Wessa oneshot - For Violeta
First, I don’t know how to do read more’s so sorry about that......I was @rykemeadowes Secret santa.... This is the first time I attempt Wessa, but I hope you like it, Violeta! Merry Christmas! (Also I totally forgot to make it Christmassy, but there is some royalness:) )
Teresa saw the carriage way too late. The coachman didn't see Teresa at all. The only thing she could think while standing there, in the middle of the road, paralysed, mere seconds drawing out and feeling like hours, was this: What a boring way to go. Her insides were screaming for some better plot and a more meaningful death and maybe some more action and romance before anything like this would happen.
And then she was hit from the side, and she was laying in the dirt, feeling the mud wetting her dress. Slowly, she opened her eyes, not sure what she was expecting. What met her was surprisingly pleasant. Blue eyes. Electric blue eyes. Black hair. Devilishly handsome features. A grin in the middle of the face.
He is grinning, she realised, because he knows I am studying him. Coming to her senses, she lifted an eyebrow at him. "Are you planning to lay on top of a girl you do not know, on the pavement, all day long? Of course, I have all the time in the world for that. Oh wait, I do not." It came out a bit more aggressive than she had intended, but it was true.
Muttering an apology, he got to his feet and reached for her hand to help her up. "You owe me something too though, do you not?" he said coolly. Tessa sighed. "I suppose you are right. Thank you so much, for pushing me over in the middle of the road, and making my dress a muddy mess when I have places to be. I am forever grateful, Mr...?" She looked over at him, questioningly. "Herondale, Will Herondale. I accept your heartfelt apology, it was truly touching, Miss...?"
"Goodness Will, would you stop flirting with her so we could get going?" Another man, who looked the same age as Mr.Herondale, but otherwise quite the opposite, came up behind him. "Oh shut it, will you Jem, I am simply making sure she is fine."
They were striking contrasts. Will with his inky hair and this second, Jem, with hair as pale as snow, even silvery. Will's mesmerising blue eyes against a pair of stunning silver. Both of them were remarkably beautiful, but together they looked even more radiant, as if the sun and the moon we're standing next to each other.
Pushing away her dramatic thoughts, she returned her concentration to the conversation between the two boys. They seemed to be good friends, are their preferred type of conversation seemed to be bantering with each other. "Honestly, gentlemen, I feel like you have entirely forgotten me. However, it is time for me to say goodbye anyways, as I have places to be and people to see. Of course, if you had not felt the need to make a complete mess out of me, Mr.Herondale, I would not be in such a hurry, but ah, such is life. Goodbye."
She turned to walk away, then pirouetted around to face them again. "And... well thank you, I guess." She added awkwardly, before leaving the place, careful not too stumble or getting hit by another carriage.
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"No father, I am not marrying him!" Tessa practically screamed at her father. "You just told me he's almost fifteen years older than me, and from what I've heard of him, I will never be able to love him!" Her voice was thick with feelings. Her father looked sternly at her. "Teresa, you will do as I say. No complaining." His tone basically oozed of if not... She stumbled backwards, as if she had been slapped. The normally so friendly and loving face of her father looked suddenly harsh with the underlying threat. "Please father, please!" she pleaded, desperate now.
"You will do as I say Teresa. Axel Mortmain is a good match for you." He means a good match for him. Axel Mortmain was known to be richer than the devil, and his money would do good things for her family. They had lost a great deal of money the last century because of her father's gambling, which was in no way fit for a king. With Mortmain's money, no one would ever know. But what good would it do her? She did not care about her father's scandal, he had brought it on himself. Money would not matter to her. Not when she did not love him. And Tessa was absolutely sure Axel Mortmain was a man she could never love. She had only met him once before, but she was certain.
Her father broke her out of her dreary thoughts. "The only thing I am asking so far, is not to write him completely off, and to be nice to him during the dinner. You can do that, Teresa." She sighed, and left the room, struggling to hold her tears in. They both knew that was not at all the only thing he wanted from her. He wanted her to give up all her chances in finding someone to love. Someone who could love her as much as any young heroine deserved.
