After a moment, Bella managed to regain her composure and turned back around in her chair. Robby wasn't as bad as Celine was when it came to teasing, but he was quick to take on the role of protective elder brother. It wasn't that either of them behaved as they did to bother her, it was merely a thing that came with being siblings and they did so out of affection. The atmosphere in the kitchen seemed to clear and Bella visibly relaxed.
"I see." Robby chuckled at Ben's answer. "Well, I'm not actually from the city like the girls and their father. I grew up a couple of towns over on the other side of the forest. I went to the city looking for work, where I met Mr. Montagne and my wife. Lucinda is an old family friend of mine; she wrote to me about this house some months ago." The man said, taking Celine's hand across the table. Celine's ivory pale face turned scarlet and she smiled at Robby lovingly. "Indeed, if it hadn't been for Lucinda, we wouldn't have come." She added in.
"I don't think even father would go back to Valford now if given the chance." Bella said pensively. There was nothing in particular that she liked about life in the city, but rather more that she'd taken for granted. Even if it were more humble a life to live in Esterwell, it was a happy life, and that was what truly mattered.
"It's official. I am much too old to crawl around on people's roofs anymore." A voice said from just outside the kitchen, accompanied by the closing of the front door. A second later, an older man appeared in the doorway. He was white of hair and had a squint to his eyes that he'd developed with age; his face was kind. "Hello, father." Celine and Bella both greeted the man, Robby nodded to him and asked him about work. Hugh took immediate notice of Ben and gave perhaps the warmest greeting the young man received. When Celine offered tea, he shook his head and pulled up a chair, content just to sit and relax.
Ben listened keenly as Robby spoke. He had mentioned a Mr. Montagne, but not a Mrs., which the young man thought peculiar, although he hadn't enough time to ponder the fact as Bella mentioned Valford. The name of the city caught his attention, as it was the location where his father had ventured off to the following week he bestowed ownership of the merchant shop to him. Numerous letters had been written to the boy to both check on his progress and keeping him updated in regards to the family business. The Montagne name suddenly became oddly familiar.
The young man was nearly about to indulge further into the conversation when a voice could be heard from the front door. Ben couldn't help but feel like he had arrived at just the right time. As Hugh and Robby briefly conversed, Ben momentarily glanced at Bella. He had been avoiding eye contact for a duration of the conversation in hopes of not agitating her further, as his presence seemed to really catch the girl off guard. However, the ambiance of the room seemed to feel a lot more comfortable as the conversation went on.
Ben remained seated as Hugh greeted him, watching happily as the old man took his seat at the table. It was almost surreal how affectionate the family was to eachother, something he was not used to seeing. "You are Mr. Montagne, I presume?" Ben asked, a vibrant smile on the young mans face as he began to sit up straight in his chair, preparing to introduce himself. "My name is Benjamin Carthwright, I am a friend of Lucinda, the Innkeeper. I just so happened to run into Bella here the other day and she introduced us."
Ben spun his cup of tea around in his hands, pausing momentarily before he continued. "You know, I appreciate the hospitality you've all shown, however, It's still early in the day, and I don't wish to keep you from the rest of the days activities. The actual reason I came to visit was not only to introduce myself, but also invite all of you to dinner tonight. I was hoping to have Lucinda and her family there as well, along with a few of my colleagues. I'd honestly love it if you all could make it."
It was only just, but Bella caught Ben's gaze across the table. It was vague but she felt her eyes drawn to him, perhaps because she'd felt his stare. She smiled just enough that he would recognize it as a smile and directed her attention back to her father. Hugh was happy to meet Ben and leaned forward in his chair to offer a hearty handshake. He furrowed his brow at the young man's name, though not in an ill manner. Rather, the name struck him as familiar and he was trying to remember where he'd heard it before.
"Carthwright, hm?" The man pondered with a stroke of his chin and asked, "Do you happen to have family in Valford?" The girls and Robby exchanged looks of surprise and befuddlement. So it was possible then that Bella had been correct when she thought she recognized Ben's name at the inn. "I'm afraid I can't recall if I've done business with a Carthwright when my business was running." Whether or not Ben had family in the city did nothing for the older man's memory and he apologized for his forgetfulness. They were all pleasantly surprised by Ben's invitation, but unsure of how to answer.
