Fantasy Caught in the Waves (Closed)

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter was thrilled at the prospect. He was finally going to be able to make something out of himself. He had spent so long lost in limbo, certain he was doomed to a life of crime. But now, all because of Ella and her family, he could finally get a better life. He felt like a new man.

Peter chuckled at Ella's comment. He could bring her all sorts of gifts, if he was lucky enough to continue knowing her. "Yes, l could," he agreed, marveling at the prospect of buying her exotic jewelry, books to add to her collection, new foods to try. They could share in his little adventures together. She was the one who made all this possible.

He kissed her back, hardly able to believe this was his life right now. This house, a job to look forward to, a beautiful girl on his arm and on his lips. He smiled at her when she pulled away, but he was caught completely off guard by her question. Still, he wanted to answer her honestly. Last time he had turned her away and it ended up hurting them both.

"I don't know," he said. "It's just different. You might find this hard to believe, but I haven't really been with a lot of women." Prostitutes? Unfortunately yes. But that was different than this. "But I like it," he said. "I like you." He leaned in for another kiss, brushing his lips softly against hers. "I like kissing you, too."

Josephine turned away from the horse when she heard his voice, her spirits immediately lifting. She half stumbled towards him, naturally falling into his arms and melting at him referring to her as his love. He hadn't forgotten her or fallen out of love yet. It had only been two days, but she was drunk and it had been an emotional couple of days anyway. How could her father want to take this wonderful man away from him?

"Alec," she sighed, pulling herself away enough to tip her head up and press her mouth against his. She felt deprived of this, and suddenly she just wanted to have him hold her and kiss her and tell her he loved her. "I missed you..." She breathed, then let out a small giggle as she placed a kiss against his neck. She was just so happy to get to see him, she was distracting herself from his question and concern.

She leaned back on her heels so she could see him, his question regestering and frowned. "No," she said, her eyebrows drawing together. "I hate father... He won't.. he won't let me see you. And the house..." She hated thinking about dinner. She didn't even want to tell Alec. She drew herself closer and pulled on his hands, trying to pull him with her as she went to lean against the railing of the ladder to the loft. "But he can't control me... I want you. Come be... Come be with me, Alec," her pouting turned into a request, and she leaned in her head to kiss him again. On her way here she had decided that she would leave him only having given him all of her. Her heart, body, mind, and eternal soul. They could run and find a priest. They didn't need her father's approval.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella raised her eyebrows when Peter claimed he hadn't been with a lot of women. "Really?" she asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "A casanova like you?" She leaned towards him when he kissed her again, completely captivated by him. Ella almost felt lucky that he had been stuck at sea and he hadn't had the opportunity to be with many other girls. She wasn't so naive to believe that he hadn't been with prostitutes; he's insinuated that the day they'd first met on the ship. But it didn't bother her, because she knew that this was different.

"I like you, too," she admitted, blushing. "And I like kissing you, and spending time with you. But I guess I'm just asking...is this something you want to pursue, seriously? Or are we just, you know...I think Josephine calls it friends with benefits." Ella didn't know what she wanted, but she knew that she didn't want that. She wanted something more, even if she didn't know what that would look like. But she didn't want to be friends with benefits. She wanted something real, and the spark between her and Peter was undeniable. She knew that they both felt it, but the question now became what to do about it. They could only go on kissing behind closed doors for so long before something more...official needed to happen.

Alec had never dealt with a drunk Josephine before. He wasn't sure what to do, but as usual, he wanted to address his concerns before he allowed himself to get emotional. Alec tried to keep his priorities in line at all times, but that was one thing that Josephine made very difficult. She affected him like no one else did, distracting him and causing his mind to wander away from what was really important in the moment. That was what she was doing now, kissing him. Alec could get drunk on her kisses alone, but he was concerned about her well being, and that had to come first.

"I've missed you, too," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly. He didn't entirely believe that she hated her father; she was just angry. Understandably, though- Alec was angry too. But she wasn't making sense. "What about the house?" he asked, furrowing his brow. There was nothing wrong with her house, at least as far as he knew. He responded to her motions, moving over to the ladder with her without resistance, but his concern increased with every passing moment.

Be with her? His eyes wandered up to the loft. He couldn't deny that he'd fantasized about what it would be like to be with her intimately, but now now. And definitely not like this. Alec knew that, despite whatever Josephine was saying now, this wasn't how she would want it to happen either. He kissed her back, but was quick to pull back, running a hand through her silky dark hair. "Josie, you've been drinking," he accused gently. "You're not thinking straight. You know we can't." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You have to go back inside," he told her, even though it killed him a little to do so. "We'll both get in trouble if someone finds you out here."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

"Really," Peter said, the corners of his mouth turned up. He didn't really believe he was a Casanova, as she said. He knew enough to know he was attractive to most women, but rarely, actually never, had he ever pursued a girl like he was doing with Ella. "At least none that matter," he clarified.

It warmed his heart to hear her say she felt the same. Somehow knowing she returned his affections was the best thing in the world. What would it have felt like if she didn't? Devastating, probably. Suddenly he realized what it must have felt for her the other week, and he felt a pang of guilt. Especially when she asked him what he intended for her. For them. He was still hesitant to define this, if only because of the threat of his past coming out. He didn't want to end up hurt or to see her hurt again. At the same time, however...

"Friends with benefits?" He pondered. No, no that was never what he had intended. Did he consider her a friend? Yes, his closest, and kissing her was definitely a benefit. But it wasn't an accurate description. There was a connotation to it that he didn't like.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I don't want that." He pulled her close, kissing her forehead before leaning his against it. "I want you. And I don't want anyone else to have you," he admitted.

Josephine didn't want to tell him about the house. Selfishly she wanted to keep it a secret, as if it would go away if she never spoke of it. But of course that wasn't how it worked. Even her drunk brain knew that. "The one father said he'd give you..." She mumbled. "To keep us from seeing eachother..." She frowned, reaching out and playing with the ends of his shirt, thinking about how she couldn't let that happen.

More frowning when he told her to go inside. "No," she said. "I don't want to. I want to.. to be with you." She looked up at him with wide eyes, boldly but clumsily fumbling with a button on his shirt. They could do this. She knew he'd done it before - he'd told her. And they could be married by morning anyway. He just had to say yes.

"Be with me," she pleaded again. "We dont... We don't have to listen to father. We could... Runway. Find a priest. I want you... Don't you want me, too?" She wanted it so badly it hurt, no matter how illogical she was being. She couldn't see that with how foggy her mind was.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella smiled. She didn't know what sort of women Peter had been with before, but she didn't care. If they didn't matter to him, then there was no reason for them to matter to her. "And you..." she said with a smirk, "are the only man I've ever kissed." She pecked him on the lips again, practically addicted to kissing him by now. "I'd like to keep it that way."

She found herself relieved when he told her that he didn't just want to be friends with benefits, that he didn't want anyone else to have her. That was promising. Ella didn't want this to just be a little fling. "Me, too," she murmured softly, gazing into his eyes, her arms still draped around his neck. She didn't want to get ahead of herself, but if things continued to go as well as they were, maybe he could ask her father about the possibility of courting. If he were to get a job as a merchant, he would more than be on his feet by the time Ella was ready to marry, if that ended up being what they wanted. Then maybe her dreams of traveling really could come true.

