#e:married

[ella--louise]

ella louise. @emcvillers ･ 140631 LIKES

the last time i saw you, we were celebrating my birth in saint tropez. the next time i’ll see you, we’ll be celebrating the birth of my son in the same place. though our time together is few and far between, i’m infinitely glad that we at least get these milestones. you’re everything and more, mr. rogers! ps. you definitely win the best reaction to my pregnancy, too. 

“vince, over here!”

she hadn’t intended on taking so long to tell him. really, she had intended to tell him right when she found out--she constantly told everyone around her that she needed to. but every time eloise made the motions to do so, something in her schedule would pop up and she would be distracted from her plans until remembering, again, a few days later. and the entire process repeated itself until eventually she was seven months pregnant and standing in front of him.

“ellie, wait, i’m hallucinating”

his eyes, as expected, at staring at her swollen belly hidden preciously underneath a plethora of scarves and winter coats. the cold weather was precisely the reason why they had chosen to take their baby moon in new york--the fashion would allow eloise to hide her pregnancy just a little while longer. though, those that know her and know her well, never believed the lies she tried to tell. 

“i’m pregnant, vince! did i forget to tell you?”

she laughs into her palm, trying to hide her embarrassment. the statement was true after all--for all that she was worth and for all that she depends on their friendship, she well and truly forgot. which isn’t necessarily a fault on either of their behalf’s. the tribulations of being a princess just got in the way. plus, it made for a cute reaction. 

“since when?!”

he gawks and she tries not to laugh more. reaching for him, she throws her arms around him and tries to navigate around her belly to give him the tightest hug she can manage. of course it is difficult and harry has to pull softly at her shoulder so she doesn’t press against him too hard. when she pulls back, she can’t help but grin. it was funny. the last time she had seen them she they were celebrating her birth--the next time she’ll see him, they’ll be celebrating the birth of her child. 

“maybe... seven months in a couple of weeks? right, harry?”

her husband nods fervently. they had argued so much about this trip as he was completely against her flying while pregnant. their son, however, seemed ecstatic as he was kicking joyously the entire flight over--and was kicking now in the presence of vince. without warning, she takes his hand and places it on her belly, to allow her son to kick the palm of the man who’s name left her lips at least four times a week. in his awe, vince can only manage four words.

“ellie, why didn’t you tell me?”

[ella--louise]

ella louise. @emcvillers ･ 140631 LIKES

this photo was taken two years ago. she was pregnant with margot and swore to everyone that that was her last. fast forward to today where not only is she pregnant again but we get to share this journey together! my first child and her seventh. thank you for being the kindest big sister and for always having my back whenever pregnancy hormones kick in. i can’t wait for our kids to be the best of friends! @dlnchrmng

“i actually can’t wait for the actual symptoms to set in”

at less than a few weeks into her pregnancy, eloise continues to underline her excitement for the journey. she was lucky enough that she needn’t take time off from a job and was free to experience the nine months in her own time and leisure. which is how she is able to lounge poolside on a sunny tuesday afternoon without concern.

“wait until they actually kick in and you’ll regret ever thinking that”

dalena laughs beside her, shifting in the lounge chair in yet another movement towards being comfortable. charles approaches the two carrying a single drink. taking a seat at the end of his wife’s chair, he grins at the two girls. it was hard to ignore--how charles didn’t offer his drink to his wife nor how his wife seemed to ignore the drink altogether. they were notorious for a drink every now and then. she decides that if there was something to be said, they would say it. instead ella expresses her excitement for pregnancy.

“it’s the first pregnancy feels--i don’t know how to even feel about this one, hey, day?”

it happens all at once. the realisation that charles had exposed the secret that ella had suspected, dalena’s delayed reaction of anger at his mishap and eloise’s grin blossoming as they settle into the news. harry lifts his head from under the water and prods towards them, asking aloud what was happening. 

