June 20 1791 - Tuileries Palace, Paris, France

Astrid hummed as she dusted the table in one of the many drawing rooms that the Tuileries Palace had. An elegant porcelain vase sat upon the low table and Astrid was careful to pick it up slowly. She would be in big trouble with the Madame if she broke it.

"Mademoiselle Astrid" A deep voice called, startling Astrid. She luckily managed to not drop the vase. With a sigh she put it back down on the table and then turned around to see who had called her.

"Monseigneur Baschet." She greeted. Internally she wondered what Jean-François Baschet, a Chevalier of the French court and staunch supporter of King Louis, could even want from a simple maid.

"Mademoiselle Astrid, your country needs you." Monseigneur Baschet stated as he held his head high. His feathered hat he carried under his arm as he gave her a slight bow which was uncommon for someone of his stature to do when speaking to a simple servant.

"Monseigneur, could you please explain?"

"Of course, forgive me Mademoiselle. As you know, these are troubling times with the royal family being forced to move from the Palace of Versailles to the Tuileries. His Highness is finally set to move and will be needing the help of some trustworthy servants for it to succeed." The Chevalier explained. "It is my understanding that you played Madame Antoinette's double before. For the King's plan to succeed the servants must play convincing aristocrats."

Astrid's eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips. King Louis had been incredibly indecisive about what to do when the Revolutionaries started voicing their opinions and pressuring him. While she worked in the palace, she was still paid minimum wage which barely kept her clothed. Yet not obeying the King's orders was considered high treason. Astrid certainly didn't want to get caught in one of these hairbrained schemes and thought she might be able to slip away before things went south. "Whatever my king asks I shall happily comply." Astrid told the Chevalier while giving a slight curtsy.

"Wonderful Mademoiselle. I shall inform the Madame that you will accompany us later tonight." Astrid let out a heavy breath as the Chevalier left the room. She looked at the rag that was still clenched in her hand and then back to the drawingroom she was supposed to clean. When she had gotten this job she was happy that it might improve her living conditions, having climbed up from the impoverished people to a palace maid was about as high as her social status would take her. Yet nothing improved much under the aristocracy. Her parents died when they couldn't afford a doctor, her younger brother died on the battlefield of the various wars the King instigated around Europe. If she made a run for it now she would be charged with treason, if she made a run for it while on the road with the royal family she might have a chance to find people that would hide her. It was with that plan in mind that Astrid went back to work, hoping that she could escape this country that was slowly going under.

'This is ridiculous.' Astrid thought as she had been escorted into a gilded carriage with other servants that had been dressed up as Royals. King Louis himself was disguised as a footman while the queen played the governess. They had left in the dead of night for the journey to Montmédy.

"Where do you think we are Mademoiselle?" Astrid asked the lady sitting next to her. She recognized her as dauphin's governess, now dressed in finery, pretending to be a Russian baroness.

"We should be arriving in Sainte-Menehould within a few hours." The lady told her. "I overheard Madame Antoinette when they were making the final preparations at our last stop."

Astrid's mind wandered. Sainte-Menehould was close to Montmédy and she cursed that she still hadn't found a way to make a quick escape. Those accompanying the carriage had been ever vigilant and would have surely thought it strange upon seeing a lady dressed like an aristocrat running through the thick woods or stealing a horse.

Astrid was sore from sitting the entire time when the six-horse coach finally stopped in the town of Sainte-Menehould. Astrid didn't know what it was but the hairs on her neck were standing at attention. A feeling of foreboding ran through her as they were finally allowed to descend the coach. The servants, dressed as aristocrats, and their entourage were led into a rural inn where they would be eating a light meal before continuing. Astrid sat primly and waved her fan lightly as she observed her surroundings. The townspeople hadn't seemed to notice that their king was dressed as a manservant, yet something kept nagging at her. It was then that she saw it. A man sitting in a corner was looking at the king with such incredulity that he must have uncovered the plot. This could not go over well and Astrid opted for the less than gracious, most lady-like, thing she could think of. She stood up slowly, fanning a bit faster, and said rather breathlessly "Oh my........ I....... I.... feel faint." With that she fell backwards and hit the ground causing the men in the party to crowd around her.

The men, being gentlemen that they were, carefully helped Astrid up as the other ladies tittered on the edges of the crowd, curious to see what was going on. They carefully moved her to lay on one of the couches when she heard one of the ladies whisper "Must be the corset."

Astrid lay there doing the one thing she hated most. Acting all meek and lady-like. Not many knew this but Astrid had punched one of the stable hands in the face when they had tried to get her alone, and Monsieur did that feel good.

Astrid continued acting and she was rather proud of it when she heard one of the men say "She is not fit for travel."

Another gentleman carried her away from prying eyes and into a room. The room was simple, it had a small bed, a table, and a desk by the window. "Do not fret Mademoiselle. A doctor is being summoned for you." Astrid merely let out a painful groan as the man closed the door carefully. Once she was alone in the room she bolted out of the bed and quickly went to the window to open it. She muttered a few French curses she had picked up from her father when he had been drunk and started climbing out the window. Astrid however didn't get very far when the hooped petticoat under her gown would not fit through the window. "Sacre bleu!" She muttered while carefully wiggling and pushing. "MERDE!" Astrid shrieked when she suddenly pitched forward, out the second storey window, and onto a conveniently placed bail of hay below. She quickly crawled out of the pile of hay, several pieces getting caught in her hair and in parts of her large gown.

"My kingdom for a horse." Astrid whispered as she tried to sneak through the town. It was late at night and the town was fairly quiet in the part she was in now. Astrid did not want to become a horse thief but desperate times called for desperate measures. She was nearly to a stable when she ducked down upon hearing a voice. Peeking around the corner she saw the same man from the inn now covertly talking to one of the Bourgeoisie. 'Thank the Lord I got out of there.' Astrid thought as she snuck by undetected. If the Bourgeoisie knew the King was fleeing then nothing good would come out of it. Those associated with this plot would likely be imprisoned forever or hanged. Astrid held her neck momentarily, at least decapitation hadn't been brought up yet as a capital punishment.

She was almost to the stables when a large hand clamped over her mouth and dragged her kicking and squirming into an alleyway. She was slammed against a stone wall as a large, obviously drunken and smelly, man hovered over her. "Why hello there Ma Petite." His crooked teeth were visible from his close proximity to her and she scrunched up her nose before ramming her knee into his groin.

"PAAAAAAH" The man clutched his groin as Astrid tried to make a run for it. However she didn't get far in the uncomfortable heels and the large hooped gown and petticoats. The man recovered faster than she had expected and grabbed her again. He turned her around and Astrid was about to scream when the man produced a knife and stabbed her with it. She gasped in pain and tried to stop the blood from flowing from her abdomen when the man let out a maniacal laugh while saying "You shouldn't have run Ma Petite." He made a motion to pull Astrid towards him but in the blink of an eye he was on the other side of the alley being held up by a woman in a dark red gown. Astrid blinked, the pain was momentarily forgotten as she watched the black-haired woman snap the large man's neck like it was nothing. The woman was her size and build, that should have been physically impossible. Astrid kept her hand on the stab wound but was starting to feel rather sluggish from the blood loss.

"Let me help." The woman offered as she tossed the large burly man away from her like a ragdoll. Astrid gasped as she got a good look as the woman had turned to face her. Black glossy hair, done up in a bun, eyes a crimson red, and two pointy fangs peeking out of red glossed lips.

"What are you?!" Astrid asked as she wanted to back away. "Who are you?"

"Forgive me. You may call me Heather. As for what I am, right now, your savior."