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ALSEPHINA WAS THE LAST TO ARRIVE AT BREAKFAST.     She followed the savory smell down to the kitchen, where everyone was up and eating around the island. The light from the sun leaked in through the window, bathing everything in a warm, honey-like glow. Bellatrix was helping their mother with the array of foods and Cassiopeia seemed to have returned to her normal, graceful self, conversing with Ben like last night's dinner didn't happen, a cup of coffee that was wrapped around her supple hands and her smile up to her eyes as she laughed at whatever Ben was saying.

Alsephina took everything in with a calm eye, inhaling a slow breath as she watched everything going on as if she were an outsider looking in through a window. She was in a simple sundress, thin straps held up the flowy garment as the hem laid to rest at her bare feet, a book in her hands for later.

Velora turned around to see her standing in the doorway, quiet as a mouse. "About time you showed up," she greeted her, smiling, "you're up later than you are usually. I was afraid you had up and died on us or something."

"Well, here I am, Mama. Alive and well." Alsephina smiled, her eyes darting over to Ben, who was looking at her, having paused his conversation with Cassiopeia for only a moment to steal a quick glance before returning his attention to her younger sister.

When Alsephina reached the counter, Bellatrix handed her a cup of warm, black coffee, letting her be able to do what she did with it usually, before sliding over the milk, cream, and sugar, as well. The way Alsephina liked her coffee wouldn't quite qualify as coffee when she was done with it. Instead, it was more or less sweet milk intertwined with the essence of coffee. She absolutely adored the aroma of the coffee beans being ground up and the scent that invaded the kitchen at times with its strong presence, however, she wasn't the biggest fan of its taste and too much of it would make her jittery.

"I don't know why you add so much milk to your coffee," Cassiopeia commented, turning to her elder sister. "It's not even coffee, anymore."

"That's because I never claimed it to be coffee, Cassie. And coffee makes some people jumpy, unlike others," Alsephina returned, taking a sip of her drink.

"Then you wouldn't like this, then." Ben lifted his mug, smiling mischievously. "It's plain black."

"You see? That would keep me up all night." Alsephina chuckled, shaking her head, "I wouldn't know what to do with myself."

"It's not that bad. Try it."

"No, thank you. The taste is terrible and I wouldn't subject myself to it."

"Ben's right," Cassiopeia concurred, "it's not that bad, Phina."

Alsephina raised a puzzled brow at her sister. "You take yours with a spoonful of sugar."

Cassiopeia shrugged. "I'm open to trying new things, unlike some people."

"Oh, all right. Give me the mug, Benjamin," Alsephina deflated, holding a reluctant hand out for Ben's mug. Alsephina's drink took the last of the coffee so Ben was the only one with an untainted beverage, pure and unbothered by sweeteners and liquids of milky complexions. The smell wafted under her nose and it was absolutely divine, as per usual. Alsephina took a sip, letting the bitterness wash over her tongue as she pulled the cup back from her mouth. She cringed, swallowing the black liquid down. "Gods, that was disgusting. How do you manage to drink that every morning?"

"It's an acquired taste," Ben explained, "you'll get used to it."

"I don't think I would like to get used to it." Alsephina smiled a little, handing Ben his mug and returning to her own drink. The light through the window strengthened as the sun came up overhead, dousing half of Alsephina in its honey-coated shadow. Ben couldn't help to observe her, as he's done over the course of the last few hours. It wasn't in a creepy manner but in the way one would observe an art piece—they would take it in all at once, be aware of all of its details, and appreciate it for what it is.

Bellatrix handed Alsephina a plate of hot food, Alsephina took it gratefully and went to go sit down at the kitchen island to eat. Cassiopeia has taken to conversing with Bellatrix while Alsephina ate, too distracted by the food on her plate to make any sort of decent conversation with anyone. Alsephina could feel Ben looking at her once more, however, she decided not to comment and continued to eat. She would ask him about it later.

When she was finally done, she took her plate, mug, and silverware to the sink to wash them and was out to the garden to read her book when she was finished. Ben watched her go, her wavy hair lapping in the wind as she left.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Velora commented, smiling softly, pulling Ben out of his thoughts like a fish out of water by a pole.

