A/n: sorry to everyone, but especially those who put this fic on their "waiting for an update" lists💀
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The chapel prayer candles were lit, but the overhanging chandelier was not, leading warm low lighting to fill the large room. Josie marveled at the two large stained glass windows. From her perspective at the door, the scenes looked intricate and vivid with deep red and green shapes dancing together to create a story. There were beasts, no... huge wolves running together in a swirl framing a sword pierced through a crown. A perfect circle was placed at the top of the second window, the glazed pane almost shimmering in the candlelight as it shawn over the brutal image of a battle below. Three subjects lay bloodied and vanquished on the ground below a lone figure, holding an axe up in triumph above their own head, casting a shadow over the other subjects. Josie turned her attention away from that; the history lessons they had taken early on in her time as a suitor gave her the story. She did not need to dwell on the kings bloody rise to power. Instead she looked around at what Penelope had presumably set up.
Somehow the heavy oak pews had been moved to the sides of the room, making the space feel like it was enclosed in some weird wooden bubble. Some people she did not recognize were in the far corner tuning some instruments. There were also barrels stacked together in the opposite corner, definitely filled with alcohol of some kind. Josie walked forward and picked up a tankard, twisting the handle on the spout to fill it up to the brim. The beer foamed, dripping over the edge as Josie held it away from herself, trying not to spill on her dress. Other people started filing in, some staff members from the kitchen Josie recognized, and a majority of the suitors.
Jed pumped his fist in the air when he walked in, asking the crowd if they were ready to party. He went over and introduced himself to some of the male servants, giving them eager handshakes and slapping them on the back, quickly becoming friends. Josie watched as Dana walked in, trying and succeeding to strike up conversations with new people that were bound to become her new minions, if Lizzie were here she would definitely have snide comments to make. Josie sipped the foam off her beer as MG approached the barrels with a noble named Ethan trailing behind him. They were both caught up in an animated discussion about if the occult weren't abhorrent, what supernatural ability they would grant themselves.
Josie drifted away quietly, making her way towards where Penelope was sitting on the stone floor below the stain glass windows. She looked melancholy for a moment, plastering a tired smile on her face once the brunette stood at her outstretched feet.
"Do you want me to get you a drink?"
"Beer's not really my thing." She replied.
"You're the one who organized this party." Josie said incredulously, finding her place beside the other girl and sinking down the wall until they were shoulder to shoulder. Josie took a large gulp from her tankard, knowing that the more she drank the faster she'd get used to the oat-y taste. She absentmindedly glanced around the room, watching as Kaleb was obviously trying to flirt with one of the kitchen staff, and she was definitely interested. "Is Hope going to be here later?"
Josie turns slowly at the sound of the raven-haired knight's laughter. "You really like her don't you?" Penelope's smirk turns soft, yet still with a knowingly arrogant look in her eyes.
Not that she's already drunk, but Josie doesn't have to blame the easy answer on anything she may have consumed tonight. "I do."
As if her feelings can become magic and conjure the person she's fallen for, Hope slips through the doors of the chapel. Despite the fact that she very purposefully shut the doors behind her softly, Josie watches as all eyes turn and land on Hope, who instantly freezes. A needle could drop, a moth could sneeze, and it would be as if a cannonball had smashed directly through the stain glass windows above Josie and through the large wooden doors that Hope was leaning against, knocking them off their hinges and sending splinters in all directions. Even from this far away Josie could see Hope's chest heave, one breath in that never came out, her eyes glinting yellow in the candlelight.
But then their eyes meet, and suddenly her field of vision narrows to contain the all consuming vividness of Hope's entire, short in stature but incredibly attractive, being. She tried to channel all the comforting and positive energy she could muster, sending it across the room meant for deity worship through a smile and her eyes alone. Josie watched as Hope's chest receded, minutely but it receded, a calm smile growing steadily across her face as she lifted her hands.
"I know this situation is weird, but can we forget about rank and the competition for one night... and just have fun like normal people?"
"Here here!" Jed calls from his group of buddies, holding his beer high. Soon everyone is holding up their drinks doing their own cheer of thanks, and then the party goes mostly back to normal, with everyone laughing and talking with one another, a certain unrestrained freedom already strangling the rest of the atmosphere in the room on the princesses order.
Hope relaxes even more at this, kicking off the door and walking over to where Josie and Penelope are sitting. The brunette sets down her drink and rises to meet her, successfully standing without teetering over too much, but the princess still reaches out her hands to steady her. Josie holds onto Hope's forearms as she reaches her full height, smiling down at Hope as she towers over her, which is more evident than usual as they end up standing fairly close together. If Josie wanted to, she could rest her chin on top of the auburn-haired girls head with minimal effort. It would be an awkward angle but she was confident it could work.
"I'm glad you're here," Josie says warmly, not bothering to step back.
