It had been two days since the fiasco with Edward in the marketplace, and Vienne was still irked about it. When she returned home, Claudine had asked her how it had gone, further confirming her suspicions that Claudine had been behind it all.
Needless to say, they hadn't spoken much since.
She was sure Edward was still fuming about his offer being rejected, but Vienne was fed up and tired of her mother always trying to control her. She was an adult for Merlin's sake! Didn't she understand that?
But also, the thought as to why she didn't want Edward was also still heavy on her mind. After talking to Marie and thinking about it so much, she had come to the conclusion that it was more than likely because of her strong interest in Sebastian.
It kept her up at night. She'd stare up at her ceiling, questioning if she just enjoyed him as a person or if she was in love with him. Maybe it was both. She had no idea. She had never really been in love before, and so it was just as difficult.
Marie had a fiancé; she tried to help as much as possible, but it was hard to describe how love felt to a different person. It was different for everyone. So needless to say, Vienne was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
But on the bright side of all of this, Sebastian had unexpectedly reached out to her, wondering if she'd like to meet him again. He desperately wanted to speak with her again-or simply just be in her presence. He was on the same side she was, questioning his feelings for her.
Of course, she said yes. Things between them were slowly growing closer and closer. And Vienne had secretly been in contact for a while to keep in touch and had really taken a great interest in him. And even though she had discussed with Marie ages ago about trying to work things out with Edward, at this point she couldn't care less, and she had made it clear that she wasn't all too interested in him.
Vienne got ready and left for Ominis' home. After the initial greeting, they managed to make it outside again just like their last conversation. It just happened naturally, really. They'd talk and wander, and they were just led out there.
"Remind me how we seemingly end up outside every time we talk?" Vienne asked with a chuckle.
Sebastian shrugged his shoulders, a chuckle leaving his own mouth. "I couldn't tell you why." He said, looking around at the nature that surrounded them. It was much more peaceful that way, and the chances of them being interrupted were much less likely.
Vienne had always thought the property of the late Noctua Gaunt was gorgeous-diverse as well. The forest on the property was absolutely breathtaking, and just some yards away from the entrance of the forest was a small body of water. Like a deep pond or a very small lake. There was an old, rickety wooden platform, seemingly like a makeshift dock that had been there for as long as she remembered.
She recalled several years ago, while she was in her later days of school, when she'd come to see Ominis, he'd help her with her homework on that very same dock.
Oh, how time flies.
***
Edward had practically been sulking in anger, frustration, and a little bit of embarrassment since Vienne had straight up rejected him in the middle of the market in front of all of those people. He was not used to people-specifically women-rejecting him since they always seemed to be the ones who wanted to be with him.
But his mother insisted that he shouldn't give up and that Vienne would come around eventually. Since "obviously" she was just playing "hard to get."
So, she sent Edward out to the Austen home again, this time with Rolf. She was hoping that the peer pressure from another person would help, especially since Claudine would also be around. Again, another great example of how people believed they could simply manipulate and push Vienne in directions she didn't want anything to do with.
But on the way to the Austen home, Edward obviously had to pass by the Gaunt's home, and he noticed one of the Austen family stagecoaches outside. His eyes narrowed as he took a good look at it. Vienne was at his house again? And no doubt with whatever scoundrel of a man she was talking to.
But this time, Edward wasn't going to let this slide. He banged on the side of the stagecoach door, signaling for the driver to stop, and once the movement had ceased, he began to open the door and step out.
Rolf quickly lurched forward, confused as to what was going on. "Edward? Where are you going?" He exclaimed.
"Get out of the stagecoach, Rolf. We're going to see what's going on." Edward shouted back over his shoulder. His steps were filled with angry determination. Whoever this man was, he was getting in the way of Edwards's chances with Vienne, and he did not like that.
Rolf was extremely confused, having no idea what Edward was talking about, but he scurried and stumbled out of the coach and quickly caught up with Edward. "What is going on, exactly?" He asked, his eyes wide with confusion.
"Vienne is here, not at her home. For the second time." Edward replied through gritted teeth. "She's probably off talking to that prat again."
