madame déficit

' i put on my rouge & wash my hands in front of the whole world ' independent rp blog for queen marie antoinette of france and navarre. mun agrees with the interpretation of historian john e.n. hearsey in his novel "marie antoinette", and the 2006 movie of the same name.

[post-nothing]

Visit Original Link

Are you sure you want to live like common people You want to see whatever common people see

[madeficit-blog]

@makercursed / sc

Giggles and big eyes would surely be the end to their disguises. It should be. The eyes of a gentlewoman in a slummy neighborhood stand out. They glitter like gold, and they are held up high, until everyone can see their true nature. Until they can be sold to the highest bidder. Antoinette shields her eyes behind her fan. It is elaborate for common folk, but not entirely unrealistic for a young noblewoman, whose family has little more than name to get them by, to own. Her clothes is like the fan. It has bows the right, fashionable places, but they are limited. Its fabric is not the extravagant silk of the Queen, but it is not the wool of the peasant. It is not even the cotton of the merchant.

Their little group of three esteemed noblewomen tumbles into a drinking hole filled with smoke, the scent of alcohol, and the excitement of common people. They seat themselves and their air of money in the middle, so used to attention that they don’t realize that people, who wish to go unnoticed, don’t sit where the light hits them. Antoinette extends her manicured fingers to brush one of the commoners on the arm. She has yet to sit down, which allows her to speak semi-privately with the woman in front of her.

“Excuse me, madame, my friends and I were wondering what they are showing at the opera. Do you happen to know?”

[madeficit-blog]

@wxderwillen / sc

“Haben Sie meines Lieblingskleid gesehen? Ich glaubte, dass ich es hier ablegt hat, aber ich kann es nicht finden.”

[madeficit-blog]

@mohiican / sc

“Strange ... aren’t you? Interesting, though. I cannot say I dislike a strange face, but yours is stranger than most.”

[madeficit-blog]

@quietresistence / sc

“Oh, my favorite bow! Do me a favor, my dear, and grab that blue silk ribbon, please, before it’s blown away by the wind!”

[madeficit-blog]

@iuriis / sc

“An honor, monsieur.” Even though her Austrian roots beckon her to embrace the stranger, her French experience has taught her that the gesture is seen as an invasion of private space. Additionally, this man does represent the mortal enemy of both her childhood country and her now-homeland. It would be unwise of her to show more than necessary politeness. While nationalism tugs at her heartstrings and begs her to give him the cold shoulder, like how she used to treat Du Barry, her curiosity is simply too big. “How has France treated you thus far?”

[thewiddlestwampire-deactivated2]

[Your url but  you change it with the following criterion:

Every “i” is replaced by “iii” 

Every “e” is replaced by “c” 

Every “o” & “a” is replaced by “x”

Add “isms” to the end of it

Wiiidlcxlgiiidcxnglccfulisms ]

[madeficit-blog]

dominusmontis:

               to  be  extended  an  invitation  to  one  of  the  queen’s  INFAMOUS  parties  at  the  palace  versailles  was ,  indeed ,  to  be  considered  an  honor  by  ANY  who  received  it .  it  was  only  very  recently  that  thomas  had  succeeded  former  minister  franklin  as  america’s  sole  ambassador  to  france ,    &    it  was  very  likely  indeed  that  mister  franklin  had  attended  MANY  of  these  extravagant  galas ,  becoming  the  most  famous    &    belov’d  american  in  the  eyes  of  the  french .  thomas  had  every  inkling  that  the  same  courtesy  was  being  extended  to  him  as  it  was  the  recently  retired  ambassador    —    it  did  not  cross  his  mind  once  that  he’d  find  himself  in  the  exclusive  company  of  the  young  queen  herself .    &    moreover ,  that  they’d  be  foregoing  all  professional ,    &    diplomatic  talk  in  favor  of  an  almost  spritely  casualness .

               he  bows  his  head  in  response  to  her    —    questioning  is  he  not  enjoying  these  extravagancies ,  likely  having  noticed  that  serious  expression  so  often  worn  on  his  features   —    as  a  smile ,  small    &    polite ,  but  nonetheless  genuine ,  pulls  on  either  corner  of  his  lips ,    ❛   indeed ,  madame ,  i  have  resolved  to  renounce  embarrassment  in  favor  of  enjoyment .   ❜

Always the fan of the bubbly champagne over the drab color of wine, Antoinette has made sure that her favorite alcohol is being distributed to all of her guests. Brought along are small cakes, which somehow manage to look fluffy and puffy in spite of just being food. They match her dress, which is – admittedly – not the most formal in her large closet, but which is quite extravagant nonetheless. It’s in her favorite color, blue. Louis, actually, chose the exact shade, and Antoinette has to mark that he has a great taste when he wants to. Her children – Marie Thérèse, Louis Joseph, and Louis Charles – are all in bed by now, tucked in by their favorite nannies. It stings when she is reminded that yet another child is supposed to have been tucked in. She breathes in hard, then returns her attention to the party around her. There is no time to dwell when you are the life of the party.

The American seems to enjoy himself. Indeed, he makes a comment just as she is about to, and she smiles broadly. “And I am happy to see that, monsieur,” she replies cheerfully. Formality has been left at the threshold; Marie Antoinette has lived too long with French court etiquette to not banish it from her own parties. She’s the queen, no? She can do whatever she wants to. “Even though your work is important, I’m glad to see it be left with the coats in the foyer.” 

