those were the days

[Adella Calendar]

Della always secretly enjoyed running errands for the shop. She was always the first to volunteer to drop off an order when somebody needed one. It was a great excuse to get out of the shop and get outside. It was near the end of the day and the sun was starting to sink in the horizon, but she was warm, hunkered down in her favorite grey, wool jacket, blue scarf wrapped around her neck. The light breeze played with the tendrils of her hair that escaped her chignon. This was always her favorite time of day, always so peaceful. It meant the end of another long, tiresome, tedious day. She could got home after this and relax, try desperately to fix Gabe's mangled coat and then sink into her nice warm bed.

The parcel she had tucked under her arm was for some fancy party she knew was coming up. The girl had picked out the most hideous russet color, well hideous for her, it didn't go well with her coloring, but she had insisted upon it. Fortunately Della had not been the one to take the order, just finish it up, the details. Embroidery was her strong suit and this one had plenty of it. Had she been the one to take the order she would have told the girl, politely, that that really wasn't the best color for her, which was why her manager didn't let her take orders. It was probably for the best anyway.

She rapped her knuckles against the crisp white door of the home in Wellingtonshire, waiting politely for the maid to open it. She knew it would be a maid, it was always a maid in this part of town. Or a butler, it could have been a butler. But she was right, a pretty young thing, maybe no more than fifteen greeted her with a bright smile. "This is Miss Lehman's for the party, please see that she gets it." She very carefully handed over the wrapped dress and the girl nodded, closing the door behind her.

The relief of being done for the day rushed through her and she smiled. It was always nice to be done with work. Of course she had to go home and tackle Gabe's jacket, but that was more for the fun of it. He hadn't though she could fix it, but was fairly certain she could. As she turned to make her way back down the street, she saw a familiar figure leaving the side door of the one of the homes. She noticed the dark hair and slender figure right away.

"Winnie!" She called, laughing at her luck. Now she would have a friend to walk home with. She was curious what was going on with her friend and her brother and was very craftily going to sneak some information out of Winnie; she was dying to know if there was some kind of romance blooming there and desperately wanted some of the juicy details.

  

[Winifred Archer]

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She could feel it under her skin, like bugs beneath the grass, the tickle of the coming full moon tickled her flesh to goosebumps. She'd suffered moments of hot and irritable flashes. Minutes where she already felt like her skin was tightening over her skeleton and shrinking. All day she had been suffering only the beginning of the change and she had been far removed from her work.

Distracted by so much, she had struggled with breakfast, morning tea and lunch. She'd scalded her wrist by spilling boiling hot water, drop a pot on her toes and had barely kept it together long enough to serve dessert to Mr.Gallivan and his wife. After that, she waited as long as was expected and polite before requesting to be dismissed for the evening. Mr.Gallivan had been far from oblivious from her struggles that day but for some reason he didn't scold or discipline her for her

Shuttering out a sigh of relief, Winnie stopped at the fool of the Gallivan's pathway and just let her shoulders droop. Desperately she just wanted to go to bed, curl up and hide until the fool moon had passed. Maybe if she just stayed out of the moonlight she would be fine and wouldn't have to feel the skull splitting pain of the change. Maybe if she just thought about Adella, Stella and ....Beau - the thoughts of them would keep her safe.

Knowing she was only fooling herself, Winifred tucked herself into the worn, thinning wool coat as the breeze brushed past her cheek and started the walk home. Most days, she would head through Highstreet and window shop through all of the stores - pretending she had money to afford the things they displayed. Today however, she wanted to avoid civilization at all costs.

Starting down the path, Winifred set herself to the long walk back to the slums and tried to focus on anything but the biting tinges of pain, the pulling muscles and the headache that was beginning at the back of her skull. For this reason, she was oblivious to the sound of her name calling out from behind her. Thinking it, at first, just the howl of the breeze as she walked, Winnie didn't stop until at last she found that she had to.

