How about a song?

[-1,200G] for living at the Three Sisters Inn and working there

[+1,500G] for working at the Three Sisters Inn

[+2,500G] for being the boss of her inn with a menu

[+1,500G] for owning her inn with a menu

“Well, it is good to be proactive in caring for your health,” Ford said, quickly flipping through his clipboard, to make sure there wasn’t any health concerns she wasn’t mentioning. It wasn’t out of distrust- simply that he couldn’t possibly keep track of the health issues of everyone on the two islands, and he wanted to ensure he wasn’t missing anything obvious.

“Well, obviously I haven’t been treating her poorly. Although… I suppose I can understand your concern,” he said, giving it a bit more thought, before sliding his pen into the clipboard, and looking back at Lily. “She has a large capacity for forgiveness and generosity. And while I’m not sure I’d call it naivety, I can see how you might be worried.”

He gave Lily a thoughtful look, before stating, “Have you tried discussing the topic with Violet at all? I feel as though that would be the best way to get a handle on the situation. After all, even if I were the kind of person who would treat her poorly, it’s not as though I’d admit something like that to her sister’s face.”

Lily really wasn’t sure what to make of this Ford guy, especially that last comment. Perhaps he was treating her sister poorly. Oh, if he was- Lily just couldn’t bear to think of what she might do!

“Let me just be clear, Mister Ford, that if you were to hurt my dear little sister in any way, I would certainly have to have a word with you. I’m sure our sister Odette would feel the same.”

There was a certain animosity to her words, a certain harshness. But then she smiled and all of it seemed vanished in a second.

“Though I do believe it would be nice to have a dinner - just us three and you, you know? Get to know you better and all!”

thenervousnurse​:

Violet jumped in surprise, turning her head to see her sister.

“O-Oh! H-Hello, Lily!” Violet smiled as she tried to calm herself down from the shock, “U-Um…I-I’m sorry for coming so s-suddenly…I-I just wanted to see how you were…” Something told Violet that Lily wasn’t feeling well. Lily was smiling…but the smile didn’t look…real. Violet wasn’t going to press her…but it did make her worry.

The last thing Lily wanted was to worry her baby sister, but there were just some things she really didn’t need Violet to know. She took a breath in, held it a few seconds, and then exhaled. A more genuine smile now rested on her face.

“No, you’re fine, Violet. It’s just been really busy these past few days. I guess I’m just a little on edge.”

She chuckled softly.

Still not knowing what Lily was referencing, Leia nodded her head some more. She might have heard of Hamilton before, but that might have just been in school. 

As Lily spoke of love, a question popped into Leia’s brain that just as quickly left through her lips. “Do you have a significant other, Lily?” She wondered if Lily was speaking from experience. Being a conversationalist by nature, Leia knew how to keep a chat going. Always ask questions! Also, she was a curious mermaid. She realized this question might be a bit forward, but still wanted to hear the ginger’s answer.

Lily should have expected that Leia might ask such a thing after Lily let her favorite song slip from her lips. But it still took her by surprise. She shifted her weight uncomfortably. 

“I... Well, no...” She sighed softly. “I’ve always wanted to have a boyfriend, but between taking care of my sisters and trying to get the inn back, I never really had much time.”

[-1,200G] for living at the Three Sisters Inn and working there

[+1,500G] for working at the Three Sisters Inn

[+2,500G] for being the boss of her inn with a menu

[+1,500G] for owning her inn with a menu

[+500G] for writing one (1) open post

Leia nodded along with a smile as if she knew any of the musicals the woman listed. It all was like a foreign language to her. Still, she liked hearing people talk about their interests. Seeing their eyes light up always brought a smile to the mermaid’s face.

“I can’t say I’ve heard of any of those. Do you have a favorite song to sing?” Leia didn’t want to seem like she was interrogating Lily, but she was genuinely curious. 

That was a hard question to answer with musicals providing so many different but lovely songs. Singing some Disney classics made her feel like a princess who would one day find a prince of her own, but the more modern musicals were great too. Perhaps she would fall all the more in love with the Phantom of the Opera’s soundtrack were she able to sing the highest of high notes like the lead character Christine Daae. Sadly she lacked that operatic ability.

“If I had to choose... Helpless from Hamilton maybe? It totally embodies the feeling of excitement when you fall in love with, you know, the one.”

She hoped she’d one day find her “one”, but that still seemed like such a ways off and she didn’t want to bring Leia down with such thoughts.

“Oh, okay.” So it was a joke. Leia wondered if anyone had ever asked Lily to perform such a feat. Three songs already sounded exhausting, but a musical…Well, Leia didn’t really know much about musicals. She had never seen one. They sounded interesting, though.

“Do you have a favorite musical?” Leia questioned. At this point, she was just making conversation. She wasn’t about to ask Lily to perform a whole musical. Leia was sure the ginger woman had more important things to attend to.

Truthfully, no one had been daring enough to ask Lily to do a musical, though she’d always thought it might be fun. Maybe one day...

Though her attention was quick to change from her own singing to her love of musicals. She looked so excited.

