Floral Beauty

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The brothers Culpepper, Thomas the elder and his younger sibling~also Thomas, a boy of eighteen years of age~leave the cool halls of Whitehall and venture out into the warm sunshine and fragrant beauty of the East Garden. "Come, Tom...you must see this!"the older Culpepper urges as his brother follows him on the walk surrounded by all manner of colorful flora. The sweet scent of Hyacinth and blue belles fill their senses. "'Tis a long way from Maidstone, is it not?"

Young Thomas looks about, wide eyed and grinning. "I should say 'tis!... Father said I should never forget my first visit to court... the sights are grand...truly gra-"his thoughts are suddenly interrupted by a small commotion as a party of gaily dressed ladies laugh and look on in wonder at the splendor of the garden. Young Thomas' heart stops momentarily as he sees one girl stand out among them. A beauty with dark eyes and tresses framing a lovely face, fair and glowing in the sun's rays.

"Push your eyes back in your head, brother"the elder Thomas says. "Those are Ladies from the French court visiting as well... Father did warn us did he not?" Thomas hears nothing, all of his senses affixed on the splendid young lady in his sights. "She's beautiful...I must meet her, Tom"he says breathless "You'll meet the back of Father's hand if you go over there!... TOM!"The older Thomas shouts and drops his head in his hands as his younger brother wanders off toward the party of French ladies approaching nearby.

"Bonne journée, madames"Thomas says excitedly, bowing to each lady. Turning to the resplendent dark-haired beauty, he can barely speak for the knot in his throat and parched lips. "Bonjour mademoiselle, mon nom est Thomas... parlez-vous anglais?" He says embarrassed as the girls look startled at one another and giggle to themselves.

"Well I...Actually I..." He blushes and stammers, looking about as he nervously tousles his thick, dark hair before collecting his thoughts. "Actually my brother Thomas mentioned that you were ladies of the French court, that's him over there" Thomas points behind him and the other ladies crane their necks to see him. Young Thomas smiles up at her.

"My name is Thomas. Thomas Culpepper. My brother is Thomas as well, we're from Kent... we are here visiting court with our father. He collects rare items for his Majesty's pleasure...may I ask your name M' Lady?".

Thomas allows himself a laugh at his own expense. "Ney Mademoiselle, my father is Alexander... I suppose he rather fancied the name Thomas". He looks up into her eyes, so dark and deep, a man may fall headlong into them... Lost, never to be seen again... and do so willingly.

"Sienna... such a lovely name...enchanting". Thomas felt the compliment to be wholly inadequate. Her beauty, along with the splendor of the flowers and musical gurgling of the running stream nearby create an intoxicating mix that fills him with delight and stirs his desire.

"If I may be so bold mademoiselle...would you do me honour of walking with me along the path? I should like to talk a bit more, if it pleases mademoiselle, of course".

"Well, let me see..."Thomas is completely charmed, and his heart leaps as her slender arm entwines in his. "I suppose in some ways, it's not unlike France...there are lush meadows, beaches on the coast as far as the eye can see and much natural..." He again looks into her eyes, and stumbles over the word. "b, beauty... I'm from a small town called Maidstone. It's in the interior of the shire... 'tis a quiet place to be sure...sometimes too much so for my liking...what about you mademoiselle, or may I call you Sienna?...where in France are you from?"

"I see... look, over there" Thomas whispers as he points to an unusual-looking bird amid the lush flora. Sparrow-sized, yet with a light blue underbelly, green-orange wings and a vermillion crown and long black beak. "They call that bird a "shrieker"... it's quite rare for these parts...curious, it may go for months without making a sound, then at once, unexpectedly shriek loud as a banshee... or so I've heard... where is it you reside now, Sienna?"

His heart still beating fast, Thomas grew flustered, searching for the correct words to say... he pauses momentarily, bewildered and yet beguiled by her words. "I cannot say that holds true for all Englishmen, Sienna...I would never tell untruths nor make false promises to a lady, particularly one I fancy... which is not to say that I've much experience with the ladies, but I would certainly never deceive one to whom I've bestowed my affections upon." Thomas suddenly felt awkward and sheepish at his display of sentiment. "I...I am enjoying our time together...and you?".

Thomas stops and turns, smiling warmly at Sienna. "'Tis quite alright, dear Sienna, my apprehension is merely a conceit of my own eagerness... " Thomas draws his face close to hers...his eyes focusing on her full, red lips... beckoning his own with an unspoken invitation to touch, taste "... eagerness to see you again". His face draws to within a hair's breadth of Sienna's. The sweet scent of her hair, her skin fanning the flames of his passion.