"Oh, not at all. It's about time for lunch, anyway." Celine stood and collected empty tea cups to take to the sink. Hugh considered Ben's invitation carefully. "Well, we don't like to impose, but we'll be glad to accept your invitation if you would stay on for lunch. It is the least we could do." He said with a contented sigh. Bella nodded to Ben, as if to tell him to go ahead and agree.
"Oh, you wouldn't be imposing at all. It will be my treat I assure you. I'd be more than happy to have you all there. And lunch? Well..." Ben hesitated, and turned to Bella, who, as if on cue, nodded reassuringly towards him.. Relieved, he turned back to Hugh. "If it means I can enjoy your company tonight, then I'll happily stay. I tend to skip breakfast anyways, as my mornings can be quite busy. Please, if you need any help," He turned towards Celine as she washed the cups within the sink. "I honestly won't mind."
He was ecstatic to hear Hugh ask about Valford, and even more so when he mentioned the fact that he had once owned a business. "I don't have family in Valford." He stated, "But my father did spend some time there after he bestowed ownership of his shop to me, in hopes of opening another. It was the first time he had tried to do such a thing and things seemed to have worked out perfectly, as he just recently began preparations to open his fourth shop in Drylliad."
Ben did not often brag, or even so much as mention his wealth, or his line of work, nor its commendable success, as it was not something he himself thought was even worth talking about. He had been raised prosperously since he was child. Even so, he hoped it would leave an impression on Bella. He would be lucky if she was not already used to men of his status, as she did grow up in the city after all.
"Are you familiar with the trading shop Ester and Co.? It is the name of the shop my father owned. Although he had quite the number of different clients and partners within Valford, it would be quite the coincidence if you so happened to be one of them. His name is Victor Carthwright."
"Well, thank you." Celine smiled at Ben's generous offer, his kindness seemed to know no bounds. He seemed too to be quite well-rounded, which was a good thing if he wished to pursue her younger sister. No, he hadn't mentioned doing anything of the sort, but Celine could be quite intuitive. Hugh leaned back in his chair, listening to Ben speak of his father. The name was quite familiar, and maybe if he still had his business records, he could see whether or not he had indeed done business with a Victor Carthwright.
"I recognize the name, yes. An old friend of mine and former business partner mentioned a new shop opening in the city. I had thought it a peculiar coincidence when Robert mentioned the town we'd be moving to was called Esterwell. You may be familiar with the name Shaw? He provided much of the stock my shipping company delivered to foreign ports. He's the one who told me." Hugh recalled, a reminescent gleam in his eyes. "Bella, would you be so kind as to retrieve my pipe for me?" He turned to his youngest daughter, who promptly nodded and rose from her seat. She crossed the short hallway outside the kitchen into the parlor. There on a small round table by a cozy chair was a small box, and inside it, an antique pipe. It was the one thing that her father had kept from the auction of their belongings and the sale of their house in the city. She stood staring at it for a long minute before she finally picked it up out of the box along with a little book of matches. She handed it to her father a bit gingerly.
"I hope you don't mind.." Hugh besought Ben, hesitating to light the pipe. Bella returned to her seat, listening to the conversation with indifference. Ben reminded her just a bit of the men from the city, men with positions in society either by money or blood or both. Status was not something that particularly mattered to her in terms of men, of course she knew that she was expected to make a good match should the interest to marry ever strike her. Then again, Robby hadn't any fantastic prospects to speak of, but her father had been happy for him to marry Celine; however, he considered Robby a good man. It was the happiness of his daughters he truly cared for.
Bella was pulled from her thoughts by Celine, who asked her to go out to the garden and get some vegetables. She excused herself and slipped out the kitchen door, a bit relieved for the fresh air.
"Not in the slightest, I'm afraid. He relied heavily on trading routes, even to this day." He stated, and it was true. His father rarely included the finer details in his letters, which was another reason why the young man thought it so peculiar that he particularly remember the name Montagne. He was quite positive the man before him had done business with his father in some way or another, which only propelled his confidence in the current task. Owning a business was an honest job, and something he already had in common with Bella's father.
