¹𝙎𝙋𝙀𝘼𝙆 𝙉𝙊𝙒 | Bridgerton ✓

8

"PRINCESS BELLATRIX?" His soft melodic voice blossomed her senses under the moonlight.

There be was, Benedict Bridgerton, the first man she danced with officially at a ball, and the only man not in the chase for her hand. While the season heated up with suitors, intrigues and scandals, he secluded himself in that evening, with a sketchbook in his hands, some coal and a pencil on his hands, drawing carefully, meticulously, lost in thoughts.

"Mr.Bridgerton." She says as she impulsively comes closer, as if he was a magnet to her. "I was wondering why I didn't see you at the ballroom." She smiled.

He grinned. "I'm not one to dance often."

"But you danced with me."

"Yes..."His heart speeded for a moment, their eyes meeting. "...I did."

Bellatrix remains in silence for a minute, trying to take a glimpse of the paper he held in his hands, something about that mystery made her unquiet and curious to know every part of that man.

"And what is so interesting that keeps you here, away from society?" She asks.

'Well, sometimes anything is better than society." The two chuckled together. "But for now...I am only an admiror of the stars." He pointed with his head to the sky above, shining beautifully.

She analyzed his figure for a moment, getting lost in those sapphire blue eyes, something about his presence was so easy, delicate.

"May I sit here?" She boldly asked pointing to the bench by his side. "My feet have been killing me all night"

"Oh." He looked at her a bit surprised, the glanced at their surroundings to make sure they were alone. "Of course."

Bellatrix sat by his side, there wasn't much space, making their shoulders touch briefly as they both looked up at the stars. He dared to look at her, observing each spot abd detail of her face, trying to print it on his memory so he could put it into paper lately, already knowing the fact that no art coud top her beauty or get close to it.

But he almost startled himself when she looked back at him, the two in complete silence except from the distance noise of the ballroom. Dark blue of the sky marking a faint moment he never dreamed of, as she leaned closer, and closer, and his cheeks red snd more red. "Prin-Princess..."He tried to mutter and felt a magnetic force pull him closer.

Until she pointed to something by his side and furrowed her eyebrows. "What's that?"

It took a momemt but Benedict awakened from the trance he looked back, at the small metallic bottle of liquor he carried around. She was never looking at him. He wanted to curl up and die pf embarrassment.

"Oh...that..."He tried to mutter up a sentence. "Some sort of...remedy." he lied.

She looked at him in disbelief. "I know most men pretend that women are quite ignorant, but in reality we are very much aware of most situations." Bella pointed to the bottle. "I have seven brothers, Mr.Bridgerton, I know what's the content of that small bottle, and besides..." She leaned closer, almost very close to his lips, sniffling briefly. "You also smell like it." She backed off.

Benedict could not predict the current situation he was in, overral he was urprised, impressed, and a bit awkward, but that shame disappeared slowly as she suddenly standed her hand to him. He looked at her in confusion.

"Care to share?" She asked and it took a while for Benedict Bridgerton to process what she meant. He did not hesitate and lent her the bottle. "Thank you, it's been a long night." She sighed and drank fearlessly.

Benedict smiled, that was rare, yes, to see a lady open up her defenses so easily, specially a royal from such rank as the princess, and yet he adored to see that new side that developed in front of him.