Chamomile

Chapter 16: Edelweiss

"What is your plan, your highness?" Monico had asked Ella.

It was early into the morning. Normally, Ella would be exhausted after a ball like the one she had hosted the previous night. However, after all the events, she could barely get a lick of sleep.

It was thanks to the encouragement of Monico that Ella had cleaned herself from the night before and took a brief nap.

"Your father has sent guards all around the kingdom to find this man," Monico added, "are you certain finding the man with a broken glass heel is the most efficient way to find him?"

"There are no photos of him, no clear description on how he looked," Ella reasoned, "besides, if I simply give a name, dozens of men could claim that it is their identity. Whether they have the same name, or lie about their identity entirely. Many men are going to say that they were him. However, only one man has the glass heel."

Monico was about to question her further.

Ella had finished her preparations and placed a finger to her lips, telling Monico to speak no further. "Just follow my lead Monico. It's better this way."

~*~

Carter dashed up the stairs and started banging on the door pleading for Peyton to let him out, but there was no response.

"What was that for?" Kinsey asked, shocked at what his father had just done. They have always been quite unfair and sometimes even cruel to Carter, but locking him in the basement was a whole new level of cruelty. They had only done that to Carter once before, never again did they have to punish Carter that heartlessly.

"Just a precaution," Peyton explained, "I will let him out when it is time."

~*~

The palace guards had separated into small groups, sent to search the town for the mysterious man. King Stephano insisted that he leave no stone unturned.

One of these groups had made their way across the city approaching a small flower shop. The shop seemed to be closed, but there was evidence that people were inside. One of the guards knocked on the wooden door.

The door opened, revealing a common man with grey streaks in his blonde hair.

"Good Day Sir, our group has been sent by the King to look for the mysterious man at the ball from last night," the guard explained, "Are there any residents of this house that attended the royal ball?"

"Only my two sons and myself," Peyton explained.

"May we please speak to them?" the guard requested.

Peyton nodded as he called Jacy and Kinsey to the front of the shop. Peyton explained to them what the guards were doing there.

~*~

Carter had to hold himself back from crying. His throat was sore from all the yelling he had done. Before, growing up with the Actons, he had chosen not to make a sound, he never acted against his cruel step-family. He found it easier to stay silent and out of their way.

Now, when he needed it the most, he could not make a sound. He heard the horses of the royal guards approach the shop, and he heard Peyton answer the door.

He knew exactly why the guards were there. They were looking for him, but he was trapped in the basement without a cry of help left in his throat. It broke his heart thinking he was so close to a life with Ella, but Peyton had locked him in the basement, diminishing any hope he had of being with her.

He smiled as he remembered all the times he had with Ella. He was at least grateful that Peyton did not have the glass heel. Carter had hid that item in the box that stored his mother's gift.

Carter made his way to the back of the basement, approaching his mothers storage chest. He slowly lifted the box open. Inside laid his dirty old suit, folded neatly in a pile, and on top rested the shimmering glass heel.

He carefully pulled the items out of the box and held it close to his chest. This was all he had left of that night, and he did not ever want to let it go. It was almost like a dream that can never be experienced again.

As he pulled the items out of the chest, he noticed a small wooden box, hidden at the bottom of the chest.

Out of curiosity, he placed the suit and glass down to inspect the unfamiliar box. He picked it up gently and slid open the lid.

The contents of the box made Carter gasp.

It was the other half of the locket. The photo hinge of the locket. It had the same rusty golden outside, but the inside held a photo of Carter when he was a baby and his father.

He was barely a year old in the photo. Carter could not even remember what his father looked like, but when he inspected the photo he began to realize; he grew up to look just like his father.

Carter laughed at the thought of the missing half of the locket being here the whole time. Not only that, but also the last picture of his biological father was here too.

In the photo, Carter was cradled in one arm by his father. On his other hand was a bouquet of Chamomiles, his mother's favorite flower.

Only now did he realize why his mother loved the flower; it was not only because she liked the tea. It was because it was the flowers his father gave to her before he left.

Carter could not fathom why he left; his mother never told him. From the photo, he could tell that his father loved him, and their family.

Carter wished he could have stayed. Maybe then he would have grown up with a proper father figure, not a man like Peyton.

If that were the case, his mother would never have opened the flower shop. Carter would never learn to love flowers. He would never have met Ella. He never would have fallen in love.

His gaze shifted from the photo to his suit.

"I wish you could help me now," Carter could barely croak out the words.