"Me too." Hope replies, neither moving nor removing the brunette from her arms.
"I'm surprised you didn't sneak off into the night instead." Josie looks over Hope's shoulder at the people eyeing them, just like at the banquet, and adds "You're never comfortable in front of large crowds."
"I have nowhere else to go." She shrugged, looking off to the side. "The King has kindly put me under house arrest, due to..." she trails off, Josie watching as her eyes flicker over to where Penelope is still slumped on the floor behind her. "These latest attempts." She finishes, albeit not as convincingly as she may think. The brunette released Hope's arm from her hold at the mention of these latest attempts, her mind wandering to that day. Her sister turning so pale, so much blood everywhere, and the overwhelming feeling that her chest was going to cave in. My sister is alive and recovering repeated through her head as she stomped down her inner panic before it could rise any further.
Hope seems to realize where Josie's mind went for that moment, grabbing her hand and squeezing to bring her back.
"You are right, I don't like crowds."
Josie smiles, but on the inside she's screaming because wow, Hope is holding her hand in a room full of people and her whole body is tingling. And she thinks of the letter, and how Hope is holding her hand right now and standing so close because that must mean something, right?
"Why don't you like crowds?" A different question is on the tip of her tongue, but the brunette doesn't want to break the moment.
"Whenever I'm around too many people, it always feels like—" she pauses abruptly, searching for the right words to describe that feeling. "Like there's this... pressure, building in my head. Right here," She uses her other hand to point in the center of her forehead. "And for some reason it makes it hard to breathe, or focus on other people."
"Is that why you're always sneaking away?"
Hope nods her head, a sheepish look places itself on her face.
"How do you feel now?"
"Now? Oh." Hope seems to realize something within the span of those two words. "Actually, I feel okay." They smiled at each other. "I think it's because you're here."
Josie holds Hope's intense eye contact as she feels her cheeks heat up.
Penelope pushes herself to her feet with a sigh. "Alright, I don't want to third wheel all night." She puts a hand on both of their shoulders. "Have some drinks, dance, I'm going to find someone to make-out with."
Hope and Josie chuckle as they watch Penelope saunter off towards the musicians, soon to be charming them into a dark corner with her sharp wit. Hope's eyes wander to see Landon in the corner. His shoulders are hunched and he's with Raphael. They're talking, but it doesn't look like either of them are particularly interested in it, Landon seems to be a bit sulky. Then his eyes meet Hope's and he smiles, waving sheepishly at her. Josie watches her return the wave, following the auburn haired girl's sight line. Landon begins fidgeting with his many rings, like he's about to come over but just working up the nerve. Josie throws back the rest of her drink, cringing at the bitter taste before grabbing Hope's hand.
"I—" She stops, no explanation even as Hope looks at her quizzically, then down to their joined hands. As if the universe were showing her mercy, the musicians started playing a lively tune on their stringed instruments. Josie looked over the other girls shoulder to see Penelope winking at her, before pulling someone into the middle of the dance floor.
"You want to dance?" Hope said easily.
"If your dance card isn't too full." Josie replied, grabbing the girls other hand.
"For you? Never."
They both smile at each other, joining the rest of the twirling bodies in the middle of the church.
*
Hope is a great dancer, which is not the surprising part. Josie was pleasantly surprised when they first started dancing, by the fact that she, not the actual Mikaelson heir, was the one leading. The princess must have noticed, given the brunette's stumbles near the beginning. She often led while she and Lizzie practiced when they were younger, but she was still a bit rusty. Especially with the less formal, almost uncoordinated dance floor filled with young adults free from the eyes of their parents. It was like pure chaos; unadulterated joy. It was the most alive she had felt in ages. And Hope was clinging to her, giggling as they spun around, Josie's hands guiding them through the movements. One hand securely at the princesses waist, the other palm to palm, never breaking apart as their rhythm was in sync.
After a few lively songs the brunette was getting tired. But Hope was in tune with her, suggesting a break without being prompted. They soon found themselves getting more drinks, Hope passing Josie another tankard of beer before filling her own.
"That was really fun." Hope said. "I haven't danced like that since, ever. Maybe."
"Really? What, you don't sneak into taverns and inns on your... quests of independence?"
"Quests of independence?" Hope repeats, an amused look on her face as she turns back to Josie and sips her beer. The taste must not be to her liking, Josie notes, as amusement is replaced by a grimace once the Mikaelson heir swallows the contents of her tankard.
"Do you—"
Before Josie could finish her question she was interrupted.
***
A/n: sorry the update took so long. I got writers block about them getting closer, and I wanted to include a bunch of stuff but EH I got tired. Figured y'all would prefer an update now to even more months later. I DO have the outlines for the next 5 chapters, and they'll be easier for me to write, but I can't promise a return to the Friday updates :(