@aulariademedici Where: Palace Gardens
Albert dipped his head in acknowledgement to the passing gaggle of ladies who hid behind their fans, hiding a smile as they dissolved into hushed whispers. Likely there were one or two of them who were out in court seeking a husband and as a bachelor of a nation tolerated well enough it was only natural they would seek him out. Any other given day he would have stopped and engaged in conversation to the best of his ability as he grappled with the differences in the languages. As it were, he simply had too much on his mind to consider such a thing with thoughts swirling through his mind. His sleep had come little the night before and the burn behind his eyes from the correspondences he had partaken in until the wee hours explained his stormy mood.
The gardens had been strongly impressed upon all the guests for their splendor rivaled that of many with elegant roses propped up by blooming poppies and goldenrod shooting forth. The cloying scent of their perfume was heavy but a welcome reprieve from his mind and prying eyes as he sought a bench to rest upon. It would be childish of him to not acknowledge the comfort that the scents brought him; perfume pressed hands brushing away his tears as his mother held him to her breast. What little it could do for his mood was quickly ruined by the sound of approaching feet and he sprang to his feet, annoyed at the approaching figure. One look at who it was had him inhaling sharply, disbelieving eyes wandering over a face he had thought, and selfishly hoped, to never see again. “Aularia?”