The early morning light beamed through the window. James Beaudoux and four other musketeers strode towards the throne room, the doors opened for them by the guards. 

Under his hazelnut eyes were dark circles, showing how exhausted he was. It had been a tiresome week and this was the first time he had been back in Paris for almost two weeks.

He lowered his head as he approached the thrones. "Your Majesty, we come bearing news." He explained, bowing on one knee and taking off his hat, revealing messy brown and gray hair as he held it against his chest.

Charles sat upon his throne from his slouching position. "News?" He inquired, glancing at his wife, who nodded to him. "Tell us the news." A knot grew in his stomach.

James looked up at them. "As we were patrolling western France we came across a small village that had recently been attacked. Part of it was still smoldering, many livestock and goods were lost. There weren't any casualties but there were many injuries." He explained, earning nods from his fellow musketeers.

Anne gasped softly, placing her hand over her chest. "Oh dear, that's awful. Whoever did that has no heart." She frowned and thought. 'I will never understand how those types of people can commit such heinous crimes against another human.'

Charles agreed with his wife, nodding his head along as she spoke. "Indeed. Do you know who caused it?" He figured James didn't know and him asking was redundant. 

James shook his head solemnly. "No, your majesty. We alas don't know, however, we do have an idea of what might be happening, speculation you could say, a conclusion drawn." He carefully spoke with his words.

Charles was interested, he perked up in his throne. "Oh? Pray tell, what is your idea?" He inquired, leaning forward and resting his chin in the palm of his hand. 

James glances at the musketeers beside him, earning a nod from them to go ahead and speak. He took a deep breath and turned back to their king. "We do think it is tied to the other four attacks on nearby villages. We think, or I think, they are growing bolder and coming closer and closer to Paris." 

Charles pondered those words for a few moments. "That is serious. Are you suggesting that the same fate could happen here in Paris?" He asked, leaning back on his throne.

James bowed his head as he spoke. "As I said, we are only speculating, your majesty. I can't know for sure until we investigate. Until then, we will hopefully know." He respectfully replied, keeping himself humble before them.

Charles perked up at the mention of other villages. "What about the other villages? Any leads there?" He inquired, then wishing to know more about his country. 

James sighed softly. "No, by the time we made it to each it had been done long before. We could only go by eyewitness testimony since the repairing of the village was underway." 

Charles mulled over what James said, his heart still feeling heavy over the dark news. "Were there any casualties or injuries at these villages?" He inquired next.

James shook his head. "There weren't any casualties in those, thank goodness. There was some minor damage, but nothing as awful as this time. It was passed off as a small accident, nothing more. However, we don't think it is."

Charles felt a twinge of guilt pang in his chest. "I do hope you have better luck this time. If this is a particular group, chances are it's a statement and more will happen." He speculated, tapping his foot on the ground.

"We do request," James spoke up, keeping his head bowed. "Please, send resources with us as we travel back to investigate, as long as you permit us to." 

Charles nodded, waving his hand in the air as he looked over at one of his guards. "Yes, yes. We must take care of our people. I'll have everything ready for you to depart tomorrow morning, please rest in the meantime." 

James smiles, standing up and bowing to the king as the other musketeers mirrored his actions. "Thank you, your majesty." He pivoted on his heels, still bowed, only to straight-up once his back was to the king, and walked out of the throne room.

Anne anxiously gripped the fabric on her armrest, looking at her husband. "Oh Charles, do you truly believe that it could be a group making a statement?" She inquired, shifting uncomfortably in her chair.

Charles rubbed his chin as he thought about it, looking deep in thought. "Hard to say for sure. However, it is possible. If so, then things could take a turn for the worst - for us and France." He mused, wanting to shy away from the subject. "Oh, I've been meaning to ask, how are her harpsichord lessons going?"

Anne looked over, a bit surprised he had asked. "Quite well, the other day she played a piece of what she's learned. She's a natural and perhaps was showing off a bit. Her teacher says she's skilled for a girl her age as she started late in life."

