Title: Hopeless
Summary: Prince Friedrich's return to England certainly does not go as planned.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
And so dear nephew, show your beloved auntie some respect and attend the first ball of the new season. I assure you will not regret this decision. The lovely young woman I had written you about before will be attending as well.
It was not the first letter his aunt Charlotte wrote to Friedrich trying to pressure him, or as she would say guide his hand, into coming back to England. She wrote many letters last year hoping for his return but ever since she became better acquainted with this lovely and one-of-a-kind (her words from her letters), Miss Sharma, she became much more persistent and restless. It was not until she started to write to his mother as well, and whatever she wrote was enough for the woman to urge her son as well that the poor Prince of Prussia had no choice but to surrender to the two important women in his life.
Friedrich was not amused. Not being the first or second born, his life consisted of freedom unknown to his brothers or even sisters that he took good care of and nurtured it. Therefore, he did not enjoy himself being pressured, but it was hard to defy both his mother and aunt when in the end they did not wish for anything impossible really.
He could spare a couple of weeks in England and meet the young woman.
It would be simple as that. Afterward, he could return, and at least for a while, he would be in the clear of his matchmaking relatives.
The truth was after the unfortunate events from his last season in England, he was doubtful about his quest to find a wife. It was not that he believed himself to be in love with the now Duchess of Hastings. Friedrich found her charming, witty, and lovely and genuinely believed for a while she could be a woman he could grow to love someday. But even if she was not his beloved, it still hurt something inside him perhaps his pride or optimism to know he had been so wrong. He knew she seemed to be involved somehow with the Duke, but not being as clever or realistic as he thought he was, he fail to see just how deep their affection was for one another.
Fool
He felt like a fool for his shortsightedness in the matter and although he spoke calmly and wished the happy couple the best, he still could not help his own feelings from being less than pleasant. He was not heartbroken, but there was a certain bitterness left inside him from someone else besting him. He supposed everyone felt that way at times.
Leaving England was the only choice not only to save face but also to tend to his pride and whatever got broken during his poor choice.
'Your Highness, are you ready to be announced?' asked one of his aunt's servants, and Friedrich trying to appear as composed as always offered him a half smile, 'Just a moment.'
He got from the carriage a few moments ago, but for some reason, the tall blond man decided to have a couple of moments for himself walking by the side of the mansion to make sure he would not be spotted by any of the guests.
It was crowded as it usually was during the first balls.
Friedrich survived his fair share of those. If his brothers were present, he was allowed to breathe more, but if he was on his own he was the sole attraction and did not get a chance to be on his own for a second. Even if his aunt promised him, that no one knew of his arrival, he knew the moment he would enter he would be surrounded by desperate-eager mothers and their daughters. It seemed like a never ended circle, and Friedrich found himself incredibly tired of it.
The servant allowed him a polite nod and made sure to follow him several steps behind as Friedrich found a rather hidden spot behind one of the large glass entrances that were blocked by some flowers so people would not use it and see him.
He looked around the guests. Some were unknown, but many were the same ones he met before.
With a rather distaste he realized Lady Cowper and her daughter Cressida were present as well. He would have to move especially quickly if he wished to avoid them. He would probably make sure to be around his aunt and meet the woman the queen was so desperate and persistent in trying to get him to meet-
Friedrich's green eyes blinked as he spotted the young woman with who he was not acquainted with appeared in front of Cressida and the other ladies from his last season.
She was shorter than Cressida with chocolate-like skin and even darker almost raven hair. Her dress was a light pink color, and for some reason, Friedrich found it hard to breathe by just taking her in.
'Everything alright, Your Highness?' asked the servant who while Friedrich was engaged in shameless ogling must have come to his side to see what was the problem.
The prince cleared his throat trying desperate to move his eyes away from the young woman and take a hold of himself, 'Uh, the young…the young woman standing with Miss Cowper-?'
'Miss Edwina Sharma, you mean?'
Miss Edwina Sharma
Friedrich looked at the woman again and for a second it appeared she looked right back at him before she turned her head back to the young woman in her presence.
His stomach dropped.
Edwina Sharma
The woman his aunt had been so stubbornly trying him to come and meet.
'She was the last season's diamond. Quite pretty, is she not?' asked the servant possibly forgetting himself and in whose presence he was. It was Friedrich's fault. His brothers often scolded him for acting too familiar with the staff.
However, at the moment the tall man made no comment about the man's actions still beyond occupied by the young woman in front of him.
Edwina Sharma
'She's….she's quite…'
Countless of words came to mind in all six languages that he spoke. Some were more melodic than others. Beautiful, gorgeous, exquisite, wunderschon, decoris, magnifique, stupendo and so much more. Yet, none of those and many other words, simply none of them captured the proper way to address the beauty of the lovely Miss Edwina Sharma.
