A/N - Next chapter! Thanks for being such great reviewers! Ya'll are doing awesome but we've got a long ways to go!
Chapter 14
Leopold joined her aunt in the library as they arranged to do every few days. Her aunt sat in an armchair by the fire with a blanket spread on her lap whilst sipping tea. Leopold was in no mood to talk to anyone as she'd been moping around since Aaron left yesterday. She had no idea why everyone was acting weird around her, but it was starting to drive her crazy and she was actually thankful that her aunt treated her the same way she always has, like dirt on her shoe. Her aunt glanced up once when she entered before returning her glare out the window where four young children and two dogs played in the snow below.
"Horrible little beasts," her aunt said placing her saucer on the table beside her and continuing to glare out the window with a face of disgust.
"What the dogs?" Leopold inquired not really wanting to know the answer as she walked around the walls of books looking for something interesting she could read while her aunt scolded her on everything.
"Of course not, the dogs are magnificent beasts! I was talking about the children." her aunt replied astonished that Leopold didn't know the answer already.
"Of course," Leopold muttered under her breath rolling her eyes at her aunts dislike. She never knew why her aunt hated children so much. It was one of life's mysteries that everyone in the family was trying to figure out. Or at least the children were. All the adults of course knew why she hated them but they refused to tell Leopold or any of her cousins why. No one ever spoke of the matter and everyone tried avoiding the children whenever they asked. Especially Leopold. For some reason the others have been able to persuade multiple things from their aunts and uncles and have even managed to get them to tell them bits and fragments of what happened, but whenever Leopold is around everyone shuts their mouths and refuses to budge. That is one thing that aggravates Leopold a lot.
"Stop pacing girl and sit down!" her aunt hollered breaking through her thoughts and forcing her to compile with her requests. Leopold heaved a big sigh and slumped towards the seat across from her aunt, folding her arms and scowling at being there. Eliza and Parker tried persuading her to go with them into town to take the shopping trip they had planned but Leopold was in no mood to. Instead they insisted on going later that evening, after Leopold remembered about her meeting with her aunt, in hopes of cheering her up. Leopold hoped they didn't have any plans to have her talk to Aaron because there was no way she was going to talk to him.
Leopold crossed her arms and slumped over to the chairs, plopping herself down in one and slouching so much she almost fell off the chair. She closed her eyes and waited for her aunt to start complaining about everything so she could fall asleep. She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before even though her body was exhausted for some odd reason. She seemed to be having trouble sleeping and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't fall asleep. One thing she knew always put her to sleep was the sound of her aunts voice. That's why she sat there penitently waiting for her aunt to start droning on and on so she could fall asleep. When Leopold realized her aunt hadn't started talking she opened her eyes to see what the problem was.
Leopold's aunt sat in the same chair with her mouth hanging open and a shocked expression on her face. Obviously Leopold's un-lady like behavior had scared her aunt more than she thought. In fact she thought her aunt had had a heart attack and died from the look on her face. Becoming quickly concerned Leopold sat up and leaned forward to make sure her aunt was still breathing. Before Leopold could touch her aunt, her aunt closed her mouth and eyes, scaring Leopold half to death. Her aunt opened her eyes again and started talking while Leopold re-adjusted her position to sleep. Leopold was surprised again when instead of the harsh tone her aunt always used when talking a soft whisper came out.
"Have I ever told you about my daughter?" her aunt whispered turning to stare questionably at Leopold. Leopold looked back at her aunt with a surprised expression on her face. She had never known her aunt had had children of her own. She was even more surprised to see that her aunt looked a lot younger than Leopold thought she was. Why she had to be her own mother's age at least. No older than forty. This made Leopold start thinking of the many things she thought of her aunt that were actually wrong.
"No, no you haven't." Leopold replied softly curling her legs underneath her thighs and becoming very interested as her aunt started her story.
