Vesailles, December 2003 (Vanessa)

Subject: Vesailles, December 2003 (Vanessa) Sat Sep 09, 2017 6:31 pm

The months after the loss of their first child, Anton Charles, were difficult, it could not be denied. Whilst the Lord and Lady Clement outwardly showed an act of defiance to the world and those around them, there were nights where the whole thing grew to be too much. Louis would sit with Vanessa whilst she cried through the pain until she calmed through, or Vanessa would find Louis in his office with the remnants of tears on his cheeks in the first couple of weeks.

The would find solace in one another's comfort, because that was what they had.

The maester had done a number of examinations and tests with Vanessa after the miscarriage, and whilst pregnancy was still possible for his wife, they had been told of the risks that miscarriage could allude to in the future. Louis had taken this information on board quietly as they spoke about it, not daring to look across at Vanessa as he was told the news. The news that could potentially ruin his world, his happiness, was not something he could bare to think of in that moment.

Even if there was more than enough hope of a child.

Louis had returned to the maester later that afternoon, pressing for something for himself. To stop the possibility of another pregnancy -- short term -- because he wanted Vanessa to be quite well enough again before they started over. They would need to, yes, but Vanessa could have six months without the worry of children, he owed her that much. With hesitation in his tone, the maester had agreed, though likely reluctantly with his Grandmere's likely insistence that Vanessa be prepped for children in every manner.

The thought of keeping it a secret from Vanessa had never occurred to Louis, and though the witch had insisted she could manage, Louis would not hear of it. Six months, Louis had reasoned, was enough time for them both to be well enough in their own heads, their own bodies, before children could be thought of again.

The world, however, would not wait. They were given a week -- or, Louis at least -- and then he was back in to the work that had been started before the untimely loss of the child. A burial had taken place, hundreds if not thousands of condolence cards had been read, and many more people had come to the Palace in the hope of an audience with the Lord or Lady Clement to give their condolences in person.

Work was a welcome break, and Louis threw himself in to that without hesitation, working on the potential launch dates for the products, making sure the records were in check, crossing the t's and dotting the i's where necessary.

Winter turned slowly in to Spring, with Louis growing increasingly more involved in the work load left by his father. It had been a massive first year, and the weight of the role of Lord Clement was growing.

But, through it all, Louis never forgot Vanessa.

When he was running late with meetings, he'd send his Patronus ahead of him to tell her as much. When he finally met up with her, he asked first and foremost how her day had been, and listened intently to her stories, discussed her findings with her, and enthused over all the subjects she gave him. Most days, Louis brought with him a new bouquet of Dahlias even though they were out of season, but he made it work.

More often, however, they spent their evenings in one another's arms, Louis quite exhausted, but intent on spending as much time as possible with Vanessa at his side.

Summer rolled in to being, and the first steps of trying for a child again started. It was tentative to begin with, Louis not wanting to push Vanessa before she was ready -- was six months an apt time to wait?

It didn't much matter, though, almost six months had passed, with no sign of luck on their part. Louis had not been disappointed in this, though, when (or perhaps even if) the time was right, they would be blessed with another child, and not a moment before. That was what he'd told Vanessa when the worry rose it's head. It had been what Louis had informed his Grandmere and Maman on the occasion he'd caught them pressing Vanessa for any signs of progress one afternoon over dinner.

No pressure was to be brought upon the Lady Clement, Louis had added as he'd reprimanded them both. Or he would see to it that they were homed in Lyon instead. It had taken a lot for Louis to say those words, his whole body had been shaking when he left the withdrawing room after saying his piece. Merlin knew telling his Grandmere what to do was not something Louis would ordinarily think of doing, but for Vanessa... for Vanessa he would silence the world of their questions if he had to.

It was with quite a heavy heart, then, that Louis had brought the news to Vanessa that he would be travelling the world for three months in respect of the contacts that were being held up in a number of countries. Some were to do with politics, some were to do with the business not giving them enough, a few meant heading in to countries in which there wasn't peace amongst the people. It would therefore not be appropriate for Louis to be joined by Vanessa in such situations.

