“So? Which of the seven is it?”
“Is what?”
“Your lover,” Mona grinned teasingly, poking my arm, not even aware of the heavy weight that her question carried, “Who among them is the one you choose?”
I sighed. That should be my line.
“I truly think you and Prince Vante Osburne would make a wonderful pair!”
After I accidentally shared to her that there were seven sons the queen had left behind, she was gushing nonstop, blabbering about romance and drama.
I swear, supposedly my life were to be a book, it wouldn’t be merely romance and drama.
She couldn’t stop marveling what they looked like, due to her encountering just one, but she was confident with her conclusion that based on Prince Vante exclusively, everyone would be gorgeous.
My energetic model lightly bounced in her seat, making it hard for me to smear the tiny details of her physique. “I understand if you’re using me for practice because you did say that it’s been long since you last painted people, but if you also came here for love advice…”
“I’m not here for that,” I interjected, threatening to aim my brush at her actual forehead rather than at the canvas, “I’m here another type of advice.”
“All ears.” My best friend (or friend in this century) beamed, a fan of gossip like her other version. “One woman must be in peril dealing with seven men.”
“Exactly,” I unheeded the true meaning of her statement, flicking my wrist to the movement of my strokes, “What would be the best way to reunite seven withdrawn brothers who were traumatized by a tragic incident a decade past?”
I could see her shock in spite of her efforts to preserve her calm expression for my portrait.
We were paraded with silence for a diffident expanse of seconds.
“I have not spoken to anyone who is open to talk about the incident in ages.” Mona explained in mumbles, a doleful look surfacing. “You are from Duva, right? The Grandees are not fond of discussions regarding that matter.”
“I-I’m sorry…”
I dropped my brush once I was done with the finishing touches and gently took her hand in mine, hoping to genuinely express my regrets of being too frank.
“It doesn’t affect me as much as it does to the royal family though.” She managed to show me a feeble smile. “Why don’t you try bringing them to a place where they could reminisce the good moments instead of the bad ones?”
It was a natural suggestion.
But an idea was swirling in the depths of my mind, convulsing, beseeching to be released.
“A place where reminiscence befalls…” I repeated, pushing the idea to come out, saying it in my mind over and over and over—
Until I educed the words of Prince Agustus Dane, his questioning feline eyes, and his gaze overflowing with wistfulness when it wandered at the Oaktree.
Of all places, why here? And of all people, why you? He once had asked.
“That’s it.” I said, a grin drawing up. “That’s it!”
Maybe getting lost in the woods was meant to happen in the chapter of my story after all. Maybe it really was another blessing in disguise, another work of destiny.
Like being handed with a needle and thread, I began to stitch the holes and interlace the disconnected seams.
“Lisa, you’re a genius!” I squealed, attacking her with a hug. I rapidly shoved my items in the bag, the mission writing itself in my head, and soon I was tripping over nothing as I bolted to the exit. Gosh, these 18th-century dresses.
YOU ARE READING
Slowly and Painfully ー ✓
Fanfiction[COMPLETE] ❝Seven princes stood before me. But which of them is the one I seek?❞ Briar Rosette, a curious girl of the 21st century, was somehow captivated by one of History's greatest mysteries. It was the tale between the Painter and the Musician...
