Luckily, Marie was not aware of my misdeed because someone else had discovered me: the fault was of the Marquis’s daughter, the one who had pointed out to me that I had those petals in my hair. In the past she had been her student and so, telling her about the private party, she had reported to having heard that the king’s gardener was very angry because some children, playing, had ruined the flowerbeds. Marie combined the two events, sensing that I was the guilty.

After that scene which took place in front of the servants, Marie and I made our way inside the house to start my lesson of “good manners”; sitting in my room, I meekly put up Marie’s strict scolds.

As if she had not noticed my grunt of disapproval, Marie continued:

< this="" behaviour="" is="" not="" appropriate="" for="" a="" good="" family’s="" lady="" like="" you:="" you="" can="" not="" strain="" and="" pretend="" to="" behave="" well="" only="" when="" seen="" by="" all.="" only="" when="" grace="" and="" elegance="" will="" naturally="" flow="" from="" within="" you,="" only="" in="" that="" moment="" you="" could="" say="" to="" have="" achieved="" a="" perfect="" education="" –="" and="" i="" a.s.sure="" you="" that,="" at="" that="" point,="" these="" qualities="" will="" be="" found="" and="" recognized="" even="" from="" those="" around="" you="">>.

I hated her sermons more than anything else in the world, but in that case I had to admit that she was right: I had maintained my knowledge from the past life, but I could not compete with Marie, that, all of her 30 years, certainly had more experience than me.

< at="" the="" moment,="" i="" do="" not="" see="" these="" features="" in="" you.="" understood,="" miss="" chris?="">>.

< “miss="" toinette”,="" please="">>.

< oh="" stop="" with="" these="" claims.="" in="" short,="" marie,="" let’s="" see="" if="" i="" understood:="" it="" is="" not="" about="" worrying="" of="" being="" caught="" in="" flagrant,="" but="" to="" erase="" all="" the="" proofs="" on="" order="" to="" avoid="" of="" being="" discovered="" even="" later,="" is="" it?="">>, I tried to re-explain in my own words.

< n.o.body="" ever="" said="" this!!!="">>, yelled Marie.

She hit me with another noogie, punis.h.i.+ng me because apparently I had not understood anything of what she had just said: lately, she had become quick to violence!

< every="" healthy="" child="" begins="" to="" walk="" at="" the="" age="" of="" one="" year!="" let’s="" accept="" your="" skills="" for="" learning="" to="" speak="" and="" read="" at="" 3="" and="" 5="" years,="" but="" must="" i="" remind="" you="" that,="" based="" on="" what="" i="" just="" said,="" from="" the="" beginning="" you’ve="" been="" a="" little="" girl="" like="" all="" the="" others?="">>.

I was speechless, visibly distressed.

Do not forget: you are Christina Noir. You are a genius. At 1 year you started to run free in the palace, at 3 you already knew how to express yourself properly, at 5 you read your first book, from top to bottom. You are a genius.

When at last the lesson was over, I went into the room of the latter as I always did: I wanted to play with her, but today, due to Marie’s words, I felt a little insecure and I was absorbed in my thoughts.

You are a genius. At 1 year you started to run free in the palace, at 3 you already knew how to express yourself properly, at 5 you read your first book, from top to bottom. You are a genius.

< yes?="">>.

< at="" one="" year,="" were="" you="" already="" able="" to="" walk?="">>.

Trying to find safety in her was an evidence of the fact that confidence in myself, that day, had halved .

< eh!="">>.

It was not the answer which I was expecting, but she was too cute: she lovingly stroked her head. When I watched her smile, I do not know why, everything else would stop worrying me.

< would="" you="" tell="" me="" about="" the="" dance,="" big="" sister?="">>.

I looked for the right words to explain in a simple and fun way what had happened the night before.

< of="" course,="" because="" you="" were="" beautiful="" last="" night!="">>.

< a="" friend?="">>.

I should have kept it a secret, but I spoke with Mishley open heart, though without specifying that he was a member of the royal family, whose name was Charles, and that we had destroyed the flowerbed.

< there="" was="" this="" child,="" younger="" than="" me,="" who="" followed="" me="" with="" the="" intention="" to="" have="" a="" challenge…="">>.

< yes.="" in="" short,="" i="" finally="" won="" and,="" for="" convenience,="" we’ve="" become="" friends.="" however,="" he="" seemed="" nice="">>.

< ……="">>.

Recalling what had happened I was a bit enthusiastic and Mishley, who initially followed my story with interest,  was all of a sudden fallen silent. I found it strange: usually she always listened with her bleaming blue eyes.

< is="" everything="" ok?="">>.

< of="" course="" you,="" silly!="">>, I replied immediately, without uncertainty.

I was feeling worried about Charles, but I had no doubt that she was the most important person in the world for me. I squeezed her to me:

< i="" love="" you="" so="" much,="" mishley,="" and="" i="" will="" always="" love="" you!="">>.

< really!="">>.

< forever!="">>.

< to="" infinity!="">>.

Finally, that angelic smile which she always have had got painted again on her face.

< i="" love="" you="" too!="">>, she said, hugging me.

< impossible!="" i="" love="" you="" as="" much="" as="" you="" love="" me!="">>.

< very="" true!!!="">>.

< yes!="">>.

We continued to shake sharing that happiness.

< why?="">>, I asked appalled in front of that unexpected reaction.

< no.="" i="" tell="" you="" it="" is="" impossible="">>.

As I looked puzzled, not understanding, Mishley shook vigorously the skirt of my dress.