InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "If Not You, Who Else?"

Fitzwilliam Darcy (mrdarcy_) wrote in spinningcompass,
@ 2018-07-27 23:21:00

Entry tags:

beast, fitzwilliam darcy

Who? Darcy & Adam (& Annie the Horse)
Where? The park on wheel 3
When? Early Saturday morning.
What? Out for a ride, meeting new acquaintances.
Rating? TW: Horses
Open? Ask first.

Darcy was most grateful that despite being on a space station, his horse was being very well cared for. There was reasonable accommodation for her, and although he was yet to meet her in person, he knew that someone known only as AJ was responsible for the feed that kept appearing. Darcy himself was attentive, making sure that she was always well, allowing her time to graze and stretch her legs.

That morning, he'd decided to take her for a proper ride - or as proper a ride as he could in a smaller space. He was used to vast countryside, covering many miles and different sorts of terrain, wildlife, fresh air stinging at his lungs and the sun warming him. This felt different, no matter how well-designed. There was a feeling of the artificial.

Still, it was good exercise - for him and the horse, and they'd lapped the park three times by the time Darcy decided to call it a day. He stopped by the river to let the old girl cool down there. Out of habit, he'd automatically dressed in full riding gear, but as he dropped down from the horse, he relieved himself of his hat, his jacket, and loosened the cravat so that he could cool down too.

(Post a new comment)

une_bete
2018-07-27 11:15 pm UTC (link)

Adam was out walking. He was mostly fine, which surprised him after so long a sleep, but he still felt wobbly at times when he was walking. His logic was that he should walk this wobbling off; the more he walked, the stronger his legs would be and the less likely he would be to lose his balance again. Isabel had been correct when she'd told him that he would like the parks, for he had never seen anything like them. Walking parks, with a constant view of Space! True, even the biggest of them would not compare to his castle grounds, and he did prefer the island, but it was still a very good park to walk in, despite all those failings.

As he walked, he spotted a beautiful horse down by the river, and he found himself missing Philippe. And Belle, naturally, but it seemed that was to be his constant state. Missing Philippe was new. As he made his way down to see the horse, he saw that she was not alone. And that the gentleman was dressed for a time more suited to Adam's castle rather than the place they currently found themselves in. Finally!

"Bonjour, monsieur," he said with a smile as he approached. "I think you are new here, yes?"

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	mrdarcy_ 2018-07-27 11:25 pm UTC (link)
	Being greeted in French was a sudden surprise, and Darcy turned to see who was addressing him. "Bonjour," he replied in kind, giving the gentleman a bow. Since he had switched to English, Darcy simply followed suit. "Yes, you are correct, sir. I'm Fitzwilliam Darcy, pleased to make your acquaintance." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

une_bete
2018-07-27 11:48 pm UTC (link)

"And I, yours," he replied. "My name is Adam." He had long since stopped using his title, almost as soon as he had arrived on the island. He had found it rather freeing, although he could not turn off years of etiquette lessons and experience. And so, he did not bow in response. He was still a prince, after all. "Might I ask where you are from, Monsieur Darcy? And when?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mrdarcy_
2018-07-28 09:30 am UTC (link)

Adam. Just Adam? What was he meant to do with that? Just call him ‘sir’ until he figured it out? He knew by now, of course, that people here seemed perfectly happy to call each other by their Christian name, but it felt foreign to his tongue. Maybe he ought to start introducing himself simply as ‘Darcy’ so as to avoid the awful fate as to become known as a ‘Fitzwilliam’.

Also no bow, but again, he was finding this increasingly and perplexingly commonplace.

“Of course. I am English, from Derbyshire,” he told him with simple ease. The next question, although perfectly easy to answer, still felt strange. “It was 1813,” he told him with the smallest smile. He knew it was ridiculous. “And you?”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

une_bete
2018-07-28 01:55 pm UTC (link)

"1783. You have thirty years on me, it seems. And I am French, obviously," he said with a smile before going on to describe where exactly his lands were in France. "I have never been to your Derbyshire, but I have been to London. I enjoyed it, very much."

Adam looked at M. Darcy for a moment after that, his smile softening into a look of concern more than anything. "Please allow me to speak plainly for a moment. I have been... away from my home and my wife for over a year now, but when I arrived, we were on an island with forests and a farm and a city of glass. I found it... the stuff of dreams and not a few nightmares at times. And yet I fear it was easier to adjust to than space, oui? I do not envy you this part, mon ami. But if I can assist in any way, you need only ask. I will admit that I am still working to understand this 'station'."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mrdarcy_
2018-07-28 02:32 pm UTC (link)

Darcy had to smile a little when Adam gave him the date: he wouldn’t have guessed based on first impressions, and so it was clear that the gentleman had done a fairly good job of adjusting. That was certainly admirable.

“Ah, yes, I’m something of a Northerner, but I do visit London regularly. I’m glad you found the city pleasing. I regret that I have never managed to visit your country. I hear it is very beautiful,” he told him. It did feel like a waste of all those years of drilling French practise. He decided not to mention the war, it wasn’t the most savoury topic.

Well. Darcy had near lost count of the number of people who had offered him assistance by this point, it was genuinely humbling. He still found it very difficult to accept, however. Perhaps it was his excess of pride.

