A Stroll at Noon [Francis]

[Deleted]

    The letter that had been delivered to her home was bright red, smelled faintly of perfume, and was delicately sealed with a shimmering, gold-lined rose pressed into the flap.

Specifically, it was addressed to a Miss Lili A. Zwingli, daughter of the home, and not to either of her parents, both of whom were much better prospects were anyone to try and improve their hold on the upper class. For a moment Lili was convinced whomever had sent the letter was looking for her mother. The way the silver filigree bloomed like vines across the border, coupled with the elegant styling of the letters in her name, this envelope seemed more like an affectionate declaration than the invitation that lurked silently inside.

In contrast to the envelope, the paper upon which the letter was written was an immaculate white. There were no errors anywhere on the paper, inked or smeared or damaged, and not a single typo was to be found in the beautifully woven lines that trickled across the pristine surface. It was official. The way it was written, Lili assumed he must have had someone write for him. Everything Francis did and owned was beautiful, though, so perhaps it couldn't be too far-fetched for his handwriting to be just as gorgeous.

The envelope, which suffered minimal damage at Lili's careful hands, was placed gently upon the table under a vase of fresh daisies, and Lili read aloud to herself from the paper.

"Fair Lili," she sputtered a little. That suave, tactless man. The way he addressed people was way too much sometimes. "It would please me greatly if you would agree to this invitation. At the last party you attended I made a careful note of your admiration of my garden. If the following time suits you, would you perhaps agree to have tea with me this afternoon?"

Afternoon? This afternoon?

Lili checked the date on the letter which, while different from the date on the envelope, was nonetheless the day of delivery. Clever Francis had planned for this letter to be delivered at this exact time and adjusted his schedule accordingly. He knew that Lili would feel awful for not accepting the invitation for which things were doubtless already underway. She sighed to herself and finished the letter. "Because this is very impromptu I do not expect you to be ready. I have arranged for you to be picked up from your home and brought to mine and, yes, your father knows. I made sure this was fine with him."

Really? Really, Francis?

Sure enough, the hours that followed were greeted by a rather majestic black car which sat waiting out in the driveway for the reluctant young girl who hid behind the curtains of her room. Against her own wishes she was dressed and ready, proper and perfectly presentable for one of her family's most important friends. His efforts were... appreciated. Lovely and appreciated. She laughed to herself and pulled her hat shyly over her eyes as she exited her home, locking the door behind her. In silence she rode to Francis' home and upon her arrival she was promptly announced. The sudden spotlight and shouting of her name caused a light flush of pink to erupt on her cheeks.

If she was ever to expect anything of the Frenchman, it was that when he wanted to appear impressive he would always go all out and hold nothing back. Though his garden was extravagant the last time she saw it, she had no doubts in her mind that this time Francis had made some rather particular changes, which visitors would subtly notice and admire. It was the little details that made people swoon.

Word Count: 616

Tags: @mona

Notes: alright lets get this party started

made by MISSO for use on IoF

[Deleted]

"i could lift you up"

The notion of spending the day discussing the wonders of gardening and the beauty of nature sounded much more appealing than signing papers and sitting in a stuffy office, wasting his life away. So, of course, when the idea came to his mind duing another of his too fancy breakfasts, Francis gladly chose the former.

Without much time wasted, he weaved a letter with polite, lovely words and adressed it to the daughter of the esteemed Zwingli family. The letter was beautiful, inside and out, with a gold border, adding more notes of elegance to the paper. It held the faint scent of roses he likes so much, and Francis smiled as he sealed the envelope with a purposeful but careful touch.

