Only the Strong (Yandere Prince x Powerful! Reader): remake

10. Red's Bouquet

Red had gotten a break from work. Everything was done already, the stable was clean, the horses were fed and happy. Things were good and it was all thanks to the older stable hand and his young companion. Truthfully, the men had never really spoke to each other. The older man and the younger man seemed to have some connection as they have a very obvious mentor-student relationship, but Red hadn't formed a bond with them personally.

Be that as it may, they somehow noticed a change in his demeanor.

"You seem happier lately." The older man had said. Red, of course, was startled that someone he rarely interacted with could even tell.

The older man only laughed at Red's visible confusion. "Why not enjoy that happiness before the Queen notices." He had joked.

Now, even though he was joking, he was not wrong. Anything of interest was a distraction and the Queen would be quick to vanquish said distraction. She liked things to be done, liked for everything to be on schedule. So to make sure everything stays the way she likes, she eliminates anything that could compromise her system. That includes people.

So Red took the older man's advice and tried to spend his free time wisely.

It was early in the morning. The grass was wet with dew and the birds hadn't awoken yet. He had heard rumors of a woman who would sleep in the courtyard gardens. There were rumors of cats playing with her hair and snuggling by her feet.

And when he heard of her (h/l) (h/c) locks, he knew who the woman was.

He went to the fields where some the palace's food was grown. He thought that maybe he could ask some of the farmers if he could have some vegetables, but then he noticed some flowers growing on his way there. There was no grantee that he could procure any vegetables, but there were flowers all around the outskirts of the plots. He picked only the most beautiful ones, staying away from those who had lost petals or had weak stems. He didn't know why he was picking them per se, but he didn't stop to quest himself. He supposed he just felt like it.

He picked so many, the he couldn't even see the hand possessing them—the mission he was on was an important one after all. He hummed, the sun getting higher in the sky as he picked and plucked for about an hour or two.

After that, he felt proud. There was a little bit of a skip in his step as he neared the courtyard with the flowers in hand. He had stopped by his quarters to get his nicest boots and his cleanest work shirt. And he had even managed to get some fresh baked bread wrapped in parchment from kitchen. Apparently, the loaf didn't rise properly, but it looked perfect to him.

Honestly, Red didn't really know why he was trying so hard. He didn't need all those things for what he wanted to do, but he went through a lot just to get them anyway. All he knew was that he felt happy at the thought of speaking to you–overjoyed even. The way his face felt tingly when you laughed, and how his hands would shake and become clammy after you touched them, and how your gaze would tickle his skin. There was just something about you that made him feel like he was pinned to the ground yet floating on air; like gravity was pulling him down to his knees, but he was still as free as a bird.

He figured now that he wasn't busy, that he could spend the day with you, the person he had spent all day thinking about. You were his only friend after all.

So he walked all the way to the garden, nearly slipping all the way there. But...
The prince was there...talking to you.

Red could recognize that look on the prince's face, but couldn't quite pinpoint why. All he knew was that, when he saw you smile at that man, he didn't feel quite well. It made his chest hurt. He felt his throat tighten, and his eyes stung a little. He wanted to protect you, but he also understood that doing so would kill him and maybe you.

Red turned on his heel, with his bouquet and bread in hand, and he walked back to the stables. The older stable hand tried to ask if he was alright, but Red brushed him off before he could even ask.

"I'm alright." He said swiftly, walking into the back room and closing the door. The back room was where the outdoor servants would go to drink and laugh. Unlike the inside servants, they didn't really have a curfew. As long as they weren't too loud and they still did good work in the mornings, they could drink and joke all night long.

The room was meant for happiness and good times, but Red was using it for the complete opposite. He did not really have privacy anywhere else.
Red sat down on a hay bale, looking down at the daisies and the small loaf of bread in his hands. He sighed, setting the daisies to the side and unwrapping the bread.

He took a bite. He liked bread, but the loaf didn't taste good. He felt so torn for some reason. He felt an ache. And the food just didn't taste good with that awful pulsing in his head.

When he finished eating, he spent the rest of his day picking all of the petals off the flowers.

Every one of those perfect daisies, would be plucked clean by nightfall.

Just a short chapter about Red. Hope that was enjoyable.