It seemed ridiculous to think of marrying Peter now, but really it wasn't. If he requested to court her and it worked out, that would be the eventual result. High class girls didn't date casually, and if this was really what they wanted, it would get serious fast. Ella wanted him, though, and she was thrilled that he wanted her as well. "Well, I should probably get to bed," she said, not wanting to let him go. "I have to get my dress made tomorrow. Maybe I'll get a blue one," she joked, although she probably would. It was fun, having new dresses made. She got to choose the fabric and the design, which was always exciting.

Alec was beyond confused at this point. It was entirely possible that Josephine didn't know what she was saying. "He's...giving me a house?" This was the first Alec had heard of it, and he would be very surprised. A house would be nice if he could have one, but he couldn't afford it right now. And if he was going to be given a house, he saw that as progress. Why would she be upset about it?

She kept on surprising him, and Alec put his hand over hers, gently pushing them away from his shirt. What was she doing? Run away, get married? That didn't make any sense. "...A priest?" he asked in disbelief. "No, Josie. Of course I want you, I love you, but no. It's not going to happen this way. You can't leave your father, you can't leave Ella, and our first time together is not going to be when you're drunk and won't even remember it in the morning." He was adamant about that. Yes, he'd been with other girls, but Josephine was different. Josephine was special, and he wanted to be with her on their wedding night. "I love you, more than anything in the world, but you have to go back inside."

He kept on casting anxious glances towards the house, waiting for someone to come outside after them. "I'll go with you," he offered, worried that she might get lost on the way back to the house. He was equally worried about getting caught, but she wasn't thinking straight and her safety came first. "Please. You'll feel better tomorrow, we can talk about this then." He knew that probably wasn't a possibility, but maybe it would convince her for now.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter couldn't help but feel a little bit of pride at being the first man she'd ever kissed. Then again, she was high class. He doubted it was a common thing for women to go kissing very many people. They were much more dignified and selective about that sort of thing here. "Good. Then you have nothing to compare me to. I'm automatically the best kisser you've ever met," he teased.

He gazed lovingly towards her, pretty sure he had never been this happy before. Maybe a future with her was more attainable than he thought. Maybe it wasn't so outlandish that an ex pirate could fall in love with an upper class lady and be able to keep her. Maybe Alec was simply wrong, and he was as well, that one day they would be forced apart because of society's broken and twisted standards of what the perfect couple should look like. He could talk to her father, see if it would be possible to make her a more permanent promise.

"Me too," he said, feeling tired. He'd had a long day, as enjoyable as it was. "And I'd think you still look beautiful, no matter what color you wear,." He thought she looked beautiful when she was sick and in her nightgown, but he was still looking forward to seeing her at her best as well. He had a feeling this party was not going to match any definition of party he had ever been to, though.

"I'll see you sometime tomorrow," he promised, giving her one last quick kiss goodnight. "Sleep tight."

Josephine wouldn't have minded the idea of her father giving Alec a house had she not been able to see right through him to his real intentions. "As your reward..." She explained. He would give him a house to keep them apart but he wouldn't let them marry still. "So I can't see you anymore..." She was confused too, about how Alec wasn't as upset as she was about this. The loft wasnt the most ideal, but it was cozy, and it was close to her. They had good memories associated with the loft. There was no reason to leave it if they weren't leaving it together. At least that was how Josephine was rationalizing things.

When he pushed her hands away, she responded by pushing him away from her. That wasn't the answer she wanted to hear, and she was somewhere between hurt and angry at the rejection. Why couldn't she just get what she wanted? Why was everyone telling her no? She was tired of hearing that she couldn't do this and couldn't do that.

"It hasn't stopped you before," she said defiantly. Of course she didn't really know the circumstances of those other girls, but to her drunken self it didn't matter. She was also equating his rejection of her requests as letting her father win, which also upset her. She felt like he was just giving up.

She turned away from him and pushed her way past him towards the door. She suddenly wasn't going to fight him on going back, but she was clearly upset about how things here had turned out. She was convinced this was their last chance and he had just thrown it away. She wanted to hate him for it, but it was hard because she also loved him.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella giggled again, nodding in agreement. "I suppose you're right. Where do I rank on your list, then?" she asked him playfully. She blushed slightly when he told her he thought she looked beautiful no matter what color she wore, shaking her head. "You're wrong there. I look absolutely horrible in yellow." It sounded silly, but it was true. Yellow made Ella look sick- everyone said so. But Peter was sweet, and she kissed him back briefly before he left.

"Goodnight," she said softly, closing the door behind him as he left. "Sleep well." When he was gone, Ella changed into her nightgown, brushed her curled hair into loose waves and snuggled under her covers. She read for a few minutes before finally turning out her light and falling asleep, completely oblivious to what was going on outside.

"...My reward." Alec hadn't been under the impression that he was getting any kind of reward, but even though Josephine was clearly upset about the possibility of him moving away, he couldn't convince himself to share her sentiments. He needed somewhere else to live- why wouldn't she want that for him? It may be an additional obstacle keeping them apart, but they weren't supposed to be seeing each other anyways. Going against her father's wishes was not going to help their case.

"You'd still see me, I'd still be here. Every day, all day. Just not during the night," he told her. They had most of their secret meetings during the night, but they couldn't have secret meetings anymore. For now, if they interacted it needed to be because she wanted to ride her horse, or something like that. Alec didn't like it one bit, but he would comply.

She startled him by pushing him away, and Alec stared at her in disbelief. "What?" he asked indignantly, a little bit hurt by her subtle jab. "And what do you know about that, Josie? Nothing." He'd never once slept with a drunk girl- it wasn't fair to them, knowing that their judgment was impaired. And he wasn't about to start now. He hated to hurt her like this, but she wasn't thinking straight. She would understand in the morning.

He rubbed his face when she pushed past him, watching her storm towards the door for a moment. He didn't know what to do, didn't know what he was thinking...but he didn't want her to have any doubts of his love for her when morning came, even if she hated him in this moment. Impulsively, he reached for her arm and pulled her to him, pressing his lips briefly against hers. "I love you," he swore. "I'm sorry."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter grinned, pulling her closer. "Oh, definitely number one," he assured her. She was much better than drunken prostitutes, no matter how much practice they'd had. "You're a natural. And you'll have to prove to me that you look bad in yellow. You could wear a potato sack and I'd still think you very pretty."

After the kiss goodnight, he wandered back to his room, drunk on happiness. Things were looking up for him. His life was going great all of a sudden, and he wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

She'd still see him? No she wouldn't. Maybe briefly in passing, but he knew very well what she meant. It wasn't enough to just see him when she couldn't even mutter a word to him. That was the whole point of her father doing this, and she wasn't as willing to comply with her father's wishes as he was. Compliance met being forced to court another man, and courtship meant marriage. "Yeah... When you're hooking up my wedding carriage," she said, throwing back his own words from a few days ago back at him.

He was right that she didn't know anything about the other girls, but if there was one instance where that bit of his past was going to come back to bite him, it was now when she was drunk and upset with him. Josephine had a mouth on her sometimes, but this might have been the first time she'd used it on him. "Nothing," she said. "Because you didn't ever... Ever tell me about them." The way she saw it, apparently they had been good enough, but not her. She was feeling insecure, but mostly just alone.

