For Honour {Genevieve}

[COMTESSE ELEONORE ROCHECHOUART]

Must be strong and we must let go

Eleonore was not in the brightest of moods, she was as her husband often described her as prickly as a rose bush. Her second eldest son had disappeared and her sources were telling her he had joined with the foul rebel group named the Sacred Heart, which had the cheek to take up residence in the forests close by to their estate. Eleonore would no longer allow her children to venture past their walls without supervision from well-trained swordsmen. It was no longer safe for them.

She had decided to keep such news quiet, hoping her son would come to his senses and return to them before he damaged their reputation. She could not help but feel that more drastic action would need to be taken and her sharp mind was already hatching a plan in regards to this. Eleonore crossed what was her study room, not many women of her standing had a study but she had insisted upon it. She needed her own place to think, away from the children and her demned husband.

She had to find a way to get her son back before he spoilt the families’ reputation forever. A plan began to form, running through Eleonore’s mind; she was a good rider and shooter, better than many men. Her father hadn’t treated her like the delicate flower her mother had wanted her to be, and she’d learnt a thing or two from the hunts she had attend with him. Perhaps her son was not completely lost, not if she could speak to him for five minutes, get him to realise his foolish actions were not heroic.

Elonore moved swiftly sitting behind her desk she pulled out a map of the surrounding area. It couldn’t be too hard to find the camp, the men would chose somewhere near water, not too far away from a main road, but far enough away their camp would not be heard. Her fingers ran over a few possibilities as her mind drifted far away from her study room, planning a mission that could bring her family back together and save her daughters reputations with it.

WORD COUNT: 356. NOTES: sorry this took so long to get up, ive been very poorly this week <3

[LADY GENEVIEVE ROCHECHOUART]

you've made a difference YOU'VE WON YOUR FIGHT A bit of sunlight was seen between the cracks of the curtains. Genevieve pulled the curtains apart, letting the sun shine through fully. It was too much of a beautiful day to be stuck inside a dark house. She left her room and ventured out into the garden. The flowers were all in bloom and their fragrances scented the air. The birds sang pleasantly in the trees. Everything was peaceful. The world seemed so calm at the moment. Those thoughts ran through her mind. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness. It was all an illusion. Her family was torn. Her older brother was gone. She hadn't the faintest idea where he went. While everyone was trying to find him, Élisabeth was acting moody. Her sister tried to hide it but Genevieve lived with her long enough to know that something was wrong. She didn't bother pressing her sister for the answer since she seemed flustered. She brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. Life was beginning to get more complicated. She heard whispers of another rebellion. Of course, she wasn't allowed to hear these about these events but that didn't stop the other people from gossiping. She hated how there were always rebellions going on in France. She knew that she couldn't do anything to stop the bloodshed. There was always someone opposing the crown. So many questions would run through her mind but she was forbidden to speak of them. All her life, she's been told that she was supposed to be a lady. Ladies weren't supposed to do anything but sit around and embroider tablecloths. A frown was clearly placed upon her lips. She turned around abruptly and entered the house again. The little stroll in the garden didn't have the effect that she wanted. She couldn't understand why Élisabeth found it so relaxing to walk around the garden. Genevieve walked briskly to the drawing room where the piano was placed. It was unladylike to walk that way but she didn't care. She knocked on the door of the drawing room softly to see if anyone was there. No answer came from within. She pushed the door open softly and walked over to the grand piano. She sat at the stool and picked a music sheet out. It was one of her favorite songs. Her eyes followed the notes as her hands moved to hit the keys. She finished the song, ending it quietly. She felt calmer now. A thought drifted into her mind. She hadn't seen her younger brother at all that day. Usually, he'd be up and about. She stood up from the piano stool and roamed the house for a bit, looking for him. There was no sign of him anywhere. Perhaps, her mother knew where he was. Genevieve quickened her pace and went to her mother's study. She knocked at the door. Without waiting for an answer, she opened it. "Mother, have you by any chance seen Constantin anywhere today?" she asked.

