| General Fiction posted February 11, 2021 |
  |
Lost -Flash Fiction
Lost in Love
by zanya
Lady Elysee stamped her foot.
'No, Papa,' she stated firmly,' I shall never marry Viscount Henri.'
Hearing his only child stamp her foot, Papa, Squire Alphonse, removed his glasses, where he sat sipping his four o'clock port.
'Stuff and nonsense, Elysee,' Alphonse stated, 'of course you'll marry him. He is the only eligible batchelor for miles around. The war is raging and handsome men are scarce.'
'Papa, I shall never marry him. If mama were alive, she would not wish me to marry a man I don't love. Without love, I should feel lost in the world.'
Alphonse laughed loudly,' Love, dear Elysee has little to do with it.'
Through tear-filled sobs, Elysee blurted out, 'Papa you loved Mama, that was why you married her, was it not?'
Squire Alphonse shifted uncomfortably in his armchair.
'Ahem, well you see Elysee, that was twenty-five years ago. Things were different then,' Alphonse trailed off.
Drying her tears, Elysee demanded, 'Different? How were things different, Papa?'
How had the situation ever come to this, Alphonse wondered quietly to himself. A marriage had been arranged for his daughter with Viscount Henri. Henri was well-to-do. Widowed now for nigh on five years and without an heir, but with some remnants of youth still evident in his thirty-five -year- old body.
Love was a rare commodity in Alphonse's world. He wondered if he had ever really experienced it. His late father Squire William was a cold and absent father, who managed the estate like an army general.
'Papa,' Elysee intruded upon his reverie, 'my mind is made up, I shall never marry Henri. How could I ever love such a man, with his dull features? I should be lost without true love in my life. Henri knows nothing of true love. He never speaks of it.'
Alphonse stood upright. His twenty-year-old daughter was challenging his fatherly authority in the name of some vague sentiment of love. Alphonse had always thought of himself as a good father, who provided for Elysee's aristocratic needs, ensuring an appropriate future for her as the wife of Viscount Henri.
There was a loud knock on the drawing-room door.
'Come in,' Alphonse called out.
As the large oak door to the drawing-room creaked open, Viscount Henri entered, dressed in his tweeds.
'Good afternoon, Squire Alphonse,' Henri said, ' I have come to invite Elysee to walk along the willow path.'
Alphonse was slow to reply.
The two men stood, while an awkward silence reigned between them.
'Squire Alphonse,' Henri said, 'may I ask if all is well. You seem lost in thought.'
'Yes, yes, Henri,' Alphonse replied, 'I am lost in a new world order, unveiled by my daughter, where love, language of the human heart, holds sway.'
'Perhaps you have sipped too much port this afternoon, Squire Alphonse,' Henri said as he disappeared through the oak door.
Watching Henri depart, a smile lit up Elysee's countenance.
******************************
Lost - Flash Fiction writing prompt entry
Lady Elysee stamped her foot.
'No, Papa,' she stated firmly,' I shall never marry Viscount Henri.'
Hearing his only child stamp her foot, Papa, Squire Alphonse, removed his glasses, where he sat sipping his four o'clock port.
'Stuff and nonsense, Elysee,' Alphonse stated, 'of course you'll marry him. He is the only eligible batchelor for miles around. The war is raging and handsome men are scarce.'
'Papa, I shall never marry him. If mama were alive, she would not wish me to marry a man I don't love. Without love, I should feel lost in the world.'
Alphonse laughed loudly,' Love, dear Elysee has little to do with it.'
Through tear-filled sobs, Elysee blurted out, 'Papa you loved Mama, that was why you married her, was it not?'
Squire Alphonse shifted uncomfortably in his armchair.
'Ahem, well you see Elysee, that was twenty-five years ago. Things were different then,' Alphonse trailed off.
Drying her tears, Elysee demanded, 'Different? How were things different, Papa?'
How had the situation ever come to this, Alphonse wondered quietly to himself. A marriage had been arranged for his daughter with Viscount Henri. Henri was well-to-do. Widowed now for nigh on five years and without an heir, but with some remnants of youth still evident in his thirty-five -year- old body.
Love was a rare commodity in Alphonse's world. He wondered if he had ever really experienced it. His late father Squire William was a cold and absent father, who managed the estate like an army general.
