Forums » General Roleplay » Blood-Stained Gold {1x1}

Genevieve moved to her bed. "Good night," she said gently in reply. She glanced around at the four girls before climbing into her own bed. It wasn't nearly as comfortable as her bed back in France, but she was tired and it was sufficient enough to lull her into sleep for the night, dreaming of home...

Before the sun even rose over the sky Beau was awake. He draped his long legs over the edge of his bed, and rubbed at his face tiredly to snap himself into consciousness. You'd think he'd be used to waking up at such an ungodly hour every morning by now, but it still had a tendency to take it's toll.

After washing up and dressing as fast as he could to ward off the cold, Beau sat at the family table downstairs, eating a few bites from the pork last night. A button-up shirt stuffed into pants with thick leather boots was all he wore -- all black -- not that color mattered much when it came to working in the mines, it'd all turn black down there anyway.

Beau took a peek into his sisters' sleeping quarters, just as he did every morning. The need to protect them, to ensure everything was alright before he left, was something like a ritual. Having nearly forgotten there was a guest present, he blinked in confusion noticing the new head on the mattress, before remembering Genevieve.

Geneviève was awake. She had been awake for a while now, but had just remained in bed. She had tried to go back to sleep, but for some reason she couldn't sleep for more than a few hours before being wide awake, as she was now. She heard footsteps approaching the room, and opened her eyes. Beau appeared in the doorway, and she quickly closed her eyes again. She didn't want him to see her awake, though she was curious as to why he was awake so early. Geneviève didn't like to wake up until well into the morning back home, and even her father slept until about eight, after the sun rose.

At the sound of the front door closing Piper awoke, the familiar sound of her brother leaving acting as the cue to start her day. She walked to her twin's bed, shoving Cecilia awake lightly as the sisters silently crept towards the door to dress and bathe.

Lyric and Agnus were still fast asleep, but Cecilia could've sworn she'd caught Genevieve's eyes cracked open...

Geneviève peeked her eyes open as the twins went out. What was going on? Why was everyone getting up so early? Surely they didn't have things to do so early in the day. Once the twins had gone out, the French girl quietly sat up, stretching her arms before getting out of bed and smoothing back her hair. She pulled her robe tight around her thin frame and took a few steps towards the door, but paused before returning to her bags. She bent down and took out a small packet of tea and moving towards the kitchen to start boiling some water to make herself—and anyone else—some warm tea.

"Oh, did we wake ya?" Piper asked once Genevieve made her way into the kitchen. She thought they had been quiet upon leaving the room but apparently not quiet enough, though their cabin did have a tendency to carry sound.

The fifteen year old looked to Genevieve expectantly as she simultaneously braided her hair without a mirror, used used to multitasking at such an early morning hour.

Geneviève glanced at Piper as she entered, but smiled gently and shook her head. "Oh, no. I had little sleep, anyways." She moved to the counter, tugging slightly on her own braid before beginning to search a bit. "What can I boil water with?" Of course, she was asking for a kettle or something. To clarify her reason, she held up and shook the little packet of tea with a sheepish grin.

"Oh, right here!" Cecilia chimed in with a smile, standing on her tip-toes near the kitchen to grab a kettle from atop a row of other utensils. "Our brother already left for the mines," Cecilia said to Genevieve as she handed the maiden her pot, "and Piper and I need to be at the cotton mill soon, but -- if you need anything, you can ask Nana across the hall."

"Or wake up the girls, they won't mind." Piper interrupted, finally finished with her hair and blowing a strand or two away from her eyes.

"Mm, thank you." Geneviève took the pot with a grateful smile before taking the pot and beginning to boil the water. She glanced at the girls. "Soon? Do you have time for tea?" she asked hopefully. Surely they would enjoy something warm before leaving for the mill.

The twins exchanged glances, having never been asked by someone so -- fancy, to sit down for a cup of tea.

"Okay." both girls said in unison, a humble smile creeping over Cecilia's face while Piper tried in vain to hide her own.

Beau was halfway to the mines when the sun began to peek from over the clouds, filling the sky with a deep orange hue. Other miners flowed among the same trail, carrying buckets of tools, lunch, knapsacks and the like. Conversation was scarce aside from the occasional 'hello', with no man wanting to speak more than a few words at such an early hour.

The caves grew in height with each step, as Beau switched gears from a leisured stroll to that of purpose -- one false move down there and it'd be the end of your life. He had to focus, from now until the sun went down.

