I grumble at the papers on the desk. "Duke. What is the meaning of this?"
"These are the contracts we have to figure out before you divorce me," Albert smiles. "You've been managing an incredible amount of the mansion's funds and you need to help me get used to the money."
I sigh. "I thought I already managed it so that you'd be set for the next five years?"
"You did?"
"Look Duke," I sigh. "Spit out the real reason."
"I wanted to spend more time with you," Albert smiles. "You're leaving in a couple months."
I blink at him incredulously. "Albert. I'm not believing that-"
"I'll forget you when we sign the divorce papers," Albert mumbles. "I want to cherish this time."
"We won't remember anything about this," I hum "It doesn't matter since there will be a gap in our memories."
Albert grumbles. "So I got married to you for nothing?"
"You could put it that way yeah."
"Then what if I find myself pulled towards you again?"
"Then we let fate do it's work this time," I smile.
"May we go for a stroll in the garden?"
"Everyone's gossiping about us potentially falling out of love," I smile.
"Then we shall prove them wrong," Albert grabs my hand and yanks me from the seat.
The maids look at us in a mixture of shock and confusion as Albert drags me to the garden. I feel young again... not like I'm sixty with back problems but it feels nostalgic. Dude I'm talking like I'm about to die what the fuck???
"Y-you're going too fast duke!" I try to catch up as he races through the halls. Hard to believe that this man was already 25 LMAO. Three years really does fly by.
"We're here," Albert smiles.
"HaAAH," I hold onto my knees to breathe properly.
"Sorry," Albert smiles. "I want to make memories before you leave."
"Don't we already have enough?" I sigh and Albert laughs lightly.
"Please? We don't know how much of this we'll remember."
I cave. "Fine."
"Let's," Albert drags me through the grass, and I follow behind. Flurries of pink, red, are followed by oranges, yellows, greens, blues, indigos, and then finally violet blossoms. The garden was well tended, Albert loved the flowers just as much as he loved his wife in the book. Even the rarest flowers were available in his garden. To think that I would see him running so carefree in the same garden he cared for with his life...
"W-wait I thought we weren't supposed to run in here!"
"It's ok," Albert smiles. "You're the duchess of the house."
I sigh.
"I want to show you something," Albert continues tugging me through the garden until we reach a small crystal greenhouse. It's impossible to look into, and Albert inserts a key to open the door. In the middle of the greenhouse is a rose that I had written into the story. A crystal rose that was only able to be grown with an excessive amount of gems and care. A flower that Albert had grown specifically for his wife even though he was unable to move much in the book.
"I..."
"Isn't it pretty?" Albert smiles. "I tried to cultivate it with moonstones and sunstones so that it would remind me of you. Your hair has always been unique, and I always wanted you to know that."
"Albert I'm not supposed to cry it's not even past 5pm yet!" I feel my cheeks get wet from my tears and Albert helps me wipe them. "When you pack up before leaving, please take the seeds that I cultivated for the flower. I will give you a bag of citrine to plant the seeds in."
I only cry harder. I'm telling you that rose is supposed to be the only one in the world in the fic and this man produced seeds for me??? Am I in heaven??? "You make me want to change the contract!"
Albert laughs lightly. "Come on, we can always just get married again if we get drawn to each other again."
"Again??" I look at him.
"For the first time. This time with genuine feelings." Albert smiles.
This time with genuine feelings. I don't repeat it, but a soft smile settles itself onto my face. Albert takes that smile as a confirmation. Then the thoughts pour in.
"What if you fall in love with someone else?" I mumble.
"I can't promise you that." Albert stares at me. Honest piece of shi-
"Well of course," I mumble. "Then we were never meant to be together."
"Yes," Albert smiles. "But I think... that we will be fine."
"Yes," I smile. "So we shall wait."
"We'll wait, and we'll treasure the time we spent together."
"Yes," But we both knew that was a lie.