The next morning seemed very bright and chipper, morning dew still covering the green blades of grass on every lawn and field. Vienne had woken up feeling quite dazed. She had slept, but she had almost felt conscious the entire timeâCeci's words in the back of her head. What was her warning? What was she talking about? It made her nervous, to be honest. But nonetheless, she attempted to continue as normal.
But to add to the strangeness, Claudine had asked her if Luis had spoken to her yetâto which she replied that she hadn't seen him since his last visit, which was two weeks ago when he dropped by to deal with some estate issue. The timing, and the question itself, she thought odd but didn't question it. After all, her mother was always asking odd questions.
Marie had arrived a bit after eight and was helping her dress, but she had other things on her mind than just helping Vienne. She wanted to know about her love life. "So, how is everything with that Sebastian fellow going?" She asked as she helped Vienne slip up her sleeve.
"I'm not sure, to be honest. Well, I think." Vienne replied. "We trust each other more; we enjoy each other's presenceâI really am in love with him, Marie." She let out a little sigh as for the first time, she admitted her true feelings for him out loud. What a strange feeling.
It was one thing to think about him and her feelings for him, but it was another to actually acknowledge them and say them out loud. It made everything feel so much more serious, but she liked it.
"And you believe he's in love with you as well?" Marie inquired.
"Merlin, I hope so." Vienne said, worry in her voice. Oh, how she would plead with anybody if they could tell her his true feelings for her. "We almost kissed, Marie. And we would have if I hadn't been such a coward. I was too afraid of my mother somehow finding out. It's so silly; we were alone for Godric's sake!"
However, Vienne's gut feeling was right, even though she had no idea. Edward had been watching the entire time. She had been right for trusting her instincts.
"Well then get him alone and tell him how you feel!" Marie urged her. "I didn't get a fiancé by staying silent!"
"Well, you also didn't have a mother breathing down your neck all the time." Vienne muttered. "Your mother is practically an angel on earth, and mine feels like she was sent straight from the devil sometimes."
"That's true," Marie chuckled. "But I'm also not as picky."
Vienne's eyes widened. "I am not picky! My mother just has terrible taste for me." She defended herself, causing Marie to burst into a fit of laughter.
"Well, if what you're saying about Sebastian is true, you yourself have good taste." Marrie giggled, which made Vienne's cheeks heat up and turn a light shade of pink.
More than anything, she did want to tell Sebastian how she felt. She wanted to be with him, regardless of what anyone else thought about them, but with her mother's ever-looming presence, it felt simply impossible. With her persistence, Edward's persistence, and practically anyone Vienne had ever known save a few on their side, it was suffocating.
***
"I'm going to do it. I'm going to tell her." Sebastian said to himself as he looked in the mirror. Was he more so trying to convince himself to do it? Absolutely. But some words of encouragement here and there never hurt.
He had been up since early that morning, trying to convince himself that he was going to confess his feelings for Vienneâgoing over everything in his head to make sure it was all perfect. Even if it ended in disaster or her mother found outâwhatever the consequences may be, he just needed her to know how he felt about her.
He had fixed his hair about a thousand times, fiddled around with practically every item of clothing on his body, and rehearsed everything time and time again as if he wasn't going to lose it all in the back of his mind the moment that he opened his mouth.
Ominis had heard his pacing footsteps from below and came up to Sebastian's room to see what all the ruckus was about. He stood in the open doorway, still giving Sebastian a small knock to let him know of his presence. "Sebastian, are you alright? You sound like you're pacing." He spoke.
Sebastian's head whipped around to see Ominis standing in the doorway. "I am pacing." He replied with a little bit of a mutter. "I'm nervous."
"Whatever for?"
Sebastian held his tongue for a moment, wondering if he should tell Ominis. Although Ominis was the one who had suggested confessing first, he knew that if he told Ominis what he was going to do, he was going to be held to his promise. There'd be no backing out because of anxiety.
And obviously, Ominis would give him the talking of a lifetime to make sure he never treated Vienne badly. Which was understandable, but Sebastian could never even comprehend hurting her in any way, shape, or form.
"I'm going to tell Vienne about my feelings for her today." He practically blurted out, allowing himself not a single moment more to contemplate it. "I'm telling her no matter what happens or follows."
A look of surprise flickered over Ominis' face for just a moment. Although he had been the one to encourage Sebastian to be vocal about his feelings in the first place, he was surprised he was actually going to go through with it.
"And you're sure?" He asked, just for clarity.
Sebastian took a deep breath. "I'd better be sure."