“Oh, goodness! Beauty and the Beast, maybe? Oh, no... But The Phantom of the Opera is lovely too. And then there’s Hamilton, Be More Chill, Beetlejuice - ah, so many good choices!”

It was that time of year again, Lily noticed. Beach Day was coming up in Leuda. Though an Arcadian through and through, she had wanted to go to the Leudan holiday for a while now. Due to money or circumstances, she still hadn’t been able to. 

But if she could...

“Hm... Maybe I should buy another swimsuit. Last year’s is already so tight...”

Leia felt it was polite to address an older woman as “miss,” but she could see why Lily wouldn’t like that. There was no way for Leia to know how old she was, but she had such a mature vibe. Leia, on the other hand, thought of herself as immature, so she deeply admired Lily.

“Yeah, sorry,” she responded meekly.

“So…Lily, I was wondering about…Well, you know how you-well not you, but someone-can request a song or three. I was wondering about the third option. The option for a musical. What exactly would that entail?” It was too late when Leia realized she was babbling. She had a problem with talking too much.

Lily chuckled at the question. Most people never dared to ask that and, truthfully, Lily couldn’t remember the last time she had to explain the last option. Well, she supposed there was a first, or perhaps next, time for everything.

“Yes, I know,” she said. A small smile lit up her features. “It’s more of a joke, but I suppose I really could sing a whole musical. I mean, I don’t see why not.”

There was no question whether or not Lily would actually know the musical. She would know, apparently. This just in, Lily is a theater kid.

[-1,200G] for living at the Three Sisters Inn and working there

[+1,500G] for working at the Three Sisters Inn

[+2,500G] for being the boss of her inn with a menu

[+1,500G] for owning her inn with a menu

siren’s song

@lutistlily​

Leia had never been musically inclined. Growing up around mermaids, she had been surrounded by singing. It seemed that the common trait among mermaids of having a beautiful voice had skipped Leia. It didn’t bother her as much as when she lived underwater, but every now and then she would wish that she could sing like a siren.

Occasionally, Leia would stop by Three Sisters’ Inn for breakfast. They had the fluffiest pancakes that she couldn’t get enough of. Then there was the atmosphere that reminded her of a home she never had. The owner of the inn would often grace the patrons’ ears with her angelic voice. Breakfast and a show! Who could ask for more?

There were three options for requesting a song. One song, three songs, or a musical. she was never really sure what the last option entailed. Would the beautiful ginger actually perform a whole musical? Leia had never seen anyone bold enough to ask. 

After being seated at a table for two, she ordered pancakes as usual and waited for Lily Brunel, the owner, to make her appearance. When the woman who instantly brightened up the room entered, Leia made her move. She approached Lily with her hands behind her back.

“Excuse me, Miss Brunel?”

Lily may have been blessed with musical talent, but she was still terribly clumsy. Perhaps it was for that reason her employees were the ones to make meals and bring them out to customers. Though it never stopped her from interacting with her beloved customers. They were simply wonderful and, depending on how often they visited, some even grew to feel like extended family.

Leia was one such example. She was a charming young girl with an air of mysticism about her. Always great for a conversation too, that one. It was no wonder they chatted from time to time. 

And today seemed to be one such time. Lily smiled cheerfully at the green-haired girl.

“Hello, Leia. You know, you can just call me Lily, right?”

Oh, apparently she’d arrived before her letter… maybe she should have texted? Did Lily even have a cell phone? They weren’t common on Arcadia…

Still, Iris smiled brightly, happy to see her old friend and to be greeted as warmly as she felt. She offered the cookies first, the platter more than large enough to be put out to share in case Lily had had guests when Iris arrived. One never knew, in this kind of business, and Iris preferred to bake in bigger batches anyway.

“Consider it a belated welcome home present,” Iris said, looking for a place to set them. “How have you been? It looks great out here…”

It was completely possibly Lily had received the letter but forgotten to read it, or perhaps it could have gotten lost among all the junk mail. Maybe she had read it and simply forgot. All were entirely possible. Lily was rather scatterbrained after all.

She took the platter and placed it on the counter for display. Though she did make sure to take on and munch on it. So sweet! A delighted smile lit up her face.

“Thank you, Iris. You’re so sweet,” she said cheerily. “I’ve been doing alright, especially now that I’ve got this place back. Debts should even be paid in a few more months! Oh, I’m so excited!”

“Oh, is that so?” Ford said. “Well, I’m flattered that whatever you heard was high enough praise to request me personally. It’s nice to finally make your acquaintance as well, of course- But I’m sure you didn’t just come in today to make small talk.”

Ford glanced down at the clipboard, clicking open the pen. “Let me see… It says here that you’re not quite due for a physical yet- Although, we could still perform one, if you would like. Was there a particular reason you wanted to be seen today? Any health concerns that have cropped up lately?”

This might have been Violet’s sister… But this was a clinic. He had a job to do, and he saw no reason a patient wouldn’t appreciate dropping idle pleasantries and getting down to business as quickly as possible. 

Lily pursed her lips in annoyance. This was the first chance she actually got to spend time talking with her baby sister’s boyfriend, and this was the attitude he chose to have. Seriously?

