"Oh, my! This is so beautiful!" Anna exclaid with awe as they stepped into the garden area of the Crown Prince’s quarters.
The expansive space was ticulously maintained, radiating a sense of serenity and elegance. Lush golden, red leaves adorned the surroundings, with vibrant autumn blooms scattered throughout.
"There’s a special flower right in front, my lady! You’re surely going to love it when you see it!" Mary chid in.
She guided the princess and her two other companions, Scarlett following closely behind.
As they approached, Anna’s eyes widened in astonishnt. Before her, stood a type of flower she had never encountered in her entire life – blue roses. Their petals held a srising hue, a delicate shade of dark, deep colour that seed almost otherworldly.
"Goodness heavens! Where did these co from?" Anna inquired, her fingertips gently grazing the velvety petals of the blue roses.
While they emitted a subtle fragrance, they differed from the typical aroma associated with roses. Nonetheless, their captivating colour alone was enough to leave her breathless, their exquisite beauty taking her by surprise.
"The old, retired gardener, Mr Lambert, planted it," Scarlett explained. "He enjoys experinting with different seeds and unconventional planting thods, often resulting in a mix of successes and failures. These blue roses, however, erged as a victorious outco of his trials."
"How fascinating!" Sylvia exclaid, captivated by the gardener’s achievents.
"Yes, cultivating such a unique flower colour is undoubtedly an impressive feat," redith added, appreciating the significance of the accomplishnt.
"We find it beautiful as well! However, Lady Jas strongly dislikes it. She prohibits planting these roses in any other gardens, deeming them hideous," Scarlett continued. "That’s why Mr Lambert chose to plant them exclusively here, as none of the ladies-in-waiting frequent this area."
Mary added, sharing more details. "Mr Lambert once included the blue roses in the main garden, but Lady Jas and her group insisted they be removed. If she discovered them here, her anger would be unparalleled."
"But I think it’s beautiful! I’ve never seen a blue rose before. We shouldn’t let Mr Lambert’s efforts go to waste," Anna expressed, determined to appreciate the unique beauty of the flowers.
Sylvia, known for her sharp wit, responded playfully, "The only thing Sarah finds beautiful is herself. Perhaps we should bury her in the garden for a display, exposing her pretty head for onlookers’ admiration."
Her sarcastic remark elicited laughter from redith, Anna, and even the two maids, highlighting their shared dislike for the chief of the queen’s ladies-in-waiting deanour.
"But she is indeed beautiful and graceful," Anna added at the end of her laughter.
"Are you kidding ? You’re ten tis cuter than her! That’s why our handso grand duke is so crazy about you! Not to ntion the irresistible prince from Sabel Island, who is also determined for you. You have two outstanding, good-looking n vying for your attention. That ans you’re undoubtedly special in their eyes!" Sylvia teased, nudging Anna playfully.
"Stop it, Sylvia! You’re embarrassing !"
redith interjected, reminding them of their purpose for being in the garden, "Let’s stop talking about them for now. We ca here to find so peace of mind, rember?"
"You’re right. Forgive , Anna," Sylvia said, her tone filled with sincerity and understanding.
The group shifted their focus back to enjoying the tranquil ambience of the garden, leaving behind the topic of the two princes.
The two maids listened attentively without interrupting, aware that it would be inappropriate to inquire about the ntioned Sabel Island Prince. Their curiosity remained unspoken.
As Anna’s gaze wandered, she spotted a plant growing separately on the ground, distinct from the others. The plant bore several blooming flowers, but they were plain and dull white, unlike the vibrant hues of the surrounding blossoms.
The bolls from which the flowers erged burst open, and the stems and leaves appeared brownish and dried. The texture of the flowers, however, seed fluffy and round as they blood from their bolls and separated into four parts.
Curiosity piqued, Anna couldn’t help but inquire, "What type of flower is this?"
Suddenly, a shout erupted from behind, causing the group to startle. A growling, rough voice reprimanded them, and they turned to see an old man rushing towards them.
"How dare you try to destroy my plant!" the old man exclaid, his anger evident.
However, as he approached Anna and her companions and got a better look at them, his expression changed. He wondered who these won were, whom he had never seen before.
"Oh, I’m sorry! We didn’t an to do anything harmful. We were just taking a closer look," Anna hurriedly explained, realising the misunderstanding.
"Who... Who are you?" the old man questioned, his grey eyes squinting as he tried to identify the princess.
"Oh, Mr Lambert, please don’t be alard! These are not the ladies-in-waiting of Her Majesty, the Queen. This is Lady Anna Raychard, the Honorable Royal Concubine of His Highness, the Grand Duke," Scarlett quickly clarified, attempting to assuage any concerns.
Hearing the explanation, the gardener quickly apologised and bowed respectfully.
"Forgive , my lady! These old eyes of mine failed to recognise you. I have only watched you from a distance during the parade of the proclamation."
"My lady, this is the gardener I told you. He’s Mr Tony Lambert," introduced Scarlett.
"Oh... Hi, Mr Lambert. Please to et you. I apologise for disturbing your plants. I’m simply taking a leisurely walk here with my companions. Rest assured, we will only observe and won’t pick any flowers," Anna reassured him.
