Tea for Two

[Ariadne Boroughs]

Ariadne grinned to herself as she arranged the flowers on the table and waited for Arielle Thorne to arrive. Ooh, the look on her sister’s face was going to be priceless when she saw! Well, when she saw the haircut. The bruise on her cheekbone was going to be much less fun.

That put quite a damper on her glee.

Sighing, she turned away from the tea and snatched up her glass of wine. She drowned her bitterness with a few quick sips. It was after two in the afternoon, so she didn’t feel too badly about turning to something a touch harder to ease her nerves and help her not to dwell on the events of the last few days in a negative way. She wanted to hold on to the positive: the energy and freedom she’d felt when hacking away at her curls, the surge of power whenever someone else saw the way she’d defied the rules. Her husband had been horrified, the most emotion she’d ever managed to get out of the man. It had made her laugh to realize that she got more energy and attention from him with this than she ever had in the bedroom. That was what had made him hit her. The bastard.

She looked at her reflection in the curio cabinet and patted gingerly at the edges of the bruise. She’d managed to cover it with makeup to at least make it less noticeable at a distance, but she didn’t doubt her sister would notice. She heard the front doors being opened and the servants bustling into motion not long after and quickly finished off the last of her drink in one gulp, leaving the glass on the tray of a passing servant as she approached the foyer and put on a brilliant smile.

She approached her sister with arms thrown wide for a hug, pulling Arielle into her arms and lightly kissing both her cheeks.

“Arielle, dearest, how are you? I feel like I haven’t seen you in years, and it’s only been a few weeks!”

[Arielle Thorne]

Arielle had been delighted to hear from her sister and to receive the invitation to go visit her. Not that she needed one, but she often knew she wouldn’t be impeding in anything, or that she would be expected rather than cause surprise by her visit. In all honesty, usually, an invite meant that Ariadne’s husband wouldn’t be around, and she hoped that would always be the case. She wasn’t very fond of her sister’s husband.

Rylan had been taking a nap when she left him with the nanny. It felt good to get out of the manor without needing to be anywhere but her sister’s house. While she loved her son and Matthias, she couldn’t help but feel like she fell into the very thing she never wanted for herself. She needed more. And she knew all too well that her older sister knew and understood this feeling.

The carriage ride was typically a long one since she and Matthias lived in the North shore while Willow’s Edge was in the Southern one. It was tiring and tedious, especially alone, but Arielle enjoyed watching the view pass by. It gave her time to think of topics to speak to her sister about. It also gave her time to catch up on some reading. She may have dozed off a couple of times, too.

When she finally arrived, she was tired and sore from being seated for so long. It felt good to stretch once she was out of the carriage. But she didn’t waste much time before she was rushing to the door of the manor and knocking anxiously. A servant opened it and already knew who she was, offering to take up her coat. Arielle shrugged out of it and thanked the servant when they took it from her.

Bright blue eyes glanced around until she saw Ariadne coming towards her. A slight shriek escaped her throat and she rushed towards her, throwing her arms around her sister in her welcoming embrace. Arielle returned the sentiment kissing both her sister’s cheeks and she pulled back just enough to look at her. “Your hair!” She lifted a hand to comb her fingers through what was left of her sister’s hair. “What happened?” Her voice laced with a slight sternness as if she knew that something must have happened for Ariadne to take such drastic measures for the change.

She had temporarily ignored her sister’s question and focused more on her sister’s hair. “Apparently, a lot can happen in just a few weeks.” She laughed softly and took a step away from Ariadne, eying her and then spotting something that seemed slightly off. She was hiding something and her skin did not look as flawless as usual. Then it hit her, she could spot the bruise. “Ariadne…” A frown pulled at her lips and she tilted her head. “Tell me that’s not from him. I will murder him if it is.” Her eyes narrowed before she glanced around the room as if searching for Ariadne’s husband. Oh, he better not be here.

[Ariadne Boroughs]

Ariadne beamed and hugged her sister tightly, pleased by Arielle's enthusiasm. She always felt brighter in her sister's company. She struck a silly, vain pose as Arielle ruffled her newly-shorn locks.

"Oh you know," she answered, shrugging off the question of why with a coy smile. "I got bored." It was close to the truth, although it did nothing to capture the suffocating weight of stagnation that had nearly crushed her before she became desperate to do whatever it took to lighten the burden. Even now it was creeping its way steadily back in, looming like a storm on the horizon.

She let her sister go when she stepped back, knowing that she wouldn't like to be trapped, either. She was already reaching to link their arms and lead her to where tea was already waiting when she saw trouble brewing in her sister's eyes. She'd spotted it then. Drat.

"Of course it is, dear," she answered lightly, not making eye contact as she finished linking their arms and started to pull her towards the sitting room. "But you shouldn't blame him too much, I did give him quite a fright. He didn't have any more warning about my new look than you did, and he came home to find what may as well have been a stranger in his bed." She laughed, but there wasn't any real joy there. "Lucky for me, he has poor aim, or he'd have done more than this."

[Arielle Thorne]

Arielle raised a brow at Ariadne’s answer regarding what happened with her hair. She got bored. Maybe she was telling the truth, but something told her that there was more to the story than Ariadne wasn’t admitting to. She partially frowned for the briefest of a moment before she nodded and smiled again. “Well--” The studied her for a moment, “It is different, but I like it! You look good.”

