Desidolia solo

Taliesin hadn't been entirely sure what she was meant to expect when she finally came home for Summer Holiday. With her father having finally allowing her to step into the role of Heir to the Ancient House of Annwyn, she knew things ought to be different. Even back during Christmas, her presence was required at official functions more often than ever before. However, that didn't mean that it would be the same during Summer.

Somehow, she expected her summer to be spent the same as it always had. She'd have her lessons with Madame, her music and language teachers would come and go throughout the week, and whatever time was left she would be allowed to spend either working on her summer assignments or exploring her beloved island. And for the first couple of weeks, it had gone exactly like that.

Then her mother came home.

Taliesin hadn't seen hide nor hair of her parents since coming home from Hogwarts; which wasn't a surprise. They'd been abroad. Again. Doing whatever it was that adults of their station did. Yet, when Nanny woke her one morning telling her that her mother had arrived home, Taliesin could sense that something had shifted. Only her mother had come home. It was almost unheard of that either of her parents went someplace without the other. They were always together.

In their own way, Taliesin imagined that this was a clear sign the pair must've loved one another a great deal. Her parents were never outwardly affectionate with one another, but they also had never been very outwardly affectionate with their child either; so Taliesin figured it must just be their way. Public displays of affection aside, no one could deny that Emyr and Henriette Annwyn were practically inseparable. So if her mother had arrived home without him, either something terrible had happened or she wasn't planning on staying long.

Nanny hurried her charge along, quickly dressing the girl and doing her hair before rushing her along to her mother's Morning Room while she stayed behind in her young Mistress' room and bustled about. Much like her father's study, Taliesin was rarely allowed into the Morning Room. That was her mother's private space, where she talked to her friends with the doors shut tight and the peace ought never to be broken by the needs or noise of children.

Taliesin knocked on the door, waiting until she heard her mother grant her permission to enter before silently slipping inside and clicking the door shut behind her, "Bonjour, Mère." ^{Good Morning, Mother.}.

Lady Henriette didn't even look up at her from where she was on her settee, sipping her coffee and reading her paper, "Bonjour, ma fille. Assieds-toi." ^{Good Morning, Daughter. Sit down.} she spoke, giving a small gesture of her hand towards the seat on the other side of the coffee table from her. Taliesin wasn't one to be told twice, and briskly took her place in the plush, oversized cushion.

It was always so stunning to her, how light and airy her mother's natural tastes were. The rest of the house was always so dim and damp, but her mother's spaces, it felt like sunlight never stopped pouring through the windows and always smelled like sundried linen and fresh flowers. Her mother was no different. Effervescent grace and poise poured from the woman the same way the morning sun poured through the windows. Every pose and movement appeared so natural but well practiced, and she looked as though she were pulled straight from a fairytale book. Her skin was so smooth and perfect, with soft, shiny dark waves of hair. Taliesin could count on one hand the amount of times she'd seen her mother with her hair down and not pinned up, but every time reminding her of how the sea looked at night with the moonlight glinting off the water. Taliesin had often wished that she'd taken more of her looks from her mother. She wished she'd taken more after her mother in a lot of different ways.

"Votre père a terminé ses affaires à l'étranger. Nous nous rendons donc à Londres pour participer à la saison mondaine." her mother explained. ^{Your father has finished his business abroad. We are therefore heading to London to take part in the social season.}

"Nous?" ^We?

"Nous." she confirmed, her voice firm, "Vous et moi le rejoindrons cet après-midi à la maison de Poppy Hill. Madame Morgan a reçu pour instruction de préparer tout ce dont vous aurez besoin pour le reste de l'été." ^{We. You and I will join him this afternoon at the Poppy Hill house. Mrs. Morgan has been instructed to prepare everything you will need for the rest of the summer.}

Taliesin felt almost dizzy at the prospect. She was being swept off to London for the entire remainder of the summer? She could only assume that meant that she'd be leaving from Poppy Hill straight to Kings Crossing for school. The emotions stirring in her gut ranged between excitement (she'd never stayed in Poppy Hill before longer than overnight for specific events) and heart break for not being able to stay at home, on the island she'd pinned for all school year.

Her mother wasn't phased in the slightest by her daughter's stunned silence, and simply continued, "Madame Daaé et Madame Morgan se joindront à nous, bien que leurs rôles soient plus limités. Je superviserai personnellement votre formation cet été. D'après ce que j'ai pu constater à Noël, vous présentez de sérieuses lacunes auxquelles il faut remédier sans tarder. Vous serez impliqué dans plusieurs affaires d'une importance capitale, et je ne saurais tolérer le moindre risque pour la réputation de notre famille. Comme votre père vous l'a expliqué durant les fêtes, l'heure n'est plus à l'indulgence concernant votre comportement." ^{Mme Daaé and Mme Morgan will be joining us, though their roles will be more limited. I shall personally oversee your training this summer. From what I observed at Christmas, you have serious shortcomings that must be remedied without delay. You will be involved in several matters of critical importance, and I cannot tolerate the slightest risk to our family's reputation. As your father explained to you over the holidays, the time for leniency regarding your behavior has passed.}

And there it was. The picking at her short comings, just as her father had done at Christmas. Taliesin could remember a time, before Madame Daaé took over as her Governess, where her mother attempted to fulfill a more present place in her education, between the assistance of multiple tutors. She never raised her voice, but her words could cut and her patience was short. She was a very particular woman and accepted absolutely nothing less than perfection of the highest degree. As strict and prudent as Madame Daaé could be, her mother was much worse, much harder to please.

"Mère, je suis sûr que tu n'as pas le temps-" she began, only to be cut off. ^{Mother, I'm sure you don't have the time-}

Lady Annwyn's eyes leveled her child sharply, hard and lacking any semblence one might attribute to 'motherly affection'. That simply wasn't her way, "J’ai pris le temps de le faire. Tu devrais m’en être reconnaissant. Je suis sérieux. Je ne tolérerai pas ton incompétence cette saison. À la fin de l’été, tu seras exactement là où tu dois être." ^{I took the time to do it. You should be grateful to me. I’m serious. I won’t tolerate your inadequacy this season. By the end of the summer, you’ll be exactly where you need to be.}her tone broached no room for argument, and she certainly wasn't going to sugar coat her displeasure. Not even to a twelve year old girl.

It took everything in her not to tremble or shrink into herself, "Oui, Mère. Bien sûr." ^{Yes, mother. Of course.}

Despite the warmth and light of the room, Taliesin felt a chill run through her. This was certainly not the sort of summer she had expected to have.