MAY VIOLETS SPRING

dark brown hues trailed the mother duck circling around the floating feed, amused at the scene in front of him. "i never knew you sketched," william slowly turned his head towards the sweet voice of his cousin. he hadn't seen her in quite some time, mostly due to his own self-imposed isolation following months of grief. it was unfortunate that he knew so little about his cousins. the strained relationship between their parents playing a role in creating this distance. though he couldn't blame his aunt for it; she, too, was bound by duty, a circumstance he oddly understood. nevertheless, seeing euphemia was a refreshing change among the familiar faces he encountered daily. "we are no better than ducks then," the prince let out an airy chuckle at the thought, finding it fitting to compare themselves to those animals. it seems as though ducks' behavior closely resembled theirs in certain ways. it was a thought worth pondering. "one should consider themselves lucky to find a lifelong mate, don't you think? i hear you are soon to meet yours." william had believed he had found his, but life cruelly snatched her away from him—so cold, so heartless. "— but yes, they can be quite adorable creatures when they're not nipping or incessantly quacking at you." in the presence of others, he made an effort not to exude too much melancholy, keeping his innermost thoughts to himself and wearing a warm smile. "are you here alone, dear cousin? i was planning to continue my stroll around the lake. perhaps you'd like to join me?" he offered, extending an invitation for them to walk together.

euphemia blushed at the mention of her recent betrothal, not because she was a besotted maiden, but because impending nuptials of any sort this season would inevitably be tainted by the loss of poor eleanor and her babe. “yes, well, i can only pray mr. lambton and i will make suitable companions. i would love to join you, cousin, thank you.” turning her face against the breeze as they set off, euphemia snuck a glance at her elder cousin, mind turning over what words to offer when she had never been touched by grief the same way he had. she slipped her arm through his, blonde head leaning in slightly as if to grasp for a modicum more privacy to discuss such public circumstance. “you know, william, if i may be familiar a moment, i know the family has sent all manner of condolences but i must personally reiterate how terribly sorry i am for the loss of your most lovely wife. i’m sure words offer little comfort but know that if you require it, you have my friendship, always.” nine years her elder, the prince of wales had always seemed such a distant figure, simply a man who would be king as opposed to a kinsmen but in some ways, death was the great equalizer. no man or prince was untouchable. he would need people in his corner now, and even being of little influence or consequence, euphemia intended to be one of them. “if you are ever in want of a distraction, you shall have to come to arundel and sketch the flora. such interesting shapes to muddle with. it can be quite a lovely sojourn.”

a  soft  noise  of  surprise  escaped  her  throat,  eyes  dropping  to  where  the  delicate  teacake,  already  crumbling,  had  been  further  rubbed  into  the  fabric  of  the  person  beside  her.  ❝  oh  !  oh  !  please  forgive  me  ...  !  i  was  ...  i  was  watching  to  see  if  the  musicians  would  return  and  i  ...  oh  goodness  ...  please,  allow  me  to  have  this  cleaned  or  replaced  for  you.  ❞  pulling  out  a  kerchief  from  her  sleeve,  elisabeth  pressed  the  cloth  to  the  stained  area,  a  grimacing,  apologetic  smile  on  her  lips.  ❝  you  may  not  believe  it,  but  i  am  usually  not  so  unobservant.  here,  should  we  move  away  from  the  seats  so  that  i  might  assess  the  damage  done  ?  ❞

“well,” she huffed, brushing a stray blonde wisp from her cheek, “that was a lovely composition but i must admit i am more accustomed to the quiet of the country. every season i seem to forget how unsuited i am to london. thank you for the kerchief, i truly don’t believe it will stain.” glancing up, euphemia caught her first true look at the other, noting she was exceptionally pretty with dark hair and a glowing complexion. “lady euphemia howard,” she at last introduced herself, “i apologize for monopolizing your intermission.”

it was crucial for william emerge back to society once more after months of being secluded ; he needed to demonstrate that he was a perfect example of a healthy young man, embodying all the qualities expected of britain's future ruler. However, those within his close circle knew that he was far from being such an ideal figure. Despite the lingering chilliness in the air, spring finally arrived—a season he particularly cherished. Today's weather was exceptionally ideal, william thought as he strolled along the lake in st. James park. He tried to ignore his guard and valet, who not-so-discreetly follows him a few steps behind. while walking along the path, william paused briefly and veered off towards the riverbank. He reached into his coat pocket, revealing the feed he had been carrying. The prince had hoped to encounter some ducks today. without hesitation, he tossed the feed into the lake, observing the nearby ducks swim toward the spot where the food had landed. William couldn't help but be amused by the sight. "they have waterproof feathers", the prince of wales mused, turning his gaze towards the other person. "that's why they can swim for hours on end." he clarified, offering the remaining feed from his outstretched hand in his pocket. "would you like to feed them?"

euphemia approached the prince of wales with caution, greyish eyes flitting to his entourage who made no motion to dissuade her. delicate shoulders hunched slightly against the spring breeze as she reached a gloved hand to take the proffered feed. “so i've read,” euphemia nodded, a half smile pulling her expression, always happy discuss the natural world “i’ve actually collected some of their molted feathers to sketch before. mallards can have most gorgeous coloring. the book i read said that while they are monogamous, they do not mate for life. they find one another and then part when the season is over. i suppose it makes them quite practical as a species, to think in seasons instead of lifetimes.” the tail end of her observation came out half-mumbled as she leaned forward to gently toss some of the feed into the pond, a mother with a line of her babies circling nearby. despite periodic molding and scolding in her youth, it did not occur to euphemia that the mating habits of ducks were not particularly appropriate or sensitive fodder for conversation in the present company. indeed, she was fortunate to have secured her betrothal so early in the season. her parents could release that breath they’d been holding for a quarter century now that someone was willing to take her on. “even if they were the dullest creatures on earth i think i’d still find them quite cute and cheering.” perhaps spring was the perfect time for the prince to rejoin society, after all.

Joseph Farquharson