A Memory of Arthur

A young girl sat on the side of the giant fountain in her parents' gardens, glad to be away from the copious piano lessons and instructions on etiquette. She loved the fountain; it was relaxing to sit on the cool marble edge and hear the soft and soothing sound of the water burbling behind her.

It was wonderful, really, to be away from the main house. To not have to put up with her siblings, and not to hear her grandmother sobbing while Father shouted at her about 'antiquated practices', whatever that meant.

She fished in her pocket for a penny to throw in, and closed her eyes, wishing.

I want to get away from here.

Just as it landed in the water, she heard a familiar voice singing.

"The plum and peach rolled down the hill, bumpity bumpity bump! The plum broke apart..." The voice trailed off as the other person entered the garden.

"Wheeeere aaaaaaaaaaare youuuuuu?" he called, and the girl froze. Did she have time enough to hide before he found her?

Probably not. She grit her teeth, and forced a smile as her brother walked in and spotted her, a tormentor's grin spreading across his face.

"Little sister!" he said, sitting down next to her. "How's life?"

"Life is good." Until you enter the room.

"I was wondering why you keep wearing that shade of red. It really makes you look so pale, it's a wonder any of the boys dance with you. They must think you're a ghost. Oh, wait, no! They don't dance with you. You're the brightest little wallflower at every event!"

"Reginald de Tor told me that you paid them not to, Arthur." She didn't let any anger creep into her voice, and Arthur laughed.

"Ah, but that was for a price. Whereas the sad little look on your crushed little face? That was simply priceless. Tell you what, I'll stop paying them next time, and we'll see how many of them want to dance with you."

She knew better than to trust him, but instead pretended to look up with hope. Arthur smiled as happily as any bully would.

"But you'll never be able to know whether I was paying them to do that, too."

She jumped up, tears in her eyes at the thought. She hadn't hoped for better, but still, it hurt. Oh, it hurt.

"Why did you come out here?! I don't want you here!"

"You've answered your own question there, dear sister. You don't want me here, therefore, I must be here."

"I'm telling Mama what you did," she hissed at him. He laughed, as though it were funny.

"Do you really think Mama is going to reprimand her favourite child? Don't waste your time."

She turned to leave, hearing him start to cackle. She hated him. She hated him.

Once she'd left, Arthur scooped the penny out of the fountain, drying it off to put with the others he'd rescued from the fountain. No sense in wasting perfectly good money.