"We're halfway there," Julien says as he rows using the two oars to get them back to the lake house. "Louis and his organizers should arrive in the lake house today. We should get there before them."
"It's the 29th today. Will they start inviting guests today?" Gianni asks as he holds the chemise filled with peaches. "I hear that his birthday is attended by the lords of the crop basket domains and they all compete to gain favor with him."
"They do. Louis' birthday has become an annual contest for the lords of the largest summer crop producers in the realm. The three most competitive of them are Lord Myrtille, Lord Muria, and Lady Mirabelle," Julien grunts as he gives the oars to Gianni so that they could switch. "They are getting extremely competitive for my taste. So much so that they sought advice from the prime minister and summoned scholars and magicians to increase their crop yields; they hired the finest bakers, patisserie makers and chefs to create the ultimate gift for Louis'."
"That's crazy," Gianni begins rowing. "So Prince Louis gets blueberry, blackberry, and plum cakes every year?"
"To call them cakes would be an understatement," Julien laughs. "Last year, Lord Myrtille commissioned a twelve-layer cake and it was decorated mainly with blueberries and sweets; Lord Muria created a giant cake, as big as the prime minister's round table, decorated with plums; Lady Mirabelle designed a cake that was shaped like a tree and the plums were the leaves. It was a battle among the three lords and their gifts were masterpieces. They were architecture."
"Who won?" Gianni wonders. "Was it the twelve-layer cake? Perhaps the giant one? Or was it the tree?"
"People only gave their speculations on who won, but Louis took a bite of the plum cake first, so..."
"The lady of plums won."
"She did. And right one cue his entourage is here," Julien spots a line of carriages and carts moving on the south road towards the lake house. "We should hurry."
Julien grabs the oars and starts rowing swiftly as if they were being chased by the swans that waddled in the water. His fast movement and repetition carried them quickly almost reaching the other docks. Julien's sweat dripped from his forehead to his neck, reaching all the way down to his chest, abdomen, then breeches. The contraction and relaxation of his biceps and triceps seemed like a running engine. Even his deltoids contracted as much as they could. The Adonis that he already was was enhanced by this early morning exercise, and Gianni could only look at the half-naked prince before him, as he held the prince's chemise.
"We're here," the prince was gasping for air. The fact that they made it across before Louis' entourage arrived gave him so much satisfaction that he posed and kissed his muscles. "These babies, didn't fail me."
They disembarked and head straight to Julien's room to change and hide the peaches. They also collected his grandmother's old recipes and stashed them inside a drawer in the prince's room.
"Your Highness, I looked everywhere for you," Silas knocked on their door. "I found your horse tied to a branch and I assumed that you went on foot. I tried to look for you on the southern banks but you were nowhere there."
"We're fine, Silas," Julien opens the door and answer the knight. "We found the orchard on Chantes-des-Etoiles' western bank."
"I'm gladdened that you are unharmed, my prince," Silas bows. "Prince Louis should be arriving soon. Should I inform him of your presence?"
"Absolutely not," Julien answers. "I shall talk to him myself, no need to trouble yourself."
Julien nods and closes the door. The two change back to the clothes that they wore upon coming to the lake house. They were neatly folded on the bed and smelled like carnations.
"Silas had outdone himself again," Julien smiles as he puts on his robe. "He never ceases to amaze me."
"I do hope I can examine him," Gianni says. "He seems sick and his voice tells me that and manner of walking tells me that."
"He does. After all this, please ensure that he is in top health."
"You have my word, my prince."
The sounds of hoofbeats were abroad. Footsteps and men shouting could be heard outside the prince's room. Julien takes a glimpse outside and sees the carts and carriages lined in front of the lake house. Tables and chairs were being set up and positioned. Men were carrying firewood, rock stoves, and hearths and placed them on the southern end of the lake house. There were raised platforms and all sorts of outdoor furniture being carried and arranged outside. In the center of all the ruckus was Prince Louis giving out orders.
At the age of 18, Louis S. Montmirail has treatises on culture, human behavior (most of them pertaining to Camille's behavior and how to properly handle them), politics, and music and the arts already under his belt. Unlike his brother, Prince Julien, who focused more on subjects of governing, sports, and warfare, Louis was the more artistic prince.
Louis has also made paintings and portraits of various subjects. He has crafted poems that intended to compete with the Hundred Poems of Love and Justice written by Ariana M. Adelaide of Inglatera. He has composed symphonies and concertos and would hold concerts for all to see. He is a kind and artistic prince who would often get his lord brother out of trouble.
His greatest skill, that is hidden from all of the kingdom, is his skill in ruling. Although he would not be the king, the prime minister himself would often remark that he would make a better civil servant than his brother.
"Any city, town, or village would flourish under the direction of Prince Louis," the prime minister said to Queen Sophia. "He has skill in determining and addressing the needs of his people. He would make a great leader in that aspect."
Louis glances at the window of Prince Julien's room and sees him there watching him. He signals him to come down to which he goes along with Gianni.
"Mother and father were furious with your gallivanting, Lord Brother. I informed them that I sent you for an errand to which they replied with more ferocity as how can the second prince order the crown prince around?" Louis smirks. "You better have prepared something for me that will blow my mind or I shall tell them the truth."
"Come on now, brother," Julien laughs. "You need not worry. I have the perfect gift for your birthday."
"It better be. Please don't take out the silk table cloths, they will get damp with all this humidity," Louis leaves continuing to organize his soiree. His voice went into a decrescendo then a crescendo as we walks back to Julien and Gianni, "you can use the lake house to prepare your surprise. I brought my own apparatus as I figured you may need the things from the house. And also I can give you no type of help as that would spoil the surprise, wouldn't it?"
"It surely will. Very well, we shall be returning to the lake house then."
Gianni and the prince walks back inside as Louis continues to set up his venue. Gianni grabs the peaches from the prince's room and joins him in the kitchen were he checked the stocks if they were fresh and adequate to make the peach-filled brioches.
"I made sure that the stocks are adequate for your perusal and use," Silas informs them as he holds newly-washed pans and baking molds made of steel. They seemed really old and had rust that were forcibly removed on the top side. "Here are the baking tools. I do apologize for not maintaining them. I do not bake myself, but I gave them a scrub yesterday."
"Thank you, Silas. I highly appreciate your efforts. Despite being a knight, you don't shy away from domestic duties do you? But then again there is no duality on that part," Julien bows to him to which the knight bows lower in response. "Now, shall we get baking on those brioches?"