Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved... These were but a small handful of words that the dark-haired woman had once read in one of those many books that she had ventured through with eager and hungry sage eyes, serving only as fuel for that fire that burned in her untamed spirit that yearned for the taste of freedom. It had only made her believe even more now as she looked back on that prison tucked away in those rolling hills just beyond the outermost limits of Paris that everything she'd endured, all those sideways glances and quiet murmurs that surely had to be about the strange little girl with tears in her designer dresses and twigs in her hair after a long day of adventuring, they had all meant something in the end. It had been an endless struggle for the French woman, knowing that near everywhere she looked, there was not a soul that believed in those dreams that she held onto so fiercely. All of them only ever told her that those wants were much too unrealistic, that she needed to consider more attainable ambitions that were more befitting of that heritage she carried. God, how she hated those unrelenting reminders of how she was bound to that wretched man, that snake in the grass by blood. There was so little that they shared beyond that stubbornness, the young woman having taken so heavily after her mother than anything else. Even then, her mother had wanted for Adelaide to settle for the same life that she had, but to the dark-haired woman, to do so was nearly a fate worse than death when all was said and done. All those false friends she hadn't trusted as far as she could throw them, all those companions of her parents', even her own mother and father hadn't believed that she would make it to where it was that she wanted to go. The only one who'd ever told her that she should never give up on those wants had been Townsend. The Englishman had been there for her every step of the way ever since they'd first been introduced to the other. A bond had ignited between the two, and even when those trials came in the forms of her parents' decision to try and arrange a marriage between their only daughter and a son from several other French noblemen and the heartbreak that had forever wounded Adelaide more than she'd ever imagined, he'd been there as her rock. There were no words to express just how thankful she was for the man.

Even when he hadn't been too terribly keen on that plan that the French woman had decided was the only sure way that she could lay down those roots so deeply into the souls of Sacrosanct that the nobleman would have no hope of calling her back to that estate, the blonde man with eyes id pale winter blue had managed to support her. She'd surprised him that afternoon on their venture through downtown not too long ago when she'd announced that she would be opening up her own bistro on the beach, and his hesitancy seemed to fade with every reassurance that she'd offered him. She'd read those books she'd even gone to the lengths of purchasing to ensure that this idea of hers was as certain and solid when it came into reality as it was in those fiercely determined ambitions, and while it was clear with each and every paragraph that there would be many challenges ahead of her, the dark-haired woman couldn't remember the last time that she had been so certain, so passionate, about something ever since she'd taken that first taste of freedom from her parents... ever since that night beneath the stars with Taylor when they'd shared their first intimate moment, when she'd felt something so real and so true that it had been nearly enough to steal her breath away. Even now, she could almost feel those strong arms around her... When Taylor had walked into her life, she had only been made even more certain that this was where she was meant to be. Any inkling of doubt that just maybe she might have made the wrong decision to come here to this city and try to build a life all her own, it had been vanquished then and there. Now, with Taylor and Townsend, she knew that she had almost everything she could ever need or want to live that free and full life she'd craved for so long. There was just one small piece left that needed to be put into place, and as she stood there on that freshly painted deck that led onto the sand as they sun rises over the city, she knew that this was that missing piece. There was no going back now as she began this new chapter in her life. Finally, she was ready to see all those struggles from her past, all the strife that had only made her stronger against the torrent of emotions that she'd battled through, all her patience and desire burst forth from being a dream and becoming real.

She stands there in that elegant velvet forest green one-shoulder mermaid dress with a perfectly matched shawl draped over her shoulders a moment longer, slender hands on that wooden railing as glittering sage eyes drink in the crashing foam crested waters that rolled over the wet grains, long and flowing locks of dark cocoa swirling around her shoulders as a soft sigh ushers quietly into the fresh, salty air. She turns then to look at the bar and bistro she'd envisioned, a gentle and prideful smile upon dusty rose-colored lips as she admires the white paint and the tables set precisely on the desk where she stood. It wasn't too cold of a winter afternoon, so those first-time guests were sure to be comfortable out where she would want to exist, there in that open air with the sounds of those rolling waves and screeching gulls as they glided those currents overhead. She thinks back to those who had helped her make this place perfect, imagining well the warm yet kind face of the Irishman who had happened to be walking by on one of those trying afternoons when heavier tasks were needing tended to and Taylor was back at her home looking after the yard in Dupont Circle as Townsend had coincidentally planned. Killian had been eager to lend a hand and even proved himself to be a hard worker willing to help with the rest of the preparations, and so Adelaide had offered the man a job as her barkeep which, to her delight, he'd graciously accepted. And then, there were the two bright and sweet women she'd hired as well, the honey-blonde woman having also stumbled across the French woman in need of another hand when that day came for the decor to be hung and placed. Elain was so radiant and so friendly, the dark-haired woman knew she would be perfect as a waitress here with the warm energy that she seemed to carry in everything that she did. Then, there was the sweet and bubbly Abigail that she'd encountered just as the final touches were being applied. Adelaide has been near instantly won over by the red-haired woman even though she was almost entirely certain that Abigail was as genuine and true. She could feel it. And so, she'd offered the young woman a waitress position as well which she'd accepted much to Adelaide's pleasure. It just went to show that if one truly worked hard enough and never gave in beneath the weight of those struggles that were sure to come, everything would fall into place in the end.

The French woman moves into the bistro, her strides graceful as she reaches for the handle, pulling that sliding door opened and leaving it that way to let the fr3sh air in as she walked over the threshold, black heels clicking lightly against the beautiful tile as sage eyes find Elain busily working to ensure that the tables were set perfectly."They're looking perfect, Elain. Thank you for offering to come in so early to help with the preparations from the grand opening", the French woman says warmly to the younger woman who looks up from her task with glacier blue eyes sparkling as that contagiously warm smile reaches them."It was not trouble at all! I don't have any classes today so I'm happy to be here", the honey-blonde replies brightly before continuing with her tasks as Adelaide moves to stand behind the bar now, being sure that those fine liquors were placed just so. She wanted everything to look perfect for their first afternoon when those doors opened to the community. She would be lying if she didn't admit to herself that she was a little nervous, but she was also very certain that it was entirely normal. Like any business, it was a large investment with its own set of risks, but she was sure that it would become a place many would come to relax and enjoy the warm atmosphere - especially in the summer when the weather would be absolutely perfect and everyone would clamor for those outdoor tables. Along with the fact that there were so few restaurants here on the southern part of the city much to her surprise, she was sure that the families would find Beachside Bar and Bistro a pleasant place to enjoy good food and a beautiful view. She would check on those kitchen matters soon enough, wanting to ensure that the cooks had everything that they would need both in ingredients as well as cookware for what was bound to be a busy but very much rewarding day ahead for them all, but for now she is content to fuss over those many different colored and shaped bottles as well as checking to ensure that the glasses were pristine and that everything was fully stocked, humming to herself quietly as she went.