Charles nodded, half hearing since he truly wasn't all that interested. "That's good to hear. Perhaps we should add violin lessons somewhere in her schedule, and maybe embroidery as well." He suggested, wanting to keep her busy with as many things as he could.

Anne twisted her ring around her figure at his suggestion. "She's been doing embroidery for a few years - not like you'd ever know." She whispered the latter quietly. 

Charles sat back and shifted in his seat. "Perhaps someone should check up on her? Make sure she's doing her lessons?" He asked, raising his hand to call over a musketeer.

Anne waved him off, rubbing her forehead in her hand. "I'm sure she's fine. Don't worry too much. The staff has mused many times how beautiful the sound is coming from her room when they walk past. What trouble could she get into during her lessons?" She mused, glancing over at him. 

Crash. 

The sound could be heard echoing down the hall. 

The particular location from which the sound originated was none other than Princess Adelaide Affton's room. 

The doors might have been closed and the harpsichord could be heard, but nothing could cover up the sound of porcelain shattering on the marble floor.

Adelaide gasped as her green eyes looked down to the vase that was broken into pieces on the floor. A puddle of water surrounded it and its flowers mangled. "Whoops." She giggled, turning back to her harpsichord teacher, who had set her down on the small side table.

Jacques Darcy gasped as he looked into Adelaide's eyes with his brown ones, pushing a lock of blonde hair from her face. "Are you alright?" He asked, his husky voice laced with worry as he looked at the girl before him. 

Adelaide ran her fingers through Jacques' raven black hair and grinned. "Oh I'm fine, but I'm not so sure about that vase," She paused, biting her lip to keep from laughing. "Or those flowers." 

Relief spread across Jacques' face at her words. He sighed softly and rubbed the pad of his thumb over her cheek. "Perhaps we should be more careful, and quiet, hmm?" He asked, leaning forward and kissing along her jawline, ever so slowly, lingering as if he was teasing her.

Adelaide fluttered her eyes closed and let out a soft groan as his soft lips trailed towards her neck. "Quite? Over Sarah's playing no one could hear us." She whispered, gripping the bare skin on his back and tightening her legs around his waist. 

Jacques met her lips again, kissing them with such passion. He pressed his bare chest against her silky corset that was loosely hanging on, drawing her as close as he could. No space was left between the two. 

Adelaide let out a soft groan against his lips. She slipped her tongue into his mouth, him doing the same. She could feel his soft hands move up under her loosened corset, touching her bare skin, gripping her waist tightly.

Jacques couldn't pull away, but he had to. He pulled away long enough to take a deep breath before kissing her deeply once again. His hand moved around to her back, his fingers gliding over her skin, barely touching.

Adelaide shivered at his touch. His gentle movement raised the hair on the back of her neck. Her fingers gently dug into his back, only to grip as she tightened her legs around his waist, pressing as close as she could as their bodies moved.

Sarah Monet nodded her head along to the tune she was playing on the harpsichord, her fingers moved as if they were dancing. 

As focused as ever, she ignored Adelaide and Jacques' little rendezvous and focused on what she was being paid to do. She didn't even blow a lock of brown hair from her face. 

"Good thing I'm blind!" She quietly exclaimed, ending her crescendo. "I don't even want to know what you two are doing." 

Adelaide giggled, tipping her head back so Jacques could have access to her neck. She leaned her back flush against the wall, feeling his hands grip her thighs. "Ah!" She suddenly gasped, feeling Jacques nip at the skin on her neck. "Jacques! No marks." She giggled.

Jacques pulled his lips away from her neck and brushed them against her lips, breathing heavily. "I'm sorry, it's so hard to resist." He pouted, nibbling on her bottom lip. "It's so flawless that I can't help not wanting to make a mark on it. Then it would show everyone you're mine."

Adelaide ran her fingers through his hair as she took a few deep breaths, her heart still pounding against her rib cage. "I know. I know. I wish that too but no one can know about this. You'd be fired and probably banished from France if my father found out. I don't want that." She pouted in return, batting her eyes.

