Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Hiro Mashima, creator of Fairy Tail. I am in no way connected with the franchise. It bears noting that this fanfic is the product of a request for a "Jane Austen" vibe.
The Art of Falling
Chapter 4: At the End of the Aisle
There was a polite knock on the door. Having the faintest inkling of who could be standing on the other side of it, Juvia quickly calculated the short trip from the stairs to the backdoor at the kitchen. She looked around the room for her mother and, not finding her anywhere of close proximity, Juvia started for her escape. Alas, as she was rounding the corner to the kitchen, Mrs. Lockser caught her hand and ordered her to attend to the door. She made an initial protest to no avail. The young Miss had no choice but to oblige her mother with palpable gloom.
It was not the gentleman, however, that greeted her by the door; not that she was expecting nor anticipating his visit. It was what appeared to be a messenger carrying a letter addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Lockser.
"Oh, Mr. Fullbuster, Mr. Vastia, I hope you lot like Caramade Franks." Mrs. Lockser's voice traveled and reached her daughter before her feet did. "I have risen early in the morning to– where are Mr. Fullbuster and Mr. Vastia?" inquired she, after arriving at the vestibule to find no fine gentlemen.
"There's a letter addressed to you and father. It is from Mr. Fullbuster."
"Oh dear!" cried Mrs. Lockser, who lost strength on her legs, having to put down the baked bread on a side table as she passed it, and sought support from the sturdy furniture. "It is because of your hostility, is it not?" Resting her hand over her forehead in a dramatic fashion, Mrs. Lockser wept a concern that traveled to every room of the house, "that he is withdrawing his courtship? Oh dear, Mr. Lockser!"
Juvia had only stared at her mother, finding her behavior unwarranted. For the very reason for her mother's woe was still in her possession – the sealed letter. Without ever opening it, Mrs. Lockser had bewailed an unfortunate conclusion. However, if it be true that Mr. Fullbuster found it wiser to withdraw his courtship, it was news well-received by Juvia.
"What is with all this noise so early in the morning?"
Mr. Lockser appeared in the hallway that led to his study, with lines formed on his forehead, unhappy with the sudden interruption in his morning reading. His daughters, the eldest and the youngest hastened down and crowded at the foot of the stairs, worried about the wailings of their mother.
"Oh, my dear Mr. Lockser. I am afraid we find ourselves in an unfortunate circumstance." Mrs. Lockser leaned her hip on the table, resting her hand on her chest in a poor attempt to feign poor nerves. "It seems that Mr. Fullbuster is withdrawing his affection towards our rude daughter."
Mrs. Lockser was greatly mistaken. The second daughter did not find such a circumstance so disheartening. It would only prove what Juvia believed – that the offered floras would last longer than Mr. Fullbuster's misguided affection – and Miss Juvia Lockser had no grievances being proven right. Nevertheless, the fretful daughter ought to put an end to this non-sense before her mother nursed a serious illness.
"Shall we not open the letter and confirm before you cry us a river, Mother?" If it was not so impolite to roll her eyes, that Juvia would have done.
Mrs. Lockser refused to receive the letter; afraid reading it would do her and her heart more harm than any good. She could not bear it when the town became aware, as they would be in a day or so, that the lone heir of Lord Silver Fullbuster had found her daughter unacceptable for marriage. Miss Juvia would not only become a pariah of the little town but her family would sink further down society and their reputation would be of no consequence.
"Oh, what shame it is!" cried Mrs. Lockser, running after her breath, "What disrepute shall befall our family only because I have raised my second daughter poorly."
"Shall we confirm it before you disown our poor Miss Juvia?"
As Mrs. Lockser wallowed in her grief, her husband paid her no more deserving attention. Instead, he did the wisest thing and proceeded to take the letter from his daughter and opened it.
"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Lockser, I will begin by expressing my sincerest apology for not having fulfilled my duty to be in your presence today," the letter read, "My dearest cousin-in-law, Mr. Vastia, received news of urgent business. He had no other choice but to return to Margaret Town as soon as possible. I was inclined to offer my services to escort him to the train station, as he believed it a faster mode of transportation than by carriage."
"Oh, what good news!" exclaimed Mrs. Lockser, who immediately recovered from her poor nerves. She leaned in to read the rest of the letter and had commented on Mr. Fullbuster's impeccable handwriting. "A true noble's hand, indeed."
The news, however, had the opposite effect on the young Miss Juvia. As her father continued to share the contents of the letter, Juvia hanged on every word, hopefully waiting for the news her mother dreaded.
"In order to make amends for my absence, my mother, in the heed of Mr. Vastia's wife, would like to extend an invitation for an afternoon tea in the Fullbuster Manor, if you will allow us such graciousness."
