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The Slipper And The Lily
Chapter 7-Pretty As A Picture
Edward despises the idea of this ball he really does. But at the same time...he really does want his little sister to be happy. In which we look at The Prince and his feelings/history with John and Lilianna.
He hates this.
He hates this, he hates this, he hates this.
Ow!
Damn tailors. On his best day he's a Prince and not a pincushion. This is not his best day.
Ducking out from being forced into another overcoat he sighs.
Oh he wants to die!
Alright he is being a bit dramatic but still he hates this, a bride finding ball. God how odious.
He storms off. He needs a good ride. Well...he needs a good something else to but Edward cannot get that without their being the most dreadful fuss so he stomps down to the stables and then...
Lili...
She's there chatting with one of the stable hands sitting on the fence giggling away as if there is nothing to stop her or ruin her day. Her hair is pushed down her back and she's swinging her legs a little and sat in a way that means her gown is sure to be stained and the boy she is talking too is looking at her like she hangs the moon. Edward sighs. He wishes he had someone to look at like that, he thinks he knows the signs though.
Perfect.
John had been roped into being the dancing masters assistant for this afternoon. If you want Edwards opinion it's a complete excuse to feel up Lady Caroline. If you think John is shameless...well...Edward is beginning to think she is worse. Naturally he wants to help as well, just because he is miserable doesn't mean that everyone else has to be.
He sighs and ducks into the stable and slides down the wall, for all the world he would sleep away his days here where there is very little to disturb him but he cannot.
But he can pass the time while he can.
He picks up some straw and twirls it around.
John had been found for him when he was a teenager. Edward had been desperate utterly desperate for some company of his own, his Uncle, Montague's father had found him, he'd been the complete opposite of his son, had been strong enough to lead armies but had been a complete well...let's just say that he had never had the taste in woman that his son had. Edward knew that there were several impolite words and also downright rude words for his Uncle but he had never bothered with them. They had, had their son and then he had retired to his chambers in the company of a lifelong servant of the male sex and his Aunt had done the same with her favourite lady in waiting. For all that it wasn't said Edward had to concede that they had, had a very happy marriage being the best of friends, doting parents and nothing more.
With John though had come his sister. That had been the main reason he suspected. His Uncle was a notorious soft touch and he was a solider. John's father had been on more than one campaign and his Uncle had been a stickler for looking after his men.
"Remember Edward" he had always said. "Your men are the most important thing. Take good care of your soldiers wives and children and they will take care of you, that's how a good king breeds loyalty."
So with John and a girl at his side thin faced and small there had been a friendship born to a brothership. He'd never had a brother, John was the closest thing he had and he loved him for it.
And Lili...well...she was his sister, Lilibet, his little sister.
Who was currently chatting up a boy.
Wonderful.
Edward sighed. He was not going to be able to stay here hidden away for much longer as much as he wanted to, there was a reality here that his presence could not be hidden. Where the Prince went there was a crowd of people and it came to the point. He sighed brushing straw of his pants, gave the horse a nice pat and then stepped out to see Lili coming out of the stables her cheeks pink.
"Oh" she said stopping dead. "Your Royal Highness"
"Hello Lili" he said glumly. "How've you been"
"Eh I was just—"
"Hey Lil" came a voice and he turned to see the stable boy coming out of the bunkhouse. For a second the three of them stood there and then the kid garbled something that might have been a hello and dropped into such a low bow it was likely to throw him into a hunchback.
"Hello Glenn" Lili said with a strain in her voice. "Eh you remember his Royal Highness"
Oh God.
"Lili please. I don't need the introduction. Glenn is it?"
The kid...and he was a kid wasn't he? did some jerky little boy again.
"Can you make sure that my horse is ready to go? I need to do some jumping, ask them to put something in the jousting arena for me I really do need to hit the shit out of something"
Perhaps it was unprincely to swear—his mother had always said that but right now he didn't care. He was tired and cranky and he was sure he had a pin up his ass somewhere and not in the metaphor kind of way.
The kid nodded and then scarpered off bowing and nearly breaking his own neck tripping on his feet on the way out. Edward watched him go and turned to Lili who was also watching him go but with another look on her face that he did not like at all.
Ugh.
"Really?"
She turned to look at him and shrugged.
"This whole feelings things are confusing" she said finally.
"Indeed"
"I thought Sire you were getting fitted today?"
"I thought you were getting dancing lessons today?"
She snorted.
