~~Artiste~~(Benedict Bridgerton)

One Last Time

Dearest Readers,

The final ball of any season is distinguished by two things, anticipation...or dread. For while those who have been successful in the year's marriage market looked forward to flaunting their perfect, joyous unions...others shudder at the thought of spending one last night before the discerning eyes of the ton. As they know, indeed, just what the evening signifies; that their time is officially up. And yet, to those who may still find themselves out of both choices and hope, fear not. For who knows when and where one's fortunes may change?

     Elliot stood in the foyer of their home, already prepared for the Duke and Duchess' ball as he waited in silence, observing the large painting of their mother within the entryway. He fiddled with the edges of his sleeve nervously, hoping that tonight's event would pass quickly so that he would be able to count the days until his trip. Counting down the days till he spent time away from England, till he spent more time with Colin. The familiar sound of shoes clicking against the hardwood caused the young man to turn, spotting his father taking a leisurely stroll toward him. He immediately stiffened up craning his head back to admire the portrait, becoming lost in his mother's green eyes again

     "So.." The Marquess sighed, joining his son's side as the pair stood waiting for the other half of their family to arrive "You and Colin have finished the preparations?" He asked, finally looking at him with a curious glance.

       "As much as we can" Elliot answered in a rather cold tone, clenching her jaw slightly as the air between the pair seemed to grow thick. The Marquess took note of his son's tense demeanor instantly, the pair never had a perfect relationship and Alexander would always admit that. But ever since the beginning of the season the pair's conversations grew more and more fractured, and the bond they once shared seemed strained.

        "You know I never wanted to be the head of the family, actually I wasn't supposed to be" He admitted, something that caused Elliot's head to tilt and his interest to peak. "Your grandfather wasn't the warmest of men, not just to me but to your grandmother as well. She gave birth to a boy; they named him William after my grandfather" Alexander allowed the corners of his lips to curl at the thought of his brother.

      "He was a kind boy, when we were little he would take me to the lake at the cottage we'd spend the whole day there, catching frogs and reading" Elliot began to smirk, unconsciously mirroring his fathers as he continued with his story "But Father would always scold him, telling him that was not how a future Marquess should behave. And for a while, he retaliated but William was a sickly child from the beginning, a disappointment in my father's eyes which forced him into producing another heir;  Me" Elliot watched as his father slowly began to open up, still peering at the portrait for some comfort.

        "William died when he was 9 just a few days before my 6th birthday" His words sent chills down Elliot's spine as Alexander finally looked at him, their eyes meeting each other for the first time in a while. "It killed my mother; the pain practically drowned her and my father's lack of empathy never made it better. He only looked to me, a young innocent boy, and thrust all these responsibilities without a second thought" He pressed his lips together into a thin, sad smile before letting out a long shaky breath.

      "I promised myself that I would never be like that, never make my children believe that they were simply born to fill a role set by their lineage" He placed a hand on his son's shoulder "And when I married your mother I told her there would be no such pressure put on her to produce a son because I only wanted the two of us to be happy. Just as I wish for you to be happy" Elliot felt his chest rise in a short breath his face decorated with a saddened look as his father let go of his laid-back persona, becoming a gentle heartfelt man in his eyes.