It was an infuriating carriage ride to the lakeside. Tyrian spent the first few minutes of it slowly eating his apple. He was sitting across Soliel and she did her best to avoid eye contact. Once he’d finished the apple however he decided to take his thumb and bring it carefully to his lips. He sucked it void of any of the apple’s nectar and smirked. It was subtle but of course Soliel caught it. He was mocking her. Her only saving grace was Madeline. The young girl was the only voice in the carriage.
“When we get to the lake, we have to play in the water with this ball. I learnt a game in Italy last summer and I have been dying to show Soliel but she refuses to get in the water.” She rambled on. “Lord Boudreaux, you will make sure she gets in the water, won’t you?” Madeline batted her eyes. Tyrian looked from Madeline to Soliel.
“I will certainly try, though I remain uncertain that anyone could make your sister do anything she doesn’t want to.” Soliel looked up at him in surprise.
“Are you calling me stubborn sir?” Tyrian shrugged.
“If not also opinionated.” Soliel’s mouth fell open.
“He’s right Soul, Jaqueline says suitors don’t like opinionated young ladies.” Tyrian frowned.
“Who is this Jaqueline?” He asked.
“She’s a friend of Madeline’s from etiquette class.” Soliel did her best not to turn her eyes in her head.
“Well, I’ll have you know your sister’s opinionated and stubborn nature are my favorite things about her.” Soliel’s eyes widened in surprise. The carriage stopped moving and Tyrian looked out the window. We're here. My family owns a cottage down this path. There are changing rooms there.” Tyrian stepped out of the carriage first; he helped Madeline step down, then Nan, and lastly Soliel.
“Did you mean that?” She whispered to him.
“Mean what?”
“What you said to Madeline, about my being stubborn and opinionated?”
“Of course,” he whispered back, “you are one of the most stubborn people I know.” Soliel shook her head as he walked up ahead to guide them towards the cottage. Tyrian Boudreaux may very well be her end.
Thanks to Madeline’s rushing, everyone was dressed for the water and outside rather quickly. Tyrian had finished getting dressed first and could hear the young girl complaining rather loudly upstairs in the cabin for everyone to make haste. He stood with the front door to the cabin open so he could feel the breeze against his lower legs. He was dressed in black trousers that stopped mid calf and a mid-sleeve black shirt. Madeline bounced down the stairs, exasperated. She was dressed in a light blue bathing gown. It stopped at her ankles and had a white frilly collar.
“You look beautiful Madeline.” She beamed at him.
“This one is new and from Paris.” She told him, spinning around.
“Madeline, mother said not to boast.” Soliel's voice rang clear from the top of the stairs. Tyrian looked up at her and froze. She was standing atop the stairs in a petal pink gown with puff sleeves. The gown clung to her upper torso and flared out at her hips. It fell to tea length, just barely revealing the lace cuff on her bloomers beneath. Her feet were wrapped in felt bathing slippers in the same pink color. Ribbon laced the slippers in place and cascaded up her ankle to a neat bow. A white sun hat covered her curls and a light bag rested on her forearm. She took careful steps down to meet them both. The ribbon her hat flowed freely behind her as she moved.
“Lord Boudreaux, doesn’t Soliel look amazing? Her’s is from Paris too.” Tyrian’s mouth was dry as he swallowed.
“I..um yes, of course.” He averted his eyes. Soliel reached them at the bottom of the stairs and gestured downward.
“You think it’s alright? I wasn’t sure, I don’t frequent swimwear.” He cleared his throat.
“It’s...suitable. He said and a gust of wind knocked her hat to the floor. Tyrian retrieved it.
“Thank you, I’ll have to be more weary of the wind today.” He placed the hat in her delicate hands and she held it in front of her. His eyes traced the lace collar of her dress.
“Think nothing of it.” Nan came down the stairs last in a simple black bathing down and bonnet.
Bigsley who arrived in a separate carriage with their luggage stood outside holding a picnic basket.
“Lord Boudreaux where would you like me to set this up for you?” Biglsey asked politely.
“I think there is some shade under that tree,” Tyrian pointed toward the lake “that seems like a perfect spot.”
“Lets go get in the water!” Madeline called back toward them, she was already halfway down the walk.
“I think I’m going to sit in the shade awhile!” Soliel held up a book for Madeline to see.
“Oh no! Soul you said you would get in the water!” The younger girl whined standing at the lake’s edge. Soliel walked toward her with Tyrian.
“I will, I just want to finish this chapter!” Tyrian looked at her with a raised brow. “What?”
“Then I shall sit with you.”
“Do not stay on my account.”
“‘tis only a chapter, besides I invited you here for your company.” Soliel blushed. Soliel looked out to see Madeline already in the water with Nan.
