They sat at the breakfast table, and the servants quickly brought them food.

‘I’m starving’ Ashton said, eating his breakfast fast.

‘Slow down you’ll give yourself indigestion’ Alicia frowned.

Ashton paused then, picking up a napkin and dabbing at his mouth.

‘Sorry’ he mumbled.

Alicia shook her head at him tiredly.

‘The stress I think has made me hungry’ Ashton spoke absentmindedly. ‘First I want nothing to eat, next thing I am starving.’

‘Well I don’t blame you’ Alicia said to him, reaching for her glass and taking a sip of orange juice. ‘I remember how nervous I was when…. you know.’ She took another sip. ‘It is a little daunting, I won’t lie.’

‘But what’s the point of me marrying if I cannot have children?’ Ashton asked his sister then. ‘I mean…. isn’t that the point?’

‘Because its expected of you I guess’ Alicia shrugged. ‘Can’t break tradition, even if you do like men.’

She finished the rest of her juice, putting the glass down carefully and taking a napkin.

‘We should go out together somewhere today’ Alicia said then, ‘get away from home for a few hours.’

‘Where?’

‘How about the beach?’ Alicia suggested. ‘I know you love the cliffs there; you always say how beautiful they are.’

‘Yeah’ Ashton smiled, turning to glance through the window. ‘They are always beautiful, even on dark days’ he said looking to the blue sky. ‘Today they will be especially gorgeous.’

Ashton always like the cliffs at the beach. The stone was the most beautiful copper colour, and would sparkle in the sunlight, much likes the surface of the ocean. He loved the climb these cliffs, after getting bored of collecting seashells which he would gather on the rocks. He would climb the cliffs and watch the vast ocean from the top, sitting on the edge with his sister as he had done so before. He would often sit and stare at the horizon before him, in awe at how big the world was in which he lived.

‘I think we should go’ Ashton said, ‘I would love to go. I just want to get away from home for a short time to clear my head. I…. need time to think.’

‘Yeah’ Alicia nodded enthusiastically. ‘Me too.’