"Please forgive my behaviour earlier, my lady. Lady Jas has always threatened to destroy my plants whenever I grow sothing new. She dislikes everything I create. I thought you were one of her subordinates," Tony confided, his voice tinged with disappointnt.
"Please don’t mind saying this, but it seems you haven’t quite aligned with her preferences," Sylvia remarked, a touch of amusent in her voice.
"No offence taken, my lady. Perhaps my old ways don’t et her requirents. I implore you not to ntion to her that I grew these flowers, as she would find a way to destroy them," Mr Lambert pleaded, worried about the potential consequences.
Anna nodded understandingly, promising not to disclose their encounter to Lady Jas. The princess empathised with the gardener’s predicant and respected his wish to avoid further trouble.
"Don’t worry, Mr Lambert. We all share the sentint of not favouring the obnoxious Lady Jas," redith reassured him, expressing solidarity with Anna’s statent.
Anna took the opportunity to introduce her friends. "Allow to introduce you. This is Lady redith Grey, my lady-in-waiting, and this is Lady Sylvia Rogers. They both are my dear friends," Anna said, presenting her companions.
"Please, call Tony, my lady," Mr Lambert offered.
Anna smiled and replied, " I prefer calling you Mr Lambert, considering your seniority."
"You are wise, my lady. Even His Highness, the Grand Duke, used to address the sa way when I served him," Tony shared, reminiscing about the past.
"So you used to work with my husband?" asked the princess.
"Yes, my lady. I had the honour of working with His Highness before," Tony confird. "My service began long before His Highness was even born. I remained by his side as he grew up and when he was eventually crowned as the Crown Prince. However, my service ended when His Highness decided to forsake the throne three years ago and move out of the palace."
Tony’s voice showed a hint of sadness as he reflected on the conclusion of his long-standing service. The bond he had forged with Kyren was evidently aningful to him.
"I see," Anna replied empathetically. "May I ask why you chose not to accompany His Highness to serve him at the duchy or the mansion?" she asked with genuine curiosity.
Tony’s eyes softened as he responded, "My lady, I had reached an age where the physical demands of serving in such positions would have been a challenge for . I didn’t wish to burden His Highness with my limitations. Therefore, I decided to retire and settle down. I found a modest residence behind the palace, and with no family to care for, I dedicated my ti to maintaining this garden. I am grateful to have received His Majesty’s approval for this pursuit, allowing to continue nurturing this place that brings solace."
Anna nodded, her understanding deepening, and she expressed her appreciation for Tony’s commitnt and the tranquil beauty he had preserved within the garden.
"If you desire any of the flowers, I can prepare a bouquet for you, as you wish," the old gardener offered generously to Anna.
"No, no... let them adorn the garden and bloom freely here. You have done an exceptional job, Mr Lambert. The blue roses are gorgeous!" the princess praised, genuinely impressed by his work.
Feeling heartened by the princess’s words, Tony raised his head, his face breaking into a smile. The appreciation for his efforts ant a great deal to him.
"You think so too? I thought the noble ladies wouldn’t appreciate it since it’s an unconventional colour. It actually happened by accident," Tony confessed with a hint of amusent. "I was attempting to achieve a deep, darker red hue, but it unexpectedly turned out to be blue in the end."
Turning his attention to the maids, the gardener greeted them warmly, "It has been a while, Mary and Scarlett. I haven’t seen you around lately."
"We apologise, Mr Lambert. We have been preoccupied with our tasks and haven’t had the chance to visit," Scarlett explained, speaking on behalf of herself and Mary.
Tony nodded in understanding.
"Scarlett and I often co here during our free ti. We enjoy chatting with Mr Lambert," Mary inford Anna, emphasising their fondness for their interactions with the devoted retired gardener.
"I am grateful for your loyal service, Mr Lambert. Thank you for continuing to take care of this place so diligently. It is clearly well-maintained," Anna expressed her sincere appreciation.
"It’s my privilege, my lady. I am also delighted to see His Highness finally have a kind and noble lady like yourself by his side. He has always been alone. When he was young, he used to sit under that tree, reading books all by himself or training in the arena," Tony shared, gesturing toward a majestic tree not far away.
"Oh, it’s an Elm tree! Kyren used to take for a walk, and we spend ti together under the shade of the Elm tree back at the camp," Anna reminisced, a hint of nostalgia in her voice.
The mory of the passionate kiss they had shared under that very tree flooded her mind, flushing her cheeks.
"It seems like a fond mory, doesn’t it?" Sylvia teased playfully when seeing the pink hue on Anna’s face, eliciting a smile from redith, who understood her aning.
"Oh, stop teasing !" Anna exclaid in embarrassnt.
"But you brought it up!" Sylvia countered, chuckling.
"Let’s forget about it," Anna suggested, wanting to change the topic. She turned to Tony. "Mr Lambert, if you don’t mind asking, what is this flower?" she asked, pointing to the weird-looking plant.
Tony’s eyes glead as he replied, "Ah, that’s not a flower, my lady. It’s cotton."
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