"I was so happy when Elizabeth had been born. It was very soon after I had married your uncle. I was no older than you are now. Eighteen in fact. Mithros I was so happy when she was born. And then when Christina was born two years later. I swear I thought I was the luckiest woman in the world. I always had to give them the best of everything. Dressing them up so much they looked like fragile little dolls instead of babies. I wanted to make sure they were always happy. But I guess sometimes, most of the time I was wrong. All they wanted to do was play with their cousins, the boys who at that time happened to be Keon, Francis, Pail Alphonse and so forth. But I wouldn't let them. I wanted to make sure they had the best education and would be wed to the very best that I made them stay inside and practice everything all day long, stopping only long enough to eat and take a short rest. They spent their entire lives learning how to be the perfect girl I was everything but. Because you see I was just like you are when I was younger. Young, full of life, ready to take on the world if I was given the chance. My mother had done everything in her power to try and contain me from that spirit but she never won. I wanted those girls to have the same spirit, so every once in a while I would let them go off with their cousins to do whatever they wanted.
"Elizabeth turned fifteen the year you were born and Christian thirteen. I pushed both of them even harder to learn so they might become wed soon. Elizabeth I pushed the most. Making her take extra lessons and being so happy when she came back from the convent a young lady. Christina was just as good. We took them to court that year and they stayed inside the entire time, studying more and becoming acquainted with palace life as I hoped they would meet the prince or someone else just as grand. But instead Elizabeth fell in love with a poor blacksmith's boy. She had been sneaking out ever night un-noticed by me to see him and Christina had been covering for her. I was so mad when I found out. We left the next day for home, dragging our weeping child along with us.
"That's when they both became sick. Because Christina looked up to her sister in every way, they did everything together, and when Elizabeth came down with a cold Christina was not far behind her. I never learned what they had come down with. Something that had swept through Corus a long time ago. When they died I blamed many people. The blacksmith boy that made me angry with Elizabeth in the first place, Corus for giving my daughters the sickness, myself for being so hard on the two of them. I started hating everyone around me. I hated the healer who said there was nothing he could do for my daughters. That they were eventually going to die from lack of sunlight. I laughed in his face when he told me this. How wrong I had been. Your uncle and I grew farther and farther apart and I became isolated from the world, wanting only to remember those few happy years I had with my daughters. Then I turned to blaming you. After I found out what gift you had, as well as the boys who had only tried to give my girls a little bit of fun.
"But mostly I hated myself. For everything." her aunt had tears running down her face at this point and she stopped to cover her mouth with her hand as she began sobbing from pain. Leopold wasn't sure what to do as her aunt turned and stared out the window at the four children playing there. "Why couldn't I just let them be children?"
"Aunt…" Leopold hesitated wanting to ask a question but not sure this was the right time for it. "Aunt, why didn't you tell me this before?"
Her aunt turned to stare at her and was for once at a lost of words. "Don't give him up. Maybe if I hadn't snatched them away from Corus so quickly, they could have stayed and been healed. I'm telling you this because I don't want you to make the same consequences I made. Don't give up your spirit, be the same adventurous girl I've grown to love as my own daughter."
"Aunt…"Leopold started wondering how her aunt knew of Aaron.
"I'm no fool Leopold. I was raised in the Rogue. My own mother was harsh on me because of my wild spirit. It wasn't something she could easily contain and she feared I would be caught. Well I was caught and I fell in love and was wed before I knew what was happening to me. I know a thief and fellow Rogue when I see one. I also see a person who has many secrets that he's not willing to share."
Leopold stared at her aunt, a little scared that she knew so much, and mad that she hadn't shared her story before. Wasn't it her right to know that she hadn't been the only granddaughter? And what was this gift everyone was talking about, because she certainly didn't have one. Leopold folded her hands and stared at them, wondering if she should say something in return. "Maybe it's for the best. I'm not willing to put my feelings on the line for a thief that may leave me without a backwards glance, and I'm certainly not willing to be with a complete stranger who won't even be honest with me."
"You and I both know you're wrong Leopold." her aunt replied wiping he tears from her face as Leopold boiled with anger
"If we're done here," Leopold hissed wanting more than anything to get out of that hot room. Her aunt nodded at Leopold who gave a polite goodbye before bolting from the room.
