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#annabelle parsons x mc
lizzybeth1986 · 1 year
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Hindsight is 20/20
Book: The Royal Romance (with references to Desire and Decorum)
Characters: Hana Lee & Peter Foredale (OC) (platonic), Hana Lee x Kiara Theron. References to Annabelle x MC from D&D.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 5000+ words
Summary: Hana and Kiara travel to England...after recieving a letter from Hana's former fiancè. Hana explores her journey as a bi woman in a walk down memory lane.
A/N1: This takes place three years after the events of TRR3. Hana and Kiara are married and have an 8-month old child at this point. Peter Foredale in this universe is both the "Lord Peter" Hana mentioned in TRR1 (who was engaged to her then broke the match) and the current head of Countess Florence Foredale's (my D&D MC) estate, Edgewater. Faceclaims here.
Tagging @choicesficwriterscreations for FoTW and @choicespride for National Coming Out Day (Thursday).
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"Ready, darling?"
Hana nods mutely. She is, after all, ready in all the ways Mother wanted her to be. Face serene, back straight, gown resplendent.
You look like a vision, the dressmaker gushed a while ago when she saw the results of her handiwork, I cannot wait to see the look on Viscount Foredale's face when he sees you!
Inside the satin gloves, her hands begin to tremble.
Viscount Peter Foredale. Gentleman. Up-and-coming barrister. A regular on the magazine spreads. The most eligible bachelor in all of England. Most of all...a wonderful, kind friend.
And after tonight...her future husband.
Her stomach tightens in a sick lurch.
--
"Doing okay?" Kiara asks her wife, running a thumb gently over their daughter's left cheek. Her other hand settles at the small of Hana's back, tracing soothing circles. The child shifts her attention from the pearl button she's been chewing, to coo at Mama Kiki's touch.
"Yeah... she's fine," Hana replies, her voice grainy with fatigue. "Put her in any sort of moving vehicle, and she's the world's happiest baby."
Kiara releases a laugh from pursed lips. There is nothing their 8-month-old loves more than being carried around; if you try to sit down, even for a minute, she will bash her hands against your chest and moan for you to get up and move around again.
Her eyes, however, never leave Hana's face - not the downturned lips, not the concealer-masked dark shadows under her eyes.
"I wasn't talking about Chaima," she says quietly.
Hana closes her eyes. It's easy enough to dissemble her nervousness when Chaima is in her arms, but not when Kiara is pinning her with that piercing, knowing gaze. That gaze has always been Hana's undoing.
"Look at you, asking me all the hard questions at 11 in the morning."
Kiara sighs, and fiddles with Chaima's curls. "Your arms must be aching, ma moitié. Let me have her just a bit. Rest now; we'll be reaching Edgewater in half an hour."
Hana sighs and nods. She doesn't want to let go of Chaima yet - it would be so much easier, pushing every other thought aside when this lovely golden child is in her arms...and she suspects that's part of the reason Kiara wants to take over. Don't put off things just because you think you can't handle them perfectly, habibti.
Kiara tucks Chaima's head gently on her shoulder, crooning an old lullaby in Darija. Nīnī yā moūmoū...Hattā tjī ‘andou moū...Sleep my baby...until your Mommy arrives...
Chaima thumps her little hands against Mama Kiki's breasts in approval. Sighing, Hana takes out the letter that brought her here.
Dear Hana,
I hope you, your wife and your little one are well. It's springtime here at Edgewater, we have plenty visitors in the afternoons, touring the gardens and the lake. Mabel has been renovating the house again - she's been insisting I leave the Regency-style furniture in the Regency era and go for something more contemporary (I'm right!).
Little Alphonsa thanks you for her copy of "A Smart Cookie". I'm sure she'll love the message in a few years...but for now all she can see are the cupcakes, the croissants and the macarons. I'm quite proud of the fact; in this one area she takes after her father.
Despite her nervousness, Hana cannot resist a small smile. It's been good to hear from Peter again, truly. He has always been a serious man, whose humour slips through in the most unexpected moments, and it shows in his letters. And from his wife's rare interjections in his letter, she can tell Mabel is the more open, outgoing one.
It had all begun a year ago. They hadn't spoken at all in the years since their engagement had fallen apart, first out of bitterness and then out of shame. Somewhere in those early days, he'd resented her for those dreams left unfulfilled, and somewhere she half-hated him for leaving her to deal with aftermath, alone.
But when she'd heard the news of Earl William Foredale's death from her father, it felt odd not to give him a call. They'd known each other long enough for Hana to understand how hard Peter would have been hit - this man he'd loved and worshipped and wanted to follow on the footsteps of - and whether or not her presence was welcome she knew she needed to at least try.
You reached out after years of silence and offered only compassion, he wrote to her months later, For that, I can never thank you enough.
She looks to the final lines in the letter. Just to see if there's something she's missing, something hidden between the lines. Perhaps, an courtesy-invitation to an old friend he would much rather not see again.
You mentioned in your last letter that you'd be in London two months from now. I would like to extend an informal invitation to visit the Edgewater estate, and our family, when you are here. It would be nice to catch up.
His letters to her have been nothing but sweet. Warm. Tentative in their attempts to speak about anything but that which caused them to part. And for that, she is grateful.
Still. That prickle of fear remains.
--
The foyer of the mansion is elegant, imposing. From the parlour nearby she can faintly hear the sounds of an excited child attempting to converse with Chaima, occasionally asking Kiara if she can touch her hand. My baby, my cupcake, we'll give you lots and LOTS of milk and carrot smash!
(I think you mean mash, Kiara replies, sounding amused and more than a little charmed by the girl already)
The Persian rug is soft beneath Hana's feet, and the oak panels shine in the patch of sunlight streaming in through the windows. But that is not what catches her attention.
A portrait on the side, of a young woman in an ocean-blue gown that bears the insignia of a unicorn and an eagle, in gold and silver. An elegant shawl around her shoulders. In her face is the pride of a woman who seems to have fought for her place here, and won. Next to her, a calm, brown-haired man, hands kept behind him. Straightening his back, trying to stand tall, trying to match the stature of the lady he just married...but happy to be there.
"That's Florence Foredale," a rich, deep voice speaks from behind, "Countess of Edgewater. 1817 to 1867." The woman who approaches her walks with grace and confidence, hips swaying slightly as she walks. On her wine-coloured lips, a small smile. "Good afternoon, Your Grace."
Hana laughs, relieved that Peter's wife seems every bit as happy to see her as she sounds in his letters. "I've heard about her. She's quite famous in Cordonia...especially in my wife's province." She gives the other woman a teasing grin. "And we're not in Cordonia anymore, Your Excellency."
"Mabel," she interjects. "Not very many people call me by my name nowadays, and I rather miss the sound of it."
Hana nods, smiling. "Mabel it is," she says.
"Hana," Mabel responds, her eyes brown and speculative, but softening when their gazes meet. "Peter's in the study. He said he'll be joining us in a couple of minutes."
