Endless Love

[lafeae]

An RP between me and @HesitationOblivion. I'll get started.


--


There wasn't many times that Edmond forced himself up out of bed for long periods of time. Especially not where he took concern to bathe, dress, and have everything put just right. He wore an old navy coat with gold buttons, a cravat with a sapphire stickpin. A maid had pulled his hair back and was tying it in a length of silk ribbon just to keep the curly bits out of his face. They'd offered a wig, but he figured that there was only so much formality his body could put up with.


Once dressed, Edmond approached a mirror and looked over himself. Pale skin, somewhat sharp features to himself. He doubted that, once his to-be bride saw him, she would actually want to be with him. There were plenty of other good suitors that she could choose to be with. Maybe not for wealth, and not for status, but certainly for her own personal happiness. If that even mattered.


"Bernard," he said, and Edmond looked over his shoulder to the personal attendant who had lingered in the room throughout the entire process. "When she arrives, let us waste no time. Bring her here first so we can just...make this as painless as possible."


The attendant nodded, giving a curt bow at the waist, before walking out of the room to find out if Lady van Monsowr was arriving anytime soon. Surely, they had received word soon enough.

 

[HesitationOblivion]

Rani Van Monsowr arc- arranged мarrιage;vιcтorιan era





There was a girl staring back at Rani. The girl had brown curls, red cheeks, and dark blue eyes. This girl- she was a splitting image of the princess from her eyes to every single hidden blemish on her face. Rani lifted up one hand and softly pressed it against the glass that separated the two girls. After what seemed like countless minutes flying by, the noble lady finally drew her eyes away from her reflection. She was scared, petrified even at the thought that the lone girl in the mirror was destined to be married to a man that she had never met. Even though she was twenty four years young, she looked liked a surprised little girl. And she hated it. "Elizabeth?" She called out, turning to face the ebony colored door with a soft and expecting smile.


On cue, a small maid with big brown eyes scurried in. Her long brown hair followed behind her as she rushed to tend to her lady. "Lady Van Monsowr!" Elizabeth opened the door, and looked at the mistress. "My lady~ you called?" She did a small curtsy out of general admiration and proper behavior. Rani lifted up a hand to motion her maid to continue. "Lord Du Beaumont has sent horsemen to come and ask when we'll arrive."

Rani pressed her lips together, but nodded. She picked up the bottoms of her white dress and started to run out of her bedroom. Her heels clinked loudly against the flooring, but she didn't mind. The sound of a horse neighing fueled her to run faster. She was never the best at time management, her procrastination issue always delaying her arrival. "Send out the horsemen back, I'll be there soon." She vowed.

Elizabeth nodded, and helped prepare a carriage as the horsemen headed back to her betrothed's estate. She wasn't going to lie- she was nervous. She was sure Edmond would be a great guy, but he had always held back their meeting for some odd reason. With a sigh, Rani walked into the prepared carriage, sitting down on a small booth. Here I come, my doll.
​

 

[lafeae]

The count walked through the villa, from the eastern wing where his apartments were and finally coming to the main stairwell, his shoes making small crescent imprints in the the old ones; steps of his father, and the father before him. Though he doubted he would have the chance to father a son that would walk down those same steps.


Dogs began clambering down behind him. A few beagles and a few Yorkies, probably bred alongside the family for the same amount of generations. One was pregnant with pups and he was surprised to see her up and following. She must have sensed his trepidation.


A house full of servants, and he was more friends with he dogs. He didn't doubt it would stay that way, either. Mostly because of self-isolation. Maybe the lady could change it, but he doubted it. Even as he reached the bottom of the stairs. She would be here soon, and he wanted to greet her himself. He'd been unkind enough to make her wait this long.

