The chatbox has been hidden for this page. It will reopen upon refresh. To hide the CBox permanently, select "Permanently Toggle Cbox" in your profile User Settings.
This chatbox is hidden. To reopen, edit your User Settings.
Mihail had arrived at the baron’s house in the late evening, when the sun had begun to dip below the horizon and tinted the sky a thick Thanasi red. The journey had not been a long one, although he had spent the greater part of it buried below the deck, unwilling to gaze upon that worrisome expanse of water and risk a foolish death. The subsequent trip from ship to estate had not shared such panic, however, and the youngest Thanasi had enjoyed the brief carriage ride (he had decided it would be his last - until the rural life grew too inconvenient).
Word had not been sent ahead of his intentions. It has seemed unnecessary; besides, Mihail did not believe they would reject a Thanasi visit, especially when it was not his first time disappearing to Nethisa to fight some matter brought up by his sisters with which he did not quite agree. He had made a habit in the past years of braving the seemingly bottomless stretch of water between his usual home and the province of his birth, and taking up residence alongside the baron until he thought whoever had wronged him had come to their senses - or until he had formulated a valid plan against them. This tended to include all three of his sisters, though Dysius had never cared for such pettiness, and rarely seemed affected by such actions.
The baron had not been present when Mihail had arrived, tilting his head gently to one side and requesting with a soft flutter of his eyelashes and a pout that he be given a place to stay awhille, and that he hoped his usual chambers would be available despite the baron’s current absence. They were, although he supposed that was at least partially due to the lack of other noble visitors the baron was entertaining. Nethisa was not exactly a touristic hub, and those who did visit the island province were not usually residing in the baron’s manor.
It had been a week since then.
Mihail had soon discovered that the peasant life he was so adamant about experiencing was not for him. Though some might have argued that staying in an extensive estate with all he might need at hand only invalidated his plebeian fantasy, he did not think that quite fair: it was hardly as comfortable as home. He had been trying to fulfil a non-noble style of life, at least.
He had tried the clothes, but the fabric had felt rough on his skin, and he was certain it had tinted him a pinker shade than the usual alabaster, as if his body rejected the sheer notion of poverty. He could not handle the plainness of the outfits either, and within a mere couple of days, he had reverted back to his prettier cinched chitons in deep crimsons with their embroidered edges. He had felt bare without his fingertips tinted with bright henna and without his eyes rimmed in dark kohl, and without the plethora of silver serpents which normally curved and twisted around his fingertips. The jewels and make-up had been quick to make a reappearance as well.
He had tasted the food - a matter he had foolishly assumed would not bother him immensely, with his already feeble appetite - but the insufficient choice of foods had bothered him, and he had not done well without the typical bowl of fruit sitting in his chambers lest he suddenly grow hungry. The quality of the wine had been a whole issue in itself, but it was the lack of ready access to opium which had turned him away in full. Mihail did not have the capacity to live without the ready access to the drug which the lower classes did not possess, and it had been the last straw in his tantrum. He only resided away from home and vaguely attempted to grow the same beard he saw so many of the poor wearing, though so far he had not managed much more than a light smuttering of stubble over his jawline. It was the attempt which mattered.
For a few days, he had gone by the name ‘Mihail of Nethisa’, announcing himself as such to all he came across, though he still demanded the servants address him as their lord, unable to shirk the title in its entirety. When he had returned to his family name, only using the false moniker when he had felt especially petty, it had been nothing short of a relief. Still, the man had not ceased to from sending those obnoxious missives to his sisters every day, signed with that same Nethisan name, not had he ceased to complain about his situation in each letter, as if to ensure they were well aware of how dearly he suffered now that they had allegedly rejected him.
Rejected or not, however, it had not stopped Mihail from penning a new letter to his middle sister, the one he normally and genuinely regarded as his favourite (even though he tended to make that claim to whichever sister he wanted to gain from at the time). He trusted Thea with most of his fusses, if partially because she babied him more significantly, and though childish, he could not resist her affections. If anyone would acknowledge his plight, it would be Thea. So he had written a letter requesting that she put aside their newfound differences in birth for a while and come visit him, and that he would be most grateful if she were to do so. He missed her.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
Mihail had arrived at the baron’s house in the late evening, when the sun had begun to dip below the horizon and tinted the sky a thick Thanasi red. The journey had not been a long one, although he had spent the greater part of it buried below the deck, unwilling to gaze upon that worrisome expanse of water and risk a foolish death. The subsequent trip from ship to estate had not shared such panic, however, and the youngest Thanasi had enjoyed the brief carriage ride (he had decided it would be his last - until the rural life grew too inconvenient).
Word had not been sent ahead of his intentions. It has seemed unnecessary; besides, Mihail did not believe they would reject a Thanasi visit, especially when it was not his first time disappearing to Nethisa to fight some matter brought up by his sisters with which he did not quite agree. He had made a habit in the past years of braving the seemingly bottomless stretch of water between his usual home and the province of his birth, and taking up residence alongside the baron until he thought whoever had wronged him had come to their senses - or until he had formulated a valid plan against them. This tended to include all three of his sisters, though Dysius had never cared for such pettiness, and rarely seemed affected by such actions.
The baron had not been present when Mihail had arrived, tilting his head gently to one side and requesting with a soft flutter of his eyelashes and a pout that he be given a place to stay awhille, and that he hoped his usual chambers would be available despite the baron’s current absence. They were, although he supposed that was at least partially due to the lack of other noble visitors the baron was entertaining. Nethisa was not exactly a touristic hub, and those who did visit the island province were not usually residing in the baron’s manor.
It had been a week since then.
Mihail had soon discovered that the peasant life he was so adamant about experiencing was not for him. Though some might have argued that staying in an extensive estate with all he might need at hand only invalidated his plebeian fantasy, he did not think that quite fair: it was hardly as comfortable as home. He had been trying to fulfil a non-noble style of life, at least.
He had tried the clothes, but the fabric had felt rough on his skin, and he was certain it had tinted him a pinker shade than the usual alabaster, as if his body rejected the sheer notion of poverty. He could not handle the plainness of the outfits either, and within a mere couple of days, he had reverted back to his prettier cinched chitons in deep crimsons with their embroidered edges. He had felt bare without his fingertips tinted with bright henna and without his eyes rimmed in dark kohl, and without the plethora of silver serpents which normally curved and twisted around his fingertips. The jewels and make-up had been quick to make a reappearance as well.
He had tasted the food - a matter he had foolishly assumed would not bother him immensely, with his already feeble appetite - but the insufficient choice of foods had bothered him, and he had not done well without the typical bowl of fruit sitting in his chambers lest he suddenly grow hungry. The quality of the wine had been a whole issue in itself, but it was the lack of ready access to opium which had turned him away in full. Mihail did not have the capacity to live without the ready access to the drug which the lower classes did not possess, and it had been the last straw in his tantrum. He only resided away from home and vaguely attempted to grow the same beard he saw so many of the poor wearing, though so far he had not managed much more than a light smuttering of stubble over his jawline. It was the attempt which mattered.
For a few days, he had gone by the name ‘Mihail of Nethisa’, announcing himself as such to all he came across, though he still demanded the servants address him as their lord, unable to shirk the title in its entirety. When he had returned to his family name, only using the false moniker when he had felt especially petty, it had been nothing short of a relief. Still, the man had not ceased to from sending those obnoxious missives to his sisters every day, signed with that same Nethisan name, not had he ceased to complain about his situation in each letter, as if to ensure they were well aware of how dearly he suffered now that they had allegedly rejected him.
Rejected or not, however, it had not stopped Mihail from penning a new letter to his middle sister, the one he normally and genuinely regarded as his favourite (even though he tended to make that claim to whichever sister he wanted to gain from at the time). He trusted Thea with most of his fusses, if partially because she babied him more significantly, and though childish, he could not resist her affections. If anyone would acknowledge his plight, it would be Thea. So he had written a letter requesting that she put aside their newfound differences in birth for a while and come visit him, and that he would be most grateful if she were to do so. He missed her.
Mihail had arrived at the baron’s house in the late evening, when the sun had begun to dip below the horizon and tinted the sky a thick Thanasi red. The journey had not been a long one, although he had spent the greater part of it buried below the deck, unwilling to gaze upon that worrisome expanse of water and risk a foolish death. The subsequent trip from ship to estate had not shared such panic, however, and the youngest Thanasi had enjoyed the brief carriage ride (he had decided it would be his last - until the rural life grew too inconvenient).
Word had not been sent ahead of his intentions. It has seemed unnecessary; besides, Mihail did not believe they would reject a Thanasi visit, especially when it was not his first time disappearing to Nethisa to fight some matter brought up by his sisters with which he did not quite agree. He had made a habit in the past years of braving the seemingly bottomless stretch of water between his usual home and the province of his birth, and taking up residence alongside the baron until he thought whoever had wronged him had come to their senses - or until he had formulated a valid plan against them. This tended to include all three of his sisters, though Dysius had never cared for such pettiness, and rarely seemed affected by such actions.
The baron had not been present when Mihail had arrived, tilting his head gently to one side and requesting with a soft flutter of his eyelashes and a pout that he be given a place to stay awhille, and that he hoped his usual chambers would be available despite the baron’s current absence. They were, although he supposed that was at least partially due to the lack of other noble visitors the baron was entertaining. Nethisa was not exactly a touristic hub, and those who did visit the island province were not usually residing in the baron’s manor.
It had been a week since then.
Mihail had soon discovered that the peasant life he was so adamant about experiencing was not for him. Though some might have argued that staying in an extensive estate with all he might need at hand only invalidated his plebeian fantasy, he did not think that quite fair: it was hardly as comfortable as home. He had been trying to fulfil a non-noble style of life, at least.
He had tried the clothes, but the fabric had felt rough on his skin, and he was certain it had tinted him a pinker shade than the usual alabaster, as if his body rejected the sheer notion of poverty. He could not handle the plainness of the outfits either, and within a mere couple of days, he had reverted back to his prettier cinched chitons in deep crimsons with their embroidered edges. He had felt bare without his fingertips tinted with bright henna and without his eyes rimmed in dark kohl, and without the plethora of silver serpents which normally curved and twisted around his fingertips. The jewels and make-up had been quick to make a reappearance as well.
He had tasted the food - a matter he had foolishly assumed would not bother him immensely, with his already feeble appetite - but the insufficient choice of foods had bothered him, and he had not done well without the typical bowl of fruit sitting in his chambers lest he suddenly grow hungry. The quality of the wine had been a whole issue in itself, but it was the lack of ready access to opium which had turned him away in full. Mihail did not have the capacity to live without the ready access to the drug which the lower classes did not possess, and it had been the last straw in his tantrum. He only resided away from home and vaguely attempted to grow the same beard he saw so many of the poor wearing, though so far he had not managed much more than a light smuttering of stubble over his jawline. It was the attempt which mattered.
For a few days, he had gone by the name ‘Mihail of Nethisa’, announcing himself as such to all he came across, though he still demanded the servants address him as their lord, unable to shirk the title in its entirety. When he had returned to his family name, only using the false moniker when he had felt especially petty, it had been nothing short of a relief. Still, the man had not ceased to from sending those obnoxious missives to his sisters every day, signed with that same Nethisan name, not had he ceased to complain about his situation in each letter, as if to ensure they were well aware of how dearly he suffered now that they had allegedly rejected him.
Rejected or not, however, it had not stopped Mihail from penning a new letter to his middle sister, the one he normally and genuinely regarded as his favourite (even though he tended to make that claim to whichever sister he wanted to gain from at the time). He trusted Thea with most of his fusses, if partially because she babied him more significantly, and though childish, he could not resist her affections. If anyone would acknowledge his plight, it would be Thea. So he had written a letter requesting that she put aside their newfound differences in birth for a while and come visit him, and that he would be most grateful if she were to do so. He missed her.
Thea found a sense of comfort in routine. Most days seemed to feel almost exactly the same as of late.
In the mornings, she would wake and break her fast with Dionysios and occasionally with Dysius, when he chose to join them. Conversation was light and minimal among the three of them. Quiet had been the way to describe many things with Nethis away in Taengea and Mihail...away. The servants and retainers tended to her father's need until the early afternoon, when he had formed a habit of taking a prolonged rest in his study over the papers that seemed to pile ever higher.