Ominis began to walk towards Sebastian, coming up right beside him. "Well, you already know my opinions on the matter." He spoke, putting his hand on Sebastian's shoulder. "But... In all honesty, as unbelievable as it sounds coming from me, I think you're making the right decision. Vienne... She's happy when she's with youâI've never witnessed her be like that with another man. And happiness is all I want for her in this life. And if that means finding it with you, then I want that for her."
Having Ominis' confidence in him certainly helped but of course there was that bit of anxiety still heavy in his chest. But nevertheless, he had told himself he was going to do it, and he was sticking to his promise.
***
Sebastian could slowly see the Austin Manor come into view as he walked towards the large home. He was tired of having to meet Vienne out in the woods, always asking her to leave the comfort of her home or room just to see him. He wanted to be there with her, to show that he wasn't afraid of showing his love for her. He'd still be cautious as to not be caught by her mother, but he wanted Vienne to know that he wasn't hiding his feelings from her anymore.
Though he was still quite unsure of what to do or exactly what to say, he had practically rehearsed what he wanted to say a thousand times and had also gotten her a bouquet of flowersâwomen liked flowers, right?
He could only just hope that everything would go over well and that Vienne shared the same feelings he had for her. All he could ever want is for her to love him.
Parts of him still believed this wasn't a good ideaâhe knew confessing his love to her was risky. He was a year out of Azkaban, had no influence and no wealth near what Vienne was used to, and he had a rough past. He wasn't exactly what they would call a "suitable" match for her, but she knew all of that, and yet, she treated him the same. With love and compassion.
It's all he thought about, and when he imagined his future, he couldn't imagine it without her.
Soon, Sebastian was standing in front of the door of the Austen home. He raised his arms, knuckles drawn into a fist, and for a moment, he hesitated as every "rational" part of his mind told him to go back before he regretted everything. But his heart controlled him more than his mind, and finally, his knuckles rapped against the door in a small succession. He could only just hope that Claudine was not the one to answer it.
Soon enough, the door was opened, and much to his relief, it was not Claudine. Ceci was the one standing in front of the door, a neutral expression on her face. She knew exactly who was standing right in front of her and knew exactly who he was looking for, but she feigned ignorance in her expression.
"Ah, hello, sir." She greeted him. "Can I help you?"
A little wave of relief washed over Sebastian as he looked at the older woman. "Uh, yes, hello. I'm here for Vienne... Is she home?" He inquired, his tone slightly conveying his nervousness.
"As a matter of fact, she is." Ceci replied. "Would you like me to go fetch her for you?"
Sebastian nodded his head, feeling his palms get sweaty. "Yes, please, that would be great. Thank you." He replied, discreetly trying to dry his palms on his trousers.
Ceci nodded and moved aside, opening the door further so he could step inside. "Please, come wait in the parlor while I go fetch her."
Sebastian stepped inside, eyes taking in the surroundings of the inside of the house. It was just as he expectedâgrand and richly appointed. He felt slightly out of place, but he ignored the feeling and followed Ceci inside until they reached the parlor.
He sat down on one of the sofas, still holding the bouquet of flowers in his hand. He couldn't tell if being here was helping settle his nerves or making them worse. Either way, there was no turning back now.
Ceci made her way upstairs to Vienne's room, knocking on the door. "Vienne, there's someone here to see you." She called out behind the door. It soon opened, revealing the redheaded girl behind it. However, her expression was one of unease.
"It's not Mr. Carter, is it?" She asked, her voice hushed. She was not in the mood to have another awkward, one-sided conversation with him.
Ceci shook her head, a small smile appearing on her face. "It's Mr. Sallow, actually. He's here for you." She spoke, internally chuckling to herself as she saw how quickly Vienne's expression changed at the revelation.
"Really?" She said her expression was a cross of relief and confusion.
Sebastian was there despite all the risks. What could he want? What was going on?
"He's waiting for you in the parlor. If I were you, I'd get down there already." Ceci said before turning on her heel and leaving.
Vienne let out a little breath; she definitely wanted to see Sebastian a lot more than Edward. She quickly rushed over to her vanity mirror, taking in her appearance to make sure she looked good. Sebastian, of course, would not care how he lookedâhe believed she was beautiful no matter what she looked like, but she was going to care anyway.
Once she deemed herself presentable, she made her way downstairs with a sense of urgency in her steps. But she did have the question of why Sebastian was here, especially risking the chance of her mother seeing them together.
Hypothetically, if she wasn't so set on Vienne marrying Edward, she might be pleased to see her daughter actively conversing with a man, but if she found out anything about who Sebastian really was, it would only end in disaster.
She quickly made her way into the parlor; her expression had changed to one of shock upon seeing Sebastian sitting there, a bouquet of flowers in his hand.