Ben had been immersed in the exchange, so it surprised him when Hugh asked Bella to fetch his pipe. He watched her leave the room momentarily before resting his chin on the palm of his head, enjoying the temporary silence that ensued. He was glad how comfortable things already felt, and was almost tempted to ask for another cup of tea, but he did not wish to bother Celine as she prepared their food. He recalled the rare moments when his father was not constantly on the move, but rather sitting still, relaxed, enjoying a pipe as well.
"Oh, not at all, please. This is your home." He replied earnestly, gesturing towards Hugh. "My father has this very same habit. I rarely see him do so though as he is constantly on the move. That is - actually quite a fine pipe you have there." He remarked curiously. Even as they were just discussing Valford he couldn't help but forget that these were former city people. Well, excluding Robby. His pondering allowed him to barely notice Bella exit through the kitchen door. He felt hesitant as she did so, as he wanted her to hear their conversation.
"Does she need help?" Ben asked sincerely.
Landon frowned, gazing at the broken wheel of his cart. His arms were folded and he gently slid his foot across the dirt below him unsure of what to do next. Although he enjoyed the quiet ride to and from Esterwell, he suddenly regretted having not brought along company, as he was not exactly the best handyman around. It was frightening, feeling the wheel of the cart break beneath him. It was even scarier, however, watching as a few crates of food slipped off of the cart. He could only hope that the contents of the crates had endured the collision, as he was not fond of preparing damaged food.
The blonde slipped his hands into his pockets, suddenly letting out an indifferent sigh. At least he had an excuse to be alone just a bit longer, albeit the cost of a wheel. He had already ridden a considerable distance from the town and did not find it rational to leave a months worth of food sitting in the middle of the road. The horse tied to the cart itself groaned with impatience.
"I know, I know..." Landon said in reply.
Gazing in a nonchalant manner, his eyes landed on the house at the edge of the woods, the very same house he had passed by numerous times, definitely too many to count. His carefree attitude suddenly altered to that of a perplexed one, as there was something quite different about it. There were belongings vaguely scattered around its porch that had not been there before. As far as he knew people stayed away from the house in fear of what lies beyond.
The house itself was significantly closer than the town of Esterwell from where his cart had broken down. Landon looked around briefly, dreading the thought of leaving both the horse and cart alone, but there were not many options present at the moment. As he started for the house, he could make out the outlines of furniture behind the windows, encouraging his curiosity.
Standing before the front door both hesitant and hopeful, Landon raised his right arm, and began to knock.
"Excuse me," He said aloud, uncertainty vibrant in his tone "I require assistance, please? I seem to have lost a wheel on my cart."
"Thank you. I got it thirty - some years ago when I set out to start my business. I bought it from a traveling merchant who had been overseas." Hugh gave a boyish grin at the mention of his pipe. It was his prized possession, though of course it didn't hold a candle to his family in value. The girls too each kept something, something of significant value to them. To have them withheld from the auction was like a gift, to help ease the pain of the loss of everything else. They had Robby to thank, since he was the one to help them pick up the pieces when life in the city suddenly fell apart. It was his idea.
"You can go out if you like." Celine interjected without looking back at the men. Hugh and Robby simply nodded; the conversation could hold a moment until they returned. Bella was amongst the rows of green just off the steps to the door, squatting in front of a particular shoot, inspecting tomatoes for ripeness. She carefully turned each one over in her hands, picking the ones that had the least green. She was aware of the young man out front before she heard the knock on the door and his call aloud, as she heard his footsteps on the stones leading to the door. Curious, Bella stood and glanced around the corner.
Inside, the family paused their daily motions in the wake of the knocking. Robby stood to answer the door, intrigued by the blonde man that stood on the other side of the threshold. "Lost a wheel, eh?" Robby stepped out and looked down the road to the cart. "Alright, I can see what I can do for you." He went to take a look at it briefly before deciding whether or not he could fix it. Afterward, he went to the forge to get some tools with which to fix the wheel. "This ought to do you for a bit, but you should have it looked at as soon as you can, lest you wind up in the same situation again." Robby smiled and swiped some sweat from his brow.
"I appreciate it, truly." He replied, watching as the man went to work. Landon stood silently behind Robby, observing him curiously, still perplexed at the fact that a family resided within the house at the edge of the woods. It had remained vacant for years. Surely they couldn't be ignorant of the rumors? It was quite convenient, if not a coincidence. He made the trip down to Esterwell once a month, yet the day his wheel decides to give out, a family suddenly resides in the house that had been vacant for years to come.
