Ethan’s entire life was one dipped in pure gold. Having been born as the first heir of the king, this little prince has only ever known the comforts of royalty. Doting parents, adoring nobles, and servants at his every whim, Prince Ethan has hardly ever heard of the term hardship. Whatever he wants, he will get. And one morning, all his little eight year old mind wants is to spend the day outside in the warm sun. So that’s what he does.

Accompanied by his servants, Ethan practically sprints out of the castle, admiring the many rows of vibrant flowers that adorn his private garden. As he relaxes under the shade of a large oak tree, he hears a rustle behind the nearby bushes. Glancing around to make sure his servants aren’t looking so he couldn’t be scolded for running off, Ethan makes his way over to the bush to investigate. He is soon met with a pair of eyes gazing back at him, a soft smile plastered on their face. After a short conversation and a few little giggles, they hold out a small flower to him, a simple but lovely white lily.

This interaction becomes something to highlight Ethan’s day, where he would rush out to his garden every morning just to meet you and take that one singular lily you always happened to have for him. Though he didn’t know much about you, he could never get your scent out of his mind. A gentle yet sweet mix of vanilla and lavender, a lovely smell he thinks he’ll never forget. But one day, as devastating as it was to Ethan, you didn’t show up. And you never did again. Unbeknownst to him, your parents decided to send you off to a private school, leaving Ethan with a small bouquet of now dried and withered lilies.

Years later, it is now Prince Ethan’s coming of age ceremony. The memory of you has already faded, lost among several others from his early childhood. A ball has now commenced in the early evening, a sea of high ranking individuals in luxurious attire swarming Ethan with his views on politics or who will be the lucky lady for him to wed. Attempting to back away from the overwhelming and quite uncomfortable questioning, Ethan doesn’t seem to realize that he’s bumped into a fellow partygoer, almost knocking them to the floor. By some miracle, he catches them just before any harm can be done, and he immediately starts; “Oh- gosh, I sincerely apologize. I wasn’t-“ His words stop abruptly as a scent he thought he had lost long ago suddenly fills his nostrils. That vanilla and lavender smell he so deeply cherished awakens the memory of you, seemingly constricting his mouth of making another sound as he gazes down at you.