Thea quietly assisted with some of the more simple tasks, particularly pertaining to keeping the household stocked and running smoothly, in a fashion that her father would never notice any different. As for other missives? Well, she busied herself with making copies of more pertinent matters for Nethis and setting them aside in her room before issuing a few simple replies and staging a few of the more urgent matters accordingly on her father's desk.
Dysius spent much of his time socializing in the city with whomever decided to keep him entertained. All the better, she supposed, so as to keep him from meddling in affairs that would raise Nethis' ire when she returned.
The afternoons belonged soley to Thea and her interests, and at this point in the year, pertained to a significant amount of harvesting from the courtyard's herb gardens. Particularly beautiful specimens made their way inside with her, where she had formed the routine of sketching and lightly shading their image into a handcrafted codex, which stood taller than the width of her palm.
The codex was filled with more than just sketched images of the stalks, leaves, thistles and buds. Alongside in perfectly formed calligraphy, she had formed short summaries of the plants, describing the traits and features of each one, as well as some various uses and a few short recipes in the margins. There were instructions for drying, storing, and in many cases, the effects on the body.
This hobby had become a way for her to keep her mind active as well as to record and combine some of her preferred reading into one, solid tome. Someone would find it useful someday. For now, it helped the days pass.
Routine shattered when Mihail's letter arrived.
Thea had done her best to not think on the state in which affairs had been left prior to Nethis' journey to Taengea. In fact, she preferred it when her emotions did not have control over her thoughts, as she could find them quite distracting. Loneliness was not an issue, so long as she did not feel sad by it. Still, when Mihail went away, she found that her mood had grown more withdrawn and melancholy.
With her youngest brother finally having revealed his location, Thea took the opportunity to venture to Nethisa to see him. The combination of his signature as "Mihail of Nethisa" and his revelation that he had found refuge with the Baron led Thea to the realization that that there would be a very delicate balance in approaching....well, near any conversation with him.
Then again, very rarely did she ever take the lead in steering a conversation one way or another. Particularly not with Mihail. After all, there was more than one way to soothe his mood, and out of all their siblings, the best modes were known mostly between herself and Evras, as neither Dysius or Nethis tended to suffer complaints.
Shortly after being welcomed into the Baron's estate, there were salutations and doting words from the oddly charming and unkempt lower noble, before she was directed to a parlor towards the furthest end of the estate. Thea kept her expression cool and collected, though when the baron turned, her nose could not help but flare in a silent laugh.
Though the servants had taken her affects, as of course, she intended to stay for however many days would not crowd Mihail's temperament, she politely declined for them to take a particularly well-crafted leather satchel that she carried with her into the parlor. Knowing her brother he would identify it shortly.
"Mihail."
It was both greeting and warning of her approach. She chose no titles or signifiers. While she was there to comfort and, yes, enable his melancholy to an extent, she was not there to mock or to pity. In a way, her love was to be applied clinically and efficiently, like a salve on a wound. No, Nethis would not approve of these ways, nor Evras either in her methods, but what they did not know would not harm them.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
Thea found a sense of comfort in routine. Most days seemed to feel almost exactly the same as of late.
In the mornings, she would wake and break her fast with Dionysios and occasionally with Dysius, when he chose to join them. Conversation was light and minimal among the three of them. Quiet had been the way to describe many things with Nethis away in Taengea and Mihail...away. The servants and retainers tended to her father's need until the early afternoon, when he had formed a habit of taking a prolonged rest in his study over the papers that seemed to pile ever higher.
Thea quietly assisted with some of the more simple tasks, particularly pertaining to keeping the household stocked and running smoothly, in a fashion that her father would never notice any different. As for other missives? Well, she busied herself with making copies of more pertinent matters for Nethis and setting them aside in her room before issuing a few simple replies and staging a few of the more urgent matters accordingly on her father's desk.
Dysius spent much of his time socializing in the city with whomever decided to keep him entertained. All the better, she supposed, so as to keep him from meddling in affairs that would raise Nethis' ire when she returned.
The afternoons belonged soley to Thea and her interests, and at this point in the year, pertained to a significant amount of harvesting from the courtyard's herb gardens. Particularly beautiful specimens made their way inside with her, where she had formed the routine of sketching and lightly shading their image into a handcrafted codex, which stood taller than the width of her palm.
The codex was filled with more than just sketched images of the stalks, leaves, thistles and buds. Alongside in perfectly formed calligraphy, she had formed short summaries of the plants, describing the traits and features of each one, as well as some various uses and a few short recipes in the margins. There were instructions for drying, storing, and in many cases, the effects on the body.
This hobby had become a way for her to keep her mind active as well as to record and combine some of her preferred reading into one, solid tome. Someone would find it useful someday. For now, it helped the days pass.
Routine shattered when Mihail's letter arrived.
Thea had done her best to not think on the state in which affairs had been left prior to Nethis' journey to Taengea. In fact, she preferred it when her emotions did not have control over her thoughts, as she could find them quite distracting. Loneliness was not an issue, so long as she did not feel sad by it. Still, when Mihail went away, she found that her mood had grown more withdrawn and melancholy.
With her youngest brother finally having revealed his location, Thea took the opportunity to venture to Nethisa to see him. The combination of his signature as "Mihail of Nethisa" and his revelation that he had found refuge with the Baron led Thea to the realization that that there would be a very delicate balance in approaching....well, near any conversation with him.
Then again, very rarely did she ever take the lead in steering a conversation one way or another. Particularly not with Mihail. After all, there was more than one way to soothe his mood, and out of all their siblings, the best modes were known mostly between herself and Evras, as neither Dysius or Nethis tended to suffer complaints.
Shortly after being welcomed into the Baron's estate, there were salutations and doting words from the oddly charming and unkempt lower noble, before she was directed to a parlor towards the furthest end of the estate. Thea kept her expression cool and collected, though when the baron turned, her nose could not help but flare in a silent laugh.
Though the servants had taken her affects, as of course, she intended to stay for however many days would not crowd Mihail's temperament, she politely declined for them to take a particularly well-crafted leather satchel that she carried with her into the parlor. Knowing her brother he would identify it shortly.
"Mihail."
It was both greeting and warning of her approach. She chose no titles or signifiers. While she was there to comfort and, yes, enable his melancholy to an extent, she was not there to mock or to pity. In a way, her love was to be applied clinically and efficiently, like a salve on a wound. No, Nethis would not approve of these ways, nor Evras either in her methods, but what they did not know would not harm them.
Thea found a sense of comfort in routine. Most days seemed to feel almost exactly the same as of late.
In the mornings, she would wake and break her fast with Dionysios and occasionally with Dysius, when he chose to join them. Conversation was light and minimal among the three of them. Quiet had been the way to describe many things with Nethis away in Taengea and Mihail...away. The servants and retainers tended to her father's need until the early afternoon, when he had formed a habit of taking a prolonged rest in his study over the papers that seemed to pile ever higher.
Thea quietly assisted with some of the more simple tasks, particularly pertaining to keeping the household stocked and running smoothly, in a fashion that her father would never notice any different. As for other missives? Well, she busied herself with making copies of more pertinent matters for Nethis and setting them aside in her room before issuing a few simple replies and staging a few of the more urgent matters accordingly on her father's desk.
Dysius spent much of his time socializing in the city with whomever decided to keep him entertained. All the better, she supposed, so as to keep him from meddling in affairs that would raise Nethis' ire when she returned.
The afternoons belonged soley to Thea and her interests, and at this point in the year, pertained to a significant amount of harvesting from the courtyard's herb gardens. Particularly beautiful specimens made their way inside with her, where she had formed the routine of sketching and lightly shading their image into a handcrafted codex, which stood taller than the width of her palm.
The codex was filled with more than just sketched images of the stalks, leaves, thistles and buds. Alongside in perfectly formed calligraphy, she had formed short summaries of the plants, describing the traits and features of each one, as well as some various uses and a few short recipes in the margins. There were instructions for drying, storing, and in many cases, the effects on the body.
This hobby had become a way for her to keep her mind active as well as to record and combine some of her preferred reading into one, solid tome. Someone would find it useful someday. For now, it helped the days pass.
Routine shattered when Mihail's letter arrived.
Thea had done her best to not think on the state in which affairs had been left prior to Nethis' journey to Taengea. In fact, she preferred it when her emotions did not have control over her thoughts, as she could find them quite distracting. Loneliness was not an issue, so long as she did not feel sad by it. Still, when Mihail went away, she found that her mood had grown more withdrawn and melancholy.
With her youngest brother finally having revealed his location, Thea took the opportunity to venture to Nethisa to see him. The combination of his signature as "Mihail of Nethisa" and his revelation that he had found refuge with the Baron led Thea to the realization that that there would be a very delicate balance in approaching....well, near any conversation with him.
Then again, very rarely did she ever take the lead in steering a conversation one way or another. Particularly not with Mihail. After all, there was more than one way to soothe his mood, and out of all their siblings, the best modes were known mostly between herself and Evras, as neither Dysius or Nethis tended to suffer complaints.
Shortly after being welcomed into the Baron's estate, there were salutations and doting words from the oddly charming and unkempt lower noble, before she was directed to a parlor towards the furthest end of the estate. Thea kept her expression cool and collected, though when the baron turned, her nose could not help but flare in a silent laugh.
Though the servants had taken her affects, as of course, she intended to stay for however many days would not crowd Mihail's temperament, she politely declined for them to take a particularly well-crafted leather satchel that she carried with her into the parlor. Knowing her brother he would identify it shortly.
"Mihail."
It was both greeting and warning of her approach. She chose no titles or signifiers. While she was there to comfort and, yes, enable his melancholy to an extent, she was not there to mock or to pity. In a way, her love was to be applied clinically and efficiently, like a salve on a wound. No, Nethis would not approve of these ways, nor Evras either in her methods, but what they did not know would not harm them.
A part of Mihail hadn't been convinced Thea would appear after receiving his letter. There had been enough notes sent with passive-aggressive undertones in the past weeks that he would almost have expected her to reject the invitation to visit him (though he had been relatively sure his middle sister was one of the most likely to put up with such childishness, as she had throughout most of their years). But it seemed that had not been the case, and here she was ready to see her littlest brother. He could not help but feel somewhat appreciative, though he hid the momentary positivity under the unending guise of a continued temper tantrum.
This particular day had not been so different from any of the others of his stay. He had awoken as early as was regular, and spent most of the morning drifting around the estate in a state of over-feigned melancholy about his birth which he had begun to suspect was frustrating the manor's staff, if the side glances and short mutters he caught from them every so often were any indications. It had barely seemed worth acting upon, but 'barely' was not a word Mihail was quite familiar with - his own brand of pettiness simply didn't run that way - and his tone had become twice as harsh, and threats become twice as unforgiving. He had a tendency to treat the place as a second home of sorts, and that extended to the discipline of staff, even if angered words were kinder than the cruelties he could reach when genuinely frustrated (he had brought his bow, after all, and they were not quite strangers to it).
He didn't entirely understand it. He didn't know how people could not accept that he was suffering, and that his life had been completely turned around by his eldest sister's sudden revelation. Things seemed different and, although his complaints were often over the top and almost a blatant plea for attention, especially when one could argue nothing had changed for him in the slightest, his mind was closed to any opinion that did not agree he had been betrayed by the family he so adamantly defended. Any indication that someone did not share his mindset was merely incomprehensible, and it only forced him further and further into the less than ideal cloud of pettiness he had formed around himself.
By the time Thea arrived later that afternoon, he had disappeared into an airy parlour around the back of estate with which he had recently become increasingly familiar. It was comfortable only in that Mihail could distract himself with a jug of ever-calming wine and his own thoughts, and because few tended to enter the delicately decorated chamber without warning. He had been doing as such now, his current distraction a blend of the thick red liquid of which he was so fond, undiluted to the extent that many might think it bordering on barbarian, and that soft-smoking pipe that was so delicious, and her sudden greeting had surprised him.
For a moment, Mihail forgot himself. So glad was he to see the sister he had shunned for so long, that he let himself slip, almost throwing himself off the couch where he had lain for a fair while to wrap himself around the older woman. "Thea!" he squealed, kissing her on the cheek before he remembered the distance he had been keeping from the entirety of his family and took a few steps back again, smoothing down the folds of his crimson chiton as if to hide his temporary error. Mihail rearranged his features from the childishly excitable smile to a more neutral pout, one eyebrow quirked upwards as he drummed similarly-coloured nails against the silver belt cinching in his waist. He had already noticed the satchel by her side, and the less-than-unfriendly look on her face which implied this was not a bragging visit, though it didn't stop the snarky words which left his lips.