Hana's spine clenches in a mixture of anticipation and dread. If Mabel notices an involuntary twitch from her guest, she chooses not to tell.
--
Hana closes her eyes. Lifts her chin. Tries not to sweat under the harsh camera lights. Involuntarily tightens her fist until the photographer tells her she looks a little too tense.
She can feel Peter's hands, holding her by the waist like she is glass and he's afraid he could break her. She can feel his breath near her ear, slow and measured. She can almost hear him swallow his nervousness in his throat, and wonders if he is just as terrified as she is.
She waits for the feel of his lips on hers. The one she's read about in books, secretly watched in her cousins' favourite films. The one that's supposed to release a million butterflies in your stomach, the one that softly parts your lips like they're made of silk, smooth and sensuous. Already she can feel him growing closer...closer...
"OWWW!!!"
Peter finds her half an hour later in the kitchen, calming herself down with a few small squares of chocolate. Guiltily, she notes the still-blood-red bruising on his bottom lip. She runs her fingers over the delicate filigree earring they chose for the occasion, still unsure why his frown is one of worry, not disgust.
"Are you alright?"
She sniffles, almost hating him for being so kind. "I should be asking you that."
Surprisingly, he offers her a lopsided smile, making his swollen lip even more prominent than before.
"Well, see. At least I landed somewhere in the vicinity of your face this time," Peter says, chuckling, "Give me a little more practice. I promise it will be your cheek next."
Fresh tears spring in Hana's eyes - this time tears of laughter.
--
"How's this, Auntie Hana!" little Alphonsa chirps, enthusiastically swinging a rattle to Chaima's face, "Am I doing it right? Does Chaima like it? Do you? Do youuuuuu?"
The last two sentences are addressed to the baby bundled in Hana's lap, applesauce running down her mouth. Chaima looks away from her food to gift her slightly older companion a gummy, two-toothed smile. Shaking the rattle is typically the job of whichever mother has her hands free, but Peter's little daughter insisted on keeping her tiny guest happy and submerged in toys for the two days that they were here.
"Yes, Alphie," Kiara blows her a flying kiss, "you're a natural!"
Hana gives Alphonsa an affectionate pinch on the cheek with her free hand. "Chaima lights up every time she sees you, darling, and so do we."
Right next to Hana, Peter grins. It's the first genuine smile she has seen from him since they started talking, and Hana is struck by how alike he and his daughter look right now.
"Alphonsa loves babies," he explains, "or any child, really, they just have to be younger than her. It sets her big-sister instincts abuzz."
Hana sighs, shaking her head and remembering her own days as the only child. Her chandelier earrings swing around her neck as she laughs.
It fascinates her, really, how at ease they are with each other when they're talking about their children. Ever since she came here, their conversations have been awkward, stilted, punctuated with pregnant pauses that harbour all the words they're too afraid to say to each other. They've been trying so hard to be normal around each other, Hana realizes, and failing.
But as parents, they've never been better friends.
"Wait a minute," Peter's voice sounds a little bemused, suddenly, "is that -"
It is only when Hana follows his line of sight that she realizes exactly which earrings she's worn for this visit.
In that moment, she wants to dig a hole beneath the parlour floor and bury herself there.
"Yes," she says, sheepishly, "I'm sorry, I didn't think..."
Peter raises his eyebrows, then turns to look at Kiara and Mabel. As they both watch their wives talk animatedly, lost in their own conversation together, Peter suddenly turns back to Hana with a mischievous grin.
"Don't be," he says, "I'm just grateful we both managed to get better kissing practice. Less bloodshed that way."
Hana stares at him, then breaks into peals of silent giggles. It isn't even that funny...not to anyone else anyway...but the dry tone and the memories make it hard for her to stop laughing.
God. She isn't sure what else may happen to cast a shadow on this golden time, this lovely reunion...but if there is one thing Hana has missed up her old friend...it's this.
--
It is on their second day at Edgewater, that Countess Mabel requests Hana accompany her for a short walk.
Edgewater Lake is a tranquil, limpid little paradise, tucked away behind the estate's beautiful gardens and sprawling grounds. The aroma of bay willow and birch trees is alluring and soothing all at once, and even the ducks seem to float languidly over the water.
Mabel smiles in satisfaction at the sponge cakes in her box, kept specially for the ducks. She offers some to Hana, and together they throw the crumbs in the lake, watching in rapt attention as the ducks practically spring into life, squabbling over who gets which piece.
"I don't think I've ever felt more at peace anywhere in this estate than here," Mabel says. "I found this place quite by accident on my first week here, when I was too intimidated with the rest of the house and the estate. It's been my safe space ever since."
"It's a beautiful place," Hana smiles, remembering Sôse - the lake near the Cordonian Royal Palace. Its clear waters, its free-spirited birds, that distinctive smell of yellow crocus flowers that now reminds her of home. Where she was once told she would become a Duchess. Where Kiara had proposed to her, seven months later.
"Many tales speak of Countess Florence having picnics here."
"With her husband?" Hana says with an arched eyebrow, knowing full well the true answer.
"No. Her...companion. Miss Annabelle Parsons of Hazelvale."
"Parsons? As in the artist who painted Woman's Waltz and Rose Gold Reminiscence?"
"Yes," Mabel says, a faint smile on her lips, "I'm certain you've heard all the stories."
"Not until recently," Hana whispered, remembering just how ignorant she felt, those first few months after she realized she loved women more often than she loved men. How much there was for her to learn. She remembered sitting up some nights after she came out in public, wondering just what to call herself. Am I lesbian? Am I bisexual? Why are most of the people I get attracted to, women? And how can I say I'm lesbian if I've still found myself gravitating towards at least one or two men?
It took Kiara to convince her that she needed to stop overthinking, that changing her mind about who she was didn't mean she was lying to herself. To feel good about learning at her own pace. When she first heard about Florence Foredale, Hana hadn't even known what a lavender marriage was. "I wasn't really out to anyone until I started living in Cordonia."
Mabel's smile grows wider. "Me too. I'm bisexual."
Hana sucks in a breath. "Really?"
"Yes."
"When did you realize?"
Mabel's smile is swift and regretful. "I had an inkling in my early twenties...but I was deep in denial until at least two years ago."
Hana nods, placing a hand on Mabel's shoulder. "That sounds a lot like my journey. I don't think I could even articulate who I thought I was before I left Shanghai."
"Before Peter and I met, I was a young girl brought up in a very strict Goan Catholic family," she says, "You never even uttered the words gay or bisexual around our house." She sighs, heavily, seeming to remember her first year at Edgewater. "I was so scared. The timing was all so wrong. What was I going to do, now that I knew? What was I going to tell Peter?"
Hana winces. She had the same fears the night of their engagement...only now she can give those questions a name. The memory of his face is blinding in its clarity: contorted in pain, his mouth uttering questions she wasn't sure she would ever have the answers for...Is this what you want? Am I what you want??
