"Up, up!", Elizabeth growled, looking around herself at all the unpleasant attention now directed at her. She was embarrassed -- and noticed. The last she wanted was to be noticed. On Sydney, she was far from favourite, being the provisional governor, and assassins lurked at every corner. But Cambridge was far from Sydney, and she liked that it gave her the chance to relax for a change. Still, drawing attention was not prudent.
Alexandra obeys the command rather quickly, Elizabeth had that officer command voice. It just bypassed any thinking and Alex is rising up. Looking even more embarrassed and ashamed than before, she finally sits down on her chair. Still not finding words to excuse herself really.
She looks at sister with an eyes of a child who just messed something up. Alex would try to keep on conversation, trying to recall what Elizabeth said. "I am 34. And well, father was visiting us not very often. In fact it was four times only that I've seen him. Looking at you now I am not questioning him spending most of his time on you. He must be saw something in you. You must be inherit most of is talents too." Alex is trying her best, mixing her assumptions and flattery.
"My mother had just given birth to me, and dad was already having an affair..." An unnecessary event, that is what Alexandra was now, and probably what she felt like, too. Elizabeth's womanly emotionality, though, gave way to the cold pragmatism her father would display. "But we're kin by blood, at least, and should watch each other's backs." She took her posh hat off and placed it on Alexandra's head. "Fits you perfectly! Well, provided a bit of soap and some proper manners... But we'll fix you up! How do you like it?"
Alexandra almost shakes when sister is reaching her head, placing a hat on it. If she ever was to look laughable, then it's certainly now. As that hat costs more than all of her clothing combined. Maybe more than Ward herself would cost at some Outcast slave deal. Was it to demonstrate her place like that? Alex is clearly not in a position to have her opinion and wanted to demonstrate that with kneeling, kind of. But sister seems to be wanting to play a more elegant and mocking game.
"It looks great indeed. I am sorry that my mother has seduced him back in the day, she was poor and saw her chance there. Every man has his weaknesses. I will learn as fast as I could. Your excellency, I understand that I am creating problems just with my presence. I understand that I am just a dirty commoner who came out of nowhere, you don't have to call me a sister, I will not be offended. There are a lot of ways I could be useful. I can work and learn at the same time. I promise that I will be loyal and aid you with everything I can. "
Hat on her head would move a bit to the side, making her look even funnier during this truly touching speech. This is the way she did try to make it sound at least.
Barely restraining herself while Alexandra was talking, Elizabeth burst into laughter, that raw, unbridled kind which most often used to be heard in brothels over the slums of Leeds. It uncovered the true Elizabeth under the fine porcelain veneer. Her heart belonged to the ghettos of Leeds, and although Leeds had been destroyed and her skin had been gilded, her heart, hidden beneath, would always stay Leodensian. Not a different origin than Alexandra's, but different ambitions for sure.
"Your excellency! Hahahahahaha! For God's sake, Alex!" It was progress, referring to her with a nickname, Elizabeth thought. "We're sisters! I do have a name! Call me by it, or by a nickname if you like. Just Liz is fine, no?"
Slowly catching that game, Alex is politely smiling in response to sister's laughing at her. She cannot hide the bitterness in this smile, which only makes it look more priceless. "Liz?" She slowly asks that to win more time to think. Alex is trying to process it as fast as possible. Hall only reacted on how Alex is calling her. Then concluding, that Liz must be accepting her vision on her place in their relationships. Sister did not say anything against it and that's good. Liz must be in need of a sister to use for something, not another commoner servant.
If this is the way that Liz wants to use her, then so be it. Alex herself would find it more comfortable to be just a servant, but she's not calling the shots here. Understanding is developing rather quickly must be really due to the same blood streaming in the veins. She's slightly bowing her head as Liz was done laughing at her. "Liz then." She then looks into sister's eyes, with the look that she's accepting her fate. With Liz it's better to use non-verbal signaling for such things, it might be backfiring less painfully.
"Your laughter is charming, Liza. " She would fix position on Liz' hat on her head. "I will need me shopping and get new clothes, your sis shall be looking better than that. Or maybe you could just order things for me by your liking? You are more into fashion." Alex smiles, still preferring sister deciding everything for her, demonstrating kind of relationships she would prefer. For now at least.
"One moment", Elizabeth extended her index finger. "Two Earl Greys, please. One without sugar", she spoke to the waiter who had just approached, and then looked at Alex, "And one with."
She tried to smile kindly at Alex, but her wide lips which were carrying a heavy load of lipstick made that smile appear more like a threatening grin, unknowingly to her. "We can go shopping later, if you'd like. But while we're here, mind telling me about yourself? What's your story?"
Alex is only get used to sister's mimics. Before that, she paid much attention to the waiter and how other people are being serviced. "My story? Oof. " Alex would rub her chin, trying to think of anything she could tell about herself. "Well, at first I was helping my mother, she was working barista at Holman. Then I became a part-time barista at Holman myself. And I sometimes worked as a waiter, when some of them could not attend to work. Then I've got my full-time barista shift and wasn't working as a waiter anymore. I know how to shake a lot of cocktails and can serve people on a decent level. Though, my clients were not the most pleasing people. I understand that it must sound disappointing. I will learn the other skills, while, I... Will you let me work barista at your estate maybe?"
"We do lack baristas", Elizabeth proceeded, "But for good reasons. There is a housing crisis on Sydney and our budget is very limited, and it is still a dangerous place, especially in pubs. No one will risk their life working there for that money. It's dangerous, Alex, it really is. Better stay here, with the Steiners. I used to be much like you: I was a waitress, though I never made it to barista. But then I met the Steiners, and now I'm here, wearing this. Alright?"
Alexandra is taking a brief look at her expensive clothes again. She is still in light shock with all this and missed the point that the phrase was rhetorical. Liz' hat is still weirdly placed on her head.
"I don't think I want to be like you, for my own good. And you don't want me to be like you really, I avoid ambitions consciously." She, for the first time, decided to voice an alternative opinion. Alexandra sighs, as her lips are becoming pale due to stress again. "I will do what you say, but know that I would prefer to stay with my sister." Her naive tone somehow disappeared with this.
![[Image: 396AUfe.png]](https://i.imgur.com/396AUfe.png)