 

[HesitationOblivion]

Rani Van Monsowr arc- arranged мarrιage;vιcтorιan era

Rani adjusted herself into the leathery seat as she grabbed her purse. She spilled out it's contents as Elizabeth joined her, her stable boy working with the horses. The brunette pressed her lips together, her sharp eyes searching through the spilled and scattered items. She found a notebook, a quill, and countless other things. After seconds of searching, Rani found what item she had desired ; a rose. It wasn't custom for the lady to give the man a rose, but she didn't care. The noble shoved all of her items except the flower back into the bag, She placed the rose on her lap as the carriage came to life with a few bumps.


~


After about twenty minutes of travel, a considerable distance, her eyes fell on a huge estate. She wasn't a gold digger- nor did she care about one's wealth- but Rani couldn't help but notice how fancy and nice the place looked. The horses brushed dirt up as they slowed down, pulling in front of the mansion. The horses neighed as her stable boy, William, opened the door for the maid and the lady. "My lady, please." He said.

She smiled, taking his hand and stepping out of the wagon. Subconsciously she fluffed her hair, not looking back as the door shut. Rani slowly walked up the designated path with her maid behind her. Miss.Monsowr walked to the front of the castle, lifting her hand up to knock. She hit her knuckles against the wood to see if anyone was inside. Well, she did know that obviously someone would be inside. A smile crept onto her lips as the door opened ajar, then further and further until a boy's face was visible. She blinked, and did a small curtsy. "Hello, I'm Lady Monswor." She introduced.

​

 

[lafeae]

The boy seemed frightened at first, as guests didn't often visit the estate, nor were they often female. Doctors, maybe a few politicians seeking favors or campaign funds. This woman seemed so...different. And he wondered just how lively she might end up being. There was definitely something about her, even her ladies' maid, that felt like it would bring something a little less dull to castle.


Bowing deep, the boy opened the door all the way. There was more than just Edmond waiting for her. A slew of the house staff, curious to see who was coming home to them, had gathered behind the count. A chair was brought, and he had sat down some time ago, one of the dogs in his lap while the others seemed to wrestle around at his feet.


Drawing his face up, ready to be denied as soon as she saw him, Edmond sucked in a sharp breath and sat the dog down on the ground to play with the rest. "The Lady Monsowr!" the boy addressed, and moved out of the way to give Rani some room. Even as breathtaking as she was, Edmond held himself with his hands behind his back. There was no way that a pretty girl like her would see anything redeemable. He could feel something like the usual rash blooming over his nose and cheeks, usually shaping out to an awkward butterfly, but he hoped that it looked like blush instead.


"Welcome," he said, softer than he would have wanted. The walls carried it just as well though.

 

[HesitationOblivion]

Rani Van Monsowr arc- arranged мarrιage;vιcтorιan era

The noble nodded, a smile pressing against her thin lips. She walked in, her eyes falling on a patch of red skin on Edmond's face. She knew it was a little too big and odd to be blush. She was slightly confused but she didn't want to be rude. Her eyes met his, and he took a few minutes to scan his facial expressions over. The count had adorable features, even she couldn't deny it. He looked handsome, but it was obvious that he was pasty and sickly. Her eyes softened.


"Sir Edmond..." She greeted, finally looking away and centering focus on her rose. Rani handed the rose to him with a smile. The girl brushed a strand of stray hair from her forehead. She pushed it behind her ear, about to say something as one of the dogs pawed her leg.


The girl leaned down on one knee, and cuddled the pup that looked at her face. Rani laughed softly, and ruffled the dog's head. "So, Edmond.. are these your puppies? Or are they your servants dogs?" She asked, intrigued by the estate.
​

 

[lafeae]

There was a small laugh that went through the count, and he looked down at the dogs that were taking very keen interest. They didn't often take to newcomers, about as shy as their master. Edmond made it close and reached down, his fingers running through an older dog's fur.


"They're just companions. Keeps this place from being quiet," said Edmond. Some of them were young puppies, some of them were older dogs. All of them were as playful as they could. "And they seem to have like you very much. A good sign."