Though, of course, as Lady of the house, she would not be left without a lot to do in his absence.

The Palace staff were fussing over his final preparations whilst Louis placed the necessary documents in his briefcase -- there was one for every country scheduled on his visit already being put with the rest of his luggage, but Louis was packing one last case with his personal needs. Parchment in abundance for his letters home to Vanessa, another quill in case he broke the previous five he'd put in there already. Another ink bottle. A book, or two, to appease him in any free time he might have left.

He was sure he was missing something as he looked around his study once more, trying to place his finger on it...

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~ Lord Clement ~ Profile ~ 55 ~

Thank you to the amazing Ruby for the signatures! <3

Subject: Re: Vesailles, December 2003 (Vanessa) Sun Dec 12, 2021 12:46 pm

The time that followed that fateful night was just grey, at least that was how Vanessa would always remember it. They said losing a child was the most difficult thing a parent ever had to face but for Vanessa, it was so much more than that. It was losing the future she and Louis had given their lives to protect, it was the words Grandmere had always implied but never said ringing though her ears, it was the quiet accusing stares of Maman, Papa, Grandmere and even the household staff she imagined as she went about her days, dealing with her grief as a Lady should.

Privately.

As the seasons changed, Lady Clement’s exterior hardened once more, back to what it used to be when she was in England, suspecting an attack in every shift of the wind, finding a mistake in every member of the household staff and avoiding unnecessary mirrors wherever she went. Only with Louis could she let her grief show, and even then she had to be careful for two broken people could not rebuild each other. They had to take it in turns to break, making it all the more difficult because one always had to watch the other and feel hapless to do anything about it. More often than not, it was just easier to talk business. The progress on their investments was paying off, their patience rewarded with feats of technology and magic that could barely conform the senses into believing what was real and what was not. Where their personal prosperity had ground to a halt, their professional one crossed leaps and bounds, generating the kind of graphs that had never been seen before should their product be marketed the way it was set to be.

And at the palace, she was given exactly two months to settle, to regain her health, before Maman began talks of a child. At first Grandmere ignored her, even if the looks she directed Vanessa’s way left no room for doubt, but a further two months later Grandmere too began encouraging the Lord and Lady Clement to think of an heir, something that left Louis angry and his wife simply numb. What if everyone had been right and she could no more bear a child than expect strawberries to grow in the heat of June? The night Louis had caused a scene at the dining table; Vanessa had been numb once more. Too disengaged from the world to stop him, to stop them, to top herself. Reason had returned soon after however and that evening, the witch found herself trekking the familiar path to Lissette Clement’s withdrawing room. In her own grief, she had quite forgotten how ill the matriarch was currently. How much effort it must have taken to come down to the dining area in the first place… only to be told by her grandson that she would be unceremoniously moved to Lyon should she speak up for the good of the house again.

“Grandmere, good evening,” she spoke, entering the room after a soft knock. Lissette sat in her usual place, the armchair still despite its function. Was it simply the evening shadows or did her grandmere look smaller than usual, as if the chair was slowly swanllowing her being bit by bit.

“Vanessa Jhalak.” Her eyes were cold, they were always cold. The young Lady Clement was slowly learning that it was a coldness gathered over the years because life had never seen fit to be kind to her grandmere, so now the matriarch did not see the merit of kindness in anything. The apology she deserved would come, though not in the form she expected.

“Before Louis and my engagement, you had a file… with a list of all eligible maidens….”

Her grandmere paused in her embroidery, her small wrinkled hand halfway up from the round frame she was using. The matriarch finally cast her brown eyes upon Vanessa, a notion of having seen something profound in them. Vanessa had never seen her grandmere smile, nor would she see it today. But was there a hint of pride, of quiet victory, in the old woman’s eyes?

“It was merely a file,” the matriarch admitted, returning her gaze to her embroidery a moment later, as if the small exchange between them had never passed. “However if you like, a more legitimate one can be sourced.”

