Friederike had plenty to celebrate.
She had grown accustomed to her position as a scorned daughter, her reputation in Germany irreparable, locked in an endless cycle of butting heads with her father in defence of siblings who aimed to please. But Friedi had been granted an opportunity to start fresh, to carve a place in the world that was uniquely her own. In this new life was a glimmer of hope, a spark of happiness she clung to.
But still, her joy was tainted, built on the ashes of misery. Both her engagement and her wedding had taken place quickly on the heels of tragedy, to help distract, help heal and move forward, and now all was said and done, she could not help but wonder if that had been a good idea. Then, there were the troubles of Germany to consider. Though she may never return to her homeland, she could not ignore the chaos, the worry and the pain sparked by the arrival of the Princess Claudia, the sister none of them had ever known. She had also not forgotten the hurt of Eleonora, the twin she treasured dearly, and she was glad that whilst they remained in Switzerland, she would be able to stay close to her family, help to iron out their issues before they were all parted.
A quieter, but no less sizable part of herself was concerned for Ferdinand. She was not the only child of Germany with an alliance on their shoulders. Franco-German relations rested on her brother, and much as she loved him, it was clear he was far less welcoming of his marriage than she was of her own. If he had been engaged to any old princess, she might have been able to laugh, to relate to his desire to remain free from the shackles of marriage, but not Isabeau. She had met her. She had liked her. She wanted only the best for her, and it worried her that her brother could spoil their friendship, which had bloomed fast, but true, and sour France to their closest allies. If there was anything she could do to achieve some sort of clemency for her brother, to help the Valois family overlook any slight to their sister.
It was with this in mind that she sought out the Duke of Alençon. She knew little of Louis, save for his close bond to Isabeau. Neither did she wish to speak of politics with the man. Not when they stood poised to share nieces and nephews, and not when he was set to wed her dear Sophia. And so, she approached him as a friend, greeting him with all the warmth that such a role invited, even as they had not met before. “It is good to meet you at last, your grace.” She smiled brightly. “Will you walk with me for a while? It is a lovely day, it would be a shame to waste the sunshine by remaining indoors.”