"Lovely to finally meet you, Mr.Mortmain." Her voice was sweet as sugar, almost mocking. He did not seem to pick up her tone. "The pleasure is all mine, Princess Teresa. I promise you. And please call me Axel, I do not want to be a stranger to you." No, so I've heard. She faked a smile. "If it pleases you, Axel." His name dripped of her tongue like poison. And not the addictive kind. "Follow me please."
She led him towards the dining room, trying not to be too aware of his gaze on her back. She could feel his eyes roaming her body. Shuddering, she sped up. When they arrived in the dining room, all the chairs were occupied except for two. Which were next to each other. Why? Right now, spending an entire evening talking only to Axel Mortmain was the last thing she wanted.
Luckily, Henry Branwell was placed on her other side. While he was eccentric, he was kind, and even better, already married. She had nothing to worry about there. Her father was placed opposite to her though, perfect for speaking with Mortmain, and perfect for sending her stern looks reminding her to speak with Mortmain."Princess, have you heard about my company, Mortmain industries? We are really going well at the time...-" Ah, a truly wonderful evening lay before her.
Several dishes later, Tessa did not think she could stomach one more mouthful of anything, not even her favourite ice cream, if it came to that. She was also pretty sure that if Axel Mortmain spoke to her one more time, she would puke all over his fancy clothes. "Tessa, your father is going to say something." No such luck. She guessed she could wait a few more hours to puke on her date for the evening.
Her father cleared his voice, catching everyone's attention. "Today, in the honour of one of our most beloved guests, Axel Mortmain, whom we hope to see more of in the future," Sure you do. "we have prepared a little surprise. If everyone would move to the sitting room please..." Tessa got up from her chair before Mortmain could offer to help her, and moved quickly, hoping he would not catch up.
In the sitting room, chairs had been set up in rows, and the grand piano had been placed in front of the row, and a violin was laying on top of it. Two men were standing with their backs to the audience, whispering. Tessa thought she had seen them before, but did not have time to take a closer look, because Mortmain caught up with her.
"Tessa, please come sit with me and your parents up front. You are the pricess, after all." Tessa nodded weakly, and followed him up front. As soon as he had her back turned, she rolled her eyes so hard her whole head hurt. The moment she was seated, she returned her attention to the musicians, rather looking at them finishing their setting up, than talking to the man beside her. In the hurrying away from Mortmain, and the annoyance when he had found her anyways, she had not realised where she had seen them before, but when she looked at hem again, she could not believe she had not recognised them at once.
It was Will and Jem. She gasped out loud. "Teresa my dear, are you feeling quite alright?" She shot a murderous look at Axel, not even bothering to fake a smile. "I am feeling excellent, thank you." The concert would at least be way more interesting than she had expected. She enjoyed music, but with Axel next to her the whole evening, she was not really sure she could fall into it as she usually did. With Jem and Will, however, she doubted she could be more captivated if she was the only one in the room.
"Ahem!" Will said. "I am proud to introduce my companion, James Carstairs, and I am Wiliam Herondale. It is an honour to be here tonight, and I hope the royal family, Axel Mortmain, and the rest of the audience will enjoy our music tonight." He bowed quickly and went to sit by the piano. Just as he turned around, Tessa saw recognition flicker in his eyes as his gaze fell upon her, and he acknowledged her with a quick nod. She nodded back.
The concert was stunning. Both Will and Jem played with such passion, and she had never heard any of the likes before. She could have stayed in that moment forever, even with Mortmain at her side, as long as the music went on. When it finished, Mortmain stood up. "Thank you, Your Highness, for this beautiful concert. If I am allowed, I would very much like to invite our musicians here to come take a drink with the rest of the party...?" Her father smiled, "Of course, of course." She was sure the prospect of a drink was too tempting to him to consider whether he wanted Will and Jem there or not. Well, she did not mind. "Then let us all go to the library for some drinks!"
