Nothing brings on jealousy like laughter.

"Oh! I didn't know you have a sister." Colin said to James.

"There's many things you don't know about me, after all we are barely acquainted, Colin." James replied

Nodding, "You do have a point..."Colin replied, he turned to see what Fabian was doing and found the man just frozen in his place, his whole face flushed in red as he looked at Safa.

"Woof!" Denver was Still trying to get Fabian's attention so he would throw the ball, but Fabian continued to be distracted.

Clara as well turned to look at Fabian, "Oh! Is that mister Kainz?! Safa wasn't joking! The man is uniquely handsome." She whispered to herself.

"Hmm? Did you say something?" James asked her.

Blushing, "Nothing..." Clara replied, then she finally noticed how Captivated Fabian was with Safa, "I knew something was going on between them...Oh well...I never stood a chance to begin with." She whispered again, sighing in defeat.

"You are mumbling a lot, is something wrong? Are you feeling nervous?" James asked her, "No no, I'm alright, just a little disappointed." Clara replied smiling.

"Disappointed About what?"

"Nothing you need to worry about."

Safa on the other hand was feeling flustered, "Are you going to keep staring?" She asked Fabian.

Wolfgang sniggered at her, "What is making you gigglish?" She asked.

"Give the man some time to recover from the shock Safa, it would appear that Mister Kainz has taken a liking to your new dress." Wolfgang said much to everyone's surprise.

"Hmm, Interesting." Gertrude mumbled with a raised eyebrow.

Annoyed, "Are you trying to tease me Wolfgang?" Safa asked.

"Well you do tease me all the time, it's only fair I return the favor." Wolfgang replied.

"Forgive me Safa...It is just that...so far I have seen you dress a certain way...I did not expect a sudden change." Fabian finally spoke-up, He was still blushing deep red.

"Believe me, I did not expect it either." Safa replied.

"You look wonderful..." Fabian said.

"Thank you...You look... handsome, as well." Safa replied.

Giggling, "Hehe! If you wore this dress at a ball, you would have every lord begging you for a dance!" Penelope said but she didn't noticed that most of them gave her a strange look as a result of her words.

"Then I suppose it is a good thing I cannot dance, At least I have an excuse." Safa replied.

When Penelope realized what Safa's response meant, she remembered what Safa has already told her, and her whole face turned red, "I am...so sorry! I completely forgot, you did tell me you can't dance! I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings with my words!" Penelope said making Safa Burst into laughing.

For a good moment, Safa laughed her heart out, while everyone else watched her with disbelief, and poor Fabian was as red as Penelope but for different reasons.

"Oh god...the...hahah!...the look on your face!...oh darling! I have not laughed like this in a while! Haha!"

"Uhh...Safa? Are you alright?" Clara asked her.

But Safa ignored her as she said, "Thank you Penelope, you gave me a good laugh."

"I don't understand, why did you laugh? Are you finally going insane?" James asked.

Safa rolled her eyes at him, "Ha! You wish! I just thought it was adorable, how Penelope instantly got embarrassed." She said.

"Safa You are obsessed with teasing people." Wolfgang replied.

Sighing in relief, "I'm glad you don't seem hurt Safa." Penelope said.

"Meh...I am not bothered by not dancing or attending balls for that matter, I mean if I want to, I can walk now...yes it is difficult but I can manage so I can learn how to dance eventually." Safa replied.

"Then why not learn?" Colin asked.

"Yes! We can learn together! Safa" Clara said.

Curious, "You don't know how to dance? Didn't you get taught?" Gertrude asked.

Clara immediately became nervous, James could see that so he responded instead of her, "Clara is much like Safa interested in acquiring knowledge, She reads books most of the day."

Impressed, "Oh! Young master too! He grew-up reading books all the time!" Gertrude replied.

"You like to read?" Clara asked Fabian.

"Uhh...Yes! I came from a rough background, knowledge was a luxury and it was either I read books all day or I spend it fighting with my aunt's husband." Fabian replied.

"You were on bad terms with your aunt's husband?" Clara questioned.

"Well, i was sort of adopted by my aunt, and at first he was angry that I was taking much of her time but then later my aunt's husband began trying to act as a father figure...he wasn't good at it...so we often fought.

I started reading as a way to get away from the couple, since most of our interactions ended in fights especially with the late Lord Struat.

But before I could read I had to learn so much before I could do so, since I came from the Austrian empire where I spent my earliest childhood years...I did not even know how to read in my own language let alone speak English." Fabian explained.

"Oh!" Clara was surprised, she badly wanted to tell Fabian she was illiterate too but was afraid to surprise everyone, she knew they would ask questions and she wasn't ready to let everyone know the truth just yet.

Suddenly, "Wait you said the Austrian empire? Am I correct?" Wolfgang asked.

"Yes? Is there a problem?" Fabian replied.

"No! I just realized, your native tongue, it's German, right?"

"Oh yes! Do you also speak German?!"

"I was born in holy Roman empire, The Austrian empire used to be part of it, so I know everyone there speaks primarily German." Wolfgang replied.

Fabian smiled big in response, "Wolfgang! I should have known you were not English just from your name!" He said.