"Lady Thea, it's an honour to have you visit us. To what do we owe such a pleasure - I imagine you wish to gloat on your content royal life whilst the rest of us peasants must suffer in such abject poverty as this?"
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
A part of Mihail hadn't been convinced Thea would appear after receiving his letter. There had been enough notes sent with passive-aggressive undertones in the past weeks that he would almost have expected her to reject the invitation to visit him (though he had been relatively sure his middle sister was one of the most likely to put up with such childishness, as she had throughout most of their years). But it seemed that had not been the case, and here she was ready to see her littlest brother. He could not help but feel somewhat appreciative, though he hid the momentary positivity under the unending guise of a continued temper tantrum.
This particular day had not been so different from any of the others of his stay. He had awoken as early as was regular, and spent most of the morning drifting around the estate in a state of over-feigned melancholy about his birth which he had begun to suspect was frustrating the manor's staff, if the side glances and short mutters he caught from them every so often were any indications. It had barely seemed worth acting upon, but 'barely' was not a word Mihail was quite familiar with - his own brand of pettiness simply didn't run that way - and his tone had become twice as harsh, and threats become twice as unforgiving. He had a tendency to treat the place as a second home of sorts, and that extended to the discipline of staff, even if angered words were kinder than the cruelties he could reach when genuinely frustrated (he had brought his bow, after all, and they were not quite strangers to it).
He didn't entirely understand it. He didn't know how people could not accept that he was suffering, and that his life had been completely turned around by his eldest sister's sudden revelation. Things seemed different and, although his complaints were often over the top and almost a blatant plea for attention, especially when one could argue nothing had changed for him in the slightest, his mind was closed to any opinion that did not agree he had been betrayed by the family he so adamantly defended. Any indication that someone did not share his mindset was merely incomprehensible, and it only forced him further and further into the less than ideal cloud of pettiness he had formed around himself.
By the time Thea arrived later that afternoon, he had disappeared into an airy parlour around the back of estate with which he had recently become increasingly familiar. It was comfortable only in that Mihail could distract himself with a jug of ever-calming wine and his own thoughts, and because few tended to enter the delicately decorated chamber without warning. He had been doing as such now, his current distraction a blend of the thick red liquid of which he was so fond, undiluted to the extent that many might think it bordering on barbarian, and that soft-smoking pipe that was so delicious, and her sudden greeting had surprised him.
For a moment, Mihail forgot himself. So glad was he to see the sister he had shunned for so long, that he let himself slip, almost throwing himself off the couch where he had lain for a fair while to wrap himself around the older woman. "Thea!" he squealed, kissing her on the cheek before he remembered the distance he had been keeping from the entirety of his family and took a few steps back again, smoothing down the folds of his crimson chiton as if to hide his temporary error. Mihail rearranged his features from the childishly excitable smile to a more neutral pout, one eyebrow quirked upwards as he drummed similarly-coloured nails against the silver belt cinching in his waist. He had already noticed the satchel by her side, and the less-than-unfriendly look on her face which implied this was not a bragging visit, though it didn't stop the snarky words which left his lips.
"Lady Thea, it's an honour to have you visit us. To what do we owe such a pleasure - I imagine you wish to gloat on your content royal life whilst the rest of us peasants must suffer in such abject poverty as this?"
A part of Mihail hadn't been convinced Thea would appear after receiving his letter. There had been enough notes sent with passive-aggressive undertones in the past weeks that he would almost have expected her to reject the invitation to visit him (though he had been relatively sure his middle sister was one of the most likely to put up with such childishness, as she had throughout most of their years). But it seemed that had not been the case, and here she was ready to see her littlest brother. He could not help but feel somewhat appreciative, though he hid the momentary positivity under the unending guise of a continued temper tantrum.
This particular day had not been so different from any of the others of his stay. He had awoken as early as was regular, and spent most of the morning drifting around the estate in a state of over-feigned melancholy about his birth which he had begun to suspect was frustrating the manor's staff, if the side glances and short mutters he caught from them every so often were any indications. It had barely seemed worth acting upon, but 'barely' was not a word Mihail was quite familiar with - his own brand of pettiness simply didn't run that way - and his tone had become twice as harsh, and threats become twice as unforgiving. He had a tendency to treat the place as a second home of sorts, and that extended to the discipline of staff, even if angered words were kinder than the cruelties he could reach when genuinely frustrated (he had brought his bow, after all, and they were not quite strangers to it).
He didn't entirely understand it. He didn't know how people could not accept that he was suffering, and that his life had been completely turned around by his eldest sister's sudden revelation. Things seemed different and, although his complaints were often over the top and almost a blatant plea for attention, especially when one could argue nothing had changed for him in the slightest, his mind was closed to any opinion that did not agree he had been betrayed by the family he so adamantly defended. Any indication that someone did not share his mindset was merely incomprehensible, and it only forced him further and further into the less than ideal cloud of pettiness he had formed around himself.
By the time Thea arrived later that afternoon, he had disappeared into an airy parlour around the back of estate with which he had recently become increasingly familiar. It was comfortable only in that Mihail could distract himself with a jug of ever-calming wine and his own thoughts, and because few tended to enter the delicately decorated chamber without warning. He had been doing as such now, his current distraction a blend of the thick red liquid of which he was so fond, undiluted to the extent that many might think it bordering on barbarian, and that soft-smoking pipe that was so delicious, and her sudden greeting had surprised him.
For a moment, Mihail forgot himself. So glad was he to see the sister he had shunned for so long, that he let himself slip, almost throwing himself off the couch where he had lain for a fair while to wrap himself around the older woman. "Thea!" he squealed, kissing her on the cheek before he remembered the distance he had been keeping from the entirety of his family and took a few steps back again, smoothing down the folds of his crimson chiton as if to hide his temporary error. Mihail rearranged his features from the childishly excitable smile to a more neutral pout, one eyebrow quirked upwards as he drummed similarly-coloured nails against the silver belt cinching in his waist. He had already noticed the satchel by her side, and the less-than-unfriendly look on her face which implied this was not a bragging visit, though it didn't stop the snarky words which left his lips.
"Lady Thea, it's an honour to have you visit us. To what do we owe such a pleasure - I imagine you wish to gloat on your content royal life whilst the rest of us peasants must suffer in such abject poverty as this?"
To say that Thea was surprised by Mihail's reaction to her arrival would have been an understatement, but in the moment that he seemed to bound forward to embrace her, it was as if time had gone in reverse and she could see the young boy he had been, full of energy and smiles. There was no suppressing the smile on her lips or the small hum of laughter from her chest as he kissed her cheek, though it was cut short by the sensation of...was that hair?
Her face still expressing her happiness at seeing him well, her eyes flicked immediately to the patchy scruff that had started to form around his features, looking almost more like layered soot than hair. Thea had the urge to take the edge of her himation and attempt to wipe it away, but she did not give in to it, as she watched the noticeable shift in his demeanor.
Ah, there it was. This was the character that she had anticipated.
This was Mihail of Nethisa.
On the ride in, Thea had considered how to meet this new person but in a flash, all of that planning went out the window, particularly with the way she had been greeted. Had she met this 'Mihail of Nethisa' first, she might have kept forth with the ruse, entertaining her prodigal brother's notions and offered sweet comfort and a shoulder to cry on. The latter would still likely be needed at some point during the day.
However, having seen her brother's love peek through his usual melancholy, Thea felt much like she had caught him.
"Come off it, Mihail," Thea said, closing the door to the parlor behind her. Her words were pointed and yet loving, not spiteful or teasing in the same way that their other siblings would have started. Once the door latched, her eyes pinned his for a brief moment before sighing heavily, and offering a gentle expression, almost pleading, "Drop the act and save it for Nethis. You know better than to confuse my intentions for hers."
Thea crossed from the door to a sitting area within the parlor, passing by Mihail and looking up at the hair on his face with notable scrutiny before removing the satchel from across her shoulder and setting it on a nearby endtable before taking a seat on the edge of a plush lounge, patting her hand on the seat next to her.
"I am not here to press you on this issue," she began, unlatching the satchel and taking out a finely crafted black wooden box, one that Mihail would find familiar, "Nor am I here to empathize in your experience - there is no way that I can begin to do so."
As she spoke, her deft, slender fingers opened the small carrying case on her lap, and a familiar, pungent scent filled the room. With scent being tied to memory, she glanced up to Mihail knowing that they both were likely having flashes of memories in the Thanasi estate, in Thea's rooms, lounging surrounded by food and wine and more hemp than seemed reasonable for one person to obtain. Her voice softened, and a genuine smile started to form on her lips as she paused to look at him.
"I came here to see that you are well," she offered, genuine care in her voice, "Also, I came to see when you will be returning home. Life has been dreadfully dull without you, my love." While she talked, her fingers worked deftly away as filling the end of a smoking-reed with the finely ground hemp, the stickiness of the plant's juices working their way onto her fingertips. She took her time as she did so, allowing Mihail to watch every bit of preparation.
"To say I have missed your company would be an understatement," she noted, leaning forward to where a small oil lamp burned, lighting the tip of the reed pipe and then taking a long, deep drag from it. The soft, familiar burn of the smoke in her lungs was a comfort, and....it was a tease for Mihail as well.
Exhaling the smoke into the air in a cloud, Thea smile sweetly across to Mihail. "Also, do not be rude to your host or start false rumors. This is not abject poverty."
Thea paused, eyes trained on him for a brief moment, before sighing. Her hand closed the box - she had only prepared one pipe of hemp that they could share....under conditions. "Do you want this hemp or not?"
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
To say that Thea was surprised by Mihail's reaction to her arrival would have been an understatement, but in the moment that he seemed to bound forward to embrace her, it was as if time had gone in reverse and she could see the young boy he had been, full of energy and smiles. There was no suppressing the smile on her lips or the small hum of laughter from her chest as he kissed her cheek, though it was cut short by the sensation of...was that hair?
Her face still expressing her happiness at seeing him well, her eyes flicked immediately to the patchy scruff that had started to form around his features, looking almost more like layered soot than hair. Thea had the urge to take the edge of her himation and attempt to wipe it away, but she did not give in to it, as she watched the noticeable shift in his demeanor.
Ah, there it was. This was the character that she had anticipated.
This was Mihail of Nethisa.
On the ride in, Thea had considered how to meet this new person but in a flash, all of that planning went out the window, particularly with the way she had been greeted. Had she met this 'Mihail of Nethisa' first, she might have kept forth with the ruse, entertaining her prodigal brother's notions and offered sweet comfort and a shoulder to cry on. The latter would still likely be needed at some point during the day.
However, having seen her brother's love peek through his usual melancholy, Thea felt much like she had caught him.
"Come off it, Mihail," Thea said, closing the door to the parlor behind her. Her words were pointed and yet loving, not spiteful or teasing in the same way that their other siblings would have started. Once the door latched, her eyes pinned his for a brief moment before sighing heavily, and offering a gentle expression, almost pleading, "Drop the act and save it for Nethis. You know better than to confuse my intentions for hers."
Thea crossed from the door to a sitting area within the parlor, passing by Mihail and looking up at the hair on his face with notable scrutiny before removing the satchel from across her shoulder and setting it on a nearby endtable before taking a seat on the edge of a plush lounge, patting her hand on the seat next to her.
"I am not here to press you on this issue," she began, unlatching the satchel and taking out a finely crafted black wooden box, one that Mihail would find familiar, "Nor am I here to empathize in your experience - there is no way that I can begin to do so."
As she spoke, her deft, slender fingers opened the small carrying case on her lap, and a familiar, pungent scent filled the room. With scent being tied to memory, she glanced up to Mihail knowing that they both were likely having flashes of memories in the Thanasi estate, in Thea's rooms, lounging surrounded by food and wine and more hemp than seemed reasonable for one person to obtain. Her voice softened, and a genuine smile started to form on her lips as she paused to look at him.
