Chapter Text
Maelle sits on her bare mattress, her blankets and sheets already packed in the small suitcase. At one point, they’d realized they were in need of proper luggage to be able to successfully relocate. Not made of money, Lune’s singular paycheck could only afford two second-hand bags. The larger one stores Lune and Sciel’s belongings together, while the smaller one holds Maelle’s.
Any minute now they are to leave this apartment unit for good. Though instead of awkwardly pacing near the front door, Maelle chooses to remain in her soon-to-be former bedroom. Waiting for Sciel to call for her, she rereads Clea’s reply letter.
Dear Maelle,
I am beyond relieved to hear from you. Papa has been on edge ever since you left, worrying himself sick that he made the wrong decision. Maman’s had less emotional outbursts over our brother in favor of being withdrawn most days. I cannot tell if that is better or worse.
I won’t lie, knowing two people from the canvas are living right here in France is rather mind-boggling. You aren’t exactly an anomaly. Theoretically, anyone born from two Painters has the potential to be gifted with your specific abilities. I worry how that type of power might impact our world should it ever fall into the wrong hands.
But Verso’s canvas was filled with beauty and despite some jarring implications, I am glad a part of him lives on in Sciel and Lune. I may not know them well, but I’m aware they are dear to you. If the three of you are in need of anything at all, please tell me. I believe Papa will be more than willing to help out.
I wish you all the best. It would be wonderful if we could keep this conversation open. I look forward to reading your reply.
Your sister,
Clea
She folds her letter and inserts it back into her knapsack, making a mental note to learn their new address in order to write Clea back. They’d purchased the rundown homestead after a few months of savings and securing the deed. Maelle’s grateful for the help provided by Lune’s boss, knowing they would be lost without Ms. Raymond. She’s admittedly lived a sheltered life and is still only sixteen, knowing nothing of how one purchases land or the buying and selling of properties. As Lumièrians, Lune and Sciel had equally known nothing.
It’s now late August and they’re finally getting out of this city. Mostly, Maelle feels relief. But a part of her is somewhat saddened to leave. Although the time they’ve spent in this apartment unit has been short, so many memories were created.
She’s on her feet immediately once Sciel calls her name. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Maelle fetches her slate before joining her guardians by the front door. They are to return their apartment keys to the front desk office before heading over to the train station. Even though Maelle knows the streets of Paris from head to toe, a lingering anxiety over missing their train is present.
Sciel rests her palm on Maelle’s shoulder, grounding her. “Ready?” she asks.
Maelle nods with a grin as Lune opens the door. Walking through the threshold into the communal hallway, she follows the two women to the front office. She idly shuffles her feet waiting for Lune to drop off their keys. A few seconds pass, but they feel like hours. Maelle holds in her excitement once Lune returns to her and Sciel, their little family of three ready to move onto the next chapter in their lives.
Sciel feels she’s drowning in overwhelm navigating the Gare de Lyon. The bustling train station rumbles with roaring engines and screeching puffs of steam. Various individuals pass them in several different directions, though a few remain stationary as they search for their tickets or money. Lune’s able to guide her and Maelle to their train, matching the corresponding number on their tickets to the signs pointing them towards the right direction.
Their few funds in their possession were able to secure them seats in the third class compartment. An unfamiliar, unknown feeling courses through her. Those in first and second class had much more amenities, nicer seats in their own personal compartments with more space and storage for luggage. Lumière didn’t have the luxury of dividing based upon household income. Sciel has been worrying over their finances ever since landing in France. This obvious class divide has her longing for their income to increase with their intentions to start a farm on their newly acquired homestead land.
They find an empty bench to sit at for the duration of their travels, securing both suitcases under their seats. Each has brought their own book to read, but Sciel knows she might spend some of her time staring out the window to admire never before seen landscapes.
Maelle is doodling on her chalkboard as they wait for their train to depart, Sciel sitting next to her and admiring her cutesy cartoons. The redhead sits by the window, opposite Lune who has chosen the aisle seat. Sciel, on the other hand, occupies the middle seat between them both. As the minutes pass, more and more passengers fill the third class cabin. Some appear to arrive at the last possible second, Sciel notes once she feels the train in motion at last.
They busy themselves with their individual silent activities to pass time. Occasionally, Maelle grabs their attention by revealing her chalk art. She’s met with a warm smile from Sciel and an impressed gaze from Lune.