The man wasn't much for omens, but he was a firm believer of good luck.
"Say, I didn't know anyone had moved into that old house." Landon began, unable to withstand his curiosity. "It must be nice, living so close to those woods? " He tried his best to make the words sound genuine, and was intrigued as to whether or not the man was aware of the rumors or not.
From within the numerous trees, the very same monarch butterfly from yesterday floated along, into the Montagne garden, placing itself atop a ripe tomato, observant.
"It's alright, I suppose. Convenient for firewood, that's for sure." Robby said, checking the integrity of his work since he still stood in front of the cart. He hadn't paid much attention to the man's age or the contents of the cart, but the crates caught his attention. There was so much food, surely too much for one person. Did he have a large family to feed perhaps? Or did he live far away and could only make one trip every so often? The blacksmith didn't ask either of these questions, feeling it wasn't any of his business. His interference in the blonde man's affairs was through.
Bella watched from around the corner of the house momentarily, seeing what Robby would do. Of course, her brother-in-law went to help the man; it was in his nature to help others. She smiled and sighed, turning back to the garden and the business of picking tomatoes. When she crouched down, she was surprised to see a butterfly. It was quite beautiful with its vibrant colors and a sort of tenderness showed in her expression. The butterfly rested on a ripe tomato, perfect for picking.
"Excuse me, but I'd like to pick that tomato, if you don't mind." Bella mused and carefully held out a finger for the butterfly to perch on so she could move it to a green tomato. She happily laughed a little to herself as she picked the fruit. "Thank you. Take care, now." The redhead said whimsically to the monarch as she stood and headed back into the house.
Landon perked his lips in thought. Maybe this was no coincidence. Maybe it had been so long, the idea of living near the forest was no longer a scary idea, and people were beginning to move on. He sighed, unsure whether he should be glad or disappointed. He felt a little of both. "Rather convenient indeed. I....live near quite a few trees as well, it certainly lifts a burden." The young man frowned at his own words, unsure as to why he had even spoken them. What was he doing? What was he hoping to get out of this conversation?
He continued to watch the man attend to his misfortune in silence, not wanting to persist any further. He truly did not know a thing about craftsmanship or engineering, but he could tell by the content look on his face that his work was done and the cart was ready to go again, hopefully without fault this time.
"I truly appreciate this," He said genuinely before crossing over to the other side of the cart, reaching inside for a velvet pouch tied together with gold string. "You did not refuse when I asked for your aid," He started, "And I hope you do not refuse my thanks. You seem to be quite the humble man, please allow me to fulfill my debt to you now in the form of coin, as I am not sure how else I can do so." His tone was genuine and he spoke every word with a smile, the velvet pouch sat comfortably in the palm of his hands. "Please." He persisted.
"Those roads are nasty business." Ben remarked to Hugh as the two sat at the kitchen table, awaiting Robby's return. "My colleagues that work within trading caravans explained to me that a broken wheel is practically inevitable as a result of so much cargo being placed atop the cart. They must tend to their wheels daily to avoid such outcomes." The young man gazed out of the kitchen door towards the trees that lay beyond, content with the relationship he had now formed with the Montagne family. He could only imagine the conversation that may take place upon his departure, and was confident he had left a pleasant impression.
He watched with curiosity as a butterfly flew past the window and towards the trees. The moment Ben saw Bella approaching the house he practically leaped out of his seat, starting towards the girl earnestly. "Let me take it from here." He said with a smile, relinquishing the basket of vegetables from the girls hands before making his way towards the kitchen counter.
"I may be a merchant and all, but I also cooked for myself quite often when I was younger." He spoke humorously, and although his words had been directed towards Celine, he spoke loud enough for all to hear. " I'm sure I can handle some lettuce and tomatoes." Ben gently began to roll up the cuffs of his sleeves.
"Oh, no. That's alright, you don't need to pay." Robby smiled, albeit a bit sympathetically, as he turned down the man's money. It didn't seem right by him to take it; it would be like he was taking advantage of the blonde's misfortune. The blacksmith rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. The blonde's pleading insistence didn't make it any easier to turn down the payment, as unnecessary as it was. It was just a thank you, after all. Robby acceded finally, wishing the blonde luck on the rest of his trip. He pocketed the money before he entered the house, decidedly keeping it to himself for the time being.
