Fantasy Caught in the Waves (Closed)

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter wasn't sure that he was the entire reason the girls were home. It just so happened that they had caught a lucky break. If Nora hadn't shown up when she did, things probably would have gone differently, even if he'd tried to step in. That night still haunted him for many reasons, but Ella had played her own role as well. She was just as responsible for them getting home as she believed he was. "You flatter me," he said. "But I did have help. And maybe it's me who should be thanking you for convincing me to leave that ship..." He doubted he would have on his own, but she'd given him a reason to whether she realized it or not.

He was looking forward to many new experiences. He wasn't sure a life of luxury was what he wanted, but he could dip his toes in for a little while. The thought of riding a horse caught him off guard. He hadn't had horses growing up, and it wasn't like there was a need for horses on the pirate ship. His father was a fisherman, not a farmer, and most other people had no reason to own horses either unless they had money. Like Ella's family did. "No," he admitted. "But I'm willing to have you teach me."

They stood there for a while in silence just looking at each other and Peter willing to walk her to the door. But she wasn't moving, and neither was he. He was hyper aware of the way she didn't take her hand out of his, and he didn't bother to either. And then she caught him entirely by surprise by suggesting he do exactly what he'd just imagined doing a moment before. He hadn't planned on actually doing it. He didn't want to hurt her again, and he wasn't sure if she'd want him to. They hadn't defined their relationship, and this was different because they hadn't been drinking. There could be no excuses this time around if somebody ended up hurt or he embarrassed himself by going for it when she didn't want him to. But now she was asking, which meant she was giving him her permission. He could, if he really wanted to. And he found himself wanting to.

With one of his hands still in hers, he brought his free one up to cup her cheek. She still felt warm to him, but not as warm as before. He liked to think it was less to do with her fever and more to do with the anticipation of the kiss. He felt his own face flush with nerves, and he wasn't sure why. He'd never been embarrassed or nervous about kissing a woman before, except for maybe the first time. But this was different. They were sober, and he genuinely liked her. It wasn't lust he was feeling, but something else. He liked it, even if it made him feel strange.

Slowly he leaned in and brushed his lips gently against hers.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella smirked, shaking her head. It was true that she had encouraged him to leave his life on the ship, and she was glad that she did. He was better than the life he'd been living, and Ella knew it. She also knew that she did have a part in orchestrating their escape, even if not as much as Peter. If he'd been like the rest of the pirates, he might have killed Tom to become captain but he never would have set them free. If Peter had been anyone besides himself, then things would not have worked out the same way. "Well, you're welcome," she said to him. "But I'm serious. I don't want to know what would have happened to us if it wasn't for you."

She had a suspicion that he didn't know how to ride. It sounded like he had begun his life at sea at a young age, and obviously horseback riding wasn't something you did while living on a ship. "Alec could probably teach you better than I could," she said. Alec was an exceptional rider, but horses were what he loved most in the world second to Josephine. She knew that Peter and Alec didn't exactly get along, though. "Or I can try to. I guess that would be a new experience for both of us," she smiled. Ella didn't think she would feel up to riding tomorrow; it was an activity that required a good amount of energy, especially when you weren't very good, but one day soon. She was getting excited thinking about all they would be able to do together now that most of their troubles seemed to have been remedied.

Sometimes Ella didn't know what made her say the things she did, and this was one of those times. Kiss her goodnight? What if he didn't want to? Suddenly, she became acutely aware of the fact that she might have just made a huge fool of herself. But then Peter put his hand against her cheek and started to lean in, and just as suddenly all of Ella's apprehensions melted away.

Kissing him was even more magical when she wasn't drunk and senseless. It felt more real, more intimate and romantic. Ella kissed him back slowly, savoring every moment and sensation. She didn't want to stop, but she finally had to pull away, flushed. "Goodnight, Peter," she said softly. After pressing one more small kiss to his lips, she pulled away and exited the room. Ella almost felt like she could fly if she wanted to, and she couldn't stop smiling.

For a moment, she just leaned against the wall outside Peter's room and tried to collect herself. When a servant walked by, though, Ella remembered that she was going to go see Josephine tonight too. She requested another cup of hot tea and brought it to her sister's room, wanting to comfort her but hardly able to stop thinking about Peter. Oh well, she would have to do her best. Ella knocked on Josie's door, hopeful that she would answer. "Josie?" she called. "It's me. Can I come in?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter felt good. Really good. Kissing her when he was drunk had felt good too, but this was possibly better. His mind was clear and they didn't have a cloud hanging over them like they did after they'd assisted Nora with Tom. Feeling her kiss him back was something else too, even if he didn't understand why she liked him so much. But it felt amazing, and he wanted to do it again and again and again.

"Goodnight," he echoed when she pulled back. He could have kept going, but it was probably better for the both of them that they didn't overdo it. They'd gotten a little carried away the first time, and he really didn't want to mess things up this time around either. He dropped his hand and followed her to the door, watching her walk down the hallway before he closed it.

He went to the bed with a smile. This all felt unreal and he half expected to wake up and find that it was all a dream.

Josephine had stayed in her bath until her skin pruned and the water went cold before she got out. She wanted to feel as numb on the outside as she did on the inside, but when she stepped out and the warmth started to return to her body after she'd put on her nightgown, her tears started their silent return.

She laid on her bed, replaying the horrible scene over and over in her mind, waiting for her to grow tired enough to just pass out. But then she heard somebody knocking at the door. She ignored it first, thinking it might be father, but when she heard Ella's voice she sat up and wiped at her face, drawing the blankets up around her.

"Come in," she said, looking towards the door. Besides Alec, Ella was probably the only person in the world she wanted to see right now. She didn't feel so alone with her around.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella could have kissed him longer, and she wanted to, but she was on the same page as he was. They had gone a little overboard last time, and it was better to take things slower now. Ella didn't want either of them to end up getting hurt like what had happened last time, but now she felt like things were a little clearer. Their relationship wasn't clearly defined, but they had both established that they liked each other in a romantic way. So this was fine, and kissing him was exactly what Ella wanted right now.