Ultimately Friedrich gave up and closed his eyes. He needed to calm down. He was acting foolish again.
A dreamer optimist who flew too close to the sun and caught on fire by the reality of the world.
'Yes,' he said finally and turned to the man next to him, 'Please be so kind and go tell my aunt I have arrived. I will join her shortly.'
The servant bowed and dutifully left the prince alone. Now, more than ever Friedrich needed to compose himself.
It was not the first time he ever saw a woman who caught his eye. There were beautiful women all around Europe, yet for some reason seeing Miss Sharma now truly touched something inside him.
He would do better if he learned to get a hold of it rather quickly. He would not want to dive into unfortunate feelings once again. Even less if they would to be this intense.
His green eyes lifted, and he caught the young woman leave and the others started to laugh. If he learned something about Miss Cowper during their acquaintance it was that she was a woman who took pleasure in belittling others especially if she could do so cruelly and cleverly.
Miss Sharma continued to walk through the crowd in the ballroom until she reached one of the entrances and disappeared behind it.
Friedrich took a glance after his servant who had not returned yet for a moment before he made the rash decision to follow the woman. Not in any intention to meet her or talk with her. He would never be that improper, but he did wish to see that she was alright. He could only imagine what did Miss Cowper had said to her to cause her to leave in such a fashion.
As he came to the side of the house, he saw the young woman start to walk faster into the empty and dark garden which puzzled the tall man.
However, the moment, he saw Miss Sharma start to clumsily run away, something squeezed his heart rather harshly as if someone reached out and taken it into his palm.
He watched as the woman continued to run before in a split-second decision, and the man followed. He could not allow her on her own like this in the dark after all. Anything could happen. A young beautiful woman like her all alone had no business being in the dark garden in such a state.
He caught up with her easily and even from the distance he saw how she was on the ground reaching for the back of her dress in frantic movements. He was confused, but the closer he got the better he could hear the startled choking sobs and understood partly what was happening.
He got to his knees behind her feeling his heart hit his chest from the inside in rapid and firm moves.
'M-miss Sharma,' he spoke breathlessly himself from the running and panic over seeing the young woman in such a horrifying state. He felt terrified just looking at her.
'Miss Sharma,' he tried again, but it seemed the dark-haired woman did not even realize he was there as she continued to sob and choke.
'Forgive me, Miss Sharma,' he whispered and snatched her gloved hands at that moment knowing he already crossed enough rules of what was appropriate and what was not. He did not care anymore. He just wished to aid the woman as much as he could.
Friedrich pushed her hands into her lap, 'Please, Miss Sharma, allow me.'
He worked swiftly undoing the buttons on her dress surprised he could do so without shaking given how worried he was over the woman. Still, he told himself, she was too frightened and panicked, so he had to step in and take control. She needed him. There was no place for hesitation.
His green eyes caught the beauty of her dark skin on her back only for a second before he firmly pushed it aside reminding himself, that he was a well-taught and behaved Prince of Prussia, and he would act even in a situation such as this one like the absolute gentleman. Especially for someone like Miss Sharma.
'Breathe. It's alright, Miss Sharma. Just breathe. Yes, very good. Just like that,' he said as he took hold of her arms grateful for his own gloves.
Without the restrictions of her tight dress and the cold night breeze hitting her skin, Friedrich hoped she would feel better.
'Don't worry, Miss Sharma. All will be alright,' he assured her feeling that he had to talk to make some sense of the situation, Friedrich certainly would not have guessed he would appear in, 'Breathe, Liebling. I am here. You will be alright. You are doing so well, Liebling.'
What was he saying?
He had no right to call her so familiarly.
Fool
He could only blame it on the stress of the situation.
He swallowed a bit trying to set his mind and desire straight, 'Breathe, Miss Sharma. You are safe now.'
It took a while, but Friedrich saw her breathing start to settle and her arms inside his palms became a bit slack.
His own body and soul settled knowing the young woman would be alright before he felt her flinch and tense rather harshly.
Politely if a bit nervously, Friedrich cleared his throat and spoke, 'It's quite alright. I won't hurt you.' He almost had to bite his tongue from saying darling again.
'You have the word of the Prince of Prussia,' he said trying to add more seriousness to his title so she would truly know she was safe.
Miss Sharma flinched again and turned a bit to look at his face.
Friedrich's breath caught inside his own throat as once again he was stunned by how beautiful the young woman was and found it impossible to put to words.
Her dark eyes even in the night were shining, and her face look like pure perfection itself. She was beyond anyone Friedrich would ever dream of, and it took a lot in the Prince not to ruin the moment by reaching out to touch her beautiful face.
