Title: The Governess
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Rating: K+ for now
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters you recognize – they belong to Shondaland. Also, I realize there is a movie called The Governess. Any similarities between this story and that movie are merely coincidental, as I've never seen the movie.
Summary: Very AU. Widowed, pregnant, and left with three loveable but needy children, Calliope Torres decides to hire a governess.
England – Spring, 1814
Arianna Robbins steps out of the horse-drawn carriage, careful not to tread too heavily on the muddied, beaten path. She thanks the driver verbally, before running her gloved hand over the horse's black mane in gratitude to the animal as well. She hoists her trunk with both hands so that it rests against her leg. Balancing it precariously against her hip, she lifts her second, smaller bag with her free hand and awkwardly makes her way down the path to her new home.
Calliope Torres watches from the parlor window as the blonde woman struggles down the unpaved path. She lets a smile widen across her face when the blonde places the trunk down and wipes a stray curl off her brow.
"Sofia," Callie calls. "Be a dear and help the governess with her things!"
"Yes, Mother," the 8-year-old brunette replies from her spot on the parlor floor, where she is teaching her younger sister to cross-stitch.
"No running!" her mother bellows after her. Sofia slows until she reaches the door, where she once again picks up her pace and gallops towards her new governess. Callie shakes her head with a smile. Sofia is obedient when it really matters, so she often forgives her eldest daughter's free spirit.
"Hello, Miss!" Sofia says breathlessly, when she comes to a screeching halt in front of Arianna. She gives a slight curtsy and immediately takes the smaller bag out of Arianna's hand.
"Why, hello! You must be the lovely Sofia about whom I've heard only good things."
Sofia giggles. "I am the lovely Sofia, yes. Come on, Mother's inside."
Ari can't help but giggle as the young girl once again takes off for the front door. She follows as quickly behind as she can, but her trunk weighs her down, and Sofia is long gone by the time she reaches the daunting stairs that lead to the door.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Robbins. I don't like to keep servants, so I have no help. I would help you myself, but I can't in my condition," the elegant brunette says from the doorway, gesturing to the small swell of her stomach.
"Oh, I wasn't informed you were with child. Congratulations!" Ari leaves her trunk at the bottom of the stairs so she can be properly introduced to her new employer.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Robbins," Callie says, taking the paler woman's hand in both of hers.
"And you as well, Mrs. Sloan," Ari replies warmly. Callie, however, bristles at the name. "I prefer Miss Torres."
Ari pulls her hand back. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I thought you were…"
"I was. My late husband, God bless him, only recently passed and I just can't bear to keep his name and be reminded every day. It's remembrance enough that I have his child growing in me. The children, of course, have his name, but I prefer to go by my maiden name," she says matter-of-factly but without malice, before turning to tend to her children.
Ari sighs and mentally berates herself for her mistake, which is obviously a sore spot for her new employer. She struggles up the steps with her trunk and sets it down in the foyer, silently taking in the magnificent mansion, opulently decorated with paintings and other oddities she believes to be from Spain.
Callie re-enters the room shortly after, with her children following in a line.
"Miss Robbins, you've met my oldest daughter Sofia. Next is Charlotte."
"I'm five!" Charlotte interrupts proudly.
"She just turned five and is rather excited," Callie explains as an apology.
"You're such a big girl," Ari indulges Charlotte and is rewarded with a giggle and a widening of the young girl's big blue eyes.
"Lastly, we have Henry. He's three and a bit shy," Callie says with a laugh as her little boy peers out from around Charlotte. Ari waves at the boy and he ducks back behind his sister.
"Charlotte and Sofia will show you to your room and help you get settled, and then you can join me in the parlor and we will discuss the terms of your employment," Callie continues.
"Follow us, Miss Robbins. Your room is in the East Wing," Sofia says, picking up Ari's smaller bag and heading down the hallway to her left.
"Our rooms are in the West Wing," Charlotte brags. "Mother said it's 10 square feet bigger than the East Wing. I don't know what that means, but it's definitely bigger."
"Lottie, it's not nice to brag," her older sister scolds.
Ari laughs as she follows the pretentious sisters through the wing to her room. She may have her hands full with this family, but between the precocious duo, the shy little one, and the beautiful enigma that was their mother, she is certain she'll never be bored.
o0o0o
"Knock, knock," Ari says, verbalizing her action of rapping on the study door.
"Come in," Callie replies.
"The children are in the parlor. I told them they could play until supper. I hope that's all right."
"Yes, yes, of course. Thank you. I'm a bit unorthodox with the way I run my household, so for the most part, anything goes," Callie says with an apologetic smile.
"Well that suits me fine, because I'd say I'm a bit unorthodox myself." Without realizing it, Ari winks at Callie, causing the brunette to blush. Suddenly Callie's already restrictive corset feels as though it is tightening against her rapidly beating heart.
"I have to admit, Miss Robbins, that I fear I have lured you here under false pretenses," Callie begins.
"I was told I was to be your children's governess; is that not the case? And please, you can call me Arianna, or Ari, like they do at the convent."
