𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕘𝕦𝕖

this might be more than a minor inconvenience

"we're just a bunch of kids,

and we're rich"

------------

As Adelaide and James entered the small town they noticed many things. For one the streets were narrow and crowded with merchants, their haggles always in a contest with their neighbors, growing louder and cheaper with every strained yell.

Adelaide sneered at the cobblestone walkway, utterly disgusted at the horse manure and dirt laying around. Though she wasn't sure it was just horse dung.

People stared as they walked past, everything sticking out. No doubt these people had never seen the likes of them before with Adelaide's layered silver silk gown and James' navy and gold waistcoat as he had taken off his gold buttoned overcoat due to the heat. Not to mention their clean aristocratic features.

Adalaide sighed with relief as the exited the crowded street to what she assumed was the town square. A small fountain stood in the center with a few shops lining the edge. James perked up at the sight of a pub,

"No. James, no. I will never enter one of those horrid pubs! There's bound to be a teashop around here or something!"

"Please sister, give it a chance. It's-"

"No James, who knows what skank could reside there! I know that you like getting wasted with your buddies and have no care for your image, but I for one would rather go the day without ordering some drunk hooligans head for hitting on me. Now let's go" James stood there dumbfounded, unsure if she would actually order someone's head before realizing that they most likely weren't in a territory they ruled over and didn't want any conflict.

"Adelaide?"

"Yes, James. Hurry up before I go back to the carriages" Adelaide looked at him questionably, wondering how he could spin this one his way.

"You do know that we are quite close to Blackthorne, and therefore would be in Luxembourg, a neutral country? I don't think you could order someone's head"

"I very well could if one of these unpleasant men laid a hand on me, no one would miss them, and I never said it would be public" before Adelaide could say anything else James cut in,

"Maybe you could, but from what I've gathered this pub is also the town's teashop so unless you want the lonely company of nagging servants I would join me. Besides, I doubt these people know who we are, it would be a good chance to just be children without the worries of titles."

Adelaide sighed, knowing she couldn't steer her twin away from his quest for liquor when a possibility rose to the surface of her mind. While Luxembourg was a neutral country, it was very fertile and had many useful resources, perhaps the first step in gaining more power was to gain the support of the people. With that Adelaide had made up her mind and took James' waiting arm.

"Fine brother, but if anything shall happen-"

"I know, I know, you'll tell Alastair that the egg prank was me and not that kitchen boy" Adelaide smirked, that was just the very tip of her iceberg of blackmail, James had a fair number of slip-ups she had covered for in their many years.

Now that they were closer to the pub she could see that James had been right. The sign above them was creaking as the wind whipped around the square, faded white letters read, 'mary's tea shop and pub' an odd combination if you asked Adelaide but she was thirsty so kept from making a remark as James held the door for her.

All of the talking immediately ceased as the two entered. Adelaide now realized really how much of an oddity they really were. The few women who had been serving drinks were wearing cheap wool garments, some hanging dangerously low. The many men around the pub had similar wool trousers and many only had a dirty linen shirt.