So, I did this thing called starting university and that is one of the reasons why I haven't been here in like three months and why I won't be updating this story as much from now on. I'll explain as much as I can at the end.


Photo #102: One Lump or Two?

Thank god that Eadlyn was so good at hiding as a child because she did not want to be in that situation at all.

Since she and Josie were the only female children in the palace, nature (or in this case, their parents), would often send the two of them off to play with one another. Eadlyn and Josie didn't butt heads, per se, but they weren't exactly braiding each other's hair. To put it simply, whenever Eadlyn had even the slightest hunch that her mother was looking for her to make her play with Josie, she went into hiding.

That was when Josie would play with either her parents or have her brother forced into keeping her company. This photo just happened to be an example of one of those times where her father and Mr. Woodwork were Josie's guests for her weekly (iced) tea party.

Eadlyn looks at the inside of their little teacups and sees the liquid inside shaped like a spiral. It's kind of symbolic the more she thinks about it. That's the thing about a spiral: if you follow it inward, it never ends. It just goes on and on, tightening and tightening infinitely. Just like her father and Mr. Woodwork the longer they sit down at Josie's tea party.

-o-

Today's guests in attendance for Princess Josie's tea party were, of course, the host Princess Josie, Woodwork her stuffed elephant called Sir Trunks-A-Lot, her stuffed cheetah called Sir Spots-A-Lot, Mr. Carter Woodwork, and King Maxon Schreave. The dress code for today was a sparkly feather boa, a sparkly tiara, and, as optional, a puffy princess gown. (Carter and Maxon did not do the last clothing item). They were all seated on a small table that was decorated with a silk tablecloth and all the porcelain tea dishes with matching napkins.

Carter and Maxon are sandwiched in-between Sir Trunks-A-Lot and Sir Spots-A-Lot with Princess Josie. They each have their own teacups and saucers. There's a teapot in the middle which Josie uses to fill each of their teacups, even for the stuffed animals. There are bowls of sugar cubes and cookies; a small pitcher of milk; and a plate of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (with no crust).

The real tea about their tea is that it's actually diluted iced tea. It tasted more like slightly flavored water.

"One lump or two?" Princess Josie asks Maxon since she already knows that her father likes one sugar cube.

Maxon has made decisions for the country easier than this. His only two options are drinking bland and lukewarm iced tea, slightly sweetened cold and bland iced tea or drinking sugar water. He picks the second one because at least it would be refreshing and kind-of flavoured.

Once Josie puts his one lump in Maxon's tea, she sits back down in her own seat and starts talking to her stuffed animals. Carter looks at Maxon and holds up his own tiny teacup to which Maxon clinks his own cup against before they both take small sips.

"It could've been worse," Maxon mutters. At least here, he was being nourished and actually feeling relaxed.

"How could I neglect something so close to my heart?" Carter questions rhetorically as he points at Princess Josie looking as happy as ever in her puffy princess gown, a sparkly tiara, sparkly feather boa, and hosting her own tea party. This is her moment to shine and they are living for it.

"No, I completely understand," Maxon tells him."Sometimes, there are moments when you think you have no choice but it's the best choice." He pauses. "Was this the best choice?"

Carter bites into a mini sandwich and then sips his diluted iced tea. "I'm bonding with my daughter and one of my friends while eating sandwiches, having a refreshing drink, and looking fabulous. This was definitely the best choice."

Maxon nods in agreement as they clink their teacups again. He does agree: he looks fabulous.

"I will admit that this feather boa is warming up to me," Maxon says.

"I think mine is choking me," Carter says, shrugging it off.

"Dad, do you want more tea?" Princess Josie asks with a toothy smile.

"Of course," Carter replies even though his teacup is still half-full.

As Josie fills it up, she looks at Maxon to ask if he would like some as well. Maxon nods as Josie starts refilling his teacup as well. She then gives them their sugar cubes before going back to her stuffed animals.

"Are they actually drinking the iced tea?" Maxon whispers to Carter.

Carter looks over at both Sir Trunks-A-Lot and Sir Spots-A-Lot alternatively, seeing their Josie is refilling both of their teacups but unsure where the tea is going, to begin with. None of the animals looked soaked nor were there any damp patches on the tablecloth or the carpeted floor nor were there any used napkins in sight. Where was the tea going? That was something the two men didn't see coming. Asking Josie isn't an option because she would respond with "they're drinking it." And she wasn't drinking or dumping it anywhere.

"Dad, can you pass Sir Trunks-A-Lot a sandwich?" Josie asks.

"Sure," Carter replies.

He picks up the small plate of sandwiches and hovers it above the stuffed elephant. He puts a sandwich down in front of the elephant and just stares at it. He and Maxon figure that if the tea mysteriously disappears with no trace, then this sandwich is bound to go somewhere and they want to see where and find out how. That will also answer the question of where their tea is going.

"If nothing happens to that, we are so coming back to more of these tea parties," Maxon whispers to him.

"Agreed," Carter responds. "Don't lose focus on the sandwich." He clears his throat and looks at his Josie. "Josie, Maxon and I would love to come to your next tea party!"

"Really?!" Josie exclaims as she excitedly jumps out of her seat.

"Yes!"

Josie starts squealing out of pure joy which makes Carter warm-up, feeling like the proudest father to ever exist because there is nothing more pleasing to a dad than making their children the happiest they could be. Sure, the conspiracy theory on where the tea is going is an incentive to get him and Maxon to go, but he would've come anyways for the sake of bonding with his daughter.

"Where did the sandwich go?!" Maxon exclaims, pointing at the now-empty plate with a few crumbs on it. Meanwhile, Sir Trunks-A-Lot has not moved one bit.

"You were supposed to be watching it!" Carter yells back.

"I just blinked and it was gone!"

"More tea?" Josie offers, being completely oblivious as to why the men were losing their minds.

Maxon holds his teacup up as Josie refills it.

"This will calm my nerves…" Maxon mutters.

"We should add cameras next time," Carter suggests.

"Agreed…I don't trust that elephant, by the way." Maxon abruptly points at it.

"Neither do I. Josie should've invited the rhino, Sir Horns-A-Lot, instead. He's pretty cool."


I actually started this chapter over a month ago but I never got around to writing it as much because school has me busy and honestly, I wasn't feeling like writing it. I am doing this thing now where I'm not forcing myself to write unless I really want to.

I wasn't in the mood for writing some romantic fluff but who knows, maybe that will be the next chapter (and don't ask when that will come out).

This story is technically on hiatus but unlike my three other stories, this one will be getting super slow updates. I have started the next chapter and will most definitely post a Christmas chapter.

I AM NOT ABANDONING THIS STORY!

Stay Tuned - is Maxon the type of man who will be able to fix something in the castle?