Gift Giving - Anemone to Eleesa

[Anemone Sellar]

Anemone had been waiting for a quiet moment to give Eleesa Demarais her gift, and finally found it on the night before Yule, when everyone was finally getting ready for bed. Despite the fact that both of them  were already in their nightgowns for the night, she made Eleesa promise not to go to sleep until she came back and ran off to her room to fetch the gift. When she returned, she presented it shyly to the Queen: a blue and white paper-flower crown and a box of chocolate macarons. 

"Happy Yule, your Majesty. I hope this new year is a fresh start for both of us."

[Eleesa Demarais]

The queen's mind was still a whirlwind, trying to come down from the array of emotion that the chase had created. She hadn't spoken a word of it to any of her ladies, biting her tongue because she wasn't sure if it should be kept a secret. So, thankfully, Anemone's excitement was enough to distract her, as well as her lovely, smiling face. Eleesa was glad to see her so happy, albeit her current circumstances. That was another matter she needed to tend to, but not until after the holiday.

While the girl ran off to get her present, Eleesa opened one of the drawers of her vanity to procure her maid's gift. It was a simple but lovely moonstone pendant, wrapped in a piece of velvet cloth and tied close with a pink ribbon, ready to be handed over to her when she came back in.

She wished there was something else she could do for the girl, something to handle the dire situation that loomed over her, but it would have to wait. Eleesa was terrified to deal with it, but she had a plan...and only time would tell if it was a foolish one. The only thing that mattered, though, was seeing Anemone happy.

"Oh, Ane..." she cooed at the sight of the homemade crown. She promptly placed it atop her head, even if she was clearly dressed for bed. "It's lovely, thank you. I will definitely be wearing it tomorrow." And she certainly would, even if her dress was red. "And theeeese-" Eleesa was quickly opening the box of macaroons, biting into one. They were so good. The girl knew how to bake, and the queen was quite pleased with that fact. She didn't care if it was late into the night, she was at least having one! With a smile, she held the box out to Ane in case she wanted one as well.

[Anemone Sellar]

Anemone beamed at the queen's reaction to her humble gifts. It made her unbelievably happy to see one of her favorite people in the world smile because of her. The soft white and blue of the crown looked just as lovely as she'd hoped against the warm blonde of the queen's curls. She sighed dreamily as she imagined what it might look like with her hair all properly done up.

She giggled when the queen snagged out one of the cookies and ate it right away, then offered one to her. Anemone raised her hands and shook her head quickly. "Oh, I couldn't eat one more even if I wanted to! I was snacking on the extras while I was working on a few last minute gifts." She made a face and put her hands over her stomach to illustrate her point. She almost made a remark about how she would have a chubby baby if she ate like that all the time, but kept it to herself rather than remind the queen of the looming problem she carried.

While the queen munched on her cookie, Anemone carefully opened the little package she'd been handed. Her eyes widened as she lifted the shining pendant from the fabric. "Your majesty, it's lovely! You really didn't have to get my anything but...I promise you, I'll treasure it." She gave the queen a careful little side hug, trying not to knock down either the cookies or the necklace, or damage the flower crown in her excitement. "It's been an eventful Yule, that's for sure, but I'm glad I get to spend it with you."

[Eleesa Demarais]

Eleesa was so very grateful for Ane's company right now, even at this so late of an hour and even if it was only going to be for a few moments longer. She wanted to ask her to stay a short while, but that probably wouldn't be very fair of her. It was just easier to smile when the girl was around. The smile nearly faltered on her face, however, when she noticed how Anemone touched her stomach. Although nothing was said, Eleesa knew where she was going with it, in a sense.

Just breathe. It's alright, she tried to tell herself.

And just as before, it was easy to forget her woes when her lady was all giggles. The smile spread wider across her face. There was so much more she wished to do for her, so much more that she prayed she'd be able to do. Eleesa just wasn't sure yet. She had been meaning to speak to Triston about it, but after today, well...she wasn't sure on how to approach the subject. Drawing in a soft, staggering breath, she set the cookies aside. "Eventful, hmm? Did something...happen today during the chase?" There was a bit of insinuation in the queen's tone. Of course, there were rumors centered around all the participants from the event, or mostly everyone, so one could never know what was true and what wasn't.

