The Palace of Versailles, 1978 (Louis & Vanessa)

The world had always seemed so large to Vanessa as she stood up on tiptoe every day to try and get a better look at it. Big rooms, big hallways, big people. And every one of these big people seemed to have something to rectify in her. Aunt Lynette told her to smile more, Uncle Thomas told her to be quiet when he was reading, Grandmere told her to stand straight, the housekeeper told her to finish the food on her late, her dance master told her to glide, her music teacher told her the difference between a piano and a keyboard. Growing up, Vanessa had discovered, was just following a list of instructions.

And it was tiresome.

Sometimes Vanessa went out to the Dahlientelle with Grandmere Lissette and wondered if her Maman was alive, what would she find in the girl to rectify. There must be something. Grandmere said there was always room for improvement no matter how well anyone did anything. Aunt Lynette had once smiled kindly at Vanessa when she had overheard her mother in law say this to the child and said Grandmere just wanted everyone to be the best. Vanessa had wanted to ask how anyone could ever be the best if there as always room for improvement but had stayed quiet. Even at five, it was clear no one argued with Grandmere, in front of or behind her back.

The piano in front of her way glossy, black and shone in the candlelight that decorated the ballroom decked out for Dominic's birthday party. Vanessa didn't understand why she had to play her songs for the occasion but the order had came from Grandmere so it was to be obeyed. Vanessa could imagine Dominic though her back was turned to her audience, her eyes closed and her fingers floating over the keys. He wasn't very much older than her but he acted terribly grown up. Vanessa wasn't sure why exactly. Being grown up didn't seem very appealing.

As she reached the final notes of the song, a small smile blossomed on her face, a secret one that no one could see. Turning, the little witch stood up as she hd been instructed to do after every performance and curtsied, the white shoes and laced tights crossing each other perfectly in the manner of a curtsy drummed into her over the last five years.

A polite round of applause greeted her ears, signifying her time as the center of attention over.

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The Palace of Versailles, 1978 (Louis & Vanessa) Rsz_mi10

The Palace of Versailles, 1978 (Louis & Vanessa) Rsz_ja12

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The Palace of Versailles, 1978 (Louis & Vanessa) Erkek-10

Today was goody two shoes Dominic's birthday. Louis had long since worked out his older brother was too good for their age, though he couldn't understand why Dominic even found it alluring. From what Louis had found out, there was absolutely no fun in acting like an adult. Why?

You had to sit straight.

You had to eat your dinner in little bites, and never lick the goodness of your knife that your fork couldn't quite reach.

You had to hold conversations with boring people.

And worst of all, you had to play with the girls.

Except Ven, Ven was okay to play with. But Louis understood why all this was necessary, and though he didn't always like it, he did it (subtly licking his knife when no one was looking). But with Dominic's birthday came lots of proper adults who decided they could pinch his cheeks and ruffle his hair. Louis didn't like it one bit. Attention, he loved, condoning attention made his blood boil.

And what was worse, the five year old had worked out, was when you were stuck waiting for Ven to finish her silly piano piece and nobody paid you any mind. First it was Dominic, for being able to reach six, and now it was Ven being able to play a piano like all the other girls could in the room. Tucking his hands in the perfectly white suit he'd chosen for the day, Louis made his way around the perimeter of the audience. There was no need to see Ven to know she had the look of concentration on her face.

And you didn't need to see the piano to know when she was going to stop.

With the finals chord slowly leaving Vanessa's fingers, Louis concentrated, knowing there was a vase to the left of the piano. "Fall over... Fall over..." He willed the vase, watching the platform wobble. "Fall. Over." Pause. Pause. Clap. Smash. Gasp. A smirk crept on to Louis' face as he milled around the edge, moving towards the sound of the commotion, innocence written in his face as concern touched his features.

"Mama!" He called out, moving to Vanessa's side. "Jacques got out, didn't you see, Mama?" He asked the audience at large, though called only on his mother. The witch paused for a moment, a smile gracing her features at her younger son.