"I came here to see that you are well," she offered, genuine care in her voice, "Also, I came to see when you will be returning home. Life has been dreadfully dull without you, my love." While she talked, her fingers worked deftly away as filling the end of a smoking-reed with the finely ground hemp, the stickiness of the plant's juices working their way onto her fingertips. She took her time as she did so, allowing Mihail to watch every bit of preparation.
"To say I have missed your company would be an understatement," she noted, leaning forward to where a small oil lamp burned, lighting the tip of the reed pipe and then taking a long, deep drag from it. The soft, familiar burn of the smoke in her lungs was a comfort, and....it was a tease for Mihail as well.
Exhaling the smoke into the air in a cloud, Thea smile sweetly across to Mihail. "Also, do not be rude to your host or start false rumors. This is not abject poverty."
Thea paused, eyes trained on him for a brief moment, before sighing. Her hand closed the box - she had only prepared one pipe of hemp that they could share....under conditions. "Do you want this hemp or not?"
To say that Thea was surprised by Mihail's reaction to her arrival would have been an understatement, but in the moment that he seemed to bound forward to embrace her, it was as if time had gone in reverse and she could see the young boy he had been, full of energy and smiles. There was no suppressing the smile on her lips or the small hum of laughter from her chest as he kissed her cheek, though it was cut short by the sensation of...was that hair?
Her face still expressing her happiness at seeing him well, her eyes flicked immediately to the patchy scruff that had started to form around his features, looking almost more like layered soot than hair. Thea had the urge to take the edge of her himation and attempt to wipe it away, but she did not give in to it, as she watched the noticeable shift in his demeanor.
Ah, there it was. This was the character that she had anticipated.
This was Mihail of Nethisa.
On the ride in, Thea had considered how to meet this new person but in a flash, all of that planning went out the window, particularly with the way she had been greeted. Had she met this 'Mihail of Nethisa' first, she might have kept forth with the ruse, entertaining her prodigal brother's notions and offered sweet comfort and a shoulder to cry on. The latter would still likely be needed at some point during the day.
However, having seen her brother's love peek through his usual melancholy, Thea felt much like she had caught him.
"Come off it, Mihail," Thea said, closing the door to the parlor behind her. Her words were pointed and yet loving, not spiteful or teasing in the same way that their other siblings would have started. Once the door latched, her eyes pinned his for a brief moment before sighing heavily, and offering a gentle expression, almost pleading, "Drop the act and save it for Nethis. You know better than to confuse my intentions for hers."
Thea crossed from the door to a sitting area within the parlor, passing by Mihail and looking up at the hair on his face with notable scrutiny before removing the satchel from across her shoulder and setting it on a nearby endtable before taking a seat on the edge of a plush lounge, patting her hand on the seat next to her.
"I am not here to press you on this issue," she began, unlatching the satchel and taking out a finely crafted black wooden box, one that Mihail would find familiar, "Nor am I here to empathize in your experience - there is no way that I can begin to do so."
As she spoke, her deft, slender fingers opened the small carrying case on her lap, and a familiar, pungent scent filled the room. With scent being tied to memory, she glanced up to Mihail knowing that they both were likely having flashes of memories in the Thanasi estate, in Thea's rooms, lounging surrounded by food and wine and more hemp than seemed reasonable for one person to obtain. Her voice softened, and a genuine smile started to form on her lips as she paused to look at him.
"I came here to see that you are well," she offered, genuine care in her voice, "Also, I came to see when you will be returning home. Life has been dreadfully dull without you, my love." While she talked, her fingers worked deftly away as filling the end of a smoking-reed with the finely ground hemp, the stickiness of the plant's juices working their way onto her fingertips. She took her time as she did so, allowing Mihail to watch every bit of preparation.
"To say I have missed your company would be an understatement," she noted, leaning forward to where a small oil lamp burned, lighting the tip of the reed pipe and then taking a long, deep drag from it. The soft, familiar burn of the smoke in her lungs was a comfort, and....it was a tease for Mihail as well.
Exhaling the smoke into the air in a cloud, Thea smile sweetly across to Mihail. "Also, do not be rude to your host or start false rumors. This is not abject poverty."
Thea paused, eyes trained on him for a brief moment, before sighing. Her hand closed the box - she had only prepared one pipe of hemp that they could share....under conditions. "Do you want this hemp or not?"
Mihail knew full well that his sisters were not stupid. He knew they catered excessively to his frivolous tantrums and were more prone to giving him his way than they should have been, but he also knew that they only gave into him out of a sense of love, which seemed unnatural for a Thanasi to possess outside of their own family. Such familial affection was only a part of the cause of his panic over the whole adoption affair: if he was not one of them, then they had little reason left to care for him.
Thea was not one to care whether or not he hailed from the same family, and it was evident in her words that she still considered him a brother despite it all and, perhaps more importantly, that she was unwilling to put up with his self-pitying antics. He knew better than to keep up the pretense in front of her, and he cast his eyes down, unable to hold her gaze as she seemed to scold him in that disguised tone. At least she seemed aware that this was not a happy turn of events for him, even if no part of his life had exactly been affected by the news (bar, perhaps, his relationship with Nethis).
"I...I have not made plans to return home at present," Mihail admitted, brows furrowing in thought as he considered his surrendering this prolonged outburst. His reluctance to return was partially based on the selfishness of not wanting to face his eldest sister once more, even if he was well aware he could not avoid her forever, though there was a part of him which undoubtedly craved the return to more familiar territory. Drifting across the nicely-decorated room as if the mere action sapped away his energy, Mihail dropped himself onto the seat beside Thea with a tired sigh, leaning into the woman as if starved of her love over the past weeks. "But I have missed you. Do they miss me?" He couldn't imagine those few left in the Thanasi home were all that bothered by his absence: Father was unlikely even to have noticed, and Dysius would surely not care.
He watched her fingers as they worked, head half-tilted to one side in anticipation, his tongue flickering out ever-so-slightly as if he could not help but be thoroughly enticed. It had been far too long since the pair of them had had the opportunity to relax like this, and, although it wasn't as if he was currently wholly isolated from any narcotics, it was hardly the same without his favored sister. "I am not being rude. I am suffering." But Mihail knew full well that his words were falling upon deaf ears, and further complaints as to his current situation were unlikely to have much effect other than to irritate Thea. He opted to change his approach, attempt to tug on her heartstrings with the truth upon which he so rarely called, as if that might fix her responses to him in a manner that he desired. "This is not home. I want to be at home. "
It didn't seem possible that Thea would let that statement pass, however, for her brother assumed she was of the mind that if he wished to go home, then he was wholly capable of doing so, although he was far too stubborn. It was a matter of principle now. Still, he made as if he had said nothing, only reaching a hand out for the pipe she held, though a part of him knew from her subtle body language and how long he'd known her that there must have been some consequences. He acted as if otherwise for the moment, hoping she would relinquish it regardless, trying to ease that self-pitying tone back into his voice. "Yes. I want it. I need it."
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
Mihail knew full well that his sisters were not stupid. He knew they catered excessively to his frivolous tantrums and were more prone to giving him his way than they should have been, but he also knew that they only gave into him out of a sense of love, which seemed unnatural for a Thanasi to possess outside of their own family. Such familial affection was only a part of the cause of his panic over the whole adoption affair: if he was not one of them, then they had little reason left to care for him.
Thea was not one to care whether or not he hailed from the same family, and it was evident in her words that she still considered him a brother despite it all and, perhaps more importantly, that she was unwilling to put up with his self-pitying antics. He knew better than to keep up the pretense in front of her, and he cast his eyes down, unable to hold her gaze as she seemed to scold him in that disguised tone. At least she seemed aware that this was not a happy turn of events for him, even if no part of his life had exactly been affected by the news (bar, perhaps, his relationship with Nethis).
"I...I have not made plans to return home at present," Mihail admitted, brows furrowing in thought as he considered his surrendering this prolonged outburst. His reluctance to return was partially based on the selfishness of not wanting to face his eldest sister once more, even if he was well aware he could not avoid her forever, though there was a part of him which undoubtedly craved the return to more familiar territory. Drifting across the nicely-decorated room as if the mere action sapped away his energy, Mihail dropped himself onto the seat beside Thea with a tired sigh, leaning into the woman as if starved of her love over the past weeks. "But I have missed you. Do they miss me?" He couldn't imagine those few left in the Thanasi home were all that bothered by his absence: Father was unlikely even to have noticed, and Dysius would surely not care.
He watched her fingers as they worked, head half-tilted to one side in anticipation, his tongue flickering out ever-so-slightly as if he could not help but be thoroughly enticed. It had been far too long since the pair of them had had the opportunity to relax like this, and, although it wasn't as if he was currently wholly isolated from any narcotics, it was hardly the same without his favored sister. "I am not being rude. I am suffering." But Mihail knew full well that his words were falling upon deaf ears, and further complaints as to his current situation were unlikely to have much effect other than to irritate Thea. He opted to change his approach, attempt to tug on her heartstrings with the truth upon which he so rarely called, as if that might fix her responses to him in a manner that he desired. "This is not home. I want to be at home. "
It didn't seem possible that Thea would let that statement pass, however, for her brother assumed she was of the mind that if he wished to go home, then he was wholly capable of doing so, although he was far too stubborn. It was a matter of principle now. Still, he made as if he had said nothing, only reaching a hand out for the pipe she held, though a part of him knew from her subtle body language and how long he'd known her that there must have been some consequences. He acted as if otherwise for the moment, hoping she would relinquish it regardless, trying to ease that self-pitying tone back into his voice. "Yes. I want it. I need it."
Mihail knew full well that his sisters were not stupid. He knew they catered excessively to his frivolous tantrums and were more prone to giving him his way than they should have been, but he also knew that they only gave into him out of a sense of love, which seemed unnatural for a Thanasi to possess outside of their own family. Such familial affection was only a part of the cause of his panic over the whole adoption affair: if he was not one of them, then they had little reason left to care for him.
Thea was not one to care whether or not he hailed from the same family, and it was evident in her words that she still considered him a brother despite it all and, perhaps more importantly, that she was unwilling to put up with his self-pitying antics. He knew better than to keep up the pretense in front of her, and he cast his eyes down, unable to hold her gaze as she seemed to scold him in that disguised tone. At least she seemed aware that this was not a happy turn of events for him, even if no part of his life had exactly been affected by the news (bar, perhaps, his relationship with Nethis).
"I...I have not made plans to return home at present," Mihail admitted, brows furrowing in thought as he considered his surrendering this prolonged outburst. His reluctance to return was partially based on the selfishness of not wanting to face his eldest sister once more, even if he was well aware he could not avoid her forever, though there was a part of him which undoubtedly craved the return to more familiar territory. Drifting across the nicely-decorated room as if the mere action sapped away his energy, Mihail dropped himself onto the seat beside Thea with a tired sigh, leaning into the woman as if starved of her love over the past weeks. "But I have missed you. Do they miss me?" He couldn't imagine those few left in the Thanasi home were all that bothered by his absence: Father was unlikely even to have noticed, and Dysius would surely not care.
He watched her fingers as they worked, head half-tilted to one side in anticipation, his tongue flickering out ever-so-slightly as if he could not help but be thoroughly enticed. It had been far too long since the pair of them had had the opportunity to relax like this, and, although it wasn't as if he was currently wholly isolated from any narcotics, it was hardly the same without his favored sister. "I am not being rude. I am suffering." But Mihail knew full well that his words were falling upon deaf ears, and further complaints as to his current situation were unlikely to have much effect other than to irritate Thea. He opted to change his approach, attempt to tug on her heartstrings with the truth upon which he so rarely called, as if that might fix her responses to him in a manner that he desired. "This is not home. I want to be at home. "
It didn't seem possible that Thea would let that statement pass, however, for her brother assumed she was of the mind that if he wished to go home, then he was wholly capable of doing so, although he was far too stubborn. It was a matter of principle now. Still, he made as if he had said nothing, only reaching a hand out for the pipe she held, though a part of him knew from her subtle body language and how long he'd known her that there must have been some consequences. He acted as if otherwise for the moment, hoping she would relinquish it regardless, trying to ease that self-pitying tone back into his voice. "Yes. I want it. I need it."
"I...I have not made plans to return home at present."
A single brow flicked upward slightly as she glanced through her lashes at the slight hesitation in his tone. While it was not her way to point out her brother's weaknesses or make assumptions about the ideas floating through his mind, Thea could instantly tell the difference between a forced lie and the utter truth.
