Foreign Affairs ❥ lrh

Chapter Ten: He's All Yours

When Violet and Sage's plane dipped down, gliding down the small runway of the Cøllette airport, it dawned on Violet that she was getting somewhat familiar with this pattern now, especially since their layover had been in Copenhagen again. She knew which way the tiny plane would turn on the runway and which side of the building it would taxi to, where to pick up her coat and tip the stewardess at the front of the plane and where they would flash their passports on the way through the gates of customs and wait for their bags and a carriage.

Going through all said motions took around half an hour and left the best friends standing by the doors, huddled under winter coats, peering out the window for someone to wave them over. They chatted back and forth about what food sounded good; Violet didn't really want to eat anything but she would go wherever Sage wanted and just drink a diet coke. Sage had found a map and was tracing her hand over the mini city with curiosity. Though they had been there just over a month ago, much of Cøllette was still undiscovered.

Out of the corner of her eye, Violet saw an airport staff member waving to them, so each of the girls took their set of suitcases and wheeled them across the icy driveway to see the carriage waiting for them. The cheery man that greeted them looked familiar, but Violet couldn't place where she'd seen him or if she really had at all. Though she was tempted to pet the enormous black horse in front of her, attached to their caravan, she resisted and crawled inside.

They had chosen to stay at the same hotel as last visit, L'hotel de Couluté, so they knew their way around once they checked in. Violet was thankful they were traveling much lighter than they had on their last trip because everything fit effortlessly in the room; thanks to the light, empty suitcase she remembered to bring for her ball gown. They stashed them all in the corner on luggage racks so they had lots of extra space for both of them to sprawl out on their individual beds.

She had made it through the entire travel day without turning to xanax, mostly because she couldn't find any before she left, and was exhausted. Though the time difference worked in her favor, she worried that if she fell asleep right away then she would wake up for good in the middle of the night. And whatever Calum had in store for them would most definitely require a full night's sleep.

"Should we just order room service?" Sage asked, face smothered by her pillow. "I can't go out again. Too, too cold."

"I'm fine with that," Violet shrugged and reached toward the bedside table between them for the menu. As she picked it up, she saw a white and gold envelope that had been propped up on top.

She snuck a look over at Sage before she opened the envelope, but she wasn't watching. When she pulled the small card out of the envelope it wasn't even a letter, just a short paragraph of small half-cursive.

Violet and Sage -

Anthony and Chester will come to get you at your hotel at 16:30 and we will meet you at the docks. See you on the boat. ◡̈ ㅤ

No further instruction and no signature, but Violet could recognize Luke's handwriting anywhere. It was a little amusing how these specific envelopes seemed to pop up everywhere; a little piece of him that he left wherever she would be. She didn't know how he knew which hotel she was staying at, but couldn't stop the warm affection spreading from her heart to her stomach at the thought of him going through such efforts to find out.

"What are the options?" Sage asked, rolling over with a bit of smudged mascara under her eyes and static in her hair.

"Here," Violet passed her the menu. "Just get me a salad and a diet coke; I don't need anything else." She pulled down the covers on her bed and tucked herself inside, pulling them back up to her chin and buried her cheek into the pillow.