"Silly dog, we'll clean it up." She explained softly, turning the attention off of the five year olds to some other spectacle she'd arranged for her first born child. It was only then that the small smirk touched his lips, turning to Vanessa.

"You played well, Ven!" He complimented, though he'd heard it a hundred times. "Though piano is a little boring, even for you!" He teased lightly, jumping up on to the piano stool and watching the adults moving around.

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~ Lord Clement ~ Profile ~ 55 ~

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

Over the last few years, Vanessa had learned that it wasn't when she could see Louis that the problem was. It was only when her cousin was nowhere to be found that she should start to worry. So when the girl curtsied to the crowd, eyes subtly searching for the familiar face with its even more familiar bored expression, Vanessa knew something bad was going to happen. The young witch had no idea when she had started associating Louis' absence with bad things happening but there it was.

And it came in the form of a crash, right beside her, forcing her to jump in momentary fear as Aunty Lynette darted forwards, too late to do anything had Vanessa been in any actual danger.

"Mama! Jacques got out, didn't you see, Mama?"

A moment of confusion followed as the crowd convinced themselves and each other that an invisible dog had somehow managed to get into the ballroom and out again. Grown ups were silly like that. Even Aunt Lynette believed Louis when Vanessa knew perfectly well there was no dog.

Louis had knocked over the vase, with magic. Even though they weren't allowed to do proper magic yet.

"You played well, Ven!" He complimented, though he'd heard it a hundred times. Though piano is a little boring, even for you!"

Instinct bred into her urged Vanessa to thank him because that's what you did. When someone said something nice to you, you said "thank you". But Louis had knocked over the glass vase that was too close to her so instead, Vanessa quietly replied.

"I could have gotten hurt by that." Looking around to ensure all the grown ups were busy, she added "You were lucky Grandmere wasn't here. She's not as... " Somehow, the word "stupid" refused to leave her mouth when referring to adults. "As easily mistaken as these people."

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"I could have gotten hurt by that."

"But you didn't." Louis reminded her, a smug grin sitting on his features. She honestly needed to be... less of a girl at times. "Besides, I was just testing." Louis explained, knowing he was pushing his luck using his magic, but sometimes it was just too tempting. And other times, it really was an accident. But that was only when he got angry.

"You were lucky Grandmere wasn't here. She's not as... " Somehow, the word "stupid" refused to leave her mouth when referring to adults. "As easily mistaken as these people."

"You're being boring again, Ven. Grandmere never catches me!" Louis reminded her, not for the serious things, anyway. She was always the one who noticed when he subtly slouched, just to relieve a little pressure from his back. Always the one who noted when he missed a thank you. But never the big stuff. "The day she catches me, I will be out of here! On my own big adventure!" Louis told her, his grin filling his face.

"Then I won't have to pay attention to anyone's rules. Nor have to spend my day with icky girls." He explained, watching as Dominic came through the door in his black suit, smiling brightly as their mama showed him to his seat with the main event. A ballet piece, or something equally boring. "Want to sneak to the Dahlientelle before we grow old and fall in love with Dominic like all the adults?" Louis asked, already jumping down from his seat. Once he stood up, Louis straightened out his suit, knowing from five years of lessons that even if he was planning naughty antics, he still represented the Clement house.

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~ Lord Clement ~ Profile ~ 55 ~

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

"But you didn't."

Vanessa had to concede that, it was becoming something of a norm really where Louis would do something bad and it would b worthy of forgiving or neglecting because it hadn't caused quite "enough" damage. Vanessa didn't know what "enough" damage was because the rules seemed to vary for her and Louis. If it was her, simply not siting up straight and listening to her Sewing Mistress was a crime, one that warranted a complain to Aunt Lynette and a stern look from Grandmere while the Sewing Mistress watched in silent satisfaction. With Louis though, it was okay to run all over the grounds as long as he returned in time for tea.

It didn't make sense but that didn't mean it wasn't how things worked.

