Someone requested I fill this prompt, so here I am.
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Chapter 1
In which Maria reminisces about her teen heart-throb, Lafayette
*
Lucy and Eleanor were tugging at each other amid screeches. Sighing, Maria took a sip from her cup.
"Oh, will you two stop squabbling!"
Sometimes Maria wished the two girls would just throw caution to the wind, have a real fist-fight, instead of this never-ending bickering.
This time it was over a hat the two had been decorating together peacefully just moments before. Granted, it was a very pretty hat, but good God could the two be vexing when they put their minds to it.
One bloody nose or two would do them a world of good.
"But I want to take it with me to New York!"
"Grandmother, didn't you grow up in New York?"
"Grow up in New York, you say? Hmm. Certainly I was born there and lived there for the first years of my life. Still know the streets like the back of my hand. But if anything, it wasn't until I moved to the Davenport Homestead - so called because of Achilles, Connor's benefactor, who owned the estate and lands - where I truly started living. I should say that's where I grew up." A contemplative look took over her features and the children grew quiet, recognizing the expression with a small thrill.
Maria had lived a long life and gone on many adventures, but it was her most precious memories she kept close to her heart and largely hidden. Connor, in particular, was a name often mentioned but rarely talked about. Any time someone asked about him directly, Maria shut up like a clam.
"It's so you will find your own adventures." She'd say. "We'll trade stories when you have some of your own."
But Maria was getting old, and her cup wasn't all that empty these days. It didn't take much to persuade her to loosen her lips, and though the children enjoyed her stories the best out of anyone else's, they often forgot to take time off from their own busy schedules to do so.
"Our Homestead was small, even if we did have a church built on the grounds and a large inn, but it was by no means less grand than any of the finer towns. Indeed our community was humble, but never did I see a finer plot of land. And I have been to London, Cairo, Delhi and Paris as you know!" She paused to take another sip.
"France, bah! You could not pay me to set foot in that, that cesspool of shit-"
"Grandmother!" Eleanor cried, scandalized.
"Well it is! Had you ever smelled Versailles, you would think the same. Years after those nobles had their heads chopped off, and their stench still lingered. Worse than a pigsty. And to think of how they treated Lafayette. Scoundrels, the lot of them." Maria took another sip and hiccupped. "Threathened to cut his head off, ran him out like... Like a rat! And all this after everything he did for the people of France. Putains de bâtards!"
Eleanor, who had already began studying French, and therefore considered herself at least two times more elegant than her younger cousin Lucy, gasped in horror.
"Oh, come off it. Better you learn these things from me than those little boys you throw your gloves at."
"I... I do not throw my gloves at boys!"
"Nor I!"
At Maria's snort, Eleanor felt the need to defend herself.
"It's just. Well. I sometimes have to practice my aim, don't I? What if I am to meet my intended and only have one pair of finest silk gloves in my possession? I should not hope to lose them. And it is in this manner a true gentleman will distinguish himself-"
Maria banged her cane against Eleanor's legs and the girl shrieked.
"You are a child! A time will come when you will be bound by your duty and gender. You need not worry about gentlemen of consequence yet." Eleanor flushed in anger but Maria kept muttering.
"One pair of silken gloves, indeed... As if we do not have access to the finest clothes, hats and gloves, the finest silk and muslin!"
Eleanor stomped away in anger, cheeks flushed. Maria sighed and turned her attentions towards Lucy.
"And what of you, dearest? Torment any boys lately?"
"Our neighbors Desmond and Clayton are not so bad. They never pull my hair and sometimes take me to the park when Eleanor is calling on her friends."
Maria gave her a smirk.
"They sound like good eggs. Well, run along now. I suspect your aunt will be here to yell at me in a few moments." She winked and Lucy giggled, a skip in her step as she left to follow her cousin.
Maria's eyes glazed over and her smirk turned fond, as she recalled the day Connor took her to meet Lafayette in Lexington.
It had not occurred to her, how much older and worldly her friend was, until she had seen Connor clasp hands with Lafayette and she had seen no difference in status, no superiority over the other. Lafayette, a man who had won wars and seen so much, a man who greeted this native boy - no, a man - with open delight and Connor seemed to regard the Marquis just as warmly.
