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Post by anjelrocker on Jan 20, 2012 13:05:19 GMT -5
There was not a time in her life when she had been so relieved to see her friend after three years of almost no contact because of her husband and what contact they had had been short letters as she hugged Arienne. "Oh, how I have missed you." She said with the at most sincerity as she was smiling brightly. She felt speechless having never seen the youngest girl in the flesh. As for little Lucia, well she had been there for the first four years as her mother's lady's maid, Vincent and Lucia had use to play with each other being so close in age. Bianca had been perhaps too young at that time being that she had only been a year old.
"Well, we were thinking perhaps a week? We naturally do not want to impose." Valerie said as she was walking the children chasing after one another. Vincent had only have one fit while he had been in the carriage thankfully. Despite the suizures, he was running after Lucia as Bianca was trying to follow and keep up. "Wait for meee..." She called as it made Val smile at the simple thing of children playing.
"How have you been doing since your brother in law's arrival?" She asked since she knew the truth and so did Jerome since Valerie could not keep a secret to save her life. The look in Ari's told her that the two of them were going to have a little bit of girl talk later on as she simply nodded.
It was at that moment when they looked up to see Lucien coming down the stairs as if to see what was going on. "Ah..." He said as if to see who it had been, his sister in law's former lady's maid and his former rival when he had been apart of the royal guard. He had assumes that she had wed the Musketeer since it had been obvious that the two had been lovers many years ago.
"Chevalier, the last that I heard you retired and had set up in Roen." He said with a raised eyebrow as he continued. "You are now a blacksmith, no?" He asked curiously as he looked to his neice and the two children which he assumed was Jerome's and Valerie's. "How have you been?" He had only seen ye other man once or twice during the last seven years.
He had been the one to drag him out of a gutter once after he had drank him into a stupor many moons ago. Lucien did not remember that night well but he had apparently broke Jerome's nose, noticing the slight dent at the bridge. "I see that you wed Madame LaRocque or rather Madame Chevalier now... And these are your children?" He asked with an air of curiosity.
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Post by Raynesleigh on Jan 20, 2012 15:22:48 GMT -5
Jerome sighed. Remembering that night. Part of him didn't blame then man but the other part was furious that he would so easily believe Arienne's story because he knew the truth and would not of so easily doubted her. But as it stood, everyone but Lucien in this gathering knew Arienne had given up personal happiness for the sake of protecting. It was unfortunate He had no idea. "A rather successful one Your Grace...of course, it is nothing compared to the exciting life you have led these past seven years. A war hero, decorated well so I heard..." he said calmly then cleared his throat.
Taking a deep breath. "Val come and let us talk," she said then glanced at Jerome. "Do you have the children well at hand?" she asked. Jerome nodded.
"Of course. You two go catch up," he said with a smile. She nodded, glancing at Lucien before walking upstairs with Val to her rooms then sat Chrissy down on the floor before shutting the door, taking a deep breath. She turned slowly and hugged Val again. "Oh God Val..." she whispered. "He hates me so much...and the kings wanting us to marry...he loathed me. He said the idea of marrying me makes him physically sick...and this whole situation, is all my fault. And I can't tell him about Lucia...he would only call me a disgusting whore....I can only be thankful he refrains from doing so...in front of the girls..." she sighed.
"But enough about me and my problems. Let's talk about you. Is Vincent doing better?" she asked sitting down watching as Chrissyvtoddled around playing with soft dolls.
-----
Jerome looked at lucien then turned watching the kids playing then sighed. "You are lucky I don't pummel you for what you did the last time we met. After I pulled your sodded ass out of the gutter while you were slobbering drunk. Then I suppose, the front changes a man," he said calmly, looking back at the children. "I hope you are willing to forgive Arienne...these past few years have not been kind to her..." he said simply looking at Lucien again. "your brother was a sorry bastard to her."
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Post by anjelrocker on Jan 20, 2012 18:01:21 GMT -5
Valerie was watching her friend as she said. "You need to tell him the truth, Arienne. There is nothing holding you back and there is not a risk of him being sent to the gallows." She said as she sat down across from her former employer. "After all, he is the father of one of your daughters..." Shaking her head, she knew that the younger woman had a pride issue and that was understandable, however... the man that she had loved and perhaps in a way still loved was there and she was to marry him. However, he saw her in another light of something that she was not. Glancing at the youngest daughter, she smiled thinking when both her children had been at that adorable age. Of course, Vincent had been a little hellion and at sometimes, he still could be.