The growing pain was too much, she felt ill and as she paused to lean against a nearby lamppost, she wiped the single tear from falling down her cheek. Sniffling in shadow of it, the witch rolled down her sleeve to the make shift bandage she had poorly wrapped around her wrist herself and cringed at the sensitive skin below. It was at that moment she finally heard the sound of her name being called from behind her somewhere.

"Adella?" Winifred responded, more to herself than the voice with a look of confusion captured on her face. Turning slowly as she wiped her eyes free of what tears might have been lingering, she felt a mess of emotions rise up as Adella appeared in her vision. Both delighted and terrified, Winnie forced herself to push through the discomfort she was feeling and offered up her best smile she could muster. Sly fingers tugging down the sleeves of her coat to hide the bandage beneath. "W-what are you doing out here?"

Coded by Emilita of RPG-D and The Fireplace

  

[Adella Calendar]

Moving quickly across the street to where her friend was paused, Adella caught up quickly and smiled at her friend. Though she became instantly on edge for a reason she couldn't put her finger on, Dell looked at her friend with a worried face. Winnie didn't look well and Della wondered if she was coming down with something. "Delivering an order." She answered without thinking, more worried than anything else. "Are you alright?" It was a little forward, but she was worried and never liked to beat around the bush about things like that.

Forgetting about her previous plotting and wonders about her brother. Maybe Winnie had a bad day at work? Della hoped she wasn't coming down with that horrid tuberculosis. That just wouldn't do. "Let me walk you home?" It wasn't really a question, but a statement. If her friend really wasn't feeling that well, she couldn't just leave the poor girl. What if she collapsed? Dell would never be able to forgive herself if something bad happened. Not to mention Bentley would probably be furious. Speaking of her brother, she was supposed to meet Bentley on High Street so they could walk home together. Dell just hoped she could get Winnie to Bentley.

If only she had passed her aparation test! Then again, traveling that way when you felt well was an adventure, it probably would not be good for somebody who had probably never done it before, let alone who didn't feel well. It made her nauseous when she tried and she hadn't got to try again in over a year. "Do you need to sit?" Maybe she was over-reacting, but poor Winnie really did not look like she felt well, had she seen her wipe away a tear when she first approached? Maybe her new boss had been particularly cruel or mean today?

Looking around to see if she could find somewhere for them to pause and sit, she cursed the upper class society all hidden behind their fences. Dell always thought Wellingtonshire to be a bit cold and stuffy. Didn't people like to have visitors and socialize with their neighbors? No, she supposed not.

There was a low wall a little ways down the street and Dell hooked elbows with Winnie to lead her for a rest. "I can got get Bentley, he should just be down the end of the street." She offered. At least if Winnie passed out Bentley could carry her home. Dell would have a hard time with that.

  

[Winifred Archer]

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"I...I...I"m fine." Winifred struggled to find her words. Completely caught off guard from this unexpected arrival of Adella's presence. "Delivering?" She questioned, uncertain of anything as her focus faded in and out. "Uhm well, okay, sure I'd love the company." WInnie finally mustered up the strength to say. Hoping that she sounded half as confident as she was meaning to sound.

"No, no I don't need to sit. Really, I'm sure it's just a bit of a cold." She tried to shrug away Adella's questions and concerns, playing them off as less than it truly was. "...Unless of course you have to go home? Truly Adella, I'd had to see you late for dinner or meeting your brother. I'm completely capable of managing the way home on my own. I really don't want you to inconvenience yourself."

Pleading quietly in the back of her mind in hopes that Adella would take the bait and believe her, Winnie offered up a small, pleasant enough smile as she started to walk along side Adella in the general direction of her house. The slums were so far, in fact with how she was feeling Winnie was certain it seemed they were on the other side of the world from them.

Coded by Emilita of RPG-D and The Fireplace

  

[Adella Calendar]

Finding it hard to believe Winnie's assurance that she was fine, Della caved just a little bit, but kept her arm hooked with her friend's so they could walk down the street together. "No, we're in no rush. Bentley always gets out work after I do, and mum knows there's always a chance we'll be late." It was nothing new. She often stopped in to see Benedict at the post office or Bentley was finishing up something at the shop so he was behind. Their mum knew that it must have been a good day for both of them when they arrived home for dinner early.

