Work Text:
Simon stared into the garden, the place that was your safe haven. the place where you started your day and strolled about, admired and translated into paintings where you carefully recreated the beauty that you saw. the mask of indifference that you wear towards him now, were there things that you saw in him that you thought were beautiful? before he crushed and trampled over your heart with his carelessness, only to hope that love could sprout once again from the hurt that he caused.
there was a time where you would bring in different flowers, that his office could have more life between the pages of work being turned. the only sign of time passing being the sun at different points of the day, the work seemed to be never ending. a king can only delegate so much after all. and yet, he breathes in the stale air and can only think of you. this office wouldn't be so stifling if it just had a touch of you in the space.
what does one gift to a queen, someone who is one of the most powerful people within the land? the only thing that you seemed to wish for was for him to go away, but there was no way that he could grant that. jewels felt so insincere, especially when there are so many different options and parts. how could he ever pick something that was suited to your tastes when you could barely stand to be in the same room as him? what was your favorite metal? your favorite jewel? he didn't even know what your favorite color was.
he stared at a rose bush nearby, watching as the plant was rustled by the passing wind. petals softly rustled away from the bud, floating away. you spent so much time within the garden, caring and tending for the garden on your own. what was your favorite flower within these walls? he had no doubt that you put love in care into every plant that you saw to, yet is there one that you were fond of? that always caught your eye, in the sea of petals and colors that come from the natural world. he wishes that he could know what your preferences were, that he could know enough to cater the world to what you deserve. yet, all he can do is wait and hope that maybe one day you can brush aside the mask of indifference and show him your heart underneath.
a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, pulling his gaze away from the view that make him think of you.
"your majesty, pardon the intrusion. your request is here, where would you it to be placed?" you didn't want to give him an inch, and he understands why. the passive disinterest in your eyes have grown over a long period of time with his actions. and he hopes that one day he can see a spark in them, the sight must be more beautiful then he could imagine.
"give it here. where is the queen currently?" Simon had recently met with some merchants from a far away land. one of the merchants mentioned that the things that he could bring from his lands were plants, much different then ones that he has seen. he requested a bouquet for the queen after seeing a picture of them, the petals reminding him of the colors of your eyes. and yet, it took some time for it to get here until now.
"from what i last heard, the queen is scheduled to have her lunch brought into her office soon."
"tell the kitchen to halt the delivery, we will be dining in the hall for lunch." he grasped the flowers, hoping that his nervousness wouldn't crush the stems within his grasp. it wouldn't take him long to stride down the halls, his legs moving quickly in his eagerness to see you. he knocked, waiting for your confirmation that he could come in. as he revealed it was him behind the door, he could see your face shift slightly with the unexpected sight of him.
"your majesty, what a surprise. i did not expect to see you today."
"i came to share lunch with you, come to the dining hall with me. i'd like to share this gift from a merchant together with you." he could see you let out a subtle sigh, his antics to catch your attention never ending. and yet, there is no freedom to say no with your status and role as queen shackling you to him.
"if i must, then we shall." the two of you walked towards the dining hall together, passing different servants towards your shared destination. something that he saw as a bonding moment, was just another memory where his carelessness hurt.
you picked at the meal in front of you, the gift that Simon barged in to share settled within a vase between the both of you. you stared at the familiar flora, trying to resist the itch in your throat. your nose itched, the pollen settling into the room and irritating your senses. what kind of game is he playing, forcing you to share a meal with him while stuck within a room with something that you were allergic to. was he so frustrated of your indifference that he has resorted to torture instead? in what universe was this to be a gift?
"my queen, what do you think of the flowers? you have interest in flowers and artistry after all." the irritation in your throat was hard to swallow down to resist the cough, eyes watering from the strain.
"they are flowers. shame their life has been cut short by being plucked." you tried to cough subtly before taking a bite. you may be faced with warfare, but that doesn't mean you had to lose all of the painstaking lessons of manners and table etiquette ingrained into your body.
"do you think that they are flowers that could have a place within the castle grounds?"
"do as you wish your majesty."
"what do you think of the color of them?"
"fine." you couldn't believe the different mundane questions as time passed slowly, the fatigue of keeping up the appearance that these flowers were not bothering you. and yet he had the audacity to continue to ask you about them, like they were not slowly suffocating you. unable to resist the itching in your nose, you let out a sneeze.
"my queen, are you unwell?" he stood up, looking concerned. as he should, he can't be indifferent when it comes to the health of his supposed wife.
"i must have caught something, please excuse me your majesty." you stood up, putting up a hand and stopping him from getting any closer. "you must look out for your own health, i will depart. pardon me." before he could argue, you moved towards the door, the food on your plate half eaten. he seemed to be startled, since he didn't make any motion to follow. maybe the excuse that you gave him is good enough to be inactive towards your health.
Simon stared at your fleeting back, letting out a soft curse as you ran away. these flowers didn't seem to work, back to the drawing board. there has to be another idea, something that he could do to try and catch your attention again. he looked at the petals, how soft they seemed to look. he wonders how long it would take you to be able to paint these delicate petals, your talent something that could surely capture the beauty. he heard the door swing open and his eyes snapped back to the door way.
"excuse me your majesty, i was looking for her highness. there is an urgent document that requires her attention." he motioned the servant closer, grasping the documents that he held.
"i will take care of it, give it here. her highness is feeling unwell so i will take over her matters for today?"
"unwell? is it from her allergies being aggravated?" Simon froze, shocked from the words.
"her what?"