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Welcome to Charming, the year is now 1895. It’s time to join us and immerse yourself in scandal and drama interlaced with magic both light and dark.

Where will you fall?

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Did you know? Jewelry of jet was the haute jewelry of the Victorian era. — Fallin
What she got was the opposite of what she wanted, also known as the subtitle to her marriage.
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once bitten and twice shy
#1
23 December 1894 — Dorian Fisk's Flat; North Bartonburg
Dorian Fisk

She was back in fighting form, but that hardly meant she was ready to show up right at his doorestep. But here Mabel was, trudging along in the snow thanking Merlin her boots were well insulated to withstand the harsher weather that had thrust itself upon the entirety of the country. She’d debated only a few days about visiting Dory and thanking him for nursing her back to health, however she still found herself with a litany of questions from the past year. It was what had her hesitating as long as she did. But finally when the holidays struck, Mabel realized she wanted to confront her thoughts rather than dismiss them. And the only way to confront them was to confront him.

It was how she found herself at his doorstep, fist raised to knock just as the thought hit her that Dory might not even be at his place; it was the second night of Hanukkah, and he was bound to be celebrating with his family. So she might as well be knocking on an empty flat right now. But still, she stepped back, giving it a few seconds before she would leave and try another night.




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loveliness by mj <3
#2
Dory had survived a single night with his family before deciding that sleeping at his father's house was a form of torture he needn't experience. For all his love of his nieces and nephews, the constant noise throughout the night was excessively disruptive to his rest. So much so that when morning finally came Dory, who was typically at least functional before tea, felt as though he was stumbling through his childhood home drunk.

He'd made countless promises to Katia's children to be back before breakfast before flooing home. The silence that greeted him was the greatest gift anyone might've given him for the holiday. He'd stripped off his clothes, soaked in the tub for the better part of an hour, and was lounging before the fireplace with his new mystery novel when the knocks sounded.

Dory considered not answering for a long minute. It wasn't as though there were any open windows for the visitor to peer through and spot him on the sofa. So long as he didn't move or speak, they'd likely assume he wasn't home and carry on with their night. However, very few people visited his flat anymore, and those who did were usually comfortable enough to use the floo. It wasn't like Dory ever locked it.

It was with a great sigh that Dory stood and went to the door. His house coat was wrapped tight around his form to block out the chill and he had a dozen excuses poised on his tongue to shoo the would-be visitor away. At least, that was his plan before -"Mabel," Dory greeted, his surprise obvious. A half second passed and Dory swung the door open wider to grant her entry. "Here, come in. Come in."


#3
He answered the door and Mabel’s breath hitched in her throat. He looked tired, but relaxed, his hair looking slightly damp as if he’d gotten out of the bath not too long ago. Mabel felt a flutter somewhere in her stomach. It hadn’t been just the foggy haze induced by the sickness that had plagued her for a week. No, he was just that handsome. The glow from the fireplace didn’t do any good - it almost cast a halo around him as he stood there in the doorway. For a moment Mabel thought she was going to be turned away, but then he ushered her in and she answered with a half smile before stepping over the threshold.

Her eyes immediately went to the rest of the flat, looking for signs of a second inhabitant. It looked lived in, but she didn’t see any woman’s cloak or shoes by the door. Still, despite the warmth that had enveloped her, Mabel stood there in her winter cloak, intent upon leaving at the first sign of someone else. “I...just wanted to stop by and say thank you.” She managed. “For looking after me last week.” She produced from her cloak a length of paper adorned in pressed flowers and length of ribbon: a bookmark, as a way of saying thank you. “You didn’t have to do that, and I appreciate the care.”



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loveliness by mj <3
#4
Despite having moved in the years since Maple last visited his home, he could guess at what she was looking for. There were no signs of Winnie left, or at least none that would be known to someone that hadn't lived here. He was certain she purchased the bowl that the clementines sat in on his counter, and there were likely a few of her novels that had gotten mixed in with his collection. But there was nothing of substance. Nothing that Dory could have identified with ease besides the bowl. That chapter was well and truly closed, and if he was being at all honest with himself, Dory would admit he was relieved it was.

His attention was fully on Maple as he stepped further into his flat. "Of course I did." She had been alone. Alone and likely would have succumbed to the fever without the potions being forced down her throat. Dory's only regret was that he hadn't stayed longer, hadn't fought that wicked Mrs. Smith on her ridiculous conditions, to ensure she recovered well. It was only Tilda's frequent updates that saved him from rushing back over, and even those weren't enough.

Still, he accepted the bookmark with a warm smile. "You didn't have to give me anything. You shouldn't have been alone like that, I was only ensuring you were alright." He glanced around the flat before asking, "would you like some tea?"