'Papa,' Elysee intruded upon his reverie, 'my mind is made up, I shall never marry Henri. How could I ever love such a man, with his dull features? I should be lost without true love in my life. Henri knows nothing of true love. He never speaks of it.'
Alphonse stood upright. His twenty-year-old daughter was challenging his fatherly authority in the name of some vague sentiment of love. Alphonse had always thought of himself as a good father, who provided for Elysee's aristocratic needs, ensuring an appropriate future for her as the wife of Viscount Henri.
There was a loud knock on the drawing-room door.
'Come in,' Alphonse called out.
As the large oak door to the drawing-room creaked open, Viscount Henri entered, dressed in his tweeds.
'Good afternoon, Squire Alphonse,' Henri said, ' I have come to invite Elysee to walk along the willow path.'
Alphonse was slow to reply.
The two men stood, while an awkward silence reigned between them.
'Squire Alphonse,' Henri said, 'may I ask if all is well. You seem lost in thought.'
'Yes, yes, Henri,' Alphonse replied, 'I am lost in a new world order, unveiled by my daughter, where love, language of the human heart, holds sway.'
'Perhaps you have sipped too much port this afternoon, Squire Alphonse,' Henri said as he disappeared through the oak door.
Watching Henri depart, a smile lit up Elysee's countenance.
******************************
'No, Papa,' she stated firmly,' I shall never marry Viscount Henri.'
Hearing his only child stamp her foot, Papa, Squire Alphonse, removed his glasses, where he sat sipping his four o'clock port.
'Stuff and nonsense, Elysee,' Alphonse stated, 'of course you'll marry him. He is the only eligible batchelor for miles around. The war is raging and handsome men are scarce.'
'Papa, I shall never marry him. If mama were alive, she would not wish me to marry a man I don't love. Without love, I should feel lost in the world.'
Alphonse laughed loudly,' Love, dear Elysee has little to do with it.'
Through tear-filled sobs, Elysee blurted out, 'Papa you loved Mama, that was why you married her, was it not?'
Squire Alphonse shifted uncomfortably in his armchair.
'Ahem, well you see Elysee, that was twenty-five years ago. Things were different then,' Alphonse trailed off.
Drying her tears, Elysee demanded, 'Different? How were things different, Papa?'
How had the situation ever come to this, Alphonse wondered quietly to himself. A marriage had been arranged for his daughter with Viscount Henri. Henri was well-to-do. Widowed now for nigh on five years and without an heir, but with some remnants of youth still evident in his thirty-five -year- old body.
Love was a rare commodity in Alphonse's world. He wondered if he had ever really experienced it. His late father Squire William was a cold and absent father, who managed the estate like an army general.
'Papa,' Elysee intruded upon his reverie, 'my mind is made up, I shall never marry Henri. How could I ever love such a man, with his dull features? I should be lost without true love in my life. Henri knows nothing of true love. He never speaks of it.'
Alphonse stood upright. His twenty-year-old daughter was challenging his fatherly authority in the name of some vague sentiment of love. Alphonse had always thought of himself as a good father, who provided for Elysee's aristocratic needs, ensuring an appropriate future for her as the wife of Viscount Henri.
There was a loud knock on the drawing-room door.
'Come in,' Alphonse called out.
As the large oak door to the drawing-room creaked open, Viscount Henri entered, dressed in his tweeds.
'Good afternoon, Squire Alphonse,' Henri said, ' I have come to invite Elysee to walk along the willow path.'
Alphonse was slow to reply.
The two men stood, while an awkward silence reigned between them.
'Squire Alphonse,' Henri said, 'may I ask if all is well. You seem lost in thought.'
'Yes, yes, Henri,' Alphonse replied, 'I am lost in a new world order, unveiled by my daughter, where love, language of the human heart, holds sway.'
'Perhaps you have sipped too much port this afternoon, Squire Alphonse,' Henri said as he disappeared through the oak door.
Watching Henri depart, a smile lit up Elysee's countenance.
******************************
|
Writing Prompt Write a flash fiction story under 500 words about being lost |
Image from Google
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. 
You need to login or register to write reviews. It's quick! We only ask four questions to new members.
© Copyright 2024. zanya All rights reserved.
zanya has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
