Flowers didn't ask to be flowers and I didn't ask to be me

With a new season beginning, Adalyn found herself feeling both excited and saddened all at once. In previous years, by now she would be absorbed in all of the excitement of finding the perfect dresses and jewelry for parties and balls, for finding the latest and greatest gossip, learning which men were eligible, and which ladies were her competition for the season. This year, however, there wasn’t as much to look forward to. She was already matched with a handsome and kind gentleman, so the thrill and excitement of the search would no longer be there. Not only that, but he had been away since shortly after they had been arranged, leaving her alone and without a suitor to show off or be beside. If anything, perhaps she could find her brother a suitor--it would give her something to do.

If anything else, she could host a few parties this season--it would keep her busy and give her something to do. She could get all the gossip and still find more of a reason to dress up. With her mother, Eleanor, getting older, and more responsibilities falling onto Adalyn’s shoulders, she had nearly taken over completely with managing the servants and planning all of the gatherings and parties. She would need to remember not to get too carried away with things this season.

One thing the Camden Estate was well known for, were their outdoor balls in the gardens. It had always been set up so nicely, with perfectly groomed hedges and flowers, and lanterns hung all around the dance floor. They had been lucky enough each time they hosted such a gathering, that it had not been rained on. Hopefully, that luck would continue this year.

It was a quiet day and Adalyn found herself feeling restless and needing something to do. The weather was pleasant and though still somewhat cool, the sun made it feel a lot warmer than it was. A walk would do her some good, but also give her a purpose to check in on the condition of the gardens, and what amount of work might be needed to restore any damages from the winter. Of course, that wasn’t her expertise or specialty, but when having a conversation with the groundskeeper, she would at least appear somewhat knowledgeable when plans and arrangements were made.

She quietly walked down the path through the gardens, assessing, but also admiring the grounds. It was one of her favorite places at the Camden Estate, and she knew she would miss it dearly once she moved away and into the home of her husband-to-be. If she could, she would rather remain here, but the estate would be passed down to her brother, and soon enough he would have his own family to raise here. She was certain he would not want his baby sister wandering the halls all of her life. It was time to move on, and at least she had one more season here--she might as well relish and enjoy it as much as possible.

Adalyn eventually stopped at the small coy pond, where she spent a lot of time sitting under the shade of a beautiful Elder tree, whenever she wanted to get away and have some quiet time to herself. She glanced around for a moment, mostly to see if anyone else was nearby, before she took a seat onto the bench with a heavy sigh, her light brown eyes gazing through the grounds as she allowed her mind to wander even more than it already had been.