The people of Lexington and many others besides, had awaited Lafayette's arrival to the celebratory ball with such anticipation, you could almost taste it in the air. Yet it was her, and not the other girls brimming with jealousy, who had received a kiss on her glowed hand from Lafayette. True, he was married - and if anything, Lafayette seemed to prefer the ever oblivious Connor to any girl there - but it didn't stop the pitter patter of her heart, or the happy flush of color overtaking her complexion.
Her mother had tailored her an excellent pair of gloves, and though Maria rarely dressed up - she much preferred Myriam's choice in clothes, but her mother was relentless in keeping her daughter looking respectable - she had eagerly put them on, in case Connor wasn't teasing her and they really were to meet the esteemed Lafayette.
After Lafayette had kissed her hand, she'd worn the gloves for two days before storing them inside a wooden box with velvet lining. She still had the box in her possessions, hidden and safely kept. The gloves had lost some of their lustre and form, but were still in one piece. Not at all like the gloves that were in fashion these days, so sheer you could poke a hole in them with a finger.
It was then she really took an interest in her mother's craft. To think; she'd never have taken up trade, traveled the seas, had it not been for Lafayette. Had it not been for Connor.
Just then her thoughts were interrupted by an angry shout.
"Mother!"
Maria sighed once again and gulped down the rest of her drink.
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Some notes for this chapter:
- Fun fact: calling someone a good egg was mostly used in the 1800s by British schoolboys, but Maria is very hip. - I named Eleanor after Maria's mom Ellen, and Lucy/Desmond/Clay are there because, idk, these are their past lives I guess? And they get to have one story where they don't die horribly. I hope this doesn't veer too much into OC territory. - I'm taking some liberties with irl history here - I don't think Lafayette would have been attending any balls in Lexington when Maria was a teenager - but canon doesn't care about accuracy, so I'm not too bothered about it either. Also consider Maria's opinions re: Lafayette biased. Afaik, Lafayette was a supporter of the revolution but he also petitioned for some of the nobility to retain their titles, so... ????? - Another fun fact: Lafayette was such a heart-throb, even his captors were like "I should kill you but I guess I'll just imprison you and make sure nobody but me has access to you for... reasons"
FILL: The Exploits of Maria, Adventurer Extraordinaire (1/?)
------
Chapter 1
In which Maria reminisces about her teen heart-throb, Lafayette
*
Lucy and Eleanor were tugging at each other amid screeches. Sighing, Maria took a sip from her cup.
"Oh, will you two stop squabbling!"
Sometimes Maria wished the two girls would just throw caution to the wind, have a real fist-fight, instead of this never-ending bickering.
This time it was over a hat the two had been decorating together peacefully just moments before. Granted, it was a very pretty hat, but good God could the two be vexing when they put their minds to it.
One bloody nose or two would do them a world of good.
"But I want to take it with me to New York!"
"Grandmother, didn't you grow up in New York?"
"Grow up in New York, you say? Hmm. Certainly I was born there and lived there for the first years of my life. Still know the streets like the back of my hand. But if anything, it wasn't until I moved to the Davenport Homestead - so called because of Achilles, Connor's benefactor, who owned the estate and lands - where I truly started living. I should say that's where I grew up." A contemplative look took over her features and the children grew quiet, recognizing the expression with a small thrill.
Maria had lived a long life and gone on many adventures, but it was her most precious memories she kept close to her heart and largely hidden. Connor, in particular, was a name often mentioned but rarely talked about. Any time someone asked about him directly, Maria shut up like a clam.
"It's so you will find your own adventures." She'd say. "We'll trade stories when you have some of your own."
But Maria was getting old, and her cup wasn't all that empty these days. It didn't take much to persuade her to loosen her lips, and though the children enjoyed her stories the best out of anyone else's, they often forgot to take time off from their own busy schedules to do so.
"Our Homestead was small, even if we did have a church built on the grounds and a large inn, but it was by no means less grand than any of the finer towns. Indeed our community was humble, but never did I see a finer plot of land. And I have been to London, Cairo, Delhi and Paris as you know!" She paused to take another sip.
"France, bah! You could not pay me to set foot in that, that cesspool of shit-"
"Grandmother!" Eleanor cried, scandalized.