She was almost sad to leave him, but Ella hoped that she'd left him wanting more and looking forward to tomorrow. That was how she felt, and she practically pranced down the hall to Josephine room, nearly spilling the tea once or twice.

For a second, Ella wasn't sure that Josephine was going to let her in, but she smiled when she heard her sister's voice from inside. She slowly opened the door, unsure what kind of mood Josie was going to be in. She was wrapped up like a cocoon with all her blankets, still rather visibly upset. Ella didn't blame her.

"Hi," she said softly, crawling up on the bed next to Josephine. She handed her a cup of hot tea in the hopes that it would make her feel better. "I got tea for you. How are you doing?"

By the looks of it, she still wasn't taking it very well. Ella could see she'd been crying, and she felt kind of guilty for going to see Peter. She should have just come here from the start.

"It's nice to be home, isn't it?" Ella pulled at the fabric of her robe, relishing in its softness. "I feel so much better, clean and in my own clothes. I think I'll be almost completely better tomorrow." She'd gotten to wear her own dress home on the ride today, but she'd still felt grungy at the time and it just wasn't the same. And she was definitely on the road to recovery, even though she was supposed to be resting. Soon, she would be back to her old self, causing chaos around the house and driving everyone crazy.

Sighing, Ella pulled a blanket around herself and leaned against Josephine. She wasn't sure what she could do for her sister, but she didn't want to push the topic if she didn't want to talk about it.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine managed to sit up at Ella entered the room. Ella looked like she was feeling even better than she had this morning, which was good. Being home seemed to lift her spirits and Josephine thought she might heal faster now. She also smiled at the tea, thinking that it was funny how they had switched caretaker roles for the evening.

"Thank you," she said, taking a sip of it and letting it warm her. Tea had always helped calm her down. She wasn't really sure how to put in words how she was feeling right now though without raising too much concern. She wanted Ella to focus on getting better herself, not waste her energy on her. "I suppose I feel a little better," she settled on. "It's nice to be clean again, and sleep in my own bed."

Josephine wondered how Alec was faring. His loft wasn't nearly as comfortable as what Josephine and Ella were used to, but she wondered if he was at least glad to get his bed back. He'd spent so many nights on that floor with them, and Josephine had even torn him away from his cot the other night so they could lay together. She knew he'd be at least glad to see his horses. They were practically his children. Emotionally they were probably both having a hard time, though.

When Ella hopped into bed with her, she did feel herself start to relax a little bit. Despite everything it was nice to know she wasn't completely alone, and she loved her sister. "I'm glad you're feeling better. I don't know what I'd do without you." She did smile at the other thought that entered her mind. "We survived a pirate ship... isn't that crazy?"

 

[AvianJen]

Ella smiled, happy that Josephine liked the tea. She hadn't made it herself, but Ella did tend to believe that tea made everything a little better, a little warmer. "Good," she said, giving her sister a hug. She wished that there was more she could do than deliver a cup of tea that she hadn't even prepared herself, but she didn't know what those options were. "I'm excited to sleep in my bed," Ella said dreamily, falling back and resting her head on on of Josephine's pillows.

Ella loved her bedroom. Everything was white and blue, decorated with silk and lace. Her pillows were fluffy and soft, her comforter warm. It was all the comfort she'd been lacking the past few weeks, but strangely, she was almost afraid to go back to her bedroom alone. She and Josephine had been together for the past several weeks, and she'd gotten used to Josephine always being in her sight.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, either," she said honestly, looking up at Josephine. "You drive me crazy sometimes, but I know that you're always looking out for me." She paused for a moment, thinking. "I need someone to look after me, I think," she added with a smirk. Ella had been getting herself into trouble her whole life, and Josephine was always there to get her out of it. No matter what, her big sister had always been there for her. No matter how much they fought or disagreed, especially lately, Ella never had to doubt her sister's love.

She giggled at the notion that they had survived a pirate ship, nodding. "I think we would have survived," she said slowly. They would have been separated and sold into slavery eventually, but she didn't think they would have been killed. "But we escaped from a pirate ship. I think that's more impressive." She smiled, thinking about all the stories they had to tell now. She still felt guilty about being involved in Tom's murder, but if he hadn't been killed they never would have escaped. That was what she had to remind herself whenever she started to doubt.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine laughed softly at Ella's comment about her driving her crazy sometimes. Josephine could say the same thing about her. These last few weeks had been torturous with how many times they'd argued. It was hard not to when you were stuck with somebody so long, but she was glad she'd been there in the end. They didn't have to go through any of it on their own, and they were both stronger together. "You drive me crazy, too, but thanks."

She put her cup of tea down on her bedside table and adjusted herself so that she was laying down, her head resting gently next to Ella's. She'd needed her time alone earlier, but she was glad her sister had come to visit her. It was helping to take her mind off of things a little bit, and she needed her sister now more than ever.

It was impressive that they'd survived, more or less unharmed and untouched. There were so many things that could have gone wrong on that ship that didn't. Not that it was easy, and not that they hadn't been through hell all the same. Tom was a horrible memory Josephine did not like relive even if it could have been much worse as far as he was concerned, but here they were. They were home. Even if it didn't feel quite the same.

"Just imagine all the questions people will ask us," she said. "I'm sure father's already planning a big celebratory party in our honor." Normally she might have welcomed that, as it would be a return to normalcy. Right now she wasn't quite so sure. She didn't really want to the attention, and she knew he would use it as an opportunity to show his daughters off to more potential suitors. The girls would be even more appealing now after what they'd been through, but Josephine was tired of the suitors. Especially now that father knew about Alec, she wasn't sure how she could even pretend to be interested in anybody else.

