HRH, Louis-Stanislas, comte de Provence, decided to throw a picnic in the forest near the palace to celebrate all things natural and presumably good. When telling his plans to his dear Tantes the week before, the Madame Royale scoffed at him, suggesting that only a fool would host a dinner "in the old swamp," as she called it.

But, in all of his learned wisdom, he forged ahead with planning and created what he thought would be a most magnificent feast, attracting some of the most favoured of the French court. Madame Victoire hosted the event along with her nephew, much to the dismay of Royale (who cursed them both privately). The abbe' Joseph Terray was in attendance, along with a visiting Archbishop. The comte de Fraisac and the Mlle de Louvigny (who will wed later this week) cooed at each other, as the table did toward the newly engaged.

Toward the end of the meal, shortly after dessert had been served, after they had talked about nearly everyone that wasn't present (well, there were a few whispers when some weren't looking), HRH raised his glass to salute an accomplished feast, one that had united the harmony of humanity with the beauty of nature.

At that moment ... a swarm of mosquitoes descended on the courtiers like fabled locusts in Egypt, forcing the most delicate creatures in France toward the safety of a stone palace.

Stanislas was last to make it inside, and as he ran toward his suites, he was tortured by a familiar voice - that of his beloved aunt Adelaide, whose cackling could be heard clear across the vestibule.

((photos courtesy of Brownbat, aka "the Madame Victoire."