The Lost Dauphin

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It was some time before Louis Charles remembered the small lump protruding from his inner coat pocket. Moments before he and his mother had been separated, she had gifted him with a tiny, wooden soldier that she had kept for him to play with during their stay at the Temple. Its face was adorned with chipping paint, acrylic black eyes, and a splintered nose. A thin line was painted on for the mouth, and gave the appearance that the soldier was always heroically grimacing. Its body was composed of three cylindrical wood pieces, one intended for the head, one for the torso, and the last split in two for the legs. It was forever frozen in a position of solute, its right hand drawn to its forehead and left arm at its side, in respect of its commanding officer. Louis stuck his hand into his coat pocket and withdrew the small toy. As he cradled the soldier in his hands, Louis rubbed his thumb in circles over the worn wood, relishing its smooth surface. Below the soldier’s feet lay a circular, cracked platform, and once Louis crouched down to place his newfound toy onto the uneven floor, it toppled over and rolled away seeking refuge in the dark recesses underneath the bed. Before he had a chance to retrieve the tiny soldier, boisterous laughter coupled with thudding footsteps echoed off the wall and drifted into the cell at the end of the corridor. Louis Charles tensed, his breath hitching in his throat. The last time he had been visited by anyone, he was pried from his mother's arms and thrust into a place not even a dog could stand to inhabit. As the footsteps neared, his mind raced to concoct some sort of escape plan, some means of survival. He dropped to his hands and knees, squirming until he wedg... ... middle of paper ... ...riental rug covering the floor. “A little longer stay in sight.” Outside, he could see a small butterfly whose wings were the color of the sky. It perched onto a tree’s leaf, inching forward until it reached the edge. “Much converse do I find in Thee, historian of my infancy, float near me; do not yet depart.” The small insect fluttered, attempting to fly away but was unable to move its wings fast enough. “Dead times revive in thee: Thou bring’st gay creatures as thou art. A solemn image to my heart, my father’s family.” The butterfly, mustering all its strength, flapped its wings furiously. Before the creature could even leave its perch, a bird adorned with a yellow beak and a black crest flew into view. Louis eye’s never left the bird as it raced towards the butterfly before finally taking the tiny insect in between in its beak and flying back to its nest.

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