❝ Tell me losing everything is what saved you,
Tell me you finally tasted freedom.
Can you even imagine yourself in paradise?
Even the daughter of gods must know loneliness, must sometimes want nothing more than to be trapped in a hell of forevers...
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Mechelen, Antwerp, Burgundy
Charlotte fussed with her niece, trying to dress the young girl in a light dress and brush out her long hair. She was fidgeting on the stool that she sat upon, constantly looking back at her bedchamber door. Charlotte knew all too well why the little girl couldn't keep still and she smiled at Margot's eagerness.
"Love, they will wait for you to see the horses," Margot sighed and turned back in her chair to face the glass mirror that hung in front of her. She had been looking forward to it all day. Teddy had promised to take her to the stables and see and pet and feed the horses. She knew Tante Charlotte would not go with them, but perhaps Bella would.
She watched with an intense gaze as her aunt worked on her blonde curls; twisting and braiding and pinning it all into place. She ran her eyes over her aunt's features and awed at just how beautiful she was, only hoping that one day she would be as beautiful. It was a different beautiful than how her mama was beautiful. Before Margot knew it, her hair was fixed and her aunt was standing back to admire her work.
"Tante," Margot whispered, turning around and coming to stand carefully on the stood she was just sitting on. Her aunt still towered over her and Margot reached out for her hands to steady herself on the stool. It was something mama didn't like, but Tante Charlotte just gave Margot a look that made her giggle.
"Margot," Charlotte whispered back.
"You're really pretty," the little girl admitted shyly. A blush rushed to Charlotte's face and she looked down at her niece with love in her eyes. This little girl had brought nothing but happiness into her life since the day Bess and James had entrusted her into her care. She reached up and cupped her little girl's cheek. "Do you think I'll be as pretty as you are when I grow up?" She asked with a hopeful smile, her brown eyes a pure copy of Anne's.
She opened her mouth to praise her niece, telling her exactly the truth, in that she would grow up to be the most beautiful girl in all of Europe, but her nephew's voice cut her off from behind and the two straightened out.
"Just as beautiful," Teddy promised, walking into the room and coming to crouch down to get eye level with his niece, who gave him a bright, loving smile. "Are you ready?"
She nodded eagerly, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck. He laughed and held her close, pressing a kiss to the temple of her head and then placing her down on the ground to walk beside him.
─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────
"YOU BASTARD!" Kathryn bellowed, as she stormed into the room, throwing something at him which he caught reflectively.
It was a locket. A locket he had given to Amelie. She was such a sweet girl, never asking him for anything. She hadn't even wanted to tell him she was pregnant, apologizing to him as if it was her fault. She swore she would ask nothing of him, that she could raise the babe by herself.