When the letter was finished and prepared to leave at a moment's notice, he phoned Oliver Zwingli, Lili's father. It was Francis's intention to ensure he would have Oliver's permission to have his beloved daughter in his care for the afternoon; he was aware that as a gentleman, he should alert the parental guardians of his plans. After a few minutes of inquiring how he and Maria were doing, Francis informed Oliver of his invitation. Oliver gladly accepted, as Francis predicted -- it wasn't that the Zwinglis needed to raise their social standing, as they were quite high on the bar anyways -- but they were on good terms in the eyes of the press. Not that they weren't personally, as Francis found them to be pleasant in comparison to certain others he could name, but their private relationship was much more tentative. Regardless, it would prove to be a mistake later on if Oliver had refused to let his daughter spend an afternoon with the attorney general of all people. There was also the tempting incentive of the press starting gossip that Francis perhaps fancied the young Miss Zwingli, and although gossip was usually avoided -- the possibility was still there, and it was most people's dream their child would wed a successful public figure. Oliver was no fool.

Their call ended without a hitch, and the letter was successfully sent with no trouble. All that was left was to prepare, and wait for the hours to pass. He had the garden freshened up during the expanse of time, until it was even more lovely than before.

Soon, Francis was awaiting his darling guest to arrive with pleased anticipation, brushing one last speck of dust from his garments for the occasion. They were certainly more casual than if he were going out in public, but still proper enough for a private event. He was looking forward to this afternoon, quite honestly -- it was a time, for once, where he could perhaps allow his true persona to emerge, without having to perpetually enshroud himself with lies and false pretenses. It was a reprieve from the normal trivialities, and he welcomed it. Surely entertaining a guest he had specifically chosen to invite for a particular purpose would be much more enlightening than entertaining a crowd of superficial people Francis didn't really care much for.

Checking the great grandfather clock standing proudly in the hall, the hands read that it was nearly time for his guest to arrive. He stood at the top of the spectacular staircase in the very center, ready to greet Miss Lili Zwingli.

The doors were flung open with bravado, and Lili's name announced for all the hear. It was very regal, Francis thought, and he strode down the steps.

"Good afternoon, dear Lili," Francis stopped in front of her and bowed gracefully, taking her hand and kissing it. He looked up at her, offering his most charming smile, "Thank you for joining me today. I trust your trip was comfortable?"

electric has gangnam style

[Deleted]

    Francis, you adorable idiot.

Wiping the blush from her cheeks, Lili quietly and shyly entered into the arena and was met by none other than Francis Bonnefoy. One of her father's closest friends... one of his more desired suitors for his daughter.

Oh yes, she knew his motives. She was not pleased with the fact Oliver Zwingli sought to run her life for her, especially in regards to whom she shall marry. Arranged marriages were popular in the centuries past when the blood of a family needed to maintain a certain kind of purity in order to be considered of high blood. Families haven't needed to do that for centuries. Marrying a politician would do nothing for Lili in the long run, especially not with her plans for the future.

Francis greeted her loudly and joyfully. Heaving an exasperated sigh as Francis bounded closer, she bowed towards him slightly and put on her best smile as he took her hand gently and kissed it. He flashed her a polite but suave grin when he looked back up at her, still bowing.

Sometimes her father's motives were suspicious, but what she could not deny was that Francis was a beautiful man, and she'd be lying if she said his smile was not handsome. The gestures he gave, whether they were genuine or not, were appreciated and very much impeccable. That slight tinge of pink that had disappeared resurfaced again with a vengeance, which she masked with a small laugh.

"Thank you for joining me today. I trust your trip was comfortable?" Francis stood up straight, finally, and looked down at her proudly. It was all so formal, she was relieved she went with her first choice in clothing and picked the most elegant of her dresses, which was a light sky-blue with white flecks peppering the hems like the foam of the sea.

"The pleasure's mine, truly." She spoke as politely as possible. It was not a lie, she did love being at his home. It was pleasant and quiet, his gardens and yards were kept beautifully. He treated her like a princess, while Vater seemed to see her more as a commodity. Funny how that still happened in this day and age. "I'm not sure how you managed but the seats in your car are softer than the mattress of my bed! I'm almost jealous."

"You're probably the one man in the whole of Archadia whom my father trusts to have me when he isn't around." Lili pointed out, her expression displaying a very subtle hint of slyness. "How did you manage that, I wonder? It's not easy, especially considering, oh... how long as the family known you, again?" Not long enough. There's no way anyone could know Oliver or Maria long enough for that, it simply was not ever done. "You've done well for yourself nonetheless, but I'll have you know such spontaneous visits are no way to woo a woman. ... But I do thank you for the invitation. Home is lonely when everyone is gone."