“Thank you,” Vanessa affirmed quietly. “Have a good night.” Reaching over, she kissed the woman lightly on the cheek before taking her leave.

***

It was almost two week’s before Louis’s trip that she felt it again, the small unfurling of life inside her. The hope blossoming anew that perhaps there was more in her to give then a barren life and a dead lineage. But this time, Vanessa refused to believe it. She refused to see the maester or tell her ladies maid, she couldn’t even muster the courage to tell Louis in case it was all another cruel trick the gods were playing on her. The young Lord was getting ready to leave, about to finalize the most important deal in contemporary history. And if she told him, he would not leave.

She had already hurt the Clement agenda enough in the past, she would not be faulted for yet another blow to the house.

So Vanessa had pretended that everything was normal. None of her engagements were cancelled; none of her trips postponed and no shortages in her usual responsibilities were made. On top of that she was still immensely involved with the usual Christmas Gala hosted at the palace and busy with preparations for Louis’ journey. As much as the household staff could do to pack, there were some things only a wife could see to, and Vanessa saw to all of those things meretriciously. On the final day, she found Louis in his study, wondering if she’d left anything behind only to reassure him he hadn’t. After a private adieu in which she promised to wait for him every single day, the new Lord Clement was off on his journey.

And Vanessa returned to her duties, once again hugging her secret close to her chest.

***

“Vanessa Jhalak, when were you planning to tell the rest of the palace?” Grandmere asked, only a slight hint of curiosity in her gaze. Her light tone regardless made the young witch grow pale. Even after so any years, she was still the five year old who had been caught out by Grandmere and was likely going to be on the receiving end of a stinging hex.

“How did you know, Grandmaman?”

The matriarch merely shook her head. In her days, there hadn’t been hospitals and nutrients and wholesome care. A woman changed when she was with child and the change had been becoming prominent in her granddaughter in law’s gait for a while now. What was even more curious was why she was intent on keeping it a secret. Especially when revealing the truth would make her life far more comfortable. “Well?”

“I suppose it doesn’t matter. I was hoping to tell Louis first.” The words bore some semblance to the truth, this was not Grandmere’s world where a man had no business knowing of pregnancies and birthing beds. It was also a thinly veiled request to not tell anyone else before Louis returned.

“Then a wait it is. I shall pray for the child.”

Vanessa knew what that meant. It meant Lissette Clement would demand an heir from the Gods. It also meant that Grandmere cared very little of what happened to the vessel delivering that heir. Should Grandmere be asked to choose between Vanessa and the incoming baby, the choice would be foolishly simple.

And Vanessa could appreciate the honesty there.

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Come Plot With Me <3

Vesailles, December 2003 (Vanessa) Rsz_ve10

Subject: Re: Vesailles, December 2003 (Vanessa) Sun Dec 12, 2021 12:47 pm

The small exchange in his study before he'd left had been the fond farewell Louis came back to most evenings when he sat alone in one hotel, or private quarters in one country or the next. As much as he knew he could last without Vanessa by his side for a long time, Louis did not like it. He'd never liked being away from the witch, and even after all these years, his heart held a dull ache inside when they were apart.

Poets would have been able to write that beautifully, Louis had mused to himself once upon a time, but now he did not believe the poets could create something as magical as the feelings he harboured for his wife.

It had therefore become something of a routine for Louis when he was finished with his business of an evening. No matter how late he might return to his private quarters, Louis pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote home to Vanessa with the day's events. His musings of what she might be doing with her time. How he planned on taking her away when he returned, if only briefly, so that they could simply have some time together.

Some letters were heavily detailed, denoting that he had more time on his hands and wasn't about to collapse in to bed from exhaustion. Some letters were written in such awful handwriting that Vanessa would know he could barely keep his eyes open, but was insistent on writing her. Many letters, however, were simple.

Je t'aime ma chérie, maintenant et pour toujours.

