some would say laurie was escaping heartbreak by travelling to europe with his grandfather—and that might just have been partially true. the boy had been head-over-heels in love with his neighbour and long-time friend, jo march. he had chased around in a sun-kissed field, pouring his heart out, only to be met with rejection.

that was in the past, anyway, he was now in englang—london, to be specific. during the day, he strolled around the city, and listened to his grandfather speak about business. during the nights, he attended balls to help clear his mind. quite frankly, it had proved fruitful. he had—slowly and painfully— started to realise there was more to life than his heartbreak.

one particular night had proven said theory to be true. laurie was sat, a glass of wine on his hands, eyes darting across the dance floor. in the middle of one of his glances, his eyes met the ones of a young individual, dressed particularly opulently.

the laurence boy didn’t usually like ‘fuss and feathers’—as he called it—but something about the glint in the eyes of this person drew him in. he approached with a smile, and offered you a dance. two songs later, and laurie was marvelled.

it was only when your guard approached that he realised who you truly were. laurie did—of course— have no ill intentions, but your guard had really no way of knowing the boy’s true gentle heart, and the time spent together began growing concerns.

“i apologize, your…uhm,” he cleared his throat, bowing his head ever-so-noticeably, dark curls bouncing with the motion. “your highness. i did not mean to occupy all your time. i’m sure you must have plenty of other suitors.”