The way the scales fell from his eyes as she fought to stop her tears.
And then he had left. Left that secluded hallway, left her house, left China. News of the broken match came from her parents.
She had become "damaged goods" overnight. Without a single hair on her head being touched.
Silently, Mabel reaches out and takes Hana's hand, squeezing it in understanding and an attempt to comfort. Hana presses her eyes closed. She doesn't want this woman's pity. Not after this long, when it's too little too late.
Hana is afraid of the answer. But she still has to ask.
"How did Peter react?"
"Afraid."
If her eyes weren't closed already, she would have done so right now, cursing herself for coming here. All this time...and she'd really convinced herself he'd changed...but if he was treating his lawfully-wedded wife this way -
"Not of me," Mabel says softly, her hand moving to touch Hana's arm now, "Of himself. He never quite forgave himself for what you had to go through after he left."
Hana sucks in a horrified breath. "He knew?"
Even before she did?? And he never once tried to talk to her about it?
"Not right away. Not that you weren't straight." Mabel says, nervously fingering a sapphire bracelet on her wrist. "It took him years to make sense of it. When the announcement of your marriage to Kiara came out...and then that magazine spread you'd made on Trend for Pride in Cordonia...several things began falling into place."
"Before or after you came out to him?"
"After," Mabel whispers, "I won't pretend it was perfect. I won't say he understood everything all at once . But he did try...and he still keeps trying."
Hana lets out a sigh of relief. It feels good, knowing that the phantom she had built in her head of him isn't entirely accurate.
"More than once when he's spoken about you," Mabel begins again, slowly, "he's told me that he thinks neither of you had a clue you loved women back then. He said you didn't seem to have enough space to ask questions about who you were or what you wanted."
"He's right," Hana says, staring unseeingly at the ripples on the lake. "When I fell in love for the first time, in Cordonia, it was hell. I had no idea what I was feeling, I couldn't get over the fact that it was a woman...and she was lost to me before I could even hope to win her."
Mabel smiles. "...and then you met Kiara."
Hana chuckles, a glow trickling down and filling every inch of her being...as it always does when she remembers their first days after they confessed their love to each other. "And then I met Kiara."
The two women walk further, looking out towards the lake rather than at each other. Hana gropes around in her mind desparately for a change in subject.
"I feel like I've seen this place before, even though this is my first time personally visiting Edgewater."
"It's possible," Mabel concedes. "Several films have been shot here. I think my favourite one so far has been that one with Cassandra Leigh in it... what's its name...?"
"A Timeless Heart," Hana replies, wonderingly. Even as she answers she finds herself awash with memories. Memories she'd kept locked away since Peter had left...yet something about this particular one demands she revisit it today.
They're at the home theatre Father and Mother had installed, just before Peter's parents agreed to their match. Peter tries - not too subtly - to place his arm around her. Hana obediently folds her hands on her lap, and hopes he doesn't realize they built this room specifically for him.
"Did you know," he inches himself a little closer to her, whispering, "this scene was shot a few years ago at a lake close to our house."
Hana does not answer. Her eyes are glued to the screen, glued to the woman with dark hair and wine-red lips, the camera almost caressing her face. The hero, who Hana is suddenly grateful she cannot see, takes a freshly-bloomed rose from his pocket, gently brushing her cheek with it. She gifts him a slow smile in invitation. Yes.
He brings the rose to his lips, and Hana fully expects him to return it to his pocket, but he does not. Instead he brings it back to Cassandra Leigh's face again.
The petals caress Cassandra's cheek like velvet on silk, moving slowly, sensuously, down the line of her jaw. The length of her hair. Her rosebud mouth. It moves across the expanse of her face, and Cassandra responds to the flower as she would the touch of a lover.
As the flower moves languidly over her silken skin...and Cassandra's expression shifts between confusion and desire and pure bliss, Hana feels a softening deep within her. It's a sensation she has never quite felt before. It moves, again, again, almost as if the petals are kissing her - not the man holding them.
It's almost as if he doesn't exist. It's almost as if no one exists, just her. And this woman.
When the projector breaks down immediately after, and Peter gets up - grumbling about missing the best part of the film - she suddenly stares at her fiancé-to-be like she can barely recognize him.
"Penny for your thoughts?" It's Mabel. Hana shifts uneasily at her piercing gaze.
"I was just thinking..." Hana murmurs, still bemused by the revelation, "sometimes all the signs can be right in front of you - staring you in the face - and you won't even realize that that weird feeling at the pit of your stomach was desire."
Mabel nods slowly, her smile one of recognition.
"Yeah...I've had a couple of crushes I didn't even realize were crushes until later."
"It's funny," Hana replies with a small laugh, "this entire time I've been thinking my love for women suddenly burst into life when I came to Cordonia and met Esther...but it's been there all along. It just took me a while to see it. To give it a name."
"Well...you know what they always say," Mabel lays a soft hand on Hana's arm, "Hindsight is 20/20."
--
"And this...this is Earl Vincent the First," Peter says, pointing to the portrait of a man in 15th century finery on the wall of his study. "Quite the character. He's said to have spied on both sides during the Wars of the Roses."
Hana smiles. "I know of at least one Duchess back home who would love to hear that story."
It's their last day in Edgewater, and Peter has summoned her to the study. Hana wills away the still-slight prickle of fear that he will rake up the past. They've spoken often enough; the topic could have easily come up if he so chose.
"and this...this is my most famous ancestor - appointed Championess of the Realm by Queen Charlotte herself - Countess -"
"- Florence," Hana whispers. The young woman in the portrait is still dressed in her house colours of blue and gold, but holds a white rose to her bosom. Her gaze seems to focus on the artist, brimming with emotions she cannot yet express. Hana is confident that if she strained her eyes long enough, she would find Parsons scribbled at the bottom-right corner of the painting.
"Yes," he says, a faint smile on his lips, "I hear that back in Castelserraillan they've made a film on her life."
"She's quite popular there."
"For good reason, I imagine," Peter says, "Most of what used to be considered 'rumour' about her is...in effect...true."
Hana's eyes widen. The stories of Countess Florence Foredale marrying Mr Chambers but pledging her vows to Miss Parsons...that she gleefully officiated her "husband's" own union to another man on their wedding night...they are fairly common knowledge. Common knowledge that you'd never expect the heir to her estate to confirm.
"Among us descendants, no one knows for sure whether her son was part of the Foredale bloodline in the way the ton of those times would have wanted it," Peter stares at the Countess' portrait, hands clasped behind his back, every inch this woman's heir. "But she left behind a legacy. A legacy I am proud of. A legacy I long to live up to."
Remembering her conversation with Mabel at the lake, Hana says, "From what I've heard, you already are."
Peter's answering smile is one of sad knowing. "You've been talking to Mabel."
Flushing, Hana nods. "I have."