Chapter 14
Leopold joined her aunt in the library as they arranged to do every few days. Her aunt sat in an armchair by the fire with a blanket spread on her lap whilst sipping tea. Leopold was in no mood to talk to anyone as she'd been moping around since Aaron left yesterday. She had no idea why everyone was acting weird around her, but it was starting to drive her crazy and she was actually thankful that her aunt treated her the same way she always has, like dirt on her shoe. Her aunt glanced up once when she entered before returning her glare out the window where four young children and two dogs played in the snow below.
"Horrible little beasts," her aunt said placing her saucer on the table beside her and continuing to glare out the window with a face of disgust.
"What the dogs?" Leopold inquired not really wanting to know the answer as she walked around the walls of books looking for something interesting she could read while her aunt scolded her on everything.
"Of course not, the dogs are magnificent beasts! I was talking about the children." her aunt replied astonished that Leopold didn't know the answer already.
"Of course," Leopold muttered under her breath rolling her eyes at her aunts dislike. She never knew why her aunt hated children so much. It was one of life's mysteries that everyone in the family was trying to figure out. Or at least the children were. All the adults of course knew why she hated them but they refused to tell Leopold or any of her cousins why. No one ever spoke of the matter and everyone tried avoiding the children whenever they asked. Especially Leopold. For some reason the others have been able to persuade multiple things from their aunts and uncles and have even managed to get them to tell them bits and fragments of what happened, but whenever Leopold is around everyone shuts their mouths and refuses to budge. That is one thing that aggravates Leopold a lot.
"Stop pacing girl and sit down!" her aunt hollered breaking through her thoughts and forcing her to compile with her requests. Leopold heaved a big sigh and slumped towards the seat across from her aunt, folding her arms and scowling at being there. Eliza and Parker tried persuading her to go with them into town to take the shopping trip they had planned but Leopold was in no mood to. Instead they insisted on going later that evening, after Leopold remembered about her meeting with her aunt, in hopes of cheering her up. Leopold hoped they didn't have any plans to have her talk to Aaron because there was no way she was going to talk to him.
Leopold crossed her arms and slumped over to the chairs, plopping herself down in one and slouching so much she almost fell off the chair. She closed her eyes and waited for her aunt to start complaining about everything so she could fall asleep. She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before even though her body was exhausted for some odd reason. She seemed to be having trouble sleeping and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't fall asleep. One thing she knew always put her to sleep was the sound of her aunts voice. That's why she sat there penitently waiting for her aunt to start droning on and on so she could fall asleep. When Leopold realized her aunt hadn't started talking she opened her eyes to see what the problem was.
Leopold's aunt sat in the same chair with her mouth hanging open and a shocked expression on her face. Obviously Leopold's un-lady like behavior had scared her aunt more than she thought. In fact she thought her aunt had had a heart attack and died from the look on her face. Becoming quickly concerned Leopold sat up and leaned forward to make sure her aunt was still breathing. Before Leopold could touch her aunt, her aunt closed her mouth and eyes, scaring Leopold half to death. Her aunt opened her eyes again and started talking while Leopold re-adjusted her position to sleep. Leopold was surprised again when instead of the harsh tone her aunt always used when talking a soft whisper came out.
"Have I ever told you about my daughter?" her aunt whispered turning to stare questionably at Leopold. Leopold looked back at her aunt with a surprised expression on her face. She had never known her aunt had had children of her own. She was even more surprised to see that her aunt looked a lot younger than Leopold thought she was. Why she had to be her own mother's age at least. No older than forty. This made Leopold start thinking of the many things she thought of her aunt that were actually wrong.
"No, no you haven't." Leopold replied softly curling her legs underneath her thighs and becoming very interested as her aunt started her story.