"Please, if Bentley is on time I will be surprised." She joked, hoping to lighten the mood. Della was a natural worrier and sometimes over-reacted, which she could have certainly done here, but she was at least going to make sure Winnie got home okay. If worse came to worse, they could go pick up Winnie's grandfather and the two of them could come stay at the Beauregard household until Winnie was feeling better. Her mum would like the company during the day. "It's impossible to inconvenience a Beauregard, my mother will tell you that any day of the week." They were such an accommodating family that nothing ever really put them out of sorts. "We are, by nature, too accommodating for that, you should know better." Dell teased, trying to keep things light. She was relieved to hear that Winnie was probably just coming down with a cold rather than having trouble at work. Had she mentioned that to Bentley, things could have gotten ugly very quickly. It would be interesting to see his reaction when they reached him, though if he wasn't where he was supposed to be, she was going to keep right on walking to get Winnie home.

It would be amusing to watch him, very inappropriately mind you, scoop Winnie off her feet and carry her home. Of course that would be really cute to watch, the romantic in her screamed for it to happen, but it would most likely cause more drama than necessary. Who knew what some nosy bystander would say, just because they were in different classes. It was ridiculous really and none of any body else's business. It always made Della so mad to see people snooping in the private affairs of others. Why couldn't people just stick to their own business and butt out?

Snuggling down into her jacket, Dell realized just how cold it was becoming and wondered if they shouldn't pick up the pace a little, though she didn't want to completely tire Winnie out. I just hope Bentley is where he's supposed to be. She said to herself, hoping her brother would be around to help her.

  

[Winifred Archer]

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Fighting back the shivers that threatened to cause her teeth to start chattering, Winnie couldn't help but quickly nuzzle into the warmth of Adella's body next to her in gratitude. Her jacket was far from the nicest and it had certainly seen better days but normally it would still do the job. It was simply the abrupt change in body temperature around the time of her change that sparked her flesh to warm like she was fevered. After all, the beast naturally generated more heat than she herself did.

"Oh Della." Winnie half whimpered against her friend, burying her face against the pretty, blonde witches shoulder as she shook her head trying to neither laugh nor cry since at the moment it seemed her emotions wanted to do both. "I love your family to pieces, have I told you that lately? Your accommodating natures aside. Hogwart's feels a bit more like...home...with you all h-here now."

She shivered, cutting off her words quickly to tamp back a chattering of her teeth. Bad enough she could barely speak without stuttering. Looking up from Adella's shoulder, Winnie offered a small but honest smile and tried with great difficulty not to grind her teeth to hard. The change brought on a plethora of pain that ranged from nauseating headaches, fever and her favorite - bone cracking sensations. As if her body was trying to break all of it's bones into two, just so they could all readjust into a totally different puzzle result.

Stubbing her toe on a rock, Winnie lurched forward and, luckily, managed to catch herself before taking a tumble. Instinctively she had let go of Della, not wishing harm to come to a friend from her own foolish nature but for a moment Winnie forgot Adella's company and grumbled sourly under her breath about her 'no good, rotten day'.

"I swear on Merlin's beard," She said turning back around to face Adella with a sheepish expression. "a woman more clumsy than I couldn't exist this day. D-do you know that's t-t-the third time I've done th-th-that today? Not to mention the s-s-calding I gave myself when I spilled the boiling w-water, too." Winnie frowned, subconsciously rubbing the spot beneath her coat sleeve where the burn wound was hidden away.

Stopping herself from yammering away, Winnie resumed her position next to Adella and started to walk - only to find herself slowing again. "...D-do you think Beau will really be late?" She questioned, not certain why all of a sudden she'd looped back around to that topic of conversation. It seemed, despite her best efforts, Winnie couldn't distract her mind enough to not think about Bentley - or in the least ask about him when his name was brought up.