She looked over at Ella, scrunching her eyebrows together. "Does any of this feel real to you after all we've been through? I keep thinking about how strange it is."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella laughed in response, knowing that she drove Josephine crazy. They were extraordinarily different people and hardly ever saw things eye to eye, but they made each other better people. Josie did drive her crazy, and lately she had been making her upset with her attitude towards Peter, but that was all okay now. In a couple of days, everything would be just the way it was...with a few changes. But Ella didn't think it would be too hard to adjust.

She smiled at the notion that Father was already planning a party for them; Josephine was probably right. "I like Father's parties," she said brightly. It was one of the only occasions that Ella got to drink, which was fun, and there was always dancing and pretty dresses. Ella wondered if Peter would dance with her...she would much rather do that than tell people about their experiences on the pirate ship. Even Father hadn't asked for many details yet, and Ella wanted to keep it that way. It could have been worse, but she still didn't want to talk about any of it just yet and she was sure that Josephine didn't want to either.

"I don't want to answer questions. People will think we're crazy when we tell them we saw a mermaid," she mused. Father might believe them, especially if their stories were backed up by Peter and Alec, but it really was quite extraordinary. Sometimes, Ella could hardly believe it had happened herself.

She wasn't really thinking about the suitors, though. Ella knew that she would have them, but she wasn't interested and things wouldn't get too serious for her until Josephine was engaged. It wasn't as much of an immediate concern for her, and right now she was much too focused on Peter for her own good.

"It feels real to me," she replied after a moment of thought. "This feels real. For me, it's the pirate ship that feels like a dream." They'd just returned home, but it all seemed so far away. Her illness probably had something to do with that; she'd had a few days to get used to being on land again, even though most of those days were spent sleeping. Her sense of time was skewed, but Ella didn't care. She was just happy to be home.

"So...how are you doing?" she asked cautiously, wondering if Josephine wanted to talk about Alec. "About...you know what? Is there anything I can do?" She knew that her sister was hurting, and Ella hated it. It wasn't fair; Josie and Alec should be able to be together after all that they had been through.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine normally liked father's parties, too. She didn't have a lot of close friends, but it did give her a chance to socialize with some other girls her and Ella's age. She also liked the wine, although she didn't normally drink too much. She just wasn't sure that she was ready to be thrown back into high society so soon with everything that was expected of her. She didn't want to be bombarded with questions about the ship, and she didn't want to deal with the men. While Ella wasn't exactly free from the expectation to find a husband right now, the pressure was definitely more focused on Josephine, and it was pressure she didn't want.

"I don't either," she said, agreeing about the questions. She wasn't sure she ever would. "I still question my own sanity about the whole mermaid thing." She questioned her sanity about all of it, really. If mermaids were real, who knew what else was lurking out there she had always assumed was just a myth. "I just don't think anything feels real anymore... I can't believe this is really my life." Pirates probably kidnapped people everyday, but Josephine had never considered it would happen to her. There were a lot of ways in which everything she used to just take for granted in life were coming into question because of what they'd experienced. Mermaids, pirates, marriage, Peter, Alec... none of it had turned out how she'd expected.

She turned her head to look at the top of her canopy bed, pained when Ella asked her about how she was handling everything. She was a mess, really, and she didn't expect that to get much better soon. There wasn't really anything that Ella or anybody else could do about it except maybe their father changing his mind. Josephine just didn't see that happening, or at least she couldn't think of a way other than what Alec had already suggested. He could work harder, but it just seemed so impossible by now, and she hated to think of him out there breaking his back while she was in here laying around in bed and being forced to entertain potential future husbands.

"I don't know," she said. "I've never felt like this before. It hurts." She looked once more at Ella, envying her that she had never had to experience what she herself was feeling right now and hoping she never would. "He tried to warn me this might happen, but I didn't want to listen... but I don't know if it would have made a difference if I did. It's just so unfair. He's done more for me than any suitor father has ever thrown my way, but he's not good enough? I don't get it... I don't care if he's not wealthy. I love him. Father's cruel to keep us apart..."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella smiled at Josephine, shaking her head. "Don't," she advised. "It really did happen, you're not crazy." The memory was still exciting, though, and she was sure she would spend many hours poring over the books that Peter had gotten for her. "I stitched up her fin," she commented, unsure if Josephine knew about that. "She got hurt when they pulled her on board in the net somehow, and her fin was torn. I sewed it back up before she...went back to the ocean." It was quite a story.

She grew more serious, listening to Josephine talk about how she couldn't believe that this was her life. In many ways, their lives hadn't changed. They still lived in the same house, wore the same clothes, and had the same expectations for their futures. But at the same time, so much had changed. Home didn't feel quite the same, but Ella wasn't worried. This was only their first night back, and it was like readjusting all over again.

There was no way that Ella could relate to what Josephine and Alec were going through. It seemed like their relationship was over, and if Father wouldn't change his mind then there wasn't much that could be done about it. "I know," she said after a long pause. It was true, Alec had done more for her to prove his love than any other man ever could. He was perfect...except for the fact that he didn't have any money.

"For what it's worth, I don't think Father is trying to be cruel," she said slowly. "I think he just doesn't understand, and realistically, Alec doesn't have what it would take to support you both. Maybe you could try making a deal with him, like...at least convince him to give Alec some monetary compensation for all that he's done for us. And then give him a deadline, at which point he needs to have somewhere to live besides the loft and be able to prove to Father that he can support you. In the meantime, maybe you can choose a backup suitor so that Father feels better about all of it. He might be willing to consider that. I know that he cares about your happiness, Josie." It didn't seem like it in the moment, but Ella knew that he did. He just wasn't about to let his daughter live in poverty, not knowing whether she would be able to afford clothes or food or shelter on a regular basis. But Father was also not the type to loan his money to another man who. In Father's opinion, a man shouldn't be married unless he had the means to provide for his wife.