Votre mari toujours fidèle,

Louis

***

The months moved slowly, but the details were closed one by one, with the Clement family coming out on top. No one could deny Louis, whether it came through the charm he could display in meetings, the money he offered to bring the technology to the country, or simply a well place observation that twisted the arm of the men he was talking to, Louis did not come away empty handed. It wasn't to say they all backed down easily, but Louis was good at what he was doing.

By early March, Louis was simply fixated on getting home. Three more meetings. Two more meetings. One more meeting. It had become a mantra as he finally signed off the last deal. Louis had only stayed long enough to be polite after that, before leaving the servants to follow him when they'd finished collecting all the necessary items from the trip.

Louis hadn't looked back, in truth, apparating back to the Palace. As his feet touched the familiar French soil, it took him a moment to take in the hour, mid afternoon. A servant came from one of the rooms adjacent to the entrance hall, and nearly fell over upon seeing the Lord Clement stood there. They had not been expecting Louis just yet, and the poor boy looked terrified of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"M-M'Lord..." He managed, giving a hasty bow.

"Lady Clement is where?" Louis asked the boy, his eyes looking around the room they were currently occupying, trying to decide where his wife might be.

"The Withdrawing room, m'lord. Lady Clement is having tea with so-"

"Please arrange for Lady Clement to be brought to the Dahliantelle when she is finished with her tea. But, don't tell her I am home. Don't tell anyone I am home." Louis told the boy.

"M'Lord." The boy finished, before hurrying away.

Louis had no doubt that Vanessa would know he was home. Her walk to the Dahliantelle would be a clue enough. But upon his return, he saw fit to meet her in the maze, away from the house, away from everyone, so that for a moment, they could pretend it was just the two of them in the whole wide world, and nobody else.

Smiling to himself, Louis made his way out to the gardens, moving to the middle of the maze and sitting atop the bench that had been theirs for years. Waiting here made time stand still, made nothing else matter in the world. Because this was the one place in the world that no-one could ever take from them.

Je t'aime ma chérie, maintenant et pour toujours. Votre mari toujours fidèle. -- i love you my darling, now and forever. Your ever faithful husband.

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~ Lord Clement ~ Profile ~ 55 ~

Thank you to the amazing Ruby for the signatures! <3

Subject: Re: Vesailles, December 2003 (Vanessa) Sun Dec 12, 2021 12:48 pm

Every day that Louis was gone was another day Lady Clement counted until his return. All his letters were not only responded to but kept in a lockbox on her nightstand where Vanessa would read them over and over again before she headed to rest for the evening. Sometimes, after a full month of uncertainties and doubting, she had taken to reading some of those missives out loud to their child, slowly coming to believe that there really was once again a child inside her. That the Gods had seen fit to bless them with what they had taken so cruelly away merely a year ago.

But despite her own belief, the witch dare not admit her condition to anyone else for fear of both the fuss and the hope that would rekindle anew in the palace. The current climate of their home was one that revolved around getting Grandmere the care she needed. Her age and experience had both caught up with the matriarch and she was no longer able to make public appearances, not even her once a year Christmas one. Almost every meal she now took in her withdrawing room so Vanessa had once again enacted the tradition of visiting her Grandmere once a week. It had worked with Maman before Vanessa and Louis were married, and Grandmere though she would never admit it, looked a little better after visit from the young Lady Clement. Even if they never spoke of the child, Grandmere knew and she was happy to see it grow.

As January turned into February, the social engagements become more and more. A Cotillion here, a wedding there, an anniversary elsewhere. And then there were the public appearances which Vanessa had no excuse to bow out from. A children’s hospital opening, a new building awarded to the largest church in France, a new couture line launched in her name, the funeral of a long standing icon of the country, the refurbishing of the Manor in Lyon which needed personal supervision so as not to damage any of the invaluable artifacts littered throughout the residence. It was as she’d been overseeing the restoration of a painting of the original Lady Lynnette Loisel that she’d first felt the waves of morning sickness and had to excuse herself.

