Obligatory Visitations

[Marius Favreau]

Marius knew that he had to visit his mother enough to avoid being visited, and that was what brought him to Wales. He knew - through casual investigation - that Toussaint was in the middle of something 'extremely important' and was thus unlikely to be puttering about, and Adrien was either trapped in quarantine in the hospital or working at the infirmary or... something. Marius didn't actually care as long as his favorite brother didn't die.

He apparated from London to the front porch and was allowed in by the butler, who of course told him that he could find his mother in the sitting room. Marius knocked on the door frame to get her attention as he walked in and bent to do the cheek kissing thing that I am assuming existed in France by now because it's one in the morning.

"Bonjour, Maman!" he said in his brightest tone.

  

[Olivie Favreau]

Today had been a good day. Whist it was true that most days of Olivie’s life were alike today had just felt like an especially good sort of day and, as ever, she had been proven right by the arrival of her son! She had been languishing upon her favourite chaise lounge in the living room, alternating between dozing and reading an Emile Zola novel that wasn’t nearly as good as his previous one, and mentally planning what to order from cook for the rest of the week and an interruption from anyone but her own children would have led to much annoyance.

As it was Marius was exempt from her ire.

"Bonjour cherie," she brushed a lock of hair away from his face before he could stand back up. "What brings you here?"

  

[Marius Favreau]

"I just wanted to see you," Marius said in a bright tone. He sat down on the chaise opposite his mother and smiled. "Nothing particularly interesting, I'm afraid - my life has been practically uneventful, of late." Except, of course, for the birth of the daughter of @Charles Macmillan. But even that wasn't really his event. The plague had rendered his summer startlingly unchaotic, he was not fond of it.

  

[Olivie Favreau]

Olivie stretched languidly on the sofa, carefully depositing her novel on the mahogany table that also contained tea she had abandoned some time ago. Gripping the back of the chaise she elegantly pulled herself into an upright position but didn’t bother to take her feet off the plush lounge.

“Ah, so I was your last defence against boredom?” She enquired with a mocking smirk as she settled herself properly. “You do have a way with women my dear I must say,” she added wryly.

  

[Marius Favreau]

Marius half-saluted his mother. "Of course not," he said, unable to keep the smirk off his face despite himself. "And who needs to be charming when we're French?" Sure, he did not even have a French accent anymore, but he was still from the clearly romantically superior country, damnit! And he had very little desire for a wife if she was going to be like Charles' Noelle.

  

[Olivie Favreau]

Olivie rolled her eyes but couldn't help but contain her amusement. It was very true that despite the occasional bout of verbal hostility from the English they were generally considered a novelty and she had seen more that one of the ladies she socialised with blushing like girls when Rainier so much as smiled in their direction and spoke in his low tones. It was to be expected of course - she had the very best taste and it was in their blood to have greater attractions.

"You could stand to be a little more charming until you bring a bride home," she quipped but not without a playful smile. She would never give up on her attempts to getting him married off - perhaps she could suggest him inviting Charlemagne and his young bride to stay? "I probably won't live to see you settled," she added with an exaggerated sigh.

  

[Marius Favreau]

"Maman, I'm only twenty-four!" Marius protested, "And if you have to worry about any of us, worry about Toussaint." He didn't know why Charles and Fitzroy had both married already - wasn't that boring? - but they had, and here he was, the perennial bachelor. He was almost relieved that at least Fitz had been widowed - though really, if one of them had to be widowed, why couldn't it be Charles?

Perhaps he would look at single acceptable women sometime. Surely Charles had a cousin or two... and it might at least get Maman to leave him alone.

  

[Olivie Favreau]

"I worry about all of my darlings, you know that."

She worried about the boys making good marriages, they were all so very handsome and could achieve so much but they did nothing to make life easier for themselves. Of course they were still young enough that it wasn't embarrassing for them to be unwed but Marius was rapidly approaching the point where he should be looking for a wife. She had never believed in betrothals and luckily Rainier was too distracted to mind her managing the children but now she rather wished she had made the effort for the boys. Merde but they were hopeless!

"Why should I worry for Toussaint in particular?" She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Is there something I don't know?"

  

[Marius Favreau]

Marius considered the question for a moment, studying the ceiling as though the most tactful answer lay there.

Finally, he looked back at his mother, a wry smirk on his face. "Well," Marius said, "There is his entire personality."

He had never been much of a fan of his brother... and Marius was not, generally, one for subtlety. He was not sure that he could have come up with a less obnoxious answer to her question if he had been inclined to bother actually trying.

  

[Olivie Favreau]

Olivie pursed her lips as she gave her son a pointed look. She shook her head and waved a distracted finger in his direction in a very mild attempt to chastise him.

“You shouldn’t say such things about your brother,” she said sternly, unable to keep the flicker of amusement from her eyes. She loved each of her children dearly but some were a little too serious for her taste and Toussaint was by far the worst!

"Even if he may be a little," she shrugged thoughtfully. "Difficult."

  

[Marius Favreau]

"A puppy is difficult," Marius said with a smug smirk, "My brother is something else entirely, though I do love him." More because he had to than out of any real affection - but that was family, was it not? Even if you didn't like each other, you did love each other - whether because you had no choice or out of proximity, Marius did not know.

  

[Olivie Favreau]

"You should love him more mon cherie, at the rate you are going you'll be bachelors together in your old age!"

Which was something of an overstatement give the general youth of her sons but it was never too early to start scaring them into marriage! She stretched her legs and turned finally to sit properly in the seat rather than stretching out.

“Will you be staying for dinner?”

  

[Marius Favreau]

Marius considered that for a moment.

"That depends on what we're having for dinner," he said, finally. At least he would not be alone with his parents - Gwendoline and presumably Adrien were home - but that didn't mean that Marius wanted to spend an abundance of time with any of them if they were not eating something delectable.

  

[Olivie Favreau]

“Have you grown so accustomed to having your own way in your home that you won’t eat what I have ordered any longer?” Olivie asked with a twitch of her lips and a shake of her head that was mostly jest.

“Does Cassoulet meet with your requirements darling?”

Perhaps she should have them all over for dinner soon? It seemed as though the family were never together anymore and it was most distressing to have to spend every meal with Rainier silent and Gwendolyn such a mystery to her.

  

[Marius Favreau]

"Oooh, c'est bien," Marius said cheerfully, "My cook cannot make cassoulet, though they have been trying to expand their horizons into French cuisine." He, of course, was far too lay to bother to try and find a replacement - and honestly, his current cook was entirely acceptable! Just a bit English.

"Merci, Maman," Marius added, almost as an aftethought but he tried to flash her his most dazzling smile in order to make up for it.

  

[Olivie Favreau]

Eternally moved by the sight of a charming smile on the face of a handsome man Olivie’s lips twitched again. Finally summoning the energy to stand she stretched out her back, curling her spine like a cat and determinately ignoring the ache she felt that meant she was getting older. It would be a cold day before she ever acknowledged that!

“A walk I think. Will you join me to build up the appetite before your rare meal?”