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[COMTESSE ELEONORE ROCHECHOUART]

Must be strong and we must let go

Eleonore was engrossed in the map, she had already penned out several possible spots for the rebels to make camp, when there was a short knock on the door. Eleonore barely had time to move the map under a pile of papers before the door swung open and in glided her youngest daughter. A crease in her forehead appeared as she tutted at her daughter’s lack of courtesy, she expected her children to view the study as a place she should not be interrupted…unless there was blood, flood or fire. She did not expect her daughter to invite herself into the room, unless she had otherwise indicted this was acceptable.

Eleonore carefully placed the top back on her ink pot, ignoring her daughters question she did not speak, an indication of her disapproval over the poor etiquette her daughter had exhibited. She pursed her lips and after a moments silence she raised her eyes back to meet Genevieve’s. She was relatively pleased with the girl, she showed great promise with her musical talents and she had a fairness about her that would certainly attract a man. Eleonore regarded Elisabeth as the child with the greatest potential for marriage, but as of late she had noticed a change in Genevieve, something that suggested to Eleonore that her inner strength had perhaps been passed on to her. That would certainly help Genevieve and her talents would work greatly in her favour.

‘Genevieve’ Eleonore started her tone firm, ‘please remind me of the rules regarding my study’ she said, leaning forward to hear her daughters response, as her other hand shifted the rest of the papers to cover the map fully. She didn’t need any further questions regarding Genevieve’s siblings, they all seemed to be running amuck and it was all Eleonore could do to save them from themselves. She supposed if Genevieve’s father had his way, they would all be living in the forests like animals and not living the life they were entitled to. He was always weak in regards to his children’s wishes. It drove Eleonore to distraction.

WORD COUNT: 359. NOTES: Thats ok, sorry i took sometime to reply also! <3

[LADY GENEVIEVE ROCHECHOUART]

you've made a difference YOU'VE WON YOUR FIGHT A feeling of urgency had rushed through her. She was afraid that Constantin would end up like their older brother. She didn't want him to be just a name that was forgotten. She didn't need to lose another brother. That feeling pushed her to open the door to her mother's study. It was forbidden to do so without her mother's consent. Instead of an answer, she was met with complete silence. That was when she realized her mistake. She had noticed it too late. She wished that she wasn't so strong-willed and that she would be more like her older sister. Genevieve stood by the open door awkwardly as the thoughts went through her mind. Finally, she remembered where she was. She shut the door softly behind herself. She knew that she was going to be scolded by her mother. She bit her lip as she considered her next words. She had to go about this delicately since her mother was already angry at her lack of manners. It was rare for Genevieve to be scared or nervous. The only person who made her feel that frightened was her mother. She was surely a force to be reckoned with. Occasionally, she felt as if it was her mother who ran the household rather than her father. Her mother was usually the one who made the decisions. Her father, on the other hand, allowed them to do anything that they wanted. He was the one that spoiled them while her mother was the strict parent. She stopped thinking about her actions when her mother finally spoke. Genevieve lifted her eyes and stepped further into the room. "I must not enter your study without your consent," she said, the rule coming easily into her mind. Her mother had made sure that they learned those rules from the moment that they could talk. Well, not really but it was similar to that. Genevieve smoothed out a crease in her dress then clasped her hands behind her back. She paused for a few minutes before she tried speaking again. She lifted her eyes back to her mother. "I apologize for my lack of manners," she said, her voice raising just enough so that her mother could hear. There were times where she didn't know how to speak around her mother. One false move could fan the flames. "I have not seen him at all today so I was merely worried about him," she explained softly. It was true. He was not seen at all during the day. She just hoped that he hadn't gone missing like her older brother.

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[COMTESSE ELEONORE ROCHECHOUART]

Must be strong and we must let go

Eleonore could not see much of herself in Genevieve’s appearance, although now and again she recognised a look in Genevieve’s eyes that held much similarity to her own. She gazed at her daughter as she hovered in the doorway, deciding upon her next move. Eleonore would never admit it, but a part of her was jealous of her children, each child was being given an opportunity in life she would have loved at their age. She was pleased with her marriage to her husband. Socially, it was everything she had ever dreamed of, it had given her a lot of chances, but there was something missing in her life. She had never really been truly happy so she couldn’t place her finger on what It was exactly she wanted.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her daughters words, and was pleased that at least one lesson of hers had been remembered. Eleonore beckoned for her daughter to come forward and gestured towards a seat by her desk. She did not look at Genevieve as she expressed her concerns about her youngest boy, her mind was still with her plans and maps that were now neatly concealed under other papers. Her fingers tapped thoughtfully against the oak desk as she reined her plans in and drew her attention back to her daughter.