“Is that Esquie?” Sciel is intrigued and amazed at the detail Maelle has added to a sketch solely drawn from white chalk.
“Mmm,” Maelle manages to hum as she nods in affirmation.
Sciel leans her head towards the drawing, admiring the accuracy of Maelle’s depiction of the gentle giant. “You’ve captured him so well.”
Maelle blushes at the compliment before smiling nervously.
Lune chimes in. “You’re very talented, Maelle. Never knew you could draw like that.”
The redhead hides her bashful face in the sleeve of Sciel’s blouse. She melts at the girl’s affection, embracing her in a warm hug as she rests her chin on the crown of Maelle’s head.
“Sweet girl,” Sciel hums as she gently caresses her back. “It’s alright. Not everyone handles compliments well.”
She sends Lune a knowing glance. Ever the analytic, the scholar has a history of discrediting her own accomplishments to brush off any compliment thrown her way. Sciel figures it must be a common personality trait, but the Maelle she knew from back in Lumière had been boldly confident. Since her two distinct lives were merged into one, however, there’s a certain shyness that emerges in Maelle. Somedays she’s withdrawn. But there’s moments where the Lumièrian side of Maelle shines through. Sciel is hopeful she will be happier in this new, quiet life they plan to build together. She knows from experience how trauma lingers on, which is why Sciel plans on giving Maelle the best life possible.
Untangling herself from Sciel’s arms, the teenager scoots closer to the window, holding her slate and piece of chalk between her fingers. She continues to add detail to the sketch, occupying an hour of their travel time. Maelle switches activities at around midday, choosing to read her novel to pass the time.
As the day progresses, so does the temperature. Essentially, they are trapped in a compartment with close quarters and little to no ventilation. Sciel could feel a bead of sweat dripping down her temple. Looking to her left, she notices Maelle is in a similar predicament.
She taps on her shoulder. “You alright?” Sciel asks. “I have water in my pack if you need it.”
Maelle closes her book and grabs her chalkboard. “I’m good. Just a little sweat.”
Sciel nods in acceptance. “But if you need some later, please let me know.”
She’s aware she should take her own advice and take a swig of said water. However, Sciel’s putting Maelle’s needs before her own. The sixteen year old buries her nose in her book, and Sciel has an internal debate over whether or not she'll have to prompt the girl to hydrate.
Gradually, Maelle becomes more exhausted as the hours pass. At the first yawn, Sciel reaches for her leather canteen of water. “Here,” she says, holding the container of water out for Maelle to take. “Take a few sips. I don’t want you to fall asleep dehydrated.”
The teenager concedes to her request, taking a few sips of water before sluggishly leaning into Sciel. Somehow, Maelle is able to remain awake for the duration of their train ride. They arrive at their destination in the evening, both Lune and Sciel grabbing a suitcase as they exit the train. Maelle trails behind them with heavy eye bags, following her guardians into the small village’s train station.
The tiny hamlet’s proximity to their purchased land is one of the reasons why Sciel and Lune chose this run down homestead over many others. There’s a carriage service at the edge of the station, offering rides at a close distance for a low price. In a perfect world, such rides would be seen as a frivolous expense, but Maelle has seemingly run out of energy.
A middle aged woman is operating the information booth for carriage rides. She spots Sciel approaching first, followed by Lune and Maelle.
“Welcome to Belmas Station,” the woman’s voice is bright and cheery. “Here for a carriage ride?”
Briefly, Sciel glances back at Maelle. Her brows are raised as she’s forcing her blue eyes to remain wide open. Turning to face the woman, Sciel nods confidently as she fetches her coin purse from her satchel. “Yes, please.”
A monetary exchange is quickly conducted as the older woman eyes the trio inquisitively. “We don’t receive many tourists in Belmas,” she states. “Are you here on holiday? Or something more permanent?”
“I’ve purchased the deed for a homestead nearby,” she replies truthfully.
The woman gazes at Sciel with sympathy. “A widow so young…I am very sorry for your loss, madam.”
Sciel’s hit by a wave of thoughts that come crashing down on her following the worker’s statement. She can’t recall the last time someone referred to her as young. Since her parents’ gommage, maybe? Sciel recalls the cover story they’ve had in the motion for weeks now. In addition to their perfectly forged identification papers, Maelle has painted several documents proving Sciel a widow. This includes falsified obituaries, death certificates, and a birth certificate tying Sciel and Maelle together as mother and daughter. It’s not as if these details weren’t true. They were. But in this world, papers often negate the truth.