Mr. Lockser has yet to reach the end of the letter when his wife decided, with irrevocable conviction, that the visit must be paid no later than the morrow. In an instant, her legs miraculously regained their strength, as the mother of three could not even decide where to begin her preparations.
"We are never to make her Ladyship wait!"
She spat orders here and there and abandoned the newly baked goods, the ones she would have claimed as prepared by her own hand, and proclaimed, "Oh, we must head to town!" As she said so, Mrs. Lockser hastily gathered her daughters and nudged them upstairs. "Mr. Lockser, will you be as kind as to lend your family the carriage?"
"But why must we, Mother?" asked Juvia foolishly for she ought to know the design in Mrs. Lockser's insistence.
"Why you ask? To buy supplies!" Mrs. Lockser descended a few steps of the stairs to level with Miss Juvia; delighted for the opportunity to lecture, "because you do not pay attention to social decorum, my dear Miss Juvia, that you fail to recall the most basic of good manners." Mrs. Lockser lightly shook her head in disapproval. "We cannot simply turn up to the Manor empty-handed."
Juvia kept her silence and allowed her mother this little victory. A glance at her sisters, who seemed amused by the exchange, had her convinced that she was sensible to do so.
"Will you be joining us then, Father?" asked Eliana.
"I say this with regret," started he, "I am afraid I may not be able to do so today and the morrow."
"How dreadful, Father!" cried Juvia. "Allow me to keep you company then." Pretentiously asked her, seeking escape from the social obligation.
"My dear, Juvia," Mr. Lockser was never wary to make known, that even though his children had each their special place in his heart, amongst them, he held Juvia more closely, "humor your mother, just this once." requested he, and patted a hand on top of her daughter's head. For as it appeared, sooner rather than later, he may no longer be allowed this freedom.
After the preparations, Mr. Lockser returned to his books while his wife and their three daughters left in the carriage to the capital. They were met with several acquaintances and treated with sanctioned civility. To each one, Mrs. Lockser never failed to share her enviable news; and to some who were more than acquaintances, such as their neighbors also visiting, the private invitation she and her family were honored by the Lady and her lovely niece. To this embarrassment, Juvia attempted to remind her mother to be a bit humbler and feeling.
"I was merely responding to their inquiry," reasoned she, as the party continued on their path. "How was I being overbearing when I answered in all politeness?"
Juvia ought to respond in this way, "In all politeness and without humility. You were only being pretentiously modest while in all truth, Mrs. Lockser pronounced this piece of news so that the town would envy her covetable connections with his Lordship." Propriety demanded that she keep her silence and fall back in line with her sisters.
"I have never seen mother this high in spirits," mused the youngest Lockser.
Mrs. Lockser walked unapologetically on cloud nine that if her knees allowed, her extreme delight would have added a bounce to her every step.
"She is far much ahead of herself," replied Juvia, who eyed her mother's back with vexation. "I say she is foolishly counting the fowls before the eggs have time to hatch."
To this, neither Wendy nor the eldest had any response other than a shared, apologetic smile. So, Juvia opened a different topic to discuss on their way to Frankhurt Bakery, whose owner was an old friend of the Locksers.
"What a pleasant surprise!" greeted Mrs. Frankhurt at the door. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Mrs. Lockser briefly introduced her daughters, although no introductions were necessary, and thereafter handed her good friend some list of baking supplies she would need for the Caramade Franks, ones Juvia knew her mother would have the cook make and claim as her own doing. After Mrs. Frankhurt called for the store help to gather the supplies in the list, Mrs. Lockser began on the real intent of her coming down. With no real interest in listening to the conversation, Juvia joined Wendy by the dessert glass case; left their mother to the leisure of discussing with her longtime friend the attention paid by Lord Fullbuster's son to one of her daughters.
"Oh, dear Mrs. Frankhurt! What good news have I to tell," exclaimed she, "What wonderful news it is!"
Juvia had come to Frankhurt Bakery since she was a child and for those years she frequented the shop, be it on her mother's orders or her own volition, the second daughter had come to know that Mrs. Frankhurt's business was the center of all information, whether there be truth to it or naught. Gossip in Magnolia traveled faster than the speed of light. In order to assure the widespread of the good news, that the Lord's son was seeking intimate connections with the Lockser family, Mrs. Frankhurt's was the place to light the fire.
"You need not tell me, my dearest friend. Such an important piece of information had been widely circulated in this town before you even set foot in it."
Just as Juvia had expected, the townspeople were now aware of Mr. Fullbuster's frequent visits. She was quite sure, without having to see her mother's expression, that Mrs. Lockser was very much delighted by this news; but not as quite as so when her friend inquired further.