"Do you think that perhaps... he is lying to you because he is still hurt from before?" She asked quietly as the subject of her own son was brought forward. Naturally, she could not say the entire story but, she knew that it would be hard to simply just leave. "He seems to be getting worse, the fits and suizures are more frequent and I suppose that he could grow out of it but..." She went silent since she knew something of the condition because of Dr. Blackwell's medical knowledge from the 1930's and 1940's when he had practiced. However, her own time could be a completely different situation.
"Arienne... I have to take Vincent away from here as well as Bianca... I could not just leave her but, I don't think that I will be able to return. And, I have to leave Jerome." She looked down as she was playing with her fingers, "Not that I do not love my husband. The lord knows that I do but, I want Vincent to be safe and if anyone got wind of this... well, he could be sent away to one of those asylems."
She would want tell Arienne the entire truth but only partly...
---
Frowning, he glanced at the children for a moment as they went to the lawn and they were playing some form of tag. It seemed that Lucia was the fastest runner out of the bunch. "I apologize for that, I was not sound of mind then because of..." He looked grim as he went over to say, "Anyways, I do not even remember breaking your nose. I had a few things sent to your home because of that incident." And he had, a few gift baskets and the like. "War is not something anyone should see..."
Sighing, the topic of her was brought up as it seemed to happen now that he was living in the same house as she was. "She did choose him over me... perhaps she got what she deserved." Lucien said as he was not loud enough that the children would overheard. "Then, choosing so or not, from what my neice has said to me... it seemed that all of them had had a tough time with my brother. I can not say that I mourn his passing." He spoke honestly.
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Post by Raynesleigh on Jan 21, 2012 10:14:36 GMT -5
Arienne sighed softly and shook her head, running her fingers over her friend's cheek. "Oh Valerie...." she whispered. "It seems we are both in a muddle aren't we. I wonder if God will ever let us get the chance to be completely happy," she murmured then sighed, giving her a hug and kissing her temple. "I have missed you my Val. And it will hurt when you leave...but I know...it is for the best," she agreed softly then looked at her and sighed.
"You know what is so terrible...is that when you were gone, and Maximilian was still alive, I would pray for God to save me...I forsook him so often, asking why.... I was pregnant when he fired you and one night...oh god...one night, I just snapped. He was beating my child for not calling Manon mother and I lost it. I fought him. I probably had never gotten more of a beating then I did that night but I fought him tooth and nail. She was a baby...she still is...and part of me isn't sad at all that I miscarried that child, that son...isn't that a terrible sin?" she whispered then sighed and curled into her best friend.
"I've been so lost without you...You're my rock. But...I promise...I won't say a word to Jerome...you have held my secrets, it's the least I can do for you. And I know how much this is going to hurt you...perhaps as much as it did when I told Lucien I didn't love him...I'm sorry Valerie," she whispered.
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"Nor can I," he agreed. "And she had her reasons for choosing him over you, but I won't say anything. That is her business..." Jerome said simply then cleared his throat and looked back at the kids as they played and enjoyed themselves. "If you come out of your dark place, you will see that Arienne is the same woman you fell in love with. Your brother gave her hell..."
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Post by anjelrocker on Jan 21, 2012 16:07:43 GMT -5
Valerie watched her for a moment and sighed. "I don't know what will happen but... I think that I will be able to return." She knew that this was something that she had to do and the idea of not telling Jerome hurt her since she did not know how she would be able to explain everything to him. Thinking it best to simply take the children, she would give him a note saying that she had gone back to New France and it was best not to search for them. Since, he would never find them.
"Thank you..." She said quietly as they were able to talk and continue on with their visit. Valerie would not simply jump the gun and go right away since she knew of the location that Dr. Blackwell had told her about. It had been something that he had found along in his travels and a cave in Calais. It had seemed that the Doctor had gone back but whatever he had found in his old life had not made him happy and so, he had returned and asked for Margie's hand in marriage.
Apart of her wondered if she would return and be dissatified with her old life as well but then, she thought of Vincent's health as well as for Bianca. Could she allow her daughter to grow up in a world where she had no rights for being a woman? Valerie had been lucky because she had found Jerome as well as good friends but, she had still longed for her old life.
Hugging Arienne, Valerie was quite happy that the bastard was dead for all of the things he had done to her friend. If anything, he had deserved pain and suffering. She wondered how he had died.
