Title: Camille
Summary: These are the deleted scenes! Snippets of moments that I could not figure out where to put in the actual fic. These are sort of like long drabbles, I suppose, lol. Please read and review.
Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own a thing.
Scene One: Lily Blossoms
For the most part, Christianna Hardcastle minded her own business. She was, after all, a busy woman since she was in charge of the children's education as well as the principal role model for the women of the harem.
She hardly had any time to do things for herself, as a result her resentment carried over into her teaching persona on a daily basis. It was against all protocol and etiquette to complain, so Christianna kept quiet for the most part and bore it.
Today, she happened to be carrying an armful of jarred specimens for her imminent biology lesson to the schoolroom. She had no opportunity to observe the silent beauty of the gardens as she walked briskly down the stone path to the temple that had been converted into a school for her. Preoccupied about the appearance of her hair, Christianna retained a look of pinched annoyance.
The pungent stench of the rotting specimens permeated the air around her, she may have passed out from the horrifying, offensive odor if she had not achieved the miraculous feat of holding her breath the entire time.
Because of the awful smell and the feeling of her hair sticking to her sweaty neck, Christianna was quiclk to relinquish the numerous jars and arrange them on her desktop as she reached the empty classroom. At last, she was rid of the decomposed animal fetuses. Unfortunately, she had noticed that she spilled some of the preserving fluid onto her dress. Upon seeing the yellowish stain, Christianna was compelled to gag. She made a mad dash out of the temple schoolroom and into the gardens.
She ran blindly for a few more moments and then slowed down, the fresh- if a tad humid- air had cleansed her nostrils and lungs. When her breathing returned to normal, she opened her eyes and was surprised by what she saw.
About six or seven feet from her, the King Mongkut was sat upon a stone carved bench before the small pond. He was faced away from her, alone, probably meditating as he stared at the green, murky water and the creatures that inhabited it. Tentatively, Christianna decided to try and creep away before he sensed her presence.
However, before she could make her getaway, a traitor twig snapped beneath her shoe as she backed off. The noise alerted the king, who half turned and instantly knew who it was.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty." She simpered sweetly and curtseyed, inwardly ashamed of her messy hair and stained dress. Nevertheless, she decided she should face the proverbial music anyway and hold a conversation with the Siamese monarch. After all, how often did an opportunity like this come along?
"Good afternoon, Miss Hardcastle." His voice was flat and devoid of its characteristic strength, it seemed to be raspy and tinged with sorrow. It made her wonder is she would have been better iff running away like she had wanted to in the first place.
"Your Majesty? Are…Are you alright?" She kept her tone half cautious, half concerned. The man's eyes glimmered suspiciously but Christianna could not be certain because he turned away from her. Despite his melancholy, his posture was still proud and erect.
"Majesty?" She tried again, "Is there something wrong?"
Mongkut looked at her again, his obsidian eyes swept over her plain dress and disheveled hair, grief was apparent in his facial expression. It was as if she had reminded him of something painful, something he could not quite stand to look at. It was a truly curious expression, she thought.
Once again, he said nothing. He merely stared back out at the pond, his attention enraptured by the floating lily blossoms that were drifting slowly past.
"She loved the blossoms…" He whispered hauntingly.
Christianna frowned, she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. She could see how vulnerable the man was though, she decided she should leave him alone to his thoughts once more.
With a polite excuse and curtsey, she promptly dismissed herself. The uneasiness which she felt slowly evaporated as the day passed, but in the early evening she remembered to mention this incident to the head wife, Lady Thiang.
It was then that Christianna learned that today was the death anniversary of the Fa-ying, or "The Celestial Princess" as she was fondly called by her father. It was also the day that Mrs. Anna Leonowens had departed from Siam exactly one year ago.
As Christianna lay in her bed that night remembering the look of utter desolation on her employer's face, she wondered if his words pertained to his deceased daughter, Mrs. Leonowens, or both.
End of scene one.
A/N: Stay tuned for more!! R and R please!