Rolf couldn't remember the last time he saw Edward this angry, so clearly something serious was going on. To be honest, he believed Edward would've left Vienne alone after she had rejected him at the market, and very clearly so. But apparently he was much more determined to make her his than Rolf ever thought.
It was soon clear to them that nobody was currently in the home, so Edward deduced that they were probably somewhere out in the forest since he had seen them talking and walking around outside the last time.
That thought alone made his blood boil at the fact that Vienne was probably out there alone with another man. Whoever he was, Edward already had extreme distaste for him.
Rolf was skeptical as they walked towards the forest. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Edward? We're on someone else's property; isn't this trespassing? And what if they see us and she thinks you're a creep?" He said skeptically.
"Shut up and just follow me, Rolf. I know what I'm doing." Edward growled. "Besides, I need to know what those two are even up to and what that man's intentions are with my future wife."
As those words left Edwards's mouth, Rolf almost wanted to snort. Sure, he had confidence in Edward that he could make Vienne fall in love with him, but right now the chances were still pretty low after her rejection of him.
Since Vienne and Sebastian were close to the entrance of the forest on the property, it didn't take Edward all too long to find them. But instead of saying something, he kept a distance and observed what was going on. He was going to find out one way or another.
***
Vienne walked towards it, and Sebastian followed closely behind. The surroundings were quite tranquil and peaceful, the late sun peering in through the leaves of the trees that further added to the beauty of it all.
"What do you think of it out here? It's pretty quiet." Sebastian asked randomly as he put his hand in his pocket, casting his gaze around.
Vienne let out a sigh that seemed to be one of relief. "It's wonderful. That's why I find myself out here so much. Everywhere else is so noisy, but here it's truly calm, and I appreciate that." She spoke completely unaware that Rolf and Edward were nearby.
Sebastian nodded, a small smile on his lips as he watched her take in the scenery. Her words made him realize that they had at least one thing in common-their love for peace and quiet. "I know what you mean. Sometimes the world just gets to be a bit too much. It's nice to have a place to go and just be in the moment."
Vienne nodded her head in agreement. "Exactly..." she said, trailing off for a moment. There was a moment of silence and peace between the two, but Vienne's glance switched between the water and Sebastian before she grinned. A little idea popped into her mind-sure it wasn't the smartest idea, but hey, impulsivity at its finest.
"But sometimes too much quiet is unnerving." She grinned before giving him a little push into the water.
Sebastian hadn't really been paying attention to anything besides her words, as he was enjoying the moment of peace. So when he felt the unexpected push from Vienne, it took him a second to register what was even going on-which was right when he hit the water. He disappeared under the surface for a few moments before resurfacing a few moments later.
As Sebastian resurfaced, he pushed his wet hair away from his face and found himself looking up at her, his expression a mix of surprise and playful anger. "You... little..."
Vienne burst out into a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand as she tried to stifle it to no avail. "I'm so sorry!" She laughed, unable to contain it. Clearly she had not thought that through, but it was still funny at the same time.
Sebastian watched her as she laughed, unable to keep it in, and he couldn't help the corner of his mouth twitching up into a smile at her glee. Seeing her laugh like this was too endearing to stay mad at. But still, he couldn't let her get away with it that easily.
"Oh, you will be." He teased with a smirk on his face. He slowly waded through the water towards her, his white collared shirt stuck to his frame.
She laughed as he waded towards her, leaning forward, but before she knew it, her arm was being grabbed by Sebastian, and she was being pulled into the water with a little shriek of laughter.
Sebastian's hand grabbed just above her wrist, pulling her into the water alongside him with a surprising amount of ease Vienne was not expecting. Just like her earlier, Sebastian couldn't contain his laughter as she hit the water, sending droplets in every direction. He laughed harder as she breached the surface, seeing her shocked expression.
"You didn't think I'd let you off that easily, did you?" He laughed.
"You devil!" She exclaimed jokingly, pushing him a little by the shoulders.
"I'm the devil? Wasn't it you who pushed me first?" Sebastian responded in a playful tone, drawing nearer to Vienne.