Ella didn't know if Josephine would like that idea, but it was a more strategic approach than pouting about it. Having a bad attitude and complaining was just going to solidify Father's opinion. He was a stubborn man; everyone in the family was stubborn, and unless he saw that Josephine and Alec were mature and willing to fight in a respectable way for their relationship, it would be hard to change his mind.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine didn't know what to think about Ella's interaction with the mermaid. Her own opinion of Nora was somewhat mixed. On one hand, she'd almost managed to kill her boyfriend. On the other, she did play a role in saving all of their lives. It was a kind of moral ambiguity that had her entirely unable to form an opinion on the creature, good or bad. "You should have asked her for a scale for a souvenir," she said. It would be something else to have a mermaid scale. A physical piece of proof of what was sure to become a family legend.

She frowned at Ella's suggestion. It wasn't a bad one, but Josephine didn't think she should have to be forced to consider it at all. If she was lower class like Alec was they wouldn't even have to have this debate. "If he cared about my happiness he wouldn't have dismissed Alec and I so quickly. He didn't even give us a chance to explain." He probably thought it was a silly fling, a childish romance, or an act of rebellion from Josephine considering she hadn't approved of a single suitor to date. But it wasn't any of those things. Josephine wouldn't have bothered putting in the effort to sneak around with Alec for nearly two years if she didn't love him, and Alec wouldn't have done what he did either if she was just a temporary fantasy.

She moaned, pulling the blankets up further around herself. She was secretly hoping Alec would show up at her balcony later and the two of them could just run away and be together anyway, but she doubted that would happen. She couldn't even risk seeing him without endangering his job, which was ironically the only thing that gave them a chance right now. If they still had one.

"And I don't want a backup suitor. I want Alec," she said. The money was a whole other conundrum, but Josephine didn't understand why father couldn't do for Alec what he was doing for Peter. So far he was the only obstacle in the way of her happiness, which was ironic if that really was what he cared about like Ella said.

She chewed on bottom lip in frustration. "Maybe if I got pregnant he'd finally agree..." she mumbled. She wasn't serious about it, but at this point Josephine had thought of just about every way she could possibly get what she wanted and that was one of them. She was getting desperate in her heartbreak.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella giggled, imagining what Nora's reaction would have been if she'd asked for one of her scales. "I don't think she would have given one to me," she said. "I bet it would have hurt, and she was too busy charming Peter to let her go." She remembered how strange it had been, watching him lean closer and closer to the beautiful creature. Alec had been just as helpless when he heard her voice. It made Ella wonder what other kinds of magic were real.

She frowned at Josephine's response, letting out a sigh. "Well, look at it from his point of view. He's probably hurt that you didn't come talk to him before- I mean, it's been what, two years? Give it a couple days and then try to explain it to him without getting all emotional. He was in love with mother, he knows how it feels. Just because he said no doesn't mean you have to give up, but you just need to be smart about how you go about it." Ella was usually the more emotional of the two sisters, but there were occasions on which she recognized the importance of logic and rationality. This was one of those occasions.

"I know you don't want a backup suitor, Josie, but if you be with Alec then you'll have to marry someone else anyways. And agreeing to find someone would be a compromise for Father." It wasn't ideal, but it was closer to ideal than her current situation.

When Josephine suggested becoming pregnant, Ella looked at her in shock. "Josie, you can't be serious," she admonished. Ella could hardly picture her sister pregnant or with children; they were still so young. Admittedly, Father probably would agree to prevent the inevitable scandal, but still. "Good luck getting Alec to agree to that." She highly doubted that he would, and it was risky. If she didn't get pregnant and they were found out, then that was it for Alec and their relationship.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

"I don't think that makes a difference," she said. There'd been a reason why they'd kept it quiet for so long, and their father didn't even know how long they'd been seeing each other. If he had, she wondered if he'd be even more upset. Two years was a long time to be with somebody secretively. "Even if we told him a year ago, I doubt he would have acted any differently. Except... except maybe he would have actually fired Alec." He did say the only reason he was letting him keep his job now was because he'd helped his daughters. At least he was still near. Josephine wasn't sure how long she could go without attempting to see him.

She groaned again at the thought of having to entertain yet another suitor. She was so tired of them and she didn't have the patience. She also knew that Alec didn't like it, although he'd always done well to put up with it because he knew he had to. But Josephine didn't like it either. It felt like cheating and they were all sub par. Josephine had a hard enough time liking any of the men father intended for Ella, let alone herself who was already committed to somebody else. She didn't comment on it though, because she hated to admit that Ella was probably right. There was no real way she was going to wiggle her out of it, as much as she hated it.

"I'm not," Josephine assured her. She had given it a thought, briefly, but she would feel guilty about using a child as a gambling piece to get what she wanted. And Ella was right. There was no way Alec would ever agree to it. Any possibility of pregnancy was better left for the future, until after she was married, whether it ended up being with Alec or not. "I just pictured so much for us and it feels like it's all slipping away."

She sighed, feeling a little bit hopeless and helpless, but talking about it had helped a little bit. She still hadn't figured out what to do, but for now she could only take it a day at a time. She would keep Ella's suggestions in mind, and then as soon as she got the chance, she would find a way to discuss their options with Alec. It was just made overly complicated by the fact that she would probably have everybody watching her now. Father would probably be watching them both more closely, as he was protective and probably felt guilty about them being kidnapped in the first place. But he would also be watching her and Alec now that he knew, and would most likely get the servants in on it too.

Josephine pulled herself closer to Ella, giving her a small and gentle hug. "I'm glad you came to talk to me. I needed it." For once Ella was offering the logical advice to the emotional wreck.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella didn't know the answers; neither of them knew what would have happened if something had gone differently in the past, and there wasn't really any use in speculating. At least she wasn't serious about getting pregnant. That could only end in disaster, and it wasn't fair to anyone.

