Tu Es Ma Lumière

178 - Envy *Modern*

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Side Note - Same AU as Part 130

Side Note - Based off the Harm mini book.

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It wasn't a rare day at all for Kenna de Portiers to admit an undeniable envy towards her half sister in law. Because let's face the facts, the Stuarts (and by extension, the de Guise's) were a thousand times wealthier than the Beaton's put together. Mary was smarter, in a happier marriage, she held more points in the looks department, her wardrobe was better and her businesses were more successful. Francis had and was destined for a better position in the multi-billion euro Valois dynasty than Sebastian ever would be, and Francis and Mary's marriage had barely any of the prenup agreements and constrictions that Kenna and Sebastian's had. Even when they were younger, their only correlation being the extremely distant relation they had and the best friendship they held. Mary went to the best schools money could buy, she had a boyfriend and a first kiss first, her body began changing into a woman's two years before Kenna's had. She had lost her virginity before Kenna had, even though Mary even held a few months of youth on her. Francis loved her a hundred times more than Sebastian loved Kenna, he was more gentle and chivalrous and gentlemanly. Although, it wasn't as though she shoved these things in front of Kenna's face, that wasn't it at all. Mary had always been kind, generous and forgiving in their rebellion days. She gave her marvellous advice and was so gentle to her. But it came down to this. Mary was freer, more successful, more beautiful. And Kenna envied her more than any woman in the world.

But she envied her for no more reason than this one.

Kenna still remembered the aching in her stomach, the blinding cramps and the blood streaming down her legs. The tears, the desperation, the isolation. The heartbreak. Oh, didn't she mention that Mary had that happen to her before Kenna did, too?

She stands there, Sebastian at her side. His arm is around her waist, they don't move from their position at the other side of the cosy birthing room. We're talking immediate post-birth, the gritty reality that is anything unlike the perfectness you see on television. Mary's plugged into all sorts of machines and blood is still being cleaned from various points in the room, including Mary's legs. The babies have just been cleaned, they're healthy and moving and squealing and blinking.

To look at Mary, how she is at this moment, it sends the horrid reality through her veins. There she is, impossibly so, so beautiful with the gleam of sweat upon her skin, her hair tousled in the way that was so lovely and natural, smiling brightly at the two little bundles that she had just pushed out of her barely fifteen minutes ago. The private clinic staff are marvellous with her, granting her every wish. That wish included the three children Francis and Mary had already had to be brought into the room by their doting Meme Catherine and Pepe Henry, Grandma Marie and Grandpa James waiting out in the waiting room with their hundreds of relatives. It sends a bitter jealousy that borderlines on hatred. She remembers the joy of James' impromptu homebirth on Christmas eve five years ago, the joy of Anne's birth two autumns afterwards, and then little Francis' eighteen months ago. The joy, such joy, the celebrations, the gifts showered on her time and time again as she continued to pump out holy Valois-Stuart heirs. The ease she has, getting pregnant and pumping out live, kicking babies, it's unfair and so horrible, although Kenna knows it's not Mary's fault. It's not anybodies, but that knowledge doesn't lave the stinging burn in her gut as she is forced to look upon the disgustingly happy family in front of her.

To look at Mary, laying so gently in her bed, plugged into the machines making sure she was alright, her golden husband at one side, and two little blonde heads, the other dark, at her side, whilst two dark heads rest upon her breasts, it reminds her of everything she wants, everything she craves from this life. And it is everything she cannot have.

And that is what sews the tiny little seed of hatred into their otherwise close bond, that same one that will never, ever go away.

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I'm really really enjoying writing these kinds of fics right now, with Frary as background characters in another one's perspective, so I'm for sure going to write more of them. Also, I'm really enjoying this AU with them being ridiculously wealthy business people, and I've got quite a few more pieces revolving in this AU coming up super soon. I think the next piece is in this AU, so get ready!