Bella was surprised to see Ben just inside the door, she'd hardly entered the house and he was there to take the basket of vegetables off her hands. She handed the basket over gladly, moving to sit back down at the table. "Well, I'll put you to work then." Celine smiled, yielding some counter space to the young merchant. "Would you chop those, please?" She gingerly handed him a knife and went back to her task. With Ben's assistance, Celine had lunch ready sooner than had she done it all herself. The conversation carried on through lunch and a little while after, until Robby had to depart to prepare for another customer. Hugh had still some carpentry to finish and Celine needed to tidy up the house before dinner. Bella showed Ben to the door.
"Well.. See you this evening." The young lady managed, unsure of what to say exactly if there was anything better than that. The rest of the day she spent wondering what dinner was going to be like, hoping it wouldn't be as silent and socially awkward as the events she attended when she lived in the city.
Although Ben felt like he had gotten along with the rest of the Montagne family rather well, things felt somewhat awkward between him and Bella during the few moments of interaction they experienced, which only added to his curiosity. He was not usually an awkward person and was rather straight forward with people, especially whilst interacting with a potential significant other. It was a nice feeling, being around Bella and not knowing what to expect. It certainly trumped the constant compliments he received regarding his wealth and status, which was apparently the most interesting thing about him. He looked forward to what lay next between the two.
The dinner, Ben felt, had been a great success. At least from what he had observed so far. Lucinda and her children were able to make it, and the entire evening itself felt rather comfortable. Luckily he was able to cater to them all with food and drink he had purchased from the butchers shop, with the help of his colleague, Bevin, who had joined them as well. The evening allowed them all to enjoy the luxury of enjoyable conversation.
The dinner table was in a room separate from the kitchen, and sat beside a window with a rather pleasant view of Esterwell and it's receding sun. The lighting was dim and comfortable, courtesy of the chandelier hanging above them, and there was just the right amount of people to occupy every seat of the table, which Ben thought to be a good sign. Bevin was quick to suggest cake and tea shortly after they had finished eating. Celine was kind enough to offer him assistance with picking up the plates and silverware as well serving the dessert. The doors to the balcony had been opened to allow fresh air into the room.
An empty bottle of wine sat in the middle of the table. It had been full before they began eating.
Robby and Ben had sat beside eachother, adjacent to Celine and Bella. Ben had removed his suit jacket and tie long ago, sporting a vest and rolled up sleeves instead.
"My uncle was a carpenter too," Bevin started, he had sat beside Ben as well, "He would constantly bring me to his shop when I was younger, and insisted I try my hand at the craft as well. It was honestly a miracle the day I managed to build a mere birdhouse."
His words gave off a merry tone, and he smiled as he spoke. Ben sat forward, his cheek resting on the palm of his hand. He gently laughed at his colleagues comment as he looked forward, his glossy eyes planted on the table cloth. He was nearly finished with his second glass of wine.
Dinner was surprisingly lacking in the social awkwardness Bella had expected, especially on her part. She wasn't expecting everything to go so smoothly as she took to social gatherings like oil to water, but this wasn't anything like those parties had been back in Valford. It was so much more casual, so lax, and everyone was free to be his or herself as compared to having to act like a gentleman or lady in order to impress people. There had been an initial fit over what to wear, as was typical of young women. The Montagnes dressed in their Sunday clothes, the best clothes they had in their new life. All the nicer clothes they had in the city had been sold, not that they would have done well in the country, anyhow.
It was even nicer that Lucinda and her children attended. At least, Bella had someone besides her family she felt she could talk to rather than only complete strangers. Lucinda was a good mediator and was the go-to lady for meeting new people. Bella didn't focus much on the conversations going on around her as much as she did her surroundings. It was a big house for one she imagined would be in the country, though not so big as their house in the city had been. Local commerce and work weren't very appealing topics for the redhead; although, she found herself in the middle of it at the dinner table. She sat next to her sister and father, across from Robby and Ben, and another young man who apparently worked with Ben named Bevin. Celine had been so kind as to drag her little sister in to it all, volunteering them to help clean up dinner and serve dessert. Whilst they conversed, Bella sat listening, though she would put in a few words where she could.