Geneviève smiled and nodded. "Good! Wait just a moment." While the water was warming up, Geneviève set to finding three cups. "Honey or sugar?" she asked, glancing back at the twins as she readied the finely crushed tea leaves to go into the heated water. She deciede that, perhaps while she was there, she could bring a bit of culture to the two girls. Being the eldest young women of the home, a bit of class could never hurt, especially as they neared marrying age. Not that marriage was too important...but it didn't hurt to have a bit of exposure to the cultured life, albeit what little Geneviève could do.

Again, both girls answered together, though with separate answers. It was a telling sign -- though they were exactly the same, physically, the sisters couldn't be anymore opposite.

"But, whatever it is that's easier for you, Leclair." Cecilia said sweetly, always the diplomatic one in such situations. Their guests kindness was appreciated, as the family had expected to be given a bit of a haughty-taughty Princess -- not someone as gentile and compassionate as Genevieve appeared to be.

"Both is fine." Geneviève chuckled, before searching for the honey and sugar. The sugar was in low supply in the cabinet, but she didn't mention anything as she began to pour the bowling water into the cups already filled with crushed tea leaves. A few quick mixes with a spoon and she added honey to one cup and sugar to the other, while her own remained plain. "Here, little sweets." She smiled and held out the two cups to them, but paused, forgetting which twin asked for which sweetener. She hadn't been paying attention and now she had no idea which twin to give which cup to.

Both girls took their cups respectively, only to have a taste and make a quick switch with smiles still on their faces. "Thank you." they said together once more, seating themselves at the table and waiting for Genevieve to follow.

"This is -- nice," Piper hummed, staring into her teacup fondly, "we should do this more often before the mill. It's relaxing. Do you have tea regularly, Leclair?"

Geneviève smiled shyly as they had to switch, but followed them to the table. She sat down daintily, despite being in her nightclothes still, and took a quiet sip. At the girl's question, she nodded. "Every morning and every evening," she said gently. She paused, before adding, "You may call me by name, if you wish. My name is Geneviève." She offered a small smile before taking another sip of her tea.

"Oh, so, Leclair's your last name, then?" Cecilia asked, embarrassed, as Piper snorted in a rather unladylike fashion and took another sip of tea -- a sip not quite as muted as Genevieve's had been.

"Okay then, Genevieve." the more subdued of the twins repeated, nodding her head a bit as she took another gulp of the delicious tea. "We'll have to try and catch Beau tomorrow mornin' -- he'd love some'a this." It was so easy for Cecilia to slip back into her dialect when speaking to her sisters, almost forgetting to pronounce her words with more thought for their foreign guest.

"Thank you, this is delicious, but..." Cecilia began, biting nervously at her bottom lip just as Piper took the reigns -- her sister could be so passive towards the possibility of disrespecting someone.

"We're going to be late." Piper stated bluntly, but not without a thankful smile on her face as the cup was placed back down on the table.

Geneviève blinked, then nodded. "Oh, of course. Go on." She offered them both a small smile, glad for a bit of company while she drank her tea. She of course didn't know the importance of working (she had never worked a day in her life, and probably never would) but it seemed they needed to hurry now, with no time for a relaxed tea time. She, however, remained in her seat to sip of her drink and linger a while longer.

With that the siblings headed out the door, careful to close it quietly as not to wake up the remaining Eaves' women.

Beau was picking away next to other workers when the sound of a whistle perked his ear. Lunch time, already? Well, he wasn't complaining -- only a few more hours to go until he was freed. The men dropped their tools at once, the sound of clinking hammers and pitches echoing through the dense caverns.

Seating himself right where he was, Beau opened up his tin lunchbox, his mouth salivating at the sight of bread, porridge and cold coffee. He'd take it -- Hell, he'd take biting into a rock with how famished he was. A fifteen minute break was all they had, then, it was back to work.

Ah, lunch. Geneviève had eaten with the youngest and oldest Eaves women, listening to their conversations, adding in small comments to what she could understand and answering questions addressed to her. But now she sat in the living area, indulged in a book. It was written in French of course, and she had just begun reading, so it would be more than likely that she would be reading through the afternoon until suppertime, perhaps even until the girls and Beau returned home from work. She had, of course, changed into day clothes, though she was much more casual now, but with the same perfect bun that she prided herself on. No gloves, no fancy outfit, just a simple dark blue dress with a button-up back. Elegant yet casual, at least for Geneviève's tastes.

"What'cha readin'?" Agnus asked curiously, seating herself next to Genevieve. Lyric was outside roaming around the stables, and Agnus didn't feel like getting as dirty as her older sister at the moment. "Could'ja read to me?" the girl asked sweetly, twiddling her fingers nervously as she peered at Leclair in anticipation.