When Louis accused her of being boring and reminded her that Grandmere never caught him, the girl once again had to agree. But she knew Grandmere better than him, perhaps. She knew in her heart Grandmere never missed anything. And the only reason she hadn't caught Louis was because she was testing him or both of them. Five years of living with Lissette Clement had instilled in Vanessa a healthy fear and respect for the woman who ruled their house.

"The day she catches me, I will be out of here! On my own big adventure!" Louis told her, his grin filling his face.

At his words, a look of fear crossed her face. "Louis, you aren't going to leave me all alone here, are you?" she asked, the panic evident in her grey eyes as she looked all around. There was no question of Grandmere catching him, she always would. But if Louis left... The girl shook her head, trying to dispel the notion. "I wouldn't be able to stand it if you went away. Not with only Dominic around. He's more of a girl than I am!"

"Want to sneak to the Dahlientelle before we grow old and fall in love with Dominic like all the adults?"

The little witch screwed up her nose at the idea of falling in love with Dominic, It was about as possible as falling in love with the ribbons on her shoes. "Are you sure we won't be missed?" she whispered, already moving to follow him because despite her reservation and her fear of getting caught, Vanessa always followed him into things that could land them in very big trouble.

Because in this big house full of big people, Louis was the only one who was even a little bit fun.

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"Louis, you aren't going to leave me all alone here, are you?"

"Isn't that what all the princesses do?" Louis asked, screwing his nose up for a moment. "Sit all along in a big house and wait for the prince?" He asked, shaking his head after a moment, that wasn't Ven. "You'd follow me, silly." He added, because it was a fact of life, Vanessa always followed him around. Even when he didn't want her to.

"I wouldn't be able to stand it if you went away. Not with only Dominic around. He's more of a girl than I am!"

Louis' usually bright eyes turned so very cold at the words from Vanessa. There were rules in teasing, and Vanessa had vastly overstepped it. "Don't say that." He whispered, disliking the idea of Dominic being compared to a girl. Even Louis knew that though Dominic was very skinny and not like other boys, he was not a girl.

With that, Louis whisked away, leaving her to be exactly where she always was.

In his shadow.

"Are you sure we won't be missed?"

"Ven." Louis whined at her tone. Was she ever going to stop worrying about their Grandmere thought? Likely not, Vanessa had always worried. "Nobody will notice because they're too busy watching Prince Dominic. Now, come on!" He told her, exasperation evident in his tones as he peeked the door open only enough for two small children to get out.

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~ Lord Clement ~ Profile ~ 55 ~

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

"Isn't that what all the princesses do?" Louis asked, screwing his nose up for a moment. "Sit all along in a big house and wait for the prince?"

Vanessa shook her head. Being a princess didn't sound fun at all because she hated waiting. Grown ups always said if you waited long enough, everything you wanted would happen but waiting was boring. Doing things was exciting though, and that was why she followed Louis because with him, she at least got to do stuff. When Louis said he would take her with him, Vanessa couldn't help but grin, thinking of the adventures they would have. They might go to Paris on their own, to Lyon, to the cape. Aunt Lynette said Vanessa might go to England in the summer to visit father and maybe Louis would come along too?

"Don't say that."

It took the girl a moment to realize what had made Louis angry. Her calling Dominic a girl. Louis was funny really. Vanessa had noted it seemed perfectly alright for him to call his brother things but not okay for her. Vanessa didn't understand this but attributed it to the mysterious world of boys and how they were. Grandmere said boys were the stupidest things in the world but Louis wasn't stupid. She had told Grandmere that once only to hear the old woman let out a brittle laugh.

"And what makes you smart enough to judge who is stupid and who isn't? And stand up straight, child."

Vanessa wouldn't apologize, she decided as he followed him out the door. But she would be nicer to Dominic for the next day or two, serving her retribution for calling him a girl.

As soon as the two broke free of the stiffening environment of the ballroom, Vanessa broke into a run. She knew she wasn't supposed to run inside the manor but she couldn't help it, a laugh bubbled through her lips at the thought of escaping from the dreariness of the party to the Dahlientelle. For as long as she could remember, the back garden had been her favorite place in the entire estate. Even her room up in the southern tower had a perfect view of it. Though she couldn't see many dahlias from there, just the fleur de lis.

