The next day Zelie got up bright and early and rushed down to the kitchen to find Sophie, where Bridget's melancholy singing was at it's peak.
"The little girl fluttered her eyes.
Oh how I love thee,
She brought his majesty in for a kiss,
His heart soaring up to the skies.
Never would he imagine a dagger to the heart.
Now there he lies
Drained of blood and without love."
"Oh come on Bridgett, that hardly even rhymes." The bright eyed girl complained as she barged into the kitchen in only her nightgown and her robe. She plopped herself in an old wooden stool and pinched at the cold turkey from last night. "Why can't you sing a happy song?"
Bridgett looked Zelie from her spot where she was preparing the tea for breakfast, her left eye twiched slightly at the question, and Zelie only grinned innocently. "Happiness is only for the wealthy, sadness is universal."
Zelie shrugged. "Fair point." She had began to grow fond of aggregating the cook and seeing her left eye twich everytime she questioned her song choices. "What can I help you with?"
Bridgett's eyes went wide. "N-nothing Miss."
"I'll help you until Sophie gets here and then I'll be gone." Zelie smiled loopsidedly as Bridgett eyed her worriedly. Did the poor girl have a fever? Or why was she offering to help? Not even Tessa who was kind and used to doing chores ever volunteered to help, and this seemingly privileged girl who had been here for a day wanted a go at kitchen work.
"You can cut up the bread, if you'd like." Bridgett lowered her head at the unusual situation she was in.
Zelie smiled brightly and got to work. "I'm starting to think you make up the songs." Zelie said after a while of silence.
"Stop torturing the poor woman." A soft voice spoke as he entered the kitchen. Zelie looked up and smirked at Jem.
"Technically I'm helping." Zelie raised the knife she was holding as if to emphasize her point. Before Jem could respond Zelie clapped her hands together. "However, I must change before breakfast."
The bright eyed girl ran up stairs to her room where Sophie was already kindling the fire. " 'ello Sophie, could you help me get dressed?"
"We'll, if I don't help you who will?" Sophie joked back placing her pale hands on her hips. "I know white is the colour of grief but I simply think this dress will look lovely on you." Sophie stated getting out a dress that was ready to be worn.
It was simple and white with a delicate pink design going up the middle of the corset part, it had a light pink silk ribbon going up either side that tied into a bow behind Zelie's neck. Sophie gathered Zelie's chocolate brown hair on top of her head into a ponytail with bits in the front escaping to frame her face. Finally, Zelie laced up her old muddy brown leather boots.
Zelie rushed back down stairs and into the dinnning room taking her self-designated spot next to Jem's. "Always one to be early for breakfast." Jem stated as he sat down besides Zelie.
"Some things never change, Jemsiepoo."
"Yes in fact some things don't, like that nickname." Jem smiled broadly at Zelie. Just then Tessa walked into the room wearing a lemon yellow dress that brought some life to her pale skin. "Tessa." Jem smiled at her arrival and Tessa seemed to momentary relax.
Tessa wasn't good with new people, especially beautiful girls that made her selfconsious, but just a smile from Jem calmed her nerves. He looked at her with such kindness that she forgot all her worries.
"Hello, Jem, Zelie." She smiled to which the younger girl grinned. Perhaps they weren't too fond of one an other but neither one gave the other a reason not to be anything other than civil.
"Tessa I've been meaning to ask, you don't have to answer of course, but have you ever thought that you might have Nephilim blood?" Zelie leaned forward and rested her head in her hands and staring at Tessa. She noticed a glimmer of hope spark in her grey eyes before it died out. "Pardon me if it's much too forward, it's just— the thought kept me up all night."
"That can't be, I've read that all babies are stillborn." Tessa shook her head a few pieces of hair falling out of her bun. "Why would you ask such a thing?"
Zelie shrugged and stuffed a piece of bread in her mouth, in a very unladylike manner like most things she did. "You don't have warlock marks, the nephilim blood should counteract them. Since we're beautiful and all."
Before any of them could say another word Charoltte and Henry arrived, followed by Jessamine and Will shorty after. They ate in silence, neither Will nor Zelie even glancing at the other.
'Zelie you'll be searching old articles about Mortmain with Jem Tessa and ah, Will in the library." Charoltte said nervously when she realized she would be putting both Will and Zelie in the same room with no authority figure, not that it would have made any differnce.
"We'll, that is going to be the highlight of my day!" Jessamine stated cheerfully, and more awake than she had the whole breakfast.
YOU ARE READING
Ugly Duckling ¤ Will Herondale
Fanfiction"Last I saw you, you were an ugly duckling. Actually, not even a duck should be insulted like that." A horribly infiltrating smirk played on his full lips as he eyed me amusedly, making me want to kick his shins.
