The Florist And The Prince

~ 44 ~

Avery

"Good morni-" Avery heard a knock followed by Linda's voice, but she didn't turn to acknowledge her friend. "What's wrong?"

"I can't find my necklace." Avery turned around and ran a hand through her dishevelled hair.

When she woke up this morning at the sound of her alarm and turned over to silence it, she noticed that her necklace wasn't there. She always left it in the small shell-like bowl near the alarm clock so she would miss it, it was the only piece of jewellery she owned that was precious to her as it was a gift from her late father.

"How?" Linda asked and stepped in to help her friend.

They both literally turn Avery's bedroom inside out without any luck, leaving Avery heartbroken and ok the verge of crying. It was nearly time for breakfast too and she wasn't even ready.

"Thank you for helping, but you should go. I don't want you to be late for breakfast." Avery told Linda, sitting down defeated on the end of her bed.

Linda looked at her, worried. "Are you sure?"

"Yes...I'll be fine."

"Alright. See you downstairs."

While standing in the shower, Avery let her tears final fall. Before her father passed away, he bought that necklace for her and told his parents to give it to her on her sixteenth birthday and she has worn it ever since, only taking if off when she was going to bed or bathe. It was a silver chain with a purple gem, simple but beautiful.

Walking down the hall towards the dinning room, Avery's mind was clouded with the loss of her necklace that she did not see the person who was standing in the middle of the hall, before she bumped into them, prompting them to let out a loud gasp of surprise.

Snapping out of her thoughts at the sound of something shattering against the tiled floor and surprised voice, Avery then realised that she had just walked into Princess Brianna.

"Your highness! I am so sorry, are you alright?"

"Yes, I am but I can't say the say for my cookies and mother's fine china"

"My apologies, I should have watched where I was going. Let me-

"No, be careful. You might get a cut-

"Your highness?" Both girls looked up to see Madam Eunice walking down towards them, before her piercing gaze fell upon the cookies and broken plate on the floor. "What happened here?"

"It was my fault-" Avery began but was interrupted by the Princess.

"No, it was actually mine."

"Okay. Please explain yourselves." The older woman looked at both girls, waiting expectedly for an explanation.

"I got distracted looking for Bailey when I was walking towards the library, causing Miss Avery to bump into me." Princess Brianna looked back up at Avery.

Madam Eunice looked back down at the mess. "Okay, I'll have someone clean this up and Miss Cartwright, I believe you are late for breakfast."

"Pardon me, Madam Eunice." Avery bowed her head before redirecting her attention back to the young princess. "My apologies again, Princess Brianna."

After that Avery walked away down the hall and asms she got closer to the dinning hall, just near the entrance she saw something move by one of the large decorative urns, tilting her head she saw that it was Bailey. Princess Brianna's pet rabbit. The cute rabbit made eye contact with her before hopping out towards her.

"I think the princess might be looking for you." She smiled then crouched down, gently stroking it's fur.

"Avery. There you are." Avery looked up to see Miranda walking towards her from the dinning hall. "I thought you wouldn't come for breakfast, when Linda came down herself."

"No, I just stayed behind because I had to find something." She replied, standing back up before Bailey hopped away.

"Did you find it? Whatever you were looking for?"

Avery pursed her lips and shook her head. "Unfortunately no...but I really hope that I do."

"Okay...well, you better go and have something to eat quickly. Madam Eunice has a task for us today."

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