"But do indulge me with the intimate details. Of whom, amongst your daughters, was the intention made known?" Mrs. Frankhurt leaned in, asking without lowering her voice and for everyone in the shop to hear. "It could be none other than your eldest, am I correct? For what man would dare look past the elegant Miss Lockser?"
Juvia, who stopped thinking about the decorated cakes altogether, strained her ears to listen for her mother's response. Quite the complete opposite of Mrs. Lockser's earlier alacrity, there was only silence. The only answer she could offer was continued mum.
"Oh, please, my dearest friend," cried Mrs. Frankhurt, "my poor heart cannot take all this suspense."
Mrs. Frankhurt's curiosity was not out of friendly concern. Nor was it out of the goodness of her heart; for Mrs. Frankhurt knew no 'goodness' unless she found it to be in her advantage. All she had was this unappeasable need to be the first to everything. With news as important as Mr. Fullbuster's choice of wife, it was necessary that she be the first to know and be the first to circulate.
Thus, in answering her friend, Mrs. Lockser hesitated. She was as certain as the rest of Magnolia that her eldest daughter would be the first to marry; but for some wicked reason, fate pulled to a corner and laughed. And so, at that moment, her main concern was the would-be endless guessing of Eliana's faults that made Gray Fullbuster look past her.
Juvia knew of this repercussion. She would not have kept herself in check if not for Wendy's loud musings about the decorated cakes. Despite herself and what was proper, Juvia would have run her sharp tongue and lectured both ladies about the dangers of foolish presumptions and baseless blathers. Instead, she had to bite her own tongue and, on the long ride back home, suffer through the gnawing feeling of guilt for having caused her sister's sullen silence.
The morrow came by and the family, except for Mr. Lockser who had to tend to the fields that day, was up early. They journeyed to the Fullbuster Manor at the crack of dawn, with no time to waste, no daylight to spare. It was Mrs. Vastia who greeted them by the door and accepted the basket of baked goods with all courtesy. As she welcomed the members of the Lockser family, her studying gaze lasted a tad longer on her cousin's object of affection. Juvia took notice but scarcely made anything of it.
Just like her husband, Ultear was a pleasant and agreeable presence. Her aunt, Lady Mika, on the other hand, was restrained by mere civility, to which Mrs. Lockser was either oblivious of or merely disregarding. She ostentatiously admired the dwelling and talked of it in familiarity that could have been easily mistaken as an imposition. Juvia's warnings were all in vain as her mother continued addressing Lady Mika with overbearing intimacy. The Lady was only being polite not to withdraw her invitation, which Juvia was certain she had already regretted.
The party was led to a dedicated tea room, of size thrice as big as the Lockser's parlour, where Lord Fullbuster was waiting with a little bundle of joy settled in his arms. He stood and paid his respects to each guest, introducing to them the child in his arms as the Vastias' only daughter. He then excused himself from the party despite Lady Mika's insistence that he stay.
"Ur and I don't want to be a bother so we will make ourselves scarce," explained his Lordship. "I will happily play with this one until I get one of my own," added he teasingly, casting a look long enough to make Juvia feel as if those very words were addressed to her.
Juvia grew ill at ease and chose to cast her eyes down to the floor, lest she revealed the effects of his allusion. Her effort was for naught; Juvia could not anymore hide the color of her cheeks as it was her own mother who agreed and made a pact on her behalf by saying she too hoped it would be soon. Juvia had yet to agree on the proposal of marriage and here came her mother promising Lord Fullbuster a grandchild.
"I will one day hold you to that promise, Madame." The Lordship bowed with genteel, a smile of satisfaction stretched his lips.
Just when Juvia thought she could not get more embarrassed; Lord Silver left the room mentioning to little Ur a promise of playing with her cousins from Uncle Gray in the future. Juvia could have sworn she was about to come down with a fever.
"My uncle likes to amuse." excused Ultear, who looked interested at the exchange more than anyone. "Why shan't we take our seats?"
Each guest took their stations at the lavish sofas. As they made themselves comfortable, Mrs. Lockser more than anyone, the help arranged the refreshments wonderfully on the card table. Mrs. Lockser's pride, the Caramade Franks, was unwrapped and she made sure to offer her Ladyship the first bite. There was short hesitation at the Lady's end but her position required that she obliged her guests. A request Lady Mika did not have regrets over. For if there was one thing Juvia had considered her family's saving grace, it was the bread recipe passed from her great, great grandmother down to the current Mrs. Lockser. Yet, before her mother mused herself or anyone else of her daughters being good bakers, Juvia made sure her Ladyship knew that the bread was prepared by their cook's hands.