And although they were having fun, unbeknownst to them, Edward and Rolf were still very much watching them. And needless to say, Edward wasn't the happiest person with what was going on right now.
His brows furrowed as he watched them. "What in Merlin's name are they doing?" He scoffed, watching in disbelief. "This-this is highly inappropriate!" He stammered, starting to get frustrated with the situation.
Rolf, however, looked at Edward in a confused manner. As if them not spying on Vienne and whatever man she was with also wasn't inappropriate. "But Edward-,"
"Don't interrupt me." Edward snapped. "Don't you see them? Out here alone! Doing Merlin knows what over there." He scoffed again. "Who even is this man? What are his intentions with her? They couldn't possibly be good."
More than anything, Edward was just upset that Vienne was seemingly more interested in another man who was not him, and he was letting his anger get the best of him. If this had been a girl he wasn't romantically involved with, he'd probably care less. He had done much worse anyway, but this was Vienne-his future wife, according to her mother. So he was angry and letting that overtake almost any sense he had.
"That absolute rake. Who does he think he is?" Edward hissed angrily, referring to Sebastian. He knew nothing about him, but he did know that he hated him. Who did he think he was being out here with Vienne all alone doing this?
Rolf's eyes widened a little as the unexpected insult towards Sebastian came out of Edward's mouth. "I think you're taking it a little too far. Assuming he's an immoral man and we don't even know what's going on."
"He's out here with another man's woman, alone, and his intentions are Godric knows what!" Edward exclaimed, anger seeping into his tone of voice. Clearly, he was upset about this whole situation.
Rolf fell into even more confusion. How come Edward was calling Vienne his when she had downright rejected him, very clearly? What was going on? "Well, if you don't keep your voice down, they'll hear us, and we'll actually get into some real trouble." He whispered harshly back at Edward.
"Merlin, why am I even doing this?" Rolf thought to himself in despair.
Meanwhile, Vienne and Sebastian were blissfully unaware of what was happening just a handful of yards away. More than anything, Vienne was enjoying her moment "alone" with Sebastian. Being with him made her feel different, special, and appreciated, and she liked that.
As if it was the most natural thing in the world, they had drawn nearer to each other, and Sebastian's hands found their way to her waist underneath the water. Vienne could feel her cheeks heat up a little bit, but she didn't say anything, enjoying the feeling of his touch on her.
Sebastian loved seeing her like this-carefree and playful. It reminded him of the parts of himself he thought he had lost so many years ago. Being around her made him feel more alive than he had in a really long time.
His thumb rubbed small circles on her side as they just stayed there, enjoying each other's presence with seemingly not a single care in the world. It almost felt like a dream, one Sebastian didn't want to wake up from.
Vienne's eyes locked with his, and she got lost in them for a moment, finding herself unable to look away. To most, they were just regular eyes, but to her-something in them captivated her, pulled her in. At this point, she could no longer say that she wasn't in love with Sebastian Sallow. She was in love with him, and she was sure of it.
She leaned in for a moment, almost instinctively. Something was telling her to just kiss him already. And Sebastian leaned in too, getting the same feeling. But something snapped in her-almost like her anxiety was telling her they were being watched and that somehow her mother would find out about this. So, she quickly pulled back, looking away with an embarrassed look on her face, her cheeks as red as her hair.
Sebastian's heart rate picked up as he noticed the shift in her demeanor; he could practically feel the tension between them. For a moment, it really felt like she was about to kiss him, and he had leaned in, mirroring her. He had yearned for a moment like this with her. It felt so normal, so natural. But then she had pulled away, and her sudden flinch snapped him back into reality, quickly realizing that something was wrong.
He was silent for a moment; the only thing that could be heard was the nature around him and a small, shaky exhale leaving his mouth-his hands still planted on her waist but his hold loosened. His eyes were searching for any signs of discomfort or that he had done something wrong. Obviously he hadn't, but he could tell by her face and her actions that something was wrong.
"Vienne..." He said quietly, reaching out to gently touch her cheek.
