The Sculpture and The Sculptured (l.s)

fifteen

They make their way through the waves of people, walking closely together as they as follow the mass. Port City, unlike other bustling areas, is built up and shops sell goods rather than stands. Beautiful calligraphy tells customers and visitors about the sails and type of shop: bakeries selling sweet bread, butchers selling pork and chicken, tailors giving a sale on suits for the upcoming summer, the seamstress next door giving the same sale, and the jeweler selling to affluent customers.

Harry uses the money Mr. Payne gave him, something he hasn't touched since his arrival to the Tomlinson's home since Mr. Tomlinson buys the tools and goods needed, to spend on a pair of beautiful cuff links. They're gold, and he requests that they be carved with Louis' initials. The muse, just a store down buying some baked goods for the trip back, doesn't know that Harry snuck in here to purchase him a gift. While Harry knows his lover's party is months away, he knows he may never get this chance again and is using it to his advantage.

"Mr. Styles," Harry looks up as he leaves the jeweler with the gift box tucked in his pocket to find Louis chewing on something while holding a piece out to him, "try this. The baker sold it for a fraction of the price because he added too much salt, but I believe it tastes delicious."

Harry takes it from him, and puts it past his lips to eat. He grunts, and nods. "It is salty, but good. Did you buy the entire loaf?"

"I did." Louis holds up the basket from their travels, and sees it filled. "Sweet bread, rye, the salted loaf, and I'm going to request butter from the hotel when we depart."

"Looks like we'll be having lunch on the go." Louis chuckles at his words, and they turn to head back to the hotel. They spent their time mumbling and conversing together, tasting new flavors of tea along the way. Louis even buys Harry some high quality pencils for his sketching.

"Yours is about done being used." He excuses his actions, and Harry grabs the small bag. "Besides, I'd like to see what Mr. Horan taught his prodigy. Surely, you did more than sculpting under his guidance."

"I did." Harry thinks about what he drew last night, and the aspects of drawing he used that Niall taught him. "Perhaps I'll show you one day."

"You will." Louis smiles, and looks down the road where Mr. Rodgerick is packing their suitcases onto the carriage. When they reach the butler, Louis reaches into the basket and hands him a biscuit. "Its been buttered already at the bakery. Eat it while you ride."

"Thank you." The old man smiles genuinely, and opens the door for them. "We must be on our way."

When they reach Louis' home, melancholy servants greet them. While they all welcome the pair back and receive Louis' luggage, none are smiling and inquiring about his travel. The muse enters the house alone, Harry going back to shed to work, and the silence in the home is almost deafening since his sisters usually make noise and Zayn's usually playing the piano. With no music, empty rooms, and cold stillness Louis finds himself entering a barren home— as if the spirit has gone.

He hangs his coat, and wanders the downstairs area before ascending up to the second floor. There, more noise exists. Whispers, frantic walking, yelling, and— most importantly— infant crying. Louis feels a chill run through his bones, and sees all of his sisters huddled in front of the Master bedroom. He's been through this experience too many times, but rather than the screams of his mother filling the room it's his father's. A maid rushing out the bedroom with blood-covered sheets stops when she sees him, and the look on her face says it all— Mrs. Tomlinson did not make it.

He pushes her to the side as gently as he can, and shakily makes his way to the bedroom. He looks inside despite Lottie's whisper not to, and clenches his jaw when he sees the scene: a lifeless woman in her bed with pools of blood beneath her and between her legs, maids rushing to clean the room and properly care the body as they open the windows, a grown man screaming insistently at them while holding his wife's hand to his face, and two babies being cleaned and checked by who will be their wet nurses. Despite the clear panic on Mr. Tomlinson's face, no tears were coating his cheeks and he showed no grief.

"Mother." Louis mumbles, and Mr. Tomlinson looks at him with so much vice. Louis flinches, and stumbles back slightly when his father gets up, and rushes at him.

"It should've been you." He grumbles.

"Master!" Some maids gasp, but the man grips his son's collar and swings him into a wall.

"At least she listened, and added value to my life!" Louis' eyes widen in fear. "You're still living like a child! It should've been you!"

Mr. Tomlinson's hands wrap around Louis' neck, and the muse gasps as his father squeezes with a murderous expression. He grabs the man's wrists, and sinks his nails into the skin.

"Young Master!" The attack sends the women into a frenzy, and the wet nurses escape with the newborns. Louis' sisters scream, Lottie hitting their father's shoulder and attempting to yank him off to no avail. Louis sinks to the floor, and feels his father shaking him.

"I hate you! I hate you!" A tall figure rushes towards him, yanking Mr. Tomlinson off and wrestling the man to floor. Louis gasps for air, coughing as his lungs ache and blood rushes to his brain to keep him from fainting. Lottie tries to help him up, but Louis' too weak to stand. With his father screaming curses and insults at him, and his mother's body forgotten in the chaos, Louis finds an aspect of his life falling into hysteria.

"Mr. Malik is the only one allowed inside the room." Elizabeth tells Harry as she hangs some clothes from the day's laundry. Harry pops a blueberry into his mouth as he listens to her tell the story of what happened yesterday. While Harry isolated himself to chip away at the stone, the Tomlinson family was going crazy and Louis fell victim to his father's rage. "Master will be sending the Young Master to Port City until the social gathering."

Harry coughs to stop himself from choking on the berry. "E-Excuse me?"

"He'll apprentice under a family friend there while courting Ms. Williams." Elizabeth stops to look at him. Harry's chest tightens, and he turns away to cover any sudden reaction that may expose his affection for his muse. "He's set to leave tomorrow morning, just as the sun rises."