This was truth. He had not made plans as of yet, but it seemed that it was something he wanted. Every person on the face of the planet had their younger selves hidden deep - or shallow - within them that wanted for the basic things in life: a home, a bed, to be warm, to be loved. Mihail wanted these things and yet he tended to dash away in order to draw attention to his absence.
"Of course, you are missed, Mimi," Thea insisted, knowing her own proclivity for telling the truth while toeing the line of pandering to him. In some ways, she was giving him what he wanted - the attention of an in-person visit - yet it would come at a cost of a direct answer when she arrived. "Mostly by me. How selfish of you to leave me there alone with no one but Father and Dysius for company."
There was a light, teasing scold on the latter words, but a wry smile clung to her lips. Thea went easily overlooked in their household and their company was not something she sought out. Yet, a little guilt-tripping would not be remiss in this situation.
More than once in their childhood, Thea had managed to trick Mihail into thinking that he got what he wanted, which was primarily her attention, while coaxing and guiding him away from his usual behaviors into something that was more desired. No, she never wished to change her brother, even with his many quirks and oddities, but if he was hellbent on not developing a sense of self-discipline in many cases, Thea could spare moments like these to guide and bend....or even coerce him into making a better choice.
For example, at his protestations that he suffered, her hand immediately pulled the nearly offered hash pipe away from him, her brows raising as she batted her eyes at his tone.
No, that would not do.
"Try again," she stated simply, putting the pipe to her lips to pull another, long drag from the reed - perhaps excessively so as she held it in her lungs. All the while, she leveled another gaze at him to see if his tune would change. Very easily, she could smoke the entirety of her stock right before his eyes and not share it with him at all.
At his demand of his need for the pipe, Thea released a slow, growing billow of smoke between them, soon feeling the floating effects yet holding a steady gaze at him. Once her lungs were cleared and she resisted the urge to cough, Thea sighed heavily, shifting the pipe to the far hand away from him and leaning against the curled arm of the lounge, looking back at him as if in disbelief.
"Even the most wanton of commoners can find their share of fragrant indulgences in town, even if they are down to their last coin," Thea started, adjusting herself to refill the end of the pipe with a fresh packing before, glancing sidelong at him, "If you wanted it, you could find it. What do you truly want, Mihail?"
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
"I...I have not made plans to return home at present."
A single brow flicked upward slightly as she glanced through her lashes at the slight hesitation in his tone. While it was not her way to point out her brother's weaknesses or make assumptions about the ideas floating through his mind, Thea could instantly tell the difference between a forced lie and the utter truth.
This was truth. He had not made plans as of yet, but it seemed that it was something he wanted. Every person on the face of the planet had their younger selves hidden deep - or shallow - within them that wanted for the basic things in life: a home, a bed, to be warm, to be loved. Mihail wanted these things and yet he tended to dash away in order to draw attention to his absence.
"Of course, you are missed, Mimi," Thea insisted, knowing her own proclivity for telling the truth while toeing the line of pandering to him. In some ways, she was giving him what he wanted - the attention of an in-person visit - yet it would come at a cost of a direct answer when she arrived. "Mostly by me. How selfish of you to leave me there alone with no one but Father and Dysius for company."
There was a light, teasing scold on the latter words, but a wry smile clung to her lips. Thea went easily overlooked in their household and their company was not something she sought out. Yet, a little guilt-tripping would not be remiss in this situation.
More than once in their childhood, Thea had managed to trick Mihail into thinking that he got what he wanted, which was primarily her attention, while coaxing and guiding him away from his usual behaviors into something that was more desired. No, she never wished to change her brother, even with his many quirks and oddities, but if he was hellbent on not developing a sense of self-discipline in many cases, Thea could spare moments like these to guide and bend....or even coerce him into making a better choice.
For example, at his protestations that he suffered, her hand immediately pulled the nearly offered hash pipe away from him, her brows raising as she batted her eyes at his tone.
No, that would not do.
"Try again," she stated simply, putting the pipe to her lips to pull another, long drag from the reed - perhaps excessively so as she held it in her lungs. All the while, she leveled another gaze at him to see if his tune would change. Very easily, she could smoke the entirety of her stock right before his eyes and not share it with him at all.
At his demand of his need for the pipe, Thea released a slow, growing billow of smoke between them, soon feeling the floating effects yet holding a steady gaze at him. Once her lungs were cleared and she resisted the urge to cough, Thea sighed heavily, shifting the pipe to the far hand away from him and leaning against the curled arm of the lounge, looking back at him as if in disbelief.
"Even the most wanton of commoners can find their share of fragrant indulgences in town, even if they are down to their last coin," Thea started, adjusting herself to refill the end of the pipe with a fresh packing before, glancing sidelong at him, "If you wanted it, you could find it. What do you truly want, Mihail?"
"I...I have not made plans to return home at present."
A single brow flicked upward slightly as she glanced through her lashes at the slight hesitation in his tone. While it was not her way to point out her brother's weaknesses or make assumptions about the ideas floating through his mind, Thea could instantly tell the difference between a forced lie and the utter truth.
This was truth. He had not made plans as of yet, but it seemed that it was something he wanted. Every person on the face of the planet had their younger selves hidden deep - or shallow - within them that wanted for the basic things in life: a home, a bed, to be warm, to be loved. Mihail wanted these things and yet he tended to dash away in order to draw attention to his absence.
"Of course, you are missed, Mimi," Thea insisted, knowing her own proclivity for telling the truth while toeing the line of pandering to him. In some ways, she was giving him what he wanted - the attention of an in-person visit - yet it would come at a cost of a direct answer when she arrived. "Mostly by me. How selfish of you to leave me there alone with no one but Father and Dysius for company."
There was a light, teasing scold on the latter words, but a wry smile clung to her lips. Thea went easily overlooked in their household and their company was not something she sought out. Yet, a little guilt-tripping would not be remiss in this situation.
More than once in their childhood, Thea had managed to trick Mihail into thinking that he got what he wanted, which was primarily her attention, while coaxing and guiding him away from his usual behaviors into something that was more desired. No, she never wished to change her brother, even with his many quirks and oddities, but if he was hellbent on not developing a sense of self-discipline in many cases, Thea could spare moments like these to guide and bend....or even coerce him into making a better choice.
For example, at his protestations that he suffered, her hand immediately pulled the nearly offered hash pipe away from him, her brows raising as she batted her eyes at his tone.
No, that would not do.
"Try again," she stated simply, putting the pipe to her lips to pull another, long drag from the reed - perhaps excessively so as she held it in her lungs. All the while, she leveled another gaze at him to see if his tune would change. Very easily, she could smoke the entirety of her stock right before his eyes and not share it with him at all.
At his demand of his need for the pipe, Thea released a slow, growing billow of smoke between them, soon feeling the floating effects yet holding a steady gaze at him. Once her lungs were cleared and she resisted the urge to cough, Thea sighed heavily, shifting the pipe to the far hand away from him and leaning against the curled arm of the lounge, looking back at him as if in disbelief.
"Even the most wanton of commoners can find their share of fragrant indulgences in town, even if they are down to their last coin," Thea started, adjusting herself to refill the end of the pipe with a fresh packing before, glancing sidelong at him, "If you wanted it, you could find it. What do you truly want, Mihail?"
Thea was a tricky sort at times. She had always known precisely what made Mihail tick, and she could manipulate his feelings without letting him realise it better than most. No sooner had his sister commented that she had left him with no company other than their brother or father, Mihail felt a shudder of guilt run through him. It was not exactly a desirable situation: both Dysius and Dionysios had their quirks, and he had never found either one to be particularly amicable. Dysius was somehow perpetually irritable, and Father had no mind at the worst of times, and confused his children for one another in a constantly infuriating manner. Without any other member of the family to turn towards, he could imagine the suffering through which Thea must have been going.
"I am sorry," he whispered, as if the words would not come louder, if solely because he did not care to admit that he had made the mistake of leaving his middle sister alone. Mihail had always cared for her, and often more dearly than he did the other two, and time alone with the only other men in the Thanasi household seemed like an awful fate to exchange for his tantrum (truthfully, he had forgotten neither of his other sisters would be home when he had initially left). As if by way of further apology, he gingerly added: "I am sure the Baron will not mind your staying here", though he had no real way of knowing the truth behind the statement.
Evidently, Thea continued to be displeased with him, for both his attempts at obtaining the pipe had proved unsuccessful. He let his lips form a small pout of injustice, the lower one jutting irritably out as he watched her move the pipe out of his reach, annoyed that she had such logical things to say with apparently little regard for how they might hurt him. Mihail sighed, if partially because her words were true, and he had barely been living in such a state of poverty that he could not obtain any vices and indulgences he so desired. The answer to her question was not an easy one, and even if he knew it, he struggled to form the words to explain it.
"I..." he began, brow furrowed and gaze turned down towards the floor beneath them, focussing on a hairline crack in the stone. This wasn't fair! Mihail was far more used to easing the truth out of the mouths of others, rather than having it torn from his own without his consent, and he thought it incredibly unfair that she should do something as devious as that. "I wanted to marry that girl. And then Nethis said I could not, and she showed me those papers, and I wanted to know the truth, and I wanted you all to pay attention to me, and now all I want is to be a Thanasi again."
He crossed his arms over his chest, looking up at his sister and frowning because he'd been forced to admit something that he didn't want to admit. Talking about his feelings made the youngest Thanasi feel vulnerable in ways he did not enjoy, and uncomfortable in ways he did not think he deserved. "I thought that, perhaps, if I came here, then I might know the life I could have had, and that you might all be forced to care for me the most, but Nethis is away, and Evras is a Kotas, and you have Father, and Father is out of his mind, and Dysius is horrible, and no one cares that everything I had could be lost." Mihail looked away, towards the door of the chamber, as if to ensure nobody was listening in on their conversation, eyes welling up with thick tears which ran down his cheeks and dripped onto Thea's clothing as he leaned his head onto her shoulder. "I could not manage. I cannot be a peasant, Thea. I cannot wear those clothes nor eat those foods nor go without my pretty nails or my opium or anything. It is not very different here to home, only I am without my family, and they are what I want."
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
Thea was a tricky sort at times. She had always known precisely what made Mihail tick, and she could manipulate his feelings without letting him realise it better than most. No sooner had his sister commented that she had left him with no company other than their brother or father, Mihail felt a shudder of guilt run through him. It was not exactly a desirable situation: both Dysius and Dionysios had their quirks, and he had never found either one to be particularly amicable. Dysius was somehow perpetually irritable, and Father had no mind at the worst of times, and confused his children for one another in a constantly infuriating manner. Without any other member of the family to turn towards, he could imagine the suffering through which Thea must have been going.
"I am sorry," he whispered, as if the words would not come louder, if solely because he did not care to admit that he had made the mistake of leaving his middle sister alone. Mihail had always cared for her, and often more dearly than he did the other two, and time alone with the only other men in the Thanasi household seemed like an awful fate to exchange for his tantrum (truthfully, he had forgotten neither of his other sisters would be home when he had initially left). As if by way of further apology, he gingerly added: "I am sure the Baron will not mind your staying here", though he had no real way of knowing the truth behind the statement.
Evidently, Thea continued to be displeased with him, for both his attempts at obtaining the pipe had proved unsuccessful. He let his lips form a small pout of injustice, the lower one jutting irritably out as he watched her move the pipe out of his reach, annoyed that she had such logical things to say with apparently little regard for how they might hurt him. Mihail sighed, if partially because her words were true, and he had barely been living in such a state of poverty that he could not obtain any vices and indulgences he so desired. The answer to her question was not an easy one, and even if he knew it, he struggled to form the words to explain it.
"I..." he began, brow furrowed and gaze turned down towards the floor beneath them, focussing on a hairline crack in the stone. This wasn't fair! Mihail was far more used to easing the truth out of the mouths of others, rather than having it torn from his own without his consent, and he thought it incredibly unfair that she should do something as devious as that. "I wanted to marry that girl. And then Nethis said I could not, and she showed me those papers, and I wanted to know the truth, and I wanted you all to pay attention to me, and now all I want is to be a Thanasi again."