"THOMAS!... THOMAS, FATHER IS WAITING, HE WISHES TO SEE US THIS INSTANT!" Thomas' elder brother appears far behind from the spot where they first commenced their walk. His hand cupped to his mouth, shouting. At once, the "shrieker" flaps it's brilliant orange and green banded wings and flies off in a dizzying spiral upward into the azure sky, letting out a piercing cry as it disappears from the confines of the garden.

Thomas freezes, snapped out of his enchantment. He takes a deep breath and turns to his brother. "TELL FATHER I SHALL BE ALONG PRESENTLY!" he shouts back and watches as his brother, a clear smirk discernible upon his face even at that distance, turns and departs. Looking back at Sienna, Thomas takes her soft, delicate hands in his. "When... when and where may I see you again, Sienna?"

Taking a moment to regain his composure from her unexpected kiss, a smile spreads slowly across Thomas' face. "Indeed... I shall write to you Sienna, daily...I fear we are to leave for Kent in just few days... are you currently residing here at Whitehall?"  

"THOMAS, FOR GOD'S SAKE HURRY, WILL YOU! FATHER IS BEING INSISTENT!" His brother once again shouts to him from the other end of the path.

"Very well Sienna" Thomas says, suddenly feeling a void within him at the thought of parting company with this charming girl and this enchanting place. I shall write you as soon as I may... and perchance~I pray~may see you again before too long". He reaches out and takes her slender hand, lifting it up to his lips as he lowers his head and dapples it with a kiss. All the while his eyes stay trained on hers and his kiss lingers longer on her fair skin than "polite" would warrant.

"THOMAS, YOU MUST COME NOW!" The elder Thomas waves his hand, exasperated.

"Farewell Sienna... 'til next we meet". Thomas reluctantly lowers and releases her hand and retreats backward. Smiling and stumbling his way back toward his elder brother as though he'd indulged in too many spirits. Ne'er moving his gaze from Sienna and thinking only of seeing her again.

Thomas squints his eyes in the dwindling twilight. His excitement was such he felt he may find the lovely mademoiselle Sienna merely by instinct alone. At last, the moon shone as an immense, glimmering crown amid the star laden indigo velvet of night, illuminating the lush garden path. At last  as he passes a full bed of red roses, nearly black in the moonlight, there she was. Nearly in the very spot he had left her what seemed like an eternity ago. The stream, comforting in it's rushing sound mingling with that of the night insects.

"Sienna?... Ah, Sienna, 'tis you!" Thomas' heart leaps, as walks briskly to her side. The cool night breeze gently blowing her dark hair across her fair face. He immediately takes her hands and clasps them in his own. Kissing them softly before looking up into her eyes.

"My darling, you've no idea how the minutes lasted as hours awaiting this moment!... I told father I needed fresh air as I was not feeling well. that seemed to satisfy him." He looks about at the simple yet elegant picnic she'd prepared. "Exquisite" He says. "You have surely outdone yourself!" Thomas smiles warmly. He brushes the black strands of hair from her full, red lips and drawing his own near, kisses her tenderly... deeply. Feeling the rush of warm elation fill his pounding heart as the garden and all surrounding them disappears.

As their lips softly part, Thomas opens his eyes in time to see Sienna's do the same. "If I may say... I was preparing the perfect words for when this moment finally came" He says, before chuckling. "...yet now that it has, I fear I've completely forgotten what I was going to say!" She shares a laugh with him as he casts his eyes downward, his face warm with blush. "To me, dearest Sienna, your kiss just now bespoke everything that need be said".

He reaches out to caress her face and they share a look of mutual love between them. "Well now... tell me, are you as famished as I?"

Thomas sits and reclines jauntily with his arm resting on his bent knee. He is pleasantly surprised to see the fare consists of French bread and cheeses. "My my!..."he says and tears a crusty rounded end off of the loaf, picking from the soft white spongy core, remarkably still warm and popping the delicious morsel in his mouth, chewing with a blissful look on his face.

"Mmmm, superb! My dear, a boy~I mean a man~can eat during almost anything!" He laughs. "Truth be told, I can't remember when last my appetite was so great".He tears another piece of bread from the loaf and slices off a small slab from one of the soft cheeses, smiling as he offers it to her.

"Were it that we could do as you've said, I should do so before the next beat of my heart... yet how could we?... frankly dear, sweet Sienna, right now I don't even wish to think about going back to Kent on the morrow... go on then, try it, after all you did take the time to prepare all of this" Thomas raises his hand up to her mouth. Again the cool night breeze sends strands of her hair aloft, and he brushes them aside his eyes searching hers.