He blinked. "I don't think she knows."

"Oh, she knows," Bellatrix laughed, "she just doesn't care."

"All of her inward beauty comes through more because she doesn't let her outward beauty get in the way," Cassiopeia complimented, "which just makes her all the more beautiful if you think about it."

"She'll be eligible to be queen in two years' time and she's already got such a good head on her shoulders." Velora beamed, the proud mother she ought to be. "I have faith in her."

"What about me, Mama?" asked Bellatrix, smiling, as well.

"All in due time, dear."

Ben walked out to the garden where he found Alsephina sitting in the grass, her nose almost touching the pages of her book—that was how engulfed she was in her novel.

"I see someone's at a loss for words," said Alsephina, looking up from her novel at the blond-haired boy, mirth pulling her lips back into a smirk. "That didn't take long."

"I was observing," Ben countered, "talking while observing would defeat the purpose of observing. You haven't cracked me, yet."

Alsephina's brow rose impishly. "You've been observing me, Benjamin?"

"More or less." Ben shrugged. "You're. . .interesting to look at, in a way."

"I would say the same for you, Solo."

Now it was Ben's turn to raise a precocious brow. "How so, Bordeaux?"

"Sit down and I'll show you." Alsephina set her book aside and patted the firm ground that was beneath her, motioning for him to come over and have a seat beside her. The way Ben walked over to her was languid and slow as if he weren't in any rush to get there. "Now what makes me so interesting to look at?"

"I'm not entirely sure if I'm being honest," Ben answered simply, shrugging, "I just find myself looking at you every now and then. You're just very easy to look at."

"But every time you look at me—at least every time that I've caught you—you make me seem like I'm the most interesting thing in the galaxy."

"Well, you've got your quirks, as well. Beginning with your aversion to black coffee."

Alsephina rolled her eyes at that. "Oh, stop it."

"You've also got a bewitching, aquiline nose. There's a nice dip in the bridge of it." Ben leaned forward. "May I?"

Nodding reluctantly—as she didn't know what he was going to do—she let him go on. The pad of his index finger made its way down the bridge of her nose to emphasize and further his point. It was a quick touch, swish, and flick. As soon as she felt it, it was gone. She crinkled her nose at the sensation.

"I'd say the same for you, Benjamin," Alsephina concurred, repeating the movement he's done on her. "You know what else I find fascinating?"

"What could you possibly find fascinating?"

"What I find fascinating is that although you don't speak much, you have a very confident tone of voice. It's strong-willed and courageous. It's nice to listen to whenever I get the chance to hear it."

Ben's lips pulled back in a small, bashful smile, unsure of what to make of the compliment. A crimson flower bloomed within his cheeks, flustered at Alsephina's choice of kind words. "Uh, what are you reading?" he asked, pointing to the novel in Alsephina's lap and trying to take his best to change the topic of conversation at hand.

"Oh, this?" Alsephina picked the book up from her lap and handed it over to him, their fingers brushing softly when they met in the middle. "It's just a simple story. I read a lengthier one before I go to bed. This one is about a girl falling down a rabbit hole and the tale documents all of her adventures while she's down in a place called Wonderland. It's just something I like to read when I have the time to be out here. It helps to set the scene."

"And what about the one before you go to bed?" questioned Ben, handing the book back over to her, "What's that one about?"

     "It's about— " Alsephina started before the door to the kitchen was open and Cassiopeia stuck her head out of it. "What is it, Cassie?"

"Mama says it's your turn to go to the town market. She says we've run out of bread and cheese for her house famous charcuterie board."

"I'll be right in," she reported before turning to Ben, "guess I will have to tell you about the other book later. But for now, how would you like to go to the town market with me? I promise it'll be fun." She rose from the ground, dusting away any dirt that had gotten onto her while she was seated.

"It's probably best that I stay here." Ben shrugged. "Oh, come on." Alsephina pulled on one of Ben's free hands, "I'm sure you're only going to be here for a while before you have to make your return home so why not show you around while you're here?"

Ben relented, a playful groan leaving his lips signifying his defeat as he let himself be pulled up by the princess.

"Yay!"

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 .｡.:*
another chapter !
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