She gasped just a little bit in surprise when he grabbed her arm and kissed her, the sudden motion sending her head spinning. She looked at him for a moment, not knowing how to respond or what to say. Then pulled out of his grasp and started away again. "Just leave me alone..." She mumbled, too drunk and too moody to really process any of this right now.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella beamed at him. It was entirely possible that he was lying to her, but she didn't mind. At least she knew that she wasn't a terrible kisser, because he was right; she didn't have anything else to compare it to. The idea of wearing a potato sack was absurd and made her laugh, but it was sweet. She, for one, was still having a hard time getting over how handsome he was in that suit. When they finally parted for the evening, Ella felt like she was floating. That was how she'd been feeling for most of the day, but she was so excited about everything and looking forward to what the future held for her and Peter.

Alec sighed. It wasn't untrue, and he knew that was what was likely to happen in their future. He wasn't naive, and he tried his best to be realistic. The chances of him convincing her father to let them marry were slim to none. If he had the money and the resources, sure, maybe he would consider running away with her. But the way his situation was now? They'd live like they had when they'd escaped the pirate ship, literally living day by day. That was no way to start a family.

"You never asked," he responded, appearing much calmer than he felt. She had asked if he had any sexual history, but she hadn't wanted the details. The details didn't matter- apart from right at this very moment, of course. "Like I said, I didn't love them. And it's because I do love you that I won't do this." He didn't expect her to understand now, but she would understand in the morning- as long as she was able to remember what had happened tonight. She didn't seem completely wasted, which was a relief. Alec was always concerned about her.

He was slightly discouraged, but not surprised when she told him to leave her alone. "Alright," he murmured. She did need to go back to the house, and he wasn't going to push her. "Goodnight, Josie." He watched her leave, making sure that she returned to the house safely before turning to go back up to the loft. He had been so exhausted before, but now he wasn't sure he would sleep at all.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

No matter what Alec said to her tonight, he was probably not going to be able to get through to her. She wasn't in her right mind, and she was already upset for reasons that reached beyond him. Now that he was telling her no, it was a lot for her to process. She had come with the expectation of feeling better tonight, but somehow she ended up feeling worse. It wasn't even about sex or marriage, even if that was how her feelings were choosing to manifest themselves. She was just upset that nothing was going her way and she felt like she was lacking control. that was something she had never been able to deal with well.

And now that she was almost certain her interactions with him would be brief, and opportunities next to none, she was feeling even more desperate to maintain control. It went even beyond their relationship. This was her life. She was expected to get married. She was expected to have children. Those were also things she wanted, but her choice of who she wanted to spend her life with was being stripped from her, and that formed the basis of the life she'd envisioned and wanted for herself. She could live comfortably as she always had with pretty much any man her father wanted her to be with, but they weren't Alec. They couldn't provide her with what made her happy, and apparently he was also unwilling to. He kept saying he loved her, but he wouldn't marry her. He wouldn't be intimate with her. Those were two things she thought people who loved eachother we're supposed to do. And now he was saying he hadn't loved the girls he'd been with, which was translating inside her drunk brain as "you're not good enough or worth it".

She couldn't think of anything else to say to him, which was probably all for the best. Anything she could have said was bound to be cruel, and she would have found more ways to blame him for the issues that were out of their control. Instead she just turned to leave, feeling much worse than she had before. She did manage to stumble back to her room in one piece, and as soon as she hit the bed she passed out.

The morning was not much better. She woke up to the sound of one of the servants at her door, rousing her from her sleep to a splitting headache from the hangover and the fuzzy memories of the night before. She moaned, fighting getting up. Physically and emotionally she was drained. She was still hurt by the confrontation with her father, and the details about what had happened with Alec were coming back full force. How had she taken an already bad situation and made it so much worse in such little time? It was embarrassing.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella could not be more excited for the party. She had been bouncing off the walls all day, helping Rory briefly in the kitchen and helping to decorate by picking flowers from the garden and arranging them in pretty vases, to be set on the dinner table and around the house. All the servants were hard at work cleaning and cooking, making sure there was enough food to feed all of the guests. Ella had no idea exactly how many people would be there, but Father's parties were always extravagant. He had even hired musicians, so that Ella's wish for dancing could come true.

The girls had gone into town to pick up their dresses yesterday. They had both turned out beautifully; Ella's was cornflower blue, with a slightly dipped neckline and sleeves that fell off the shoulder. The bodice was intricately beaded, and while the skirt was fairly simple the fabric shimmered in the light. It was probably the prettiest gown Ella had ever owned, and it made her feel like a princess. She couldn't wait to wear it. And, of course, she hoped that Peter liked it.

Things with Peter had been going better than Ella could have ever imagined. They spent almost every day together, reading or sitting in the garden. They had gone into town with him to pick up their dresses and the rest of his clothes, making a little excursion out of it, and Ella had also been trying to teach him to ride. Alec was always nice to them when they came to the stables, though Ella could tell that there was something bothering him immensely. Josephine as well, although her sister hadn't been acting like herself since Father had made his decision. Ella wasn't sure if there was something else going on, but she was trying not to pry too much. Josephine would talk to her about it if she wanted to.

But either way, Alec was coming to the party. Not for long, but for an hour or so, just long enough to eat dinner and be formally acknowledged by their Father. He was wearing one of Peter's suits in the standard sizes, which fit pretty well considering the two men were more or less the same height and build. He didn't like wearing the suit; like Peter, he felt a little bit ridiculous, and he felt like no amount of cleaning up could make him look like a member of the upper class. He was a stable boy, and unlike Peter who had found the key to joining high society, that was what he would always be. He was dreading going after the incident with Josephine, as well. They hadn't been able to interact since the night when she'd come to him drunk, and he had no idea if she was still angry with him.

Ella was probably the only one of them who had no reservations, doubts, or worries about the party. She had made a complete recovery and was back to her normal energetic self, buzzing with excitement. The time finally came for her to get into her dress, her hair curled and half tied back with a matching blue ribbon. She also wore a sparkling bracelet- a gift from her father- small diamond earrings and a simple silver necklace. She could already hear the guests downstairs by the time she was ready, and imagined that Peter and Alec were already among them. She fluttered down the hall to Josephine's room, knocking.

"Josie!" she called in a singsong voice. "Are you ready to go downstairs?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Unlike Ella, Josephine could not be any less excited about the party. She didn't want one, even if it was being thrown in her honor. It was supposed to be celebratory, partly signifying her and Ella's return to high society, but Josie couldn't find much reason to celebrate. If she could have her way, she would have spent the entirety of the afternoon locked up in her room in isolation, as she had been for most of the week. She had little interest in socializing, not even with her sister, and lack of motivation to even enjoy her usual hobbies. She was unhappy. Even their father was worried about her, but not enough to budge and listen to her pour her heart out. Alec was a forbidden topic of conversation, and he mostly just seemed to assume she was taking longer to recover from the trauma of being kidnapped and held for ransom. He might be right, but that was only part of it.

Still, no matter how she felt about it, she was obligated to attend the party. It was going to be difficult putting on happy and friendly face when on the inside she was hurting so much. As if facing everybody else wasn't going to difficult enough, she was also dreading facing Alec. She had wanted him to come, but that was before everything had happened. Now, she wasn't so sure. She was embarrassed about what had happened, but also confused. It was hard for her to know what she was feeling anymore, and she supposed what had come out when she was drunk had pointed to some underlying insecurities she was facing. They would have to talk, but unfortunately their father was barring them from that as well.