And after a moment, he backed up slightly, feeling a sense of unease in his body. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

 

[HesitationOblivion]

Rani Van Monsowr arc- arranged мarrιage;vιcтorιan era

Rani nodded, combing through her curls with her fingers. She looked up at him as he reached down and petted the older dog. She was a huge fan of animals, and words could not explain how happy she felt that Edmond had his heart set on having dogs. She wondered why he said that his castle was normally quiet, but the lady knew better than to press for questions. As beautiful as the estate seemed, something was very fishy. Something was wrong.

"Well, I'm glad they like me. I love dogs." She said, lowering her dress while she stood up. Rani fixed her hair, and looked face to face with Edmond. "It's beyond a pleasure to have finally met you, Edmond. I've been wondering when I'd get to see a face behind the letters." She said honestly.

The lady looked down at the rose that she had given him. She wasn't sure if it was too bold of a move or not, but even if he did find her odd, she didn't really care. That was her, and she was proud.

Author's Note

Hey~ sorry for the minor delay. I promise I'm more active than I was yesterday. With it being a holiday, I went to my family's, and then I stayed over at my friends. Thanks!

​

 

[lafeae]

There was a moment where Edmond didn't feel as fearful as usual. His heart wasn't beating so fast, and he smiled without feeling like he was cracking against his features to do so. It happened as he looked at the rose, barely bloomed, and rubbed the stem of it gently between his fingers, afraid of crushing it before it could make it to a vase. Rani was unconventional, and it made Edmond swallow his fears. For a just a second.


When he looked away, and the real world sank in again in all of it's elegance and decadence, Edmond's lips pinched and the rose fell to his side. "I was scared that this day would never come, seeing you.I feel sorry making it be so long before we got to see one another." The noble tried to recall the first time that he was given a letter from her. His father was still alive. He must have been barely teen-aged, maybe thirteen. Back then his penmanship was much nicer. It was easier to hold the quill. And every time she asked, or he even suggested meeting her, it was always something. Functions, business, family matters. It was always something, and he had began to doubt that she would even continue writing.


Clearing his throat, not wanting to swell on that moment too much immediately, Edmond thrust a hand forward. "We should continue through--I would like to show you what will likely be your new home. There's plenty of it to see, and it's fairly beautiful this time of year." The inside was always set, in it's way, to match the gardens that were in the back. Though they couldn't be seen, they always bloomed a myriad of colors, they flowers dotting along the walls in small vases, tended to regularly, changed shortly before they died. It was something Edmond had decided a long while before. His father wasn't much for lively or colorful. The place seemed like a mausoleum to his family instead of a home. Life was short as it was, and if he was going to isolate himself, the least he could do was enjoy it.


(Fancy authors note :3. My posts should be a little longer and better now as well. Most of those above were on mobile, I apologize if they're fairly short. And no worries. Real life comes first.)

 

[HesitationOblivion]

Rani Van Monsowr arc- arranged мarrιage;vιcтorιan era

Even though it was hidden well, Rani could see the fear on Edmond's face. Something was wrong, anybody with eyes could see that. What the issue was, she couldn't exactly point it out. Yet, Rani had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with the red patch breaking out on her future husband's face. She had been talking to him since she was nine and he was thirteen. Never once had he mentioned that peculiar burn-like mark on his face. Even though she'd never admit it- she had a sinking feeling inside of her heart that medically speaking there was a problem. She fiddled with an imaginary piece of string that was on her dress as the man apologized for the lack of availability.


"I'm sure you had your reasons." She said simply. So many things had changed since the first time her parents shoved a quill into her hands along with a piece of parchment and told her to write to this boy. For the longest amount of time, Rani believed that Edmond didn't exist. That he was simply a character made up by her parents to prepare her for a real wedding. Truthfully, there was always a part in the back of her mind that assumed that Edmond was a figment, nothing more. Yet, the second he opened the door all of her thoughts had faded away. He was real and he was standing right in front of her.

"I'd love to see what all this estate has to offer." She said in a kind tone, walking side by side with the count. Her eyes fell on the pots full of living plants. Despite the fact something gave off a sickly feeling, she couldn't help but realize how full of life this mansion was. "Did you design the interior?" She asked as they reached a room with a lot of paintings and colorful vases.She traced her pointer finger against the wall experimentally, listening to his answer. Either way, Rani couldn't help but adore the life that was breathing within the vivid walls. She hated closed spaces and isolation. The mere thought of being alone in a tight spot scared her half to death.

