for day 5 of woevember of @asouefanworkevent, the masked ball
the masked ball is not a VFD event. rather, it's an old tradition of the duchess's family, passed down from one generation of the duchess to the next, like the ring with the letter R engraved upon it.
the most recent R, Duchess of Winnipeg, is a volunteer of the VFD, but her mother, the previous R, and her mother, also R, are not. (see: the end). so, naturally, duchess R (the most recent one)'s friends and associates from VFD are often invited to the masked ball, and the VFD volunteers have sometimes used the masked ball as a way of communicating with other volunteers.
however, one would be mistaken if one thinks that no VFD members have ever attended the masked balls held by R's mother, or grandmother, or great-grandmother, and so on. like R's family, and her family ring, VFD has been around for a long time. the Duchess's masked ball has always been quite popular event amongst the high society, and oftentimes influential people would attend, and previous generations of VFD members have also sometimes attended the ball for various different purposes, even if the Duchess at that time is not a VFD volunteer
R continues to hold the masked ball regularly, even amidst the schism, even if sometimes enemies of the volunteers also managed to sneak into the ball for nefarious purposes. it's an event that people who's on the lam or rumored to be dead may show up, since everyone's in masks with a proper reason. it's a time when old associates can meet.
in some way, it signifies hope - the hope of being able to meet an associate you have not been able to contact for sometime, the hope of the chance to confirm that a family member is safe and sound
year after year, as various members of VFD and its enemies meet their demise, fewer and fewer associates and enemies of R's show up at the masked ball each time. some of them she knows for a fact are confirmed dead - M for one. and G. and also G - not that it's ever quite clear whether she stood on the schism.
R continues hosting the masked ball, if she's able to at that time. L appears less and less frequently, but despite various "confirmations" of his death, he's possibly the one who's most likely to still be alive, since all those so-called confirmations are flimsy at best, featuring blurry pictures that could've been anybody in a hat.
sometimes she knows that L has showed up and left before they had a chance to talk, and she knows this because she would find little messages from him that he's left behind. an encrypted code on a little note hidden under the accordion, for instance, that can only be decoded if one is well-versed in poetry
when L's brother J first fell out of contact, and soon it's been said that nobody has been able to reach him, at first R thought he's just gone on the run like L did. perhaps planning to fake his death. she had hoped he would show up at her ball sometime soon - but he never did. instead, the daily punctilio featuring the death of olaf at some faraway village with the picture of J brought the worst news.
and then came the fire of hotel denouement, and also K who lost contact after that. barely any of R's associates or enemies show up for a long time, after that.
until one day L appears again - not at a masked ball, but just one a normal day - with his niece. kit and dewey's daughter, beatrice.
the little girl made a lot of efforts to find and reunite her family - including the children of beatrice and bertrand that R's heard so much about but have never met, and lemony, and dewey's triplets.
having old friends again at the next masked ball gives her a certain ache of nostalgia, but she's also so very glad to be able to see them again, after all these years, and away from their VFD identities that's bound them tight when they were younger. she's also so delighted to meet the kids - although maybe violet and klaus can hardly be called kids, now. they're older than when R and her friends had been getting drunk at the masked ball, decades ago.
everyone dress up for the masked ball. beatrice and sunny have never attended such a formal event and the girls are very thrilled. beatrice tells R that violet has taught her how to draw fake scars as R finds a costume for her, and R gets reminded of beatrice - the other beatrice, the first beatrice, whom violet must've learned the skill from.
sunny wears a pair of butterfly wings that once belonged to her mother. frank tells the story of how beatrice and kit used to pull the trick where beatrice wears the fancy wings and distract everyone's attention and kit uses the chance to do something discreetly as everyone's attention is focused on beatrice. sunny and beatrice listen attentively in wonder.
beatrice asks if her father attended the masked ball too - she's learned that his existence is mostly a secret, but considering that at a masked ball everyone can put on a mask, maybe this is his chance?
R confirms that dewey does indeed attend the masked balls sometimes. and that he and bertrand always manage to find each other, no matter what kind of masks they have on. "the elephant poem," sunny says, remembering what dewey has told her and her siblings.