"Sebastian, what are you doing here?" She asked, quickly closing the door and walking over to him. "If my mother sees you, she'll be furious."
Sebastian immediately rose from the sofa as she walked towards him, his heart fluttering a bit at the sight of her. "I'm sorry, and I know that, but... I had to see you." He replied, his voice low. His free hand moved forward to take one of hers into it.
"You should have sent me an owl." She whispered, her brows knit together in concern.
She wasn't concerned for herself; she was concerned for Sebastian. She knew exactly how her mother could be, and the last thing she wanted was to subject him to her ridiculousness and her out-of-touch reasonings.
But Sebastian wanted this to be special for Vienne. No more going out into the woods, no more asking her to sneak out as if they were merely teenagers at Hogwarts, no more making her go to great lengths just to see him. He was here for her, and he wanted to make that apparent.
Sebastian shook his head; he knew he was taking a risk, but it was risk-taking for her. After spending so much time thinking about her, knowing that she was the right person for him, he had to go through with it. "No, I needed to say this in person. It's important, and I know I'm being a little reckless here, but I can't keep this to myself anymore." He said, shaking his head a little.
He was clearly nervous, and yet his eyes never left hers. He was looking at her like she was the only thing that ever mattered in this world.
Vienne let out a little exhale before taking a quick look around. "Okay, but not here; it's too obvious. Come with me." She insisted.
After taking a quick look outside of the parlor to make sure nobody was around, Vienne led Sebastian by the hand out of the parlor and outside of the house, which slightly confused him, but he followed Vienne in confidence.
She led him outside and into the gardens that were just far enough away for it to be difficult to see them from the house. She knew anybody could just walk down there and see them, but it was much safer than being inside the house itself. They stopped in the gazebo that was in the middle of the gardens, hidden away by all the nature there.
The scenery and the privacy definitely help set the mood more and make the both of them less nervous about getting caught. But now, that meant the time was coming for Sebastian to confess his feelings, and that alone was enough to make his heart pound in his chest.
Suddenly, he remembered the flowers in his hand. "Oh, uh, well first I got these for you." He replied with a sheepish chuckle, putting them out for her.
Seeing him flustered was cute, honestly. Vienne took the flowers with a smile on her face. "Yes, thank you. They're beautiful." She said with a little chuckle. How he could forget something was in his hand while holding it, she didn't know. But it was quite cute.
"But... I have a feeling you didn't come all this way just to give me flowers." She spoke, her eyes set on him as if she was trying to see deep in him, searching for an answer as to why he was acting like this.
Sebastian felt a lump form in his throat as he realized now was finally the time he had to speak upâto express his feelings for her. "Vienne, I..." He started, but the words caught in his throat. He tried his best to gather all the courage he could muster. "I came here today because I have to be honest with you... I need to tell you something."
Now that he had both of his hands free, he gently plucked the flowers away from Vienne's hold and set them aside, taking both of her hands into his. "I've tried fighting these... these feelings inside of me." He started as he looked directly at her. "I was always trying to convince myself that you were too good for me, that you deserved better. That we were just supposed to be friends, but you've practically become an essential part of my life."
He paused, unsure of how to continue. Anything he rehearsed he could suddenly no longer remember, and his throat became tight, but he pushed through it anyway. Now it was just time to speak from his heart, not his mind.
"You're the first thing I think of when I wake up, the last thought in my mind before I sleep. You've treated me like nobody else ever has. you make me feel alive, even after experiencing close to death for so many years." He continued, holding her hands tightly but in a loving manner. "All of this and so much more and..."
"And I've fallen in love with you."
Those words hit Vienne almost as if the wind had been knocked from her lungs. He had finally said it; the words had left his mouth. Any doubts she had ever had that he didn't reciprocate the same feelings she had for him were out the window. She finally had heard the words.
But the momentary happiness was stripped away from her as she remembered her motherâhow controlling she was and how if she ever found out about Sebastian, she'd probably try her absolute hardest to make his life a living hell. And that scared her.
"Sebastian Iâ" She stopped, unsure of what to say.
Sebastian's heart pounded against his chest as he searched her eyes, her face, anything for an answer. Her silence felt like an eternity of cruel torture as he waited for an answer. "Say something, please." He begged in a whisper. "Just say anything."
"I love you too, Sebastian... and I have for a while." She finally got the words out, her voice a little shaky. "I was just so nervous to say something. I was scared to put you in a position where so many people in my life would be against you, and I'm still scared. Even more so now, I'm worried for you."
Sebastian's heart practically leaped from his chest at the confession of her reciprocating, but he also knew that she would have some worries. But he knew what matteredâand that was them. Her, her feelings, what she wanted. Not what her mother wanted or what anybody else seemed to think about it.