“Thank you. I appreciate your kindness, truly I do,” he told him, giving him another little bow of thanks. “Perhaps if you had any words of advice? How did you adjust? I hope you don’t mind my saying, but I doubt I would have suspected you were from the 18th Century had you not told me.”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

une_bete
2018-07-28 09:31 pm UTC (link)

"France is beautiful, oui, but my own corner of it? C'est magnifique. I would show you round myself if I could," Adam said, smiling sadly now.

He nodded as M. Darcy asked for advice, and thought for a moment. "I think if we were meeting somewhere that is not a park, you would not say such things. I still do not understand much of the machines that are used. Carriages, they are horseless now. Music is recorded in many different ways, and the same with plays. This place we are in now, it hurts my head to think about it. It is endless, the list of things that are different now. I think my advice would be to ask questions. Read books. On the island, I lived above a library, and I read all the time. History books, science books, books about trains and bridges and all things. And I made friends. The people here are kind, and most have been through what you are going through," he said, then paused. "Perhaps not as strongly as you or I, but some of it, they will understand."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mrdarcy_
2018-07-29 08:00 pm UTC (link)

Darcy smiled, feeling himself quite relaxed in this man's company. Perhaps that was because he was from a similar time, but there was something in his mannerisms that made him feel quite at ease.

"Oh, that would be most delightful," he assured him, seeing the sadness in his expression. As much as he had heard about people adjusting and settling here, there was something reassuring about seeing a little sadness there. It made him feel less silly and emotional for having his darker moments.

He nodded along as he started to list off some of the differences. The music he had discovered, he didn't know about the plays - oh, but there were a million things he didn't know about. It made his head hurt. And yet, Adam's advice was sound, it was actually one of the best answers he had received so far, as it didn't make false promises of it all just clicking into place, but rather offered something he could actually do to make the transition a little easier.

"Thank you. I am acquainted with someone who has something of a library here on the station, in fact," he noted. As for making friends, that was something that Darcy found didn't come naturally to him. "I have been most surprised by the kindness and good-nature of the residents here."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

une_bete
2018-07-31 10:47 pm UTC (link)

"Truly? Might I ask who it is that has the library?" he asked, before going on to explain. "If the library I had before has made the journey to this place, I have not yet found it, and I find that I very much miss having a book or five at hand."

"I have yet to hear of people refusing to help. Of course there will be fighting and arguing at times, but that is normal even in the closest of families, oui? But we are all in this together. It is a strange 'family' of sorts, but it is good." He stopped speaking as the horse lifted her head from the river, and smiled.

"She is a beautiful horse, Monsieur Darcy. Is she... Excusez-moi, but I do not know the word in English. Ombrageux? I think... nervous? Or may I approach her?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mrdarcy_
2018-08-01 01:30 pm UTC (link)

"Certainly, it is a Miss Ashley Sully," he told him, before going on to explain the exact location of the apartment that house an impressive collection of literature, carefully organised and maintained by its custodian. Darcy did seem to brighten a little at the talk of books. "I know precisely what you mean. My own library was the work of many generations, constantly added to, a very organic sort of a place. I think you will appreciate Miss Sully's. I was quite impressed," he told him, sure that it had everything to do with the room full of books and nothing to do with being alone with her in it.

"That is good to hear. I find many of their customs and mannerisms confusing. All the social cues are different, and I fear I have always relied on that tradition quite heavily when conversing with strangers," he told him. And then realised that he actually was talking to a stranger, and he hadn't managed to freeze up or insult him so far. Maybe he was better than he gave himself credit for.

He smiled as Adam complimented his horse. "Please, be my guest," he told him, moving first to touch Annie's neck and remind here he was there. "This is Annie," he told the gentleman, very nearly introducing him to the horse in return but just holding back on such silliness.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

une_bete
2018-08-01 09:37 pm UTC (link)

Adam couldn't help but grin when he heard the family name of the new library owner. "I have not yet met Mademoiselle Sully, but she is from a very good family. And yes. The library in my castle was something similar." His smile faded slightly as his thoughts naturally led him to think of Belle. "It is one of the places I miss the most, for it reminds me so much of my wife. She has spent days and days in there," he explained, before turning to look at Annie.

Bending down, he grabbed a handful of grass, and then moved round to approach the horse carefully so as not to surprise her. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle Annie," he said, before holding the grass out for her to eat. "Comment vas-tu aujourd'hui? J'espère que tu as apprécié ton voyage au parc." He spoke quietly as he let her eat, and petted the horse like how Belle had shown him with Phillipe. "You must think me foolish, Monsieur Darcy, to talk so to your horse, but I find that they like to be spoken to. My wife's father had a very clever horse called Phillipe. I could have sworn that he understood every word I said to him." Annie whuffed at his hand after that, and Adam laughed as he looked back at her. "Perhaps if I speak in English, you will like it better, no? You are, after all, an English lady."

He continued to pet the horse as he looked to M. Darcy once more. "Tradition here is... strange. In truth, I often feel out of touch, but I watch and observe how people talk and interact. I am learning, slowly. But! I will tell you something that helped me greatly. In my home, I am a prince. Louis XVI is a cousin. I am in no danger of ever sitting on the throne, but I am close enough to it to have a title of some considerable weight, non? But here, it means nothing. I am not Prince Adam here, I am simply Adam, and I find that I rather enjoy it. We start anew here. It is very refreshing."

(Reply to this) (Parent)