February brought with it another problem, there was no longer a doubt that her body now had a bump, and as delighted as she was to see physical proof of the child growing within her, it would not do to show it to the world just yet. Luckily there was still enough of winter left to send for warm shawls and loose clothing. And luckier still, the designs coming in for the season favored A Line frocks and looser fits. A coat donned on top would hide a bump for two more months still thanks to her naturally slender frame.

Harder to hide were her bouts of morning sickness, which were unkind enough to not confine themselves to mornings but rather took up whatever time of the day they liked. The child inside her was indeed a Clement, refusing to follow the rules and making his mother sick when he pleased. The first week she had passed off as mere stomach flu but her ladies maid had always been clever. Regardless she had said nothing, only bringing a small vial of potion for Vanessa on the fifth day with a simple “This will help M’Lady, it’s not from the Maester.”

As February slowly gave way to March, the sickness became more regular, enough to be concealed with clever planning. The secret of her pregnancy though now came with a deadline. So it was with great joy that Vanessa entered her Grandmere’s withdrawing room to announce that Louis would be back within two weeks. Gramdmere made no outword response but she didn’t have to. Vanessa was used to it by now. Her counting became more fervent as day turned into night and then gave way to day again, a new shine in her eyes, lightness to her gait and a prominent glow on her face that defied explanation.

It was as she was sipping tea with Lady Angelique and Maman when she felt it, her lips blossoming into a full smile as the good Lady spoke of a recent death in her sister’s family. Realizing only a moment too late that this was the wrong response to such tragic news, Vanessa attempted to school her features into a more somber look just as there was a knock on the door. A scared looking footman informed her she was needed in the Dehlientelle and Vanessa promptly apologized to Lady Angelique, leaving their guest with Maman to hasten to the gardens, her smile no longer contained.

Vanessa imagined she must have been a sight for the servants, sprinting through the palace with a face that resembled the sun, the edges of her shawl flying in her wake but for once the Lady Clement did not care. Three months were far too many to be away from the person she had promised to never be away from and now, more than anything, she wanted to see him again. Having cleared the gates leading to the gardens, the young woman found herself running not unlike she had more than twenty years ago, only this time there was no fear of being caught or subjected to a stinging hex. This time there was only joy and breathlessness.

Until she finally saw him, arriving at the bench rosy cheeked and bright eyed, her frame trembling from the exertion of almost running the whole way. All the stars in the world couldn’t have made her eyes shine brighter as they landed on the man waiting for her.

“Mon cher amour, comment je t'ai manqué.”

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Come Plot With Me <3

Subject: Re: Vesailles, December 2003 (Vanessa) Sun Dec 12, 2021 12:48 pm

Louis would have been happy to wait a life time for Vanessa to have come to him, his instructions to the servant hadn't been clear in that message, perhaps, Louis reflected as he heard the footfall of Vanessa's coming closer to him. Not, of course, that he would ever admit to the witch that he could hear her. Such a thing would not be a compliment to the Lady Clement.

But it wasn't really the footfall that really told Louis of his wife's presence, nearing, it was the familiar feeling of home washing over him that alerted him to Vanessa's presence. Louis' smile was growing as the feeling grew, but he remained seated, keeping himself from running back towards the witch.

Perhaps not ten minutes after Louis had sat himself down, Vanessa's presence sped through the final turn of the Dahliantelle, to him. The words from her lips brought a larger smile to his lips as he stood from the bench and moved to envelope the witch in his arms, his lips finding hers without hesitation in that moment. Because, no matter how long they might be apart, there were some things that simply couldn't be forgotten.

However, as Louis' lips reacquainted themselves with Vanessa's, his arms wrapped around the witch, drawing her closer to him, but after he'd drawn the witch closer, Louis' features dipped down in to a light frown, and slowly he pulled away enough to take in Vanessa's features. "Ma chérie..." Louis whispered, eyes searching hers for the words he thought he knew. "Toi..." He managed before trailing away. He couldn't explicitly ask what he wanted to, he was guessing, but he could feel the difference, and he was almost certain there would not be another explanation to it all.

