How Curious

Chapter !

Alice and Julien are the same age, both 19 and freshly in young adulthood. You see, Julien was adopted by the Kingsleigh family when his parents had tragically died on an adventure. Charles felt personally responsible for the accident, since it was his ship, and he knew other families would not accept Juliens... special circumstances. This all means they have spent many many long nights playing with each other in their fathers large estate, often disrupting the business meetings. If it weren't for the obvious and somewhat jarring difference in familial characteristics, no one would be able to tell from the way they all had acted that the son was adopted.

Now sitting next to each other, their mother observes them closely as they both rest their heads against opposite windows. It would almost be comical, how similar they act sometimes, if they were not currently on their way to what was supposed to be the most important day of the golden blondes life. The young adults are both tired and slightly grumpy, the blonde kept the boy up all night with her dreaming.

"Must we go? I doubt they'll notice if we never arrive." Alice says to her mother, finally breaking the silence. The ginger boy sits up straighter and nods along with his sister.

Their mother rolls her eyes, "They will notice," she says as she leans over to fix some details on Alice's dress. "Where's your corset?" Helen rolls back her daughter's dress and scoffs when hearing her son snort, she glares at him for a moment before bringing her attention back to Alice, "And no stockings!" At this point Julien is having a hard time keeping in his laughter at his sister's expense.

"I'm against them." Alice simply states looking into her mothers eyes. Her bluntness finally caused her brother to lose control and laugh improperly, Alice side eyes him and gives him a small smirk.

"But you're not properly dressed." Their mother tells the girl sternly. "What about you, Julien, do I have to check for you too?" Julien simply giggles and shakes his head no.

"Who's to say what is proper? What if it was agreed that "proper" was wearing a codfish on your head? Would you wear it? To me a corset is like a codfish."

"Please. Not today you guys." Alice and Julien both calm down and look back out their windows again.

"Father would have laughed." mutters Julien, frustrated they couldn't have a little fun on their way to the event. Alice sees that her brother's words had hurt their mother and lightly slaps his shoulder, giving him a look.

"I'm sorry. We're tired. I didn't sleep well last night, and I kept Julien up."

"Did you have bad dreams again?"

"Only one. It's always the same ever since I can remember. Do you think that's normal? Don't most people have different dreams?" For a moment Julien looks concerned about his sister then rests his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about being normal, you have me as a brother." He smiles and gives a thumbs up with his other hand. This gives the whole family a small laugh, breaking the tension that has built up.

They finally arrive at the Ascot estate and the party is already in full swing, the siblings look around noticing they may be slightly underdressed compared to the other guests. Julien looks at his sister and gives a small shrug. The trio come up the expecting Lord and Lady, the siblings putting on slight unnatural smiles, trying to be polite. They can tell from how red Lady Ascot's face is that she is upset at how late they arrived. "At last! We thought you'd never arrive. Alice, Hamish is waiting to dance with you. Go!" She says slightly pushing Alice towards her own son in a hurry. "You do realize it's well past four Helen! Now everything will have to be rushed through!"

Julien looks slightly annoyed and like he's about to say something, his mother gives him a look and he steps down knowing she can handle this. "I am sorry. We-"