Word Count: 487

Tags: @mona

Notes: alright lets get this party started

made by MISSO for use on IoF

[Deleted]

"i could show you what you want to see"

Lili's skills of perception were duly noted. They weren't something to be reckoned with without anticipating some sort of reprecussion in return for attempting to fool her. It was almost embarrassing, that Oliver's so called “brilliant” scheme was so easily seen through. Yet Francis was not really surprised; Lili was quite aware of her father's dirty work and his eager planning for what was her future – not his. It was clear enough to him she didn't approve.

It was reminiscent of how Francis felt around his father – no, he wouldn't start thinking about such nightmares now. He respected Lili and her want and need for independence of her own; he understood it well enough on his own personal level. It was something undervalued by parents – now appearing to be part of a ridiculous pattern, it seemed – a common mistake, but one that's not so easily forgiven. It's easy enough to stir up resentment towards parental figures, and the idea of rebellion becomes something lovely and tempting. Similar in notion to what the government was to the general population it oversaw; foreboding, strict, and seemingly impossible to win against. And yet, the people refused to be silenced – they made movements of their own, rebelling against their oppressors. Really, it was something beautiful to witness.

”I have known your family well enough for your father to approve of my company,” Francis said, his smile never leaving his face. He held out his arm for her to accept – he would continue to be a gentleman, despite being in the privacy of his home; it was important to treat guests with the respect they deserved. ”I am well aware. Do not worry, chéri, this is only the beginning of the courting process; you will see soon enough~.”

He kept the tone of the conversation light, drawing away from the much more heavy intent Lili was hinting at. She was being anything but subtle, something Francis couldn't help but find just a little bit ironic. She had just barely told him he was going about it all wrong to woo a woman; which Francis may have only recently been having more personal time to practice, but he did take pride in his tactics. They were to play their respective idealistic social parts perfectly for now – only later would they be able to perhaps genuinely let their walls down to be themselves, when there was actual trust between them. But that was never going to happen until Francis could gain Lili's acceptance; he highly doubted it at this point in time, and could predict it was going to be a long process. Until the time came, however, this was how it was going to be; Francis was confident Lili would be able to read her cues just right.

”I am honored to be able to help remedy your boredom. But, dear Lili, I must wonder – how ladylike is it to be so direct?” He paused for a moment, cerulean eyes meeting her lovely green ones, playfully teasing. He didn't want to lose her favor by pushing too much – that just wouldn't do. He would remain tentative; starting up a small game, he was simply testing the waters, as the saying went.

electric has gangnam style

[Deleted]

    Was she proud of herself for the way she was speaking? Eh, no. Not really. It was terribly unlady-like and uncalled for. Francis wasn't an awful man and must only be going along with this plan because Oliver would throw a fit otherwise. Lili supposed it could be worse. There were much older men out there for whom he could be lobbying. Francis was at least gentle, he didn't push anything on her, and took her consent serious. Lili dare not think about what other things Oliver's friends might do in their spare time. A girl like her might appear to be quite the prize with her looks and wealth.

Yet, perhaps it could be said that she felt comfortable speaking in such a way to Francis because he seemed to find it funny, and not insulting. It was almost a joke. Her casual, unwarranted rebellion against her Father's wishes was a joke-- no, that one didn't sound too appealing. She didn't want to think of her voicing her displeasure as being a joke to someone else, who would not take her seriously on the basis that she was a little girl with no real opinions to speak for. No... Francis seemed to believe that she was opposite that, and pitied the state she was in. He avoided the subject if it was ever brought up, preferring conversation that would cheer her up.

”I am well aware. Do not worry, chéri, this is only the beginning of the courting process; you will see soon enough~.” He sang back as she took her arm courteously - her unhappy sarcasm was simply her voicing her displeasure at being expected to do this, but nonetheless she was going to still (try) to be a lady. Her heart fell at that comment, though. The beginning. There would be more she would be expected to put up with, if not from Francis than from someone else, and father's other friends weren't nearly as kind.