"You can fight for it," she tried to encourage her. "You just have to be smart about how you go about it. Father thinks that he's made up his mind right now, but you can change it. Talk to him, without Alec. Think about offering him a compromise. I know you don't want to, but isn't it better than the alternative?" Right now, Alec was doing all the work, and Ella thought it would make more sense and be more convincing to Father if Josephine did her part as well. Alec couldn't be depended on to change Father's mind all on his own. He didn't have a whole lot of influence.

She hugged her sister in return, happy she had been able to help. "You're welcome," she murmured. "I think I'm going to go to bed. Sleep well, okay?" Ella was exhausted, and she needed to continue to rest up if she was going to fully heal. After giving Josephine one more hug, she hopped off of the bed and wandered back to her own room, excited to sleep in her own bed. Once she'd climbed in and gotten comfortable among her soft blankets and feather pillows, she fell asleep almost immediately.

The next morning, their father woke up early to take Peter into town. It was a strictly business trip, focused on getting Peter fitted for some nice new clothes and a couple of suits, for formal occasions. Because it would take a few days for the custom clothes to be made, he bought a few standard sizes that would last him until then before returning to the house.

She'd had a very restful night, and a relaxing morning. The servants had brought her breakfast in bed and styled her hair while she ate, fashioning the waves into loose curls that bounced around her shoulders and tying part of it back with a blue ribbon. Most of Ella's dresses were a little too big for her now, so her handmaiden Marie pulled out some older dresses from storage that Ella had worn when she was younger. Much to Ella's dismay, she also managed to find a smaller corset, and Ella's days of dressing improperly appeared to be over for now.

Wearing a sky blue dress trimmed in white lace, she relaxed in the front parlor reading one of her new books, awaiting Peter and her father's return so that she could give him his tour.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine snuggled down further into the mattress. She hated that this was what it was all coming down to, but Ella was right. There was no way it was going to work for her and Alec if she just moped around and let Alec do all the hard work. She had to do something too, and right now that meant trying to appease her father, as much as she didn't want to. Their relationship had never been easy, so why had she expected it to be easy now? If it didn't work, she might end up more heart broken than ever, but at least they could say they had given it all they could.

She said goodnight to Ella and settled down comfortably in her bed. She still wasn't happy, but she was better. At least she didn't feel like crying anymore. Falling asleep was much easier now that they were home, and in the morning she was greeted with the same treatment as Ella. She had taken for granted all of the small luxuries before they'd been on the ship, and now that she had them back it was hard to imagine her life had ever been this way. She too was dressed in one of her older gowns to accommodate the weight loss, but it didn't matter so much that she was presentable today. She spent most of her time in her room, thinking, while the servants checked in on her every half hour on the dot. Father's way of keeping an eye on her while he was out with Peter. She had a feeling it would remain that way for some time, until tensions started to cool down.

Sleeping on a feathered mattress with silk sheets and down pillows meant that Peter awoke having had the best sleep of his entire life. In all of his years, he couldn't recall ever touching something so soft. He was almost reluctant to get out of it, especially when a servant brought him a tray of food, until he remembered that today was the day Ella and Josephine's father was going to have him fitted for clothes.

It was so surreal. He had never been fitted for anything in his entire life. His wardrobe had pretty much always consisted of a basic shirt, some loose-fitting trousers, and in the winter, a course brown jacket. And now, he was being dressed in some of the finest attire he had ever seen. Wealthy men dressed in so many layers than he was used to, and the materials everything was made out was much less coarse than what he'd been wearing on the ship. Not to mention their father also treated him to a new pair of shoes to go with the new outfits. When they returned back to the mansion, he'd changed into one of the standard suits. He felt a little bit awkward in them, but he was sure soon enough he'd grow used to them.

He smiled when he saw Ella waiting in the parlor. He had never seen her the way she was intended to look on a daily basis; clean, hair brushed and curled, a nice dress. Even when she had first gotten to the ship, she'd been soaking wet with rain and shortly thereafter she'd resorted to wearing her underclothes around all the time. This was different than he was used to, but nice. Their father managed to say anything before he could, though.

"Ella, darling," he said, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek before gesturing towards Peter. "Take a moment to look at Peter. He looks like a new man, doesn't he?" He stepped back to admire the work his money could buy. Their money may have started to dwindle, but they could still afford the finest things, and their father was never cheap when it came to gifts.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella perked up when Peter and her father came through the front door. She set her book aside and stood to greet them. It was still exciting to see her father after all the time they'd spent apart, and when he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek Ella threw her arms around his neck, squeezing him tightly. He responded by hugging her back, still hardly able to believe for himself that both of his daughters were home, safe and sound and in one piece.

After a moment, Ella turned her attention to Peter. She was hardly able to recognize him. He looked amazing. She couldn't tell him just how amazing with Father standing right there, but she did approach him and run her hands over the fine material, assessing it. "Very handsome," she agreed, looking up to meet Peter's eyes. His hair was clean and combed back, and with the suit he truly looked like a wealthy man. Much to Ella's surprise, he looked like the kind of man that she could actually be with, if she wanted to. She had no idea where their relationship was headed, but maybe it wasn't such a crazy idea after all.

"May I steal him away from you, Father?" she requested. "I promised Peter a tour of the estate."

Her father smiled, glancing towards Peter. "Only if you're feeling better," he said to Ella. He reached out and put a hand to her forehead- she was maybe slightly warm, but it could very well just be him being overanxious about her health.

"I'm feeling much better," Ella assured him. Her father nodded his consent.

"Alright, then. I'll be in my office if you need me." Ella nodded, watching as he disappeared down the hallway. When he was out of sight, she turned back to Peter.

