Love, Your Flower | Louis Partridge

1- Louis Partridge

Dashing around the corner, I almost ran into a passing maid who managed to jump out the way before we would've collided. She yelped behind me in shock, but I had no time to stop, so I just yelled out a 'sorry' as I continued to run down the halls. 

I made sure to be careful around any future corners, so I didn't make the mistake of knocking into someone. It would slow me down and I wanted to find my sister who was most likely in her room. 

Eventually I made it to her room huffing and puffing which is when I began to regret rushing here. I was probably a mess and if anyone else was in her room besides her they would definitely have felt the need to tell me off. Probably because it wasn't very lady like, not that I would bother paying attention. 

Once I had gotten my breath back, I knocked on the door opening it when I heard someone tell me to come in. There I saw my sister across the room sitting on a chair by the mirror, a comb in hand. 

She looked beautiful in her velvet dress that went down to her ankles, but then again, she looked amazing in anything. I had always been jealous of how easily she pulled off anything she wore. At least one of us was lucky enough. 

"Hey Lily!" 

"I told you to stop calling me that." She responded harshly, dropping the brush down onto the table before turning to face me. The frown on my face was noticeable even from the dimly lit side of her usually bright room. Her facial features immediately softened when she realised how mean she had sounded. 

Before I could say anything else, our mother came out from the bathroom with a ribbon in the palm of her hand. I then understood why Lillian wanted me to be formal as our parents hated the informalities of using nicknames for one another. Especially for the future Queen. 

I brushed it off and cleared my throat before greeting my mother. She acknowledged me with a hum, standing behind my sister so she could tie her hair up. Ignoring her, I fiddled with the sleeve of my dress while I built up the courage to speak again. 

"Do you want to go into the garden?"

"I cannot." Lillian kept her response short since our mother was standing in the same room. 

"What about afterwards?" I heard the quietest sigh leave her lips, although I could've been mistaken as she was all the way on the other side of the room. "Please?"

"I said that I am busy." 

"But we haven't in a whi-"

"I said no! Now would you stop being a nuisance and do us all a favour," She yelled, pausing for a second, "leave!"

I flinched at the sound of her yelling at me, as tears pooled up in the corners of my eyes. Never had she raised her voice at me like this, sometimes when I teased her, she would, but we would always laugh about it afterwards. This time was different, I knew it wasn't in a playful manner because she meant it.

Maybe she was busy and maybe I was being a nuisance, but that didn't deny the fact that her words had cut through me like a razor blade. It had been a few weeks since she showed me her secret spot and, in that time, I felt like she had been taken away from me completely. 

She wasn't the same Lily I had known my entire life. Instead, she was much colder and even more reserved than usual. She had barely cracked a smile, I hadn't even heard her laugh, not after that day. It was as if the real her had been sucked out of her body, only to be replaced by a lifeless version. 

"Right." Was all I could get to leave my mouth without allowing them to hear my voice crack. Then as quickly as possible, I exited the room, shutting the door behind me. I didn't need them to see me break at such a silly thing. What would they think of me then? They already had enough reasons to look down upon me, I needn't give them anymore. 

I just wanted my sister back, more than anything. Without her, I had no one. No one to be there for me on my darkest of days and the best of days. I had no one to console me when I was upset or to congratulate me on my successes. It was the devastating reality that I would eventually have to come to terms with. 

Somehow, while deep in thought, I had managed to find myself out in front of the palace by the stairs. Not that I minded, it was far away from Lily or my mother. They were the last two people I wanted to see. Especially after that interaction. 

For a while I had been trying to hold the tears in, but I wouldn't be able to if I were to see them again. 

Therefore, to prevent that situation, I remained on the steps for what seemed like hours. My head rested between my knees, so any people who happened to be passing by couldn't see the state I was in. Then they would leave me alone, or at least that's what I hoped. 

"Could I interest you in a flower?" I heard someone say, the sound of the gravel floor crunching beneath what was most likely a barrow. 

When I lifted my head, I saw that I was indeed correct. A boy who looked to be around my age was standing a couple meters in front of me with a barrow of beautiful flowers. He flashed me a sympathetic smile, considering any person who had common sense could tell I was upset. 

Right after, he removed his hat revealing his fluffy brown hair. 

"Louis Partridge." He bowed before sticking his hand into the barrow to pick out a flower. Once he decided on one, he pulled his hand out which held onto yellow rose. Might I say it was absolutely beautiful. "As bright and warm as sunshine." 

"Thank you, Mr Partridge." I accepted the flower, being careful to watch out for any spikes while still admiring its beauty. 

"Please, there is no need for formalities." Placing the hat back on his head, he sat down beside me. "Just call me Louis."

"Ok, I appreciate the kind gesture." That's when he grinned at me and it must've been contagious, because I too found myself grinning in return. I knew then, in that moment, it was fate. 

"I'm Y/n."