From War Came Words •H.S AU•

Prologue

""i'll tell you...what real love is. it is blind devotion, unquestioning self-humiliation, utter submission, trust and belief against yourself and against the world, giving up your whole heart and soul to the smiter— as i did."" -Great Expectations 

( + indicates time jumps unless otherwise stated)

| v e r a |

The light coming through my curtains is an unwelcome sign that daylight has come and I want nothing more than to fall back into a deep sleep. I bring myself to open my eyes and my mind fills of Harry, much like it has during all of my conscious moments over the last 8 months. I met him on the first Sunday of February, 1939 and he has clouded my thoughts ever since. I lay in bed, wondering what awaits me on this chilly mid-September day when I hear a faint knock coming from my bedroom door.

"Come in," I sit up and pull the duvet closer to my chest, hiding nothing however I'd like to not show whoever it may be on the other side of that door my silky yellow nighty.

In walks my mother and I would be lying if I said I wasn't slightly disappointed when I didn't see his green eyes looking back at me.

"There's a young man downstairs for you," my heart leaps and I jump out of bed. He's here.

"You'd best get dressed, don't want to keep him waiting, darling." She gives me a wink and exits, prompting me to start dressing myself. I put on a dusty pale rose dress, one of my personal favourites and decided simple creme dolly shoes (flats) would pair with it best. I slip them onto my feet and have to stop myself from nearly running down the staircase.

I find him in the parlour adorned in dark grey high waisted trousers with matching grey suspenders accompanied with a tucked in loose fitting white button up. His back is facing me whilst his eyes are traveling through the pages of Great Expectations. I walk towards him clearing my throat lightly to make my presence known and he swiftly turns around.

"My love," he says, closing the popular novel and looking up at me, the only height difference being I am on the higher level of the parlour.

"Hello, Harry." I walk down the two steps and closer to him, we are less than a foot apart now.

"I've missed you." He says, flashing me one of those award winning smiles.

"You've seen me only yesterday evening, baby. What is there to miss?" I let out a small laugh.

"You look beautiful is what's to miss, Vera. You're absolutely stunning, my love."

I don't reply, instead I take Great Expectations from his hands and before I even have time to flip to the right page, he is already reciting my favourite passage.

"Out of my thoughts! You are part of my existence, part of myself. You have been in every line I have ever read, since I first came here, the rough common boy whose poor heart you wounded even then. You have been in every prospect I have ever seen since—" I interrupt him.

"—on the river, on the sails of ships, on the marshes, in the clouds, in the light, in the darkness, in the wind, in the woods, in the sea, in the streets." He joins me now.

"You have been the embodiment of every graceful fancy that my mind has ever become acquainted with." I pass him to put the novel back on the shelf and as soon as I put the novel in its rightful place, he is standing with me next to the bookcase.

"I got something in the post today," he breaks the silence.

"Oh?" He grabs my hand and leads me to one of the comfy sofas around the room. He chooses the one facing the open window, a pretty view for a late September afternoon.