“you’re not disappointed are you? i mean--this is your first pregnancy. i don’t want to take the thunder away from you or anything...”

harry laughs at the notion and with a look at her husband, eloise does the same. she can see why dalena would feel that way--she had spent much of their early relationship jealous of the others ability to command attention. but ella has grown up much from that envious little girl that they once knew. instead, she was ecstatic. more so. 

“no! oh, god, no! i couldn’t be happier--i get to share this journey with you! child bearing extraordinaire. i couldn’t be happier, lena, really”

[ella--louise]

ella louise. @emcvillers ･ 140631 LIKES

you let your nieces and nephew climb on your husband one time and all of a sudden they think he’s a jungle gym #HarryHeartsScarlet 

“hi, sorry we’re late!”

eloise enters the castle and immediately seeks out her mother, apologising for their tardiness. she often forgets how long it takes to reach monaco from london and wishes she had planned their itinerary better. her mother smiles, pulls her into a hug and places a kiss onto her cheek.

“darling, don’t fret. it’s been no more than an hour--you’re right on time, if you ask me”

she almost doesn’t want to let her go. every trouble she had in her life always felt non-existent in the arms of her mother but eventually ella lets her go. if there was one thing her mother knew to do, among everything else she is brilliant at, it was hosting a party. 

“aunty ella! uncle harry!”

before her siblings even have a chance to wave them over, they’re bombarded by the gang of charming grandchildren. she leaves harry for a moment, having spotted her father, and goes over to say hello to him as well as greet him a great birthday. 

“darling, where is this wonderful husband of yours? it’s been a while since i’ve seen harry”

she hadn’t even realised that twenty minutes had passed when kit questions the presence of her boyfriend. ella was always deeply grateful for how well harry acted with her family; there never seemed to be any dramas with their relationship and she’s eternally thankful.

“that’s a good question, father. i’m not sure...”

as she goes to investigate, eloise eventually finds harry in the backyard with her brothers and their children. dalena, emmalyn and alexis sit to the side underneath the shade of umbrellas as the ridiculous amount of children run around the grass all clamouring onto their uncle harry. 

“you spoil her too much”

being he was the tallest (by only a few centimetres) the kids seem to think harry was the most appropriate to climb upon. she leans against jason just as scarlet attempts to climb up harry’s back. he flips her over and catches her in his arms as she erupts in laughter before blowing butterfly kisses onto her cheeks, causing even louder laughter. you can’t help but laugh.

“one of these days i’m going to just take her from you, i love her that much” 

[ella--louise]

ella louise. @emcvillers ･ 140631 LIKES

five countries in ten days is a little more bearable when we have our own personal pillows on the tour bus @jxmuse @zelobot #HarryVillers #TourLife 

“you? ended up with? aristotle hades?!”

not for the first time since they met, eloise looks at the elder with the most dumbfounded expression. juliet always did have this habit of leaving her speechless, but this time it was something that made juliet blush rather than eloise. 

“a bit louder, please. i think there were people at the back of the bus that didn’t hear you”

said aristotle was asleep in the bunk, while the two girls sit opposite each other at the table sharing a pot of coffee. harry is blinking himself between sleep and not, eloise leaning against him as a human pillow. 

“sorry, i just never would have guessed. didn’t he sleep with the entire cheerleading squad?”

at the moment, a number of things happen. harry perks up with an argument, however in his sleep deprived state it came out as a grunt rather than anything else. juliet was rolling her eyes at eloise when the bus, in a surprising turn of events, runs over a pot hole and sends coffee spilling all over them. 

“he didn’t, actually. it doesn’t matter to me anyway. what he did before me matters very, very little”

juliet smiles as she cleans the coffee. eloise knows, from their conversations and her budding friendship with the other that juliet says things with complete and sincere transparency. as far as eloise knew, juliet never sugarcoated anything. 

“you really love him don’t you?”

as she says this, eloise leans against her boyfriend, taking his arm and wrapping it around her shoulders. the way that juliet looks at aristotle--and vice versa--eloise knows. there was a life before them, it was just a life that isn’t worth remembering. there’s a softness to her features, to the way juliet shyly tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, to the genuine spread of happiness across her cheeks. 