Author's Note

Hehe, thank you! And the same~ my responses were on mobile and now that I'm looking back my replies were

Author's Note

a lot shorter than I had intended, but your responses are good! =) Same as you- I'm now on my laptop so I'll have longer responses as well.

​

 

[lafeae]

"Me and my head of household, Bernard, yes," Edmond said. As he walked along, his hands behind his back, the rose still dangling between his fingers. He'd find somewhere for it to go, somewhere appropriate to put it. Just a vase in some rarely traveled hall wouldn't do. Not if he wanted to show her how much he appreciated her giving so much thought to it. "It's just...something that passes the time. There's so much space in here, it's a shame if some of it is left to rot."


Edmond took a path that led far to the right side of the manor, underneath the main staircase and back through a hall that was lined with windows. Every other window was covered in thick, heavy drapes, but light splayed through in splashes. It touched portraits on the walls--old family members, long passed. There hadn't been one commissioned of him since he was a child, nor did he prefer there to be one. Not especially as he squeezed his eyes closed to the feeling of the rash burning on his cheeks. That, and a small twinge of pain in his temples. "This leads to some of the main rooms. Parlor, library," he opened the doors up, and saw where a made was taking some of the flowers off of a vase by the fireplace. It was a well-furnished room, the old wood floors covered largely in an Oriental-styled rug.


"Do you like to read, my dear?" he asked, and he opened the door just beyond the fireplace, revealing a library. Though it wasn't expansive, the walls were nearly covered. He left the door hanging open for her to peer in if she'd like to, though he walked across and opened a second door that was on the opposite side of the fireplace. "The baths are just beyond here, when you need them. It has a lovely view of the garden."


As Edmond finished speaking, he looked to the floor, and he closed his eyes again.The pain was getting worse, his hand going up to the side of his head and rubbing in small circles. They were normal, but they hurt every time they cropped up again.

 

[HesitationOblivion]

Rani Van Monsowr arc- arranged мarrιage;vιcтorιan era

Rani trailed behind Edmond, smiling. She walked down the halls that were lit up by the windows. "Some places are taken for granted." The lady finally said, upon hearing his reasoning on why there was so much life in the mansion. Even though she didn't mention it- her eyes had fallen onto the rose she had awarded him with. Edmond was clearly wondering where a proper place to put it would be. "-That is why I'm pleased at how you and Bernard have managed to fill in all the little places with pure beauty." The woman complimented with a settle smile as she followed her betrothed down the twisted halls.


She couldn't help but notice how the windows were covered, only a limited amount of sunshine creaking through the slits. Her eyes followed the natural light to a few hanging portraits. Rani's eyes instantly stayed on them, studying them as if they were people she had already knew. The lady noticed a few similar facial traits from the portraits that matched Edmond's. By the looks of their clothing and by the withering away of the canvas, Rani understood that they were considerably old.


Her eyes dropped from the paintings and headed to Edmond when he mentioned the library. "Of course I love to read." She loved to read, she often wasted away her days curling up to a nice book by a fireplace. To her enlightenment, there was countless books and just that in the library. It took all of her energy not to run into the room and grab a book. She poked her head in, observing the huge stash of books as she heard her fiance head to the next door.


"I love the library..." She told him honestly, finally peering away from the room and back at the hall as Edmond mentioned the bathroom and the view to the garden. Rani nodded, but a frown played her lips as she saw the man rub his temples. "Edmond?" She asked softly, noticing his face twist in slight pain. "What's wrong?" She asked worriedly with a lip bite.
​

 

[lafeae]

"Nothing," Edmond answered sharply, his hand suspended for a moment before it dropped down by his side. The twinge of pain had lessened, though it was likely going to be a dull throb for the remainder of the day. If he could hide it from her, like he planned on hiding everything if he could get away with it, then it would be alright. "Just headaches. It's nothing serious."


