Ben gave a small shrug. Not always. What made you learn? I learned to cook from need.
>> Most things in life come from that. >> Do you understand that? >> You understand that?
>> She smiled faintly, more than people think. That was the kind of thing she said sometimes.
Simple words, but they stayed in the mind. Still, nothing romantic lived between them then.
That mattered. Nah did not suddenly start dreaming about him. She did not come to the kitchen to stare at him.
She was simply the only one in the house who spoke to him like he was still a human being.
And because of that, Ben began to relax around her in small ways. Not enough to forget himself, but enough to notice her more.
One evening, after everyone had eaten, Ben stepped outside through the back door to get a little air.
“Tony was already there, squatting near the wall and chewing something.” “You look tired,” Tony said.
Ben leaned against the wall. I am working. Tony smirked. It is more than work in this palace.
Ben did not answer. Tony lowered his voice. The princesses are changing. Ben gave him a side look.
You see too much. I hear too much too. Ben let out a quiet breath.
Those girls are dangerous. Tony grinned. I know they are proud. I know they are difficult.
Tony nodded. I know that too. Ben looked away toward the dark yard. Only Nina is different.
Tony sat up a little straighter. Uhhuh. Ben frowned slightly. What? Tony pointed at him.
>> That is where your answer is, Benjamin. The answer is this whole palace. Your older sisters want to press your neck down, but the last one talks to you like a human being.
>> If anybody can open the house, what is one way to put it? >> Tony went on enjoying himself now.
The others want to press your neck down, but the last one talks to you like person.
If anybody can open this house, well, nah, that one. Ben gave a short laugh that held little humor.
You speak like an old man. Tony shrugged. Street teachers fast. Then he added, “Just be careful.
What looks soft in this palace can still cut.” Ben said nothing after that. But Tony’s words stayed with him because Tony was noisy, foolish, and young.
Yet he was often not wrong. As the weeks passed, the sisters stopped moving as one.
That was how the real confusion began. Before they had been united by mockery, they laughed at Ben together, spoke down to him together, treated him as one small thing below them.
Now that unity was breaking. Sandra did not like the way Linda entered the kitchen and lingered too long.
Linda did not like the way Rita suddenly cared whether Ben had eaten. Rita did not like the way Sandra kept asking for vegetable soup and saying it was just because of the taste.
And none of them liked the quiet understanding that Nah seemed to have with him in the kitchen.
So each one started hiding her own interest while watching the others. Sandra began keeping her face hard even when she wanted to ask him something kindly.
Linda laughed more when she was nervous around him. Rita became rudder whenever she caught herself looking too long.
And in the middle of it all, Ben kept watching. Watching how pride turned into curiosity.
How curiosity turned into interest. And how interest could not be admitted started becoming a kind of secret war.
The first late night visit happened by chance. Or at least that was how it looked.
Ben was in his small room folding a cloth when there was a soft knock.
He opened the door and found Linda standing there. She had wrapped a light shawl over herself and looked slightly uncomfortable as if she was not sure why she had come anymore.
My princess, Linda lifted her chin. I was passing. Ben waited. Then she said, I wanted to ask if there is any of that soup left.
At this time, she clicked her tongue. Am I not allowed to be hungry? Ben hesitated.
There may be small. Then bring it. He went to the kitchen, brought the soup, and handed it to her.
Linda took it and stood there another moment. Then she asked, “Do you always sleep?”
>> “Do you always sleep this early, Benjamin?” >> “No.” >> “Good night.” >> Then she left.
The next night, Rita came. She claimed she heard a noise and wanted to know if he had heard it, too.
Ben stared at her for a second too long before saying, “No, my princess.” Rita folded her arms.
“You never hear anything. I am sorry.” She made an annoyed sound and stayed there awkwardly before walking away.
A few nights later, Sandra came, not for food, not for noise. She stood by his door and said, “If anyone asks, I was not here.”
Ben’s face did not change. “Yes, my princess.” She looked almost angry that he answered so calmly.
“I came to tell you that if my father praises you too much, do not let it enter your head.”
“I understand.” Sandra stared at him. “Do you?” “Yes, my princess.” She remained there a little longer, then left, too.
These things were small, but they mattered. The palace was no longer resting. Something uneasy had entered it.
A strange emotional heat, and the daughters were no longer sure what to do with it.
Even the servants had started noticing, not enough to talk openly, but enough to whisper.
Enough to say, “The young man is too handsome for a common coke.” Enough to say, “The princess has now passed by the kitchen too often.
Enough to say this house should be careful. Tony heard all of it. He heard more than most people.
He always did. One afternoon, he cornered Ben behind the kitchen again. You see, Ben kept sorting vegetables.
See what I told you from the start. You are not >> I warned you from the start.
You’re not ordinary trouble. You are full trouble. The first princess is watching you. The second is hanging around.
The third pretends to hate you and the last one is the only one with sense.
>> Face your own life. You’re making a mistake. >> Face your own life. Tony laughed.
My own life is watching other people make mistakes. Ben finally looked at him. And what mistake do you think is coming?
Tony’s grin faded a little. A big one. That answer stayed in Ben’s mind longer than he wanted.
The matter of marriage entered the palace slowly, too. It began with one of the elders who came to see the king and casually mentioned that Sandra was no longer a child.
Then one of the queen’s relatives asked when Linda would be settled. Then another woman made a thoughtless joke about Rita talking too much for someone still in her father’s house.
None of it pleased the king. King Daniel loved his daughters, but he also knew how people talked.
A royal house without marriages, without sons, without clear future plans, people always found something to say.
One evening after dinner, he sat with Queen Beatatrice in the smaller sitting room. “Our daughters are growing,” he said.
The queen was quiet for a moment. “I know Sandra should have been married by now.
She wanted better than what came.” The king rubbed his chin and now people are talking again.
Queen Beatatrice looked down. People always talk. Sometimes people speak the very thing a father is already thinking.
>> Some days later, the king called Ben to the garden side after lunch. Ben stood respectfully before him.
King Daniel looked at him with a strange expression as though he was trying to say something he himself was not comfortable saying.
Ben. Yes, your majesty. The king cleared his throat. You have been in this house for some time now.
Yes, your majesty. You have seen my daughters. Ben said nothing. King Daniel shifted in his seat.
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