In the name of courage.

Manners *Belch* pt. 2

"Good, I was hoping not." Constance groaned, clearly familiar with the phrase, and aware that it meant more than what you would think.

"What?" I questioned, feeling a sense of unease rising in my chest. 

"Constance you may sit and watch." Another exasperated groan, but unless I was mistaken I saw a small smile of anticipation reach her lips. I raveled in that smile without really realizing it... Before snapping back to the reality that Benedict was laughing maniacally.

"I have been preparing this, for just such an occasion." He said rubbing his hands together in excitement.

"He's been ranting about this idea for weeks, calls it 'team building' or something of the kind." Constance whispered into my ear, catching me off guard and causing a flurry of goose bumps to rise around my neck and ear. I flushed in embarrassment. Could I not control myself.

Benedict rose the pitch of his voice up about three octaves and shouted.

"LADIES." He drew out the last syllable of the word, letting it flow in a sing song manner.

After a few moments the door of a cupboard burst open revealing our older brothers...completely bedecked in women's wear, clearly borrowed from their wives.

There were several snorts of repressed laughter to be heard, one of them being Thomas, upon hearing this a scowling Wild turned his gaze of hatred on his younger counterpart, clearly aware of who had made the last noise. His gaze seemed to say, I will tie you up in this skirt and throw you in a river. Thomas quickly sobered. 

"These will be your practice for today, I will demonstrate, then you will follow my suit with your partner. Pair up with your older brethren and let us begin."

Percy waddled over to me, looking positively livid.

"Line Up." I stepped away from Constance, both for the sake of following orders and in an attempt to dilute her presence with the hilarity of the situation. I looked into Percy's eyes caught in a desperate battle of wanting to laugh at his appearance, He looked like, well, a soldier in a dress. I waited patiently for instruction, feeling a pain rise in my throat as I held my breath in an effort not to cackle. Percy huffed and crossed his arms by way of joining in the uproarious giggling when Mutt tripped on the hem of his glorified blanket and bit the dust. I looked behind me to see Constance bury her face into her father's back in an attempt to stifle her laughter.

I snorted quietly.

"ALRIGHT LADS." Benedict shouted as soon as the noise died down enough for him to be heard.

We all sobered as Mutt finally stood and faced stubby, who upon seeing his expression looked absolutely terrified. 

"SO..." Benedict bellowed, testing whether we were all listening or not. "You will approach the lady you wish to be antiquated with upright and with a sense of confidence about you just don't come off as arrogant, in my experience they generally appreciate that." We did as he commanded as best he could, while he walked up and down behind the 'suitors' 

"If the lady has a mutual desire to meet you then she will stick out her hand with the back of it facing up, if she does not then she will show you her hand palm up." Some of the men in the line did this while others continued with the palm facing down. 

"If you are denied you will bow low and turn on your heel, as an acceptance of her decision." The boys who were rejected sketched a somewhat clumsy bow and turned away walking back to their original positions. I was awarded with a palm down. 

"If she accepted your pursuit you may take her hand in yours and press a swift, chaste kiss to her wrist-"

A burp exploded out of one of the boys, Jacob I believe (nicknamed Belch for a reason), as he was bowing over the hand of his elder brother, Pounce. I watched him lock eyes with Benedict, who gave a near imperceptible nod of his head. Before he reared back and attempted to slap him across the face, presumably to make this simulation more believable, before Belch dodged and rushed Pounce, clearly put on fight or flight mode Pounce jumped onto Belch and the two went rolling to the floor, laughing and scrabbling as they did so. 

Constance fell to her knees, giggling non-stop. Benedict sighed, realizing he had lost control of the situation, before shrugging and began refereeing the impromptu wrestling match. As he passed me I heard him mutter.

"We can begin again tomorrow."

I sat back and watched the foe fight take place, laughing with the rest of my extended family, enjoying a thing that for some reason, deep down in my gut, I feared would never last.