“i do. from the beginning of time until the end of eternity, i truly do.”

[ella--louise]

ella louise. @emcvillers ･ 140631 LIKES

i’m still not used to calling you my husband #MrAndMrsVillers 

“ready?”

eloise can’t be sure who had asked her the question, but seeing as she was alone in the room bar her three brothers, it had to be one of them. she nods, raising a hand to wave an absent minded answer and returns to look in the mirror. 

“as ready as i’ll ever be”

though her wedding, and honeymoon, had passed well over a month ago, a lot more went into the initial stages of a marriage than she had expected. the change of name, transfer of owner ship, filing of an almost entirely new life. 

“harry just said the judge is ready to see us now”

today they were to take the first step--or rather the first, since they’ve gone beyond their vows and consummation. today eloise will be legally changing her name, from eloise michele charming to eloise michele villers. 

“hello beautiful. are you ready?”

it was the third time in the last ten minutes she had heard that word. ready. was she truly read? no, she thinks is the answer. she’ll never be ready to leave behind her name. the one she was born to, that ties her to her family; brothers, father, mother. it’s funny, she’ll say, because though she was not ready to leave that life behind, she was ready to start this one with harry. 

“no but also as ready as i’ll ever”

he sits against the pane of the window, smiling at her, with the bright eyes she’ll always get lost in. they were married now, in all things except paper, so she felt no embarrassment whenever it came to leaning down and kissing him right there in front of her three older brothers. she realises the sentiment is not shared as charles is the first to enter the room and crinkles his nose at the sign of affection.

“lets get this thing signed before you put a baby in my sister, okay?”

[ella--louise]

ella louise. @emcvillers ･ 140631 LIKES

five years ago i never thought i would have the opportunity to play a role as big as roxie hart. i never thought i would be acting alongside such big talents. most of all, five years ago, when i was watching her absolutely captivating performance as christine in the phantom of the opera, i never thought i would be standing beside juliet muse, doing a press tour, for a sold out play. she’s my big sister, the thelma to my louise, fantine to my eponine and now the velma to my roxie. i love you, @jxmuse! #ChicagoLive 

“she had it coming--oh!”

eloise wasn’t supposed to be part of this chorus. cell block tango was notorious for its explanation of the characters to roxie; not involve her. but she begged the director to let her participate as a back up dancer, for practice, she explained, but as the first production at rehearsal, it was obvious she was out of place.

“are you okay, darling?”

she glances up to see a hand offered to her, a pink leotard body at the end of it. juliet muse, star headliner and velma kelly. she was far kinder than eloise remembers, but then she recalls, their paths rarely crossed anyway. except for her boyfriend (rumour had it he was more not that ella will ever seek confirmation) eloise charming never spoke to juliet muse. until now. 

“i’m, uh, no i’m okay, just a little in over my head, you know?”

she tries to laugh, stands on her feet and dusts off her sweatpants. juliet smiles at her, kind eyes not believing a single word she says, and shrugs. moving away to the side, she returns a moment later with a bottle of water. 

“first day always sucks, don’t worry. all these girls were just as bad when we started. only they had no where near as much talent as you do”

she tries not to choke on her water. though eloise had been in theatre for much of her adult life, juliet had far more experience under her belt. singing, acting and now musical theatre. eloise still remembers seeing her debut in the phantom of the opera and how blown away she was by the emotion juliet could convey. she felt almost unworthy. 

“i, oh, thank you, but, i’m not as talented, no, i’m just, you know, trying.”

juliet laughs, placing her hand on ella’s cheek. behind them, their choreographer is barking for them to return to their places. juliet gives him a once over, and he rolls his eyes, moving away to abuse a different group of dancers at the side.