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beautiful set by lady
#5
Mabel pressed her lips together in conceding; it was true someone had to, and Mrs. Smith would have done her best, but it would have taken at least double the recovery time if someone hadn’t been next to her bedside constantly. Tilda had warned that immediate attention must be given else she’d be left with permanent (but liveable) side-effects. This, of course she hadn’t told Dory.

“I at least wanted to give you something in gratitude,” She offered with a small smile. Her arms withdrew inside her cloak, prepared to step back out into the cold when he invited her in further. Another glance around the flat had her hesitating before she heard herself say, “I suppose one cuppa wouldn’t hurt.” and she reached up to unfasten the clasps at her throat. Underneath, despite having come from the hospital, she wore her civilians clothes, a long cotton blouse and wool skirt combination that provided comfort and warmth in equal measure. Even so, the warmth of the small flat had started to seep into her skin which tickled after being chilled.

Her eyes moved to the couch before she walked over to the small table off of the kitchen.



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loveliness by mj <3
#6
That she survived was thanks enough, not that Dory was willing to voice as much. Their friendship was only just beginning to rekindle its sparks and he was afraid that anything resembling their once shared feelings would be too much for the small flame.

He gestured towards the small kitchenette (the dining room, though furnished, was rarely used by him as its table felt too vast to sit at alone) and made a quick detour towards the living room. It took but a second to tuck the new bookmark into his now abandoned book, though he lingered for a second as he took in the color of the ribbon. It was nearly the same color as the ones she used to use to tie her hair back, a blue close in hue of her eyes. He smiled a bit at the memory before turning to follow her into the kitchen.

"Are you feeling recovered then?" Dory asked as he set about making tea. His limp was minimal thanks to the long soak he'd taken, though he was suddenly consciously aware of it. At least he didn't need the cane right now. "Tilda said it might take awhile for you to regain your full strength."



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beautiful set by lady
#7
It wasn’t the same couch that they’d sat together on; slept together - quite literally - on, but it conjured memories for her that made her cheeks warm. Or perhaps they were already warm from being inside. Mabel watched as he put the bookmark in his book. Watched as he hesitated, looking at something for a moment before joining her. Her own eyes lingered behind him, wondering what he’d been staring at, but she brushed it from her mind like an eraser of chalkboard. It was likely of little consequence.

She took her seat at the table, bigger than it had been in his last place, and fiddled with the folds of her skirt as he chatted with her. “Yes, quite recovered,” she responded truthfully. The ache had gone from her body, and she felt quite normal now. The illness that had plagued her only made its reappearance when she lifted heavy things or had a particularly long shift. “Though I suppose there are some lingering side-effects, as Tilda’s said.” She’d now folded and re-folded the same pleat three times over now. Mabel shifted her gaze upwards to rest on Dory. “I get tired after long days, but that’s to be expected, and not to mention all part of the job.”

She hesitated looking at his leg, wondering if it was still a sore subject. She didn’t want him to mistake her question for pity or anything like it, and prepared herself for a shorter, clipped answer as she asked, “How is your leg doing?”



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loveliness by mj <3
#8
Fatigue after long days was something he too experienced far too often. Long field missions often saw him nearly falling asleep at his desk from the exhaustion of keeping up, though thankfully those days had been far and few between since his promotion. He was able to send other more abled people in his stead and focus more on ensuring his squad ran smoothly. The work was boring at times, and he certainly missed the excitement of the field, but it was yet another relief to not have to force himself to push on through a bad pain day.

He nodded in understanding as he leaned against the counter. "Will those effects fade in time?" Dory asked. Tilda had explained at great length the different things Dory had to watch for while sitting with Maple, but she hadn't delved into what sort of side-effects would follow her long term.

"Better," he then answered her question honestly. "It aches in bad or cold weather and when I walk on it too much, but it isn't like it used to be." Dory hadn't been able to move without feeling the sting of pain when it first happened. The pain had either lessened or he'd simply grown used to it. "Heat seems to help it some."



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beautiful set by lady
#9
Mabel had to think on her own answer. Tilda had said that the effects would fade in time, however that there was a percentage of people for whom they might stay indefinitely. It was, thus far, too early to predict if Mabel would become one of those people or if she would escape entirely unscathed. “It’s quite possible.” She settled on instead, and didn’t elaborate any further. Besides, she was too in the thick of it to know.

But despite the subject, she managed a sympathetic smile. “We seem to be dealing with similar things, then.” Oh, the irony. “I’m glad yours isn’t what it used to be.” Not that she really had any idea of what he was used to. She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, hoped it came out more as neutral. “Heat helps with my aches too. Did you..have someone to help you through yours?” It was apparent what the implied question was.



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loveliness by mj <3
#10
Dory absolutely loathed that Maple seemed to understand the pain he suffered from ever since the dragons' attack on London. He might've been bitter and cruel in the immediate aftermath of his injury, but he never once wished anyone else to suffer like him, he'd only ever wanted to not be in pain. His smile lessened and his expression shifted into something akin to regret. He owed her a long list of apologies, some relevant to his injury and others not. However, he wasn't sure if now was the time to begin voicing them.