His aunt wrote far too lazily about the woman's beauty, and Prince Friedrich could not even blame her as he would not believe until he did not see the woman with his own green eyes.
You are beyond any angel I could ever dream of.
His tongue suffered when he once again forbade it from speaking what his mind was set on.
Miss Sharma seemed to be equally taken by him for a moment, and Friedrich almost smiled at her in hopes they could share some sympathy and affection right away before he watched something cross her behind her eyes. Something like fear.
The young woman swallowed presumably realizing just how completely scandalously inappropriate this was and quickly turned away her face.
She looked panicked again, and Friedrich mentally scolded himself for being such a prude and idiot to assume such things when they were in such a situation. No woman, certainly not the woman of class and virtue, his aunt described him, and certainly not the woman who was now once again breathing faster and looking panicking, would enjoy being in such a predicament even with a Prince of Prussia.
'Please do not panic, or you might cause yourself harm again Miss Sharma,' spoke the prince feeling genuinely worried about the young woman, 'I-I promise I would never do anything to harm you, and as far as we are concerned, we are here alone so this might as well stay between us.'
After a moment, Miss Sharma took another glance at him and made her made because she offered him a small nod.
Friedrich nodded as well and looked down at her gown planning what to do next to get her to be a decent-looking young debutant again, 'I will help you with your dress, but I think I will have to help you up first. Is that acceptable for you?' he asked feeling a bit nervous due to her still being undressed and how close they were. It was tricky to be a gentleman and to be honest to himself.
She nodded again and turned her back to him.
Friedrich was grateful for that because the longer her dark eyes watched him, the more hypnotized he felt by them.
'Forgive me,' he whispered before his hands reached toward her waists and brought her up. It caused the woman to let out a small gasp, and her feet seemed a bit unsteady, but the moment he was sure, she would not fall down again, Friedrich quickly let her go and proceeded to fix her dress.
'Should I keep it lose a bit this time?'
Miss Sharma shot him a confused look, and the man looked at the ground swallowing hard. Her eyes were mesmerizing.
'Uh, your dress, I mean.'
'N-no, no, uh, someone might notice,' she said and turned her back to him again.
He nodded and stepped closer to her. She was not wrong. If anyone would to notice both of them being gone for this long and unaccounted for it might certainly be a problem in its own right, 'As you wish, Miss Sharma.'
It was a bit frustrating to learn it was far easier to get a dress undone than to restore it. Friedrich was certain there was a metaphor or an anecdote in there somewhere, but at the moment he focused on redoing the buttons again once he realized he was missing a few.
'Uh, all done, forgive me that it took a while,' he said and took a step back which Miss Sharma took as her moment to turn around and look at him.
Tiny
She was so profoundly shortly, it almost made him smile. She appeared adorable like this, and Friedrich could not help but fondly wonder about how it would feel to have her in his arms properly against his chest. The mere thought almost made him shiver.
Fool
This was no time to think further about such ideas when they were in such a horrible and inappropriate basically reputation-ending as this situation. Both his mother and aunt would be gravely disappointed in him now.
For a moment neither of them said anything just watched one another in silence.
Finally, Miss Sharma looked away as if she broke the curse and with a profoundly nervous voice said, 'Thank you for your help. You are truly very kind, Your Highness.'
Friedrich felt the awkwardness of the situation as well and he nodded, 'You're very welcome. Are you well now? I can find your mother or someone else discreetly if you wish.'
'No!' Miss Sharma almost screamed before she tried to cover her mouth but stopped the mild way causing Friedrich's eyebrows to rose in surprise by such a loud voice. Strangely, he did not find it off-putting.
Miss Sharma looked embarrassed now as she cleared her throat, 'I mean, please do not bother anyone. I am well now. I do not wish to worry my mother. It was just…'
She glanced away for a second and let out a short, nervous and breathless giggle, 'Memories of the previous season were not kind to me.'
Queen Charlotte did not go into depth about what happened last season, but given that Miss Sharma was the season's diamond, and she was left unwed until this season, Friedrich assumed it was not anything pleasant.
'I see,' he said and when she looked at him, he could not help but offer her a small supportive smile.
He did not know if his aunt or someone else told him about his own missteps the last season he attended, but even so, he hoped to share such a burden of being burnt, they could overlook them and find mutual ground, 'I, too, did not survive my previous season without some regrets.'
Miss Sharma returned his smile with a little charming one of her own, and he could once again only mentally sigh in awe at how stunning she was and how incredibly close he felt toward her at that moment almost as if their souls spoke to one another and understood each other.
'But either way, it all turned out well, I suppose. We cannot dwell on the past,' she said and looked away probably because she as well realized they were looking at each other far too long to be appropriate. Perhaps they broke enough rules for tonight.