They’re directed to the caravan behind the booth, which sits on the grass connected to a single horse. An older man holds the reins, sitting in the front of the carriage. He turns himself around, immediately striking up a conversation with Sciel as she secures their luggage in the back.
“Good evening, madam,” he greets with hospitality. “Where are you headed? I can take you anywhere as long as it’s in a five kilometer radius.”
Lune taps her on the shoulder as they climb into the back seat of the carriage, whispering in her ear. “Doesn’t sound like ‘anywhere’ to me,” she quips.
Sciel chuckles before replying to the driver. “I’ve purchased the deed to an old homestead nearby. I believe it’s approximately two kilometers away from this station.”
The elder man nods, grabbing the reins as he clicks his teeth to signal the horse to move. “Was beginning to think that old property would never sell. Such a shame, it used to be a lively farm back in the day.”
She feels Maelle rest her head in her lap, eyelids finally closing after a long day of travel. Sciel brushes several strands of red hair out of her face, a gesture the driver notices while briefly looking back.
“Your daughter?” he asks.
Sciel hums. “Yes,” she confirms with confidence. If any part of her doubted her role as Maelle’s mother, those feelings were vanquished the moment a stranger perceived them as anything but.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” he says. “What’s wrong with her?”
Nothing. My girl is perfect, Sciel thinks to herself bitterly. Alas, she’s aware his intent stems from genuine concern. “She was injured in a house fire,” Sciel explains. “That’s why I’m here. To give her a better life than what’s offered in the city.”
The carriage turns onto a grassy dirt path. “She’s lucky to have you,” he comments before adding “Is that how your husband died?”
No. It was the opposite element that killed him. “Yes,” she lies while Maelle snores lightly.
They pass luscious green foliage as the carriage driver continues the conversation. “My own wife passed a few years back, but we’ve lived our whole lives. You’re all still so young, I can’t imagine losing a spouse when your life has only just begun.”
Sciel can hear the shudder in Lune’s breath as they both process the man’s words. She’s unaware if she’ll ever become used to being referred to as young.
“I still have my daughter,” Sciel says gratefully. “And my…dear friend.” She carefully selects her word choices. While Lune means so much more than a simple ‘friend’ to her, they’ve learned quickly how cruel the world can be. “While I miss him everyday, these two are enough for me to keep going.”
Taking a moment to ponder her words, the old man replies positively. “There’s nothing in this world more genuine than friendships.”
An evening breeze chills their skin as the caravan pulls into the rundown property. The grass is overgrown, though the brick house itself still stands properly. Once the carriage comes to a complete stop, Lune hops down to grab their luggage. Meanwhile, Sciel lifts a sleeping Maelle into her arms, carefully stepping onto the grass.
Before bidding his farewell, their driver recommends checking out the village once they are settled, highlighting the local physician, general store, and dairy farm. As his carriage slowly drives away, it dawns on Sciel that they are now truly alone.
The front door takes a few tries for Lune to force open, revealing a dusty interior. Some walls were cracked, in addition to cobwebs hugging the corners. There’s two bedrooms on the right side of the house. One would belong to herself and Lune, the other would go to Maelle.
Sciel stands awkwardly holding a sleeping Maelle while Lune promptly transfers the girl’s sheets and blankets onto the double bed in the smaller room. As she finishes the job, Lune carefully places Maelle’s slate, chalk, and eraser onto the wicker nightstand.
“All clear,” she informs Sciel in a soft voice. Walking past her, Lune kisses her cheek on her way out of the bedroom.
It’s a relief to finally put Maelle to bed after a long, grueling day of traveling. Sciel unfurls the blankets and sheets with one arm as she carefully lays her daughter into them. Maelle unconsciously rolls onto her side, sleeping soundly as her chest rises and falls.
Folding the covers over her shoulders, Sciel presses a kiss to the crown of her head. “Good night, ma petite fille.”
Carefully tiptoeing out of her child’s room, Sciel leaves the door ajar. The sun is setting over the horizon as she joins Lune in their newly obtained master bedroom. They would fit their Queen sized bed with their covers momentarily. Right now, all they can manage is to breathe knowing tomorrow would be the first day of the rest of their lives.