Before she could respond to her admitting her husband had caused the bruise, she was being led to the sitting room. Even so, it did not prevent the angered expression that crossed her features. And now she was giving excuses for him. Her nose scrunched up, displeased.

She gently pulled away from her sister and moved to one of the seats, slowly lowering herself down into one. A frustrated sigh escaped her lips, “Ariadne…” She looked back at her sister with a concerned look. No--it wasn’t her place. Ariadne was quite capable of handling herself, or so she hoped. Still, Arielle worried for her, knowing very well, first hand, what it was like to be trapped under a man’s control and feeling unable to get out.

She shook her head and forced a small smile. “Rylan misses his aunt… You are always more than welcome for a visit.” It was her indirect way of telling her she would have a safe place to come to if she ever needed to escape, but it was obvious by her tone and expression that it was exactly what she meant.

Not wanting to force her sister to dwell on something she didn’t wish to, Arielle took a deep breath and then released it in a sigh. “So, tell me. What’s new, dear sister? Other than that…” She motioned to her bruised face. “And your hair…” She smirked, “how are you?”

[Ariadne Boroughs]

Ariadne took a seat across from her sister and neatly crossed her legs at the ankle as they'd all been taught. She let her face fall into the familiar haughty smile that she'd trained herself to hold for hours. But it didn't last. As soon as Arielle spoke, Ariadne found herself breaking. She almost wanted to weep. Where had that come from?

She leaned across the coffee table to take her sister's hand and squeezed it once. "I know, darling. And I promise, if there's ever a need, you are the first one I'd go to."

She sat back into the cushions and folded her hands over her knees to address the more commonplace question. "For now, I'm doing well. I've been feeling a little restless, you know how I can be." She made a face. "But I think I shall plan a little 'Welcome' party to bring in the Spring. Fresh boughs, leaf garlands, fruit, bright colors...wake us all up after this long, dreary winter. I feel as if I've been trapped in the snow for eons. It will have to wait for the weather to clear, of course, but it's never too early to start planning a good party." She winked.

"And you, dearest? How have you been? And my handsome nephew?"

[Arielle Thorne]

Arielle knew all about the proper way of sitting and presenting herself. Just like Ariadne, she had been taught all the same things: That same haughty smile, the fake mask to wear for as long as possible, and all of the expectations of what a lady needed to be like. If Ariadne were trying to fool Arielle, she should have known better that she knew of all the same tricks, and she had known how to spot the insincerity and falseness of all of it. She would have started to scold her older sister if she held that expression any longer, but lucky for her, she was dropping the act, appearing as though she were about to weep.

Her own lips dropped the pleasant smile she had worn and she squeezed Ariadne’s hand back. “I shall be offended if I were not the first you’d go to,” Arielle smirked, trying her best to make light of the situation if only to make cause her sister to give a more genuine smile.

Once her older sister settled back into her chair, Arielle did the same, her slender fingers idly toying with a fold in her skirt. Restlessness was something she knew all too well. She had never wished to live the life she was now. Although she loved her husband and son dearly, she had fought tooth and nail to not live a life trapped as a house-wife and mother. And yet--here she was. There had been so many aspirations, dreams, and hopes for something greater and more purposeful for herself. She often found herself wondering why and how that had all changed-- how had she managed to give in to everything she had once fought so hard against.

Her bright blue eyes lit up at the mention of a party. Ariadne always threw the biggest and greatest parties. But she often wondered if she had them to fill whatever empty and lonely void she imagined was there. Arielle smiled and nodded, “that would be lovely,” she said, the tone of her voice appearing a lot calmer than the grin she wore on her face. “Let me know if you need...Or rather want any help." Ariadne wouldn’t need help--she always seemed to pull these things off. But, she would offer her assistance, regardless.

At her question, Arielle let out a long, drawn-out sigh, though her smile never faded from her lips. “Oh, you know… Same old things, different days.” She waved her hand dismissively. Truthfully, there was nothing wrong with her life. She had a kind husband who cared for her--though he wasn’t around very often, and a beautiful son who she loved with all of her heart. What more was there to really ask for? Arielle knew that Ariadne would understand the boredom and restlessness, but she never wanted to complain about it, or seem unhappy. She wasn’t unhappy, though. “Rylan is great… Growing up far too quickly… Wants to join his father’s army already…” She grinned and let out a soft laugh. “He’s so sweet, though.” It wasn’t difficult to see in her eyes, just how much she adored her son.

[Ariadne Boroughs]

Ariadne's shrewd eyes narrowed, and a hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Dearest, you don't think you're going to sneak that past me, do you? You're nearly as bored as I am, aren't you?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I know that having children can put a bit of a damper on things, but if you'd ever like to bring little Ry over and leave him with Nanny and the twins so that you and I can do something fun, you just say the word." She grinned, recalling some of the trouble the girls had gotten into as children when their parents were away. "We could slide down the banister. Or dance in a thunderstorm. Or build a fort under the dining table?" She paused to sit up and start pouring them each a cup of tea--she'd been too focused on chatting to remember that it was waiting for them.

"We may be grownups, but I'm starting to think that just means that we get to make our own rules--provided our husbands aren't around, of course." She winked.