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"Well, hello there, Princess. Fancy meeting you here." She looked up from her glass of wine and straight into a pair of familiar blue eyes. "Well, hello there, Will, I almost thought you two were not coming after all." Will smirked. "We would not dare, we could risk beheading!" Jem rolled his eyes. He seemed like he was immune to Will's wittiness. Tessa however, would be happy to deal with some more sarcasm in her life, as no one seemed to think that was an appropriate way to speak to the princess.
"No actually, we had to pack down all of the music instruments, we can't really be too careful with them." She smiled politely. "I see. What do you think of the company here tonight?" Will looked around the room, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Well, with the royal family and probably everyone else of the most important people, I can't really complain, can I?" Tessa pulled her face into a grimace. "Well, it would perhaps not be the smartest thing you have done. Oh, here comes my father. Be polite." Will looked like he was about to make some sarcastic remark about her order, but then her father came up to them, and all three of them bowed and curtsied. (Or well, Will and Jem bowed, and Tessa curtsied.)
"That was a lovely concert, Mr.Herondale, and Mr.Carstairs. My own daughter, Teresa," He nodded at her, as if they had not been standing talking with her the moment before, "never picked up any musical instruments. I do wish she would learn the piano. It would do her good. She spends too much time reading these books I think."
Will smiled, almost angel-like, if Tessa had known him better she would know he was not up to anything good, but she was simply too caught up in him to think of it. "I could teach her, if you would like it, Your Highness. It would be an honour, and if I may say so, she would be learning from one of the best."
Jem looked alarmed. He clearly thought Will had overstepped a boundary, but the King only laughed. "You do not lack confidence, boy. On the other hand I do not think you have much reason to. If Tessa says yes, it would be a pleasure." Her father looked at her, smiling, but his gaze was telling her accept.
Normally, she would be annoyed, but the thought of spending hours a week, sitting by a piano, close to Will... It made her dizzy. She would probably regret this when she had to show her lacking playing skills at the next party... but..."It would be a pleasure."She said, trying not to sound too eager. Will pulled his lips into an almost wolf-like grin, and bowed. "Trust me, Princess, the pleasure is all mine." A chill went down her spine.
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The night went by surprisingly fast. When the clock struck half past ten, her father rose from his chair. "It has been a delight to dine with you tonight, but I think it is time for me to retreat to my chambers." Tessa heaved a sigh or relief, even if the night had not been horrible, she could not wait to get out of Axel's sight.
Her father went to thank Jem and Will, and she trailed behind him, wanting to say goodbye too. As she approached she heard him apologising to them. "I have no idea where all the footmen have gone. I suppose they are busy taking the guests to their carriages... Oh! Tessa my dear, will you show these the backway to the stables? They came by horse, they say." She nodded, and turned to the two musicians. "Come with me."
The way through the servants passages to the stable was not very long, but she felt sweaty and breathless when they arrived anyways. The two others did not seem to be out of breath at all. Idiots. "Here we are. The stable boy usually places our guests horses closest to the door. Do you need help with anything?"
The two men turned around to face her, both of them smiling for once. "No, thank you," said Will. "It has been lovely to be here tonight," Jem continued, "and we look forward to seeing you for your first lesson, next week." Will finished. She blinked twice. Did they seriously just do that?
They turned to their horses, and started grooming and saddling them up. When Will went to get Jem's violin and fasten it on his saddle, he stopped by her. He leaned in, closer and closer. Tessa could feel his breath in her face. She could smell his aftershave. She could see every shade of blue in his eyes. When his lips was almost touching hers, she closed her eyes.
And he cleared his throat. "Ahem. Uhh, Princess, my bag with sheet music is right behind you?" He sounded almost uncertain, like he was more asking a question. Blushing furiously, she scrambled out of the way. "Oh. Umm. Sorry?"
She did not know where to look. How could she be so stupid? Even if was trying to kiss her, she should have stepped away from him. What was she thinking of?
Will got his bag and then came up to her again. He took her hand in his. She could not help but notice how his hand felt under her fingers, rough but also elegant. He lifted hers to his lips, and kissed it carefully. She almost shuddered from his touch. "Some other time." He whispered, and then he and Jem disappeared into the night, cantering away like knights on white horses. She found that she could not wait for her first piano lesson.