"exactly," ernest says. "i've actually tried to pretend to be dewey once by reciting the poem to him. but B soon recognized me."
r: "were you actually surprised?" ernest, fondly nostalgic: "i guess not. he was always able to tell us apart."
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Not enough: Anthony Bridgerton x reader
(Part 2 to too much)
„I am so terribly sorry for the inconvenience I might have brought on you with my sudden appearance-” she started while walking inside the place of her destination or, to put it more bluntly, after fleeting from her own house upon not-so-subtle fight with her still-husband.
„Y/n! Nonsense my dear, your presence is always welcomed here.” she heard in response and for the first time since the argument she managed to look into the eyes of another person as well as take in the scene in front of her.
Oh dear lord!
Her timing couldn’t be more wrong.
Apparently the only person who was missing from the widow viscountess Bridgerton household was the queen herself, since not only the lady of the house alongside with all her unmarried daughters were enjoying the afternoon tea, but - to Y/N’s very well hidden terror - the duchess and lady Danburry were present as well.
„duchess.” Y/N bowed in the most polite manner she could even though her knees were shaking „lady Danburry.”
Act like nothing happened.
Behave like a lady and not like a little kid, who came her to pour all her worries and tell on her husband who happened to be mean. The last thing she needed was for everyone to talk about her nervousness and giddiness. None of those ladies would be easily fooled and most definitely not lady Danburry with her nosy nature and piercing gaze.
The point was to visit her favourite sister-in-law Eloise who- luckily - were free of any marriage troubles and gain some perspective but that scenario flew away with the gentle summer breeze faster than Y/N could think.
And now she would be kindly invited to join the tea and the respect for widower viscountess alongside with the obligation to the higher positioned duchess (even if family) would forbid her from declining.
„Y/N.” Daphne sent her that tiny, quite shy smile that didn’t calm the nerves even in the slightest. Yes, the duchess was one of the most polite and subtle person in the society, but she was also happily married with another baby on the way.
„Viscountess Bridgerton.” the oldest, lady Danburry on the opposite was known from her sharp tongue and straightforward attitude. That one did not pull her punches.
„My dearest Y/N.” Violet Bridgerton, the mother in law stood up from her place and hugged the girl close. Obviously she was the most open one with her emotions. And the simple warm welcome made Y/n feel a bit strengthened to the point when she even gave a little smile. Tiniest, but honest and still visible.
„Is Anthony with you my dear?’
„Unfortunately my husband is absorbed with the matter of the household today.” Y/N explained, taking a seat next to Violet. „I was rather confused with all the men’s affairs, which brought me here.”
„confused?” Eloise, of whose presence everyone seemed to forget scoffed from her book „You are way smarter that Anthony is, Y/n!”
„Eloise!” her mother friendly scolded her second daughter
„It’s true mama!”
„Even though-’
„Did you come baring notices by any chance, viscountess?" lady Agatha cut into the family exchange innocently taking a sip of her tea, those sharp eyes of a predator glistening
„Notices?”
„Yes viscountess, notices. It;s been a fair amount of time since the marriage, surely something should happen soon between two people who are lucky enough to be in love as much as yo and the viscount?”
Oh...
Oh, she meant that kind of notices.
„May this be so, Y/n?” Daphne asked seeming uncharacteristically brisk. „shall we expect?”
„I certainly hope she won’t be burdened with the heir to the title any time soon--”
‘Eloise!”
„Is it the only purpose of a woman to be obedient to a man and give him children?!”
All the four older woman in the room went quiet and Eloise realised she might have had said a little bit too much. Not only for the lady but in general.
„I suppose our dearest Y/N would love to become a mother and bless us with the little boy or girl, am I correct?”
Of course I would love to, Violet.
I would love to.
Unfortunately so it happens your oldest son refuses to even speak or look at me, let alone performing his so-called marital duty. Which is even more tragic, since I became one to him. Here is the essence of my existence - forever being reminded of the burden I put on his shoulder with storming into his life.
Obviously those thoughts were something the newest viscountess Bridgerton could not form out loud.
„I shall send the regards to my husband ladies. Certainly will not omit to inform him of the expectation placed upon us both.” was the only thing she managed to say with confidence before her voice broke and she covered the sudden wavering by reaching for the sweet placed on the nearby platter.
