Pixies, if you please

 

#𝟎𝟎𝟕 ¦ 𝒑𝒊𝒙𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆

"When you've ran out of words, let the flower speaks on your behalf"

ㅡ ㅡ ㅡ

"It's a final decision, Madeon. If you still consider inheriting this palace you must find your suitor immediately. And the Duchess of Vienna is your last call."

She annoyingly flips her fan and walked away from the dining room. Leaving Madeon, clutching tightly to his satin napkins. Who cares about the big ass palace, he just wants his chewed crumpets to be swallowed properly and get digested. 𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑘𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔, he still cares about his duties here, especially after the whole ordeals about his father's death. Now everyone relied on him to be the successor of that big palace. As his aunt never been successful in bearing a child. It's unfortunate, really. Now he has to do the people managing stuff. To be frankly honest that's not his Forte.

He's always been good with studies, poetry and coffee roasting, which is a noble hobby knowing that it's now the worldwide commodity. And everyone in social class are crazy about it. His hobby itself seems to be embodied deeply on his name. He's been known as the "𝐶𝑜𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑒 𝑆𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝐷𝑢𝑘𝑒". And he's quite fond of it.

And of course, his dear Madam wouldn't agree with it. She would never be impressed, unless he finally settled, find a noble lady. Get laid. And be the true landlord of the palace. And proceed to do the same thing with his cubs later on.

Madeon gets up from his table, ending his unpleasant breakfast. 𝑇𝘩𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝘩𝑖𝑠 𝑀𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑚𝑒. He stormed his way to downtown, at a moment like this, there's only one person he could talk to. Elle the florist.

𝐶𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔-

A bell rang when he stepped into the flower shop, he peeked his head in looking around for her little figure. But he found an old man instead.

"Ah, good morning, your grace. is there something I can help you with?", Otto asked as he approached the younger.

"I'm here for Gaelle, do you happen to know where she is?", asked Madeon. Eyes still looking around the flower shop. Then he looked back at the old man, a troubled look fixed on his face right now.

"W-well, it's Saturday morning, your grace. Gaelle is somewhere else, t-taking care of the flowers", Otto stuttered and it itches Madeon with suspicion.

"Where is she?", Madeon insisted. Otto looked at him and swallowed hard.

ㅡ ㅡ ㅡ

"HIYAH!"

A fierce sound of horse steps stormed into the woods as Madeon tried to remember clearly to Otto's instruction about Elle's whereabouts.

"𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑔𝘩𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝘩𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑡𝑜𝑝 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑙𝑙 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑠𝑢𝑛 𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒. 𝐸𝑙𝑙𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑟𝑒."

To think about it, it's kind of weird how he's been friends with Elle for years and haven't really seen where she lives. Well, it's not like he ever asked her about it. He always came only for flowers and advice.

Gouda, his horse shrieked as he pulled for a stop. He found the full sun cottage. Like Otto said, it's a beautiful place. Wooden cottage, with shrubs covering all around, sunlight falling directly to the dangling glowy wind-chime. Making it a lot like a perfect hideout for fairies on the tale books he used to own as a child.

Madeon stepped down from his horse, tying it on the closest tree and slowly approached the cottage. But instead of going for the front door, he's drawn to a small flowery path that leads to the back of the cottage. It's beamingly beautiful, lots of colors and scent filled his sense at once.

𝑆𝑜 𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝘩𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚. He thought to himself. His attention was stolen by layered fluffy looking red flowers. He doesn't know what it's called. When suddenly he heard something like an uttered spell and a tinkering sound after. He went to search for it and he catches the figure he was looking for. It was Elle. With hair braided up to a beautiful bundle with flowers decorating it. She looked more like a fairy today-..

"𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂 𝒏��𝒗𝒂."

𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔.

Flower blooms under the yellowish gold sprinkles coming out of the mid-air. Madeon gasps. What was that? Was his sight betray him or Elle is.. A flower breeding fairy.

𝐶𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑘

Madeon stepped on a branch as he moved back. Elle turned in shock as she found her loyal customer standing in shock also.

"Senior!"

Madeon flinched and fixed his posture, he cleared his throat trying to not be surprised at his friend who turns out to be a mythical creature.

"What are you doing here? How long have you stand there-?"

"O-oh, you saw everything didn't you?", Elle sighed judging the visible mild shock on Madeon's face.

"I- uh. Otto told me where you live. And it's an emergency. He told me he couldn't tell but I insisted so.. so I came here and you're suddenly- a.. a-", Madeon stopped his explanation rap, not sure how to properly call Elle's kind.

".. Flower breeding fairies-"

"𝑃𝑖𝑥𝑖𝑒𝑠 if you please."

ㅡ ㅡ ㅡ

"So that's how you manage to harvest even the rarest flowers outside of its season? That's impressive.. That explains the magic it brings to the palace also, making it look more alive", Said Madeon putting down his favorite rosela tea that Elle specially brewed for him.

"Yes, your grace. But it's also supported by the perfect climate of this place. So if you would, I'll be so thankful if you can keep it a secret and not banishing me from your land", Elle nervously rubbed the rim of her cup.

"What? Why would I.. I'll keep it a secret. But there's one thing you need to help me with, Gaelle", Elle sighed in relief on Madeon's statement and she leaned closer.

"What is it, my grace. I'll help you with anything if it's about flowers", said Elle in confidence.

"What flower would you give to someone you barely know but you kind of want to impress them? It's about my suitor. Duchess of Vienna", said Madeon finally.

Elle stepped back and think about any flowers that fits his description. Then something popped.

"Lavender rose? It symbolizes enchantment and love at the first sight..", Elle suggested. Madeon takes a good time think about it.

"but, if I haven't seen the person yet how can I be sure that it will be a love at the first sight? Wouldn't it sounded like a plotted love instead?", asked Madeon leaving Elle in confusion once again.

Madeon exhaled as he threw his gaze to Ellen's garden. Then he saw the layered fluffy-looking red flower he stumble across earlier.

"How about that flower?", Madeon points at the flower he met.

"Ah, that's a Red Carnation, Senior", Elle followed Madeon's gaze.

"That symbolizes admiration. It's beautiful, but not so much enchanting. It blooms along the late-spring to the summer. It also happen to be the most common flower in your land, my grace", Madeon's smile roses at the explanation Elle just give.

"well, don't you think it's perfect then?"

"huh?"

ㅡ ㅡ ㅡ

"I present you, Duchess of Vienna"

The wind blows through the last breath of the spring that year. Madeon stands peacefully on his palace's garden. Waiting for the Lady to come and give each other a fine first-impression.

"My Grace", a gentle voice reaches his earlobe. As he turned around, his eyes catched a graceful lady in a beautiful afternoon gown.

Madeon gently smiled at her and handed her a humble bouquet of Red Carnations.

"It's a Red Carnation, though it's a common flower of my land, it's worthy to be an honest symbol of my admiration, Milady. It's the flower of the season which means I welcomed you as it is, naturally, and with all I have. 𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑎 𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑒𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢."

 ---

Jakarta, 27 Februari 2021
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