When Ella came knocking on the door, she was just finishing putting on an earring. It was a beautiful and simple set of pearls that had once belonged to their mother. When she'd died, Ella and her each got a share of her jewelry collection. She sighed at her reflection in the mirror. Her long dark hair was pulled back into an elaborate style one of the servants had helped her with. It was mostly up, with two long pieces left alone in the front to frame her face. Her gown was beautiful, too. It was a deep red color that contrasted with her hair and pale skin nicely. It was a similar style to Ella's - off the shoulder sleeves, a lower neckline. It didn't have as much beading on the bodice, but the skirt had elaborate rouching and a large, neat bow tied at her waist in the back. She might have admired herself in it more if she didn't feel like she was lying to herself and everybody else by getting so dressed up.

"Yes," she sighed, opening her door and joining Ella in the hall. Her sister amazing, and Josie wished she could have felt as good on the inside as they both looked on the outside.

Peter was excited about the party as well, but mostly just nervous. He wasn't sure what to expect. When the servants were rushing around trying to put everything together, all he could think about was how he had never been to a party like this before. He wasn't sure how to behave. He didn't know much social etiquette. Their father was patient and forgave him when he stumbled, but he worried not everybody here would do the same if he did something wrong. Would they like him? Or would they judge him harshly? And what if he didn't make a good impression on the men their father wanted him to meet? He hadn't started a job yet, but by the end of next week he was surely expected to. His stomach was all twisted in knots.

They were already seated before the girls even made their appearance. He sat next to Alec as the other guest of honor. Peter hardly recognized the man in the suit he'd let him borrow, much like he hadn't recognized himself at first. "You look nice," he commented, trying to be polite and friendly, even though he knew Alec felt awkward and probably didn't desire to be here with or without Peter by his side. He wanted to ask him how he had been holding up with things, but he wasn't sure it was right to do it now. Their father was nearby, discussing something with another guest, so it was probably best to leave relationship talk for a different time.

There wasn't much time to discuss it anyway. Shortly after the girls entered the room. Peter would have been rendered completely speechless if he had been talking when he saw her. He had seen her in more elaborate clothing than he was used to seeing most people, but the ball gown certainly took the cake for the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen her in. She looked glowing in it, and he couldn't help the smile that crept up onto his face when he saw her. It was even blue, like she said it would be, because she knew he liked blue the best. It was a ridiculous notion, but he felt like she was dressing for his eyes only, to please and impress him.

"There they are," their father said, standing at his seat at the head of the table and guiding the girls closer to show them off to the guests. "My beautiful girls. Safe and home at last." Josephine felt like shrinking away from the spotlight he was putting on her and Ella. She searched the many faces in front of her until she found Alec's, then averted her eyes and tilted her head towards the floor. This evening was going to be torture, she could sense it.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella beamed at her sister. She knew that Josie was having a hard time, and it would be her job to be cheerful enough for the both of them. Josephine looked gorgeous, as usual. She never said so, but Ella often felt inferior around her sister. Josephine was always so elegant and sophisticated, a look that Ella couldn't quite pull off even in her ballgown. Everyone could tell who was the younger of the two just by looking at them. Josephine wore updos and pearls, while Ella still preferred sparkles and to wear her hair loose. "You look beautiful," Ella commented. "Shall we?" Together, they headed downstairs to make their entrance into the grand dining room.

Alec was feeling incredibly awkward. Never before had he been invited to dine in the mansion, especially for such a formal event. He felt stiff and uncomfortable with the surrounding company, and he persistently stared at his lap. He hadn't heard yet whether he was actually being given somewhere else to live, but that was also weighing heavily on his mind. If it was true, then he would probably be told about it tonight. Maybe Josephine was upset, but he hoped that it was true. Alec was eager to have some sort of a life outside of the stables, and it was torture to stay there when he couldn't see Josephine either way. "Thank you," he muttered in response to Peter's compliment. "As do you." Peter wore the suit better, but he had been wearing nice clothes for almost a week now. Alec had never worn something like this in his life, and he felt like everyone could tell.

When the sisters entered, Alec's heart ached with longing. She was beautiful. They both were, but Alec had eyes only for Josephine. He had seen her in her ball gowns before, and every time it had the same effect on him. It hurt to look at her, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She met his eyes briefly before looking away, causing Alec's heart to ache even more. He couldn't interpret her specific feelings towards him at the moment, but it was easy to see she was unhappy. Alec wished that there was something he could do to make her feel better, but he knew that his presence could only be making this evening harder.

Ella, on the other hand, was glowing. Her loose, soft curls bounced around her shoulders as she leaned in to kiss her father on the cheek before taking her seat. She was seated next to Josephine, who was next to their father. As the oldest, Josephine always got the first seat. Directly across from them were the other guests of honor, Peter and Alec. Alec was across from Ella, a purposeful move on their father's part. It didn't help much, but it helped a little bit. They both sat down as the appetizer salads were brought out. Ella knew that Father would propose a toast later, when the entree had been served and the wine had been poured. For now, there wasn't much to do but socialize with those around her.

She glanced up shyly towards Peter, smiling when their eyes finally met. He looked incredible. The suit fit him perfectly, and her heart skipped a beat thinking about what it would be like to dance with him later. "You look wonderful," she told him. "You too," she added, glancing at Alec. It was awkward having him there and everyone knew it, but Ella figured she could try to make him feel welcome. Josephine wasn't supposed to talk to him, and no one else knew him except for Peter.

"Thank you," Alec said again, looking up at Ella and offering her a smile. "You both look lovely." He took a bite of his salad as everyone began eating, surprised at how good it was. He wasn't used to salads being especially flavorful.

"Thank you," Ella responded. She kept on glancing up at Peter, wishing that he was closer. "I'm glad you were able to come."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine did smile at Ella's compliment. She was clearly excited for the party, and Josie could at least be happy for her. "Thank you," she said. "So do you." Ella had a different style, but she was still radiant in her dress. It suited her bright personality. She didn't know that Ella felt inferior around her sometimes, but if she did she wouldn't understand why.

She took her place at the table, hyper aware of Alec's eyes on her. She used to love the feeling she got when he looked at her like that, but right now it was just a stark reminder of how much she couldn't have him. That, and his position at the table, which was obviously deliberate to separate the two of them as much as possible. It was also her first time really seeing him since that night, and she was still trying to wrap her head around that.

She did look up again briefly when he commented that they looked nice, allowing herself just a few seconds to admire him in the suit. He looked handsome, and she couldn't ignore the small flutter of butterflies in her stomach. "Thank you," she echoed her sister, although she thought she might prefer him in his casual clothes. Here he just looked like he felt so out of place, but she couldn't blame him. No doubt it was partly her fault.

Peter couldn't look away from Ella, although he was trying his hardest not to stare too much. He wished he could sit across from her too, but he was still close enough from right here that if he wanted to he could probably touch her. Of course he didn't do that, but he was thinking about how much he would enjoy taking her into his arms later for some dancing. He was hoping he wouldn't have to share too much of her with the other guests, but hopefully he wouldn't have to for long. He'd given it some thought, and once he'd finally secured a job, he was thinking about approaching her father for approval to officially see her. Seeing the way that Alec and Josephine were interacting now was difficult to watch, and he didn't want to make the same mistakes. He never thought he'd end up with a rich girl, but he felt himself falling for her with each additional minute he spent in her presence.

"It's already been said, but you do look incredible," he said, transfixed on Ella. He did nod to Josephine though and added "both of you."

