Royal Hunt

2nd Chapter

I walked down the wide staircase to the morning lounge.  My father was already there, my brother too, but there was no sign of my mother and sisters. 

"Good morning, Papa." I smiled. Father looked up from the letter he was holding and beamed.

"Marie Kristine."

Brother Johann just grumbled something and continued to stare out the window. 

"I heard you're staying home today." 

"Yes, after we withdrew the Fifth Regiment from Poland, it's quiet and I can finally spend a few moments with my family. How was the ball at the opera?"

"Valentina or Johana can answer that better. We could hardly get them into the carriage when it was time to leave. Really, Papa, I don't understand why you and Mama keep accepting these invitations."

Papa laughed. 

"So my little darling Valentina has danced off another shoe? And Johana with her? Marie Kristine, won't you be upset when your younger sisters receive their marriage proposal before you do?"

"Certainly not. Frankly, I'd be happier if you and Mamá left me out of the wedding machinations. So far I haven't met a gentleman I'd like to spend more than five minutes with."

"That's because you're overly demanding, my dear, and not the least bit interested in what they tell you." I was interrupted by my mother, who entered the drawing-room accompanied by both my younger sisters. 

"When they have something interesting to tell, I will give them my attention."

My mother sighed and shook her head. "Do you have anything to say to her dear?"

"Absolutely not. I will make sure my children get a proper education and are financially secure. You will oversee their emotional and social lives." 

The mother and sisters took their seats at the table and the servants began to bring trays and platters to the table. 

Everyone fell silent and immersed themselves in the meal. I looked around the table. 

Papa was engrossed in reading the newspaper as usual, and occasionally read a bit to my brother who sat on his right, and then they had a quiet discussion together. Mostly political and military matters. 

Mamá, on the other side of the table, was surrounded by my youngest sisters, and together they spent the entire breakfast swishing and laughing at the latest gossip that they had picked up on their many social visits. Valentina was just explaining to my mother that she needed to go shopping because she didn't have any decent silk stockings. 

"And you planning on showing your stockings to anyone, shameless?" Johanna, who was a year older than Valentina, but just as childish, asked her with a laugh. "Then how will you find a good husband of respectable standing if you show your stockings to half the court?" 

"And how do my suitors know I won't settle for just anything if I parade before them in cotton stockings? Hm?" Valentina retorted unperturbed. 

Her confidence I would like to have. Not only did she move through society as easily and naturally as a fish in water, she even enjoyed the constant social discussions about the weather. Both younger sisters were at one with our mother in this. Their main goal was to party till they dropped, marry a good match soon, and then continue partying, only at their husband's expense. 

Poor father. His marriage produced four daughters who needed to be married off and provided for well, and only one son to carry on his work and keep the family line going. 

The eldest sister, Elizabeth, was already married, and together with our mother, she concentrated on negotiating advantageous marriages for her younger sisters. To my great misfortune, I was next on the line. 

I didn't want to get married. At least not right away. Of course, in the future, I imagined being the lady of my own house, with a husband and children, but now there were still many things I wanted to discover, know and experience. 

The world is too big and beautiful to be stuck at home in an endless merry-go-round of social teas and ball seasons. 

Papa was progressive and ensured that all his children received a proper education. The sisters considered lessons with the most well-known Prague scholars a waste of time and devoted themselves only to singing, dancing, and painting landscapes. 

I was hungry for education. So much so, in fact, that at the age of thirteen my father arranged regular meetings with professors from the university so that I could pursue my interests at a higher level. I dreamed of becoming a regular university student and pursuing math and natural sciences. When I suggested this to my mother, she fainted. 

It's not fitting for a young lady to even consider such things, what would people say if they found out I was going to university with all men? The papa I looked to for support was my biggest disappointment. Women aren't allowed in university. No, it's impossible to use our connections to negotiate an exemption for me. He said he did what he could when he arranged my private lessons. Some of the professors he approached wouldn't even meet with me, saying that it was impossible to educate women because their brains weren't ready for the workload. Modern scholars, indeed, I thought for myself ironically. 

"How are your lessons going?" the papa suddenly turned to me.

"Very well, thank you. I'm meeting dear Ignatius today. We were going to observe molds together with the microscope."

"Oh dear, and is this really appropriate entertainment for a young lady?" Mom echoed, having heard the word mold.

"Yeah, a moldy bride, no one will want." Valentina cheered with her.

"I'd rather have a daughter who devotes herself to mold for noble motives and to rubbing her spirit, than one who devotes all her energies to spending money she doesn't know where it comes from," Father said quietly. Valentina was at times insufferable. Father's remark, however, silenced her. 

"Will you take the carriage?" Father turned back to me.

"Probably not, I'd like to take a walk. After all, it is not far away." I replied, putting down my fork. "Will you excuse me?" 

I left the lounge and headed to my room. Margaret was already waiting for me with my cloak ready. 

I changed into my shoes and headed off to meet my teacher, Ignatius.