There was no smile on his lips. Only a thin line, eyes cast towards the maid as she collected the dying flowers in her arms and continued onto the vase out in the hall. She checked the petals, picking off any that were dying, before moving onto the next one. It was a job that Edmond had done for a while, but couldn't muster the energy anymore. Trusting someone else to do it was heartbreaking. "I'm sorry--you needn't worry for me. We should continue on. I can show you to your quarters, if you'd like. You have a set of rooms all to yourself. To do with as you pleased."


Somewhere deep down, he knew that he had tempted Rani with the library. She had mentioned it several times in her letters, and occasionally they would share quotes from something that had each read, He almost didn't mind her staying; it would let him sit and rest in the parlor, but he knew that they should continue on. This wasn't a job for Bernard to do, nor did he knew where the man had gone off to. "Would you like to see them?"


The worry on her face made it hard for him to speak at all. Denying issues and lying to her, as he had been doing for years in their letters, seemed like it had become a talent.

 

[HesitationOblivion]

Rani Van Monsowr arc- arranged мarrιage;vιcтorιan era


"Just headaches?" The girl repeated in slight shock. Surely Edmond didn't think that she would believe such of a fib, did he? Before she could argue the point, she decided to drop it. It would be a hopeless battle, no possibility of her winning. Rani was many things- but clueless wasn't one of them. Something unspeakable was wrong with her fiance. She barely realized the lady picking away the decaying and withering flowers until the maid was passing by them. The lady looked up to see the man's reaction, but it was obvious that he was disappointed or shaken by something revolving around the matters.

She dropped the subject but when it was brought back up she wasn't one to keep her mouth shut. "With all due respect, my lord.... I believe that it is my job as your future wife to worry about you." Rani pushed the subject, genuine worry in her eyes. "Alright, yes.... I'd love to see my quarters.." She told Edmond with an assuring nod. After all, she'd be staying here for what she assumed to be the rest of her life. That was, if the count didn't call off the marriage. Rani assumed that the meeting was going well so far, but then again she didn't know what was running through Edmond's head. For all that she knew, he could totally despise her but held a kind front just for the show. The mere thought of that made her frown.

"Of course I'd love to see them. It's sweet of you." Rani said honestly, with the kindest smile she could muster. As they walked, the girl couldn't help but pick up on the fact that Edmond had grew silent. Trying to break the awkward silence, she spoke up. Edmond was clearly distressed or in pain even though he denied it. "What room is your favorite in the whole estate?" She questioned him.

Rani held her hands behind her back as she awaited an answer. Her eyes lifted up from the ground to meet Edmond's captivating ones. She couldn't hold back a small chuckle and smile as they made eye contact. It was slightly childish, but she didn't care. In her previous letters, she had said more childish stuff so she knew that he was probably used to her useless babble.
​

 

[lafeae]

Meeting her eye was more heart warming than anything else. It made him laugh just the same as her. Until he could take her hand and hold her close, that was the best thing he could imagine. Holding her so close to his body that they were nearly inseparable. Rani had been his childhood friend, moreso than the nobles, or even Bernard. He had clung close to every letter they exchanged, because in illness, it was sometimes the only thing that gave him sanity.


"My favorite room?" he repeated, mostly to buy him the time to figure out an answer. He spent a majority of his time locked in his apartments and wilting away in the bed. Other places were the library, where he had spent time falling asleep in the armchair. This was a time to be honest with her, however. "My favorite place in the whole estate is the kitchen. We have a fairly large kitchen area, and when I actually have an appetite, its nice to just to go down there and watch them cook. Maybe steal a bite or two."


That seemed like a crazy answer, but it was coming from someone who didn't take his stomach for granted. It was often rancid, and many times the things he ate would come right back up. There was no enjoying it, so when he could, he did. Though that was something that was harder to explain to people. It hadn't always been like that, but it had been one of his first symptoms. No hunger, and he had plenty of headaches that few herbs could help.


