Villainess Reform Project

Midwinter's Festival Pt.3

[ *Me, looking at the last time I updated* ...

I'm sorry. I truly am the most unreliable author. But at least I'm trying to catch up. Note trying. I think I'm mainly going to focus on VRP since it's the most developed of all my stories and much easier to write for. Sorry to the fans of my other stories but you'll have to wait a bit longer.

Which reminds me, what character pov chapter or AU chapter do you guys want next? Floyd, Merlin, ANYONE?! Transmigration, reverse, ANYTHING?! Leave em in the comments. ]

"Ava? Ava, wake up."

"Myeiebfa..."

"Ava, that's not a word or sentence."

I felt like my eyes had been coated in crust and my body was heavy as lead. I could feel the gentle bumping of the carriage under me. Hadn't I been in a hallway? When had I gotten into the carriage?

Was that a dream?

"Did I fall asleep?" I asked, righting myself from my slouched posture and feeling my body crack and pop as I moved. I finally realized what the weight on me was. Elodie was sat upon my lap.

"You were asleep by the time I got to the carriage. You've been out for quite a while." Ophelia smiled as I set Elodie gently back on the floor of the carriage.

I suppose that really was a dream, albeit a strange one. What 'gift' was that voice talking about? Maybe it was my subconscious. Would I need to gift something to myself?

"How rude of me. I hope that the Young Miss will forgive me."

"What I say about calling me Young Miss when we're alone? It's fine. Your sleeping expression was quite cute." Ophelia had a blissful expression on her face during her last couple of words.

I felt my face burn in embarrassment but quickly suppressed it. "Whatever you say, Ophie. Are we close to home?"

"I woke you up because they said we were half an hour out." Ophelia smiled and leaned back. "You should look out the window since we're back in our capital."

More out of a wish of nostalgia rather than true curiosity, I peeked out of the window to look out at the familiar streets of Arkham's capital, Intres. It felt strange seeing it now after so many months but it was calming in a way.

Intres' streets had a light dusting of snow upon it, white and gold decorations of the usual Midwinter Festival fashion hanging from homes and shops. The vendors yelling their seasonal wares, carts for with snacks and warm drinks filling the air with scents that brought me back to my younger days, the smell of spice heavy on my tongue like I had just eaten a hot bag of roasted sugar nuts.

"How wonderful..." My voice was barely above a whisper but due to Ophelia's proximity to me, she could hear just fine.

"Intres is always most beautiful at this time of year." Ophelia peeked out of the window with me, smile still present on her face. "Why don't we stop and pick up some roasted sugar nuts before we arrive home?"

I was already practically drooling for those nuts, but I could not partake in my favorite Midwinter snack.

"As lovely as that sounds, I cannot. My first taste of sugar nuts always has to be shared with mother. It's family tradition."

While Ophelia looked a bit sad, she made no move to attempt to coerce me. What I had said was true though. Every year without fail, mother would take me to town every Friday of the month and we would do our small family traditions. The first Friday we would go to our regular cart and get a giant bag of roasted sugar nuts to enjoy as we walked around the streets, the second Friday we would buy brand new clothes and coats for the season along with the annual Midwinter Party, and on the final Friday we would exchange gifts and go to the Midwinter Party.