He chuckles and shakes his head. "She often gives me more credit than I deserve."
Hana laughs. "I think I'll let her be the judge of that."
She can see Peter's shoulders heave in a deep, deep sigh. He walks away from the hundreds of ancestral portraits, back to his table, running a fingernail across its wooden surface. His eyes are cast downwards, almost as if he can't bring himself to look at her.
Hana freezes, anticipating the difficult conversation ahead.
"Hana," he says, his voice suddenly rough, "I wanted to hate you so badly in the beginning."
Her stomach drops to her feet. "I know."
"I kept telling myself, she could have opened up to me, anytime. I stayed at her home three while weeks; she could have let me know then. I convinced myself that I was a match you carelessly chose to sleepwalk into, that you considered me another chore to get done."
Tears spring in Hana's eyes. "I couldn't understand what was happening to me back then. I still don't."
Peter moves behind the table, running his fingers through the knob of one of the drawers. His own eyes seem clouded, she notes with a pang.
"Mabel told me once...the process to figuring out who you are isn't always going to be linear. You're never going to figure it out all in one go," he finally raises his eyes to hers, "Was it like that for you?"
Hana swallows. "It's still like that for me. There are still parts of this journey that are yet to make sense."
"I could have stayed back. Talked to you. Tried to help somehow, though god knows whether I'd have messed it all up further. I could have tried." Peter's voice is flat, almost deceptively lacking emotion. Only his eyes betray his recrimination of himself. "Instead I ran off. Leaving you to face all the questions."
"You didn't!" Hana's own voice is suddenly hoarse, roused by his self-flagellation into passionate defense. "Don't think I didn't notice, Peter. Before you left, you and your family made use of every contact you could find...to kill most of the gossip surrounding our breakup. Neither I nor my family found out until two years later."
Peter shakes his head in disbelief. "But -"
"You didn't get all of it right. I know that. People still managed to spread the word, and I kept getting raked over the coals for it, even after I married Kiara." Hana takes a deep breath, exhausted from her tirade. "You hated me then, but you were still willing to do that for me. If you really want to know how worthy you are of Florence Foredale's lineage, you can start right there."
Peter sighs. "Let me apologize for not trying to understand, at least."
She lets out a watery laugh. "Apology accepted."
He searches her eyes for affirmation, and nods, opening the drawer he had been running his fingers through mere minutes ago.
"Come here," he mumbles finally, leafing through a sheaf of papers, "I have something I've been wanting to show you. Ever since we started writing each other."
It's sketches of the same woman - in various moods, various poses...the drawings themselves in various stages of completion. These aren't formal portraits, set up over stand and easel, its subjects motionless. No - these are poetry in motion, impatiently etched, capturing their subject in all her vibrancy and fierce spirit. Here she is, head thrown back in (at least in Hana's imagination) loud raucous laughter, the wind in her hair. And here, yet again, holding a little boy up in the air, his tiny hands reaching out to caress her face.
Here is one made by the Countess - herself an accomplished artist - of her wife standing tall and proud, an eagle perched on her right arm, her left hand caressing a unicorn.
Her heart almost stops when she sees the final painting - the artist Parsons herself, arms wound around the other woman's waist, her chin tucked against the Countess' shoulder. Their fingers seem woven together, so that you cannot quite tell which ones belong to whom. The Countess herself looks to their interwoven hands with a mixture of desire, and longing, and pain.
Hana runs a hand over the couple, her touch almost reverent. Her heart twists a little at the strength of their love, the immense injustice of their loss. "No one else has seen these before."
"No one," Peter agrees, "except my wife. We unearthed these just days after Father died. And a week before you made that call." He picks the last drawing up, his eyes brimming with affection. "When you rang us so soon after that, it felt like a sign. Like I had one more chance to make things right."
Hana takes his hand, pressing it between hers. "You and Mabel have done more than that. I'll never forget this visit. You both owe us a trip to Cordonia, now."
Cautiously, tentatively, Peter gives her a hug.
"I'd like you to have this last painting," he says gruffly, passing her the one she'd touched so reverently mere moments ago. "It just feels right, you having this. There's a lot of things my ancestor didn't have...that I'm glad you and my Mabel finally get the space to explore."
"And even then, we had to navigate so much to get there," Hana responds. "All we can do really is pass it forward. Make it easier for the next generation, and the next, and the next."
Peter gifts her a rueful smile. "I'll try my best to do just that, Hana. I promise you."
--
Little Alphonsa giggles and gives Kiara a drawing of herself and Chaima, as a keepsake. Already Kiara plans to have it framed and put up in her nursery.
Mabel has a gift of her own, too. Just before Hana leaves, she slips a small package into her bag, insisting she only open it when they're closer to the airport.
The car that takes them to the airport weaves through traffic slowly, steadily, in no particular rush. In an hour's time, Chaima is asleep on Kiara's lap, and Kiara herself has dozed off, mumbling gibberish in her dreams.
Quietly, Hana takes out the package, tears open the wrapper. A letter falls out.
H -
Since you like Cassandra Leigh so much, I thought you might like The Warmest Winter. You'll know why when you watch. Thank me later.
Love,
M.
It's a CD cover for a film. Two women, gazing into each other's eyes in reverent devotion, their gazes speaking a million promises that their lips can never tell. Hana presses the CD to her chest and whispers a prayer of gratitude.
A sleeping Kiara shifts her neck ever-so-slightly in Hana's direction, murmuring her name softly. Her hand still lies - soft. protective - over Chaima's stomach.
Hana keeps the CD back in the larger bag she's carrying - the one that holds those precious paintings.
Seems like our plans are set for next date night, wife. She brushes away a strand of hair from Kiara's forehead, kissing it. I just can't wait.
--
Notes:
Ma moitié - French for "my other half"
Nīnī yā moūmoū - Moroccan lullaby (link here)
A Timeless Heart and The Warmest Winter are both Cassandra Leigh films in the Choices universe.
Inspiration for the Timeless Heart scene in the movie-watching section, came from a rather sensuous (by our 50s Bollywood standards!) Hindi film scene in Mughal-e-Azam, where the hero caresses the heroine with a feather. See:
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You can watch the full song here and the scene in question is from 2.10-3.00.
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sapphoschoices · 5 months
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Guys I was so close to buying a sapphic regency era book today, really MC x miss parsons stuff and now I'm just so disappointed in myself that I didn't buy it 😭😭😭
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missameliep · 2 years
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What if this fanfic was a book? - The Cursed Heiress (Desire and Decorum AU)
The Cursed Heiress by @noesapphic is a Desire and Decorum AU! with a powerful MC named Joanna Mills (though she is known for other names that are revealed in the series as more and more of her secrets come to light), mythological creatures, supernatural elements and crossovers with Choices' books such as Bloodbound and Nightbound. In this series, we follow Joanna while she learns the secrets that will change her entire existence, meet the five people whose destinies are entwined with hers and prepare herself not only for the role of the Earl of Edgewater's heiress but in the upcoming war that can destroy humanity.
