An unusual day: Béjart series, #2

By Nicole van Niekerk

Three stories, three people and three connections that span the twists and turns of the 17th century. As commonwealths fall and the states of Western Europe race to establish their place in history the lives of Andrea the palace servant, William the playwright and Alphonse du Monde of the French King's Guard become intertwined with Louisa Auguste Béjart – King Charles II's illegitimate daughter.

A selection of prequel stories set in the world of Nicole van Niekerk's Mother of the Fire.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Labelle Books
• Release date: Jun 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9782957582020

Book preview

An unusual day

Nicole van Niekerk is a multitalented creator and author from South Africa. Her artistic pursuits have ranged from the world of theatre - which took her to England to study - through music, and to creative writing. 'Mother of the Fire' is Nicole’s debut novel which showcases her fascination with history through an exploration of familial expectations, gender roles, cultural identity, and the importance of artistic expression. ‘An unusual day’ is a selection of short stories set in the world of Mother of the Fire. Nicole now lives with her husband in the South of France.

An unusual Day

Labelle Books

Published 2021 by Labelle Books

4 Rue du Catalan, 30210, Cabrières, France

ISBN  978-2-9575820-2-0

COPYRIGHT © NICOLE VAN NIEKERK 2021

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The right of Nicole van Niekerk to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission from the publisher.

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This work was proof-read by Vincent Labelle

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8 July 1661 (Friday), The Tuileries Palace, Paris, France

Eighteen-year-old, Alphonse du Monde opened his eyes and blinked against the early morning light. He stretched his muscles as he sat up slowly in his straw bed, his curly brown hair, a wild mane, around his face. He rubbed his hazel-green eyes to rid them of the last semblance of sleep.

Glancing around him, he saw the other members of the King’s guard were also slowly rising from their slumber. He moved to sit on the side of the bed, stretching his neck and rolling his shoulders as he thought about the day lying in wait for him. It was likely to be as ordinary as the former days he had spent in King Louis XIV’s guard over the last year. Alphonse did not know what he had expected when he left his military duty in Lyon to join the King’s guard at the behest of his Captain, though it certainly was not repeating the same duties day in and day out. Then again, he could not say he minded the routine. At least he knew what to expect and it certainly helped to be surrounded by so many people every day.

After his parents died when he was ten, his aunt’s family came to live with him on the agricultural estate he was to inherit from his father when he came of age.

Traditionally, the first son inherited the title, the second joined the military and the third became a priest. Alphonse had no interest in running his father’s estate. Therefore, a week after his twelfth birthday, he told his aunt that he was giving her the estate, subsequently joined the military and moved to the soldiers’ barracks in Lyon. In truth, even with his aunt’s