"What do you think?" she asked him. Ella was aware that it might seem a little too fancy for his taste, but he didn't have to wear a suit every day if he didn't want to. Or at all, really. But sometimes it was nice to dress up. Clothes could make someone feel like an entirely different person.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter felt naked under Ella's appraisal. He was somewhat unsure what to think about all of this himself, but he did care about Ella's opinion. He wondered if he looked just as ridiculous as he felt, but his mouth twitched into a smile when she called him handsome. He was glad she thought so, even if he didn't look like the same man he'd been on the ship. His old clothes represented the pirate version of himself, but these new clothes showed him a glimmer of what he could be.

He held her gaze until the exchange of words between her and her father, then at her question he shrugged, pulling at the fabric a little bit while he tried to take it all in again. "I don't know," he said. "To be honest I feel a bit ridiculous, but I think it's just because I'm not used to them. They're comfortable, though. I never thought I'd be wearing silk," he grinned, stepping forward and giving her a light kiss on the cheek. Not only were the clothes going to take some getting used to, but so was the budding romance between him and Ella.

"I look a little more like you now," he commented, leaning back to yet again admire her own transformation. She had always represented something a little untouchable to him. Even when she'd been running around without her corset and gown, there was something undeniably upper class about her. She had a grace those who were born poor were never able to achieve. But now he could see what had been hiding underneath all the dirt. She was beautiful then, but she was even more stunning now.

"So where does this tour of yours begin?" he asked.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella giggled when Peter said that he felt a little bit ridiculous. She supposed that she could understand, but he looked anything but ridiculous to her. Ella thought that he looked like a prince. "I have reason to be jealous of you, then," she joked. "My clothes are never comfortable." She glanced down at her waist, feeling the corset underneath the layers of expensive material. These kinds of dresses were meant to enhance a woman's appeal by creating the illusion of a tiny waist, wider hips and a more pronounced chest. But at least she was used to her clothes, so even if they weren't incredibly comfortable they were at least familiar.

Peter surprised her by leaning in and kissing her cheek, right in the middle of the foyer. There was nobody around, but still. Ella wasn't sure if they were supposed to be keeping their little romance a secret or not, although judging by what had happened to Alec and Josephine, maybe it was best that they didn't make a big deal out of hiding their feelings for each other. For just a moment, Ella allowed herself to fantasize about Peter asking her father to officially have permission to court her, and him saying yes. It wasn't looking as ridiculous as it had once seemed. "What was that for?" she asked shyly, flushing.

She shrugged at the comment that he looked more like her now, supposing that it wasn't untrue. "You look wonderful," she assured him. "And you'll look even better in the tailored suit. Like a true gentleman." Ella, for one, couldn't wait to see him in that. Father's suits always looked impeccable and fit him like a glove. Peter's, she was sure, would be no different. She had always thought that he was handsome, but there was something about a tailored suit that transformed a man into a perfect gentleman, the sort that all the girls would swoon over.

"Outside," she told him. "I thought we could go outside and around the grounds, and then come in through the back for something to eat, and then I'll show you the house?" Ella was wondering if it would be inappropriate to show him her bedroom- she had a wall full of books in there that she wanted to show off. It was probably fine, but this would give her some time to take it into consideration. Gently, she took Peter's arm and bent it at the elbow before sliding her own arm around it, as if he was escorting her. Then she guided him out the door and down the steps, making a right to lead him towards the gardens.

The estate was covered in beautiful landscaping, but one of Ella's favorite places was the massive garden behind the house. It was especially beautiful now that all of the rosebushes were in bloom and the fountains had been turned on. There was an intricate white archway that marked the entrance, and a matching domed gazebo forming the garden's centerpiece. "These were Mother's roses," Ella explained, gazing at the flowers. "Josephine and I helped her plant them when we were little. And I planted these." She pointed to a cluster of purple flowers, smiling at the memory.

"We have tea there sometimes, during the summer," she said, pointing to the gazebo. "I like to sit there sometimes when it's raining. And this over here is the chef's garden. He grows all kinds of herbs and vegetables and berries." She led him over to it and bent down, picking a ripe strawberry off of its vine and offering it to him. "We aren't supposed to pick them, but I do all the time," she admitted with a smile.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter grinned. He'd always had sympathy for women when it came to fashion. Their dresses did not look comfortable, even if they made whoever was wearing them nice. But he thought that Ella looked beautiful whether she wore a corset and a fancy dress or not.

Peter hadn't even thought about the kiss when he did it. He just went for it, doing whatever had felt natural at the time. Her reaction had him nervous though, thinking he had done something wrong. He was not used to this, whatever they had together. He didn't know what was considered polite in high society. "No reason," he said. "I just... wanted to. Was I not supposed to?" He supposed he hadn't given any thought to the fact there could have been others who saw, and given what had happened with Josephine and Alec, he wasn't sure if they were supposed to keep it quiet or not.

He felt less nervous when she slipped her arm into his, guiding him to the gardens in the back. It was a sight to be seen. Peter had seen the most picturesque sites on the sea, but this was a different kind of beauty. It was calming and cheerful all at the same time, and he had never seen so many flowers of different vibrant colors clustered together. He was used to a different kind of nature, the one of waves and sand and noisy seagulls. But this was something he could appreciate, too.

"They're beautiful," he said, admiring the flowers and trying to picture Ella and Josephine as small children. It was easier to imagine Ella that way than Josephine, due to their personalities, but it was an interesting imagination. Peter wasn't really sure what had happened to their mother. Nobody had explained to him, but he hadn't heard them talk much about her, nor had he seen an older woman walking around the estate. He just assumed she was no longer among them. "Can I ask what happened to her?" he asked out of curiosity.