Friedrich nodded feeling that not even he could stop his tongue now from what he said next, 'You are not wrong, Miss Sharma. Sometimes we might even be thankful for the sorrow and regret. Without it, we would not have been…here.'
In this moment
Miss Sharma's rose her dark eyes to look at him and there was a mixture of genuine wonder, worry, and hope that captivated the prince once again.
'We should return. Someone might notice we are missing,' she said slowly like she was not sure she wished to do it either, but know it was the right thing to do. Friedrich agreed that was the appropriate thing to do even if deep inside he wished they could stay here for a little longer and talk about absolutely nothing at all.
He nodded, 'I will walk you closer and then leave you to go inside first.'
Miss Sharma nodded and smiled again, 'Thank you, Your Highness.'
It could have been that, but something inside Friedrich refuse to allow him to let it. Burnt or not. A fool or not. No matter how hopeless it all could turn out to be and his pride would once again suffer he simply could not just allow this woman, this moment, and this feeling to pass.
Fight for the girl, Friedrich.
'However,' he said just as Miss Sharma was about to take her first step, 'I cannot allow you to leave without saying that the moment you enter the ballroom, I would very much so like to seek you out for a dance.'
She looked surprised. Did she genuinely believe he would not even after what just happened between them? Even after such a connection?
His heartbeat speeded up as she seemed to make her decision and carefully yet with a hint of excitement ask, 'Do you wish to court me, Your Highness?'
'Yes, very much so, Miss Sharma,' he admitted freely and felt himself for the first time since he arrived on England soil truly and freely smile. He could not stop himself. He simply could not and would not.
Her eyes shifted toward the tree and for a moment she appeared to be in thoughts again, 'You do not have to do so only because-'
'Yes, I do,' he cut her off firmer than he spoke before, 'Only a man without honor would not.'
She went to argue, he could see it behind her dark eyes, but he cut her off again not minding that it was rude for once, 'But I assure you, I would have asked for a dance either way.'
He smiled again and easily confessed, 'My aunt wrote me about you quite a lot, and I must say she was not exaggerating about your beauty. That being said, I would like to find out on my own if she was true to the depth of your kindness and honesty, and character. So far, I am nothing but pleased.'
For a moment Friedrich's smile fell as he felt a bit shy for a moment to admit, 'No matter how rude and inappropriate, when I saw you were in distress, I could not bring myself not to seek you out and help. Therefore, I hope you can forgive me for bringing you into such a situation.'
He waited. He spoke his truth and heart, and now he waited. Whatever, Miss Sharma would decide he would accept it as always, but he wished, oh, how he wished she would feel something else. A spark, a connection, something to hold on to at least for a while. He could not deny it. Something was there. Something made him feel this way, and he did not wish for it to slip between his fingers again.
Fighting this would be hopeless.
Finally, it seemed Miss Sharma made a decision again and her brown eyes revealed her joy even before she spoke, 'I think…I think it will depend on how good of a dancer you are, Your Highness,' she said and smiled far more happily than before brightening up her whole face even in the dark, 'The Queen spoke very highly about you as well.'
'Then, I believe it is settled,' he said motioning for her to start walking. He could not wait to spin her in his arms during a dance.
He matched her steps easily with a sense of excitement about the upcoming, 'Not quite.'
He looked down at her puzzled by her words and could see even if she was trying to hide it, she seemed excited about something as well, 'If you wish to court me, Your Highness, you must first talk to my sister Kate. Viscountess Bridgerton.'
Friedrich blinked wondering if there was a joke he was not in on, but he decided to play along.
He stopped and pressed his hand against his chest, 'Then, may I ask you to be so kind, Miss Sharma, and introduce us? I certainly, wish to deal with this matter in hand as quickly as possible.'
Miss Sharma watched him for a moment still smiling before she nodded looking at the ground for a second, 'As you wish, Your Highness.'
'Freddy,' he said, and Miss Sharma looked up at him again surprised, 'When we are alone, you may call me that. Rarely anyone does. Or you can call me Friedrich, but that will hardly shorten the notion.'
The young woman's smile softened, and her eyes sparked, 'In that case, it is fair if you will call me Edwina. When we are alone like this.'
They were alone. Very alone in the dark with no one looking for them. All too tempting of course, but Friedrich knew someone like the season's diamond, someone like the queen's worthy, someone like the sweet and beautiful Miss Edwina Sharma whose previous season was not the best, deserved so much better. And Friedrich was beyond willing to do whatever he could for her to achieve it.
'Very well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Edwina.'
'The pleasure's all mine, Freddy.'
The End
A.N: Hey guys, I had an idea about how Friedrich would react, so I decided to write it. I hope you like the story, thank you kindly for reading and the support :) I hope you and your loved ones are safe. Have a nice day. :)