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Jeanne Colette Vaillant; "petit d'ange" (jeannecolette) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-05-18 16:19:00

Entry tags:

mercedes_dupont

Subject: A meeting between family.
Where: The new Vaillant estate, England.
Who: Jeanne-Colette Vaillant.
Warnings: None.
Open to: Mercedes Dupont and company.

The manor smelled of freash linens and beautiful white roses met your eyes at every corner. It was near nightfall, and Jeanne-Colette had the servants place candles at each entry step to secure the safety of her brother. Tea was brewing in the kitchens and Jeanne was dressed in one of her finest summer gowns. Peering out the window, anxious for the arrival of a carriage, she waited- fingers showing every sign of anxiety. They drummed against the fine wooden window sill, and her heart thumped impatiently in her chest.

Dressed in robes of superior green silk, she leaned her head against the wall, her lengthy blonde hair dulling harshness of the wood. As a servant entered the room, she noticed the arrival of a carriage, and was confirmed by the servant of the appearence of her brother. "Excellent," she exclaimed, jumping to her feet, "Show him in, please!"

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mercedes_dupont
2008-05-18 09:37 pm UTC (link)

Mercedes had visited grand homes before, in France more so than England, and his own home, on the outskirts of town, had been grand enough. But not like this. His younger sister had done very, very well for herself, and he almost felt guilty for his own lack of visible successes. What did he have to show for his years of hard work, apart from debts and callouses? Nothing, save a ship, beaten and broken as she was at the moment, and cramped lodgings above his London offices. And if he was unlucky, then soon he would also have a price on his head, and those whom he had once thought of as friends in France would spit at the mention of his name.

But as he stepped into the finely decorated room, his sister, more beautiful than he ever remembered her before, shook all those thoughts from his mind. "Jeanne-Colette!" He grinned widely, striding across the room and wrapping his arms around her. "It has been far too long. And where is my nephew? To bed, I suppose? I am sorry for being so late."

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jeannecolette
2008-05-18 09:48 pm UTC (link)

It was all Jeanne could do to keep from melting, so she clung tightly as she was embraced and nearly squealed with delight. "My love, my love!" She exclaimed, "So handsome you've become!" Her French was rapid and as she stood she almost danced on her tip-toes. "Alas," she said at the mentioning of her son, "Gabriel is asleep, but worry not, you have plenty of time to know him now!" Stepping aside, she lead him to a comfortable chair and sat across from him, waving a servant over to bring them their tea. "Tell me, Mercedes, have you taken a lover? I am most interested. I have begun writing a poem about you and the angels, and there is much love between you." She smiled as she spoke, "You deserve a love much like an angel..."

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mercedes_dupont
2008-05-18 10:01 pm UTC (link)

Mercedes laughs heartily, both at her actions and her obvious excitement, and also at the compliment. "Calm yourself, calm yourself, Jeanne!" He says, although his spirits are just as lifted as hers, "I would hardly say I was handsome, Jeanne-Colette," He said, bringing a hand to his chin as he sat down, thanking her and the servant, "Father always said I was to get by on my brains, do you remember?" He says, and then at her next comment smiles faintly, but nods. "Little ones need much sleep. I would not have him woken for the world, but perhaps, if you would have me stay, I could see him in the morning? The journey from my offices was hardly pleasant, and I can not imagine that we do not have enough to talk about!"

But then her next question made him fall-short, not expecting such a question from his god-fearing sister. But he laughed again, this time a little forced, and shifted slightly uneasily in his chair. "If you mean a wife, Jeanne-Colette, I have not, not yet. I have hardly been on land a month straight in the last year, and at sea there are few women to woo, aside from the mermaids." He smiles, hoping that will be the last of it, although remembering her inquisitiveness, it probably would not, but he tried to shift the subject, "And your husband? Where is he tonight?"

OOC: I think Mercedes needs a nickname for her... how about petit d'ange?

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jeannecolette
2008-05-18 10:17 pm UTC (link)

(OOC: I love it! If you're curious as to what she's babbling about angel's for, it's because she's writing an epic poem of sorts about how Mercedes will save France with the aid of the angels. Heh.)

"You have always been my most charming and lovely brother, the apple of my eyes!" She said, "And I haven't a care of what father says..." She trailed off, leaving a grin to line her lips. "A wife, yes, I suppose that is what I meant, but I do not find the English a marrying sort," she said, obviously in a more playful mood than she'd been in ages. "However, mermaids, they're the real ticket, Mercedes, if you can find a good, snag her!" As she said this last bit, she snap her fingers and laughed aloud.

"Oh him," she said, her smile turning into more of a smirk, "He is still in France. As I am quite familiar with saying, I don't interfere with his business and he doesn't interfere with mine." She sighed and leaned back in her chair, "So, are you putting that boat of your's to good use, brother?"