"I practically grew up in a forge, helping my father who was a blacksmith. I can't really imagine myself doing anything else." Robby said proudly in reply to Ben's associate. "Maybe Hugh could give you some pointers if you want to take a gander at it again." Hugh simply laughed at this. While they were engrossed in their chatter, Bella slipped away from the table to the balcony. She leaned on the balustrade, sipping what remained of her glass of wine as she looked out over Esterwell. Even for a small town, it had quite the evening view. In Valford, the only view she got from her balcony was of the garden, which by that time was already dark. She took a deep breath of the fresh air and released it in a contented sigh.
"I will gladly remain with my ink and parchments, thank you." Bevin replied, fixing his round glasses and laughing merrily as he spoke. "I must say, I do admire the resolute stature within the both of you. My father nearly spent his entire life sitting behind a desk, he would probably drop dead if he had to climb on top of a roof." The accountant could hardly contain his own laughter as he clumsily reached for his wine glass. Ben laughed too, although not as jaunty as his associate. It was certainly easier to laugh at Bevin's humor when alcohol was involved. The young man ran a hand through his hair, sighing gently. He had participated in the joyful banter as well, albeit not as much as the rest of them.
Since he had not been so immersed in the conversation at hand, he was observant enough to notice Bella excuse herself from the table. He had almost forgotten this entire dinner had occurred for her. He was unsure whether or not she had enjoyed herself, wondering whether he had left some, any kind of good of impression. Then again, doing so would require the two actually talk at some point. It did not seem like any of the others noticed she had gotten up, or maybe they just didn't mind. Ben waited briefly for the conversation to carry on some more before lifting his glass of wine from the table with the palm of his hand as he stood up.
As the young man stepped outside, he stood still momentarily, gazing at Bella curiously as she looked outward towards the city of Esterwell. The sun rose above the mountains towards the east, which was the view that the balcony provided. They did not have the luxury of watching the sun set, which Ben vaguely regretted.
"Are you enjoying the view?" Ben asked blankly as he approached the edge of the balcony, resting his arms on the wood paneled railing. He stared out at the rest of the town and sipped the wine from his glass as the girl replied. "I just realized," He started, grinning at his own thoughts, "This is the first time we've had some privacy." He turned towards Bella with a vibrant smile, chuckling at the idea before sipping the wine once more and turning back towards the town. "It's just kind of funny, I think."
The conversation carried merrily on amongst the men at the table, their laughter audible out on the balcony. Bella could only just hear Robby speaking about how dreadful he found desk work, of course with no offense meant towards the young merchants. Hugh, who had done some desk work in his days in the city, attested that he much preferred carpentry now; although he missed the smell of the ocean. Bella smiled, amber eyes softening on the jagged horizon made by the mountain peeks. She hadn't heard Ben come out and was surprised to see him.
"Yes. I never would have imagined the country to be so beautiful." Bella mused, turning her gaze back to the scenery. The town was quiet, as fewer people walked the cobblestone streets. The wooden buildings and gray stones sparkled with the evening light; the mountains had darkened to wisteria. She thought briefly of how she could spend many pleasant evenings there on the balcony. She gave pause a moment, blinking at Ben as he spoke. Indeed, that was the first time it was just the two of them. "Careful you don't speak too soon, lest someone comes along and spoils it." A playful smile warmed her features. Her first thought was of Lucinda. The woman had a way of broadcasting everything she said, which was the last thing the two needed at that moment. That included Celine with her teasing, even if she did mean well by it.
Bella's eyes dropped to the wine glass in her hand, observing her reflection in the liquid. "Thank you. For tonight. I was worried it was going to be awkward, but.. it was nice. Everyone here is so much more casual than in Valford." She smiled at Ben, her eyes connecting with his. "One thing I definitely won't miss are the parties." She said this with a laugh, the first real laugh in the young man's presence yet. The parties she would attend with her sister always seemed so stiff, the conversations insincere. This dinner hadn't been like that at all, at least, not from what Bella observed.
"Spoils it?" Ben repeated, softly laughing as he spoke. "That would be most unfortunate." He was glad she had said that, assuming that meant she would be just as disappointed as he if their privacy was breached. It took considerable effort to suppress the many thoughts that were flowing throughout his mind at the moment, especially whilst under the influence of drink. No doubt it may already be quite obvious what the young mans intentions are, but maybe that was a good thing. He certainly planned to have many nights just as pleasant as this one, albeit with less company. He felt as if such scenarios would occur only in a matter of time. This he hoped.
