Personal Connections

There was a prim knock on the door, a light two taps that were her personal maids' signature, but their heads swiveled to see who was entering anyways. Lauren, one of her two personal maids since she was young had her hair in her tight bun that

Gwen would always tease would soon cause hair loss, but Lauren's extremely long hair length was something for the young girls to envy. Her braid that cascaded down her back was soon tossed over her shoulder as she ran in and fell to her knees. Gwen shot to her feet and tried to pull Avery up.

"Lauren! What's wrong?" Gwen asked frantically despite knowing what the ruckus would have been distressing. Lauren covered her sob with her arm, and Gwen shot to her feet to try and pull her up.

Tears slipped down into the collar of her dress, and Lauren gave her a wan smile. "My lady is finally getting married."

"Yes. The day has come," Gwen murmured, pulling her into a hug.

Avery came into the room as well, and Gwen smiled brightly at the two who have been at her side for as long as she could remember. They were still relatively young since they both came to care for Gwen when they have just reached the age of teenagers and had been with her ever since.

Although they were always stressed from being used to having to take care of a young rambunctious child that she had long outgrown and now them watching her grow into the woman she was today, she couldn't be more grateful.

"Please be happy for me..." Gwen was forced out. "I would hate to have to live in fear for your support."

"Of course, my lady!" they cried.

Lauren took Gwen's hands. "We need to start packing to rest well before you leave."

Gwen nodded. "Yes, let's get started now. Can you grab my suitcases, Avery?"

Avery saluted her making Gwen laugh before turning on her heel and out the door. Lauren had already moved to the dresser and began pulling her clothing out, making some of her undergarments come out.

That was Aiden's cue to leave to which he did get the memo and stood. Gwen told Aiden to cheer up before leaving, and to her delight, he rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue as he left without another word.

All of her clothing got tossed onto her bed until she was all buried. Gwen stuck out her pale arm, and Lauren pulled her out of the mess of fabrics. She wasn't too particular about what she wanted to bring since it didn't fully set in just yet. It would probably hit her in the morning, and she'll end up kicking herself. But she was ever the optimist which was quite the contradiction since she was ever the worrier as well. She did truly believe that everything would work out for the better though.

There were dresses strewn everywhere to the point that it was hard to step on open places. Gwen dodged when Lauren threw some night dresses in her direction. Avery returned with five suitcases and sighed when she saw the wreckage.

Gwen ran a hand through her hair, trying to figure out what she wanted to bring since they weren't getting anywhere. She pointed to her favorite dresses, and Lauren sat those dresses aside as Gwen tiredly sifted through the rest.

After a couple of hours of needlessly worrying about what occasion to wear what item to, they zipped up the last suitcase, and Gwen wheeled it nearby the door. Grabbing a handkerchief, she wiped her perspiration from the hard work and glanced at the clock.

It would be dinner soon. Her last dinner as an unmarried maiden. Gwen changed into a lively plaid green dress with short sleeves and a scooped neckline with a wry smile at the unwanted thought. The dress was full length with lovely chiffon layers, giving her dress movement.

Lauren added a pearl necklace and dangling emerald earrings. Her hair was loose around her shoulder in waves as usual, and she thanked the ladies as she walked to the dining room with her hands crossed behind her back. She could smell the food from the corridor, and she strode inside.

The dining room had the far side of a wall full of windows from head to toe. The clouds were moving in, and she touched the glass for a second before turning back to see her brothers engrossed in a heated discussion and her father leisurely reading whatever important letter he brought to the table.

The crystal chandelier twinkled overhead, and Gwen pulled out a seat to her mother's right who had finished neatly setting the cutlery that she often tended to do. They didn't eat at a traditional long table with multiple chairs and immense length since it was not needed.

They had a smaller table for them all to sit close together. The large dining hall on the other wing of the house was for formal occasions rather than daily life.

The chef brought out the courses, arranging them in neat order with the presentation of the food brought to the highest quality. Gwen reached for a tart first, and her mother slid a glance over at her. Her hand did not stop its trajectory, as she went for the lemon tart anyways. It was always dessert first ladies and gentlemen.

"Are you all finished packing, dear?" her mother asked.

"Yes," Gwen answered. "Do you want me to bring them to the first room?"

The first room was a guest room reserved on the first floor which was closest to the front doors. It would make the transfer easier to the carriage than from her room which was on the opposite wing of the house.

"That would be lovely," Theresa replied.

"Make sure you don't forget anything," her father said. "And remember to write back every week to let us know that you are alive."

Gwen laughed. "Yes, Father. I will try my best."

"It is not an I will try, but I will do."

Gwen rolled her eyes at his lecture. "I'll be fine. Even if I don't write back be assured that I am still breathing."

"Are you sure?" Brennon interjected with a sly smile. "I would sorely miss you if you if you don't write at least once a week..."

Gwen sent him a glare. A letter of well-being to her parents went more along the lines of a report on her life and behavior. "Oh, dear. We can't have that now, can we Brennon? How about we write to each other then?"

Brennon grimaced as the same idea flashed in his eyes as hers. I have better things to do. Adrian continued to spoon the tender steak into his mouth, in his own peaceful bubble while she and Brennon argued and their parents exchanged hushed words as they spoke about other matters.

Her father pressed his hands together, waiting for his children's argument to cease. "How about we have a toast for Gwendolyn's engagement?"

Suddenly, the room dimmed, and the chef brought out a tray of champagne and sparkling water for Adrian. Gwen was grateful that they planned something small to send her off.

She didn't want to make a huge commotion or hold a large party to commemorate her engagement. The maids and servants all crowded by the door. Gwen grinned when she saw the close workers of the family wiping their tears.

Gwen took a glass of sparkling pink liquid and thanked the server. Adrian tried to take one with alcohol, and Alexei reached above his son's head to grab the glass from his hands.

Adrian gave him a pesky smile to which Alexei ruffled his hair. Brennon leaned back in his seat to take a sip before nodding in approval. Gwen rolled her eyes at his reaction. He was such a snob sometimes.

She tipped her glass to her mother's with the distinctive clinking sound that resounded through the room. Gwen smiled brightly to her family, not afraid of what was to come but apprehensive of becoming a person worthy of having the title duchess, as they all brought their glasses to the center of the table with only the candles in the floral centerpiece alighting their faces.

"Cheers!"