It was interesting how being immortal changed one's perspective. Gabrielle hadn't planned to be a vampire. Some humans longed and even pleaded to be sired; but the French de Montespan hadn't chosen as such. She didn't regret it though. It had made her stronger than she could have ever dreamed of. And she also got to witness so much history, and to share a sister-like bond with her great-niece. She was proud of Bella, and was grateful they had survived for so long. Thanks to her mother Athenais, they were too much by many's standards; but Gabrielle considered that a measure of their power and their resilience. Even when an actual human, she had been told she was too stubborn, too unconventional, which said a lot by those times' mores, too outspoken, maybe even too cunning. She had faith she had made her mother proud. It wasn't as if back then, women didn't already have knowledge of how to get rid of unwanted pregnancies. Not only had her mother kept her, and her twin brother Gaetan; but she had witnessed Gabrielle survived while some of her half-siblings had died at a very young age. Gabrielle, just like Bella, would make it through, even when fate handed them ordeals that would break others.

When Bella said her suggestions would be expensive, Gabrielle grinned wickedly to her protegee. "You know this is no issue for me, ma cherie." The source of part of her fortune still made her deviously giddy; and she had no shame about it.

She already knew where to hold such a feat, for she had realized she had no want to celebrate in her personal mansion, too private about her personal life. She liked to keep things separated; but that didn't mean it would prevent her from a most decadent celebration, bien au contraire...

"I already settled a deal to have the palace and the gardens all to ourselves," she admitted with a proud grin.