She did not need any distractions, Eleonore wanted her daughters focused purely on their studies and marriage prospects. She could not afford them any distractions, especially those her sons brought, which were seemingly becoming more and more dangerous than she would like. Eleonore rose from her chair, her hands clasped behind her back, she moved to the window to gaze out upon the garden, a spot that usually housed one or two of her children, but today she couldn’t see any of them from her windows. She sighed at turned back to look at Genevieve her eyes softening for a brief moment before hardening again.

‘Your father indulges the boy far too much freedom, no doubt he riding one of the horse out today. I expect he will be back in due course’ she said, although if he were out riding today she feared where he had taken the horse. She prayed he was not foolish enough to follow in his brothers footsteps and turn upon them and their King.

WORD COUNT: 388. NOTES: n/a

[LADY GENEVIEVE ROCHECHOUART]

you've made a difference YOU'VE WON YOUR FIGHT Different. The word always lingered in her mind. It explained many things in her life. It was the one word that remained in her mind at the moment. Her mind was often occupied by many thoughts but this one stood out from the rest. It became clearer as she stared into the gray eyes of her mother. The two of them did not look the part of mother and daughter. As she remembered that, a memory came into mind. Her brothers were no exception to the behavior of common boys. They were raised as nobles should be. Yet, boys would be boys. They teased her mercilessly about her appearance. Once, they even insisted that she was not truly part of the family. She laughed. Of all the reactions they expected of her, she laughed instead. Despite her fear, she stayed strong. Most children would cry but she was not like them. No matter what, she was her mother's daughter and nothing could change that. It was something that she held on to. Looking closer, one would find small similarities. This fact only strengthened her belief. She noticed her mother gesturing to the seat by her desk. Obediently, she listened and took a seat. All the while, her eyes remained on her mother. She watched her mother's moves carefully, watching for a sign of any of emotion. Her mother was a strong woman and concealed her emotions well. It was something that she wished that she had the ability to do. Genevieve was an open book. Her emotions were so clearly displayed through her eyes. It was one of her many shortcomings. Her thoughts were broken by her mother's words. She knew that her mother was not in love with her father. Almost no one was in love with the person they married. That was what it was like in her eyes. Nothing seemed to be like the stories that she was told as a child. Married people rarely got along. Countries were not as peaceful as they were in those stories. France was in a complete chaos from what she heard. She did what she thought best. She kept silent. Her mother could be a frightening person. Genevieve contemplated on her family. They were a respectable one. They never opposed the king in any way. She did wonder about what happened to her older brother. It seemed so sudden. He was there one day and gone the next. He never came back since then. Genevieve wondered whether he would ever return to their home. Suddenly, her thoughts became words. "Will Louis ever come back?" she questioned softly, looking down at her hands. She glanced back up at her mother, wondering if the comtesse would scold her for asking such things.

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[COMTESSE ELEONORE ROCHECHOUART]

Must be strong and we must let go

Louis…how she had favoured Louis, although he was not the oldest there was something in the boy that she admired, a strength and interest that was promising. She however could not reign in his wild ideas and she lost him to a rebels cause, he turned his back upon his family and his heritage, which pained Eleonore greatly. She had implored her husband to reason with Louis, but it seemed to be of no avail. She had resulted in having to take matters into her own hands, something she was no stranger to, she could only pray she could reverse the damage her son had done before it was too late.

Eleonore frowned her hand brushing over the papers that concealed the map, she would find the place her son was hiding and bring him home. She could not consider failure…but if she failed at least she knew she had tried. To her family she masked her feelings with contempt, making it clear she wanted no more talk of Louis, for he had betrayed them. She could only hope this would quell any rebellious thoughts that crossed her other children’s minds…after all it only took one spark to light a flame and she needed to snuff the spark before it destroyed them all.