Smiling back, "Ja! das ist ein schöner Zufall! (Yes! This is a nice coincidence?)!" Wolfgang replied.

"Es ist! (It is!) Fabian said.

"Safa actually speaks German too, she was the one who taught me most of my English! I also was illiterate." Wolfgang replied making Fabian's eyes go wide, "Safa you can speak German?"

"Ich kann. (I can.)" She replied.

"That's really impressive!" Penelope said, "How difficult it is to learn German?" Clara asked.

"It can get complicated, I would suggest learning other languages." Safa replied.

"Stop trying to find new things to learn every day, just focus on your piano lessons for now." James said to Clara.

"You're learning how to play? I have a sister who adores playing the piano, my mother actually plays really well too." Colin said.

"Well...I want to learn about music in general, James plays the piano all the time, and I listened to Safa play the lute once, I felt inspired." Clara replied.

"Hold it, did you say The lute? I have not heard about this instrument in years!" Fabian said.

"I was as shocked as you when I saw that Safa owned and even knew how to play a lute.

Most people don't know what's a lute nowadays, it fell out of use in a drastical manner some years ago, It is still being used in some areas of Europe but it's quite rare." James replied.

"Well can you play for us Safa? I would love to listen for myself!" Penelope asked.

Sighing, "I knew it was a matter of time before someone mentioned the Lute...Sure, I shall play, but not right now." Safa replied.

"Yes!" Clara cheered happily, "You seem excited about the lute." Gertrude said.

"Although she can't dance, when Safa payed the lute for us, Clara danced her heart out, I did too." James replied.

"You must be an amazing musician!" Colin said to Safa.

"Barely, I actually fell out of practice for a long while." Safa replied.

"Yet when she played again after said long while, she was amazing." James said smiling happily.

Something about his smile began bothering Fabian who frowned as he looked at James who was busy smiling at Safa.

"If you turn out to be a good musician, Maybe you can start performing at balls! Wouldn't that be a good and fun way to enter society?" Gertrude suggested.

"I doubt many would appreciate my music." Safa replied.

"They would if you were good at what you do, but just to be safe, wear this dress and other dresses like it, it will help the audience to enjoy your music." James joked, "You want me to seduce people into listening to my music? You really have no ethics." Safa joked back earning a laugh from James.

Colin was beginning to realize that Fabian was experiencing some jealousy towards James, as he said out loud, "Even without a fancy dress, Safa is beautiful enough to attract anyone's attention."

Everyone looked at Fabian after his statement, it quickly made the albino man gain some self awareness and he immediately blushed in Embarrassment.

Sighing, "It is true, Safa is beautiful, she doesn't need a dress to show that but it's nice that she's experimenting with fashion.

If only my lady could see you in this dress!" Gertrude spoke-up.

"God bless that woman's soul, even with this dress on, I can never compete with the late lady Stuart's beauty." Safa replied.

"Humble as always, I see." Gertrude said, then glanced at Clara with a smile, "You're quite adorable yourself, you remind me of myself when I was younger...Do you mind me asking how old you are?"

Clara chuckled at the elderly woman, "Thank you for the compliment, I'm 21."

"Oh so young, I'm jealous! I'm at that age where I dare ask people their age but wouldn't answer when they ask about mine!" Gertrude said making them laugh.

"So I assume you won't tell us your age?" James asked Gertrude, "If I tell you, I might have to kill you." She replied.

"Then please, don't tell me!" James joked earning few chuckles from everyone.

Suddenly, "Age is such a peculiar concept! Don't you think? The funny thing about it is that most ages are associated with certain traits and mindsets, most people would assume the older you get the more serious and boring you are.

Yet some people remain younger at heart even when their bodies age beyond that." Wolfgang said.

Nodding, "Exactly! tell me why I'm 31 but in my head I always feel like I'm 18 still?" James said.

Surprised, "31! I am 30!" Fabian replied.

Surprised as well, "Mister Kainz! You're 30? You don't seem a day older than 20!" Clara said.

Horrified, "Hold it Clara, he's around my age! Do I look like a dying old man to you?!" James asked.

"I am sorry that you had to know the truth this way, but yes you look like you are a decaying corpse James." Safa joked.

"You're being a bully!" James frowned at her.

"Don't worry, you still look young James." Clara said.

"Then What about you Safa? I don't think I asked you How old are you so far?" Penelope asked.

"I am in my late twenties...28 to be exact." Safa replied.

"Wow! I honestly did not think 28!" Colin said, "To be honest, 30 isn't even that old.

But people like to pretend it is, which is also funny because most people are not accurate at guessing other people's ages.

Many people would assume I'm older than Safa, when she's actually two years older than myself." Wolfgang replied.

Confused, "Wolf, you're 26?!" James asked.

"Yes?"

"What! I always thought we're around the same age!"

"No, we're not...I thought you knew I was younger, after all I knew how old you are James."

"I didn't! I don't think there was an occasion for me to know!...Wow."

"Enough talking about age!" Gertrude said, "There's a shooting contest today, I want to see some bullets fired!" She added making them laugh again.