"Oh, no" He started, turning towards Bella "It was truly my pleasure. I guess those that reside within the country have little time to enjoy the luxuries city people do. There is always work to be done, which isn't necessarily such a bad thing." And certainly not when spent with such an entertaining lover, He thought, although he did not say the words aloud. "One of the perks of working in trade within the country is not having to deal with the likes of such tedious get together's." He stated, a brief silence ensuing afterwards. "They, do sound quite awful though." He remarked jokingly. "I assure you I'd never put you through anything so mundane."
There was a moment of silence between the two, though not of the awkward sort. It was a peaceful silence, or so Bella observed, as if there was an unspoken understanding between she and Ben even if it was only on her part. She watched as the rays of evening light shortened, the shade of night steadily shrouding the mountains in a dark violet. The moon rose up from behind the snowy peaks, turning them silver. Behind them, the conversation seemed to have died down, transitioning into the calm of twilight.
Ben's words lingered in Bella's mind, echoing. The realization of their meaning, or at least what she thought they meant, came quickly and made Bella's cheeks flush pink. Immediately she felt awkward and, unsure of what to say, she sipped the remainder of her wine. There came a knock behind them on the door of the balcony and Celine stepped just outside.
"It is about time we were going. Robby needs to get up early in the morning." She said softly to either or both of them, smiling a bit sheepishly and feeling as though she'd interrupted something. Bella simply nodded and turned to start toward the door as Celine disappeared. She paused, turning to Ben, and smiled then went to gather with her family. They all thanked Ben, welcoming him by the house any time.
Almost as soon as they returned home, they went to bed. Bella was the last awake, sitting on her bed against the wall and staring out the window into the trees. That evening left her in an overall pleasant mood and with an impression of Ben that brought a smile to her face.
The knock on the balcony door signified that their time was up, and Ben felt somewhat glad. He wanted to end the night on a high note, and what better way to do so than after some privacy between he and Bella? He turned around, gazing back and forth between Celine and Bella. There was certainly an amorous feeling in the air, albeit it was a little vague. Even so, it felt quite obvious. The young man followed Bella back into the dining room, softly returning her smile as he did so.
Ben leaned on the side of his house, waving the Montagne family off as they walked down Esterwell's cobblestone roads back home. The sun had already vanished and the moon began its journey towards the sky. Bevin poked his head out from the door as he began to light his pipe, smirking at his colleague keenly. "You have good taste, Carthwright. Good taste." Ben said nothing in return, and merely kept his sights planted on Bella as she and her relatives walked away. His curiosity had certainly not yet been satisfied. "Are you going to stay the night?" He asked blankly, not taking his eyes off the girl. "If it is no trouble to you. There is still cake and wine to be had." Bevin spoke in a cheerful tone, not yet ready to quit the night. "Indeed there is." Ben gave a content sigh, and turned towards his friend. "You will have to enjoy such luxury by yourself though. I'm quite ready for bed." The young man slept quite comfortably that night, eager for the day he would not do so alone.
"That's them!"The hooded girl said ecstatically from within the woods. In the distance, the Montagne family could be seen walking along a dirt path leading towards their new home. The hooded girls smile returned, and that same warm feeling overcame her being. This time, however, the monarch did not join her. "Amazing." A boy muttered curiously. He too was shrouded by the many trees and bushes within the woods. "It seems all your shenanigans within these woods has paid off. I would have never ventured this far out alone." "They're just people."A girl muttered, unsatisfied. "People like us. The only thing we don't have in common with them is our heritage. It's - nothing to be excited about." Her last few words sounded almost like more of a question than a statement. Even she could not hide her astonishment.
"I - I know."The boy stuttered, quick to agree with her. "It's just, besides William, it's been quite some time since we've seen people." The girl considered his words, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion, as he was not sure exactly what to think. "They're just commoners - and - I'm not going to walk all the way out here just to appreciate their presence. It does not mean a thing." Even after the girls stern words, all three of them did not take their eyes off the Montagne's, watching earnestly until they were out of sight. "I think she is pretty." The hooded girl stated cheerfully. The other two turned in unison towards her. "Which one?" The boy asked persistently. "The girl, the one with orange hair!" She had almost shouted the words with enthusiasm, and quickly moved to cover her mouth.