"Louis, catch me," she called out as she ran, white dress streaming behind her as fine blades of grass stained the understand of her white shoes. "Catch me! Catch me!"

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The moment Louis had left the door back in place, he turned towards Vanessa to check she wasn't being stupid about the whole thing, only to see her careering off down the halls with no care in the world. So much for fearing their Grandmere, it seemed.

"Catch me! Catch me!"

Laughter left Louis' body as he ran after her, trying to catch up with her head start she'd made. But try as he might, the boy couldn't narrow down the distance enough to catch her until they finally slowed down for the Dahlientelle. Only when they finally stopped running did Louis bump his shoulder in to her. "Got you, petit fleur!" He joked, moving off between the hedges on the far side that constituted a maze. The boy only stopped just inside the entrance, hiding against the bush waiting for Vanessa to follow so he could scare her senseless.

It was what made things enjoyable, Vanessa's mannerisms. Nobody ever wanted to play like Vanessa did. They were always too busy, or his games were too childish. But Vanessa never seemed to grow tired of him. For them, it was the times away from everyone else, that they could truly be what they wanted to be.

Free.

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~ Lord Clement ~ Profile ~ 55 ~

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

Vanessa ran so very hard but Louis couldn't catch her, making her laugh even more. Louis could outrun almost all the other boys, even Dominic and their cousin Pierre who had longer legs. When they finally reached the gardens, he bumped into her but it was alright. She had let him catch her this time.

Sinking down to her knees, Vanessa picked up a stray Dahlia, twirling it around in her fingers but when she turned to show Louis, he was gone. Vanessa knew where he went. He was in the maze that they weren't supposed to go into. When they were younger, many a disliked au pair had been led to the maze and gotten lost, only to be retrieved sobbing and confused at the end of the day. Aunt Lynette had frowned on them for putting a poor girl through such things but Grandmere had said any girl silly enough to first get lost in the maze and then cry until someone rescued her deserved to sloe both her job and her dignity.

"Louis," she called out, making her way to the hedge. "I won't get scared again," she warned, looking for her cousin as she neared the entrance to the maze. Unlike those au pairs, Vanessa had no fear of getting lost in the maze. She and Louis had it commuted to memory since they had first begun to crawl into it.

"I won't scream and then you'll feel silly," she called out, trying to find a stray shadow, a disturbed hedge, any where Louis could be hiding.

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Come Plot With Me <3

"Louis," she called out, making her way to the hedge. "I won't get scared again,"

Louis' only answer came in the answer of a smirk on his face as he waited perfectly still, and perfectly quiet for Vanessa to follow him in. The maze made people different, funny things happened in the maze, but only if you knew how to make them work. Only if you knew it's secrets.

"I won't scream and then you'll feel silly,"

As the white dress came in to view, Louis' hands moved to clasp her shoulders, quick, stealth like. A killer instinct, it could have been said if he was ten years older. "BOO!" He shouted, close to her, and right on cue the young witch screamed. Louis revelled in the moment for only a moment before pulling Vanessa in to a small hug. "Every time, Ven, every time!" The teasing nature was his way of apology, his frame moving away from hers as he decided to walk the maze once more.

"Ven, can you promise me something?" Louis asked, turning slightly to check she was following. "Even when we're big, we'll still be friends, right?" He asked, pausing and looking back at the witch beside him, trying to read her body language. Louis had never asked anyone that question before. Everyone else didn't matter enough for him to worry.

But Ven did.

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~ Lord Clement ~ Profile ~ 55 ~

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

» The Palace of Versailles, 1999 (Vanessa)
» The Palace of Versailles, 2000 (Vanessa)
» The Palace of Versailles, 2001 (Louis)
» The Palace of Versailles, 2009 (Louis)
» February 2024, Palace Grounds, Versailles (Louis)