"I should probably be heading home." Vienne almost blurted out, a dry chuckle leaving her mouth as she turned her head away from him.
She wanted to kiss him so badly, to be with him so badly, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, and she hated it. The last thing that she wanted to do was to get Sebastian into trouble because her family had issues-specifically her mother.
Sebastian felt a pang of sadness in his chest as the words left her mouth. He could definitely tell something was wrong, but he knew better than to press her on the matter, so despite his disappointment, he understood. "Oh... Of course," he replied, his hand falling away from her cheek.
He pushed himself back, giving her some space, and the water suddenly felt cold against his skin like a miserable reminder that the odds were against them and that their relationship might not be something that ever got to be.
Sebastian helped her back up to the ground, wanting to show her that he wasn't upset. He never would be, and his feelings would still be all the same for her.
Vienne shrugged her coat off, feeling instant relief from the weight of it that was on her shoulders. As she glanced over at Sebastian, his white shirt was sticking to his skin. The way his hair was disheveled and wet, it made her swallow hard. She had to admit she stared for longer than she should have, her cheeks reheating all over again. Before he could look up, she quickly snapped her head away, acting as if she had never been staring at all.
"This fabric feels like ice against my skin." She chuckled. "It's going to be a hassle getting back home in it."
"Yeah... I can imagine." Sebastian replied with a slight smile. He paused for a moment, his eyes lingering on her for a second. In all honesty, this was the most beautiful he had ever seen her. Her hair wasn't perfect; she wasn't dolled up like on other occasions. It was just her, and he loved that.
He eventually tore his gaze away from her. "Are you going to be alright getting back like that?"
"Yes, yes, of course." Vienne said, nodding her head immediately. She didn't want to risk the chance of her mother finding out that she was out with him, especially alone near a body of water. Let alone see him with her if he walked her home.
Sebastian nodded his head. "Right... Just be careful, okay? I wouldn't want you to catch a cold, especially because of me." He replied with a little smile.
"Well, I was the one who pushed you in first, wasn't I? It'd be my own fault." She said with a little grin.
Sebastian chuckled, his smile growing more genuine now. He ran a hand through his wet hair, pushing it off of his forehead. "Can't really argue with that logic." He admitted with a little shrug. "I'll see you later then?"
Vienne nodded her head. She sure hoped that she'd see him again. "Yes, of course. I'll be in touch." She smiled softly.
"I'll at least walk you back to the house." Sebastian insisted, referring to Ominis' home where her family's stagecoach still was. Vienne agreed, and they began to head back.
Edward quickly realized that if he didn't move and leave right now, they'd more than likely hear him. Every nerve in his body told him to spring up and shout whatever words came to his mind at Sebastian, but he kept some self-restraint, knowing that it'd more than likely make things worse between him and Vienne.
He didn't want to completely ruin his chances with him, so he quickly stood up, dragging Rolf with him. "We're going home." He grumbled under his breath. He was so upset he wasn't even going to make an effort to go to the Austen home.
Rolf made no protest, having been done with the situation since the moment it had basically started. He was beginning to worry over Edward and his behavior; something simply just wasn't right.
Vienne eventually made it back home, thankfully avoiding her mother and all the questions that would come with her returning home sop and wet. Marie helped her undress and drew a hot bath for her so she could get clean and relax for a while.
While sitting in the bath, Vienne pondered that moment where she had almost kissed Sebastian. She was so close, so close, but had pulled away at the last moment. It frustrated her so much that she was so anxious over her mother that she had ruined a moment for herself like that.
She couldn't imagine how Sebastian felt right now, and she truly hoped that he didn't feel like he had done anything wrong. She wanted him to know that she was the reason why things weren't going their way, not him. But she couldn't even express how she felt for him.
A small sigh left her lips as her head rested against the porcelain of the tub. What had been so freeing and fun had turned into just another stress on her shoulders.
"I'll figure it out eventually." She mumbled to herself before closing her eyes, holding her breath, and sinking down completely under the hot, soothing water.
A/n: So sorry for the week long wait, I was having some motivation issues writing. But I hope you all enjoy! ð¥ºâ¤ï¸