When she handed him the strawberry, he took it with a small laugh. "Somehow I'm really not surprised," he said, before sampling the fruit for himself. "My compliments to the chef," he commented. He hadn't even known they'd had a chef, but of course he should have realized that. In the homes of the wealthy, any work was a social business. They didn't have to do much with their hands. They left that to other people. It was such a strange contrast to life on the ship, where everybody had a job to do, and it almost always involved some kind of physical labor.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella was quick to reassure him. "No, no it's fine," she said quickly. "I was just surprised, is all." They probably needed to have a conversation soon about what their relationship was and what they wanted to do about it, but Ella wasn't incredibly inclined either way when it came to keeping everything secret. Father liked Peter, and she felt like he might be more open to the idea if they acted like they had nothing to hide. To assure him that it was all fine, she leaned forward herself and pressed a kiss to his cheek, still blushing.

She was excited to show him the gardens. Ella loved spending time in nature, and when the weather was nice she could sometimes spend all day out here, reading and sneaking fruit from the chef's garden. She smiled when he complimented the flowers, admiring them herself. When she and Josephine had been kidnapped, the roses had barely started to bloom. Now they were stunning.

Ella sobered somewhat when he asked about her mother. "She got sick," she responded simply. "A long time ago. I was...ten, I think. Yes, ten. She just got sick and never got better. That's why Josephine was so worried about me." It had been a hard time for all of them- Ella, Josephine, and their father. It wasn't a time that she liked to look back on very much, but she had fond memories of her mother. She had been a beautiful woman, much like Ella in her spirit. Ella had always thought it was amazing how she and Father got along so well, but they had been madly in love with each other despite their differences.

She was glad to leave the topic of her mother behind, and watched eagerly as he took a bite of the strawberry. In Ella's opinion, there were few things quite as wonderful as a fresh picked strawberry, though kissing Peter might be a close second. "I want strawberries," she told Peter as they walked along, looking at what else the garden had to offer. "Wherever I live, I want to grow strawberries and roses."

They walked a little longer among the flowers, Ella explaining the stories behind many of them and telling him about the many awkward tea parties they'd endured in the gazebo. Ella loved tea, but she wasn't much for the prim and proper atmosphere. Soon enough, they started walking back towards the house and Ella pointed up.

"That's my room," she told him, pointing to a balcony on the right side. "And that's Josephine's, over there." She pointed to the balcony a little farther to the left, wondering if her sister was awake and what she was doing. Josephine was probably still in her room, if she had bothered to get out of bed. It occurred to Ella that she could just look out her window and see her with Peter down here, which would probably result in a few choice words, but she didn't dwell on the possibility. "Shall we go inside?" she suggested. "I"m getting hungry."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter smiled at the kiss she gave him in return and relaxed to hear that he'd done nothing wrong. He hoped it would be alright to kiss her casually every once in a while. Maybe in front of Josephine he'd be more cautious. Also their father, who was plenty generous and kind now, but he didn't want to give him any reason to stop being that way. Peter got the feeling the man was protective, and he wasn't really sure he had all the qualities their father would approve of when it came the men he liked his daughters to see. Alec seemed like a perfectly fine man, and Alec wasn't a pirate. Their father had seemed very happy to learn of his and Josephine's relationship.

"Oh," he said, furrowing his brows. "I'm sorry for your loss." He'd lost his own mother too, so he knew what that was like. He'd lost his entire family, actually, but one was difficult enough. It was even harder when you had to watch what was coming. Peter could entirely sympathize with Ella on that, but she didn't blame her for wanting to move on quickly from the subject. Peter wasn't sure he would want to talk in detail about his own mother right now, either. Not even with Ella. "Josephine wasn't the only one worrying, you know," he admitted. "But I'm glad you're alright now, so I can spend some time with you." In a strange way, her getting sick almost felt like a blessing. He wouldn't be here if she hadn't.

Peter had never thought in great detail about what he wanted for his future, but he admired the way Ella had desires for seemingly the smallest of things. Strawberries and roses. Two things he had never really spent a lot of time around. Fresh fruit and flowers were not a commodity often enjoyed by seamen like himself. Briefly he wondered whether they could grow well closer to the beach, but he knew nothing about gardening. "If I could eat strawberries everyday," he said. "I think I would. I take it you like the color red then?" he smirked. Red was a passionate color and he couldn't help but think how suiting it was for her.

He enjoyed their outdoor tour and all the views it had to offer. He'd missed catching the sun's light and he had to admit that as different as this place was, it was beautiful. He watched Ella point out their rooms from the outside and wondered where his guest room might be from out here. "I hope I'll get to see it on the inside tour," he teased, but truthfully he was curious what sort of room somebody like her would have. "But food sounds good."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella gave him a little smile. It had been a long time ago, but it was still something that affected her, Josephine, and their father. Their mother had been an important part of the family, and things were never the same after she was gone. The girls had no female role model to look up to, which had made this season in their lives especially difficult, and Ella still missed her terribly. "Thank you," she said. "I know you know what it's like." As tragic as it was, Ella knew that Peter had it worse. He had no family anymore, none at all, and that was what had drove him to piracy. It was horrible to think about.

She smiled again when he told her that Josephine hadn't been the only one worrying, slipping her hand into his. "I know," she said, looking up at him. In a way, Ella would have agreed that it was a little bit of a blessing. Peter had only stayed because she'd gotten sick, and now here they were. Not only was he going to get a better start on his new life, but she'd gotten to find out that he hadn't meant what he'd said on the ship. And now their relationship, whatever it was, was something they could explore together.

"You can eat strawberries every day, now," Ella said cheerfully, bending down to pick another and popping it into her mouth after tearing off the little green leaves. It tasted like home, and she was hungry enough that she probably could have eaten them all if she wanted to. She laughed at his suggestion that she liked the color red, shrugging. "I don't know, I've never really thought about it," she said truthfully. "But roses come in lots of different colors, you know. Father used to bring light pink and white bouquets back from town- I think I like those the best. What's your favorite color?" Ella suddenly realized that there was still so much about Peter that she didn't know, even just the little things. She was excited to spend more time with him and learn everything there was to know.