Coded by Emilita of RPG-D and The Fireplace

  

[Adella Calendar]

Startled, Dell let out a little "Oh!" of surprise when Winnie pitched forward. Winnie seemed to keep her balance however, muttering about the absolutely rotten quality of her day. "Oh Honey, I know how that goes." Some days were just abysmal, apparently it was her friend's turn to have a bad day today. Wouldn't it have been a sight to see the two of them rolling down the road together, tumbling this way and that? It almost mad Dell laugh, but she held back, knowing neither one of them would have come out of it okay.

Wrapping her arm around Winnie's shoulders to get a better hold on her and to help her keep warm, she sincerely hoped that Bentley was on time today. "Just one of those days, had them myself," Dell chatted just to keep the mood light. "I stopped trying to count how many times I stab myself with a needle. I do't think I feel them any more." She laughed lightly, looking down the road to find her brother's figure waiting in the cold for them.

Relieved, she rubbed Winnie's arm. "No, I lied, looks like he'll be on time today." She nodded forward to where Bentley stood. It was funny how things always turned back to Bentley where Winnie was concerned. Dell found it very endearing, and she could already tell by the way her brother was rushing toward them, that he was worried. She couldn't blame him, two women huddling down the street like this was never a good sign. He was at a full out run toward them, concern written plainly across his face. Dell was glad to see him, for once, but he could act like a completely blithering idiot when worried so she tried to head him off.

"She's fine, had a rough day, I think she's coming down with something. I think we should walk her home, or perhaps take her to mom." She hadn't said that last part aloud, but was worried that sending her home by herself, with just her ailing grandfather for help if she needed any.

  

[Bentley Beauregard]

It was days like these that Bentley was glad there was always a fire burning in the shop. The wind had been bitter on the walk in, but had died now, he realized as he locked up and headed home. He was leaving on time today, for once, having finished up a set of chairs for delivery the next day. They hadn't taken nearly as long as the last set, either he was getting better and quicker, or the design was simpler this time. Both could be true, but he was going to choose to believe the second one.

At least Dell couldn't holler at him for missing their rendezvous time. While he didn't mind walking home with his sister, and it was proper for her to have an escort, he didn't think she altogether minded some days. Dell liked her thinking time to herself, so he didn't always hurry to get out on time. She would have never told him that, but she never complained about his being late either.

As he stood at their usual meeting spot, at the crossroads that led from Wellingtonshire to Bartonburg and the slums. He felt completely comfortable in one of his father's warmest overcoats and a scarf Elsie had knitted for him last year. Bentley was by nature a very warm creature; he was rarely cold. He laughed as he watched his breath fog up the air in front of his face, but the smile fell from his lips the instant he saw Dell and Winnie coming down the lane. Dell was smiling, laughing, but it didn't seem genuine. She looked more concerned than anything else. Hurrying up the street, the closer he got the faster he moved. Winnie looked so pale, he worried she was going to pass out right there in the street.

"She's fine, had a rough day, I think she's coming down with something. I think we should walk her home, or perhaps take her to mom."

He vaguely registered his sister's words as he shrugged out of his coat and wrapped it around Winnie's shoulders. Bentley wasn't sure which option would be better. His mother would certainly know what to do, but it was really up to Winnie. If she just wanted to go home and rest, that was up to her. Though he would make certain Adella went the next day to check on Winnie and her grandfather. Looking at his sister over Winnie's head, he wondered which option she would push. Moving to the opposite side of Winnie, he took her elbow to help guide her down the street.

  

[Winifred Archer]

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Offering a soft sort of laughter to Adella, Winnie strolled along her friends side and was glad for the cold as it pinked up her cheeks. If nothing else, it would hide her blush of excitement at the idea of seeing Beau - even for just a little bit - that day. "I certainly h-hope his ddday was better than mine." She tried to joke back. Giving a mock look of misfortune - as best she could - before lifting her sleeve to cough into the shelter of it's fabric.

