Downton Abbey Imagines and One Shots

Sybil Crawley- Packing (c)

You had heard arguing all night between your father and sister, but when you went to get involved your eldest sister Mary had ushered you away from the room and sent you to bed so that you couldn't make out any of the words. You had no idea what it was about, all you knew was both your father and sister Sybil were very angry and weren't going to go quietly.

In the morning you didn't hear anything unusual, just servants working, so made you way straight to Sybil's room as she was more likely to tell you what was going on. You knocked but didn't get a response so opened the door assuming that she was either busy or had left. There you found her stood by the side of her bed with a large old trunk on top of the covers. She was making her way through her vanity and wardrobe, removing objects and either packing them or discarding them onto a pile on the floor.

"Why are you packing?" You questioned.

Other than to go to nursing school, Sybil had never left your home without the company of one of your sisters or parents, but you had walked past both Edith and your parent's room to see them vacant of the occupants but no packing involved. It was also peculiar for her to pack alone. Usually one of the maids did the actual packing whilst her or your mother dictating what should and shouldn't be going with them.

Sybil jumped turning around to see you. She let out a relieved sigh to see only her younger sister, grasping onto a garment she had been folding.

"Oh... Y/N," she said softly. "You gave me a fright."

"Why are you packing Sybil?" You asked. "Are we going somewhere? Do say that they've agreed for us to travel to see mama's home in America. I would love to go on a ship for such a journey."

She shook her head, giving you a solemn expression.

"You're staying here with mama and papa along with Mary and Edith," she said softly.

"You are to travel alone? Mama would never allow such a thing," you frowned, knowing your mother and not wishing her daughters to be without family or their husband's if and when they found them.

"I shall not be alone."

You cocked an eyebrow at her. Who else was travelling with her? You doubted your grandmother would be travelling with her, unless for some reason Sybil needed to go somewhere and cousin Matthew was escorting her.

"Who shall be travelling with you."

"Tom," she stated.

"The chauffer?" You asked. "Mr Branson?"

Sybil nodded her head.

"Papa wouldn't wish for you to travel with only the chauffer."

"Papa doesn't wish for me to travel at all."

"Then why are you?"

Sybil had always been headstrong and wanted to make serious change for people, which noble women weren't meant to do, rather sit down and look pretty, nothing more. This meant she clashed heads with your father a lot but never to the extent that she would completely disobey him.

"I am in love with Tom. Papa doesn't accept that love, so Tom and I are travelling to Ireland, to his home," she said softly.

"You're leaving?"

She nodded her head again.

"I will miss you Y/N. I promise to write but I cannot stay here where my love is forbidden."

"You can't go!" You exclaimed.

"I have all the documentation already. It was only to visit originally but now it seems to be a more permanent option," she said. "I wish I could stay here but it cannot happen until father agrees."

You didn't know what to say. You knew your sisters and you would be moving out in the coming years when you were wed but you never thought it would be this quickly or that she would be moving to Ireland. All you could do is allow your silent sobs escape you as you grasped onto your sister, longing for her to stay with you.

~*~

Written by Charlotte.