[Anemone Sellar]

O-oh, well…" Anemone stammered, turning rose pink in an instant as she recalled the events of the chase in a flash of rather vivid detail. She bit her lip and shuffled her feet a bit. "Actually, yes, it did. I can't really say I caught him, seeing as I fell on my rear in the mud and he had to help me up, but I ran into Duke Lucian deGrey again. We danced the other day, after...well, you know. Anyway, um, I also didn't exactly steal any kisses either, but they definitely happened…"

She laughed a bit giddily and grinned at the queen. "It is all a game, right? You kiss whoever you catch, and it was only by luck that I managed to find the person I went after. I'm probably making more out of it than it is, but… I don't know. It seems like he likes me too." She pursed her lips a moment later, dropping her giddiness as quickly as it had come. "I feel like it's cheating, a bit. He hasn't the faintest idea of what kind of baggage I'm carrying, and I worry about that. Leaving something like that out...It's like I'm lying to him."

[Eleesa Demarais]

At the sight of Anemone's blush, Eleesa was already trying to fight back a smile. So, maybe the rumors were true this time? Clearly she wanted to ask, but she was patient enough to wait for the girl to answer her...if she wanted to, that is. She wouldn't pressure her about it, even if she was very curious now.

Fingertips pressed against her mouth to suppress a laugh when she mentioned she fell. It would have been rude to laugh...then again, it appeared as though it had been a good thing. And it was a deGrey that found her, no less. There was a pang of hurt that seized her heart before her full attention was back on Ane. Those blue eyes widened, the smile finally creasing her lips. "Kisses?" she echoed in soft surprise. "As in more than one?" Well, well...good for her!

The humor softly dissipated just a little bit, but she held it together. "Well, maybe he does? Lucian is a good man and isn't the sort to lie. If he...said anything to you, I'm sure it was sincere." Maybe she shouldn't have said that. What if she was putting words into the man's mouth unknowingly? But Eleesa had seem them after the funeral with her own eyes. She just had this feeling.

Then, as Ane's giddiness left, the queen's face lost what little amusement had remained. "I know, sweetheart...but, unfortunately, he cannot know what is going on. No one else can right now." Yet her plan was forming even more now, and she wasn't sure if it would be overstepping. "I promised I would make this right...and I will."

[Anemone Sellar]

Anemone sighed. "I know that you're right, your majesty, but that doesn't mean I have to like it." She made a funny face, hoping to lighten the mood back up, at least a little, and make sure Eleesa didn't take her comment too seriously. "For someone good at keeping secrets, I don't actually like doing it." She shrugged.

"I do trust you, though!" she added, realizing that she ought to mention that part too. "It's not that at all. I just...I'd like very much to be just regular old Anemone again… that feels very far away, like that me was someone else." She pursed her lips for a moment, then shook her head to break loose of that.

"I'm sorry, I'm awfully tired, and my mind is all over the place, it seems. I promised myself I was going to enjoy my Yule, and I'm going to do exactly that." She smiled, and it took a tiny mischievous turn. "I promised that I'd see him at the ball tomorrow. And I'm going to pin him with paper anemones for his boutonniere. Which may or may not be cheating...but I don't think I care."

She wound up giggling, even as she covered her mouth to try and hold some of it back. "He's not going to recognize them, I don't think, but it's more a little joke for myself than anything else."

[Eleesa Demarais]

She felt for the girl in so many ways, and Eleesa wished she could make it all better again. She desperately wished she could simply snap her fingers and this heavy secret looming over them would simply disappear. But she couldn't. The only thing she could do was hopefully make it more bearable. It was hard enough to realize her husband had defiled her dear friend, and she knew the realization was far worse for Anemone herself.

"No, keeping secrets is not always an easy thing," she quietly agreed with her. A soft smile curled her lips when Ane mentioned she trusted her, and the queen was just hoping once more that she would not fail her. What she said after had Eleesa's expression falter, though. Oh, how she understood that so very much. Every single day since her wedding day, she had wished to be her old self. Even now. "I know, love..." she said quietly. "I think a lot of us feel the same way."

Fortunately, Anemone's giggles kept the sadness from deepening further, and the smile that graced her face was a little bit wider despite how her own day went. "Well, that sounds perfect and lovely, Ane." Eleesa leaned forward a little to whisper like it was a conspiracy. "Stake claim before anyone else does. I see nothing wrong with it." A soft laugh, she leaned back in her seat, drawing that blonde hair over a shoulder to idly toy with the ends. "Enjoy yourself, dearest. That is what the night is about."

[Anemone Sellar]

Anemone beamed at the queen's encouragement. She was just opening her mouth to promise that she'd do her best when a strong yawn overtook her. Oh, that's right...it was awfully late, wasn't it?

With a sleepy smile, she caught the queen's hand and squeezed it softly.

"Rest well, your majesty! We've got a great day ahead of us."