Glancing up as Adella mentioned her brother being right on time, Winifred smiled softly at the sight of Beau already standing there waiting for his sister and watched as he approached. At first, his approach was normal - no different than any other day but as they drew closer it became obvious that his pace began to quicken. It confused her, if even just a little, to see him set into a sprint toward them. Not quite wanting to assume it was for her sake that he ran but couldn't deny a little flourish of warm at the idea it very well could have been.

Then it hit her, did she really look so terrible to cause this much concern? Flustered at the idea she'd caused such fuss herself, Winnie glanced sheepishly at Adella as though already willing to apologize but found herself quite easily distracted as the heavy weight of Bentley's caught was dropped and wrapped oh so warmly about her shoulders.

The fabric smelled of him. Each of the fabrics pores filled with a sort of deep and spicy rich scent that was obviously masculine but even better than that - quite definitively, Bentley Beauregard's own personal fragrance. It was a smell she'd known all her life - or at least for most of it and as the boy had changed into the man before her, the scent had changed as well. Different yes, but undeniably still one in the same. Like him, it was simply older, more experienced...more desirable.

"Thank you." She mumbled to Bentley, giving a demure little smile before sinking into a comfortable place between Adella and Bentley's body. If she could have, Winnie would have been delighted to go to Stella and have the witch fuss over her like a mother would a daughter but a little voice in the back of her head was already whispering it was far, far too dangerous to allow.

"Oh but you mustn't fuss." She squeaked, hid a little wince and then continued to insist with a shake of her head and glancing eyes that bobbed back and forth between the two. "I'll be fine, I'm quite certain. Just a little rest is all I need....and...I must get home to my grandfather, I couldn't have him worrying." Trying to ignore the strain of nerves in her voice Winnie could only cross her fingers and snuggle deeper into Bentley's coat to savor the time she had with it. "Please, I just ... need to go home."

Coded by Emilita of RPG-D and The Fireplace

  

[Bentley Beauregard]

OOC- I'm skipping Adella and kind of meshing the two. :}


IC-
Bentley looked over Winnie's head at his sister, a veil of concern masked by some irritation with Adella. She had the tendency to blow things out of proportion. Sure Winnie looked like she didn't feel well at all, but by the way the two were hobbling down the street he thought she had been injured or twisted her ankle or something. He probably looked like a food rushing up the street to them, worried out of his mind like that. It was in his nature to worry like that, being the oldest and all, well almost oldest. Anyway, it was still natural for him to worry, especially about one of his friends.

Subconsciously, he rubbed Winnie's back as they walked. He wasn't aware he was doing it, but it seemed so natural didn't notice he was doing it. Bentley thought taking Winnie to his mum was probably the best idea, but he didn't want to force her to go. If she was sure that going home and getting some sleep was the best option then maybe it was and he would send Della to check on her tomorrow. He would hate to inconvenience her or make her feel like she was being babied; even he hated that and his mother was so good at it.

"Are you sure?" He questioned quietly, hoping maybe she would take them up on their offer. They were were into Bartonburg now, moving towards the slums and her home. It was hard not to wonder if she would be warm enough that evening to even get any sleep. That right there was enough to make him want to sweep her up and carry her home to his mother right there. Winnie could protest all she wanted, but he was going to worry no matter what, and it would be easier if she was at their home so he could keep an eye on her. Dell caught his eye over Winnie's shoulder with a look of concern on her face. He knew his sister felt, but ultimately it was Winnie's choice.

  

[Winifred Archer]

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His concern was endearing, distractingly so. For once it seemed Winnie could actually see past the mask Bentley often wore to hide his emotions and see his real feelings. He was concerned, that much was true and the longer she stared looking up at his eyes and studied his expression, the more she began to question what she actually wanted to do.

Gazing at him, her eyes quite plainly said 'No. She didn't want to go home or at least the cold, dingy walls that sheltered her and she called as much. Winnie had no desires at all to take off Bentley's coat, to leave either of their sides and be anywhere but with them. With him. 'No! her eyes all but screamed. She wasn't sure, or rather maybe she was sure but only about wanting to stay with him. Sure that saying 'yes to his question was the very last thing she wanted to do.

