"Oh Melody!" Lucy turned to look at her friend, true concern in her eyes. "What happened?" To marry someone who didn't want to marry you, it was almost worse then an arranged marriage and for an elopement, well Lucy simply couldn't fathom how it would even have come about.

The conversation was good to distract her, Lucy's thoughts stopped from whirling wildly about her own concerns and the walking, for the momeent, seemed to be helping.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

"The Valentine's Day party, you remember hearing of it I'm sure. Things ... happened there and ... " it all sounded so foolish and childish now that was saying it aloud. But, it seemed to be helping Lucy to distract herself so Melody continued, "I swear there was some sort of nefarious purpose to that party. I overheard servants talking and panicked."

She still vividly remembered the stress of the moment, how it felt like there were no alternatives. Like she was drowning in her doomed future. "I panicked and we eloped. Come to find out no one knows anything of what happened at the party."

  

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beautiful set by mj

Lucy did remember hearing of it, she had desperately longed to be there, but even if not for society shunning her her pregnancy had prevented her from attending. It was clear what Melody was saying, or at least in bits. "And you regret it now?" Lucy asked, not wishing to wound her dear friend further by asking if Mr. Crouch was the one to regret it. "Is there nothing you can do to salvage your marriage?"

They began another turn around the room when the pain wrapped around Lucy's back. She could think of nothing beyond it and her hand on Melody's arm tightened despite herself. It was worse then the pains she normally felt at her time of the month. She could do nothing but breathe and focus on remaining standing up right. It had seemed that walking had kept it at bay - until now. And now Lucy was beginning to get frightened. It was too soon. It couldn't be her time yet. She looked at Melody her eyes wide and scared. "It's nothing." She put forth before Melody could say anything. She began to tug on Melody's arm to keep her walking as if nothing had happened. If she didn't act like something was happening then it wasn't, right?

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

Perhaps there was once something to be done to save their marriage, after the card game maybe. But then she tried to secretly abort their child and that ruined whatever chance there was. "No, there's nothing to be done but wait and hope for change." Either that or death, whichever came first.

Melody watched with a wide eyed stare as the pain took over Lucy again. This wasn't right, wasn't what was to be happening. Where the fuck was the healer?! "It'll be okay." She repeated, unsure of the confidence she was attempting to portray. "The healer will be here soon."

  

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beautiful set by mj

"You sent for the healer?" Lucy was aghast. The man would only tell her she was imagining things again. Then Ace would find out and worry and Lucy would feel a terrible inconvenience to everyone.

So rather dwelling on what had been done Lucy returned to the subject at hand. "Oh Melody, I hardly doubt there is nothing to be done." Lucy rather felt that her cousin's concern meant she wasn't going to take her seriously. So she widened her eyes to look the most serious and imploring she possibly could. "Mr. Crouch married you after all, I hardly doubt a man who didn't love you would do that even with the circumstances you told me of."

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

"Of course I did. And if it's nothing I'll take the blame with Mr. Lukeson." With how often the pains were coming Melody didn't believe it to be nothing, though.

Ben didn't love her, he couldn't even say it back to her while under the influence of the potion. Not that Melody would admit to that. "It's complicated. I hope we will change and grow into love but I'm not hopeful. We'll see."

  

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beautiful set by mj

She disagreed with Melody, but perhaps having the healer there would do no additional harm. She'd feel foolish, of course, but then he could quell her concerns with a simple phrase. It was nothing.

"Melody, life is nothing without hope." Lucy was a fool for hope. For holding on to the story book ending and she could see nothing sadder then Melody giving up on such dreams. "He'll come around to it. I'm sure."

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

"I hope you're right." Ben wouldn't, she knew. He would have his affairs and love everyone but herself. Such was the consequence for heinous acts.

The butler then came into the room escorting the healer. Melody's grip tightened on Lucy's arm, as though the man's presence alone would cause harm.

  

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beautiful set by mj

The butler entered the room and for the first time today Lucy was grateful to see the healer's face for as he walked into the room another pain stretched sharply across her back pulling along her lower belly. He would tell her everything was okay, that this was normal. That Lucy's life, that held so few people, would hold happier and less worried people.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!