April 30th, 1890 — Destiny Hotel, London, Seventh Annual Hippocrates Ball
Her heart ached at the reminder of a dream deferred. The Hippocrates Ball was her favorite event of the year, it supported her deepest passions, but now she stood outside the sacred work of healing. It was nine years now since she left her practice to protect the family reputation. It was nine years since she felt certain in her worth.
When Isobel and Archie announced that she would be accompanying them to the ball, Anya felt her stomach knot. Wasn’t spinsterhood meant to remove her from public obligations? Anya began her preparation for a night of discomfort and unwelcome commentary.
The dress didn’t help.
Isobel had commissioned special gowns for the occasion and, while Anya didn’t see the point in a new gown for the evening, she could never deny her sister-in-law. She came very close this time. The think was barely covering her and too close to her coloring. Wearing this, she would appear nearly naked. Atlantis or not, she liked to think she would be more fully clothed as a Sea Siren. Grumbling that she never remembered muggle Vikings breeding with sirens and producing half-giant looking things such as herself, Titania reluctantly agreed to the gown. She was so flushed in unease that she was red from head to belly. On a woman like Isobel, this would have been the most alluring look, but on Titania the titan, well, she could barely check the mirror as her maids and Isobel fussed over her appearance. When Isobel conveniently came down with an illness at the last moment, Titania was ready to make her brother a widower.
Entering the hotel, the sense of peace and wholeness briefly relieved her anxiety. Titania loved the sea, loved the living metaphor of deep depths hiding secrets in still waters, she loved the raw power in all its beauty. By comparison, she was delicate and small. She treasured the feeling. She knew no charm to change the hotel to this ocean paradise, but she was eager to investigate. Thankfully, there were other stunning costume choices, a themed ball allowing for pushed fashion standards.
Titania found that she did find her people to discuss the latest articles and research, but the conversations died quickly as the realities of her social standing and lack of formal position in a hospital became apparent. Who would expect a girl from such connections to dedicate herself to the ugly realities of death and disease? No expectations, but Titania would give anything to be back in the work.
She tired quickly, embarrassingly so. Watching the party, trying to figure out why Isobel would arrange such clothing and fake illness to get out of a night with her husband, Titania could only roll her eyes at her brother. He always glowed in situations like this. Yet another way they differed.
Allowing her empty champagne bubble to float away from her as it popped into nonexistence, Anya was ready to make a quick escape to the gardens for some space. Instead, she managed a collision. Delightful. Smacking directly into the poor soul, Titania realized her hands hit chest instead of shoulders as she hastily pushed away. “Forgive me, I should have been more careful.” Someone as tall as she, with eyes nearly as blue, and the bright red hair she saw in her nieces and nephews was the unfortunate victim of her clumsiness. “Mr. Greyback?”
When Isobel and Archie announced that she would be accompanying them to the ball, Anya felt her stomach knot. Wasn’t spinsterhood meant to remove her from public obligations? Anya began her preparation for a night of discomfort and unwelcome commentary.
The dress didn’t help.
Isobel had commissioned special gowns for the occasion and, while Anya didn’t see the point in a new gown for the evening, she could never deny her sister-in-law. She came very close this time. The think was barely covering her and too close to her coloring. Wearing this, she would appear nearly naked. Atlantis or not, she liked to think she would be more fully clothed as a Sea Siren. Grumbling that she never remembered muggle Vikings breeding with sirens and producing half-giant looking things such as herself, Titania reluctantly agreed to the gown. She was so flushed in unease that she was red from head to belly. On a woman like Isobel, this would have been the most alluring look, but on Titania the titan, well, she could barely check the mirror as her maids and Isobel fussed over her appearance. When Isobel conveniently came down with an illness at the last moment, Titania was ready to make her brother a widower.
Entering the hotel, the sense of peace and wholeness briefly relieved her anxiety. Titania loved the sea, loved the living metaphor of deep depths hiding secrets in still waters, she loved the raw power in all its beauty. By comparison, she was delicate and small. She treasured the feeling. She knew no charm to change the hotel to this ocean paradise, but she was eager to investigate. Thankfully, there were other stunning costume choices, a themed ball allowing for pushed fashion standards.
Titania found that she did find her people to discuss the latest articles and research, but the conversations died quickly as the realities of her social standing and lack of formal position in a hospital became apparent. Who would expect a girl from such connections to dedicate herself to the ugly realities of death and disease? No expectations, but Titania would give anything to be back in the work.
She tired quickly, embarrassingly so. Watching the party, trying to figure out why Isobel would arrange such clothing and fake illness to get out of a night with her husband, Titania could only roll her eyes at her brother. He always glowed in situations like this. Yet another way they differed.
Allowing her empty champagne bubble to float away from her as it popped into nonexistence, Anya was ready to make a quick escape to the gardens for some space. Instead, she managed a collision. Delightful. Smacking directly into the poor soul, Titania realized her hands hit chest instead of shoulders as she hastily pushed away. “Forgive me, I should have been more careful.” Someone as tall as she, with eyes nearly as blue, and the bright red hair she saw in her nieces and nephews was the unfortunate victim of her clumsiness. “Mr. Greyback?”
![[Image: 6FdDBqK.png]](https://i.imgur.com/6FdDBqK.png)