Especially because this monsieur seems a little close with Lafayette, whose liberalist ideas she can’t stand.

[fyaroyalaffair]

[notdavidfincher]

Marie Antoinette (2006), dir. Sofia Coppola

[madeficit-blog]

“The French are my people, don’t you DARE question my loyalty to the country I have starved and fought for!”

[quinnedleson]

Writing a historical novel means knowing how far they can travel on a horse, This is good info right here.

(via Pinterest)

[valerie1972]

Off the top of my head, it jibes with what I’ve discovered in other sources.

[meridok-old]

Queuing this with a reminder to self: add that Cartographer’s Guild thread link to this, it has more details w basically the same numbers.

[meridok-old]

… things i never did: add that link. Ahem.

[sandegonefishing]

Just to add re: horses re: typical 4 gaits

Walk is an average of 4mph Trot is an average of 8mph Canter is an average of 16-20 mph Gallop is an average of 25-30 mph

Your gallop is probably only gonna be 40 mph if a) your horse is really fit or b) your horse is built for running, a la the English Thoroughbred or the American Quarter Horse. Your horse also needs to be pretty physically fit to sustain a gallop for more than a couple of miles. Top level eventing equines, at the peak of physical fitness, only sustain a gallop for about 11 minutes/4 miles, and that’s a tremendous effort resulting from serious conditioning, and is also including going over/through various terrain and obstacles that the average horse might shy away from. If your horse hits that speed, they will need to recover immediately afterward, either through stopping, or going at the walk.

Your horse will probably be able to maintain a relatively high speed for longer if they are alternating between walking and trotting, with some cantering. 

Good references for horse travel include the Pony Express, literally any cavalry program, and modern-day endurance racing.

[madeficit-blog]

temperedfinest:

        “Is it strange to have someone who is not French in attendance?” Elizabeth asked politely, though the smile which lifted rosy cheeks was genuine. “I am, oui, Elizabeth Schuyler. It is a great pleasure and honor to be here. I know my father feels the same. I will be glad to offer any respite from royalty or those who would leave you cold.” Which, Young Betsey admittedly thought was odd. But perhaps it was not so strange a queen not dress herself.

“It is strange, yes. At least, in my chambers it is. I’m not the King, I don’t partake in politics, so I still haven’t met many outside of my ... regular circle. Sit, miss, sit.” And Antoinette joined her on the little sofa in her chambers. “I have missed someone who can see how ridiculous French etiquette is – but again, I implore you to not quote me on this.”

[madeficit-blog]

munday ft. throwback to when i had to pretend to be marie antoinette in the flight of the bourbon court in new york

[madeficit-blog]

penned by signe. 26 / 02 / 17

“First things first: Marie Antoinette never said, 'Let them eat cake.' Those words were attributed to an earlier French Queen, Marie-Therese, the wife of the Sun King Louis XIV. By 1767---a year in which Marie Antoinette was still an innocent German-speaking twelve-year-old in Austria.” – kris waldherr

[madeficit-blog]

@easytrusted​

Maria watches the flame flicker as she plays with the baby blue lighter. Around her, men are laughing heartily while women whisper together. The gossip is about the young, handsome American soldiers. Balancing the cigarette on her bottom lip, Maria grimaces. She’s not particularly fond of their ... americanism. Not when they ride into town on their white steeds and act like heroes while her homeland is still nestled firmly in Nazi claws. The cigarette calms her a little bit. That is, until someone joins her at the bar, taking the last unoccupied (no pun intended) stool, and that someone speaks poor French – not even at conversational level – in an unmistakably American accent. Maria suppresses an eye-roll. Well, might as well give this one a chance. Or at least pull at his pigtails a little.

“Soldier-boy,” she greets him in English but with an exaggerated French drawl. In reality, her accent in English has a touch of both French and Austrian German, but she’s very aware that German is an unwanted language in a freed nation. “Done kicking Nazi ass for the day and ready to relax with us common people? I’m Marie.” She switches seamlessly to the French version of her name, again abandoning all ties to Germanhood, and offers her hand in greeting.

[cursorium]

three word starters.

❛ please don’t go. ❜ ❛ don’t turn around. ❜ ❛ eat my dust. ❜ ❛ suck my ass. ❜ ❛ what’s for dinner? ❜ ❛ drunk i’m not. ❜ ❛ where’s your coat? ❜ ❛ bring some beers. ❜ ❛ are you home? ❜ ❛ say my name. ❜ ❛ i can’t go.❜ ❛ i’d like none. ❜ ❛ well fuck me. ❜ ❛ are you sick? ❜ ❛ i’m freezing cold. ❜ ❛ you’re all wet. ❜ ❛ are you drunk? ❜ ❛ don’t look back. ❜ ❛ it says ‘positive’.❜ ❛ run far away.❜ ❛ you are screwed. ❜ ❛ damn it’s hot. ❜ ❛ get here easily? ❜ ❛ don’t touch me. ❜ ❛ it’s cold out. ❜ ❛ just leave me. ❜ ❛ i like you. ❜ ❛ talk to me. ❜