“Yes, I think it might just be easier to have a physical now, that’s all. Nothing in particular out of the ordinary.”

She shifted her weight, crossing one leg over the other.

“Tell me, have you been treating Violet alright? She’s such a sweet girl, but a little naive. I’d hate to think she might be treated poorly.”

Ah, yes. Here came the instincts of an elder sister.

Her Older Sister [Lily & Ford]

Ford picked up the clipboard of his next patient. He scanned through it. Lily Brunel… He knew that name. Of course, there was a chance it could be a coincidence, but Arcadia was rather small in terms of population density. A quick cross-reference of information with the files on hand, and his suspicions were all but confirmed. This was one of Violet’s elder sisters. 

Any lingering doubt was erased when he knocked and entered the exam room. Lily shared the same eye color as her sister. There were certain vague resemblances in the facial structure as well. There could be no doubt. 

“Lily Brunel?” he said, as a form of greeting, and confirmation that she was indeed she. “I am Doctor Ford. I don’t believe we’ve met as of yet, but I did hear that I was requested by you specifically.” He stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. “Pardon me for asking… But are you perchance Violet’s sister?”

Lily smiled at the man as he entered the room. So this was Ford. He was a nice-looking man, she supposed. Sort of stiff and rigid. It was a little hard to believe this was Violet’s type. Or perhaps they’d just fallen in love over time and circumstances. Both were possible, she supposed.

But still... Did he have to be so formal? Sure, he was a doctor and all, but... Hopefully he was caring enough for Violet. He better have been tending to her wants and needs.

She offered her hand for a shake.

“I am. It’s so nice to meet you. Violet’s told me quite a bit about you.” Though not nearly as much as she would have liked...

activatemyheart·:

music to my ears | charles & lily

•｡ ✧ “Pleasure is all mine,” he reciprocated the friendly sentiment - scratching at the surface of his words for some sincerity to infiltrate his impassive words. It was a force of habit for the gentleman to automatically begin analyzing someone upon meeting them - reading into their mannerisms and gestures carefully, to which he came to the conclusion that her transparency of eagerness meant that pathos would be the proper route to pursue; considering how much he stifled his own expression of emotion, it sometimes astounded him how well he could mold himself to play the part in order to get what he wanted when working with people - businessmen are not charismatic in vain. 

“And,” he gave a small wave of assurance with his hand in front of him, “please - you may call me Charles. Mr. Kingsbury is the name of my father.” The last sentence left a bittersweet taste on his tongue, albeit a common phrase for him to use to alleviate the pressure of formalities - his disdain for that man was a secondary thought. “I am doing well, thank you - and, of course. It’s nearly impossible to not look at this property with the oceanfront view. You have lucked out, Miss Brunel.”

“Would you mind showing me around? I would love to see more.” 

Oh, what a polite man!

“Charles, it is.” She said with a cheery smile. Lily was left completely unaware as to the many thoughts, both negative and business-oriented, running through his mind. 

“Oh, I know. It’s just beautiful, isn’t it? Truthfully it used to belong to my mother, but, well... Well, things happened is all.” She shrugged and looked away. It was still a sore subject thinking that she had once lost the place she called home. But it was now hers again. She had no intention of letting it go again.

“I’d love to. But please, call me Lily.”

@thedensedoctor​

Lily couldn’t believe her ears when she heard her sweet baby sister Violet had actually scored herself a boyfriend. He sounded pleasant enough in stories. A little odd, sure, but nice enough. Still, as Violet’s older sister, she knew what had to be done. She had to see this man for herself.

And thus, here she was, standing in front of Magnolia Clinic on one particularly slow day. It was all under the guise of a check up, but she requested Ford specifically. She wondered if he recognized her last name - Brunel - and thought of Violet. Oh my, she hoped he was treating her dear sister well...

She checked in before being brought to one of the examining rooms. She waited patiently for the doctor with a pleasant smile on her face.

Oh, Violet... I hope he’s as wonderful as you make him sound.

lutistlily​:

Best Kept Secrets [Lily & Violet]

While Violet lived away from her sisters (and greatly preferred the independence she had on her own), she did occasionally drop by to visit either Lily or Odette on a usual basis, just as Lily or Odette would do that same to her. Today was one of those days. Violet was already walking near the inn, and so she naturally decided to walk in to see how her eldest sister was doing. After all, it had been a while since Lily had dropped in. And though Violet tried to write between visits to at least keep the sisters updated (as she didn’t own a cell phone), it was always nice to see her sisters in person.

Violet walked up to the inn room that Lily stayed in, and gave a little knock on the door. 

She smiled, waiting for Lily to answer. Oh, hopefully she was home…

Lily made her way up the stairs, eyes down on her mail, barely paying any attention to the world around her...until she nearly walked into someone.

“Oh my! I’m so sorr-”

Her voice trailed off. She hadn’t expected Violet of all people today. What awful timing! She was the one Lily wanted to know the least about all this.

Still, she forced a perhaps obviously fake smile. She was happy to see Violet. She always was. But today of all days...

“What a pleasant surprise, Violet. You should have told me you were coming.”