As the salad portion of the dinner ended and the servants began to bring out the main course and pour drinks, their father stood from his seat and used a fork to signal a toast. The guests all quieted and looked to him expectantly. He cleared his throat and began. "Thank you for all being here today. As you know, a few weeks ago both of my lovely daughters were unfortunately taken aboard a pirate ship against their will and held for ransom. As a father, I was devastated. Some of you are aware that finances have been troublesome lately, and as such, the demand was much too high for what I could afford. I felt terrible, and guilty, that I could not give the pirates what they wanted. Everyday that went by, I wondered if I would ever see my daughters again, or about whatever awful nightmares they were facing while kept as prisoners. But, now, I am most relieved to announce to you all that my daughters have returned safe and sound back to home. Josephine and Ella, the most important people in my life, are alive and well, and all because of our honored guests today. If you don't mind standing, Peter, Alec, let me introduce you our guests today."

Peter stood as he was asked, smoothing the front of his jacket and smiled at their father, giving a nod off acknowledgement to the rest. He glanced to Alec, encouraging him to do the same.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella smiled in response to Peter's compliment, getting that fluttery feeling again that she only got when she was around him. She wished that she was able to talk to Josephine about what she was feeling, but her older sister had been both physically and emotionally unavailable in the past week. She understood why, but Ella had so many questions, wanted advice. Instead she was just finding her way through her romance with Peter alone, but it was hard to ignore the sneaking suspicion that she might be falling in love with him. Every moment she spent with him only made her want more, and they had so much in common. They never ran out of things to talk about or do together, and with him, there was a chance that she could live out the life she had always secretly wanted. Peter liked her for who she was, and he would never ask her to be anything different.

She felt horrible for Josephine and Alec, though. She wasn't sure what was going to happen in the future, but she hoped that whatever it was they both ended up happy. Even if Josephine married someone else and Alec moved away, she hoped that they would be able to be content, and maybe even stay friends. But Ella wasn't as sure about that as she used to be. She was beginning to realize that she didn't want to be with anyone who wasn't Peter, and they had only known each other for almost two months now. They could hardly hold a candle to Josephine and Alec's two year history.

While everyone was eating, Ella tried her best to be sociable despite Alec and Josephine's quietness. She talked to Peter a bit, and to the old family friends sitting next to her. She looked to the head of the table when Father finally rose to propose a toast.

The food had been delicious so far, and Alec was trying to focus on that. He was trying not to look at Josephine, knowing that it was doing nothing but making this more painful for the both of them. As soon as dinner was over, he would be able to take off this suit and return to the stables and his horses. Reluctantly, he stood when the girls' father addressed him, doing his best to look pleasant. Peter was doing a much better job, but to anyone who didn't know him, Alec looked perfectly normal.

"Alec is one of my own workers, who hunted down the pirate ship on his own in an attempt to find the girls and bring them home," he explained. "And Peter was a fellow captive on the ship who helped orchestrate the escape and take care of my daughters. I owe all my gratitude to both of these fine men for their bravery; without them, Josephine and Ella would not be here tonight. A toast, to Peter and Alec."

"Cheers," Ella chirped, clinking her wine glass with Josephine's before taking a sip from it. The rest of the guests did the same, toasting to Peter and Alec as the men sat down. Alec was sure that he had turned red somewhere along the line; he wasn't used to attention, and wasn't good at being in the spotlight. He felt like he could breathe again when he finally sat down and was able to return to his meal.

For Alec, the rest of the meal passed by in silence. He occasionally exchanged a few words with Ella or Peter, or acknowledged words of praise from the other guests who were in earshot, but he wanted to leave. He couldn't stand sitting here, so close to Josephine and unable to interact with her. He felt like the suit was suffocating him, and he was stuffed before dessert even came out. At last the meal came to an end, with their father requesting that everyone meet in the main entrance for more wine and dancing. Alec stood, nodding towards the older man respectfully.

"I will take my leave, sir," he said. "Thank you for dinner."

"Here." As the guests were filing out, their father surprised him by pulling out a key and a slip of paper from his pocket, putting both items into Alec's hands. Alec looked at the piece of paper, his eyes widening. It was a deed to a little country house a few miles away, with his name on it.

"Sir, I...I don't know what to say. Thank you," Alec managed, speechless. Was this real?

"Thank you for what you did for my daughters," the man replied genuinely. "I am sorry the way things have worked out, but the girls and I feel you deserve this. I'll have someone else take care of the horses tonight, if you'd like to pack up and check it out."

"Thank you," Alec said again, hardly able to believe what was happening. "Really, I...I can't thank you enough." He had started to think he may never leave the loft behind.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

"Cheers..." Josephine forced out at her father's toast. Alec wasn't looking at her. She was trying her best not to look at him, but out of her periphery, he was all she could see. All she could focus on. She gripped her wine tightly, and once she dinged it against Ella's glass, she took a couple long sips of it with a shaky hand. It was taking everything she had to hold it together and avoid embarrassing herself in front of the guests.

She managed to make it through the meal without breaking, but once more she barely touched her food. While Ella was starting to gain back to a healthy weight, not much had changed with Josephine's thin figure. She couldn't eat without feeling nauseous, and she was glad when desert ended and father dismissed everyone from the table. She stood quickly and hurried out of the room without looking back in their direction. She knew that father would be handing Alec his key, and she didn't want to be around to witness it.

Once out of the dining room, she turned into an empty corridor and leaned against the wall. If father disapproving of their relationship was the beginning of the end, him handing off the key and deed to a house they'd talked about, but one in which she could never share with him, must be the middle of the end. She couldn't ever walk that far to see him. There were too many people around during the day to ever have a conversation with him at length in the stables. He'd refused to marry her without her father's permission, didn't even want to touch her in the way she been craving more and more lately. She might have ruined everything anyway that night. Maybe he didn't even look at her the same way anymore. Maybe he would fall out of love now that they couldn't see eachother.

It felt like the walls were closing in on her and she started to feel light headed and dizzy. She wasn't crying, but she was gasping for breath, struggling to breathe as an overwhelming feeling of panic started to overcome her. Her corset felt too tight, the room spinning. She wasn't drunk, but something else. Her hands felt tingly and her feet were numb. Slumping against the wall she closed her eyes while she fought to regain control. All she could think was how much she hoped nobody saw her like this.

Peter had never been honored like this. It felt amazing to be acknowledged as a hero rather than a villian, but he was also somewhat bothered by the deception it took to be here. A fellow captive? Not exactly the truth. He wondered if their father would still look at him the same if he knew the whole truth, but for now he raised his glass and participated in the toast. He didn't want to over think things. Not tonight, when Ella was sitting caddy corner to him, looking beautiful in her gown. He'd never wanted a person so badly as he did right now.

The food was of course delicious, and he enjoyed dinner despite the awkwardness of Alec and Josephine. When they finished and the party moved to the other room, he fell into step beside Ella, tucking his arms behind his back in an effort not to just sweep her into a kiss in front of everyone, including her father.

"Did I mention how beautiful you look tonight?" He asked, repeating the compliment she'd received half a dozen times already. He couldn't help it. It was true, and he didn't want her to doubt his opinion on her for a single second. There were other men here he wasn't keen on sharing her with, but he knew he probably would have to. At least until he could speak to her father.

"Your father wants to introduce me to some people, but you'll save me some dances, won't you?" he asked. He was sure he'd make a fool out of himself, but he wasn't going to deny himself the pleasure of holding her close just because he was clumsy and didn't know how these formal dances went. She could probably teach him. She already had more grace than he could ever hope to possess anyway.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec knew that moving away would force him to be farther away from Josephine, and lessen their chances of seeing each other. But it almost didn't make a difference; they had just endured an entire dinner where they were two feet away without speaking a word to each other. They couldn't interact up close, and they couldn't interact farther away. For Alec, being given a house was more than he had imagined receiving, and he was excited to not freeze in the loft every winter and have to strip naked to get to sleep in the summer. He didn't know what kind of house it was, and he wasn't expecting anything fancy, but it was something he needed, especially now that it was looking like he would have to make a life for himself outside of this place, outside of Josephine. Alec didn't want to give up, but he wasn't sure what more he could do.