He crossed his arms over his chest, looking up at his sister and frowning because he'd been forced to admit something that he didn't want to admit. Talking about his feelings made the youngest Thanasi feel vulnerable in ways he did not enjoy, and uncomfortable in ways he did not think he deserved. "I thought that, perhaps, if I came here, then I might know the life I could have had, and that you might all be forced to care for me the most, but Nethis is away, and Evras is a Kotas, and you have Father, and Father is out of his mind, and Dysius is horrible, and no one cares that everything I had could be lost." Mihail looked away, towards the door of the chamber, as if to ensure nobody was listening in on their conversation, eyes welling up with thick tears which ran down his cheeks and dripped onto Thea's clothing as he leaned his head onto her shoulder. "I could not manage. I cannot be a peasant, Thea. I cannot wear those clothes nor eat those foods nor go without my pretty nails or my opium or anything. It is not very different here to home, only I am without my family, and they are what I want."
Thea was a tricky sort at times. She had always known precisely what made Mihail tick, and she could manipulate his feelings without letting him realise it better than most. No sooner had his sister commented that she had left him with no company other than their brother or father, Mihail felt a shudder of guilt run through him. It was not exactly a desirable situation: both Dysius and Dionysios had their quirks, and he had never found either one to be particularly amicable. Dysius was somehow perpetually irritable, and Father had no mind at the worst of times, and confused his children for one another in a constantly infuriating manner. Without any other member of the family to turn towards, he could imagine the suffering through which Thea must have been going.
"I am sorry," he whispered, as if the words would not come louder, if solely because he did not care to admit that he had made the mistake of leaving his middle sister alone. Mihail had always cared for her, and often more dearly than he did the other two, and time alone with the only other men in the Thanasi household seemed like an awful fate to exchange for his tantrum (truthfully, he had forgotten neither of his other sisters would be home when he had initially left). As if by way of further apology, he gingerly added: "I am sure the Baron will not mind your staying here", though he had no real way of knowing the truth behind the statement.
Evidently, Thea continued to be displeased with him, for both his attempts at obtaining the pipe had proved unsuccessful. He let his lips form a small pout of injustice, the lower one jutting irritably out as he watched her move the pipe out of his reach, annoyed that she had such logical things to say with apparently little regard for how they might hurt him. Mihail sighed, if partially because her words were true, and he had barely been living in such a state of poverty that he could not obtain any vices and indulgences he so desired. The answer to her question was not an easy one, and even if he knew it, he struggled to form the words to explain it.
"I..." he began, brow furrowed and gaze turned down towards the floor beneath them, focussing on a hairline crack in the stone. This wasn't fair! Mihail was far more used to easing the truth out of the mouths of others, rather than having it torn from his own without his consent, and he thought it incredibly unfair that she should do something as devious as that. "I wanted to marry that girl. And then Nethis said I could not, and she showed me those papers, and I wanted to know the truth, and I wanted you all to pay attention to me, and now all I want is to be a Thanasi again."
He crossed his arms over his chest, looking up at his sister and frowning because he'd been forced to admit something that he didn't want to admit. Talking about his feelings made the youngest Thanasi feel vulnerable in ways he did not enjoy, and uncomfortable in ways he did not think he deserved. "I thought that, perhaps, if I came here, then I might know the life I could have had, and that you might all be forced to care for me the most, but Nethis is away, and Evras is a Kotas, and you have Father, and Father is out of his mind, and Dysius is horrible, and no one cares that everything I had could be lost." Mihail looked away, towards the door of the chamber, as if to ensure nobody was listening in on their conversation, eyes welling up with thick tears which ran down his cheeks and dripped onto Thea's clothing as he leaned his head onto her shoulder. "I could not manage. I cannot be a peasant, Thea. I cannot wear those clothes nor eat those foods nor go without my pretty nails or my opium or anything. It is not very different here to home, only I am without my family, and they are what I want."
Ah, an apology. Now, they were getting somewhere. The slightest lightening of her porcelain features was the only response she had to his whispered words. In their own way, it was a reward. It was also proof that her plan was working.
His further offerings of a stay within the barony resulted in a silent laugh by way of a flaring of her nostrils and the shifting of her eyes to the pipe in her hand as she commented, blithely, "Of course, he would not mind. It is his land by way of it being our land, a fact you took full advantage of by coming here in the first place, no?"
As softly as her comments were voiced, it was clear the effect. Mihail's veneer was cracking ever so slightly, and while it did not please her necessarily to see him struggle with this, there was some satisfaction that she still had a string tied to his proverbial ankle to bring him back down to solid ground. As was her right as the caretaker of their family, in lieu of them having a mother for so many years - and for Mihail, no time at all.
Thea nearly lifted the pipe again to her painted lips, knowing she would regret indulging too much further, as the vision of her eyes already seemed to drag across the room at a slower pace. Each blink seemed to last seconds longer than they actually did. The effects of the smoke in her lungs softened her features, a gentle smile replacing the usual stoic line in its place as she let the tip of the smoking reed press against her plush lower lip, pulling it down ever so slightly.
'I...'
Thea raised her brow slightly, a silent question of encouragement behind her eyes. That quickly turned to wide-eyed observation as she listened to her brother. The words seemed to float in the air like the small tendril of smoke from the tip of her reed as she listened motionless. His arms and his tone and the creasing at the corners of his eyes proved the truth and sincerity behind his words. The slight crack in his voice managed to wrench an honestly sympathetic look from her brows, creasing and pinching them up upward as he leaned forward for an embrace that she offered freely.
His words were muffled against her shoulder, but her arms wrapped dutifully around him. One hand stroked his back soothingly as he confessed his inability to live such a peasant life as he was trying so hard to portray.
It took all Thea's self-control not to laugh, and she was ever so grateful that this embrace she held him in kept him from seeing the wry smile that had carved it's way across her features. More than once during their childhood, she had danced this dance, where some irrational thing that Mihail could not have utterly devastated him. Whether it was the fact that the gods could not change the color of his eyes or that he was told that if he jumped from the bannister, he would not fly like Hermes but instead fall and be hurt.
Each time, the truth seemed to cause him utter anguish and he would dissolve into tears. While he was no longer a toddler that did so often, it was clear that there was still a childishness in Mihail that had never learned to cope with being told there was something he could not do.
Even if he had to find it out for himself.
"Oh, Mimi, darling," Thea murmured softly to him, stroking his hair and letting his tears soak through the dark fabric of her himation for a moment. She knew that her words of comfort could only be half-heard in his grief, but in dulcet, soothing tones, she comforted him. "You will always be Thanasi, my dear. Damn whatever the papers may say. You have grown by our sides and we are your family, always."
With a sigh, she adjusted her composure, her heavy lids refocusing as they guided him to sitting up again, cupping his cheek. She look at him, seeing both the man he had become and the child that she helped raise in her own way. A soft smile graced her lips as she brought the tip of the reed that she had pinned between her first and middle finger to his lips, relenting. "Here."
Yes, this was likely one of the reasons Mihail had become as spoiled as he had become over the years, but Thea could not help it. At least he had opened the wound in his chest to keep it from festering. From there, perhaps, he could heal and improve.
"Better?"
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
Ah, an apology. Now, they were getting somewhere. The slightest lightening of her porcelain features was the only response she had to his whispered words. In their own way, it was a reward. It was also proof that her plan was working.
His further offerings of a stay within the barony resulted in a silent laugh by way of a flaring of her nostrils and the shifting of her eyes to the pipe in her hand as she commented, blithely, "Of course, he would not mind. It is his land by way of it being our land, a fact you took full advantage of by coming here in the first place, no?"
As softly as her comments were voiced, it was clear the effect. Mihail's veneer was cracking ever so slightly, and while it did not please her necessarily to see him struggle with this, there was some satisfaction that she still had a string tied to his proverbial ankle to bring him back down to solid ground. As was her right as the caretaker of their family, in lieu of them having a mother for so many years - and for Mihail, no time at all.
Thea nearly lifted the pipe again to her painted lips, knowing she would regret indulging too much further, as the vision of her eyes already seemed to drag across the room at a slower pace. Each blink seemed to last seconds longer than they actually did. The effects of the smoke in her lungs softened her features, a gentle smile replacing the usual stoic line in its place as she let the tip of the smoking reed press against her plush lower lip, pulling it down ever so slightly.
'I...'
Thea raised her brow slightly, a silent question of encouragement behind her eyes. That quickly turned to wide-eyed observation as she listened to her brother. The words seemed to float in the air like the small tendril of smoke from the tip of her reed as she listened motionless. His arms and his tone and the creasing at the corners of his eyes proved the truth and sincerity behind his words. The slight crack in his voice managed to wrench an honestly sympathetic look from her brows, creasing and pinching them up upward as he leaned forward for an embrace that she offered freely.
His words were muffled against her shoulder, but her arms wrapped dutifully around him. One hand stroked his back soothingly as he confessed his inability to live such a peasant life as he was trying so hard to portray.
It took all Thea's self-control not to laugh, and she was ever so grateful that this embrace she held him in kept him from seeing the wry smile that had carved it's way across her features. More than once during their childhood, she had danced this dance, where some irrational thing that Mihail could not have utterly devastated him. Whether it was the fact that the gods could not change the color of his eyes or that he was told that if he jumped from the bannister, he would not fly like Hermes but instead fall and be hurt.
Each time, the truth seemed to cause him utter anguish and he would dissolve into tears. While he was no longer a toddler that did so often, it was clear that there was still a childishness in Mihail that had never learned to cope with being told there was something he could not do.
Even if he had to find it out for himself.
"Oh, Mimi, darling," Thea murmured softly to him, stroking his hair and letting his tears soak through the dark fabric of her himation for a moment. She knew that her words of comfort could only be half-heard in his grief, but in dulcet, soothing tones, she comforted him. "You will always be Thanasi, my dear. Damn whatever the papers may say. You have grown by our sides and we are your family, always."
With a sigh, she adjusted her composure, her heavy lids refocusing as they guided him to sitting up again, cupping his cheek. She look at him, seeing both the man he had become and the child that she helped raise in her own way. A soft smile graced her lips as she brought the tip of the reed that she had pinned between her first and middle finger to his lips, relenting. "Here."
Yes, this was likely one of the reasons Mihail had become as spoiled as he had become over the years, but Thea could not help it. At least he had opened the wound in his chest to keep it from festering. From there, perhaps, he could heal and improve.
"Better?"
Ah, an apology. Now, they were getting somewhere. The slightest lightening of her porcelain features was the only response she had to his whispered words. In their own way, it was a reward. It was also proof that her plan was working.
His further offerings of a stay within the barony resulted in a silent laugh by way of a flaring of her nostrils and the shifting of her eyes to the pipe in her hand as she commented, blithely, "Of course, he would not mind. It is his land by way of it being our land, a fact you took full advantage of by coming here in the first place, no?"
As softly as her comments were voiced, it was clear the effect. Mihail's veneer was cracking ever so slightly, and while it did not please her necessarily to see him struggle with this, there was some satisfaction that she still had a string tied to his proverbial ankle to bring him back down to solid ground. As was her right as the caretaker of their family, in lieu of them having a mother for so many years - and for Mihail, no time at all.
Thea nearly lifted the pipe again to her painted lips, knowing she would regret indulging too much further, as the vision of her eyes already seemed to drag across the room at a slower pace. Each blink seemed to last seconds longer than they actually did. The effects of the smoke in her lungs softened her features, a gentle smile replacing the usual stoic line in its place as she let the tip of the smoking reed press against her plush lower lip, pulling it down ever so slightly.
'I...'
Thea raised her brow slightly, a silent question of encouragement behind her eyes. That quickly turned to wide-eyed observation as she listened to her brother. The words seemed to float in the air like the small tendril of smoke from the tip of her reed as she listened motionless. His arms and his tone and the creasing at the corners of his eyes proved the truth and sincerity behind his words. The slight crack in his voice managed to wrench an honestly sympathetic look from her brows, creasing and pinching them up upward as he leaned forward for an embrace that she offered freely.
His words were muffled against her shoulder, but her arms wrapped dutifully around him. One hand stroked his back soothingly as he confessed his inability to live such a peasant life as he was trying so hard to portray.
It took all Thea's self-control not to laugh, and she was ever so grateful that this embrace she held him in kept him from seeing the wry smile that had carved it's way across her features. More than once during their childhood, she had danced this dance, where some irrational thing that Mihail could not have utterly devastated him. Whether it was the fact that the gods could not change the color of his eyes or that he was told that if he jumped from the bannister, he would not fly like Hermes but instead fall and be hurt.