If this series was turned into a book, I thought of a few ideas for covers inspired by Joanna's magic powers and the color red.
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But I can already envision a special edition with hardcover and The Damned Daughter too.
You can read the A/N and have access to all the chapters of the main series and the series The Damned Daughter, info about the MC and lore, one shots etc
I hope you like it, Noe! ☺️
Tagging a few of you who might like seeing this: @storyofmychoices @princess-geek @lorirwritesfanfic @lilyoffandoms
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peonyblossom · 1 year
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Meet My MC - Ophelia Parsons Capulet
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Book: Desire & Decorum Name: Ophelia Parsons Capulet Pronouns: she/her Sexuality: Sapphic Birthday: November 2, 1795 Zodiac: Scorpio Height: 5’6” Love Interest: Annabelle Parsons
Just the basics for now, but might add more at some point! Feel free to send any asks about her :-)
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lovelyhxsie · 1 year
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Choices: Desire and Decorum
You guys...I've fallen in the rabbit hole of becoming entranced with the mobile game, choices. It's gotten to the point that I am officially a VIP subscription member. I have no shame to admit such a thing though that is NOT what I am here to discuss.
Can we take a moment to appreciate the lovely series known as Desire and Decorum? This series is written to pure perfection and I can't keep myself from thinking how good this would be as a television series. Especially if they went with Miss (Annabelle) Parsons storyline. The way they execute their relationship in a time period were same-sex relationships were improper and carried severe consequences if people were to know the truth.
Anyway, that is all I share as I haven't finished book 2 just yet. I am team Annabelle all the way. Fictional characters must stop making my heart yearn for someone I can't have. Sob sob.
Update: This will contain slight spoilers if you have not read any of Desire and Decorum.
You mean to tell me that Annabelle Parsons has the belief that never marrying me is worst than her fate of possible death? MC has gained the pure term of perfection amongst a human being. I am in love.
Update #2: spoiler.
Annabelle Parsons being jealous gives me a form of serotonin.
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moodmusicmonday · 1 year
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🎵Playlist for 1/2 Click Here!🎵
It's a short one this week, but that's okay! We're all just getting back into the swing of things, and easing into a post-holiday, 2023 life.
Thank you to our writers for submitting this week! All the info is located below the cut.
And thank you to everyone who follows, likes, and shares our posts week in and week out. We wouldn't be here without all of your love and support. 🥰
@peonyblossom
"History Hates Lovers" - Oublaire; History Hates Lovers (RCD/DD Crossover; Thomas Hunt x f!MC, Annabelle Parsons x f!MC)
@tessa-liam
"Bad Habits" - Ed Sheeran; Smoke & Mirrors Chapter 1: Old Habits Die Hard (TRF AU; Liam x MC)
🎵🎵🎵🎵
Tags in the Comments: if you would like to be added/removed please let us know; if you have been overlooked, please be gracious and just let us know! We love you guys! Thank you for your support!
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lorirwritesfanfic · 1 year
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Stories from Meant To Be AU that don't follow the timeline (because my muse just can't wait 🤭)
Friendship fics
Bonding Experiences | Annabelle Parsons, Briar Daly, MC (Daphne)
Not Ready | Yusuf Konevi, F!OC (Veronica Dantas), Prince Hamid
Hamid x Daphne
Art Project
Movie Date
Summer Tastes
When It’s Meant To Be 💋
Five More Minutes: Lazy Couple, Terrible Friends
OTP Texts - I Want A Baby Challenge  
Impromptu Dance: A Special Night (ft. Bartholomew x Yusuf)
Training For The Future
A Nice View
Long Distance Love: An Unusual Date 
A Wish For Christmas (And All The Other Days)
A Good Chef And His Moody Sous-chef  
Personal Favourite: Kiss It Better
Personal Favourite: Favourite Part(s)
Bad Parenting
Niceness Test  ✨new✨
Annabelle x Veronica
Memories And Dirty Daydreams 💋
A Little Nudge (ft. Hamid x Daphne)
The Letter (ft. Hamid x Daphne)
Loving Her For Who She Is
OTP Texts - I Want A Baby Challenge
Love Language
Worthy Of Love
Bartholomew x Yusuf
A Love Like A Love Song
Ernest x Alisha
Best Part Of The Night 
Try 💋
Warming Up 💋
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WELCOME || PROMPTS || SCHEDULE || RULES
This is the entire masterlist for the event. I will be adding to it as creators submit entries. They will be listed alphabetically by book and then by characters.
A Very Scandalous Proposal
Ava Montjoy
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
Blades of Light & Shadow
Aerin Valleros
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
Imtura Tal Kaelen
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
Mal Volari
Unexpected (Mal Volari x OC, Tyril Starfury x OC) fic by @storyofmychoices
In the Market (Mal & Tyril) fic by @storyofmychoices
Tyril Starfury
April: A Tired Kiss (Tyril x OC) fic by @lilyoffandoms
Blades AU (Tyril x OC) fic by @lilyoffandoms
Blade (Tyril x MC) fic by @lilyoffandoms
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
Thank You fic by @lilyoffandoms
Threep Pompedorfin
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
Crimes of Passion
Trystan Thorne
Drabble (Trystan x MC) fic by @lilyoffandoms
Chapter 13 Missing Scene (Trystan x MC) fic by @lilyoffandoms
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
The Crown & The Flame
Kenna Rys
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
Drabble (Kenna x Raydan) fic by @lilyoffandoms
Kenna Rys moodboard by @lorirwritesfanfic
The Nevrakis
Spread Joy (Diavolos) dit by @storyofmychoices
Annelyse Adair, Tevan Drammir, Dominic Hunter, Raydan Lykel, Val Greaves
Spread Joy (Dominic Hunter) edit by @storyofmychoices
Raydan Lykel moodboard by @lorirwritesfanfic
Spread Joy (Annelyse Adair) edit by @storyofmychoices
Drabble (Kenna x Val) fic by @lilyoffandoms
The Cursed Heart
Kieran
Of Monsters and Hearts (Kieran x MC) fic by @lilyoffandoms
Desire and Decorum
Annabelle Parsons
Spread Joy (Annabelle Parsons) edit by @storyofmychoices
Ernest Sinclaire
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
A Love Like No Other (Ernest x MC) fic by @missameliep
Heart In Ashes (Ernest x MC) fic by @princess-geek
Stay With Me? (Ernest x MC) fic by @nishi-reads
Prince Hamid
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
Art History AU fic by @lilyoffandoms
Foreign Affairs
Dionne Serrano
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
Open Heart
Bryce Lahela
Royal x Rockstar AU fic by @lilyoffandoms
Nightbound
