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The familiar smell of old books and aging parchments hung in the air of the library within Highgate Manor, a place in which Cordelia often had found herself spending much of her time during her time growing up. It was the one corner of her old home that she recalled being able to hold herself up within to be able to escape the ever boresome lessons and droning commands of her mother and father.

Being here now, it felt empty and cold, lacking in that comfort she once so frequently sought after. Then again, the entire estate seemed to have that impression about it and yet, in spite of this, Cordelia reveled in the darkness that lingered there.

Soft clicks on the hardwood floors called her attention away from the spines of the books where her fingertips had been idly tracing over the intricacies of each one. "I trust Wren found you and things have been settled for Lady Cress?" Cordelia mused in question as she turned to address Tilly as she approached.

"Yes, M'lady, the gifts have been procured for her to deliver first thing as well as your bracelet packaged well and secured for travel." The red headed sprite of a hyur nodded pleasantly with hands folded in front of her.

"Good. Very good." The words were distant as she adjusted now to retrieve the large tome and documents, all that had been discovered in the past month or so regarding the details of her newfound lineage. Steel hues locked onto the book itself, her realization coming full force that she held no true connection to the relic and was entirely prepared to release it to its owner, where it belonged.

"I will be preparing to return to Gray Manor the day after tomorrow and once I hear word from Lady Cress that she is well and prepared to meet with me, we will do so. Please see that this, all of this, is settled and packed with my things discreetly and safely to travel once I am ready. There is a letter I also need to you send off to Master Blythe at your earliest convenience once I am through with it." And with that, she offered the items in hand over to Tilly slowly. Once within her grasp, the woman nodded yet again and briskly went about doing as she was asked.

Cordelia watched as her head of staff disappeared from sight before she turned to a small writing desk that was nestled by the window. Moving to take the seat there, she moved about some of the items, opening the ink well she had brought with her and set about dipping her quill within the dark pool. Penning the letter, she wrote each word with purpose and was defibrate with her tone as she offered affections and thoughts to the parchment. They were faint, hardly what one might find in a typical letter to a lover, but they were there. She still teetered on the edge of unsure on how to maneuver and navigate these waters, rough and cloudy as they were, but for the time being, the widow allowed herself to float amongst the waves of uncertainty to let the current take her - them - where it was meant to.

What she was certain of was that she was going to need support, whatever she could muster from those closest to her and it was becoming clear to her that Ricard had bled into that role whether on purpose or not. Taking a deep breath, she blew gently on the wet ink while pushing to stand, readying the letter to be handed off to be sent.

There had yet to be an instance that caused Cordelia Gray to shy from it, neither her ties to House Cress nor her unexpected connections to someone would change her ways now. Steadfast, she was prepared to face a new chapter head on, whatever that may bring.

#mentioned #mentions

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#Quote

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Legacy

‘Well come and well met, my brave little sparks. How long you’ve wandered, burned bright as stars.’

She remembered the verse from the book her mother had read to her and Valeria as children. Twin sparks who traveled worlds and universes to find their forever homes with the one they called ‘Mother’. A cute book, cozy to some, and a favorite by her and Valeria in their infancy of life until they eventually outgrew the tale and settled for more mature readings of daring adventures and swashbuckling fights.

Generally, every tale that their mother shared it always had wisdom or a lesson, something impactful for them. Vahalia now a soon-to-be-mother couldn’t help but wonder if she’d be able to carry the torch the same way.

Odessa was strong and independent and there was no losing sight of the things she’d do for her daughters. She had set them up for success after all, ensuring their lessons were of the highest pedigree, education of pique value, morals, and eloquence being unmatched – they had the very best to prepare them for later in life…

Even without her.

It was as if Odessa knew. She somehow had to of known she wasn’t going to live past a certain age or to see her daughter’s lives individually blossom into what they had today. It was hard to say if she would be proud of how far they had come or if she would have been disappointed in their choices.

Vahalia was certain her mother could have swang one way or another when it came to her and her methods. Past and present, perhaps the things she had yet to do in the future. Just how much of her mother was left in her? How much of her was Odessa than Adrian?

Vahalia’s cheek felt feverish and she moved from the chair by the fireplace, hand with the bells clasped within her palm eventually fell away from her face. Annette and Marion had done a wonderful job on the nursery for the twins. They knew exactly what to do with the space and the collection of gifts that had already begun to gather for their arrival.

The cribs from Osric and the beautifully commissioned dream catchers from Hakan were perhaps the more meaningful and exquisite pieces in the room and even still, they sat wonderfully in tandem with the theme.

Just a few things were missing. Things that were just as important as anything else in the room.

Vahalia pulled the small book from under her arm and laid it along the table that rested between the two cribs. An old and deshelved book but it was something that held importance to her and Valeria for a time. Thanks to Valeria, they had been able to track down the very same book that the pair had enjoyed as children. No doubt if it were not to be Vahalia herself reading to the children it would have been Valeria – who seemed to grow more and more excited as days passed and rarely ceased shopping or gushing about how she was going to be an Aunt.

Splaying her delicate fingers, Vahalia gazed to the two ornate bells that hung from silver chains wrapped along each of her knuckles. With great care she loomed over each crib to place the bells at the center hanging above the resting area, the shimmer of the silver and glint of the twinkling lights within the room caused the flecks of lights to dance along the walls.

Charlotte’s bell. Baron’s bell.

They would continue to be passed down through the generations through Vahalia’s children and Valeria's should she eventually choose to marry and start a family of her own. There were a great many things Vahalia herself didn’t know but she knew for certain that both Evran and Idalia, were sworn into Cress roots. There would be no changing that. And like Odessa, she would simply have to prepare them to the best of her ability before her time would come to an end.

Short or not.

Perhaps….perhaps there was a little spark of hope that Vahalia was more her mother than her father than she knew; in the moments where it counted most of all. Odessa was alive and well through her girls. You could not kill legacy.

#Stories #Blurbs #Flow Together but ICly had an idea to just have it as a story format with a twist #I just went with the inspo and followed the flow of creativity

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chaemok

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Karolina Laskowska x Merle Noir Lingerie | Nocturne • high neck monowire bra + cincher corset + thong in The House of Sophie Hallette lace + silk satin + bobbinet tulle | 2023 collab

#Wardrobe

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#{ ᴋɪɴᴅʟɪɴɢ ] // { ꜱʜᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇ ɪɴ ꜱʏᴢʏɢʏ } #Kindling #Nsfw

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#The Snake Charmer

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Pick your poison, babe, I'm poison either way.

#Quote #The Snake Charmer

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Gabbriette in Vivienne Westwood (2023) Photography: Jenna Marsh

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#Nsfw #Wardrobe

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#Wardrobe

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— Trista Mateer ,“I Still Forget We’re Not Even Friends”

#Quote

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Don't ask me for relationship advice cause I'll tell you to kill him

#Yes #Absolutely #When they TELL you to kill them can they really blame you then? #🤔 #Quote

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✞ 666 ✞