Jacques shuddered at the thought of the king and his rage when it came to his children. "Point taken." He pulled away and pressed a kiss into her forehead.

Adelaide frowned, lacing her fingers with his while moving some hair from his forehead with her other hand. "What are you doing? I want more." She whined, trying to pull him back to her. 

Jacques gently squeezed her hands and chuckled. "I know, but lessons are ending in a few minutes and if I linger it won't be good for either of us." He let go of her hands and gripped her waist, helping her off the table.

Adelaide sighed, planting her bare feet on the cold marble floor. "Oh, you're right." She tightened the strings on her corset, tying it in a little bow. "I hate it that you're right about this. It's not fair." 

Jacques picked up his shirt and pulled it on over his head. "I know, ma chérie. It's not fair and it pains me to see you suffer like this. I do wish there was something I could do, but alas it's beyond my reach." He said, giving her a soft look.

Adelaide sighed, reaching down and grabbing her stockings. "I wish we didn't have to sneak like this." She sat down in a chair and held them out. "Could you do the honors?" She innocently asked, batting her eyes with a sweet little smile on her lips.

Jacques chuckled and knelt on his knees. "As you wish, your highness." He slipped on her stockings. "I wish we didn't either, but that's our life." He replied as he wrapped a ribbon under her knee and tied it in a pretty little bow. "There you go." He stood up and began to tuck his shirt into his pants 

Adelaide smiles, standing up and stepping into her dress. "Thank you." She pulled it up her body then stuck her arms into the sleeves. "Can't you make our lessons a tad bit longer?" She asked, lacing up her dress and being careful not to mix up the ties to her corset.

Jacques looked over at her as he pulled on his boots. "Your father wouldn't allow it. He's scheduled your time each day out so you have no spare time to get into trouble." He replied, quoting exactly what he had heard was said straight from Charles.

Adelaide huffed, shaking her head, and glanced out the window. "Don't remind me. I do hope Father takes into consideration how much I've behaved these last few months - to his knowledge that is." She giggled at the thought of her father being clueless about what she does.

Jacques looked over at Sarah who was still playing then back at the princess. "I wouldn't get your hopes up. I'd hate to see it come crashing down and leaving my love in despair." He tenderly explained, standing up and buttoning the cuffs on his shirt.

Adelaide looked over at him from looking in the mirror over her shoulder. "You're too caring sometimes. What would I do without you?" She tied the dress strings into a little bow. "I understand what you mean. I don't get my hopes up anymore nor do I expect anything to change. This is my life and I've come to accept that."

Jacques pulled on his jacket, buttoning up five of the six buttons. "I'm truly sorry you've had to endure this." He sincerely said as he ran his fingers through his hair. He glanced onto the same mirror Adelaide was using since his hair was sticking straight up or at least patches of it.

Adelaide pulled her hair back with a hairpin, trying to fix it from the slightly disheveled mess it was. "Don't feel bad. It's my fault. I've come to accept that and you should too." 

Sarah withdrew her hands from the keys and stood up. She bowed to her princess before speaking. "Lessons, I assume, are over, Monsieur Darcy?" She asked, rubbing her fingers. 

Jacques gathered up the papers on the harpsichord and nodded. "Yes, lessons are over and with that, I must be going." He walked over to Adelaide and kissed her cheek. "Au revoir, ma chérie." His lips lingered for a brief moment before withdrawing.

Adelaide's eyes widened as she noticed something and darted over to him. "Wait!" She exclaimed, reaching her hand out and rubbing the red smudged from his jawline from her lipstick. "There, now our secret is safe." She winked at him. "Au revoir, mon cher. Until next week, hmm? I'll practice what you've taught me." 

Jacques opened the door and looked at her lovingly. "Looking forward to seeing how you've progressed, your highness." He bowed once again and walked out of the room and down the hall.