Main Character
Fae Fantasy (Nik x MC) edit by @ladylamrian
Winged (Nik x MC) fic by @pleaseletmesitinthecorner
The Duchess of Lamrian (MC) edit by @ladylamrian
Get to Know (MC) aesthetic by @ladylamrian
Fairytale Romance (Nik x MC) edit by @ladylamrian
Royal x Commoners (MC + crew) edit by @ladylamrian
Nik x MC edit by @ladylamrian
Royal x Commoner AU (Nik x MC) fic by @lilyoffandoms
Others
Get to Know (Garrus) aesthetic by @ladylamrian
Spread Joy (Ivy) edit by @storyofmychoices
Fanmade Aesthetic (Nik, Katherine, Cal, & Vera) aesthetic by @ladylamrian
The Princess Swap
Prince Clarke
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
Devin Wright
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
Others
Spread Joy (Faye Hernandez) edit by @storyofmychoices
The Royal Romance
“Liam” Rys
Top Nine Headcanons (“Liam” Rys) headcanons by @cassiopeiacorvus
The Sword of Damocles (“Liam” x MC mention) fic by @lizzybeth1986
Heavy (“Liam” x MC) fic by @lorirwritesfanfic
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
A Piece Of Land to Call My Own (“Liam” & Hana) fic by @lizzybeth1986
Eleanors Kitchen (“Liam” & Eleanor) fic @lizzybeth1986
Olivia Nevrakis
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
The Unexpected Heiress
John Somerset
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
Francis Somerset
Spread Joy edit by @storyofmychoices
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noesapphic · 2 years
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Edits Masterlist Part One- Desire and Decorum
MCs 
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Lenore Ying 
Celestine Walker art by @veroww  gifted by @the-choices-fanart-giver ​ for the MC Appreciation Week
Celestine Walker aesthetic from Female Awesome Meme 
FANKIDS 
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Eliott Sinclaire 
Alaska Sinclaire 
Lydia Sinclaire 
Annette Sinclaire 
SOCIAL MEDIA 
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Hayley and her daughter bonding 
Hayley and her son in a picnic 
Hayley’s Euphoria makeup + her children 
Ernest Sinclaire x Hayley Parker Instagram edit by purplehyacinths 
Hayley Parker Aesthetic 
Hayley x Ernest + domestic aesthetic  
THE CURSED HEIRESS 
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Joanna’s miniprofile and portrait by @miyeoncey  
Joanna and Jaskier by @weirdplutoprince gifted by @missameliep  
Joanna x Thomas Coleman by @bayleedrawsx gifted by @lilyoffandoms by an art giveaway 
Joanna x Thomas gifset 
Joanna Mills and Thomas Coleman’s Journey gifset 
Joanna Mills aesthetic (1) 
Joanna Mills aesthetic (2) 
Human!Joanna aesthetic + headcanons 
Joanna and Thomas + Saturno by Pablo Alborán 
Joanna in the 80s by @weirdowithluv  
THE DETECTIVE AND THE BUSINESSMAN 
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Ernest x Hayley art by bootyfeathers gifted by @lilyoffandoms for the Desire and Decorum Appreciation Week 
Hayley Parker by elania 
Hayley Parker gifset 
Hayley Parker videoedit  
Elliott Sinclaire art by @miyeoncey  
Inside Hayley Parker's Phone
MEET THE OC (AND INTRODUCTIONS) 
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Meet Countess Celestine 
Meet Hayley Parker 
Meet Joanna Mills 
Meet Samantha Foredale  
Meet Eleanor Foredale  
Meet Marianna Howard
MISC D&D CONTENT 
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Second Chances 
Elizabeth Foredale art by @weirdowithluv  
@missameliep  ‘s Elizabeth Foredale x Hamid Osmanoglu  
Unspoken Desires 
@princess-geek  ‘s Beatrice Foredale x Ernest Sinclaire edit 
Beatrice x Ernest + love story by taylor swift (taylor’s version) edit 
Other D&D Content 
Annabelle Parsons aesthetic  
Samantha Foredale gifted by @princess-geek  
Hayley Parker gifted by @missameliep  
Hayley Parker x Joanna Mills gifted by @princess-geek  
Lady Eleanor Foredale by @weirdowithluv
My OCs Icons
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Week 2 Masterlist
Blades of Light and Shadow Blades AU (?) Drabble | Tyril x OC (Maiele) & Mal x OC (Daenarya) | by @lilyoffandoms
Crimes of Passion How To Crush Your Enemies | Trystan Thorne x f!MC (Nora Rose) | by @inlocusmads
Desire & Decorum Personal Favorite | Part 2: Favourite Part(s) | Prince Hamid x f!MC (Daphne) & Annabelle Parsons x f!OC (Veronica) | by @lorirwritesfanfic
Hollywood U Fordbidden Romance | Thomas Hunt x f!MC (Alex Spencer) | by @theartoflovingthomashunt
Stretch Break | Thomas Hunt x f!MC (Alex Hunt) | by @theartoflovingthomashunt
Open Heart A New Day Dawns | Bryce Lahela x f!OC (Olivia Hadley) | by @storyofmychoices
Doubts | Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Cassie Valentine) | by @liaromancewriter
Gamer Vivi | f!OC (Vivien Hernandez) | by @peonyblossom
Happy Birthday, Dr. Ramsey | Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Cassie Valentine) | by @liaromancewriter
Just a Kiss | Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Kaycee McClennan) | by @jerzwriter
New Adventures | Tobias Carrick x f!MC (Casey MacTavish) | by @jerzwriter
Right Up My Alley | Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Ellie Shepherd) | by @storyofmychoices 
Risky Business... | Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Kaycee McClennan) | by @jerzwriter
The Doctor's Farewell | Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Jane Fletcher) | by @inlocusmads
Vivien Hernandez Edit | f!OC (Vivien Hernandez) | by @peonyblossom
Washed Up | Tobias Carrick & Bryce Lahela | by @jerzwriter
What Happened in Vegas | Chapter 2: Indecent Proposal | Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Casey MacTavish) | by @jerzwriter
What Happens in Vegas | Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Cassie Valentine) | by @liaromancewriter
Wake the Dead Wound Care | Troy Hassan x f!MC (Astraea Callen) | by @storyofmychoices
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ellezelindraws · 4 years
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So I did a bit of research about the language of the fan and found a miscommunication on this part (correct me if I'm wrong pls?). The flirt option indicated that the MC wants to be alone with Annabelle yet what she actually communicated through drawing the fan across the cheek was 'I love you'.
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retvenkos · 3 years
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requested by @noesapphic
                                annabelle parsons x mc quotes
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grovershire-girl · 3 years
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D&D Mc: Do you think things will ever get easier for people like us, Annabelle?
Annabelle: Perhaps, darling. You never know what the future holds.
One reincarnation generations later...
TRR/TRH Mc: I am now trying to learn how to be a lady while competing for the hand of a guy I knew for one day. Interesting how life works.
Hana: Why do all of my issues feel so familiar?