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Looking to the other former musketeer, Lucien did not say anything because he did not think that she had changed. However, he could see that his brother would have been a bastard to her. "Like the title and the wealth..." He muttered since he was still in his dark place.
---
A letter had arrived with the King's seal rejecting Lucien's quest so that he did not have to wed his sister in law as he was looking over it. He supposed that it would not be so terrible since he would be caring for his two neices. Both of which had seemed to love him. He got along with Lucia and even sometimes, he found that he would play with two of the children. He had even took Lucia out to teach her how to ride a horse. Something that he was doing at the moment as he guided the pony around the yard. "See, you have not fallen off yet?" He mentioned.
Valerie and Jerome were still visiting and would be staying on for another week. Both their children were good company to Lucia who had seemed to be a lonely child since there were not many girls with the nuns. He had also learnt that his brother had taken to beating Arienne as well as his daughters. Sometimes that sickened him to his core as he looked over to see the Arienne was watching them.
Looking away, he knew that he would be wed to her in a month's time since the King would even be coming to the event that would be held in Paris. The pony had been a gift that he had given the young girl after buying it in the nearest village from a farmer. It had been a strong horse and would suit her for some years.
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Post by Raynesleigh on Jan 22, 2012 20:26:22 GMT -5
"Look momma!" Lucia exclaimed happily and looking at her smiling as she rode along in the yard on the pony's back. Arienne smiled at her and clapped her hands together.
"You are looking absolutely beautiful upon that pony ma petite," she said laughing softly and approaching. It was nice seeing father and daughter together. She took a deep breath, watching as Lucia brought up the reins and then slipped down before giving Lucien a hug and rush off toward the keep, leaving the two adults alone. Arienne smiled, watching her go then her gaze went back to Lucien.
"Might I speak with you Lucien?" she asked simply then approached, running her hand over the pony's neck and then looking at him. "It's..it's about Lucia...actually...and my reasons for doing what I did...before I married your brother. And you can believe of me what you will, but I have to get this off my chest," she said simply then swallowed.
"I married your brother, because the same day you proposed to me, I tried to get him to break the engagement the King had placed upon us because I wanted to marry you...and he threatened to expose us. And I couldn't let you be killed....then to have...the child I was carrying raised by the orphanage or poor house. I was pregnant...and I new...I had to let you live, and let my child have a life...So I told him I would wed him, and that I would break things off with you. He never knew that Lucia was not his...I was trying to save you from being executed or murdered..." she trailed off. "I know, you probably don't believe me, but Val knows it and so does Jerome...For seven years, I was wife to a man I loathed, just to keep you safe. I was little more than a brood mare while he let his mistress run the household. Made my daughter call her mother, took my baby from me and sent her to a nunnery because I loved her so much..."
She trailed off and looked down. "It was the only option I had to save you from the King's wrath back then..."
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Post by anjelrocker on Jan 22, 2012 22:42:52 GMT -5
There was that moment where he was simply staring at her in a transfixed state of mind as he blinked at the shock of this information. First of all, she was telling him that his brother had blackmailed her into marriage and that the little girl that he had just taught to ride a pony was in fact his daughter and not his neice. It was far too much information as she was trying to explain herself and he put up a hand. "Milady..." He said using the same name as he had all those years ago as he was frowning deeply. He had been denied his daughter... his own fresh and blood for the seven years of her life. "Grant me a moment before you speak any further." He said simply as he thought of what had just been said.
Taking a deep breathe, he wanted to scream at her. Shake her... put some sense into her. The damn woman should have told him this seven years before and he would have figured something out. They could have left the country together and raised their daughter in Prussia or Italy. "You mean to tell me that you allowed my brother to blackmail you and you thought that it would be a good idea to keep me in the dark for all these years? How long would you have kept this from me, Arienne?" He asked her seriously, a deep frown across his features.
He shook his head. "You should have told me, I would have done something... anything." His hands curled into fists wishing that they were not outside at the moment. Lucien was unsure how to feel at that moment as he closed his eyes. "What do you want me to say, Arienne?" He said to her seriously. "Thank you for becoming my sister in law instead of my wife? For breaking my fucking heart and making me not want to live anymore? For putting yourself through hell for the expense of me?"
He would have killed his brother, he would have done something so that they could have been happy and yet, she had had to take matters into her own hands. "Stupid... you stupid woman..." He said as if to mask his sadness with anger. "I would have protected you... do you not understand? I love you." He felt small as he grabbed her arms and pulled her to him as he reframed himself from shaking her and instead kissed her.