“i saw your romeo and juliet performances. i don’t think i’ve ever seen someone portray juliet as heartbreakingly as you did and trust me, i would know, i am a juliet. you are far more talented than you think. so when your flat on your bum, remember that. you deserve this, you deserve to be here. you are roxie hart.”

[ella--louise]

ella louise. @emcvillers ･ 140631 LIKES

when rosie met harry. 

“these two are attached at the hip”

eloise wasn’t sure how else to warn her boyfriend about her niece and nephew. she had grown up with twins, of course, and she fully understood the unspoken bond that they shared. though, perhaps because they weren’t hers, she was always astounded at just how close rosalie and gabriel truly were.

“what do you mean?”

taking her hand, harry stops her. as an only child, he struggled with understanding the bonds of siblings. he never once questioned her relationship with her brothers but she knew that he could never relate to the concept; which is why she always tries to include him as much as she can.

“they’re very close and their dynamic is very much gabriel leads and rosalie follows”

tugging him along, she gives him a hopeful smile. it wasn’t as if they were difficult–far from it. she just wanted to give him a warning in advance so he isn’t surprised by just how the two function. dalena never seemed to mind but it was a constant concern for charles just how heavily the two depended on one another.

“they’re very excited to spend the day with you–rosie especially”

dalena answers the door and after all the introductions, she twirls off to retrieve her children. harry looks more and more worried as every moment passes, fear of failure written across his features. in seconds, both toddlers bounce down the stairs. 

“hi uncle harry! hi aunty ella!”

of course gabriel is wide with smiles and enthusiasm; like his parents it creases his eyes warmly. rosalie however stands a little further away, judging the situation. gabriel was busy playing with the fringe of eloise’s top that she doesn’t even notice approach rosalie; bending down to her height and offering his hand to her. 

“if you promise to protect me, i’ll promise to protect gabe. how does that sound?”

much to her surprise, rosalie pauses and then places her hand in his. dalena can’t help but grin at harry, astounding at how quickly he was able to read her daughter and figure out what she truly cared about. closing his fingers around hers, harry brings her towards her brother and aunt. as they get ready to leave, rosalie pipes up in the smallest voice. 

“okay, uncle harry, but you have to protect aunty ella, too” 

[ella--louise]

ella louise. @emcvillers ･ 140631 LIKES

we discuss topics ranging from poetry to the best diaper brands, even a few debates regarding who would win in a fight the charming siblings. wish you were here @ninicharming @kingcharming #CharmingSiblingsMinusTwo

“oh, come on, olivier would definitely take jason down in a fight”

flamboyantly, and in an incredibly over dramatic fashion, he flips the page of the newspaper he was reading. as if the extra burst of air solidified his point.

“he’s a dancer though. he’s flexible. you underestimate him”

taking a bite from her scone, she chomps down loudly, as if to prove her own point. she’s almost certain that jason would win in a fight though she’s unsure if it was due to her bias or if she genuinely believed her precious nini would ever punch olivier. with a smile, she eyes her brother down, wondering how he’ll argue next.

“obviously but ollie is taller--i think he has a longer reach as well. he’d land more hits than jason would be able to avoid”

it’s obvious in his smile that charles thinks he has won this argument. they both knew enough about self defence that that was an accurate fact; a longer reach meant, regardless of flexibility, punches were easier to land. she flounders a little bit until an idea occurs to her

“nini has vinny to help him fight! see, ollie wouldn’t stand a chance”

she’s proud. she thinks that’s it. though her brothers were all equally matched in strength, bar charles and his years of athletic ability, she thinks their relevant squads would be their downfall. as far as she knew, olivier only has scholastic companions, none that were capable of throwing down when the time came.

“ollie has me, you dummy”

with a frown, she tries not to look disappoint. she always forgets that they’re not just twins; they’re bestfriends too. where olivier had weakness, charles would be more than capable to make up for them. both in life and not. she mulls over the topic, laughing when the very obvious answer comes to her.

“you know who would really win in a fight between nini and ollie? dalena. wait--no! mom.”