She looked back into her daughter’s eyes, her own betraying few signs of emotion as she spoke. She had grown up with the talent of bottling her own feelings, each one shelved deep inside of her until it was safe to open them up and let them out. Living so often exhausted her, but she feared showing her emotions knowing it made her vulnerable to those around her. Emotion was a sign of weakness and she refused to be seen in such a manner.

‘Who knows what will happen when things rest on the whims of men?’ She breezed, ‘he’s playing a dangerous game Genevieve. I want you to understand that, he’s turned his back upon his family and it won’t be long before returning will be impossible.’ She said firmly, hoping to instil some sense of the seriousness of the situation upon her daughter.

WORD COUNT: 358. NOTES: n/a

[LADY GENEVIEVE ROCHECHOUART]

you've made a difference YOU'VE WON YOUR FIGHT Louis wasn't particularly her favorite of her siblings. She just wasn't close to him. She favored her older sister's company or Constantin's rather than her older brothers'. She still loved them nonetheless. She wanted him to come back to them so their family could be whole again. She wasn't sure if the rest of her family felt the same way. Genevieve had the belief that a family would always stay together. It was a foolish belief but one that calmed her. She liked going to bed, knowing that she would see them the next day. Now that her brother had left, it warned her that one day everyone would leave. Each sibling would go their separate ways. There would be little visits in between but it wasn't the same as waking up every morning and seeing them. She always knew that they were going to separate but she didn't know that it would happen so soon. She couldn't do anything to change it. She couldn't just wish for her brother to be back. The problem was that he wouldn't come back. All she could do in the time being was cope and move on. Everyone else seemed to be doing the same. Yet, Genevieve wasn't sure about her older sister. Élisabeth didn't seem to be as bright as she often was. It was odd to not see her sister chattering on about the current fashion or anything of the sorts. The blonde seemed to become lost in her thoughts lately. It occasionally took Genevieve a few tries to bring her back. Perhaps, it was bound to happen someday. The responsibilities of being the eldest daughter must have caught up to her. In truth, the ladies did not have as much responsibilities as the men but she liked to believe that they were just as important. Most men would say that she was delusional but it was reasonable when one thought of it. Women were often arranged to marry someone above their social class so that the rest of their family could go in that path. Her mother's words broke her thoughts. "I see," she said monotonously. She didn't feel like continuing the conversation. Genevieve stood up and walked over to the window. "The flowers are all in bloom," she remarked in an attempt to change the topic of the conversation. "It's odd not to Élisabeth outside in the garden. She seems to be spending much of her time indoors, lost in her thoughts," she said, turning towards her mother. A thought crossed her mind. It was unlikely but it was worth a try. "Do you know anything about it, mother?" she asked.

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[COMTESSE ELEONORE ROCHECHOUART]

It interested Eleonore that Genevieve had also noticed a change in her eldest daughter. It occurred to Eleonore that perhaps she could use Genevieve to delve into Elisabeth’s mind and weed out what was the cause of her change in mood. Eleonore stood and moved silently beside her daughter, looking over her shoulder onto the garden below. Eleonore was rather proud of the manors gardens. When they had arrived the gardens were overgrown and neglected, but under her direction and with the help of her competent gardeners, the grounds had transformed into her very own Eden.

‘Your curiosity will be your downfall Genevieve’ Eleonore said softly, pausing to tuck a loose strand of Genevieve’s hair away. ‘If you are asking me do I know what’s going on in Elisabeths mind, I can quite honestly tell you I have no idea. I never did when it came to that girl. She’s a law unto herself.’ Eleonore muttered, turning away from the window and towards the bookshelf. She ran her finger along the books, seeking out a title she thought would interest her daughter. Her finger paused as she found the book she was looking for, it was filled with sheet music of classic melodies.

‘I have a gift for you’ Eleonore said, holding out the book, ‘I thought it might expand your education’ she added softly. Eleonore’s blue eyes rested upon her daughter, gazing intently at her she continued nonchalantly ‘you should see if your sister would like to help you practise, maybe it will bring her out of solitude...you never know some of your musical talent might rub off on her.’ Eleonore said quietly. Her children did know how to try her, each of them brought their own troubles to her door, she could only hope their secrets would stay inside the manor walls and her two daughters would be married to respectable family’s before the end of the year.