#sunsetframed

❝    I  take  no  pleasure  in  doing  this.    ❞       bearing   a    weight   in   her   chest   that   drowns  her    every  day .     she    finds   herself    helpless   yet   again .     A  QUEEN ,     she   might   be   but   with    scant   power .    hands   tied   with   obligations   &   laws .      ❝    there  is  compelling  evidence  against  you.    do   you   have   something   to   say   in  your  defense ?    ❞   

DO  NOT  MISTAKE    that  smile  as  one  to  share.  it’s  exclusive  to  her  &  her  only.  a  petite  lil’  motion  which  curves  those  glossed  lips     /     so  gentle ,   in  fact ,   it’s  barely  visible   ;      yet  certainly  there ,  contributing  to  those  ever   blessed   features.        ❛   i  have  been  to  one  ball  in  the  past.  it  ended  by  being  chased  by  guards  &  having  the  whole  city  after  me  ------  i  trust  your  experience  was  better  ?     ❜

         small  10  year  old  feet  run  from  the  castle’s  door  straight  to  the  silver  carriage  that  had  stopped  right  in  front.  prince  daymon  knew  who  it  was  ----  cinderella.  his  godmother.  he  dodges  past  the  servants  that  were  carrying  in  cinderella’s  bags  &&  ran  straight  into  her,  arms  wrapping  around  the  skirt  of  her  dress.   ❝   bonjour  marraine  !!  ❞  he  says,  grinning  up  at  her.   ❝   did  you  bring  me  anything  from  france  ?  ❞

                his  parents  were  clueless  as  to  why  he  should  mourn  so  fearlessly  a  forgotten  princess  turned  scullery  maid   .   once  he  started  leaving  the  confines  of  his  artificial  night  once  more   ,   they  had  betrothed  him  within  the  year   .   he  learned  of  the  princess  who  had  recently  inherited  a  kingdom  after  the  death  of  her  prince   ,    &   how  one  day  he  should  be  her  husband   .   florian  only  gathered  hope  when  he  learned  she  was  not  of  royal  birth   ,   but  noble-  perhaps  there  was  a  chance  still  she  would  prove  to  be  different  than  the  rest   .

                &   now  as  they  find  themselves  slipping  away  from  the  great  pre-marital  feast   ,   florian  is  glad  to  have  a  moment  alone  with  her   .   as  footsteps  mark  their  winding  passage   ,   weaving  between  pillars   &   gardens   ,   florian  finds  comfort  in  grief   .   he  pauses   ,   letting  his  blue  eyes  soak  in  the  angles   &   shadows  he  would  grow  familiar  with   ,   attempting  to  push  aside  the  tormenting  thoughts  of  how  this  could  have  played  out  differently   .

                his  full  lips  manage  to  carve  themselves  into  a  frown   ,   never-minding  his  best  efforts  to  keep  a  charming   &   princely  appearance   .    &   before  he  can  catch  himself   ,   the  next  words  trickling  down  his  tongue  are   ,   “    what  was  he  like    ?     ”  

              ❛   i never understood    how people could be so  cruel  to others .   my mother told me about your family  ——  i’m so  sorry  to hear about that .   you seem much  happier  now though !   ❜

          ❛   he’s  going  to  be  so  happy  when  he  comes  back  from  the  war ,    ella .    so  happy .   ❜    her  hands  resisted  moving  to  gently  press  upon  cinderella’s  stomach .    not  that  there  was  a  visible  bump ;    it  was  early  days .    christophe  had  been  at  war  a  month  now ,    &    it  was  impossible  to  tell  when  he  would  return .    wars  were  unpredictable  that  way .    ❛   this   is   wonderful   news .   ❜

          ❛     ah - i do apologise . he’s mine .      ❜      hans hasn’t meant to leave sitron alone while he roams in the search of an apple which he’s forgotten to bring along. he hadn’t expected his animal companion would be able to attract attention so quickly while he’s away for that few minutes . the smile on hans’ face feels heavy , feels fake — but he doesn’t shake them off .      ❛     has he bothered you ?     ❜