"She doesn't have to know, and even if she does, it doesn't matter." He replied quickly. "This is your life, Vienne. It's your decision. Don't let someone else dictate that for you. I would sacrifice my whole life for youâtake any risk needed. I swear it."
"But my motherâ"
"Who cares about what she thinks?" Sebastian asked, begging the question for her. "When was the last time that a decision your mother made for you made you happy?"
Vienne tried her best; she really did. But nothing came to mind, and that's when she realized that if she rejected Sebastian out of her love for him, wanting to keep him safe from her mother, that she would never truly be happy. Because she knew Sebastian would respect her decision either way.
This was her chance. This was her shot at happiness, and Sebastian would find a way to deal with everything as long as it made her happy.
"Please, Vienne." He pleaded, his eyes full of love for her, full of want for her. "Please just give us a chance."
He moved her hands that were still clasped into his right over his heart, allowing her to feel just how much his heart was racing for her. "Please..."
There was a small moment of silence between the two before Vienne just threw all of her mind's reasoning out the window. Within just a few moments, she was on her tiptoes, lips connected with his before anything else in her mind could tell her no. She pushed it all aside and just kissed him with all the want in the world.
Sebastian was shocked momentarily, his eyes wide as he felt his lips against hers, but boy did it feel good. His eyes soon closed, and his hands slipped from where they were over hers down to her waist, pulling her a bit closer to him. Vienne could feel his big, ridiculous smile against her lips as they kissed.
A for a moment, it felt like they were the only two people in the world, and it was wonderful; it just felt right.
The kiss lasted for quite a moment before Vienne finally pulled away, her breath slightly heavy, but her eyes were still fixed on him. "I love you, Sebastian." She whispered, her voice filled with sincerity.
"I love you too." Sebastian replied, the pure happiness in his voice. Hearing her say those words just made his heart absolutely soar.
"I want you in my life, and I don't want my mother to get in the way of that." She stated. She didn't know how things would go on from there, but she did know she would always have him no matter what, and that's what mattered.
Sebastian pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, relishing the feeling of her against him. Finally, he had her. The woman who brought him so much joy was safely tucked away in his arms. It felt as if he was holding his whole world.
"What are we going to do now?" Vienne asked in a worried tone, confiding in him for an answer.
"I don't know, but we'll figure it out, I promise." He replied, his tone full of sincerity. "I'd do anything for you, my love."
Vienne's cheeks tinged a light pink color hearing the sweet name for her. It sounded wonderful coming from his mouth.
There were still some unanswered questions; things they simply didn't know how to solve right now. How to deal with Claudine and Edward for starters, and they had to figure out how to go about their newfound relationship. But either way, they were just happy to be together. Vienne had finally found a man who made her the happiest woman in the world.
And while she had felt hopeless mere weeks ago, believing that she'd have to fit the unfortunately tight mold of the world her mother wanted for her, now she had newfound hope that just maybe she could live the life that she wanted to with someone she herself had chosen to love.
Another kiss was shared until Vienne heard the voice of her mother from a distance, thankfully too far to be seen, but it was enough to snap her out of the moment.
"Vienne? Vienne, are you down here?" Claudine called out.
Vienne immediately pulled away, looking at Sebastian. "You need to go, quickly, before she sees you." She whispered in a rush.
Sebastian was still dazed by the second kiss, but the urgency in her voice snapped him back into reality. "Right, right." He said, shaking his head in attempts to get himself back to earth.
She quickly rushed him out to the backside of the gardens, allowing him to slip away without being seen. Of course, Claudine had to ruin a perfect moment between the twoâit's almost as if she had a sixth sense for when Vienne didn't want to be bothered.
"Yes, mother?" She finally called back, acting as if nothing had happened.
Claudine finally came into view, seeing her daughter in the gazebo. "What in Godric's name are you doing out here?" She asked, her brow raised. "I had half a mind to think you were still moping around in your bedroom."
Vienne wanted to audibly scoff at her mother's words but held everything back. "No, mother. I was just enjoying the air." She replied, looking away.
Claudine gave her daughter a suspicious look before brushing it away. "If you insist." She relented. "Now come inside before this horrible weather ruins your hair."
As Claudine led her back to the house, Vienne looked back at where she had led Sebastian out of the gardens in order to leave undetected. She wished that he was still here, but nonetheless, it was better that they weren't caught, not this early on at least.
Despite the circumstances, Vienne's heart felt light the entire day after. Finally, she had the man she truly loved.
A/N: Again, apologies for the wait but I hope you enjoy! Thank you for continuing to read and support me xoxo