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peonyblossom · 8 months
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Hey y'all! I know I only have a small taglist, but I'm doing a little clean up since I took a little unannounced hiatus a little bit ago and have also started writing for more stories/ships and what not.
Since I've started writing for a lot of different ships, I don't really want to have a list for each and every ship because I think that might be too much for me to keep track of. Instead I will just have lists for each story, which will include:
Open Heart
Ethan Ramsey x m!MC (Sydney Valentine), Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Sadie Oakley), Bryce Lahela x m!MC (Sydney Valentine), Ethan Ramsey x Tobias Carrick, and various platonic fics
Red Carpet Diaries/Hollywood U
Thomas Hunt x f!MC (Jackie Winters)
Crimes of Passion
m!asian!Trystan x nb!MC (Jenna Rose) and Marguerite x f!OC (possibly)
Hot Couture
Marco di Vincenzo x f!MC (Analise Moore)
America's Most Eligible
Carson Stewart x f!MC
Desire & Decorum
Annabelle Parsons x f!MC (Ophelia Capulet)
Choices Perma
All of the above!
Let me know if you'd like to be on one or more of these lists please! If you are currently on one of my lists I'll keep you on for the story you are currently on for, so just let me know (comment, reply, dm) if you'd like to be moved to a different list, added to another list, or removed entirely - no hard feelings!
Tagging my current lists below
Ethan x Sadie: @rookiemartin Open Heart: @crazy-loca-blog @jerzwriter @potionsprefect Perma: @gutsfics @lilyoffandoms
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alccaddsccup · 3 years
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The Proposal (chapter 2)
this is part two of my fic The Proposal
Miss Parsons x Mc
Mr Konevi x Mr Chambers
warnings: smut and some angst 
lmk if u would like to be tagged in future desire and decorum fics or have any suggestions for me!
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Mr Konevi sighs as he discards a letter on the desk before him. Mr Chambers rushes over and places his hands on his shoulders “What’s the matter Yusuf? Please tell me it’s good news” Mr Konevi runs a hand over his tired face and squeezes Mr Chambers’ hand briefly
“Another rejection. It seems no one in the whole of London requires my services anymore” Mr Konevi crosses the drawing room to sit on one of the loungers and gazes hopelessly into the fire
“Don’t say it”
“I have to go back” Mr Konevi interrupts “I cannot afford to stay in England for much longer” Mr Chambers kneels before him and grasps his hands tightly
“Please, don’t leave me. I can pay for you to continue living here” Mr Konevi strokes Mr Chambers’ cheek and gazes into his eyes adoringly “You know it’s not that easy. My mother needs the income I provide” Mr Chambers hangs his head in resignation then sits beside Mr Konevi, not daring to let his hands go
“When will you be leaving?”
“The next ship leaves in two days’ time” one hand shoots up to Mr Chambers’ mouth and he lets out a sob before enveloping Mr Konevi in a fierce hug and burying his head in his chest. Mr Konevi strokes Mr Chambers’ head gently “I should only be gone for a few months. Just to see my mother through the winter” Mr Chambers wipes at his eyes and pulls away from Mr Konevi
“Well, I suppose we’d best tell our wives” The pair get up and walk to the parlour where Annabelle is attempting to teach Clara a new dance.
“No! It’s left, together, hop then right, together” Annabelle giggles at Clara, who has yet to master the dance. She holds her hands out to her
“Right, let’s take it from the top again” Annabelle tugs on Clara’s hands slightly stronger than she intended which sends Clara crashing into her. She gazes down to her lover and the pair are just about to kiss when…
“Ahem. Sorry to interrupt ladies” They spring apart and Annabelle smooths out her dress as Clara looks away blushing “We have some rather… unfortunate news to share” It’s then that Clara notices the red circles under Mr Chambers’ eyes
“What’s the matter, sir? You seem rather upset” Mr Chambers looks to Mr Konevi before continuing
“I suppose I am. Mr Konevi must leave for the Ottoman empire, in two days from now”
“But that means-“
“I’ll be going with him” Annabelle’s head begins to spin and she reaches out to Clara who is frozen in shock
“You must forgive me miss, for I could not have foreseen the current state of my employment” Annabelle nods weakly at Mr Konevi before releasing Clara to sit on one of the sofas in the parlour. She fiddles with the ring gifted to her by Clara on their wedding day
“Thank you for letting me know sir. I suppose I had best start packing” the gentlemen bow to the pair and exit the parlour. Shortly after, Clara sits beside Annabelle and takes her hands in her own
“Oh Annabelle, this is all my fault. I never should’ve encouraged you to marry him”
“Nonsense, my love, it was I who made the decision” Clara rests her head on Annabelle’s shoulder and sniffles quietly. Annabelle pulls her closer whilst stroking her hair gently and the pair sit in saddened silence for a few moments. When they finally pull away, Clara notices that Annabelle’s eyes are watery like her own. She stands and holds her hand out
“This won’t do. We cannot sit here wallowing, wasting the precious time we have together” She pulls Annabelle up from where she was sitting, holding her hand tightly
“Come with me and I promise I will ease your sadness” Annabelle smiles weakly at her before letting herself be led through the endless halls of Edgewater. After several twists and turns and a long climb up a staircase, Annabelle realises where she is being led
“You’re taking me to the spire” Clara doesn’t respond until she ascends the final stair
“This is where one of my happiest memories is. I thought we could share in each other’s company before…” she trails off, not wanting to remind Annabelle of her impending trip. Annabelle kisses her cheek
“I think that’s a wonderful idea Clara” They sit themselves by the window and gaze out into the clear night sky. Clara points to a cluster of stars
“Do you remember that constellation?”
“How could I forget? That’s our constellation” Annabelle sighs dejectedly “I wonder what the stars look like in the Ottoman Empire” Clara turns to her and turns Annabelle’s face with her hand
“Hush now Annabelle, you are not there yet. Please allow me to spend an evening in your arms without thinking of your departure” Annabelle’s eyes dart to Clara’ lips before meeting her eyes. She leans closer, until the pair are only centimetres apart
“Very well then my love” She leans in to place a delicate kiss on Clara’s lips but as she goes to pull away, Clara pulls her closer by the waist and catches her lower lip between her teeth. Their tongues swirl together as they explore each other’s mouths. After a few heated seconds, the pair pull apart and rest their foreheads together breathing heavily
“Should we take this further?” Annabelle asks, her words barely a whisper
“Why do you think I took you up here” Clara trails a line of kisses down Annabelle’s neck before placing a smattering of kisses across the curve of her breasts and she sighs in pleasure. Annabelle guides Clara’s mouth back towards her own but suddenly, Clara pulls away from her and stands
“What’s the matter Clara?” she smiles flirtatiously at Annabelle and a gentle warmth spreads across her face
“I thought I might give you a show” As she says this, she begins to unlace her dress painstakingly slowly in front of Annabelle who gazes at her with eager eyes. She reaches her hands out to assist her but Clara steps out of her reach
“Just watch, I promise it will be worth it” Annabelle huffs but complies with Clara’s request and she resumes her performance, now unlacing her corset with practiced ease. Once she is fully undressed, Annabelle drinks in the sight of her; she would never get used to seeing such beauty. Her gaze finally meets Clara’s, and she gazes back with unbridled desire.