"I was so happy when Elizabeth had been born. It was very soon after I had married your uncle. I was no older than you are now. Eighteen in fact. Mithros I was so happy when she was born. And then when Christina was born two years later. I swear I thought I was the luckiest woman in the world. I always had to give them the best of everything. Dressing them up so much they looked like fragile little dolls instead of babies. I wanted to make sure they were always happy. But I guess sometimes, most of the time I was wrong. All they wanted to do was play with their cousins, the boys who at that time happened to be Keon, Francis, Pail Alphonse and so forth. But I wouldn't let them. I wanted to make sure they had the best education and would be wed to the very best that I made them stay inside and practice everything all day long, stopping only long enough to eat and take a short rest. They spent their entire lives learning how to be the perfect girl I was everything but. Because you see I was just like you are when I was younger. Young, full of life, ready to take on the world if I was given the chance. My mother had done everything in her power to try and contain me from that spirit but she never won. I wanted those girls to have the same spirit, so every once in a while I would let them go off with their cousins to do whatever they wanted.
"Elizabeth turned fifteen the year you were born and Christian thirteen. I pushed both of them even harder to learn so they might become wed soon. Elizabeth I pushed the most. Making her take extra lessons and being so happy when she came back from the convent a young lady. Christina was just as good. We took them to court that year and they stayed inside the entire time, studying more and becoming acquainted with palace life as I hoped they would meet the prince or someone else just as grand. But instead Elizabeth fell in love with a poor blacksmith's boy. She had been sneaking out ever night un-noticed by me to see him and Christina had been covering for her. I was so mad when I found out. We left the next day for home, dragging our weeping child along with us.
"That's when they both became sick. Because Christina looked up to her sister in every way, they did everything together, and when Elizabeth came down with a cold Christina was not far behind her. I never learned what they had come down with. Something that had swept through Corus a long time ago. When they died I blamed many people. The blacksmith boy that made me angry with Elizabeth in the first place, Corus for giving my daughters the sickness, myself for being so hard on the two of them. I started hating everyone around me. I hated the healer who said there was nothing he could do for my daughters. That they were eventually going to die from lack of sunlight. I laughed in his face when he told me this. How wrong I had been. Your uncle and I grew farther and farther apart and I became isolated from the world, wanting only to remember those few happy years I had with my daughters. Then I turned to blaming you. After I found out what gift you had, as well as the boys who had only tried to give my girls a little bit of fun.
"But mostly I hated myself. For everything." her aunt had tears running down her face at this point and she stopped to cover her mouth with her hand as she began sobbing from pain. Leopold wasn't sure what to do as her aunt turned and stared out the window at the four children playing there. "Why couldn't I just let them be children?"
"Aunt…" Leopold hesitated wanting to ask a question but not sure this was the right time for it. "Aunt, why didn't you tell me this before?"
Her aunt turned to stare at her and was for once at a lost of words. "Don't give him up. Maybe if I hadn't snatched them away from Corus so quickly, they could have stayed and been healed. I'm telling you this because I don't want you to make the same consequences I made. Don't give up your spirit, be the same adventurous girl I've grown to love as my own daughter."
"Aunt…"Leopold started wondering how her aunt knew of Aaron.
"I'm no fool Leopold. I was raised in the Rogue. My own mother was harsh on me because of my wild spirit. It wasn't something she could easily contain and she feared I would be caught. Well I was caught and I fell in love and was wed before I knew what was happening to me. I know a thief and fellow Rogue when I see one. I also see a person who has many secrets that he's not willing to share."
Leopold stared at her aunt, a little scared that she knew so much, and mad that she hadn't shared her story before. Wasn't it her right to know that she hadn't been the only granddaughter? And what was this gift everyone was talking about, because she certainly didn't have one. Leopold folded her hands and stared at them, wondering if she should say something in return. "Maybe it's for the best. I'm not willing to put my feelings on the line for a thief that may leave me without a backwards glance, and I'm certainly not willing to be with a complete stranger who won't even be honest with me."
"You and I both know you're wrong Leopold." her aunt replied wiping he tears from her face as Leopold boiled with anger
"If we're done here," Leopold hissed wanting more than anything to get out of that hot room. Her aunt nodded at Leopold who gave a polite goodbye before bolting from the room.