nothinglikea | IC Inbox for Deer Country

I would appreciate that. My...family is a bit of a sore spot with me. Father died and it turned out that he'd gambled our entire fortune away and owed money to various...unsavory persons. So, mother responded the only way she could: try to net a wealthy match for me. She succeeded, but Cal was...unworthy. But [a slightly tremulous smile] I already know Jack approves.

And you make me happy, too. You're easily the best person I've ever known and I swear to you that I'll do all that I can to make you happy and keep you safe.

Let's hope you're right. Argonaut is a sweetheart, he's my patron Pthumerian but his month is long gone.

And I, you. [she leans in and gives Snow a kiss on the cheek, entirely chaste but meaningful]

Oh, I'm so sorry that that happened to you, Rose. You shouldn't have been married away to try and solve the problem... [As royalty, that could have been Snow's fate too, be married off to form an alliance, to combine two kingdoms, to provide funds to her kingdom from a richer one. But then, she supposes that her stepmother would have to allow her to LIVE to even let that happen.] But I'm glad to have met Jack, and I'm gladder still that he approves... I know how much you loved him, and I thank you for making room in your heart for me.

You already make me happy and safe, so I think you're doing a wonderful job as it is.

Oh! Argonaut is my patron as well!

[And then Snow realizes.] We can spend our blessed days together! And our birthdays too! I've not had anyone to celebrate mine in years! I died before the dwarfs could celebrate it with me!

It was a common enough situation for girls in my position. Honestly, it was common enough for girls who weren't, sold into marriage to much older men for power or prestige or wealth. For people other than the girl. She was to bear children and keep silent and obedient even as her husband didn't even try to conceal his mistresses. [she has a lot of Feels about the lot of women in her time period, is it that obvious?] I think...love is not a finite resource. It can't be. For the more we love, the more we get in return.

I'm so very glad. [and she reaches over to gently cup Snow's cheek for a moment]

Yes! I'd love to do that with you! All of it! And your birthday will be an event for all of Trench to remember fondly next year!

Yes... that... I'm afraid that was the case for me as well back home. If my stepmother had let me live, I think, even if my father was still alive, I would have been married off for political gains and to unite kingdoms. Princesses are to be the one to provide legitimate heirs to their kingdoms, to make an heir and a spare and more than enough should plague or disease visit a kingdom's doors. It seems... even several hundreds of years later, not much has changed... which is really quite sad to hear.

But it seems different now. [She squeezes Rose's hand in return and then moves in for a hug, resting her head on Rose's shoulder.]

Oh, I will remember it as I'll have someone to celebrate it with for the first time in... oh goodness, I don't actually remember the last time I got to celebrate my birthday with someone.

[Rose reaches out to cup Snow's cheek in her hand] It was that way for each of us. It was wrong and unfair and it put our happiness at serious risk. But, talking to young women who are from about a hundred years in the future from me, it seems as though things have finally changed for the better, at least in many places.

It is. For you and me, it is. [and she hugs Snow back, one hand reaching to gently stroke her hair]

Then we'll have to go all-out! The birthday party of your dreams. With all of your friends here and your animal friends as well. And cake! What's your favorite kind of cake?

[She leans into Rose's touch and lets out a breath. She doesn't get touched by people very often. Animals? Certainly. She moves a hand over Rose's and closes her eyes. It feels warm.

And she might very well cry.]

I suppose... I'm very partial to the kind with sprinkles in it that's vanilla-flavored, so bright and festive! It wouldn't be hard for me to make. [Snow... has no idea she's not supposed to make her own cake.]

[Snow's reaction to being touched, even so gently and chastely makes Rose want to cry as well.

she knows how it feels. to shrink away from touches by people she didn't want touching her. to relax into the touch of someone she wanted touching her. it's a thrill unlike anything else]

Then I'll make one for you. [a pause] Well, I'll have to have someone help me make one. I'm still having trouble with baking. [noooo, Snow's birthday is a day meant for Rose and Snow's friends to pamper her, not another day for Snow to work!]

You- you would bake a cake for me? No one's ever made me a birthday cake before!

Even with help I know you'll have tried your hardest for me. Oh, Rose, that sounds delightful!

Absolutely! Especially if it's never been done for you before. You'll have a plethora of cakes waiting, since we'll need to fit all of your birthdays into one big celebration.

I will certainly be doing that! How many cakes do you need? One for each year.

Oh goodness! I don't know that I can eat 9 cakes! Not unless my seven dwarfs came all of a sudden! [She giggles but there is a hitch in her voice at the thought of her found family coming to Trench and how that would just make her whole world complete.]

One cake for my 16th is more than enough for me.

You have a great deal of friends, I'm sure they'd love to help you eat nine cakes. Even without them. [she says gently]

But your sixteenth birthday will be one to remember. In a good way. I'll make sure of that, at least.

Even if my birthday is just the two of us with a tiny cake, I would be happy.

I need to know your birthday, my darling, then I can make sure it is celebrated too!

I'd be content with that as well. Though, I can't help also watching the whole of Trench tell you how much you mean to them.

My birthday is December 31st, so there's always a guaranteed party somewhere, even if it's not about me.

We should have a joint birthday! Celebrate the both of us!

Ohhhh, no! You deserve your own day, all to yourself. It's bad enough mine is on New Year's Eve. I insist on giving you your own day for celebrating you.

Well, if you're sure? But still, I want to celebrate your birthday too. A new years eve baby! My goodness! How perfect for you!

I'm absolutely positive! You deserve your own day to be celebrated and not have to do any of the work! As for mine, back home it got rather lost in the whirl of society new year's eve parties.

I've not celebrated in a long time. I may try to help by accident.

Well, I don't think they celebrate new years eve here. And even if they did, I would make it very clear it's a ROSE birthday party, not a new year's eve one.

And I will tell you that your sole duty is to have fun! To enjoy being with those who care for you!

[blushing and smiling] I would appreciate that. People think it must be fun, sharing a birthday with a major holiday. It isn't. It's frightfully dull, in fact.

That's very sweet of you, truly, but I suppose I should be very used to how sweet you are by now!

I think it would be fun to just celebrate in general. I haven't done that since I was six or seven.

Used to it? No, that makes me want to be even sweeter!

[and through a choked up voice] Then you'll have your celebrations! As many as you like. And New Year's is rather popular, I suppose we'll have our pick of parties to go to. Or we could go to all of them!

I shan't complain, certainly. But I feel I should do something to match your wonderfulness! I don't wish for you to do everything alone!

Whichever parties we're invited to, it's rude to attend a party without an invitation. But hopefully one of them will be a formal occasion and we can dress in our finest! I look at you everyday and am stunned by your beauty, so I know that you in a ballgown would make it more so!

Well, there's a middle ground between celebrating on my own and celebrating with a crowd. I don't want a crowd, I want you and my other friends.

I would love to see you in a formal gown. You're already breathtaking, I may pass out from your beauty. And you deserve a family which accepts and loves you as well, you know I think that's true.

A small party with friends, then.

Goodness, if you pass out, shall I try and wake you with a kiss? [She giggled.] I have always wanted a very big family. And... maybe someday we can consider one another each other's family.

Yes, that's a bit more my taste.

Absolutely! [Rose says with a decisive nod] If you wake me with a kiss, I may try to steal another one. And, it would be nice to have that, even here if we adopt our own family here. I can think of a few possibilities already. And that would be my dearest hope. To be with you.

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