The kettle's abrupt whistling provided the answer he needed, for it was the distraction required to break the tension building within him. Now was the time for her to focus on healing, not the trials of their past. Later, perhaps once they've regained the closeness they shared, he'd begin to rectify all his past mistakes.

Dory had all but settled upon shifting the subject to her holiday plans when she not so subtly asked about Winnie. There would be no ignoring the past mistakes while on this topic, to which Dory sighed softly. "For a few months, yes." The truth was the only consolation he could offer Maple. He placed their glasses on the table and sat opposite her, another sigh escaping him though this one was due solely to being off his leg. "She left just about a year ago now, but it was a long time coming even before then."



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beautiful set by lady
#11
She waited for his response patiently, accepting the hot cup of tea from him with a soft smile. Mabel watched him ease himself into the chair, expression flickering across his face too quickly for her to decipher. Perhaps she’d been away too long, or perhaps she didn’t want to look further into it until she had an answer for…everything else. And when his answer finally landed, she felt something drop in her stomach. Grateful for the tea in front of her, she took a sip regardless of how it burned going down her throat. Of course he’d had help to recover.

Mabel tried to keep the image out of her mind, her eyes off of Dory as he answered.

It wasn’t what she’d expected. She stared at him for a beat, her mouth slightly open as she tried to keep her thoughts in order. “She…she left?” She repeated, the end of the sentence echoing in her mind. Of course, she wanted to ask what had happened, but that wouldn’t be very polite. So instead she bit her lip again and nodded before taking another sip. “I’m sorry you’ve broken from each other.”



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loveliness by mj <3
#12
"There is nothing to be sorry for." He replied easily. The sting of losing Winnie had worn off as he realized how ill suited they were by the end. He was so desperate to keep her that he didn't see his own dreams being slowly diminished. And now a year later, Dory rarely missed their romantic relationship. In fact, more than anything else he missed his friend.

However, unlike the friendship rekindling with Maple, Dory knew that door was well and truly closed. It had to be for both their sakes.

He took a sip of his tea as he considered just how much detail to provide. While he was determined to remain truthful with Maple, he didn't think she needed to know the specifics of their relationship or what ultimately made Winnie leave. (His moodiness for one.) "We ... we were both clinging to a relic of the past that we had outgrown." She had outgrown it well before him but had kept trying for his sake. "It's really okay."



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beautiful set by lady
#13
He spoke of someone well past the pain of breaking with someone, however Mabel couldn’t help but be curious as to what the conditions of the separation was. One thing was for sure, her searching for signs of a second inhabitant when she came in had been for naught. Even so, he’d been prepared to marry Winnie, that much was certain, and she still felt the stab of not being the one to help him through his injury in the end.

Mabel let the silence between them stretch as she mulled over her thoughts. Finally she looked up at him. “And us?” She couldn’t stop herself from questioning. How many times had she done so after he’d pushed her away time and time again? “What happened with us, Dory?”



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loveliness by mj <3
#14
"I - " he started and stopped, his posture tensing as if preparing for a fight. Dory had been prepared to apologize, to recognize his faults and beg forgiveness. He was willing to rectify his mistakes however she wished him to. Steps, he realized suddenly. Dory had been prepared to take steps. He wasn't at all prepared to dive head first into a conversation centered around the downfall of their affair.

That was what the summer of 1892 was in hindsight - an affair. They blazed scorching hot and burnt out before either of them saw it happening. The baby, the proposal, the not-baby had all happened so fast that Dory still wasn't entirely sure of the sequence of events. Theirs had been an affair, but it was one he'd never gotten over. Instead, Dory had pushed all his feelings for her aside into a part of his mind he refused to acknowledge. After all, acknowledging them wasn't fair to Winnie and a the compromises she was making for him.

And then the dragons -

"Our timing was wrong," he replied eventually, still tensed.



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beautiful set by lady
#15
She could see he’d caught him unawares. Did he not think that she would breach the topic sooner or later about their relationship, their affair, their time as lovers, however it could be labelled? He’d been prepared to do the right thing, Mabel knew he must be commended for that, but then it had all gone wrong somewhere and she was left wondering where it had, and how she could have let him slip away. How he could have let her slip away and then just…move on. It hurt. It stung. But perhaps it was his short response that stung the most, like an arrow to her ribcage.

“Timing…” she breathed, amazing it could be summed up so easily, so…quickly. She took on last sip of her tea before moving to stand. “Well, I’m glad that was so simple to summarize, Dory. I think I’d better let you get on now.” Her eyes had grown hot, outrageously so, and she moved quickly to the door so she could brush away any tears that were threatening to fall.



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loveliness by mj <3
#16
"Maple, please wait." Dory called out as he pushed to his feet and rushed after her. "You can't ask a question like that and just leave. Please."



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