It was a crap old place. ‘Open Plan’ apparently. Just one room (well, two if you counted the cubical sized toilet), with completely tiled floors that had once been white but were now brown and cracked with age. The kitchen took up one corner of the room with its Formica bench tops and a claw footed bath tub inconveniently placed right in the middle. A curtain rail above. The ‘bedroom’ was in the corner opposite the toilet. More of a haphazard triangle. Again with a curtain rail above if you wanted some privacy. A windowed door was a part feature of this ‘bedroom’, which led out onto a small and bland balcony where Solitaire had already hung a burgundy hammock between two opposite corners, taking up the majority of space, and placed a few flower pots with half dead blooms in them.

Raoul smiled “It’s …. Lovely.”

She scoffed. “Not quite yet. It’ll look better soon.”

 The next Saturday Japan, Charity and Raoul came over and helped her scrub the floor, slowly transforming the tiles from their brownish white to something closer to a crème.

They talked (and threw soapy water at each other) as they worked, stopping at around one for a lunch of animal shaped, jam sandwiches provided by Japans two children who had decided earlier that scrubbing floors was no fun.

 Sapphire arrived around three in the afternoon with several boxes of odds and ends for the place. He had explained that since moving into Pemberly with Japan, it had all lived in storage and she may as well take what she pleased. She was very happy to take three large fans off of him, along with more domestic effects.

 On Tuesday Solitaire went shopping with Charity and bought an assortment deep red, purple, green and pink second hand shag pile rugs from a grubby little shop called ‘Shag’. Solitaire’s favourite being three shocking pink round ones. She also purchased many large round and square cushions made of sari fabric. She put these in a pile to one side when she got them home.

Other sari fabric, found in HippyShoppe, was used as curtains and pinned into the yellowed walls with the large fans.

 The first time Raoul came over once the place had been done up properly, he made a very pleasing show of astonishment at how different and nice the place looked.

            “The Harem look. I understand why you and Grandpere get along.”

She gave him a quick, light kiss on the lips before becoming rather fascinated in a small and dirty city bird on her sill, and allowing him to peruse (parooozal!!) the kitchen and complain loudly about the absurdity of a bath in the middle of a kitchen.

 Rating - G
Warnings - Disgusting level of fluff :-S

 Solitaire was sitting in the corner at her party at Pemberly. She was trying to enjoy herself but she just could not get over the fact that her own parents had forgotten her birthday.

She felt so very much unloved and vulnerable at this moment. At least Serenity and her family hadn’t forgotten. That was something. Just perhaps, not enough?

She blushed as she realized she had been staring at Antonio during hercontemplation.  But he was here…Antonio. A smile lit her lips. He was dreamy. But he would never go for her now. When she was older though. Maybe, just maybe she would have a chance.

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It was an hour into her party when Antonio sat next to her.

“Hey! Happy birthday!” He nudged her with his sholder.

Solitaire was looking down at her hands. “Thanks.” She mumbled.

“You don’t seem very happy. You should be. Double digits!!” he nudged her again.

‘Oh gods. He’s talking to me. Oh my.’

She smiled slightly before realizing she should say something so as not to look foolish. “Yeah.” She mentally smacked her forehead ‘Lame!’

“I heard about your parents. They’re not important. You’ve got us. We’re real family.”

She looked over at him and smiled slightly. That was just what she needed to hear.

“Thanks.”

“Would you care to dance?”

Solitaire looked up. He didn’t seem to be joking her.

She nodded slightly “O.k.”

Antonio smiled one of his charming smiles as he led her towards the dance floor.

It was a slow dance. In her opinion a very romantic dance.

“You look stunning. Really beautiful you know.” He played with a stray piece of her hair.

Solitaire looked down. “Th…thank-you. I…I…You look good yourself.”

He laughed, not unkindly. “Thank-you.”  He stroked her face and held her tight. “Ace… Do you want go outside…for a walk…in the gardens…I hear they’re beautiful in this part of Pemberly.”

She glanced up at him. Unsure. On one hand this could be a joke. A “right of passage” but what if he really did like her? He might try to kiss her…maybe she should not have had that garlic dressing…

“Um…O.K”

He gave her a million dollar smile. (A/N Grrrrrr)

The gardens were cool and he wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm.

“Ace?” He was waiting for a response.

“Yes Antonio?”

He laughed again, “Just call me Tony.”

“Oh…. um. Okay.”

“Ace… I’ve wanted to tell you this for a while…ah….you don’t have to say anything. I… I just want you to know.”

She held her breath. “Yes?”

“I…I love you.” He turned away.

“Really?”

“Yes. I … I would have told you sooner but… I’m telling you tonight because well… you’re of age for courtship now. And if you want we… we can court…but you don’t have to. If you don’t want.”

“Yes! Yes I want to date!”

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(A/N Not overly happy about his need to jump her ASAP Perhaps a tad more of her thoughts on him. How they met during a training thing, gotta have 'eyes' little things that tell you more about their relationship .... Need book.

New end to both chapters which is the reddy bits
 Rating - G
Warnings - none

It was 5am in the morning. Solitaire was excited. Today was her tenth birthday and like most girls her age she found the prospect of getting older exciting.

Her parents were asleep in their rooms. Her mother next-door. She knew that in a few hours they would come into her room, wish her a happy birthday and give her her present.

They had almost made her believe that they had forgotten, but they would never do that to her! No. They were just planning something extra special because she was entering double digits. They would never forget.

She dressed hurriedly, pulling on a pair of jeans and a red shirt. Sitting on her bed she brushed her hair while waiting for her maid to come in and light the fire.

Now, should she wear her hair up or down today? Perhaps if she did her hair a little bit fancy now, she wouldn’t have such a lot to do tonight when she went over to Pemberly…

Oh, dear. What was she going to wear? Antonio would be there so it had to be something that would make her seem mature and sophisticated. Something to enhance the slight curvature her body had begun to take on. Definitely a corset gown, but nothing too fancy incase … She blushed. A girl could dream.

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‘They had forgotten. How could they forget?’

At least her real family had not forgotten. They were going to begin celebrations at sunset.

Her thoughts began to trail… She would soon be initiated She was to be the last in their group. On the first full moon after her first bleeding. She would go through the rights and then become one of “Them” and live in the Underground.

 Away from her parents.

She was more anxious to leave home now. Especially since her parents didn’t want her too.

‘I wonder what the initiation process is like. Charity says they aren’t allowed to tell Unknowns. Am I an unknown?’

There was so much she didn’t understand! She had been taking classes. A sort of ‘Beginners Guide’ to familiarize herself with the language and what would be expected of her once she was initiated. It would not all be fun as she would have chores to complete, nothing she had ever encountered here.

Her nurse maid had told her stories of the underground when she was younger and had read her a story that had been inspired by The Head himself. The stories where always told with an awed voice that promised a world quite different to the one she was used to.