Thanks for the reviews! I already have a few drabble chapters for this in mind. Right now, we're still in the "innocence of childhood youth" phase. Every so often, if a drabble idea comes to me, I'll write it down. If you have ideas or if there are some scenes you'd be interested in possibly seeing, let me know! I won't make any promises that I'll write them all, but I'm interested in hearing what you think :o) Anyway, thanks again for reading.
It's Not Fair
January, 1897
He does see her again, of course. His parents have been invited to Downton for the annual New Year's hunt that Lord Grantham holds on New Year's Day. He would much rather go out with the other men than stay behind, but he's far too young, or so his mother tells him.
He watches with a frown as his father, and the other gentlemen who are attending, laugh and joke, passing brandy around in silver flasks, while showing off their latest guns or dogs. It's not fair.
"One day I will be a great hunter," Mary announces with her nose in the air. "I will shoot more birds than any man!"
"Me too! Me too!" Edith insists, but she insists on anything Mary says. Girls are stupid.
At least he's not the only boy. Patrick is there. But Patrick can be extremely dull. One day Patrick might be the Earl of Grantham, or that's what he's heard. Because of this, Patrick has to play with Mary and Edith whenever he visits, or at least that's what he tells Larry.
"Let's play hide and seek!" Patrick exclaims, trying to sound "diplomatic"—whatever that means.
Edith claps her hands at the idea. Mary rolls her eyes and mutters something about how Edith always gives other people who are hiding away.
"I don't want to play your stupid game!" he grumbles when Mary tries to tug on his hand. He leaves the room then, ignoring Patrick calling after him, and Mary shouting "you can't talk to the future Countess of Grantham like that!"
He finds solace in the only place he knows they would never go to look: the nursery.
He brings with him his new Christmas present: a case full of brightly painted toy soldiers. He'll play "War" all by himself.
She's in the nursery, but that's where babies normally are. Nanny is nowhere to be seen when he enters.
She makes a noise, but it's not a screech. He goes over to her crib, and looks down at her; she's sitting up and staring at him, her blue eyes even larger and brighter than he remembers.
She smiles.
He stares back, a little surprised.
Her pudgy fist reaches out, her eyes locked on the toy soldier that he's holding in his hand. He's even more surprised with himself when he hands the toy to her. Maybe she'll smile again?
She holds the soldier and stares at it and laughs. Larry laughs too. Babies sound funny.
His laugh disappears when she stuffs the soldier into her mouth.
"NO!" he shouts, trying to get it back before she ruins it.
"Oi, what's going on? OH MY GOD!" screams Nanny as she rushes to the crib and yanks the toy out of Sybil's mouth.
Sybil starts crying. Nanny is yelling at him. Larry is upset that there's baby spit all over his toy.
Both of his parents reprimand him later. No one is interested in hearing his explanation.
He hates that baby.