He put the key and deed into the pocket of his suit and started to head out, eager to get out of this stupid outfit and out of the overall awkward experience of being in the mansion. He was also excited to see where he would be calling home from now on; he knew that their father wasn't overly fond of him considering his romance with Josephine, but he also knew that the house he was given would be a nice one, clean and well built. Alec was thrilled, and despite everything, this new development had him feeling slightly more hopeful about the future.

He was left on his own as the remainder of the guests filed out. He didn't see Josephine, but Ella and Peter had already left as well, so he didn't think much of it. Not wanting to pass through the foyer and risk having to interact with more people, he decided to sneak out the back way. He turned down a quiet hallway, fully expecting it to be abandoned. Instead, he was surprised to see someone against the wall, someone he recognized immediately as Josephine. "Josie?" he asked, cautiously coming up to her. They weren't supposed to be talking, but she didn't look well and he wanted to make sure she was alright. He got a good look at her and became more concerned- she looked like she was about to pass out. "Josephine." He put his hands on her shoulders, trying to steady her. "Are you okay? Here, sit down." He helped her sit down on the floor and sat next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. His eyebrows were knitted together with concern. "Do you need anything? Water?"

Ella didn't notice when Josephine slipped away, Peter instantly taking her place at her side. She smiled at him, also resisting the urge to kiss him or hold his hand. They touched all the time, but this was probably one instance where it was not the most appropriate. She smiled brightly at his compliment, feeling another little flutter in her stomach. "Thank you," she said, happy that he thought she looked nice. Ella hadn't dressed solely to please him, of course- she wore dresses like this often for parties, but she had wanted it to be blue, and she had been hoping that he would like it. "And you look amazing," she told him, admiring him again in his tailored suit. It fit him perfectly, and all she wanted to do was dance with him.

"I'll save you all the dances you want," she promised. "How does the first one sound?" They finally reached the foyer, where Ella was quick to pick up two glasses of wine from one of the servants. She swirled the dark red liquid around in the cup before handing one off to Peter, smiling. "Let's try not to get too drunk, hm?" she joked. "Have you ever danced before?" It didn't matter to Ella whether he had or not, but she was curious. Probably nothing like this type of dancing, but it wasn't so hard once you got the rhythm of it and Ella didn't mind helping him.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine wasn't sure what was wrong. She just knew she was overwhelmed, overstressed, and she hadn't been eating enough. When she thought about it more, there hadn't been a day since her and Ella were taken or returned when she hadn't been stressed or upset about something. First it was the ransom, then Ella, Alec, Tom, the escape. Then it was Ella again, her father, and now Alec again. The possibility of a marriage she wouldn't want and the torture of being so close to someone she was forbidden to have.

The sound of her name startled her. She didn't want anyone to see her like this, and when she looked up and saw Alec, she wasn't sure whether that made things better or worse. Instead of telling him to go away, she let him help her to the floor. "I can't... Can't breathe..." she explained through short gasps for air. It wasn't unheard of for women to wear their corsets too tight and faint, but that wasn't what this was. It was everything else that was putting too much pressure on her lungs.

She shook her head at his request to get her anything she needed. She didn't think anything would help. She just had to calm herself down, get her breathing under control, and then the rest of it would follow. She found herself tucking her head into his shoulders, a reflex she probably would never get rid of. "I'm not supposed to talk... to you".

"I feel amazing," Peter beamed, and he did. This party was in his honor as much as it was Ella's and Josephine's. Tonight he would probably find someone willing to apprentice him, he could dance with Ella. He was adjusting to this life quite well by now. He didn't think he would want to settle down permanently in one place for two long, but if he became a merchant then he wouldn't have to. Eating good food and wearing silk, going on mini adventures with Ella, these were the things he could get used to.

He smiled at her response, taking the cup from her and placing it to his lips. "Sounds perfect. And ah, yes, that's probably a good idea," he said, after sipping his wine. To be honest, if they ended up alone in a room together, he might not be able to control his sober self either. She was addicting, and so were her kisses. He could remain cordial and polite if he had to, but he didn't trust the both of them alone together. Ella was a force to be reckoned with sometimes.

"Hmm. Depends on how you define dancing," he said with a grin. "Nothing like this, no, but I'm a quick learner." He knew nothing about formal dancing, and he was slightly intimidated as people started to make their way out on the floor together, immediately falling into perfect step with each other. They already knew all the moves, it seemed.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec frowned, taking a moment to look her over and wondering if he needed to run for help. But it occurred to him that grabbing someone to help may not ultimately be helpful at all. "Okay. I think you're having a panic attack," he said gently after assessing her behavior. She would be okay, but it was terrifying to see her like this, and Alec couldn't help but feel guilty knowing that it had probably come on because of something to do with him. All he could do was be there- technically he couldn't even do that, but there were certain times when Alec couldn't care less about what he was supposed to do.

"Shh...it's alright. Try and slow your breathing," he said softly, rubbing her arm. "You're okay. You're going to be okay, just try and relax." He did his best to remain calm in the hopes that it would rub off on her, but he was very concerned. Was she going to start having panic attacks now, because they couldn't be together? Ella had already started to gain her weight back, but Josephine hadn't. She hadn't been eating properly, and instead she had come to him drunk, wanting to have sex and run away to get married. She wasn't herself, she wasn't taking care of herself, and it worried Alec. She wasn't well. Didn't Ella notice, or her father?

"Josie, you have to take care of yourself," he insisted, keeping his voice down in case there was someone else nearby. "Please, for me? I can't stand this, Josie, you can't do this to yourself. Please." He didn't know what to do, but he almost had to laugh when she reminded him that she wasn't supposed to be talking to him. "I know, silly." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "But I'm not leaving until you can promise me you're okay."

Ella was thrilled with how well Peter was adjusting to living here. He surely missed the sea, but once he got on his feet he would be able to choose where he lived, and he would still be able to travel and be on the water. Maybe she could even go with him. She laughed, watching him take a sip of his wine and taking a sip of her own. "Father usually limits me to...three glasses," she told him. "And this isn't the strong stuff." Just because that was the rule didn't mean that she always followed it, though. "Shall we see how many I can sneak without him noticing?"

"It's not hard," she said in regards to dancing. She finished her glass of wine quickly and put it back on a servant's tray, trying to think of the best way to teach him. "Here..." She took one of his hands and put it on her waist, and laced her fingers through the other. Then she put her hand up on his shoulder, smiling up at him. "It's a waltz, so you just have to count to three over and over. Like this. One, two, three, one, two, three..." She guided him in the simple motion. "Just follow me and keep counting to three until you get it, okay?" She was excited already, and they hadn't even started dancing yet.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine had never experienced this before. She'd never had such a strong reaction to stress, not even when her and Ella's mother had been ill, not even when she'd died. She supposed she had never faced so many hardships back to back in her life before though, either. She was having a difficult time coping with everything. Alec was a big part of it; it wasn't like he was the only important thing in her life, but he was a significant factor. It was difficult for her to handle the rockiness and uncertainty of their relationship right now, on top of worrying about Ella and Peter, on top of her broken relationship with her father and the social pressures of her life. She wasn't even sure she was completely over what had happened on the pirate ship, even if she and Ella had walked away with their lives, dignity, and self-worth in check.