"Yes." Her throat croaked, feeling as though she'd rather choke on the word than speak it out loud. "Going home would be best." Winnie's eyes dropped away and she stared at her feet as though silently urging them to move - though they didn't take a step away just yet. "I wouldn't want to get the rest of you sick simply because hospitality runs thicker in your v-veins then blood d-does."

Coded by Emilita of RPG-D and The Fireplace

  

[Bentley Beauregard]

It was hard not to sigh in resignation as Winnie said that yes, she really should go home. It was not his first choice, but Bentley would not argue with her; he had no right to make her come to their home; that was unfair to her. While he was positive his mother would also insist, perhaps she would be most comfortable at home. Bentley knew that when he felt ill, he always just wanted to be in his own bed. He chuckled at her comment despite his worry; it was good to see that she at least felt well enough to joke.

They moved past the side street that led down to their home toward the slums. He hated calling them that, but had no other term for them. It bothered him that this was where Winnie lived; to him, it didn't fit. She didn't belong here. "I really don't think mum would mind." He tried one more time to convince her; they were still closer to their house than her's. Again, he couldn't force her, he kept telling himself that. It wouldn't do to put yet another strain on their fragile friendship. Bentley worried that if he pushed too hard that things would fall apart again and he did not want that.

Bentley could tell it was hard for his sister to keep her mouth closed as well, but she was managing rather nicely; he didn't want her to put any strain on their friendship either. He knew Dell and Winnie were close as well and that while they seemed to be able to pick right up where they left off, he could tell Dell didn't want to upset her friend either.

"Really, it's alright to come home with us." Dell said finally, after catching her brother's eye. Their worry really was earnest, but if Winnie just wanted to go home, they had to respect that.

Bentley was starting to register the cold against his arms, but ignored the fact. It seemed that Winnie was warmer with his coat and that was all that mattered. He could leave it with her for an extra layer. They neared her house and he fell silent. He realized that he'd been rubbing her back, but that too was probably keeping her warmer so he didn't stop. Plus now if he drew attention to it, it would be awkward and that was the last thing he wanted to do, was make things awkward on top of her already feeling ill.

  

[Winifred Archer]

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Inside the deep of her belly, Winnie could feel the beast clawing it's way out from her insides. Like jagged hooks she could almost feel it's claws ripping through her cuts and thrashing at the underside of her flesh. Or at least, that's how it felt. It hurt and despite the cold surrounding them her forehead began to perspire with fever.

It was quickly becoming too much for Winifred to stand. Between the feeling of being 'trapped' between Beau and Adella's body, the way Beau's body heat wrapped deliciously around her and the internal sensation of her insides sporadically wanting to blast outside of her body in all directions - she knew she wouldn't last much longer in their company no matter how much she may have truly wanted it.

"Really, it's okay to come home with us.", Del's voice was honest, sweet and full of kind intentions but if she had to say no one more time she knew she would likely give in and just go home with them.

"Enough!", Winifred exclaimed abruptly, surprising herself how far her voice could travel despite the fact she changed more tone than volume. It took every ounce of her strength to shrug her way out of their holds and quickly rush forward a few steps to escape them. The wind catching on Beau's coat, so snuggly wrapped around her, spurred a fresh wave of his fragrance wafting beneath her nostrils in the best and worst of ways.

Stopping once she was at least five feet ahead of them, Winnie just shook her head and rubbed her own arms down as the warmth of their bodies vanished quickly in their absence. "Just leave me alone, please." She pleaded, not really seem to mean it though she already seemed to be inching away. "I"m f-fine. Just, leave me alone - I can walk myself home!" She burst, tears already half filling her eyes as she simply couldn't stand it anymore and turned swiftly, rushing away from them as quickly as she could.

Coded by Emilita of RPG-D and The Fireplace