"I won't get a look in" she said in that shockingly informal way she was with him that he loved her for. "Half of them think John is the most handsome man alive, believe me they will insist he does about three dances with each one. I do hope you don't have anything too strenuous planned for this afternoon I fear he shall not be able to walk"
Edward had a sudden image of that and had to hide his smirk.
"Funny" he complimented at the image.
There was a pause and then.
"So...feelings huh?"
She sighed.
"Have you ever liked someone and then someone else comes along and completely changes your mind"
The truth was no but that wasn't what a teenage girl wanted to hear, Edward might not know much about the female heart but he did know that.
"Sometimes" he said. "Why?"
"I just...Flynn you know he's the son of the Prime Minister he...he told me that he liked me and I was doing great liking him back at Christmas but now...now he looks at me like he wants to eat me and I don't like that, I am not saying I would do anything to put shame on your or John or myself!" she added looking rather worried. "But I don't like it and Glenn...I know nothing can happen with him due to my position but he's just so easy to talk to"
Edward stared. He made a mental note to have this Flynn boy shipped off somewhere. He did not know what she meant by eating alive but he knew he didn't like it. John he was quite sure would go apoplectic with rage.
He slung an arm around her shoulder.
"Well you still have me, I trust you are saving me a dance"
She turned to look at him shocked.
"Princes don't dance with me"
"Well this one does. I want at least one"
She smiled at him.
"Thanks"
"And I am sure you will be the best one there"
"You're only saying that because you are John's employer"
"I am saying that because it's true" he said tapping her chin with a finger like he had done when he was little.
She smiled at him and he hugged her closer propriety be damned. Not even the guttersnipes would dare to say that there was something inappropriate about his relationship with Lilibet.
There was a pause and then.
"Sire?"
"Yes"
"John"
He turned to see John limping towards them.
"Just got out" he said bowing and wincing as the pain shoved up his back. "Major Domo says your package has arrived. He was looking very funny Sire I have to say"
"Have you ordered something scandalous?"
"Lilianna you don't ask the Prince that question!"
But he was laughing and he jerked his head so that the two of them followed him both of them bickering softly as Lili banged her boots on the wooden stairs and John bemoaned that Lady Jacqueline had utterly undone his back.
The dress was spread out on his bed.
It was blue, a perfect sky blue and according to Lady Caroline (who had been most helpful) it was the latest fashion, there were blue hair clips of gold and aqua stones and a pair of shoes.
John stared at him.
"I know you hated the idea of a ball Sire but surely this is going a bit too far?"
Edward rolled his eyes.
"It's not for me"
He jerked his head at Lili and then.
"For you"
John stopped dead. Lili stopped dead and the two of them turned to look at him identical looks of shock on their face the sibling connection between the two of them prominent in a way it had never been before.
"What?"
"Sire I can provide—"
"I know you can" he said to John whose pride he knew was up. "I know it's just..." he looked at Lili and shrugged.
"One of us should enjoy ourselves"
Lili stared at him and then.
"This is for me"
"Yes"
"This is...this is for me?"
"Yes"
She turned to look back at the dress and then.
"I asked and I was told this was the right colour and the latest fashion and—"
"It's perfect" she said wondrously. "It's...I don't...I don't know what to say I don't...I didn't mind going in my green gown—"
"Well...I wanted you to look nice when I took you on the dance floor"
She looked at him big eyes in her face that were slowly overbright and then...
She flung her arms around his middle and he laughed at the strength of it.
"Oh thank you!"
He laughed and knew what it was to love something utterly pure and innocent.
"Go and try it on then, you can be pinned in like a butterfly on a board, saves me the trouble"
She jumped up and down and took the dress and ducked into his anti chamber. John watched her go and then turned.
"Sire—"
"She's my sister" he said to his brother. "She's like my sister John, I love her like my sister. Please...let me have this, let me do this"
John looked at him and then.
"I cannot repay you"
"I don't want you too."
John bit his lip.
"John" Edward said clapping him on the shoulder. "Please let me do this"
For a second the two of them stared and then.
"Alright" John said with a grin. "Alright but I warn you on your head be it"
Edward shrugged. His father used that threat whenever he refused to marry someone. He was well used to it by now.
"By the way" he muttered out of the corner of his mouth as John let him slide an arm around his back in a sideways hug.
"We need to have a word with the Prime Ministers son"
"Why?" John asked turning to look at him and frowning.
Edward looked at the door where the thing they loved the most was getting ready for her first ever ball, thought about what she had said and smiled grimly.
"Well...let me tell you what she told me..."
And there you go.
Next Chapter-The Ball Part 1.