"Roderich... must I truly leave?"

"Yes, my princess. It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you the marriage contract is drawn. The only thing left is the ceremony and the signing."

The year was 1769. Within the great study of the Vienna residence of the royal Austrian family, Maria Antonia, fifteenth daughter of the Empress, and Roderich Edelstein, the human incarnation of the lands of Austria, sat discussing the important news that had arisen recently. Maria Theresa, Antoine's mother, had arranged her marriage with the Dauphin of France in order to restore a precarious alliance with France which had fallen apart after the 7 Years' War. Antoine sat, her feet tucked under her legs, in a big arm chair, Roderich next to her trying to keep a sophisticated presence in talking of a subject that pained him so.

"But what of my friends? My family?  What will I do without them?"

"Antoine," Roderich sighed, clasping the young girl's hands within his own. "You must do without them. You will make new friends soon enough, and to your family you may write."

"Writing," Antoine scoffed. "is a waste of time. I would much rather have conversation. It's so much more intimate than ink on paper."

"Intimacy aside, it is your duty to Austria. Your marriage is an important, yet fragile one; if failure ensues, France will be at our doorstep once more and he will not be friendly; though, to be honest, I would rather face a thousand French troops than to be met with the wrath of your mother."

Antoine chuckled at this, shifting her legs under her skirts, making them rustle softly. "I am only thirteen, Roderich. I have duty to you, but does it not seem odd to you that I am to be married at so young an age?"

Roderich made no sound, staring simply at the princess's hands for a long while. "Antoine," he said finally, releasing his grip and standing up, walking towards the sizable window of the study, amber afternoon light washing over the room. "It matters little that you are young, though it may seem cruel now. You must become adjusted to life at Versailles and learn how to comport yourself at the French court; it is very different from the Habsburg court here in Vienna, extremely public. There will be much expected of you."

"But why can I not have a say in my own marriage?" Tears streamed down Antoine's face, now red. Her fists clenched, wading up the fabric of her dress in frustration. "I am owed at least that!"

"Antoine!" Roderich snapped. "You are acting like a child! You, my dear, are owed nothing! You are a young woman, and must assume your responsibilities! Would your mother have behaved in such a manner when she was your age?"

"I am not my mother!" Antoine cried, burying her head in her arms, sobs racking her body. Roderich's brow furrowed. Perhaps he'd been too harsh... Nonetheless, she needs to know the dire situation which she has been thrusted into!

Roderich, however, could not keep himself from comforting the little princess, who's life, he realized, was being turned upside down. He crossed the room once more, kneeling before the chair Antoine sat weeping in and embraced her. Her bawling cries grew more fervent as she clung to him, desperately wishing to stay with familiarity.

"I am so sorry, my sweet girl," Roderich sighed, kissing her forehead and stroking her long, golden hair. "If I could stop it in any way, I would. But your mother, the Empress of my lands, believes it best, so we must go along with her, we must be loyal."

"So we must," Antoine said, pulling away and wiping her face once more. "But above all else, I assume I must prove to her that I am extravagantly pleased, instead of bitterly unhappy."

____________________

April, 1770

It was an early April morning. The dew on the neatly trimmed grass of the Habsburg Palace shone in the light of the dawn. The estate was serene, tranquil fog settled over the place giving it an eerie air about it. A single dove's cooing was the only sound audible for miles. Silence.

Absolute silence.

Within moments, a great fuss had begun. The doors of the Palace swung open and a great procession of lords, ladies, advisors, and the royal family came out, hustling and bustling, followed by servants carrying luggage bags. Roderich stood closely behind the family, somber and quiet, as they awaited the arrival of the fleet of carriages, horses, and soldiers who would carry little Antoine to her destiny.

"My dearest," the Empress said, clearing her throat. "Remember the advices I have given you, and pay close attention to the words of Sir Edelstein, for they will be of great value to you once you are in France, void of any Austrian influence other than the letters we shall exchange."

"Yes, Lady Mother," Antoine said, curtsying and kissing her mother's hand. "I shall do my best to please you in my becoming Dauphine of France."

A carriage, beautifully gilded and lavishly decorated, barreled up the path towards the marvelous estate's entrance, followed by a caravan of hundreds of soldiers on horseback. The carriage came to a stop and the footman hopped off his rest to the ground, then, mechanically, walked around the contraption, opened the door, and stood attentively.

