While Prince Metternich and His Majesty the Emperor were discussing, Aigron was walking in the long corridor, preparing to return to his dormitory.
Because of the quarrel with Prince Metternich just now, he was in a bad mood, but he did not show any signs on his face. Over the years, he had been accustomed to hiding his worries in his heart.
Just as he walked outside the door of his room, he suddenly noticed that there seemed to be an extra person next to him.
This is a woman of about twenty years old.
She was wearing a long skirt. Although she was not tall, she still looked tall because of her slender figure. Her neck was also quite slender, making her movements and expressions very elegant and agile. Her brown hair was styled into curly hair in a fashionable style.
She looked at him with a smile but not a smile, her fair and rosy face was full of youthful charm, but because she was a wife for the first time, she also had a bit of the charm of a young woman.
"Aigron! Good morning." When Aigron looked at her, she greeted him with a smile.
"Good morning, Your Highness." Aigron stopped and saluted her.
She is Princess Sophie.
She was the daughter of King Maximilian I of Bavaria. She was born in 1805. In 1824, at the age of 19, she married His Majesty the Emperor's youngest son, Archduke Franz Karl (also Aigron's uncle).
From then on, they lived in Schönbrunn Palace and the two of them got to know each other.
Aigron had a good relationship with her, and he also liked her smile when she greeted him.
This is not only because her voice is nice, but more importantly, she is the only person in this huge palace who can call herself by this nickname in French.
In addition, although the princess is his aunt, she is only 6 years older than him. Compared with other people in the palace, this newly acquainted princess has much more in common with him.
It is worth mentioning that her sister, Princess Caroline, who was born in 1792, married the widowed Austrian Emperor in 1816, thus becoming his nominal "grandmother" - although she was only older than him.
Just 19 years older.
What is even more worth mentioning is that their eldest sister, Princess Augusta, who was born in 1788, married Napoleon's adopted son Eugène de Beauharnais in 1806.
Therefore, according to the strict order of seniority, the three princess sisters are his "brother and sister-in-law", "grandmother" and "aunt" respectively.
This can also be seen from the chaos of political marriages in the aristocratic world, as well as the Napoleon family's desperate efforts to integrate into the royal families of various European countries when they came to power.
From the first day he met her, Aigron didn't worry about "what should I call her?" After all, in this luxurious and leisurely palace, these members of the royal family who were born with rich clothes and fine food, why should they care about the so-called
What about turn order?
From the moment they met, Princess Sophie was very friendly to him and had no prejudice against Austrians at all.
After all, Bavarians do not hate Napoleon. After all, during the era of Emperor Napoleon, the giant single-handedly founded the Rhine League and elevated the Elector of Bavaria to the Kingdom of Bavaria, making it another great power in Germany.
In order to be grateful to Emperor Napoleon, the King of Bavaria married his adopted son and fought with Napoleon all the time. It was only in 1813 when Napoleon was at the end of his rope that he was forced to abandon him due to circumstances.
At the same time, although the empire was destroyed, the king still took in his son-in-law Eugène who had nowhere to go. Until his death in 1824, he enjoyed a fairly good life.
Eugène and Princess Augusta are also very loving, and they are a rare loving couple among political marriages.
Princess Sophie, who grew up in this kind of living environment, naturally had no hostility towards the Bonaparte family. After marrying to Austria, it was very normal for her to be friendly and kind to Aigron.
After the two got acquainted, Princess Sophie directly called him "you", which shows that she really treats him differently.
"I heard that our dear Prime Minister just came to see you?" Princess Sophie asked as she approached.
"You are really well informed -" Aigron smiled helplessly.
"It looks like you didn't have a particularly pleasant chat. Did he reprimand you?" the princess asked again.
"It's not really a reprimand...it's just that it makes people a little embarrassed." Aigron continued to smile bitterly.
"This bad old man is probably planning something else." Princess Sophie said with some dissatisfaction.
Aiglon didn't answer. After all, this topic was not convenient to discuss in the corridor.
"Well... this is not a good place to talk." Princess Sophie glanced sideways, then raised her eyebrows, her eyes flickering, and there was a hint of charm in her cleverness. "Follow me -"
After saying that, she turned around and left, her skirt fluttering while leaving the young man with a slim back, and Aigron had no choice but to follow her.
The two people walked out of the grand palace, then walked down the steps to the fountain at the door. Because of the sound of running water, they didn't have to worry about the ears on the partition wall.
"Aiglon, what on earth did he say?" the princess asked again.
"He said he wanted me to go to a military school, but I didn't want to go." Aigron answered honestly, "Then we had some arguments."
"Is that so..." Princess Sophie lowered her gaze slightly and began to think, "He is not someone who changes his mind easily."
"This is where I'm in trouble." Aiglon nodded, "I really don't want to go at all, but I don't want to openly violate his wishes."
"Then just reject him forcefully. I think you should still have this freedom." Princess Sophie curled her lips in displeasure, "No matter how powerful he is, he can't control all the actions of the royal family, right?"