After the quick dialogue, and a discreet scolding, Mrs. Lockser sought back the group's attention. Juvia could only admire their hostess' amiability as they were deduced to a mere audience with the rapidity of Mrs. Lockser's words. She only spoke of Eliana, of her good points, which the second daughter took no offense from. She knew it was more out of habit rather than an evil scheme. Juvia had long accepted that she had no good points worthy to speak of.
The conversation took a round to Ultear and her husband's business. The grateful Missus once again expressed her gratitude for the lovely presents. Without allowing the benefactor to respond, she jumped from one topic to another: delicate ribbons, intricate patterns, expensive gems and some others, to which Juvia never took a particular liking. Growing disinterested by the minute with her mother's monologue, she excused herself from the party to look for the privy.
Outside of the tearoom, Juvia found his Lordship playing with the lively little Ur and talking to her as if the child could understand every word out of his mouth. Juvia found herself entertained to see such a powerful and intimidating man conversing with an infant who seemed to have understood nothing; yet, very pleased with the little careless laughs she offered. Oh, what delightful sounds bouncing around the empty hall. She could listen to it all day rather than Mrs. Lockser's endless ramblings.
The enchanted young miss did not realize she was already staring until Lord Silver caught her eyes.
"Apologies for my intrusion, my Lord."
"I knew a simple tea party would bore a young lady such as you."
Juvia was mulling on the intent of his words when he continued.
"It's the last door on your left. Just at the end of that aisle." He pointed to a path lined by a number of doors on either side and lavish furnishings in between them.
Juvia could see how easy it would have been to get lost in that general direction but she said no other words to Lord Silver but her simple thank you, curtsied and then left the two to their privacy. As she reached the end of the said hallway, Juvia turned to the last pair of doors on her left, as was instructed, thinking it led to the lavatory, only to open them into a roomful of books.
The room was magnificently large. Its walls were all covered by towering shelves filled with books in numerous varieties. With a quick scan, Juvia decided it was nothing like she had ever seen before and her curiosity drew her into the impressive study. She only realized she was not alone when her eyes landed on a figure seated around a drawing table. In the middle of the room, nose buried in his book and a few others scattered around him, was Gray Fullbuster, oblivious of a new presence about to disturb his peace. It was a tad too late to make her retreat as Juvia failed to catch the door behind her.
The loud clack caught Gray's attention. He looked up from his book and, upon realizing who his guest was, fixed himself more properly and dignifiedly on his seat. Juvia started to apologize for her intrusion but Gray acknowledged her with a customary bow and then returned to his book.
Juvia felt in the least bit insulted but the gentleman's apparent disinterest did make her feel unwelcomed. And so, Juvia motioned to the door, about to make her leave when Lord Silver's words echoed in her mind. A simple tea party, he said, could not at all keep her attention. Juvia admitted truth in his words as she could only do her best not to let out a yawn in front of her Ladyship. It was then that she started to weigh her options. For how could sitting in dreadful silence be any better than suffering through an afternoon of her mother's endless tirades? One, she could manage not to offend the graciousness of her hostesses, and two, she could care less about offending this man. So, instead of letting herself out of the study as she initially planned, Juvia allowed herself to stay.
Writer's Corner: Happy Holidays! I wasn't able to keep my promise on a monthly update but I am very much grateful that you still all stayed with me despite what I lacked. Thank you so much. This has been such a hard year but there were many good things that happened too. Especially, 2020 has been the year of ships, the Gruvia ship! & we just kept on winning. Ahaha.
Time for replies.
Seashellshayne, I hope I can keep your interest!
glodenglowingsnowdemon, thank you very much! Hope to keep seeing your reviews. :D
rao hyuga 18, I've always thought of them as a couple. I was wondering why no one explored the idea. hahaha. But to each his own, right? I'm glad you liked the pair too!
P. FullbusterBelieve, my baby girl. ahahaha. I hope school life is treating you well despite this pandemic. How have you been? I really wouldn't mind you sharing any of those possibilities of how Juvia may fall in love with Gray! Ahahaha. Miss you baby girl. :*
TheLittleKittyMeows, oooh. Gajeel. I had to cut the chapter because it was getting too long. So, maybe in the next chaps? Ahahaha.
janeto13, thank youuuuu
Guests, thank you very for your interest. Also, to the one who suggested the potted flower. Wow. That's awesome! Let me think about what I can do. Ahaha. Great idea by the way.
Do you guys have any other ideas you wanted to share? Let me know!
I'll end it here. Please don't spend your entire day on the internet and spend some holiday with your loved ones!
And if 2020 was extra bit hard on you, then I want to remind you that, it will get better. It always does. This too shall pass. I will pray for you whether you believe in the God I believe in or not, I will pray that you get through the darkest time of your life. I love you, my Gruvia family. Happy holidays!