“What do you make of me?” Clara trails a hand down the centre of her chest and Annabelle’s eyes follow the movement
“You are just as perfect as the first night we spent together” she stands and pulls Clara to her who immediately begins to undress Annabelle, placing kisses on every inch of exposed skin. When the pair of them are bare, they sink down to the padded bench and lose themselves in the feel of each other’s mouth. Annabelle traces delicate lines across Clara’s breasts and she sighs in delight before gently coaxing Annabelle to recline on the bench and whispering in her ear
“Let me take care of you” As she says this, she trails a hand up Annabelle’s inner thigh, barely ghosting over where she needs her then making small circles with her fingers. A beautifully vivid blush rises up Annabelle’s neck and her eyes widen  
“Clara I need you!” Clara begins to trail a fiery line of kisses down her flushed skin until she reaches just below her navel; she stops to meet Annabelle’s eyes, which are dark with desire, before placing a gentle kiss on her centre which encourages a lustful moan from her. Clara swipes her tongue against Annabelle before pushing her tongue further inside and quickening her pace. Annabelle places her hand on Clara’s head and pulls her impossibly closer, rocking her hips all the while, enjoying the pleasurable sensations her lover provides
“Oh, I’m so close” At Annabelle’s exclamation, Clara increases her already relentless pace which pushes Annabelle over the edge only moments after the increase in speed and she lets out a chorus of moans. Clara runs her hands delicately up and down Annabelle’s thighs whilst she recovers from the pleasurable release then crawls up her body to rest her head on her chest
“I shall miss that tongue when I am in the Ottoman Empire” Clara swats at her arm
“Don’t say that”
“What? It’s true, it will be but one of the many things I will miss about you” Clara raises her head to look Annabelle in the eyes
“You cannot miss me yet Annabelle, for you are still here” Annabelle places a sweet kiss upon Clara’s lips before stroking her face and she leans into the tender touch
“I know my love, we shall make the most of every second we have together” Clara, who was satisfied with her response, returns to her reclined position with her head on Annabelle’s chest and one arm draped over her torso. But from this place, she cannot see the silent tears that slip down her lover’s face
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cardinalnuggets · 3 years
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11 & 12 together for Annabelle and mc plz
He shall never have me
Word Count: 925 Rating: T Summary: Annabelle really doesn't enjoy seeing Duke Richards all over Clara. Prompts: “I don’t think I have ever felt safer than in your arms.” and “Tough day? Do you want me to give you a massage?”
From across the room, Clara could only watch as Annabelle scurried through one of the many doors surrounding the ballroom. She couldn’t see her face from so far away, but her body held so much tension that she could see how hunched her shoulders were as she fled. At that moment, Clara would have given anything to be able to follow her, to help erase whatever it was that had clearly upset her.
But Duke Richard had had a vice like grip on her arm the entire night as he dragged her around from guest to guest. He was treating her like a prize horse, showing her off to anyone and everyone. Under normal circumstances, Clara would hate it but it was ten times worse having to spend so much time with the Duke. Especially since he was actively keeping her away from Annabelle and the rest of their friends.
As Clara’s eyes lingered on the door Annabelle had run through, the Duke’s grip tightened painfully on her arm. Internally, she flinched but she refused to show any emotion on her face. She refused to let him know he was getting to her because then he won.
Then his rancid breath was right at her ear. “Wish for an escape all you like, but I shan’t let you out of my sight.” His voice dripped with malice, though his expression didn’t waver as he pretended to listen to whichever boring man he had last introduced her to. Clara felt a shiver run down her spine for she knew he didn’t only mean now.
Refusing to feel threatened, she turned to him in defiance. “You cannot watch me forever,” she muttered, “you must know you shall not win this.”
The Duke’s face curdled, and Clara couldn’t help but grin in triumph. “We shall see,” was all he hissed ominously in retort.
For all his blustering, not three introductions later was the Duke ditching her for some “friend” so important that he had forgotten his own threat. Jumping for joy internally, she went off in search of Miss Parsons.
Annabelle stood in the shadow of a tree in the garden where they had celebrated their engagement before it had come crashing down around them. As she approached, Clara could see how hunched her shoulders still were.
“Tough night?” Clara began, keeping her voice quiet so as not to startle Miss Parsons. She still jumped, however, clearly having been lost in thought. When she turned, there was the ghost of a smile on her face but it did not reach her eyes. “Can I offer you a massage?” There was a humour in her voice that belayed the concern written on her face.
Her laugh was half-hearted at best, but at least some light finally reached her eyes. “Your hands are magic, I’m sure,” Annabelle replied, turning so Clara could begin her massage.
Clara spread her hands across Annabelle’s shoulders, giving her a light squeeze before she dug her thumbs into the flesh next to her shoulder blades. The muscle was almost solid and riddled with knots. It had definitely not been like that earlier in the day.
With a worried frown on her face, Clara let her fingers really get to work, slowly feeling Annabelle relax under her hands.
“Care to tell me what has you so taut?” Clara questioned gently after several moments of silence had passed.
Another long silence followed her question, one so long that she thought Annabelle meant to not answer. Eventually, though, Annabelle shrugged her hands off her shoulder and turned to face her. Anger creased her face, and Clara longed to smooth out every bit of it until her smile returned, as bright and joyful as it always was.
“I hate him.” Her voice was laced with so much venom that Clara didn’t need to question who she was talking about. “The way he was clutching onto you as though you are not your own person. Parading you around as though you are some…object he acquired. He has no right.” She huffed out a long breath before pulling Clara into her arms and holding her tight against her. For the first time that night, Clara could feel her truly loosening against her, as though the real problem had been a lack of contact rather than the Duke. “My blood boils watching it. He has no claim to you.”
“He shall never have me, Annabelle. Not truly. My heart belongs to you and nothing will change that.”
“I know that,” Annabelle replied as she buried her face in Clara’s hair, “but still I wish it were me on your arm.”
“And we will not stop fighting until it is you on my arm.”
They lapsed into silence once more, clinging to one another as though the other may disappear at any moment. It was the most peace either of them had felt all night. Perhaps even since Clara’s grandmother had announced the engagement neither of them had foreseen.
“I don’t think I have ever felt safer than in your arms.” Clara sighed almost in relief, burying her face against the silkiness of Annabelle’s dress.
“And they shall always keep you safe. No matter what stands in our way, they will always be there to shield you from harm. That much I promise you.”
“I love you, Annabelle.”
“And I you, Clara.”
Soon enough their absence at the ball would be noticed and they would have to return. For now, however, they revelled in each other’s’ company, refusing to think of parting again.
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