#ft:dalena

[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

thank you @dlnchrmng, della and benji for a wonderful afternoon at @tate. s/o to my brother for all his dumb comments, too, i guess. 

“whats that mommy?”

now that they had children, the visits from her family were much, much more often all to ella’s glee. she always did love spending time with her brother and his wife whenever they came up to london. 

“looks like something you drew, della”

dalena turns instantly to shoot her husband a deadly look. the children were only just starting to appreciate modern art and she didn’t need him to make a joke out of it. 

“just because you’re the second in line doesn’t mean i won’t hit you”

leaning over to whisper to her brother, eloise pretends to read the brochure profusely as to mask the fact that she just threatened a royal. after a long moment, he leans over with his reply.

“i dare you”

glancing at him, they catch eyes, and her raises an eyebrow, waiting for her to retaliate. she nods once and stands to follow dalena into the next room, taking benji’s hand in her own and beginning to discuss the statues that they walk past. 

“look guys--it’s a naked--”

before he even has a chance to finish the sentence, dalena shots him a look but is beaten by eloise. using three brochures rolled up together, the princess rolls her eyes once before whacking her brother upside the head the hardest she can.

“wow--el--what was that for?--okay--okay!--i’ll stop--okay--!”

[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. @emcharming ･ 140631 LIKES

another casual pool day with the charming family #UncleNini C: @dlncharming 

“uh, did i miss something?”

ella swears she had been gone for no more than a few minutes, having just ducked inside to quickly get a drink, only to return to her nieces and nephews piling upon her brother. she can hear benjamin declare it was his turn and appropriately places himself onto his uncles stomach. 

“nothing stops a fuckboi”

she tries not to look offended at her brothers choice of word, her jaw falling slightly ajar as she stares at charles. he seemed to find the entire situation hilarious while his wife just stands over jason, continuing to take photos. 

“he called me hot mom again”

dalena explains when she returns to where they were standing. she vaguely remembers the name from when they were in school but she had thought that the name ended when dalena got married and had kids--when she became an actual hot mom. eloise just stares, waiting for an explanation. 

“apparently cecilia didn’t understand what that meant so she asked della for an explanation who then asked benji and when neither could come up with an answer, they went to olivier. guess what the king said?”

in the distance, celia approaches the pile and plops herself down onto her uncle, shoving benjamin out of the way in the process. she nestles herself right into his torso, wrapping small arms around him. returning to the conversation, she waits for her sister-in-law to finish the story.

“overheating. they thought i was overheating. so, naturally, they started crying because they thought i would catch on fire. i had to tell them that uncle jason was the one that was overheating, not me”

glancing over at the situation, dalena laughs. it had escalated and now all three of her small children were piled on their uncle. eloise would go over and help him but she found the situation far too endearing to do anything about it. instead, she snaps herself a photo to laugh at later on.

“so now they’re taking turns hugging him, soaking wet mind you, so that he doesn’t spontaneously combust or something”