True Beauty

One

Six siblings sit around the long, round mahogany table. The head seat, which their father would normally occupy, was instead occupied by a rather large, burly man whose name was unknown. A white, fluffy beard rested on his face along with a matching set of eyebrows. His appearance was grotesque, untrustworthy. The siblings, all under age 30, stare at him as he reads through their family's file. This "lawyer", as their father had stated in his will, would be taking care of them in wake of his death. The will also stated that this man had known their father most of his life, though none of them had ever laid eyes on him. 

When he finishes his skimming, his black, beady, mouse-like eyes bounce from one child to the next. One could catch the plague just by staring at this man.  

The oldest and most clever child stood at the opposite end of the table. An untraditional head of brown curls rested on his head, nearly covering his intense, piercing green eyes. He was the charmer and rebel of the family; going to the most impossible lengths to get what he needs and wants. The lawyer looked down at the list. The boy's name was Harold, who was typically referred to as Harry. 

Jennifer, the sensible teacher, stood to her older brother's right. Her dirty blonde hair curled similarly to Harry's but cascaded down her back. She shifted her weight from the left side of her body to the right as she uncomfortably made eye contact with the mousy man. Not wanting to give way to her discomfort, her ocean blue eyes hardened, making the message clear: I'm not intimidated. 

Her twin brother stood next to her; observing the silent standoff between the two. He looked on curiously, wondering if either his sister or the lawyer would let a sound escape their lips. Tension thickened the air even after the lawyer shifted his gaze to the other blond-haired, blue-eyed twin. The only difference between him and his sister was their gender.  

The lawyer looked down again, exhaling at the name. James. Typical twin names; Jennifer and James, though the teacher looked much older than her brother. Maybe the children she taught were devils. The thought made him smile.  

Across from James was the 19-year-old, headline-making medical prodigy, Stacia. He didn't have to look at his paper to know that. Her face was well known to most of the country. She was one of the best doctors in Paris, caring for the noblemen in Versailles. An intelligent woman who focuses on medicine was impressive, but beauty and intelligence were a rare combination, but she had that also. Her beautiful, porcelain skin was flawless and smooth, contrasting with the dark brown hair falling just above her behind and making the ocean colour she shared with the twins pop out of her eyes. She could've been a goddess, and her confidence showed that she knew it.  

The lawyer smirked at the final two siblings; outcasts who couldn't live up to their mother's dressmaking skills or their father's entrepreneurship. The man was 29 and the woman 28. Their father had never mentioned them; probably ashamed of their chosen paths. The lawyer looked down at his file. David and Annemarie. They were outlaws and nomads, roaming Europe, searching for some hidden fortune or some other ridiculous, imaginary thing. He shook his head, wondering if the two were mentally ill. They obviously didn't fit in with the family; both had dark eyes, juxtaposing their younger siblings light ones. They were much older than Harry and the lawyer corrected himself for thinking he was the oldest. They stood together awkwardly, looking on as the others glared down the man with their father's will. 

The creaking sound of the ancient wooden door opened relieved some of the tension, drawing attention away from the events of the past few minutes. The lawyer looked at his paper. That must've been the youngest one entering. Isabelle: unmarried, unemployed, still in school, prefers being called Bel since her mother's death. He looked up from his file, mentally adding, large and unattractive.