The Blue Danube [OLD]

- 𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔶 𝔰𝔦𝔵. ﾐ

╲⠀╲⠀╲ ╲
⠀⠀╲⠀╲⠀☆⠀ ╲⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀☆⠀╲⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ★

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀★

october 1859

"Seventy... seventy-five.... Jesus."
Fatigued hands shuffled through identical slips of paper, jaded eyes squinting at them as he continued his menial task; there was a large amount of letters stacked upon his desk that he he had not gone through yet, though he was unperturbed by the amount. Thunder coiled across the landscape outside like water chuckling across a riverbed, the constant drilling hum of rain swarming into every nook and cranny - soaking every blade of grass and every leaf in sight. It was a soothing noise to John, the distant thunderstorm and monochrome crackle of his fireplace roaring on the other side of the room sounding like gentle music in the distance, almost tiring him out even more than his task was. It was times like this he wished he had a cat or something to sit on his lap and keep him company while he worked; though Cynthia's presence on the sofa across from the fireplace was welcome.

"I think we invited one-hundred and fifty, right?"

He lifted his head to look at her; she was wearing a pale yellow silk dress that pooled at her feet, white stockings and a fuzzy blanket had been wrapped around her frame to protect from the cold. Her sallow locks draped her shoulders and she had a half-drunken cup of tea settled in her delicate hands; her figure was washed in a muted orange from the flames hungrily consuming the logs across from her, illuminating her hazel irises that stared back at him with an equal tiredness, long lashes framing them beautifully. She is delightful, he thought with a soft smile. I can see why Jane adores her. And why I did, once.

"Yeah, think so. It's only three months away now, can you believe that?" He shook his head in a moment of disbelief. The wedding is way closer than I thought, oh my god. He thought with a hard swallow. I can't sit through it. We.. Paul and I have to leave before that. After the wedding there'll be the proper crowning and responsibility fully passed to me and I'll be king, Cynthia queen. I can't do that. I won't.

"I know you're stressed about it, I'm sorry." Her eyes rounded with sympathy, and she took another sip of her tea before placing it on the small coffee table in front of her. "It's hard for me too. That.. we have to get 'married' and pretend to be smitten and everything. And being the Queen of Liverpool.." she chuckled to herself. "it's bizarre to think about."

"I'm sorry, too." John sighed, a twinge of guilt settling in his stomach like someone planted a seed of remorse within him. "You should've been able to be with someone better."

"Oh, shut it, John." She sighed as she rolled her head over to look at him, smiling at the other with a knowing look . "If it was anyone else I had to marry to protect my proper relationship, I'd go nutty."