Fighting wasn't going to make this any easier... and she should be used to it by now, but she never was. Were she younger she might have gone along with this but there was still so much she wanted to go out and do and her father expected her to throw all that way for a marriage that would benefit him. What did he expect her to do? Go along with it blindly? This wasn't the Middle Ages anymore. This was far beyond that time period and quite frankly, matchmaking and marriage only works with both parties consent, especially if one party happened to be Lili Zwingli.

”I am honored to be able to help remedy your boredom. But, dear Lili, I must wonder – how ladylike is it to be so direct?” He questioned as he lead her into the garden, towards whatever he might have planned for her.

She laughed somewhat, covering her mouth. "Not at all, you just caught me in an unforgiving mood."

She shouldn't be taking it out on Francis, though, and replied with a small sigh and a mumbled apology for all her rudeness. "Making him happy doesn't get any easier," she confided. "I'm running out of the willpower I need to keep telling him no, so forgive me for defaulting that anger to you."

Word Count: 549

Tags: @mona

Notes: alright lets get this party started

made by MISSO for use on IoF

[Deleted]

"And take you where you wanna be"

The way to the garden wasn't a particularly long one, but Francis decided to take his time today. It wasn't necessarily gentlemanly to dawdle as he was doing, but it was just barely noon. They had the entire afternoon to spend to themselves – they might as well enjoy it as a luxurious one, and let it flow as it wanted to, rather than trying to contain it within a strict time frame. It was much more enjoyable sometimes to simple relax and be content with the comfortableness of the sun on a nice day, and the curtains were drawn to show the perfect blueness of the sky. The warmth was addicting when it was just right, sometimes, and it felt lovely to just appreciate the rays they received in Archadia when they did, as they seemed to be quite rare.

The corridors were just as large as he remembers, as he walked down them for the nth time in his life, but today Francis wasn't alone. The feeling of solitude he always felt when stepping through the isolated halls had dissipated; he no longer felt its pressing silence heavily upon his wearied shoulders. It was pleasant, and he relished having the company, regardless of the circumstances. He would admit it – he was just a bit lonely, living without anyone else. Being such a social person and thriving on others' presence and words, Francis was lacking the comfort he needed to allow himself some small part of happiness.

"Not at all, you just caught me in an unforgiving mood.” Her laugh was something lovely; there simply wasn't any other word that could describe it. Francis glanced at her fondly, appreciative of her honesty, and how elegant it was – she was most certainly a lady, but there had never been reason to doubt it. A quiet but audible “I'm sorry” could be heard, and he merely chuckled in response. "Making him happy doesn't get any easier. I'm running out of the willpower I need to keep telling him no, so forgive me for defaulting that anger to you."

”I understand completely, my dear. Parents – fathers, in particular – seem to have a most horrible need to control their child's life,” Francis sighed all too knowingly, entirely truthful. He sympathized with her, but it was nice to see Lili blossoming into the genuine, beautiful flower that he knew she was. The conversation was starting to become more easier, personal, and a lot less than like a business meeting, which was a relief. It was flowing now with ease, he noticed. She was starting to open up to him. In return, he would do the same for her. He offered a cheerful smile. ”I do not mind! I am happy to be here for you whenever you need it – and not as the man who is courting you; I will be here as Francis, your friend. I hope that is agreeable with you.”

electric has gangnam style

[Deleted]

    Friend. That was agreeable, yes. She felt much more comfortable around Francis when they could simply be friends. Being expected by family to allow this man to court her, being expected to one day agree to marriage… no, she could not. That kind of control was not something she could approve of. Francis was nice enough on his own, a very kind and considerate man who had a beautiful heart and was simply being strung along into something he did not want – just like her. Perhaps in that regard they could bond over a common misfortune. Unbeknownst to her, however, they had a lot more in common than she dared to imagine.