Pulling herself closer to him, she tried to do as he said and focused on slowing down her breathing. It was difficult, like her body was fighting against her will, but eventually it became easier and she started to relax. The feeling in her limbs were slowly starting to return, and her heart beat was slowing down. She clung tightly to him, despite not knowing how she felt about them right now. All she knew was that she loved him, and he made her feel safe and secure.

It hurt to hear him say it hurt him, to see her like this. She knew she wasn't taking care of herself, but it was hard to want to. Food made her feel sick, and her appetite had been pretty nonexistent. Emotionally she was a wreck, but she didn't have anybody to go to. Alec was forbidden, her father would never understand, and Ella was doing so well Josephine didn't want to bother her with any of it. "I don't know how," she admitted. "And I can't promise that... I haven't been okay for a long time." This wasn't like her. She wasn't the emotional person she'd been for the last few weeks, but even the strongest of people had their moments. Besides, she didn't want him to leave. She was afraid of she let him leave it would be the end of everything.

Peter raised an eyebrow. He did not, for whatever reason, peg Ella as the type of girl to sneak alcohol behind her father's back. He didn't know why, considering the one night they went through three bottles of stuff together. He knew he had a tendency to drink too much if given a chance, but he did not want to go there tonight. He needed to make a good, lasting impression on her father and his friends. "Didn't you just say we should go easy on the drinks tonight?" he said with a grin. "I'm not going to let you get in trouble with your father."

He set his empty glass on a tray when the servant came by and took her hand while she placed them on the correct parts of her body. Her waist felt warm and small under the palm of his hand, though she was not as thin as she used to be. She looked better, healthier, and he was glad she was doing well again after everything.

Silently he counted to himself, following her instructions. His feet were clumsy at first. He'd gotten more used to walking on land again after so long at sea, but dancing required more grace than he had. Eventually he was starting to pick up on it, though the small circles were going to make him dizzy before too long. "There are a lot more qualified dance partners, I'm afraid," he said, though he hoped she didn't care. He would steal every dance with her if he could, but he knew he couldn't.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec felt Josephine's muscles relax, and finally he could begin to breathe a little easier himself. He continued to rub her arm, growing anxious now that someone would come across them. He could easily lose the house he had just been given along with his job if that happened, which Alec could not afford. But he heard no footsteps, and right now Josie needed him.

He sighed at her response, unsure what to do. He understood what she meant, but the fact of the matter was that he couldn't stay here. "You do know how," he disagreed. "You eat your meals, you get some sleep, you avoid the alcohol and you don't stay in your room all day. Please. Have you even been talking to Ella? Why don't you ask her to...go shopping with you tomorrow? You need to take your mind off of things." Alec couldn't pretend like he was doing swell either, but Josephine needed to get herself together. He couldn't sit there and hold her hand until she felt like getting up and facing reality. More than anything he wished that he could, but it just didn't work that way.

"Look...I know things are hard right now, and I'm sorry. I don't know how to make it any better, but you have to try for me. Please, Josie. I'm doing the best I can, I can't...worry about you not eating, for heaven's sake. You're worrying me." He had never seen her like this, not even close. Things were hard for him too, but they both had to stay strong. There were no other options.

Ella pouted slightly before taking another sip of her wine. "I also said this wasn't the strong stuff," she pointed out. "And I don't get in trouble. I'm the baby." It was true; Ella had hardly ever gotten in serious trouble for anything in her life. But if Peter wanted to go easy on the drinks, she supposed she could live with that. He did have people that he needed to impress tonight, although Ella knew that he would have no problem with that. She did love her wine, but it could wait for another time.

Besides, she was eager to dance with him. It took him a few minutes to get the hang of it, but Ella was careful to stay on the outside of the group so that they didn't get stuck. "Yes," she agreed with a laugh, looking around at the other couples, "but there's no one I'd rather dance with." She took a step back and twirled under his arm, coming back to him standing even closer than before. "You're getting the hang of it," she noted with a smile.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine made a soft noise of protest. Alec meant well, and he was right, she just didn't want to hear it. For some reason she just didn't want to do any of that. "No..." she admitted, answering his question. She hadn't really talked to Ella at all, apart from that first night home. Now that he mentioned it, she felt sort of guilty. She'd isolated herself, made herself emotionally unavailable to pretty much everyone. She just couldn't think of doing things like shopping, or attending this party, when she felt so broken inside. She didn't know how Alec was handling it, but he seemed to be a lot stronger than she was right now.

Eventually, she just sighed. He was right, as much as she hated to admit it, and she didn't want him to worry about her. "Okay..." she relented. "I'll try." She wasn't going to make any promises that she would get better, but she could try. For him. Even if she didn't feel like it.

She couldn't bring herself to let go of him, although she knew eventually she had to. She would need to return to the party, before somebody saw them here, before her father noticed she was absent. But not yet, not now. She wasn't ready. She clung to him tighter, trying to draw as much strength and comfort from him as she could. "I'm sorry..." she muttered. "About the other night. I was drunk and... I'm really embarrassed." She'd thrown himself at him, and she couldn't imagine how he must have felt being cornered like that.

Peter couldn't help but laugh at her insistence that she wouldn't get in trouble. Baby or not though, he doubted her father would be very pleased if she got drunk and started to misbehave at his party. "Well, regardless, I would get in trouble for not stopping you," he said. He was very eager to please her father and his guests. For now he was looked at favorably, but it could change at any moment. He especially didn't want to do anything to make her father think less of him now. Not if he wanted to see about possibly arranging something a little more promising and permanent between him and Ella.

He smiled, happy to know that he was held in a higher regard than any of the other men in this room when it came to her. He watched her spin under his arm, admiring her ease and lightheartedness. It was impossible not to like her, and Alec's warning about how dangerous it was to fall in love with a girl like her echoed in his ears. It was too late to heed to it though. He was already falling way faster than was in his control, and there was no escaping it now.

"I have a good teacher," he noted in response, and felt his breathing quicken as she pulled herself even closer to him. "You're making it very difficult not to kiss you right now..." he said, looking past her to look over the crowd, searching for her father and any others that might be watching.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec nodded. That must be why Ella wasn't worried. That, and he'd noticed the way she and Peter had hardly been able to keep their eyes off of each other at dinner. She was too distracted by her crush. Alec didn't think that would end well at all, but obviously Peter was past the point of taking his advice, and Ella probably couldn't care less about his opinion. "You should talk to her," he encouraged. "You two talk about everything. Getting out of the house with her might make you feel better." The two girls did fight a lot, but they were close and they loved each other. Of course Alec would rather be there for her himself instead of referring her to Ella, but they both knew that wasn't possible. Especially now that he was moving away.

He felt better when she finally agreed to try. She wasn't going to get better immediately, but if she could at least start taking better care of herself then that was a start. Alec wasn't doing very well emotionally either, but he channeled his sadness and frustration into his work. He didn't want to face his emotions head on, and sometimes it felt like work was all he knew how to do. "Thank you," he murmured, kissing the top of her head again.

When she mentioned the other night, Alec shook his head. "Don't be," he said to her. "It's okay, I understand. And...I'm sorry I couldn't say yes. But just try and be careful, okay?" He sat there for a few more moments before finally rising to his feet, holding out a hand to her. The risk of getting caught here multiplied every minute that they lingered, and she needed to get back to her party.