"But he can convince His Majesty to do this..." Aigron shook his head, "If Your Majesty is persuaded by him, maybe it will be difficult for me to refuse."
Princess Sophie suddenly became speechless.
Indeed, His Majesty the Emperor is both the supreme emperor and the unquestionable patriarch of Habsburg. His orders to members of the royal family must not be offended. What's more, Aiglon still has such a special and embarrassing status. Even if he wants to refuse, I'm afraid he can't.
It's hard to do.
"If this is the case, then I will also go to Karl and ask him to intercede for you. His Majesty the Emperor is not a mean and ruthless person. As long as we and our husband intercede together, things will eventually turn around." Princess Sophie's
The voice became softer, obviously trying to comfort Aiglon.
Aigron was silent.
Her Royal Highness the Prince and Concubine was standing next to the fountain. Although the distance between the two of them was very close, because of the water vapor that was diffused everywhere, there seemed to be a halo around her, making her look hazy and real.
"Thank you." After a moment, he stammered, "I'm not saying I'm grateful because I got your help, but... I'm very grateful for your kindness. This is really something I should cherish."
"Haha... cute child." Seeing his reaction, Princess Sophie couldn't help laughing, "You don't have to be so reserved. After all, we are a family now, right? Of course I should do my best to help you.
"
"You are not much older than me -" Aigron retorted in a low voice.
"But I am already married, and I am destined to take on the responsibility here. I have lost the qualification to continue to be young, but you have not." Princess Sophie's expression became serious, and then she raised her hand and pointed at two
The grand palace opposite me. "Aiglon, do you know why I am so kind to you?"
"To be honest, I do wonder sometimes..." Aigron replied.
Her Royal Highness the Princess raised her head, looked at the sculpture on the top of the fountain, and then sighed sadly.
"Before I got married, my brother-in-law, your brother was already dying. When he was seriously ill, he told me that he was happy enough in this life. He had never betrayed anyone. Even if he went to heaven, he would be worthy of it.
With his heart, he could face that person openly. But he still had one regret that he could not resolve, and that was his brother. He was destined to be unable to save the poor child trapped in the cage, and he couldn't bear the thought of it.
He couldn't help but be in pain, so he begged me to do my best to take care of you when I get here, so that you don't wither away early due to despair..."
After saying this, Princess Sophie withdrew her gaze, and then looked seriously at the young man in front of her.
"I don't want him to die with regrets, so I will keep this promise. Aiglon, here you can regard me as your sister, and I will help you grow up safely and happily."
Aigron listened to her words quietly, and suddenly felt a dull pain in his heart.
Obviously this was actually not his own business, but he felt a sense of sadness inexplicably.
Not only for the late stepbrother Eugène de Beauharnais, but also for the Princess Sophie in front of me.
The two world lines that were originally bifurcated seemed to have an intersection in her.
Historically, the relationship between the two people has been very close.
After she married into the Austrian court, the King of Rome, who had lacked friendship all his life, regarded her as one of the few close friends in Schönbrunn Palace. Princess Sophie also seemed to have an extraordinary affection for the King of Rome.
emotion.
The two often danced together at balls and interacted a lot. Because of their affection for each other, they caused a lot of rumors in the palace. Some people even suspected that the youngest son of Her Royal Highness the Princess, Maximilian, was married to the King of Rome.
illegitimate son.
There is of course no basis for this rumor, but it is a fact that when the King of Rome died young in 1832, the princess was devastated.
Perhaps in the eyes of Princess Sophie at that time, the King of Rome was her real relative in the unfamiliar Austrian court.
"I will do my best to protect you, Your Highness." In the midst of emotion, he assured the other party in a low voice.
Suddenly, there was a little more sentimentality between the two of them.
"Aiglon, don't be discouraged. These bad days will eventually pass." After a moment, Princess Sophie adjusted her emotions and comforted the boy, "I said... one day I will have the final say here.
, and that will be the day when you are completely free, no one can bully you anymore, you can do whatever you want... until then, just wait, trust me!"
Aigron knew that Her Royal Highness the Princess was right.
Although she was married to the emperor's youngest son, Archduke Karl, it is known that the emperor's eldest son Ferdinand suffered from severe congenital diseases and lost his fertility. Even if he succeeded to the throne, it would be difficult for him to rule the country. Eventually, the Austrian throne would fall.
Come to Her Majesty's side.
Historically, Ferdinand succeeded to the throne in 1835, but abdicated in 1848 due to serious illness and was unable to handle national affairs. Princess Sophie's son Franz-Joseph succeeded to the throne at the age of 18. From that time on, Queen Mother Sophie
His willpower dominated the Austrian court, and he truly became a man of one word.
However, that was already 1848, and now it is 1826.
Even if Her Royal Highness Princess Sophie does not change her mind in the future and is really willing to fulfill her promise, it will still be at least 20 years before she has the final say in the palace.
How many more twenty years of life can be wasted here?
He didn't want to wait that long.
He doesn't have that much time to endure.
"I believe in you, Your Highness." Aigron closed his eyes in great emotion, "I will wait for that day."