This walk to his garden did absolute wonders for her mood. She’d come to his home entirely expecting to be “swept” off her feet unwillingly, but to think such things of Francis, she now realized, was uncalled for. Her mood, which was sour upon arriving, finally smoothed over and she was back to her normal self, enjoying the view and enjoying the company. She responded to his words with a sincere smile. “If I were still, I don’t know… ten? I could understand. I’m eighteen now, you know. I should be learning to get out into the world! I should be preparing for college, getting ready to move out.” That was what normal girls did. Marriage? No!

Dating wasn’t even allowed when she was growing up. Something about teenage boys being terrible, horrible influences that would ruin her completely. And then, suddenly, she was being forced to meet older men with the intention of settling down when she had a life she wanted to live. Marriage, someday, when she found someone she could love and live with. Now was not the time, there was so much she wanted to do, places she wanted to go! She’d never even been outside Archadia, much less the country itself.

“I’m counting on you to directly avoid and ignore my father’s orders.” She resumed speaking, pleased with the fact the atmosphere was more breathable. “In this world, I need companions I can trust. It’s bad enough that I can’t really count on my own family right now.”

A sad truth. Her mother was almost never around, but judging from how she seemed to dote on Lili when the girl was but a lass, she could assume that Maria would be less controlling. If the opposite would have been true – no control at all, allowing Lili free reign, to learn from debilitating errors – then Lili was truly in a lose/lose situation in which both extremes were entirely possible.

“I just wonder how long we can keep up faking like this before Oliver changes targets to someone else.” Lili said, sighing heavily. “Someone less kind, someone pushier and less respectful.” Dare she imagine such a day?

Word Count: 478

Tags: @mona

Notes: alright lets get this party started

made by MISSO for use on IoF

[Deleted]

"You could be my luck, Even if the sky is falling down"

He could feel the change in the atmosphere between them once they reached his beloved garden. Lili immediately brightened, being surrounded by the flowers and the greenery, and Francis was pleased to see that she enjoyed visiting this particular place so much. Her name was very fitting for her and her love of gardening, and that was the one thing Francis would perhaps give Oliver credit for.

“If I were still, I don’t know… ten? I could understand. I’m eighteen now, you know. I should be learning to get out into the world! I should be preparing for college, getting ready to move out.” He nodded along with her words, sympathetic. Yes, that was exactly what she should be doing; growing up as a normal girl, living an ordinary life. Just because she was born to the Zwingli family didn't mean that she should have a life planned out for her forced down her throat and making her choke on it. That was a prime example of horrible parenting; something that seemed more common than not, around these parts.

“I’m counting on you to directly avoid and ignore my father’s orders. In this world, I need companions I can trust. It’s bad enough that I can’t really count on my own family right now.”

It was difficult to be in such a position for the both of them, but particularly for Lili. There was an age difference of eight years between them; it was blatantly obvious that Oliver was trying to set her up with an older, wealthy man -- one with power and authority. Francis was all of the above, but that didn't mean that Lili should be obliged to endure such an old-fashioned tradition that was most certainly out of date.

“I just wonder how long we can keep up faking like this before Oliver changes targets to someone else. Someone less kind, someone pushier and less respectful.”

He smiled, and leaned down to press a quick kiss to her temple, addressing her first concerns "Of course, ma cheri! I am your ally, friend, and whatever you wish me to be," Francis vowed, "not who your father wants me to be, but who you want me to be. I understand how frustrating family dilemmas like this can be, but you should know -- I will always be here for you." He paused, debating. "My family was not that different from yours, when they were still alive."

It was a topic Francis wasn't sure he truly wanted to broach, but it was something that would maybe help Lili's unease with her predicament. If she inquired further information, he would be willing to discuss it with her. For now, he would leave it with a tentative opening.

He frowned, brow creasing at her words. It was a valid point, honestly. If things didn't seem like they were moving fast enough, it was more likely than not that Oliver would cut ties and move onto someone else in order to get Lili married as soon as possible. "If we would like to continue this charade, we may have to, euh, as they say... step up our game." The phrase felt awkward rolling off of his tongue, but it was the most fitting saying right now.

electric has gangnam style