“You’re going to make me swim aren’t you.” She said, eyes returning to Tyrian.
“‘Tis why we came.” She sighed.
“In that case, I shall come now, lest this be done quickly.” She placed her book in her bag down by the tree.
“‘Tis the spirit.” Tyrian said and led her down to the water.
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When Soliel was five years old Nania took her down to the beach to play in the sand whilst the Duke and Duchess were away on holiday. She made these trips with Nania all summer, wading her feet in the shallow end of the water where she could stand. It was about midway through summer when the Baroness’s maid, Latca, brought a young Jaques Deveaux along down to join them.
“Soul look at this!” Jaques screamed down the beach as he did a cartwheel. “Did you see?” Soliel looked up from her sandcastle.
“I saw! I can do that too!” She exclaimed and stood to go over and show him. When she reached him however, he had a frown on his face.
“No you can not.” He told her.
“Yes I can. ‘Tis not so hard.” She said and stood back in the water a bit to leave room. The tide was low and the waves would wash in just up to her ankles and pull away.
“No you can’t. I am eleven and you are four so I can do things you can not do.” Soliel was upset with him.
“You can not tell me what to do Jaques. I can do a cartwheel, I shall prove it!” Soliel took a deep breath and threw her body to the right. When her hand hit the sand however, Jaques ran up and pushed her. She felt his hands hit her abdomen and loss balance.
“See, I told you. You can not do it.” Tears built in Soliel's eyes.
“You pushed me!”
“I did not!” Jaques screamed back.
“Yes you did, Jaques and I’m going to tell Nania.” Soliel went to step around him when he pushed her back again. The waves crashed on the shore as she fell and when they pulled back out to sea they brought Soliel with them. There was a blood curdling scream that escaped Soliel’s lungs before her head went under water.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
“Lady Markisean?” Soliel?” Tyrian’s voice echoed from beside her.
“Hmm?”
“Dost I have thy attention?” Soliel smiled apologetically.
“My apologies, my mind escaped me.”
“I’m going to go in the water about waist high, where you should be able to stand.” Soliel stood at the lake’s edge looking into the water.
“Perhaps, I’ll try another day.” She said, taking a step away from the water. Tyrian looked at her with concern.
“Soliel, on my life, I shall not let you drown.” Soliel looked into his eyes, they seemed so honest and kind.
“I don’t believe I am able.” Tyrian smirked.
“If I am able, then you are more than capable.” He stated this to her as though it were a fact. “Doust thou trust me?” He extended a hand.
“Even that some people try deceived me many times… I will not fail to believe that somewhere, someone deserves my trust.” She said, before taking his hand and stepping into the water.
“Aristotle?” Tyrian asked. She gave him a curt nod still not entirely sure of her decision. “I shall not let go, you have my word.” Soliel took a deep breath and let Tyrian guide her further into the lake. When the water hit her waist he stopped walking and turned to look upon her. “You’re shaking.”
“Is that so?” She said, thinking of the way the water could fill her lungs.
“You needn’t push yourself. I apologize if you feel otherwise.”
“No, ‘tis fine. I just need to leave.” Tyrian watched her face, her mind was elsewhere as she spoke.
“Come…” He said, taking a few steps back toward the shore. She didn’t move. “Soliel?”
“I can’t.” She whispered. “I can’t move.” There were tears in her eyes. Tyrian stepped behind her and placed a hand at the small of her back.
“Forgive my closeness, Lady Markisean.” He said, before he scooped her into his arms. He carried her above the water like a princess and did not put her down until he was far away from the lake back at the tree. “Bigsley, a towel?” Tyrian wrapped the towel around Soliel’s shoulders. She pulled it closer with shaking hands. “Soliel, please, won’t you grace me with your voice?” Her eyes focused and she looked upon him.
“We’re not in the water.”
“No.” She took a breath.
“My sincerest apologies, I thought-”
“‘Tis I who should apologize. I should’ve taken notice sooner.” Tyrian held her hand. “May I ask, what makes you fear the water so?”
“When I was five, Nan took me down to the beach and I was washed out to sea by a wave. I drowned. They tell me my heart stopped. Nan wouldn’t give up you know? She kept trying to get the water out of my lungs. I owe her my life.”
“I understand. Then I am in debt to her as well. For without her, I would not have been graced with a chance to know you.” Soliel blushed.
“You are too kind Lord Boudreaux.”
“Tyrian. Please Soliel, call me Tyrian.”
“I thought you preferred-”
“‘Twas before, I do believe that by now we can be looked upon as friends.” Tyrian said and she smiled.
“Friends...yes. Thank you for carrying me out of the water, Tyrian.”
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