Callie ignores the latter half of Ari's statement. "It is the case, but I need you to broaden your scope of employment, I'm afraid. I want you to teach the girls, of course, but I just need general help around the house. I'm alone, and as I mentioned, I have no help, except for the lady who comes in to clean once a week and the groundskeeper. In my state, it's become increasingly difficult just to prepare supper every night. You'll have Sundays off, of course, and you can take holidays whenever you need them, but I just can't – "
"Relax, ma'am. That's perfectly fine. To be honest, I'm just relieved to be out of the convent."
"Oh? Was it not right for you?"
"No, it turns out it wasn't," Ari replies without any explanation.
"If you don't mind my asking, Miss Robbins – "
"Arianna," Ari interrupts.
"If you don't mind my asking…Arianna," Callie says slowly, testing the sound, "why did you join the convent?"
"I realized at a young age that I could never love a man."
Misunderstanding, Callie balks. "But you're beautiful, Arianna! Surely there are men from here to London asking for your hand."
"I didn't say that men couldn't love me," Ari replies cheekily. Without wanting to expound further and shock her new employer and, hopefully, new friend, Ari rises. "I'll go get the children ready for supper."
Turning on her heel, she swishes out of the room, leaving a very perplexed and intrigued brunette in her wake.
o0o0o
"Miss Robbins, will you teach me piano?" Sofia asks, her mouth full of meat pie.
"Sofia, chew with your mouth closed!" Her mother chastises. Sofia dutifully closes her mouth and makes a big show of chewing without opening her mouth for one second.
"Yes, Sofia, I would be delighted to teach you piano!"
"And me too?" Charlotte asks, careful to wait until she's swallowed so that she could show up her sister.
"Of course!" Satisfied, Charlotte returns to her food. "And what about you, Henry? Would you like to learn to play the piano?"
Henry shakes his head, but keeps his eyes trained on his plate.
"No? Why not?" Ari asks, a playful pout on her face.
"Hard," he says simply.
"Well, luckily for you, I am a superb teacher!" Ignoring Callie's raised brow at her strange vocabulary, Ari continues, "Do you think you could give it a try? For me?"
Henry nods, pushing some mushy peas around his plate with his small fork.
"Well that's settled, then! Piano lessons for all of you first thing tomorrow morning," Ari says with finality. The two girls cheer, while Callie rolls her eyes and Henry continues to play with his peas.
o0o0o
"You were really great with the children," Callie says, breaking their relative silence as the two wash the dishes from dinner. The children have been put to bed and now, without the distraction, Callie struggles to figure out what to talk about.
"Thank you. They're lovely, Miss Torres."
"Since I have to call you Arianna, it's only fair that you call me by my first name."
"Thank you, Calliope," Ari replies.
Callie cringes and Ari continues, "Did I get your name wrong again?"
"No, no it's fine. Usually friends and acquaintances simply call me Callie while my family calls me Calliope."
Ari frowns. "But a beautiful name such as Calliope suits you far better." Without letting Callie disagree, Ari places her hand on the taller woman's elbow. "You should be resting, given your condition."
"I can wash a few plates."
"As can I. Why don't you retire early tonight? I will finish these dishes."
Callie smiles gratefully at the blonde whose arms are now elbow-deep in the warm water bucket. "I am rather tired."
"Go to bed, Calliope. I'll see you in the morning."
o0o0o
When Callie awakes almost an hour later than her usual time, she is surprised to walk into the kitchen to find all three of her children dressed and eating porridge. The girls' hair is braided immaculately with ribbons fastening the ends. Henry's hair is neatly combed and parted at the side. He looks like a little gentleman.
"Look, Mother, I have two braids this morning!" Charlotte practically squeals, as she tugs on her pigtails. She has only ever had one braid before.
Callie smiles indulgingly at her middle child, before sending a more genuine smile towards Ari. "You are a miracle worker."
"I'm just doing my job," Ari replies, secretly accepting and appreciating the praise.
"Mother, can you take Henry with you when you go to town today? Miss Robbins is teaching Charlotte and me piano and he will just get in the way," Sofia says, not the least bit apologetic. Henry just scowls and shifts in his seat.
"Now, Sofia, that's not very nice. Henry said he would like to learn as well, isn't that right, Henry?"
Henry shakes his head. "But Henry, you said last night you wanted to learn," Callie implores, desperate for some time on her own in town.
"Go with you," he says. His bottom lip quivers as he tries to keep the tears at bay.
Callie sighs. "Okay, but just for today."
Ari crouches so that she is at the toddler's level. "Tomorrow I will give you an extra special private piano lesson, how does that sound?"
"Sounds nice," Henry replies with a sniffle.
"You two girls go get situated by the piano, and Henry, can you put your boots on all by yourself like a big boy?"
None of the children reply verbally, but they all nod and begin their tasks. Once the children are out of earshot, Callie turns to Ari.
"You'll have to excuse Henry. Ever since his father died, he's been very…reserved. You see, he's somehow got it in his head that he's the reason his father is never coming back. The girls were affected, of course, but they are already recovering."
"And you?" Ari asks tentatively.
"I'm coping."
A/N: Hello, all! Here I am with a new fic. Yes, I'm still co-writing The Prep, a new chapter of which is coming hopefully this weekend, but Jamie convinced me to go ahead and start posting this now. Also, I really will write a sequel to Tchaikovsky at some point, for those of you who were looking forward to that next. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter – it's going to be an interesting ride, so bear with me! (And yes, I'm trying my hand at the present tense. It just felt right to write a period fic in present for who knows what reason.)