swirling_storm (swirling_storm) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2017-03-22 17:02:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, elsa of arendelle, william laurence |
Who: Elsa Arendelle and William Laurence
When: March
Where: Theatre
What: Catching up
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Complete: Complete
It had been far too long since Laurence had last been to the theatre. A life at sea meant that he often had to give up such pursuits, and while he had often tried to go to the theatre in London when he was on shore leave, he made sure that his shore leaves were as few and far between as he could manage them. His work was too important, and once Edith had called off their engagement three years ago, he hadn’t seen much point in returning him.
But now he was posted on the shore, and a foreign shore no less. It meant that he had to build up his social circle again, and while he’d been doing well so far, there weren’t many people who enjoyed the same things as he was. While he was sure that Elijah would appreciate going to the opera now and again, the thought of Killian sitting through a ballet made the corners of his lips twitch. So he’d stayed for the reception after the show, mingling with a few people, a plate of crackers and cheese in one hand and a glass of red wine in the other.
He’d just finished congratulating one of the actors when he spied a familiar face across the room, and he wove through the crowd to her. “That couldn’t be Miss Arendelle, could it?” he asked, giving her a friendly smile.
Elsa had gotten used to the events she had to attend as part of her job, some of them Kate accompanied her to and others she went solo. She knew Kate would miss the patrols and it was good for them to spend some time apart too. The theatre was always a place Elsa actually enjoyed attending so much so that she didn’t even mind the networking afterwards, for the most part.
Turning at the sound of her name she smiled in return, “Mr Laurence? Is that really you?” she asked moving to greet him.
“It is indeed,” Laurence said, regretting that his hands were full. He offered his free hand to her for a warm handshake. “I had not expected to see you here. Did you enjoy the show?”
Elsa shook his hand happily, “I didn’t expect to see you either. I did enjoy it, very much actually. And yourself?” she asked, “How have you been?”
“I’ve been quite well, thank you,” Laurence said. “I’ve recently been posted here in California, and it has given me a chance to reconnect with many of my old friends, and make some new ones.” Such as Elijah, and Temeraire. He’d never met either of them before he’d come here, but he found himself in rare good company with both of them. “Are you just here on business, or have you too come to live here?”
“Well I am glad we met once again then, old friends are always good to have” Elsa said honestly, glad they had gotten this chance to get reconnected, “Oh I live here now. After my parents passed I took over the company and it made sense to be based here with the headquarters”
Laurence had heard of the Arendelle’s tragic death, and had likewise followed it enough to learn that Elsa had inherited the company, though he had not had the chance to wish her and her sister his condolences. Now seemed like hardly the proper time, though his heart did go out to her. “That does seem like a good decision. I hope you’ve been enjoying yourself thus far? I’ve not been here long, but it seems a rather… interesting place to live.”
“It’s certainly interesting” Elsa nodded with a smile, grateful that he’d move the conversation on. The death of her parents was something Elsa tended to try not to dwell on, even now she sometimes felt overwhelmed by everything she’d had to take on. “But I settled in well and fairly quickly. My younger sister is here too and of course if I hadn’t moved here I would never have met my wife”
“Your wife?” Laurence asked, taken momentarily aback, though he quickly recovered. He hadn’t expected Elsa to be married to a woman, though of course it didn’t matter in the least who she was married to. “Is she here tonight? Or perhaps your sister… Anna, correct?”
“Yes, we married in 2015” Elsa smiled, she wasn’t ashamed of her marriage and had decided a while ago that if others were then they weren’t people she wished to have around.
“I’m afraid tonight I’m here alone, Kate had a previous appointment and Anna is currently studying. She isn’t too interested in the company so far”
“Congratulations,” Laurence said, “even if they are somewhat belated. It’s really something when you find the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with.” He was reminded again, with a bit of a pang, about how Edith had ended their engagement. He could hardly fault her for it, given how little he was home, but it did make him wonder if he was ever going to find someone to marry, who wouldn’t mind his prolonged absensces.
“If I recall, she’s still quite young, is she not?” he asked. “Perhaps her interest will come in time.” Or perhaps it wouldn’t. Laurence himself hadn’t followed in his father’s footsteps.
“Thank you, it was unexpected but I couldn’t be happier” Elsa smiled, it was definitely amazing to have found Kate. She appreciated how lucky she was every day and made sure Kate never doubted her feelings.
“She is so she may yet develop an interest but if not then it wasn’t meant to be” Elsa would never pressure her sister into the company if it wasn’t what she wanted.
“No, not everyone is interested in the family business.” For instance, neither politics nor religion much appealed to Laurence. He wasn’t an atheist, and not completely apolitical, but he certainly didn’t want to dedicate his life to either of those pursuits. “Though I do hope she finds her calling someday, even if it isn’t working alongside you.”
“Oh I am sure she will” Elsa smiled, “And she will have my full support when she finds her path. The company wasn’t my dream but thankfully I’ve adapted well, I wouldn’t want Anna to feel like she had to do that”
Laurence nodded, admiring Elsa’s sense of duty. “I’m glad to hear it,” he said, “and especially glad to hear that your work seems to suite you, despite having it thrust upon you. Anna is lucky to have one such as you watching out for her.”
Elsa blushed a little, not used to praise for being a good sister other than from Anna, “She’s the best sister I could have asked for. And we’re very lucky to have each other”
“Perhaps if you’re interested, the three of us might dine together. And your wife too, of course,” Laurence suggested. He always had been fan of suppering with old friends. Conversation came easily to him, and one of things he actually enjoyed of being stationed on the shore was the chance to make and spend time with new friends. “I’d be more than happy to prepare a dinner.”
“That would be lovely” Elsa said with a smile and a nod, she would love for Kate and Anna to get to know Laurence a little better. He was a good man and very agreeable company. “You are very kind, I have to admit neither Kate or myself are skilled in the kitchen, we tend to cheat” she grinned.
“Oh, I can hardly cook toast,” Laurence laughed. “No, I have a maid who takes care of most of the cooking. She’s really quite good; I’m sure you’ll all quite enjoy it. But here, let me give you my phone number, and we can arrange something. And please let me know if there’s any dietary restrictions.”
“We should probably do the same, currently we switch between eating out and ordering in” Elsa grinned, she was getting better but wouldn’t ever be at dinner party level. She handed him her phone so he could put in his number and then she could call him so he had hers, “We’re both simple when it comes to food, neither of us have allergies or dislikes” when it came to that kind of thing they were the best kind of guests.