Ella didn't think that he would get in trouble for her actions, but she only shrugged in response. There was no point in making a big deal out of it; if they so desired, they could drink at length some other time. But not too much- Ella was not interested in dealing with another hangover. For now all she needed was the music and dancing in Peter's arms. Her skirt floated around her like a cloud, the shimmery material sparkling in the light. It was all to easy to get lost in the sound and the feeling.

"I don't know about that," she laughed when Peter said he had a good teacher. Her teaching was mediocre at best, but as promised, he was a fast learner. Ella was unable to keep the smile on her face at his next words, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. She wanted him to kiss her, badly, but in this setting even a peck on the cheek without them being official would be inappropriate. But they had made goodnight kisses something of a little tradition, and Ella was fully expecting on later tonight. "I'm sorry. Do you want to stop?" she asked, raising a teasing eyebrow at him.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine thought about telling Ella all of the emotional blunders she'd been having recently, and while in theory it was good, she couldn't help but feel a little reluctant. She had been somewhat of a hypocrite lately. She'd yelled at her sister before for getting drunk and running off with a guy, and then now she'd turned around and done the same thing, although thankfully Alec had enough sense and was sober when it happened. She still couldn't help but wonder what if might have been like, to be with him completely. And if he had agreed that night, to run away and get married, well... her father would be furious. Alec would be out of a job, and Josephine may even have been disowned. It had happened before with other girls, though it was rare to hear about. As much as it hurt at the time, it was best it worked out this way.

She was feeling a little bit better, now. Still far from happy, and exhausted from her panic attack, but sitting with Alec helped calm her down. It was reassuring to know he still cared about her and could forgive her mistakes. Maybe, hopefully, someday it would be her saying yes to him. It seemed impossible now, but she still wanted to hold onto the little hope they had left.

Taking his hand, she pulled herself up. She didn't want to say goodbye, but she knew she had to. Stepping closer to him, she kissed him, slow and lingering, trying to drag it out for as long as they possibly could before getting caught. When she pulled away, she sighed. "Just so you know... my offer still stands. If we ever... get the chance. I want it to be you." She gave him one last quick kiss. "Just don't give up on me," she said, backing away and forcing herself to take steps back towards the party. It was hard to leave him, and if she didn't force herself to do it now, she might not ever.

Peter just enjoyed being close to her, whether it was dancing, or reading with her on the sofa, or taking walks through the garden as they had on occasion. Something about her just seemed to make him feel better about himself. Happier, lighter, like a man who could actually do something worthwhile with his life. They didn't even have to talk to pass time pleasantly together.

"No, not at all," he replied to her question. He could dance with her for hours, for days, even. No matter how bad he thought he was at it. He was sure she had a million other dances she could teach him, if only they had that sort of time right now. He didn't want to stop dancing with her, but her question did remind him that he couldn't spend the entire evening with her.

"I don't want to stop dancing with you," he said. "But I probably should go meet your father's friends, so that I can land that apprenticeship your father suggested." He smiled gently to her and started like he was going to kiss her cheek before stopping himself. Instead he took her hand and kissed the back of it instead, like he'd seen a few other men do. That, at least, seemed socially acceptable. "But I promise I'll come steal some more from you later."

 

[AvianJen]

Alec kissed her back, forgetting about his anxiety for the time being. Every time they kissed Alec felt like it would be their last, but that just meant that they had to make every one worth it. He didn't say anything when she pulled away; what could he say to that? Alec wanted to be with her, but he knew that for himself, being with her once and knowing that he really couldn't have her would be worse than never being with her at all. She kept saying not to give up and he wouldn't, not yet, but when did they draw the line? Her father wasn't going to change his mind anytime soon, and now that he was moving he wouldn't get much of a chance to influence him one way or another. Alec was beginning to lose hope, but he couldn't tell Josephine that right now. He didn't want to believe that their future was hopeless, but Alec was having a more and more difficult time finding things to hold onto.

"Goodnight," he murmured, watching her return to the party. He hoped that she would take his words to heart and try to take actions to make herself feel better. When she was out of sight, Alec ran a hand through his hair and continued on his way through the hall, heading outside through the servants' entrance and heading back towards the stables, where he was quick to change, pack up his few belongings, and mount his horse. As he set out, he glanced back at the house. The lights were all inside and for a moment, he thought he could see Josephine through one of the many big windows. But when he looked again she was gone. Alec urged his horse into a gallop and sped away in the direction of his new home.

Ella was disappointed when the song ended and Peter decided that he needed to go talk to his potential employers, but she didn't blame him. It was important, and once he'd gotten that taken care of then they could dance for the rest of the night. Her heart skipped a beat when he kissed her hand, and she bent in a curtsy. "As long as you promise," she smiled. "Good luck."

"May I cut in?" Another gentleman came up beside them, holding his hand out to Ella. She nodded and took it, letting him lead her onto the floor for the next dance as Peter went to do his networking.

The girls' father was standing on the other side of the room, enjoying a glass of wine with his friends. When he caught Peter's eye he waved him over to introduce him. "Gentlemen, this is Peter," he said, passing the young man another glass of wine. "He's looking for an apprenticeship as a merchant; I thought one of you might have something available. Obviously he comes highly recommended." He smiled and took a sip of his wine, noticing Josephine enter the room out of the corner of his eye. He had a nice young man to introduce her to later this evening, but he thought he'd let her get in a few dances first.

Ella also noticed Josephine come back, having assumed she'd just gone to the bathroom or something. She waved from across the room, smiling brightly. She knew that her sister was struggling right now, but she hoped that she was able to have some fun tonight. They all deserved it.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine tried not to let herself think too much about when the next time she would see him would be, or how much longer they had together. She would not give up on him until a wedding ring found its way onto her finger, whether it was from him or not. Fighting her father was the more difficult route, but it was the only one she was willing to take. She just hoped that Alec would remain on the same page her, that their love was strong enough to fight through the difficulties they were facing right now.

It was hard to walk away from him knowing he wouldn't be in the stables tonight, but she eventually managed to do it by forcing herself not to look back. Instead she made her way back into the party, focusing her energy on keeping a straight face and playing pretend for all the guests. They didn't need to know how miserable she really felt. She didn't want to bring anyone down, even if she would much rather be elsewhere.

Seeing Ella wave to her, she crossed the room to her, asking to steal her away from the man she'd been dancing with. She linked their arms together, feeling somewhat guilty for ignoring her sister for so long. "Enjoying the party?" She asked, genuinely curious to hear Ella's opinion. She was so excited earlier, she hoped it was living up to the hype. At least one of them deserved to have fun.

Peter joined back up with Ella's father, smiling politely to the group of men. He shook hands with each and every one of them while they introduced themselves, hoping he would be able to remember their names. "I'm hard a worker, I promise," he said with a grin as he took the offered glass of wine.

"Well, Peter, if it's a merchants apprenticeship you're seeking, I might be able to help,"one of the men said. He gestured to the side, as if to get Peter to come and talk to him privately for a bit. Peter was beyond thrilled, and he didn't think it would be at all this easy.

"And I'm definitely interested," he said, starting to follow. He turned back at Ella and flashed her a smile, and before he was completely dragged away he leaned in to her father.

"Thank you, sir," he said. "I really appreciate it. Oh, and if you have a spare moment, there's something else I would like to speak with you about. Later, perhaps?after the party?" He suggested. "If we're not too tired that is."