My medical licence has only been issued for fifteen months.
And for fifteen months a cold war has been commenced without the two sides even realising it.

Perhaps, that is why it has been prolonged for so long.

A strident clatter of laughter resounds-- disrupting me the hypotheses within. It's coming from the library.

Shaking my head, I follow where the chorus is coming from with a smile.

There are two curved gaps in the walls-- one gap further leads to the rooms and dining hall-- while the other ventures into the library and Grande Sala.
As soon as I enter the Grande Sala, the melody of a piano embraces me with open arms.

"Ingram lad, why do you--" Henry, my brother junior of five years, says with a drained posture.

"Come on, Knightley!" Timothy Ingram, the son of our acquaintances, stands with slumped shoulders.

Both of Henry and Timothy's coats are placed on the piano.

Isabelle, Henry's and my younger sister of ten years, turns around from her stool till her blue stoned gaze finds me. The same gaze as Mother's and my own.

The rest of the two follow her suit.

Henry starts,
"Brother, come! I am trying--"

"Woefully," Timothy interrupts-- Isabelle hides her chuckles.

Henry rolls his eyes.
"Trying to help these two-- or rather only Timothy-- understand the dreadfulness of ballroom dancing."

"You say it as though that is not my area of expertise, brother." Isabelle puts a hand on her chest for emphasis.

Arm behind my back, I saunter across the hall and sit beside Isabelle on the stool.

"If my rather lethargic memory, as you put it, aids me then is not Materia Medica is your area of expertise?" Henry wags an eyebrow.

The mention of the study of drug reminds me of the ones I had to suggest earlier.

A crow caws from behind us-- we ignore it.

Henry then turns to me and waves his arms about-- acting more the five-and ten year olds than the latter are themselves.
"Matthew, have you seen the plants she grows in her room? I swear something in them makes me dizzy."

Timothy palms his forehead as I laugh-- but passes a silent smile towards my sister.

Isabelle, on the other hand, has her chin up.
"And have you seen his arithmetics papers? They seem more like a dosage of scarlet fever."

Henry rubs his chin and looks at both Timothy and me-- we merely shrug.
He then points at Isabelle-- who is shifting her gaze back and forth after the silence.

"You're learning well, Belle, very well. Il tuo contatore ha fatto anche me pensare."

Your counter made even me think.

Isabelle shakes her head-- veiling a triumphant grin.

"I tuoi giorni meravigliosi sono iniziati, Henry."

Your marvelling days have started, Henry.

"How much of the calculations are left?" I say.

Henry turns around, only to wave a hand.
"Only the final revenue of this month's rents and produce. I'll finish it in the morn."

That means I have to complete it after everyone goes back to their quarters.

Wonderful.

Only Doctor Hopkins and Belle know, but I am able to copy and forge another's handwriting after observing it well enough.
That talent does seem useful at moments like these.

Interrupting my thoughts, Timothy gives Isabelle and I a particularly graceful bow-- one hand hung at the back, while the other spirals ahead.

Standing upright, Henry nods at Isabelle's tucked lips and the sudden change of countenance on Timothy's part.
Henry's gaze keeps shifting between Isabelle and me.
"I can already see the conspiracy."

"All I see is an illustrated history of lusty barbarians," both Isabelle and I say simultaneously.
We jerk our head at each other, laughing at the two boys blinking at us.

"I'm not the lusty one here," Henry mutters.

"Come on, we must get on with our practice." Henry's rises as Timothy snatches the former's elbow-- the younger one almost tumbling down.

"As they say waits for no man," Timothy says-- coughing and standing up.
"Or woman," he adds.

"Lord, have mercy on me..." Henry pleads a sigh as Timothy positions both of them.

I cradle my head and bend forward-- elbows on knees and await the show.

Isabelle plays another note.

"You must place one hand here and one here--"

"I already know that--"

"Don't place one on my waist! That would be more scandalous than the Queen having an affair!"

Isabelle palms herself on the forehead again, as Timothy muses,
"But would that not be inconceivable?"

Henry slowly nods.
"I was wondering the same actually...
But I reiterate: Must I..."

"Oh please, lad. This is not an amphitheatre for a Sophocles tragedy!" Timothy wades his arms across the hall.

"More like a stage for Shakespeare comedies..." Henry observes.

"Ah, you flatter me, but humility is the key to success."
Putting a cross on the subject, Timothy takes Henry by the shoulder again.

Isabelle and I remain as chuckling audiences.

The hands adjoining them goes up, and then a smirk grows on Timothy's face.

Timothy's going to...

"Oi!" But then Henry wrenches away Timothy's arm and turns it in the opposite direction behind the boy's back.

Henry releases him and gives a bow-- while Timothy staggers to the side.

Flinging his wrist about, Timothy concludes,
"All right, perhaps I deserved that."

"Especially after all the dancing lesson, lad." I shake my head.

"What dancing lesson?" A voice strides in-- followed by a person.

Ms Evanna Ingram-- Timothy's elder sister-- enters the hall with a teasing smile.

Looking at her, Henry quickly walks over to the piano and snatches his coat from it. Though, a radiant smile splatters on his face.

Ms Evanna strolls to where her brother is, as Isabelle and I stand. The former even walking towards her, while Henry and I stay beside.

"Evanna!" Isabelle opens her arms for the lady and she answers back with the same amount of affection.

Through the embrace, Ms Evanna nods at Henry and I.

The former gives a stiff response to his own friend.

After my sister and Ms Evanna break apart, the latter turns to her brother-- looks at him up and down-- Timothy gives an agitated laugh. His sister eyes him as she says,
"Fetch your coat. I am here for it is time for supper."

Henry looks in between the two and offers before I can do the same,
"You two are more than welcome to spend the evening here, Evanna."

Miss Evanna smiles, as Timothy walks over to the piano where his coat is. Isabelle gives him a glance and so does he.

"I would love to Henry, but you know Mother gets rather anxious if we are outdoors at nightfall."

By the time she finishes her reasoning, Timothy comes to her side-- wearing his coat.

After exchanging nods and slight curtsies, the two Ingrams bid adieu to the three of us.

"Shall we go before our own mother sends for someone?" Isabelle suggests with a smile.

Laughing, Henry agrees.
"Why yes, we must.
And Father must have quite the commentary even for Mother's behalf."

Though, the raven perched on the branch outside elopes my attention. The raven with a single silver feather.
That is till it flies away.

For a moment, it felt as though that raven was watching me...

Welcome back, everyone <333
Some of you coming back from TGD may be pleasantly surprised at Henry and Isabelle's intervention.

Don't worry, they're both major parts of the story.

As for the chapter, we see some interesting developments with the characters and a little something something watching someone here. 🤗

This chapter's dedicated to palpitating_rain, an amazing friend and fellow wonderlander.

Here's this week's question(forgot to do this before oops):

What's up with that crow?

Don't forget to vote! ❤️

I hope you all have a great week!
Love,
MS Zame