Adelaide smiled dreamily as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh!" She snapped out of it and walked over to her nightstand. She opened the draw and pulled out a pouch of money. "As promised Sarah." She walked back over and placed the pouch into the blind maid's hand.

Sarah felt the pouch and bowed once again to her princess, slipping it into her pocket. "Thank you, you're highness. Until next week." She pivoted around and counted the steps from the harpsichord to the door, opening it and walking out.

Adelaide plopped down on her chaise lounge and sighed, looking up at the pink ceiling. "This is boring." She huffed, twisting a lock of hair around her finger.

A rock hitting her window pulled her from her thoughts. "Who could that be?" She grumbled as she walked over to the window and pushed it open and looked down. "Oh, it's you. Aren't you supposed to be under house arrest or something?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Supposed to be," Cedric mockingly laughed, looking up at her and shaking his head. "I snuck out through a window and over the roofs to come here. It was tricky and I felt like a thief." He replied, a smirk on his lips as he seemed so proud that he had.

Adelaide's eyes widened at what he said and she snorted. "You snuck out? Where is Ole Daddy Dearest?" She mockingly asked, giving a cute little pout before letting it fall into a frown. 

Cedric rolled his eyes. "He's in town at a meeting. It was either Vince or me, and I think we all know who is better at sneaking and stealth." He had to admit he was older and better at those things. "Anyways, I wanted to speak with you about something."

Adelaide frowned, realizing this wasn't a social call, he had an ulterior motive. "Oh, you need my help? Ha, not going to happen. Whatever happens, it's your fault." She called down, jabbing her finger at the boy. "I'm not getting involved in whatever chaos you've created! No way."

Cedric was offended that she thought he was the only one involved. "Vince was in on it too, I'm not the only one to blame." He defensively exclaimed, waving his hands in front of him. "Besides, we were just teasing the girl, we didn't harm her."

Adelaide was now intrigued. "Hmm, start from the beginning and maybe I'll help you." She wanted to hear him out just to see if it was worth her while.

Cedric grinned. Now he was getting somewhere. "This girl had a letter to Monsieur Falkland and it happened to be Katherine Beaudoux, you know, the girl who wished to be a musketeer? We took her letter and she chanced upon us. She ended up getting it back after telling our father." He explained, a frown growing on his lips as he spoke the latter. 

Adelaide thought about it for a moment. 'What would a girl be doing with a letter to Monsieur Falkland?' She thought and shook her head. She wasn't going to dwell on it since it didn't concern her. "And that has to do with me, how?" She asked, slightly sitting on the window ledge, but still in the room.

Cedric sighed, growing frustrated. "Find the girl and tell her to talk to Father about lessening our punishment. I can't go a whole month stuck in that place and no horseback lessons. I can't be a musketeer if that happens!" He exclaimed, his fists clenched at his sides.

Adelaide always found it funny how he wanted to be a musketeer. "A musketeer? Ha, I'd die before you'd become a musketeer. What if I don't want to find this girl?" She asked, innocently with a smile.

A wicked grin spread across Cedric's face as he knew exactly what blackmail he could use. "I'll tell your parents about your little rendezvous with your harpsichord teacher."

Adelaide looked mortified for a moment before breaking into a fit of laughter. "Good luck with that. As if they'd believe you over me? Yes I'm a disgrace but at least I've never lied, can say the same about you, can you?" She asked, wiping a single tear from her eye.

Cedric gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at her. "Look, just do it and I'll owe you a favor, how does that sound?" He asked harshly, pushing away any pride he had.

Adelaide smirked a little. "Hmm, let me think," She paused and thought about it. "Two favors and it's a deal." She held up two fingers, knowing he couldn't say no.

"What! No!" Cedric exclaimed, swiping his hands through the hair. "I - grr, fine!" He groaned, giving in realizing there wasn't any other way. "Two favors only IF you find the girl and she talks to father." He exclaimed through gritted teeth.

Adelaide smirked, glad she had succeeded in getting what she wanted. "What does she look like?" She asked, clearly needing details.