Antoine's face grew pale, her eyes brimming with tears. She looked frantically to her mother, who was distainful and emotionless in her usual black mourning attire, then to Roderich, who looked back sympathetically. The servants carrying the luggage bags approached the carriage and loaded the large boxes in the back compartment, then stepped aside.

"My little Maria Antoina... A great distance shall now separate us; I am deeply sorry I will not be there to guide you. Farewell, my Dearest. Do so much good to the French people that they can say that I have sent them an angel."

"I shall try my best, Mother," Antoine said bitterly. She embraced her mother, sisters, and brothers once more before curtsying to the assembly, looking back upon her home once more, then, her ladies-in-waiting close behind, boarded the carriage.

The Empress turned to Roderich. "I expect you back at court no later than the 18th of May, Edelstein. "

"Yes, my Empress," Roderich said, bowing lowly and kissing her hand.

Bowing once more to his Empress and the assembled nobility, Roderich made his way to the carriage to ride with Antoine and her ladies in waiting to the handover ceremony. Just before he could enter the sitting compartment, he heard the voice of his monarch call out once more:

"Oh, and Sir Edelstein? Be sure to fill her head with good, solid advice. I will not have her on the stage of the world a featherhead with no knowledge of how to act in a French Court. She has behaved as one for far too long."

"I will, your Grace," he replied. Entering the passenger's seats, Roderich bade the nobility 'Auf Wiedersen,' and closed the door. Within minutes they were off, on their way to France, headed to the Great Handover.

'Will she be able to do it?' Roderich wondered and he watched the princess stare out the window, catching the final glimpses of her first home. She is an emotional creature, viced by the ignorant state in which she was allowed to grow up. She can barely speak conversational French, much less be able to address a court when expected to!

'God save the Dauphine,' Roderich thought. 'God save the Dauphine.'

_____________________

15 days later

"Prinzessin Antoine!" A man called, knocking on the side of the carriage. "We have arrived at the border!"

Roderich woke with a start, bumping his head. Looking through the window, he saw mid-morning light glinting through the dense trees, along with a large, tentish structure ahead of him. Roderich rubbed his face in exhaustion, then proceeded to wake the princess and her ladies-in-waiting.

"Are we there?" Antoine yawned, stretching as well as she could in her tight corset and smoothing her rumpled dress. She looked out the window, then furrowed her brow in confusion. "Roderich, we're in the middle of nowhere."

"The ceremony is taking place on the border. Your time in Austria, my little prinzessen, is sadly up."

Antoine stared down at her lap, tears pricking her  eyes. Roderich, moved by the princess's sorrow, put a tender arm around her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her one last time. The princess broke down, throwing herself into his arms and crying into his chest.

"Roderich," she weeped. "I'm scared..."

"I know, lieber," he cooed softly. "But have faith; you are a strong young woman of fourteen and you will conquer the court with your charm. Just try to remember your studies- well, the ones you paid attention to- and love your husband and your King and your new country well." Roderich's voice faltered when the phrase, 'new country' left his lips.

"Austria," Antoine whimpered, pulling back and wiping her eyes on the sleeves of her shirt. "I will never forget you and the abundant happiness you've brought me so early in my life."

"Nor I will I forget you," Roderich smiled, wiping her eyes with his handkerchief. "Maria Antoina Josepha Johanna. And may I say, before we part, I wish you a long reign and good luck in becoming Marie Antoinette. Be happy going forward, and greet France with open arms."

Antoine smiled weakly, took one last deep breath, and nodded to one of her ladies to open the door of the carriage. The ladies stepped out first, carrying dogs and small trinkets, then Antoine, followed by Roderich. A line of french ladies, dressed in finery, formed on the french side of the border.

"Your royal highness," one said, curtsying lowly, then standing erect, thin and poised. "I am Countess of Noailles, your First Lady of Honour. We will be preforming the official handover ceremony, then we will be traveling to Versailles to present you to King Louis XV and your fiancee, Louis Auguste."

Antoine curtsied back, then each lady introduced themselves. Roderich stood back, his heart weighed by the fact that his little prinzessen was lost to him. She was now the Dauphine. Her first duty was no longer to Austria, but to France.