"Well it is! Had you ever smelled Versailles, you would think the same. Years after those nobles had their heads chopped off, and their stench still lingered. Worse than a pigsty. And to think of how they treated Lafayette. Scoundrels, the lot of them." Maria took another sip and hiccupped. "Threathened to cut his head off, ran him out like... Like a rat! And all this after everything he did for the people of France. Putains de bâtards!"
Eleanor, who had already began studying French, and therefore considered herself at least two times more elegant than her younger cousin Lucy, gasped in horror.
"Oh, come off it. Better you learn these things from me than those little boys you throw your gloves at."
"I... I do not throw my gloves at boys!"
"Nor I!"
At Maria's snort, Eleanor felt the need to defend herself.
"It's just. Well. I sometimes have to practice my aim, don't I? What if I am to meet my intended and only have one pair of finest silk gloves in my possession? I should not hope to lose them. And it is in this manner a true gentleman will distinguish himself-"
Maria banged her cane against Eleanor's legs and the girl shrieked.
"You are a child! A time will come when you will be bound by your duty and gender. You need not worry about gentlemen of consequence yet." Eleanor flushed in anger but Maria kept muttering.
"One pair of silken gloves, indeed... As if we do not have access to the finest clothes, hats and gloves, the finest silk and muslin!"
Eleanor stomped away in anger, cheeks flushed. Maria sighed and turned her attentions towards Lucy.
"And what of you, dearest? Torment any boys lately?"
"Our neighbors Desmond and Clayton are not so bad. They never pull my hair and sometimes take me to the park when Eleanor is calling on her friends."
Maria gave her a smirk.
"They sound like good eggs. Well, run along now. I suspect your aunt will be here to yell at me in a few moments." She winked and Lucy giggled, a skip in her step as she left to follow her cousin.
Maria's eyes glazed over and her smirk turned fond, as she recalled the day Connor took her to meet Lafayette in Lexington.
It had not occurred to her, how much older and worldly her friend was, until she had seen Connor clasp hands with Lafayette and she had seen no difference in status, no superiority over the other. Lafayette, a man who had won wars and seen so much, a man who greeted this native boy - no, a man - with open delight and Connor seemed to regard the Marquis just as warmly.
The people of Lexington and many others besides, had awaited Lafayette's arrival to the celebratory ball with such anticipation, you could almost taste it in the air.
Yet it was her, and not the other girls brimming with jealousy, who had received a kiss on her glowed hand from Lafayette.
True, he was married - and if anything, Lafayette seemed to prefer the ever oblivious Connor to any girl there - but it didn't stop the pitter patter of her heart, or the happy flush of color overtaking her complexion.
Her mother had tailored her an excellent pair of gloves, and though Maria rarely dressed up - she much preferred Myriam's choice in clothes, but her mother was relentless in keeping her daughter looking respectable - she had eagerly put them on, in case Connor wasn't teasing her and they really were to meet the esteemed Lafayette.
After Lafayette had kissed her hand, she'd worn the gloves for two days before storing them inside a wooden box with velvet lining. She still had the box in her possessions, hidden and safely kept. The gloves had lost some of their lustre and form, but were still in one piece. Not at all like the gloves that were in fashion these days, so sheer you could poke a hole in them with a finger.
It was then she really took an interest in her mother's craft. To think; she'd never have taken up trade, traveled the seas, had it not been for Lafayette. Had it not been for Connor.
Just then her thoughts were interrupted by an angry shout.
"Mother!"
Maria sighed once again and gulped down the rest of her drink.
--------
Some notes for this chapter:
- Fun fact: calling someone a good egg was mostly used in the 1800s by British schoolboys, but Maria is very hip.
- I named Eleanor after Maria's mom Ellen, and Lucy/Desmond/Clay are there because, idk, these are their past lives I guess? And they get to have one story where they don't die horribly. I hope this doesn't veer too much into OC territory.
- I'm taking some liberties with irl history here - I don't think Lafayette would have been attending any balls in Lexington when Maria was a teenager - but canon doesn't care about accuracy, so I'm not too bothered about it either.
Also consider Maria's opinions re: Lafayette biased. Afaik, Lafayette was a supporter of the revolution but he also petitioned for some of the nobility to retain their titles, so... ?????
- Another fun fact: Lafayette was such a heart-throb, even his captors were like "I should kill you but I guess I'll just imprison you and make sure nobody but me has access to you for... reasons"