"I suppose." The sternly girl muttered, turning back towards the house. "You two do have the same hair. I guess it makes sense you'd feel that way." The boy stated, turning to the house as well. The hooded girl had not taken her eyes off of the attic window. She practically felt drawn towards it. Bella had stared into the woods, and the woods stared right back. "It's getting late. Let's go back." The girl stated. The boy simply nodded, and the two turned around and started into the trees. The hooded girl remained still, her head resting on the bark of a tree just as it did the day before. "Sophie," The boy said, "Are you coming with us?" Sophie said nothing, and turned to join the others.
Bella fell asleep sitting up right, leaning back against the wall. She woke some time during the night; the moon hung just above the forest, throwing silver light through her window. Half asleep, she blinked, staring at the forest. Somehow it appeared differently than usual and her sleepy thoughts played on this for a moment. Then she flopped over onto her pillow, drifting immediately into a strange dream.
The redhead found herself in an unfamiliar place, wandering through room after room. Each room was different from the last, beautifully and lavishly decorated in things that even the richest of city people could only ever dream of for their great big houses. There wasn't a person in sight; and only her echo answered when she called aloud. Large windows were sparsely placed along the walls, going almost to the ceiling. Moonlight poured through them and made everything in the rooms sparkle.
Bella woke with the sun, feeling groggy. The typical sounds of the morning interrupted her dream and pulled her from sleep, leaving her feeling as though she'd missed out on the dream entirely. She laid in bed for a short while, trying fruitlessly to remember all of the details, which only blurred in her mind.
Bella dragged herself out of bed and climbed down the ladder from the attic, pulling her boots on as she went down the stairs. She plopped down at the kitchen table where Robby and her father already sat, talking about the work to be done for the day. Celine was just finishing making breakfast and set the table. Bella was the first to finish eating and go out to start the chores. She transported firewood to the house and the forge, tended the garden, then set out to chop more wood.
The Monarch fluttered throughout the woods as night turned to day, its wings flapping up and down at a lively pace. The forest itself was void of wildlife, no squirrel or deer roamed amongst the trees. The butterfly floated on silently and without company. Although the sun began its journey into the sky, few rays managed to pierce the abundance of trees. Just the right amount of sunlight managed to shoot past leaves and branches for one to make out what lay before them, but the woods themselves remained in a constant state of shade, endless shadows intertwined.
Soon the Monarch found itself approaching the house at the edge of the woods, albeit this time without the company of the hooded girl. By now, Bella had already begun her chores for the day. The Monarch watched patiently from the comfort of a branch, its wings gently fluttering from side to side as it balanced itself on the bark. The girl was chopping wood, a task usually taken upon by men. Not wanting to ponder too long on the idea, the butterfly departed from its branch and descended upon a tree adjacent to Bella, waiting patiently to capture the girls attention.
It's position on the tree allowed the sunlight to shine upon the Monarchs orange wings, revealing how strikingly vibrant its color was, its mesmerizing appearance alluring to all those that witnessed it. Upon catching the girls attention, the Monarch proceeded to depart from its place on the tree and began floating gently towards Bella, placing itself on the girls wrist.
The moment the butterfly made contact atop Bella's skin, mysterious visions took hold of her. Vague images of a young man being pulled apart from a woman with coppery-red hair quite similar to her own would flash through her mind. A tall, slender man of elegant stature gripped the young man by the collar, pulling him away from the woman with surprisingly great force. The copper haired woman lay strewn across a dinner table. No signs of a struggle were apparent upon her being, but she appeared lifeless, her head tilted to the side, her body still. The tall and slender man eventually managed to pull the boy out of the room, and slammed the doors shut.
The very moment the doors slammed shut was the moment these visions ceased. The Monarch fluttered off of Bella's wrist and floated before her momentarily before it altered its course and started into the woods.
After a moment, Bella managed to regain her composure and turned back around in her chair. Robby wasn't as bad as Celine was when it came to teasing, but he was quick to take on the role of protective elder brother. It wasn't that either of them behaved as they did to bother her, it was merely a thing that came with being siblings and they did so out of affection. The atmosphere in the kitchen seemed to clear and Bella visibly relaxed. 
