Touch His Heart

Chapter 3: Devotion (Giles Christophe)

The truth was, after all, besides Louis' expertise, there was a legitimate reason why Giles had entrusted him with teaching and looking after the princess.

No matter how many times I come here, this is still one of my few favourite places in the palace.

Taking a step closer to the fountain, Louis listened to the cascading of water droplets as beams of sunlight quietly pooled in the near silence, countless flowers gathered in silent bloom amid a sanctuary that only existed to him if not a single other soul was around.

It is one of the only places where I do not have to worry so much about being a duke, but rather... Louis hid a sad smile, the child who has been afraid and never actually asked for any of this...

His white flower bookmark, gifted by the orphanage, was tucked in the inner pocket of his navy blue jacket, being one of the only remaining things that connected him back to his former life that he could never return to. Standing alone in the palace garden, Louis gazed down at the baby blue clematis, violets, scarlet roses, yellow daffodils and multifarious flowers that spread their petals in countless more clusters in a place that was not nearly as kind or giving as their colours gave it a semblance of. Because you are small, no matter how beautiful you are, they will never deem you to be enough. 

Louis could never count how many members of the nobility, regardless if from Wysteria, Stein or any other country, did not spare a single fleeting glance upon these flowers that may not seem to be anything to them but were a calming piece of paradise to people who did not believe that superficial qualities or grandiose events were all there was to life, to people like Louis. If feelings are flowers, then those nobles are the light that has turned away from those flowers and close its eyes... as the petals fade away. Crouching down in a single graceful sweep, Louis felt the ends of his blue jacket spread across the soft blades of grass as he reached forward and caressed the tender petals of a white daisy that was not quite the same but similar enough to the flower in his pressed bookmark. I do not want flowers or petals to fade and disappear.

Almost regretfully letting go, Louis stood back up and lowered his eyes, sadness swelling inside his heart like flowers dissolving in clear water.

The wish upon the white flower... How it has led to this... I'm not sure I can ever understand.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Duke Louis Howard! You must have plenty of time to kill if you're standing idly by here of all places!"

Sid.

Swivelling around, Louis narrowed his eyes at Sid, mild vexation overshadowing his heart as the dark-haired information dealer strode towards him with a haughty smirk. His dark blue eyes glinted with that exact same smirk as his coat swayed behind him, taunting Louis without the need for words. "I could say the same for you. What are you doing here?"

"You know, the usual errands." Sid waved off the question with nonchalance slipping from his tongue. Nonchalance: something that Sid had plenty of and Louis almost never touched. "Giles asked for more info, so here I am in all my glory." His lips curved into a sly grin. "Boy do you look pleased to see me, huh, Louis?"

"I meant, here in this garden." Louis' voice was quiet but crisp, well aware that Sid was trying to mess with his head like he always did. "However, you do not have to answer, because I'm leaving."

There went the serenity of the garden.

"I came early, so I overheard Giles talking with His Majesty," Sid called out as Louis began walking away. "About you." Louis stopped briefly, but decided to keep walking. "You heard me. He reported to the king that things were going smoothly according to plan. Said that there was no need to worry so much since you and the princess were getting along just fine."