After the Dust Has Settled
written by Ella Lehane
Vivian hadn't had a visitor in a long time, at least not until Andy and Aquila crash-landed outside of her father's estate. Though she's busy trying to fill her parents' shoes as host the best she can, they are both much more interested in finding out her life's secrets... secrets she might not want to know herself. (Original short-ish story)
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
8
Reads
511
Prologue
Chapter 1
“It smells like rain.”
Vivian looked out of the window disinterestedly. “I guess so. We haven’t had rain in such a long time. I can’t even remember the last time. Can you, Miss Edith?” Miss Edith shook her head, putting down her teacup.
“It doesn’t smell like rain.” Miss Holly spoke up, looking worriedly out of the window, into the darkness outside. “It smells like change.”
Vivian laughed. “You can’t smell change, Miss Holly. You feel it. I think. Anyways, you can’t smell it. Do either of you want some more tea?”
“That will be all for me, dear,” Miss Edith said, smiling. “Thank you, though. It was a lovely tea party, but I think it’s time for me to go to bed,” she said, standing as she did so. Miss Holly didn’t seem to hear any of this, remaining concentrated on the world outside.
Vivian frowned, annoyed at Miss Holly’s distraction and Miss Edith’s departure. She shook the teapot at Miss Holly, trying to get her attention. Unfortunately, and only slightly on purpose, she spilled some of its contents onto her guest’s lap. “Oh!” cried Miss Holly, jumping out of her seat and holding her skirt away from herself. “Oh, what a mess I’ve made. I’m awfully sorry.” She didn’t seem to realize that Vivian had been the culprit, and Vivian did nothing to change that idea. Instead, she stood up, leaving the guilty teapot on the table, and looked down at the much shorter Holly. “Good luck with the mess. Goodnight.” She left her there, and walked to the stairs that led to the upper floor. There was a lit candle in a silver candlestick waiting for her right before it. Using it to light her way, she walked up the stairs, stopping when she reached her room. There she turned back, and looked down the dark way she had come.
Change, she thought. What had Miss Holly meant by it? And was she right? Was something coming?
Shaking her head at her own ridiculousness, she blew out the candle.
Vivian looked out of the window disinterestedly. “I guess so. We haven’t had rain in such a long time. I can’t even remember the last time. Can you, Miss Edith?” Miss Edith shook her head, putting down her teacup.
“It doesn’t smell like rain.” Miss Holly spoke up, looking worriedly out of the window, into the darkness outside. “It smells like change.”
Vivian laughed. “You can’t smell change, Miss Holly. You feel it. I think. Anyways, you can’t smell it. Do either of you want some more tea?”
“That will be all for me, dear,” Miss Edith said, smiling. “Thank you, though. It was a lovely tea party, but I think it’s time for me to go to bed,” she said, standing as she did so. Miss Holly didn’t seem to hear any of this, remaining concentrated on the world outside.
Vivian frowned, annoyed at Miss Holly’s distraction and Miss Edith’s departure. She shook the teapot at Miss Holly, trying to get her attention. Unfortunately, and only slightly on purpose, she spilled some of its contents onto her guest’s lap. “Oh!” cried Miss Holly, jumping out of her seat and holding her skirt away from herself. “Oh, what a mess I’ve made. I’m awfully sorry.” She didn’t seem to realize that Vivian had been the culprit, and Vivian did nothing to change that idea. Instead, she stood up, leaving the guilty teapot on the table, and looked down at the much shorter Holly. “Good luck with the mess. Goodnight.” She left her there, and walked to the stairs that led to the upper floor. There was a lit candle in a silver candlestick waiting for her right before it. Using it to light her way, she walked up the stairs, stopping when she reached her room. There she turned back, and looked down the dark way she had come.
Change, she thought. What had Miss Holly meant by it? And was she right? Was something coming?
Shaking her head at her own ridiculousness, she blew out the candle.