"We'll see," she replied in a singsong voice, smirking as she looked up at her bedroom. "If you behave," she teased. She would probably show him her room, but for now, she was hungry. After pointing out where the stables were, she led him through the back door, which led into the kitchen. The household chef, Rory, greeted them when they came in.

"Miss Ella!" he exclaimed in a deep, booming voice. "You've been getting into my strawberries."

"Guilty," Ella admitted. "I'm sorry, Rory. But it's good to see you."

"It's good to see you, too, child." Rory came over to Ella and gave her a bear hug, nearly lifting her up off of the ground. "I was worried you'd never steal from my garden again."

"Can't get rid of me that easily," Ella giggled as he let her go. "This is Peter. Any chance there's anything for lunch?" Rory was happy to oblige, briefly commenting that Ella had gotten too skinny before giving them both a huge plate of freshly grilled chicken, vegetables and seasoned rice, alongside a salad made with fresh ingredients from the garden.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter liked the feeling of her hand in his. He could still hardly believe they were here together, talking casually about things that didn't really matter. Roses, strawberries, and favorite colors seemed like such feather light topics after all the time on the dreary pirate ship.

"Blue," he answered her. "Like the sea and the sky." He was a simple, predictable man, but there was nothing better than being surrounded on all sides with different shades of blue. It was a beautiful, calming color. There was not as much of it out here, but he still adored the sky, and he was also admiring her in her blue dress.

He grinned at her teasing and took advantage of their linked hands to pull her closer and wrap an arm around her from behind. "Is that so?" he asked, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "What if I like to misbehave?" He was getting dangerously more comfortable with her by the minute. He still thought they should take things slow, but it wasn't going to stop him from teasing her. He liked it when she blushed. After a moment he let her go though, pushing her playfully towards the door.

Peter smiled politely towards the chef, making note of his name. "She's not the only one," he chimed in at the strawberries comment. "They're very good. Nice to meet you."

When the food was brought out he stared at it in awe. There truly was nothing about this place that wasn't coming as a complete surprise to him. The food looked and smelled amazing, but he had never seen quite so much of it piled up onto one plate.

"This is fit for the king," he said to Ella. "Do you always get to eat like this?"

 

[AvianJen]

Ella would have guessed blue, if only because he'd spent about half of his life being surrounded by that and the color brown. "I like the sea," she said thoughtfully, remembering the first day they'd been allowed to come up on deck. It seemed so long ago, but she remembered how magical it had seemed despite everything that was happening to them at the time. "I'd like to sail again...under different circumstances, though," she added with a smirk. Being kidnapped by pirates was not something she wanted to happen to her again, but it hadn't turned out so bad in the end. She and her sister were home safe and sound, with a new friend and a good many interesting stories to tell as the traumatic experiences faded into distant memories.

If his goal was to make her blush, he succeeded. Ella flushed bright red and felt her stomach do a flip when he pulled her to him and she felt his lips brush against her ear. She wasn't used to these feelings- sometimes she felt like she could hardly breathe when she was with Peter, and this was one of those moments. But somehow, not being able to breathe was a good feeling. That didn't make any sense, did it? She wanted to ask Josephine, but obviously she couldn't do that.

Unable to help herself, Ella turned her head and kissed him, her heart fluttering uncontrollably. They weren't really trying to be secretive and they were mostly hidden by the shrubs and trees anyways, but for a moment Ella didn't even think about who could be watching. "Then no more kisses for you," she replied playfully. It was strange how easy it was to talk to him, even how easy it was to flirt with him. It felt so natural. Not a single action or reaction was forced, and Ella felt free to be herself.

Rory greeted Peter pleasantly and led them into the smaller of two dining areas, typically reserved for breakfast and lunch. But before Ella could pick up her fork or answer Peter's question, Rory returned and set a bowl of strawberries between them. "Usually lunch is lighter," Rory said to Peter. "But the master said the girls need to eat more, particularly Miss Ella here after being so sick, so you'd best eat all of that, princess." He ruffled Ella's curls playfully, causing her to laugh and swat his hand away.

"It looks amazing. Thank you, Rory." The chef disappeared with a smile and a nod, leaving Peter and Ella to their meal. Ella dug in without hesitation, and just as expected, it was delicious. "Rory has been here forever," she explained to Peter. "He's like an older brother to me. And he's a genius, I swear." Peter could probably tell that himself, but finishing her plate was not going to be a problem.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter was surprised to hear that Ella liked the sea. He would have figured after all Ella and her sister had been through, that she would grown to dislike it. He was glad to hear that she could see past that though, and they could share a mutual interest in that. "Me too," he said. Some day he would love to sail the ocean again.

He was quite pleased with himself in his ability to make Ella blush. He had been with other women before, but nothing quite like this. Prostitutes didn't blush, they pretended to. There was something more rewarding about getting a genuine reaction from somebody who he had much purer intentions for, even if he wasn't crystal clear on what those intentions would amount to in the end. All he knew was that he liked this, he liked her, and when she turned around to give him a kiss, she'd succeeded in giving him a blush of his own.

"Hmm," he hummed. "Then I'll try my hardest to be on my best behavior for you, Miss Ella."

Peter nodded in understanding, but he couldn't help but feel like even their light lunches were more than he was used to for a typical meal. He would probably put on a few pounds if he wasn't careful, but hopefully whatever connections their father had could find him a suitable position with a little bit of manual labor. He really did mind it. In fact, he actually preferred it.

He grinned at Ella mentioning Rory was a genius and took a bite of his own food. "It is very good," he agreed, wondering how delicious dinner was going to be if this was what they were having for lunch. "And it looks like you have your appetite back," he observed, watching her start to clear her plate. It was such a contrast to the last few days where she had hardly taken a bite of anything.

"Do you cook?" he inquired. He wasn't sure if wealthy families functioned the same as his own had growing up. On the ship, they of course had a male chef. But back home, his mother spent hours by the stove. "Or bake, perhaps?"