sewing flowers | tewkesbury ✔︎

v. home sweet home

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I saw how many votes for were given for the past few chapters and I can't thank you all enough :))

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I sat in the back of a sheep transport cart, backed by straw and hay, wondering how my life came to this.

Surrounding me on either side were Enola and Tewkesbury, Enola calmly gazing into the distance while Tewkesbury seemingly wondered the same thing.

We were riding through the hills, occasionally chatting, but for the most part, the ride remained silent, with only the chirping of the birds sounding.

The peaceful countryside eventually bid goodbye, fading into suburban outskirts, and then into the bustling city of London.

All around us, life sparked. Chickens were herded back into coops, and busy mothers cared for their children.

The cart stopped, and Enola slid off the cart, placing her cap on her head and dusting off her clothes.

"So this is where we part?" Tewkesbury frowned, as Enola inspected her new surroundings.

"It is." She sighed.

"You sure you don't want to stick together?" I asked, "I could help you both out easily."

"I'm on a mission of my own." She waved her hand dismissively. "But thanks for the offer. Take care of Tewkesbury for me, God knows he needs it."

I chuckled as Tewkesbury scowled, but he nevertheless bid Enola goodbye. The cart started to move, and Enola disappeared into the busy crowd.

"It's just the two of us, I guess." I solemnly said, before continuing. "Do you have an exact destination in mind? Or are you free walking?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." He pulled a piece of ragged paper from his blazer pocket. "Convent Garden Market."

He pointed at an extremely familiar building on the paper. I bloomed in delight when I recognised the establishment.

"Oh, I know that place! I live a couple of streets down! I can walk there in 5 minutes, and I do so every week." I jubilantly chorused.

"Really?" His eyes gleamed. "We'll be seeing each other a lot more often, then. I plan to seek work there."

A sudden idea popped into my head.

"I have a spare room! If you plan to seek work at Convent Garden Market, you could get there in 5 minutes, much closer then other lodgings around." I excitedly chattered. "I have enough facilities for at least 3, so it should be alright."

He blushed slightly, presumably at the thought of living with a girl. Seeing this, I hastily amended my previous statement.

"Or-uh, of course, if you wish to be like Enola, you could reject my offer and live by yourself," I mumbled, "If you want t-"

"-I'll...uh, I'll think about it." He said, his eyes focusing on his shoes and refusing to look at me. "Not that I don't like your offer, well, uh, not to say that I..."

He struggled to find the words he needed, his eyes scrunched in thought and skin blazing with blush, and decided to move from his blundering sentence.

"I'll have a look around to see if there are any lodgings close and acceptable, and...then, not...then....uh, i'll arrive at your lodgings. That way I can take all into consideration." He finished, relieved to of have finished talking.

An awkward silence filled with unsaid words and feelings floated around for the rest of the trip, until I noticed a familiar street.

Sliding off just as Enola had done, I dusted off my rather crumpled and dirty dress. I pointed over to a quaint shop, with dresses and corsets filling the shop window.