad expression. She went to Paris on a mission to find her parents. Slowly, she managed to get clues, but the closer she was to the truth she was looking for, it seemed the sadder she would become.

Could her mother and father have returned to their home planet and left Emma here so that she would not be the target of the crown prince's wrath? Then, how could Emma go to see them ...?

Even though she could fly, Emma couldn't possibly chase them into space.

Did they intentionally left her to live her life on earth, never knowing who she really was? Was that why Arreya Stardust locked her memory?

The thought really made her depressed and sad.

"Stardust ... we've arrived at the hotel. Come on, get off the bus..." Haoran whispered into her ear, moving Emma from her reverie.

The girl nodded and followed the young man off the bus.

"What time do we want to go to Mr. Neville's place?" asked Emma when they were in the elevator. The time was already 6 pm.

"Looks like you need to rest first. Your face looks drained. We can go to Mr. Neville's place after dinner. How about 8 o'clock?" Haoran suggested.

Emma nodded gratefully. She did need time to be alone. Thinking about her parents had weighed her heart all day.

"See you at 8," Haoran said as Emma got out of the elevator.

The girl nodded again and waved before she walked to her room. Emma lay for an hour without moving in her bed. She tried to force her brain to stop thinking so she could rest her mind, but it proved to be very difficult.

When she almost gave up, suddenly there was a knock on the door of her room, followed by the voice of the room service staff delivering dinner. Emma, ​​who was astonished because she did not order dinner, immediately opened the door. She actually had thought of ordering food because she had no desire to go down to a restaurant and eat with her school friends, but she hadn't done it yet.

"I didn't order dinner," the girl said politely to the room service staff who was pushing a food trolley.

"Oui, Mademoiselle." The clerk nodded. "This was ordered by Mr. Lee from Suite 1015 for you. He said you were not feeling well and wanted to eat in the room."

Emma frowned. She had no idea Haoran would do this. She knew the young man was very good to her, but Emma did not know Haoran could show her even more kindness than what he already did.

"Uhm ... wait a minute," Emma said. She entered her room and took her cellphone to call Haoran. "Hey ... Haoran, did you send food to my room?"

The young man answered casually, "That's right. I don't want my tutor to die of hunger because she forgot to eat due to sadness. Remember, you've been contracted for the whole year. So you can't die on me."

Emma was silent. She was truly at a loss for words. Her little heart was filled with sadness, thinking about the fate of her parents, but now slowly, the grief was replaced by warmth.

The world is fair, she couldn't help thinking.

Poor Emma, ​​who lost her parents, was blessed with such a good friend like Haoran. This was certainly to make up for the suffering she experienced for losing her father and mother.

"Uhm ... why are you silent? You're not offended, right? I deliberately chose the food you have eaten, and you said was delicious," Haoran said cautiously for fear that Emma thought he was presumptuous.

"Uhm ... it's fine." Emma hurriedly answered. "Thank you..."

"Bon appetit!" Haoran's voice sounded very relieved.

Emma hung up the phone and then accepted the food from the hotel staff and said thank you. She then ate with a lighter spirit, no longer aggrieved. After she was full, she decided to lay down and rest her mind.

It worked. Emma was finally able to relax, and her body was no longer tense. After calming down for half an hour, Emma then changed her outfit, and at precisely 8 pm, she opened the door to her room to get out.

At the door, she saw Haoran standing with his hand, ready to knock.

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[1] Oui, Mademoiselle = Yes, Miss (French)

[2] Bon appetit = Have a nice meal (French)

Chapter end