Cedric thought back to that moment and tried to picture her. "Brown hair and hazel eyes? Or were they green? Maybe brown? Under the sun they seemed green but also brown at times? Maybe it was the shadow that made her eyes look brown or dark green, was it?"

Adelaide's smirk fell and she groaned. "Well, that's specific." She scoffed sarcastically. "That's half of Paris! Any way to narrow it down?" She whined, twisting her hair around her finger.

Cedric racked his brain for more information. "She's a Beaudoux and she goes by Kate. I don't know how else to describe her? She was carrying a tapestry bag and she's about as tall as you? Oh, um, I - I don't remember what she was wearing though. I was hardly paying attention since I was more focused on the letter she had."

Adelaide groaned, this wasn't of any help per usual. "What makes you think she hasn't left Paris yet?" She inquired, putting her hands on her hips.

Cedric tapped his cheek with his finger. "Hmm, it's highly unlikely. She's probably staying around to find another opportunity to speak with Monsieur Falkland considering she wants to be a musketeer, ha, ridiculous." He laughed at the memory of the saying she wanted to be a musketeer. 

Adelaide rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, ridiculous that a girl could ever become a musketeer. The horror." She mocked, gasping dramatically and placing her hand on her chest as she teased her cousin. "Who cares? Let her dream since that's all it will be."

Cedric frowned, mockingly laughing back, and rolled his eyes. "Haha, very funny. Sometimes dreams need to be crushed. You can't encourage foolishness." He nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. "Anyways, I'm serious. I need you to find the girl so she can get it sorted out with father!" He exclaimed as he pointed on his heels and began to walk away.

Adelaide shook her head as she watched him leave. "I'll do what I can. No promises, though." She called to him as she closed her window and pivoted on her heels. 

"Why am I related to them?" She huffed, plopping back down on her lounge chair. "How am I going to find a girl named Kate Beaudoux with brown hair and hazel eyes? I can't leave the palace!"

"Hmm, I suppose I could ask around." She glanced over at the fallen vase. Her cheeks went slightly red as she recalled how that happened. She shook her head and placed her hands on her cheeks. "I'll ask someone to clean that up." She glanced at the clock and huffed, anymore her next teacher would be coming through those doors. 

Oh, how was it going to be yet another long day.

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A/N:
The previous chapter was supposed to be this chapter but I thought I should do a little rearranging. I still can't believe I have seven chapters in already. They were around 4k/5k words, most will be only 3k, because I'm trying to keep things short for yall.

Chapter Talk:
We finally get to meet James! You won't see the last of him but in at least ten or less chapters or less there will be some heartbreak involving him so prepare yourself. You know, in the original draft James never was to show up, I meant for him to have actually died. I'm glad this round I have him alive, because he is going to play a big part much later into the book.

The queen, gosh, this is the fourth name I've given her. Her original name was Haverné, then Prudence, but I changed it to Isabeau, but I didn't like that so I changed it to Anne as homage to Alexander Dumas' classic novel.

I wonder how many references you will be able to pick out throughout this book. I think I'm pretty clever with the references. I should probably post some of these fun facts on my Instagram account for my wattpad. That would be cool and interactive!

All the practice of romance and fluff and etc from Selection and other roleplays have paid off when it comes to romance scenes. Believe me, I've had a ton of practice and must've been in over 400 rps, give or take - at least according to my reading lists and library. But I'm pretty happy with how Adelaide and Jacques' little rendezvous turned out. This is the first book to have something of that nature but this won't be the last for sure. *wink wink*

So, Adelaide and Jacques are both eighteen so they're adults. Just wanted to make that clear before some come at me with pitchforks and fire. Jacques had his pants on and Adelaide had her undergarments and corset on as well. Nobody was doing the devil's tango, at least not in my books. XD I did age her up by two years because in the original draft she was sixteen. But she's different now than in the draft and I have more in store for her than I did previously.

Thanks for reading!