Edmond tried to keep a slow pace for her to follow, taking her out of the wing and back towards the grand staircase, his arm outstretched up towards them. "You'll be up here, to the left side. There's plenty of room for you. Your bedchamber and an antechamber. There's several other rooms to do with as you wish." Standing on the bottom stair, squeezing his eyes closed, he kept hoping for a the headaches to dull, but they seemed particularly fierce. "Once you see them, I can show you the kitchen. You'll see what I mean."

 

[HesitationOblivion]

Rani Van Monsowr arc- arranged мarrιage;vιcтorιan era

Rani laughed softly for a few seconds before calming down and holding a straight face. She took a good, hard look at him so that she could get a grip on his facial expressions. Of course, in the past few minutes that they had been together she had looked at him... but never before had she really looked at him. When he chuckled, his shoulders moved up and down in the cutest way possible. The way his nose scrunched when he talked was all added factors that made her want to get up and hug Edmond closely. She wanted to see what his magnificent smile would look like.

When he repeated the question, Rani knew that he was stalling. She had no room to point it out because it sounded like something she would do, herself. Running a hand through her hair, she fluffed it. Her eyes fell to the floor as she faked interest in the pattern as he stumbled over the reply. The Kitchen? She thought when he finally answered. There was no way she could ignore the cute answer. A smile crept up on her face. "The Kitchen?" She repeated in the same manner the man did when he was questioned about his favorite room. "The kitchen is one of my favorite rooms as well. Unlike you I presume- I don't just go down there and watch them. Despite my petite figure- you have no idea how much I love to eat." She laughed. Unlike the bigger majority of girls her age, she wasn't very traditional- always being cast away as the 'odd' girl.

The lady followed her future husband down the tangles of halls until they reached the grand staircase. It was a feast for her eyes, even she couldn't deny that it was a beautiful place. A place that she indeed would look forward to living in. "You spoil me, sir." Rani told Edmond upon hearing what rooms that she had control over.


"It's very kind of you to do all this stuff for me."

Her voice was soft, as she noticed his eyes shutting. "I'll look through them in a second... but before I do... your eyes... they're shut again. You're in visible pain." Rani pointed out, her eyes scanning him. "Something is wrong. You can deny it all you want... but I can tell that you have a raging headache or something of that sort. You can tell me." She told him. After all, Rani was going to be his future wife. She wanted to know if he had any medical issues that she should have been alerted of. "Thank you for the rooms, though."
​

 

[lafeae]

It was taking time for the dogs to keep up with their pace, even as he walked at a somewhat stuttered pace, and as they came to stall in front of the grand staircase, they were wandering around, some chasing one another, some still lingering behind in the halls and sniffing around at the corners. One of them decided to take residence on his feet, as was usual, and Edouard tried not to take notice of it too much.


"I hope I can spoil you for the rest of our lives." The statement felt loaded, in one way or another. There were days that he didn't know if he'd be dying or not; the pain was so fierce. He'd say his prays at night, and expect to wake up to be walking towards St. Peter, and then there was the question whether or not he had done well enough not to cast himself in Hell. He was a noble, after all. Debauchery was there style, though he hadn't partook in anything. Nothing more than teen-aged inclinations, long since past. But it was loaded to the point that maybe the gift he gave her now was the only thing he could give besides a good name.


His lips pressed closed. Did he go outright and tell her his ills? So far, he'd near successfully lied to her, but his body was rebelling and doing everything it could to let Rani know something was wrong. Stress probably wasn't helping his situation. When he could finally open his eyes from the pain, and he was staring down at the dog panting and sniffing the tips of his shoes, Edouard didn't want to look up. Should he lie, and look her in the eye, he almost couldn't forgive himself.


"It's....long to explain, my dear. We'll need more than just the walk upstairs," he admitted. Rani was clever, and would likely just press him to explain in some way or another. They had plenty of time, after all. They were going to be married. "I have...been sick for a long time." Edouard wanted to forgo all the banter, because it would end up back at that statement anyways.