„Oh my dearest Y/N, it’s no obligation!” Violet seemed quite hurt by the words spoken by her daughter-in-law „Regardless - a child is always a miracle that-”
„Maybe Y/N wouldn’t have to worry about it, if Anthony were taking more interest in her rather than spending time with Benny and Colin.”
„Eloise!”
„It’s just a simple observation! Benedict and Colin are still bachelors, even though the ladies of kind are sharpening their claws for them both, considering the fact the viscountess title is not longer available. Nonetheless, neither of them seem to be interested in taking in marriage-”
‘Eloise!” Violet called upon her daughter once more
„Perhaps if they weren’t spending their times in the club, effectively convincing Anthony to go with them--”
‘Enough, young lady!”
„But-”
„Enough Eloise.”
Y/N went pale at all the words spoken. Not because of their truthfulness, but due to the fact that the word already got out. This was a calamity she was trying her best to cover up and now her favourite member of the family announced them to the world, not thinking about the possible consequences of aforementioned action.
„Y/N, are you quite all right?” Daphne was the first one to take some action „that sudden pallor cannot be good for you. Shall we take a walk?”
Naturally the little stroll around the room will be something to make her feel better. Luckily the most perceptive Eloise noticed the torpid expression on the viscountess face and, not giving her sister any chance to press the matter further, vigorously explained that Daphne certainty meant an actual promenade outside on the manor grounds and that was something y/n was more than delighted to engage in.
Presenting a perfect opportunity to actually indulge in a meaningful conversation not regarding children and submission due to a woman.
***
On the other side of the city Anthony didn’t even notice his wife’s actual absence.
How could he, when she was always present and vivid in his mind, leaving him with her image in front of his eyes even when she was away from him.
Y/N’s face and silhouette, her smile and her resonant, joyful laughter were forever carved in his mind, ever since the day she laughed at him at the lake upon their first meeting, through the first moment of stolen forbidden intimacy, up to the moment looked into her eyes while vowing to love and to cherish her.
His beautiful bride.
His beautiful wife.
Strong willed, hot headed, always having an opinion of her own and doing things her own way, capable to charm everyone with the cheerful character and most natural humor and intelligence.
All the traits that could not be bought by any of the obedient, quiet and shy ladies from high society.
All the traits that put him under her spell and made him want to spend the rest of his life with Y/n.
Only with her.
And he didn’t want to fight, he wanted the same kind of marriage his own parents were joyful to share.
It was all so perfect, until the moment those bright memories got covered with storm clouds of how he behave towards her.
Not that the viscount gave them much thoughts, too lost in his own meaningless settlements that were not due till the fore-coming month.
It was easier this way.
Forgetting about all the words he said int he moment of anger and of fear (if not mere terror) of his own emotions.
Emotions that, unfortunately, refused to be closed in a hard shell of harsh, obsessive behaviour and being ignored.
Once let out, they wanted to run free.
And oh, so they did, causing the viscount to feel dizzy and giving him palpitations.
All the marriages had their bad moments.
It was impossible to continue for years keeping the same flame that started years ago.
The wife was supposed to be obedient and comply with her husband wishes, especially not bothering him with her presence and whimsical needs or fairy-tell beliefs.
A lady was a diamond in the crown but a wife became a part of the estate, of the livestock. Forever in her husband’s hand to rule.
He was the the man.
He was the viscount and before he met her she was just another long-forgotten by admirers débutante desperate to--
No.
No this was not true and as much as it would be comfortable for Anthony to dwell in all those thoughts, his heart was still in the right place giving him a very clear signal it was time to stop justifying his previous action. Those were the foundation for a very unstable and fragile house that could be blown away easily.
Maybe it wasn’t that his emotions were too much. Maybe it was that his heart capacity was not enough to contain the amount of affection he held for his one and only.
His Y/N.
And he couldn’t have that.
He had to find her wherever she might have been.
He had to fight for her and make it all right.
Even if that meant getting back on his knees, making a scene straight out of those unrealistic romance novels ladies loved and putting it into practice.
„Where on earth is my wife?!” he yelled to the servants, opening the door to his office, his voice loud enough to make the walls shake.
I’m coming for you, my viscountess.
My love.
***
It's not over yet!
Edit: part 3 : almost there
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