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Post by Raynesleigh on Jan 23, 2012 1:00:51 GMT -5
Tears were in her eyes as he spoke. She had nearly said something but when she opened her mouth, he was there kissing it. She gasped, giving a soft whimper and clinging to him before the feeling of entrapment came, leaving her breathless and claustrophobic. The need to breathe caused her to break away and she cried softly. "I...I am sorry Lucien...truly I am," she swallowed then took a deep breath as she tried to calm her rattled nerves.
"I was doing what I thought was best. I didn't want to hurt you. My heart broke the same as yours. And look at me now. Afraid of a man's touch, shivering because you held me to tightly. I am not the same woman, you fell in love with my dear Lucien and you deserve to hate me..." she sobbed softly then laid her head on his shoulder. "I could tell you sorry a thousand times and it still would not be enough to earn your forgiveness. But I was young and only seventeen and in my mind, succumbing to him meant saving you death and torture..." she sniffed and wiped her eyes, slowly lifting her head to gaze at him.
"Please Lucien, forgive me," she whispered then looked down, covering her face with her hands.
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Post by anjelrocker on Jan 23, 2012 6:40:45 GMT -5
He was quiet as he listened to her sobs and hiccuping since he had seen her in a certain light for a number of years. To him, she had been the filthy whore who had broke his heart because she had made a bet with his brother. The man who she had end up marrying, to him... They had deserved each other for the pain he had felt. And yet, now... Her confession broke his heart because she had given up a happy life in a sense for him. He was upset for having not known, he ought to break Jerome's nose again for not telling him any of this.
He was stroking her hair, something that he had not touched in seven years, he had not touched her. Apart of him wanted to fling her over his shoulder and take her to his rooms, yet... She feared a man's touch as she was shivering as he was holding her, it was a summer's day and a warm one at that.
"Arienne..." He trailed off knowing that he could forgive her and yet, he would have a built up anger towards his brother, dead as the bastard was. "You should have just told me and we could have saved us both from a life of misery." His eyes seemed to light despite having a hard edge, he would have done anything for her. They could have went to the new world together to escape from France... There had been so much that they could have done.
"You do not know how many nights that I hated myself because I still loved you." How I wanted to hurt you as you had hurt me... And yet, I thought of the time we were together at your family estates. On the beach, he sighed. "I do not know, Milady... I will need time..." He said knowing there would be forgiveness but at that moment, he would need time.
It was then that he kissed her brow, not letting her got just yet because he felt that he could not deal with the feeling of loneliness that he had had to deal with all these years. Yes, he had had lovers but none of them had been that of her. He had never loved any of them and yet, he had been searching for that love. The happiness and joy that he had once known. And here it was, he was set to wed her... Become the father of her daughters... His daughters. One being his true daughter. "I missed you..." He whispered forgetting they were outside and in plain view.
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Post by Raynesleigh on Jan 25, 2012 11:40:32 GMT -5
She looked at him. Her gaze soft and for once in a long while, not full of warriness. She gave a sigh. "I...missed you more," she murmured then reached up and stroked his cheek before dropping her hand, slowly wiping her eyes as Lorraine came out with both girls, little Christine walking a bit better. She smiled at both of them but Lucia stopped, looking suspicious.
"Momma?" she asked then looked at Lucien warily before skirting around him to hold her mother's skirts. Arienne took a deep breath.
"I'm fine. We were just talking about sad things. what is it?" she asked, stroking her daughter's hair then taking Christine and letting Lorraine off for a little while before looking back at Lucien as Lucia looked at him.
"N-nothing..." Lucia said but was still eying Lucien suspiciously then biting her bottom lip.
"You did not hurt momma did you?" she asked bluntly, causing Arienne to wince. After all, it was her fault that her daughter was so suspicious. But she could not do anything about her regrets except try and remedy them now and make her daughter understand that not all men were like the man she had called father but rather like her true father. And she knew Lucien would help her.
"Sweetheart, His Grace would never hurt me," she promised. "Come...why don't we go to the pond. I am sure that your Aunt Valerie and Uncle Jerome would love to accompany us," she said giving her daughter a gentle smile. Lucia hardly look convinced but slowly nodded then looked back at Lucien.
"Thank you for letting me ride the pony Your Grace," she said and smiled softly before going back toward the house to seek out her Aunt and Uncle.
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