Each time, the truth seemed to cause him utter anguish and he would dissolve into tears. While he was no longer a toddler that did so often, it was clear that there was still a childishness in Mihail that had never learned to cope with being told there was something he could not do.
Even if he had to find it out for himself.
"Oh, Mimi, darling," Thea murmured softly to him, stroking his hair and letting his tears soak through the dark fabric of her himation for a moment. She knew that her words of comfort could only be half-heard in his grief, but in dulcet, soothing tones, she comforted him. "You will always be Thanasi, my dear. Damn whatever the papers may say. You have grown by our sides and we are your family, always."
With a sigh, she adjusted her composure, her heavy lids refocusing as they guided him to sitting up again, cupping his cheek. She look at him, seeing both the man he had become and the child that she helped raise in her own way. A soft smile graced her lips as she brought the tip of the reed that she had pinned between her first and middle finger to his lips, relenting. "Here."
Yes, this was likely one of the reasons Mihail had become as spoiled as he had become over the years, but Thea could not help it. At least he had opened the wound in his chest to keep it from festering. From there, perhaps, he could heal and improve.
"Better?"
So perhaps Mihail had taken advantage of the baron's generosity by choosing Nethisa as his place to stay during his childish tantrum. It was not the first time he had done such a thing and, in truth, it was likely not the last. He enjoyed a routine, and he had found one which worked for him whenever he was in one of his childish states of mind. No one suffered from it - bar, perhaps the baron and the staff at his estate - and, more or less, Mihail had his way. "He treats me nicely," he muttered half-heartedly, though there was no real sentiment behind the words when they both knew he had little choice else he might incur potential Thanasi wrath.
His tears did not subside even as his older sister stroked her hands through his hair and told him all would be alright. She had always known precisely what would relax him, and still found the perfect words that could make any dark moment seem a million years away, but he was too far gone now. Mihail had already managed to work himself into such a state that no matter what the woman now said, it would be a long moment before he could bring himself to wipe away the sadness which had begun to manifest itself physically on his cheeks, and he let her hold him and whisper to him even though he wasn't entirely sure what she was saying.
When he finally pulled away - or rather, when Thea helped to pry him off from her body, and set himself up in a more reasonable stance - his eyes were still puffy and tinted the pale pink of tears. Mihail sniffed, trying to heave all his tears away in a single sharp intake of breath, though such things never worked, and he fell apart again almost a second later in a stuttered burst. He would always be a Thanasi, and he would always be a part of her family (even if an idiotic nagging at the back of his mind still argued and claimed otherwise).
"Thank you," Mihail murmured in response to her movements, his tone quiet enough that it might well have been a whisper. He had begged for the pipe from the first moments she had brought it out, and even despite the lingering melancholy in his demeanour, he grabbed at it with evident enthusiasm, his first drag long and slow as if he had been awaiting it a while now. In truth, he had, for the baron's house offered him plenty of arguably absurd luxuries but not one of them was the same as what Thea had to offer. The short moment of bliss felt like an eternity of ecstasy for him, and the panic on his face finally dissipated as he relaxed into it. He could lose hours of worry like this, but for now, he let the lowered the pipe once more, nodding at his sister's question. "Better. A lot better."
It was true. Between the kind conversation and the coveted pipe, Mihail was in a far more relaxed mental state than when Thea first arrived. This was what he wanted when he made these impulsive trips across to the island province, and, though he was glad to be getting what he desired in a sister's attention, he was more excited to have her acceptance. It was reassuring, but despite the confidence that she did still want him as a Thanasi, and that he would always remain a member of the family, his next words came out with a nervous stammer, even despite the puff from the pipe he took first. It felt the time to end this, particularly since he couldn't quite maintain the fantasy of indifference much longer.
"Can I...will you take m-me home with you?"
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
So perhaps Mihail had taken advantage of the baron's generosity by choosing Nethisa as his place to stay during his childish tantrum. It was not the first time he had done such a thing and, in truth, it was likely not the last. He enjoyed a routine, and he had found one which worked for him whenever he was in one of his childish states of mind. No one suffered from it - bar, perhaps the baron and the staff at his estate - and, more or less, Mihail had his way. "He treats me nicely," he muttered half-heartedly, though there was no real sentiment behind the words when they both knew he had little choice else he might incur potential Thanasi wrath.
His tears did not subside even as his older sister stroked her hands through his hair and told him all would be alright. She had always known precisely what would relax him, and still found the perfect words that could make any dark moment seem a million years away, but he was too far gone now. Mihail had already managed to work himself into such a state that no matter what the woman now said, it would be a long moment before he could bring himself to wipe away the sadness which had begun to manifest itself physically on his cheeks, and he let her hold him and whisper to him even though he wasn't entirely sure what she was saying.
When he finally pulled away - or rather, when Thea helped to pry him off from her body, and set himself up in a more reasonable stance - his eyes were still puffy and tinted the pale pink of tears. Mihail sniffed, trying to heave all his tears away in a single sharp intake of breath, though such things never worked, and he fell apart again almost a second later in a stuttered burst. He would always be a Thanasi, and he would always be a part of her family (even if an idiotic nagging at the back of his mind still argued and claimed otherwise).
"Thank you," Mihail murmured in response to her movements, his tone quiet enough that it might well have been a whisper. He had begged for the pipe from the first moments she had brought it out, and even despite the lingering melancholy in his demeanour, he grabbed at it with evident enthusiasm, his first drag long and slow as if he had been awaiting it a while now. In truth, he had, for the baron's house offered him plenty of arguably absurd luxuries but not one of them was the same as what Thea had to offer. The short moment of bliss felt like an eternity of ecstasy for him, and the panic on his face finally dissipated as he relaxed into it. He could lose hours of worry like this, but for now, he let the lowered the pipe once more, nodding at his sister's question. "Better. A lot better."
It was true. Between the kind conversation and the coveted pipe, Mihail was in a far more relaxed mental state than when Thea first arrived. This was what he wanted when he made these impulsive trips across to the island province, and, though he was glad to be getting what he desired in a sister's attention, he was more excited to have her acceptance. It was reassuring, but despite the confidence that she did still want him as a Thanasi, and that he would always remain a member of the family, his next words came out with a nervous stammer, even despite the puff from the pipe he took first. It felt the time to end this, particularly since he couldn't quite maintain the fantasy of indifference much longer.
"Can I...will you take m-me home with you?"
So perhaps Mihail had taken advantage of the baron's generosity by choosing Nethisa as his place to stay during his childish tantrum. It was not the first time he had done such a thing and, in truth, it was likely not the last. He enjoyed a routine, and he had found one which worked for him whenever he was in one of his childish states of mind. No one suffered from it - bar, perhaps the baron and the staff at his estate - and, more or less, Mihail had his way. "He treats me nicely," he muttered half-heartedly, though there was no real sentiment behind the words when they both knew he had little choice else he might incur potential Thanasi wrath.
His tears did not subside even as his older sister stroked her hands through his hair and told him all would be alright. She had always known precisely what would relax him, and still found the perfect words that could make any dark moment seem a million years away, but he was too far gone now. Mihail had already managed to work himself into such a state that no matter what the woman now said, it would be a long moment before he could bring himself to wipe away the sadness which had begun to manifest itself physically on his cheeks, and he let her hold him and whisper to him even though he wasn't entirely sure what she was saying.
When he finally pulled away - or rather, when Thea helped to pry him off from her body, and set himself up in a more reasonable stance - his eyes were still puffy and tinted the pale pink of tears. Mihail sniffed, trying to heave all his tears away in a single sharp intake of breath, though such things never worked, and he fell apart again almost a second later in a stuttered burst. He would always be a Thanasi, and he would always be a part of her family (even if an idiotic nagging at the back of his mind still argued and claimed otherwise).
"Thank you," Mihail murmured in response to her movements, his tone quiet enough that it might well have been a whisper. He had begged for the pipe from the first moments she had brought it out, and even despite the lingering melancholy in his demeanour, he grabbed at it with evident enthusiasm, his first drag long and slow as if he had been awaiting it a while now. In truth, he had, for the baron's house offered him plenty of arguably absurd luxuries but not one of them was the same as what Thea had to offer. The short moment of bliss felt like an eternity of ecstasy for him, and the panic on his face finally dissipated as he relaxed into it. He could lose hours of worry like this, but for now, he let the lowered the pipe once more, nodding at his sister's question. "Better. A lot better."
It was true. Between the kind conversation and the coveted pipe, Mihail was in a far more relaxed mental state than when Thea first arrived. This was what he wanted when he made these impulsive trips across to the island province, and, though he was glad to be getting what he desired in a sister's attention, he was more excited to have her acceptance. It was reassuring, but despite the confidence that she did still want him as a Thanasi, and that he would always remain a member of the family, his next words came out with a nervous stammer, even despite the puff from the pipe he took first. It felt the time to end this, particularly since he couldn't quite maintain the fantasy of indifference much longer.
"Can I...will you take m-me home with you?"
In her own controlled daze, Thea lazily watched as Mihail self-soothed with the smoking reed, watching the way his chest swelled as he held the smoke in his lungs, her eyes watching the plume fill the air and dissipate just as quickly. For half a moment, it reminded her of the swirling strands of incense that floated her prayers up to the gods, and her mind curiously wondered if Dionysus accepted those who partook in this in his name as worship. Years ago, Thea and Nethis toyed with such consideration, exploring both their adolescence and their worship of their patron god. Mihail dutifully followed in their footsteps, perhaps not to the extremes that they had - but at least in the pleasures.
Leaning back again against the arm of the chaise, her hand leaning down to unclasp the silver-appointed black leather sandals from her feet, allowing them to clatter onto the floor. Thea drew her feet almost childishly up onto the chaise, her bare feet sliding across the upholstered fabric, still hidden beneath he fabric of her skirts until her her legs comfortably rested against Mihail's thigh.
Countless hours had been draped across the plush furniture in her rooms in just this manner, the same fragrant smoke filling the air. This room was almost too light, with the windows looking out over the modest grounds of the Baron's estate, and the decor was luxurious but...not nearly eclectic enough. It was almost as if this room had been decorated once nearly two decades ago and then just simply maintained to be neutral and inoffensive to any visitors. It was welcoming yet sterile. Glancing around at the decor, Thea's face morphed into something unimpressed and rather disappointed in her assessment of her surroundings.
Her attention was pulled back to Mihail as he offered his thanks, the effects of the herbs softening the smile in her expression more than typically displayed. "Good. I'm glad." .
At last, it seemed that her gentle machinations had worked, and she leaned in from the arms of the chair. Placing a hand on his shoulder, as if to comfort away the nervous stammer, Thea smiled to him, "I was hoping you would ask that. Of course, Mimi. We can leave as soon as you are ready...well, within reason. I am rather enjoying this here. It has been too long since we've had an afternoon of just you and me."
Thea looked to the door. While she could manage and maintain herself under such a state, it would still do a bit better to allow the effects to wear away before informing the Baron that they would be departing. If Mihail wished, they could stay for dinner. Having only just finished a long journey into Nethisa, Thea was hesitant to hit the road once again, but she also did not want leave Mihail with enough time to change his mind.
"Shall we send someone to fetch us something to eat? I am suddenly famished."
Even as she spoke the words, her hand reached out, her upturned hand soft in the way it beckoned for the smoking reed again so they could continue their lazy afternoon, and solve the worlds problems with their smoke-laced musings, just like old times.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
In her own controlled daze, Thea lazily watched as Mihail self-soothed with the smoking reed, watching the way his chest swelled as he held the smoke in his lungs, her eyes watching the plume fill the air and dissipate just as quickly. For half a moment, it reminded her of the swirling strands of incense that floated her prayers up to the gods, and her mind curiously wondered if Dionysus accepted those who partook in this in his name as worship. Years ago, Thea and Nethis toyed with such consideration, exploring both their adolescence and their worship of their patron god. Mihail dutifully followed in their footsteps, perhaps not to the extremes that they had - but at least in the pleasures.
Leaning back again against the arm of the chaise, her hand leaning down to unclasp the silver-appointed black leather sandals from her feet, allowing them to clatter onto the floor. Thea drew her feet almost childishly up onto the chaise, her bare feet sliding across the upholstered fabric, still hidden beneath he fabric of her skirts until her her legs comfortably rested against Mihail's thigh.