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mercedes_dupont
2008-05-18 10:26 pm UTC (link)

He laughs again, although shocked from her language. It was nothing worse than he heard from his crew, but he hardly expected it from his younger sister. "Petite Ange! Watch your tongue." He mocks, as the servant brings them their tea. He waits till the maid has gone before he continues, "Mermaids are proving very slippery, unfortunately. I find them wriggly, and they escape my grasp. Their brothers, however..." He says, and then feels himself begin to blush, and so takes a deep swallow from his cup, entirely sure that he has spoken too openly.

"Still in France? Does he not think it is a little... unwise?" He asks, glancing around the grand setting of his sister's house. A man who could afford this was not likely to be considered a friend of the Revolution. "As for the Apollian... she has been serving me well, very well. That is, until a week ago, when a squall wrecked her mast and aft. But she is under repairs, and my... my second ship, the Aimé, will be ready to be build soon. The plans are almost complete."

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jeannecolette
2008-05-18 10:48 pm UTC (link)

Jeanne-Colette's face fell flushed, perhaps in all her giddy excitment she had forgot her manners. "I apologize, dear brother, I beg you and the Lord for forgiveness," she pulled a loose strand of hair from her face, and attempted a smile. Naive to his statement of mermaids and their brothers, she simply drank her tea before saying, "Do mermen have fish heads and legs of humans, is that what makes them less slipery, Mercedes?" She said this with the same seriousness of any other question.

"He has prior engagments, my love," she said, shrugging her shoulders, "He is not know as unkind, so I pray for is welfare and safety from the revolutionaries." She did not stop to reflect on this as dwelling on something she could not change did little good. "So you've named your ship for a heathen god and a man? How laughably inappropriate!"

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mercedes_dupont
2008-05-18 11:06 pm UTC (link)

"I'm sure He always has the grace to forgive you, angel-mine." He smiles, taking another sip of tea. He much preferred coffee, but in England it was rarely offered outside the London Coffee Houses. He smiled at her though, unable not to, at her question. "No, no, Jeanne, they are just as their sisters, with a fishes tale instead of legs, and a human body. Much more attractive, in my mind." He adds.

"Jeanne-Colette!" He said, "It is hardly a heathen name. I have named it after my friend, and the young man who has helped fund this venture, I would not have you speak ill of him." He retorts crossly, rather hurt that she thinks the name so laughable.

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jeannecolette
2008-05-18 11:34 pm UTC (link)

Draining her tea cup, she spoke in response, "If they both have tails they how does one tell the difference between a mermaid and a merman?" As she jested, she could not help but to laugh. "Indeed, dear brother, I think fish tails are far prettier than fish fish heads, if I absolutely had to choose." She shivered just thinking of them.

"Mercedes," Jeanne replied, adding a soothing tone to her voice, "I meant no harm. I only tease. Appolo was the fairest of the Greek gods, and I'm sure this Aime is a fine fellow. It's just to my knowledge, ships are to have feminine names."

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mercedes_dupont
2008-05-19 10:11 am UTC (link)

"You will have to wait until you meet one, petit ange, and then you will find out, won't you?" He smiles into his cup, finishing his own and setting it down. "They are beautiful creatures, Jeanne, you should not be so disgusted."

He sighed, allowing her to calm him. He should not have reacted in such a way, not when he knew that Aimé approved of the name, and that it had made the boy more than happy to be honoured in such a way. "I would have given my ship a feminine name, ange, but you have already taken the one I would have chosen, and it is highly unlucky to name a ship after a family member."

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sorry about the typos in the last post >.<

jeannecolette
2008-05-19 07:21 pm UTC (link)

"I look forward to finding one, brother," she said, pure excitment lacing her voice, "Perhaps you shall take me out upon your ships, your fleet," she laughed, "and show me these mermaid brides!"

Clapping her hands in merriment, she usher a maid over to refil their tea cups. "Three sugars for me, Henriette, thank you."

"Alas, brother, it would be terribly unlucky," she reflected, however she was flattered by the suggestion. Deciding to change the subject, she asked, "Do you fancy London and England life at all, or are you as homesick as I am?"

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Re: sorry about the typos in the last post >.<

mercedes_dupont
2008-05-19 09:22 pm UTC (link)

Mercedes laughs, but nods in agreement. "Perhaps I shall take you out, and my dear nephew, if you both can be spared a day or two? I don't think it would be wise to take you on a voyage longer than that at the moment." Two days was about as much as he could spare her, to take the little family up the Thames from it's mouth to Kensington or Hampton. Or perhaps on the open sea to the Isle of Wright, a sight he had only seen once himself.

He smiled at her question though, shaking his head, "I miss France as it used to be, when we were children and we were happy." He says, taking the maid again for his second cup. "But it was never my home, not after I first went to sea, you know that. I'm home sick now, but that's because my home was half wrecked in a storm." He smiles slightly, "But England... I have not formed an opinion of, yet."

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