Iris Blue, Am I In Love With You? (Childhood/Teens)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22 (June 1866)

"I hope the boys are alright." Amelia pondered aloud, attempting to cool herself with her lace fan. Stella eyed it once more as Amelia waved it, noting the black lace that trimmed the sapphire colored base. The same blue color as Sherlock's eyes.... She grimaced.

"I'm sure they'll be fine." Elsie commented, still watching outside the window. Her boredom and the suffocating heat within the carriage was beginning to show on her face more and more as they rambled along, and Stella wondered if her new mother's darting eyes were trying to find a clue as to how far away they were from their destination.

It had been a few weeks since the incident with Stella and Sherlock at the pond, and most tensions that followed had been eased over that time. Stella learned her lesson of controlling her anger from scrubbing not only her own clothes, but Sherlock's, as well as parts of Pierre's and Ivan's where mud had covered them. Anne had kept her company as she scrubbed, the careful redhead avoiding Sherlock for the next few days, before he properly apologized to both of them.

Sherlock didn't come down to supper that evening (part of Ivan's punishment to him), much to Amelia's dismay. Stella began to see how Amelia seemed to baby Sherlock, even if she did acknowledge Sherlock was wrong, while Ivan was the one to set a more strict standard for their younger child. Elsie explained to Anne and Stella later that this was most likely because Amelia clung to Sherlock as her 'baby boy' now that Mycroft spent all of his time with Ivan. Amelia was a loving heart, and Sherlock was the only one she had left to mother, thus bringing forth his spoiled behavior.

"There it is, girls!" Elsie suddenly cooed, leaning away from the window with a grin. "Paris!"

Anne scrambled over from her side of the carriage, nearly falling into Stella's lap as the carriage lurched on a rough piece of road. The two girls both peered out the window and spied the expanse of city they could now see, buildings and houses of all sizes spread for miles. Stella furrowed her eyebrows.

"Where's the Eiffel Tower? I can't see it."

Silence fell in the carriage.

"What do you mean, Stella?"

Stella glanced over to Elsie, a confused look lacing both of their faces. The most famous icon of Paris was the Eiffel Tower, everyone knew that! How could she not- oh, wait.

"Um, never mind. Wrong place."

She squeezed her eyes shut and fought a grimace for a second, before opening them to watch the view as normal. History all ran together sometimes in her head, and for the life of her, she couldn't remember when the Eiffel Tower was built. Looking at the vast city now, something told her that it wasn't before 1866.

It wasn't long until the carriage was in the heart of Paris, clattering along the cobblestone streets and brushing past pedestrians and other carriages, alike. The city rumbled with noise and excitement, ladies and gentlemen wandering the streets, boys playing or selling newspapers on the street corners as the girls strode along with their mothers, or joined the boys' games.

"Stella, am I dreaming?!" Anne gasped, her head hanging out the window of the carriage.

"No, dear. You're not."

Almost as soon as Elsie had replied, Anne pulled her head back inside and pinched her nose.

"Something stinks!"

Elsie laughed, and she nodded in agreement.

"Lovely thing about big cities, they smell positively terrible. Do not worry, I have just the solution when we get to the market."