Countless hours had been draped across the plush furniture in her rooms in just this manner, the same fragrant smoke filling the air. This room was almost too light, with the windows looking out over the modest grounds of the Baron's estate, and the decor was luxurious but...not nearly eclectic enough. It was almost as if this room had been decorated once nearly two decades ago and then just simply maintained to be neutral and inoffensive to any visitors. It was welcoming yet sterile. Glancing around at the decor, Thea's face morphed into something unimpressed and rather disappointed in her assessment of her surroundings.
Her attention was pulled back to Mihail as he offered his thanks, the effects of the herbs softening the smile in her expression more than typically displayed. "Good. I'm glad." .
At last, it seemed that her gentle machinations had worked, and she leaned in from the arms of the chair. Placing a hand on his shoulder, as if to comfort away the nervous stammer, Thea smiled to him, "I was hoping you would ask that. Of course, Mimi. We can leave as soon as you are ready...well, within reason. I am rather enjoying this here. It has been too long since we've had an afternoon of just you and me."
Thea looked to the door. While she could manage and maintain herself under such a state, it would still do a bit better to allow the effects to wear away before informing the Baron that they would be departing. If Mihail wished, they could stay for dinner. Having only just finished a long journey into Nethisa, Thea was hesitant to hit the road once again, but she also did not want leave Mihail with enough time to change his mind.
"Shall we send someone to fetch us something to eat? I am suddenly famished."
Even as she spoke the words, her hand reached out, her upturned hand soft in the way it beckoned for the smoking reed again so they could continue their lazy afternoon, and solve the worlds problems with their smoke-laced musings, just like old times.
In her own controlled daze, Thea lazily watched as Mihail self-soothed with the smoking reed, watching the way his chest swelled as he held the smoke in his lungs, her eyes watching the plume fill the air and dissipate just as quickly. For half a moment, it reminded her of the swirling strands of incense that floated her prayers up to the gods, and her mind curiously wondered if Dionysus accepted those who partook in this in his name as worship. Years ago, Thea and Nethis toyed with such consideration, exploring both their adolescence and their worship of their patron god. Mihail dutifully followed in their footsteps, perhaps not to the extremes that they had - but at least in the pleasures.
Leaning back again against the arm of the chaise, her hand leaning down to unclasp the silver-appointed black leather sandals from her feet, allowing them to clatter onto the floor. Thea drew her feet almost childishly up onto the chaise, her bare feet sliding across the upholstered fabric, still hidden beneath he fabric of her skirts until her her legs comfortably rested against Mihail's thigh.
Countless hours had been draped across the plush furniture in her rooms in just this manner, the same fragrant smoke filling the air. This room was almost too light, with the windows looking out over the modest grounds of the Baron's estate, and the decor was luxurious but...not nearly eclectic enough. It was almost as if this room had been decorated once nearly two decades ago and then just simply maintained to be neutral and inoffensive to any visitors. It was welcoming yet sterile. Glancing around at the decor, Thea's face morphed into something unimpressed and rather disappointed in her assessment of her surroundings.
Her attention was pulled back to Mihail as he offered his thanks, the effects of the herbs softening the smile in her expression more than typically displayed. "Good. I'm glad." .
At last, it seemed that her gentle machinations had worked, and she leaned in from the arms of the chair. Placing a hand on his shoulder, as if to comfort away the nervous stammer, Thea smiled to him, "I was hoping you would ask that. Of course, Mimi. We can leave as soon as you are ready...well, within reason. I am rather enjoying this here. It has been too long since we've had an afternoon of just you and me."
Thea looked to the door. While she could manage and maintain herself under such a state, it would still do a bit better to allow the effects to wear away before informing the Baron that they would be departing. If Mihail wished, they could stay for dinner. Having only just finished a long journey into Nethisa, Thea was hesitant to hit the road once again, but she also did not want leave Mihail with enough time to change his mind.
"Shall we send someone to fetch us something to eat? I am suddenly famished."
Even as she spoke the words, her hand reached out, her upturned hand soft in the way it beckoned for the smoking reed again so they could continue their lazy afternoon, and solve the worlds problems with their smoke-laced musings, just like old times.
This was better. This was home and comfort and everything Mihail had missed in coming to Nethisa but not wanted to admit. There was one thing in claiming physical luxuries through a possibly nonexistent title, and another in those few indulgences that were not quite material, but created through the pleasures of being close to one's family, and knowing that they were present despite any shortcomings. The pipe helped, but it did not do as much as the gentle feel of Thea against him, as if he had never left, nor the ambience of the Thanasi home that their current situation created. If he had not so often wished to rebel, then Mihail would never once in his life had left home.
His mind tended to drift whenever he had a pipe in hand, his thoughts unable to stay fixed at the prospect of so much to consider and aided by the imagination-enhancing drug. Now, they focussed firmly on his sister as she spoke, watching her through lowered eyelids as he took another drag on the pipe, thinking back on all those afternoons shared between just the pair of them.
It was always Thea who saved him from overindulgence of any kind. Evras may well have provided a sounding board for his misery, and Nethis had always been a voice of reason, but Thea was his constant saviour. When Mihail indulged himself too heavily in his fears and sadness, she could pull him out like no other, and when he had, quite literally, overindulged in the pleasures of opium one time too many, it was she who had brought him back every time (though his eldest sister did now monitor his use of the drug to an upsetting degree as a result). Even the feel of her hand on his shoulder calmed him more than expected, and for a moment, he could close his eyes and forget all about this nightmarish situation, as if they were younger and devoid of all worries.
Suddenly, he realised that Thea had asked him a question, and his head tilted upwards as if to assure her he was paying attention. He too was hungry, for once, and the temptation of food was too much to resist as he nodded in response, taking in a final huff from the pipe before he offered it back to his sister. Mihail was unaware of the hour, but did not think the baron would care too dearly if any further advantage was taken of his hospitality regardless, for he had already put up with plenty. Thus, he nodded slowly, heaving himself up from his seat as if the action took some effort, for he had been excessively comfortable in his relaxed position half-pressed against his sister, and nodded towards the door of the darkened chamber.
"Come," he told her, thinking it easiest for the pair of them to disappear to the adjoining dining room than to sit and wait for a likely incompetent servant to bring them something far too slowly. "He is perhaps not useful in every regard, but the baron does have a penchant for good food, I have found, and we shall not be disappointed. We can dine, and then you can take me home." Mihail's words were a little stilted as he was forced to think them through twice as much as the usual, but the longing to return was still very much present. He held out a hand to help his sister from her seat, though as he did so, his gaze dropped to the pitcher of wine now sitting forgotten on a side table, and he nodded towards it as he spoke. "Bring the wine, too, I am parched. I would like my last meal as Mihail of Nethisa to be one to remember, hm? Before everything is back to normal." As normal as it could get, given everything which had occurred as of late.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
This was better. This was home and comfort and everything Mihail had missed in coming to Nethisa but not wanted to admit. There was one thing in claiming physical luxuries through a possibly nonexistent title, and another in those few indulgences that were not quite material, but created through the pleasures of being close to one's family, and knowing that they were present despite any shortcomings. The pipe helped, but it did not do as much as the gentle feel of Thea against him, as if he had never left, nor the ambience of the Thanasi home that their current situation created. If he had not so often wished to rebel, then Mihail would never once in his life had left home.
His mind tended to drift whenever he had a pipe in hand, his thoughts unable to stay fixed at the prospect of so much to consider and aided by the imagination-enhancing drug. Now, they focussed firmly on his sister as she spoke, watching her through lowered eyelids as he took another drag on the pipe, thinking back on all those afternoons shared between just the pair of them.
It was always Thea who saved him from overindulgence of any kind. Evras may well have provided a sounding board for his misery, and Nethis had always been a voice of reason, but Thea was his constant saviour. When Mihail indulged himself too heavily in his fears and sadness, she could pull him out like no other, and when he had, quite literally, overindulged in the pleasures of opium one time too many, it was she who had brought him back every time (though his eldest sister did now monitor his use of the drug to an upsetting degree as a result). Even the feel of her hand on his shoulder calmed him more than expected, and for a moment, he could close his eyes and forget all about this nightmarish situation, as if they were younger and devoid of all worries.
Suddenly, he realised that Thea had asked him a question, and his head tilted upwards as if to assure her he was paying attention. He too was hungry, for once, and the temptation of food was too much to resist as he nodded in response, taking in a final huff from the pipe before he offered it back to his sister. Mihail was unaware of the hour, but did not think the baron would care too dearly if any further advantage was taken of his hospitality regardless, for he had already put up with plenty. Thus, he nodded slowly, heaving himself up from his seat as if the action took some effort, for he had been excessively comfortable in his relaxed position half-pressed against his sister, and nodded towards the door of the darkened chamber.
"Come," he told her, thinking it easiest for the pair of them to disappear to the adjoining dining room than to sit and wait for a likely incompetent servant to bring them something far too slowly. "He is perhaps not useful in every regard, but the baron does have a penchant for good food, I have found, and we shall not be disappointed. We can dine, and then you can take me home." Mihail's words were a little stilted as he was forced to think them through twice as much as the usual, but the longing to return was still very much present. He held out a hand to help his sister from her seat, though as he did so, his gaze dropped to the pitcher of wine now sitting forgotten on a side table, and he nodded towards it as he spoke. "Bring the wine, too, I am parched. I would like my last meal as Mihail of Nethisa to be one to remember, hm? Before everything is back to normal." As normal as it could get, given everything which had occurred as of late.
This was better. This was home and comfort and everything Mihail had missed in coming to Nethisa but not wanted to admit. There was one thing in claiming physical luxuries through a possibly nonexistent title, and another in those few indulgences that were not quite material, but created through the pleasures of being close to one's family, and knowing that they were present despite any shortcomings. The pipe helped, but it did not do as much as the gentle feel of Thea against him, as if he had never left, nor the ambience of the Thanasi home that their current situation created. If he had not so often wished to rebel, then Mihail would never once in his life had left home.
His mind tended to drift whenever he had a pipe in hand, his thoughts unable to stay fixed at the prospect of so much to consider and aided by the imagination-enhancing drug. Now, they focussed firmly on his sister as she spoke, watching her through lowered eyelids as he took another drag on the pipe, thinking back on all those afternoons shared between just the pair of them.
It was always Thea who saved him from overindulgence of any kind. Evras may well have provided a sounding board for his misery, and Nethis had always been a voice of reason, but Thea was his constant saviour. When Mihail indulged himself too heavily in his fears and sadness, she could pull him out like no other, and when he had, quite literally, overindulged in the pleasures of opium one time too many, it was she who had brought him back every time (though his eldest sister did now monitor his use of the drug to an upsetting degree as a result). Even the feel of her hand on his shoulder calmed him more than expected, and for a moment, he could close his eyes and forget all about this nightmarish situation, as if they were younger and devoid of all worries.
Suddenly, he realised that Thea had asked him a question, and his head tilted upwards as if to assure her he was paying attention. He too was hungry, for once, and the temptation of food was too much to resist as he nodded in response, taking in a final huff from the pipe before he offered it back to his sister. Mihail was unaware of the hour, but did not think the baron would care too dearly if any further advantage was taken of his hospitality regardless, for he had already put up with plenty. Thus, he nodded slowly, heaving himself up from his seat as if the action took some effort, for he had been excessively comfortable in his relaxed position half-pressed against his sister, and nodded towards the door of the darkened chamber.
"Come," he told her, thinking it easiest for the pair of them to disappear to the adjoining dining room than to sit and wait for a likely incompetent servant to bring them something far too slowly. "He is perhaps not useful in every regard, but the baron does have a penchant for good food, I have found, and we shall not be disappointed. We can dine, and then you can take me home." Mihail's words were a little stilted as he was forced to think them through twice as much as the usual, but the longing to return was still very much present. He held out a hand to help his sister from her seat, though as he did so, his gaze dropped to the pitcher of wine now sitting forgotten on a side table, and he nodded towards it as he spoke. "Bring the wine, too, I am parched. I would like my last meal as Mihail of Nethisa to be one to remember, hm? Before everything is back to normal." As normal as it could get, given everything which had occurred as of late.