And, the excitement of it all was growing in the young man at the prospect of a child, but, Louis would not get too excited until he knew it was quite safe to do so. The pain of the loss of their first child had been too much.

They could not fall victim to that pain again.

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~ Lord Clement ~ Profile ~ 55 ~

Thank you to the amazing Ruby for the signatures! <3

Subject: Re: Vesailles, December 2003 (Vanessa) Sun Dec 12, 2021 12:49 pm

His question was not unexpected; she knew he would know the moment he held her. She had only managed to keep the secret because he hadn’t been there to hold her each night and feel her body change alongside hers. And where she had initially felt pain and fear at the acceptance of a child in her once more, now she only felt happiness. Vanessa could never explain how she knew what she knew, but she knew for certain that this child… He was theirs to keep.

“Yes,” she simply answered, her helps growing rosier under his gaze as she reached up to cradle the soft swell gently. “Almost four months now. I didn’t tell you because… You wouldn’t have left.” The witch averted her eyes from him as she spoke, knowing that she had done wrong. Or at least wrong in his eyes. Her decision to put Clement affairs ahead o her own needs had redeemed Vanessa in Grandmere’s books but she knew Louis cared for naught else when it came to his wife and her health.

He would also understand without being told the fear and hesitation with which she had spent the first few weeks agonizing over the child’s fate. Only after almost four months had she finally managed to accept that this was real, and the only person she wanted to share it with was standing right in front of her. “Please don’t be cross; I wouldn’t bear for you to be cross with me now.” She apologized softly. “I haven’t told anyone else, I wanted you to be the first to hear it from me.”

Of course, words were always a formality with them. She knew deep down that Louis would never be cross with her, just as she could never feel that way towards him. Just as they never had to say out loud the words to reassure each other of their love and devotion. And sure enough soon, the Lord Clement’s arms were back around her frame, another kiss pressed to her lips to silence her gentle apology. He may worry, and he may think she had chosen wrong in keeping their child a secret for so long.

But he would still be the happiest man on earth at the news of having a child again.

And everything would be perfect once more.

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Come Plot With Me <3

Subject: Re: Vesailles, December 2003 (Vanessa) Sun Dec 12, 2021 12:49 pm

"Four months..." Louis echoed, not even needing to work out that this would have meant Vanessa would have known before he left. His eyes momentarily, showed the fact he was hurt by the fact Vanessa hadn't told him of the child growing inside her womb before he'd gone, but the explanation of why she had not told him had been the reason enough for her to have kept it to herself.

Even Louis couldn't argue with that, had he of known before his departure, there would have been no way that Louis would have left his wife. Not after the last time.

But, Louis' admonishment for his wife died on his lips, knowing she had been right in her assumptions, and instead brought his lips to hers once more, showing that her apology was not a necessity in that moment. Instead, Louis drew her back to him, pressing his lips to her forehead as a smile overtook his lips, showing he was beyond happy with the news.

"The first?" Louis echoed, believing that without hesitation. Vanessa had no reason to lie about such things. "This is the best news from my whole trip." Louis whispered, resting his forehead against hers.

"Please... don't keep things from me again, Ven." Louis said, with enough authority to show he wasn't happy with the withheld information. Even if he understood her reasons, he was her husband, her best friend, and he worried infinitely for her, and her well being. "If something had happened..." He murmured, not wanting to really voice that.

But the Lord Clement stopped such thoughts, leaving it weighted in the air for a moment, before nudging his nose gently against her.

"Je t'aime, future Mère Clement..." He finalised, knowing without a doubt that would put all the worry Vanessa might have of a reaction. Louis was beyond happy, and it would not be dampened by anything the witch might have kept from him.

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~ Lord Clement ~ Profile ~ 55 ~

Thank you to the amazing Ruby for the signatures! <3

» Versailles, December 2001 (Vanessa)
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» Versailles Palace - December 2023 (Elenore)
» The Wonder Years - Yellow - December, 2009 (Alexagramma)