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[hermia-sophia.livejournal.com]

Thursday, June 14
Valmont and Hermia's Garden

Well. This is going to be awkward.

But a bit of awkwardness is well worth the trouble, and worth the greater good if we can turn Mab aside from the path that she is on. If we can win her back to the path that I know she wants to follow, but has gone astray. This person who delights in violence and bloodshed - that is not my friend. Not the person who took me in when I first stumbled into this town; not the person performed my wedding.

If there is any chance that I can possibly call Mab back to herself, I must do it.

And, in truth, I should have done it long ago.

So we are setting out tea and cakes and lemonade in the garden, and sending Luc up for his nap a bit early so that he will be out of the way.

(Well, more precisely, we are sending him up to his room. Whether he will sleep is another question entirely. More likely, we will come up to find a very awake littleboy amid a maze of pillows and blocks and a long elaborate story about what it is. But at least he will not be here.)

I waddle about the table (dear gods, I did not think I could get any larger, but apparently, I can!), setting napkins and silverware in their proper places while Valmont fetches the food. And the wheels of my mind spin, and I wait.

[Open to Valmont and Mab]

Comments

[hermia-sophia.livejournal.com]

"Probably not," I admit on a falling sigh. "Mab's instincts haven't changed; I'm certain she will be able to tell that we have ulterior motives to this invitation." I give Valmont's hand a small squeeze as soon as he's free of the tray, sharing comfort and drawing what little hope we can.

"But the palmiers look marvelous," I add, offering Valmont a slightly more hopeful smile. "And they smell just as good. Would it disrupt your arrangement if I had one now?"

[valmont-vicomte.livejournal.com]

"You must eat whatever you like, darling," I say, "since you're eating for two." The new doctor in town said that that's a popular misconception, and that pregnant women should go on eating as before. Pfft! No baby of mine will be undernourished. I set a pastry on a plate and pass it to Hermia, then sit down myself. "I hope Mab's willing to listen, at least," I say. She was always willing to do so, but she's changed a good deal of late.

[hermia-sophia.livejournal.com]

"You must eat whatever you like, darling," I say, "since you're eating for two."

"Then I may have two palmiers," I toss back with a quick smile.

I ease myself down into the chair and slip my shoes off ever so slightly before turning eagerly to the pastry. It is lovely to have a husband who is such a good cook! And even if the new doctor scoffs at the idea of eating for two, I am quite happy to have a reason to eat more of Valmont's cooking!

"I hope Mab's willing to listen, at least."

"So do I," I say quietly, feeling my smile fade away. "I think if she will listen to anyone, she will listen to us. But…even that is uncertain, these days. If she does not…I am not certain what is left for us to do."