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At the height of the unrest in Athenia, for the first time in three weeks, the very first court session has been declared in the absence and amongst questions on the whereabouts and status of their supposed current Queen. With Lord Elias of Stravos supposedly acting as regent, he has stated the young Princess Emilia, supposed heiress to the throne should Queen Persephone be discovered dead, as unwell and unfit to attend court. In her place, his mother the Lady Circenia of Stravos acts as the leading lady in The Court. All nobility are welcome to attend, but whispers and angered statements are exchanged brutally as many in the Athenian nobility are torn over the inactive Senate meets. The heightened state of unrest has resulted in the need for extra muscle, and many unfamiliar men could be seen outfitted as temporary guards, leading to further uncertainty amongst both the ladies and men of the Athenian nobility in attendance.
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At the height of the unrest in Athenia, for the first time in three weeks, the very first court session has been declared in the absence and amongst questions on the whereabouts and status of their supposed current Queen. With Lord Elias of Stravos supposedly acting as regent, he has stated the young Princess Emilia, supposed heiress to the throne should Queen Persephone be discovered dead, as unwell and unfit to attend court. In her place, his mother the Lady Circenia of Stravos acts as the leading lady in The Court. All nobility are welcome to attend, but whispers and angered statements are exchanged brutally as many in the Athenian nobility are torn over the inactive Senate meets. The heightened state of unrest has resulted in the need for extra muscle, and many unfamiliar men could be seen outfitted as temporary guards, leading to further uncertainty amongst both the ladies and men of the Athenian nobility in attendance.
Rose In The Thorns Event - Athenia
At the height of the unrest in Athenia, for the first time in three weeks, the very first court session has been declared in the absence and amongst questions on the whereabouts and status of their supposed current Queen. With Lord Elias of Stravos supposedly acting as regent, he has stated the young Princess Emilia, supposed heiress to the throne should Queen Persephone be discovered dead, as unwell and unfit to attend court. In her place, his mother the Lady Circenia of Stravos acts as the leading lady in The Court. All nobility are welcome to attend, but whispers and angered statements are exchanged brutally as many in the Athenian nobility are torn over the inactive Senate meets. The heightened state of unrest has resulted in the need for extra muscle, and many unfamiliar men could be seen outfitted as temporary guards, leading to further uncertainty amongst both the ladies and men of the Athenian nobility in attendance.
Circenia was where she was meant to be.
A glistening tiara was nestled in her immaculately arranged ebony locks, a crimson chiton of the finest silk draping her statuesque form and a golden organza epiblema cunningly wrapped around her torso. Gold and rubies were the theme of her extravagant trappings from the drops in her ears to the bangles at her ankles, beautifully complementing her outfit with the ostentatious flair Circenia was known for. The Stravos colors were no accident, an unsubtle reminder of who remained to care for Athenia while their Xanthos 'Queen' was away. Never mind she herself had been born a swan; as the years with Keikelius had gone by and their children had grown into adulthood, the princess became more Stravos every day. And they were not a family to be taken lightly.
Her smile was dazzling, her laughter musical; the Stravos matriarch was the perfect portrait of a gracious hostess as the Athenian nobility started to file into the grand hall of the Palati. No expense had been spared in the food that circulated the hall, borne on silver trays by royal servants ready to cater to the court’s every whim, while armed guards filled the Palati and kept a watch over those in attendance. Circenia was no fool. She was well aware of the growling and grumbling among the nobility that Elias was not fit to hold the position of regent while Persephone was away. The tension her son’s rash and seemingly foolish actions was causing. While it was true that the Senate still had yet to meet since the Queen’s disappearance, Circenia intended to set some of their minds (or at least their mouths) at ease today. She would take care of the problems her son couldn’t be bothered to deal with in the way she knew how.
As usual. It seemed like she was always the one cleaning up the mess.
Making her way through the slowly growing assembly of nobles, she stopped to speak with as many of them as she could, offering charming smiles and light banter, even as shrewd eyes and a calculating mind took careful notes on who they needed to keep an eye on. Most of the complaining was just that—complaining. She knew well how often men were prone to speech without action, but there were others…
All who bore the name of Stravos needed to tread lightly. Especially now.
Her gaze was filled with a carefully veiled irritation as she scanned the room for her husband and children, particularly Chara and Danae. Where were they? When she’d told them they were to be seen today, it had been in no uncertain tone, a direct order that would have hellish consequences should they choose not to heed it. Elias almost felt a lost cause, drunk on power as he was, but even with a mother’s doting love for her son, she knew the girls were of a different stock. Clever and ambitious as their parents, she needed them here to ensure they presented a united front, to reassure the Athenian court that all would be well in time, so long as they remained patient. But it was hard to appear united if she was the only Stravos in attendance.
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Circenia was where she was meant to be.
A glistening tiara was nestled in her immaculately arranged ebony locks, a crimson chiton of the finest silk draping her statuesque form and a golden organza epiblema cunningly wrapped around her torso. Gold and rubies were the theme of her extravagant trappings from the drops in her ears to the bangles at her ankles, beautifully complementing her outfit with the ostentatious flair Circenia was known for. The Stravos colors were no accident, an unsubtle reminder of who remained to care for Athenia while their Xanthos 'Queen' was away. Never mind she herself had been born a swan; as the years with Keikelius had gone by and their children had grown into adulthood, the princess became more Stravos every day. And they were not a family to be taken lightly.
Her smile was dazzling, her laughter musical; the Stravos matriarch was the perfect portrait of a gracious hostess as the Athenian nobility started to file into the grand hall of the Palati. No expense had been spared in the food that circulated the hall, borne on silver trays by royal servants ready to cater to the court’s every whim, while armed guards filled the Palati and kept a watch over those in attendance. Circenia was no fool. She was well aware of the growling and grumbling among the nobility that Elias was not fit to hold the position of regent while Persephone was away. The tension her son’s rash and seemingly foolish actions was causing. While it was true that the Senate still had yet to meet since the Queen’s disappearance, Circenia intended to set some of their minds (or at least their mouths) at ease today. She would take care of the problems her son couldn’t be bothered to deal with in the way she knew how.
As usual. It seemed like she was always the one cleaning up the mess.
Making her way through the slowly growing assembly of nobles, she stopped to speak with as many of them as she could, offering charming smiles and light banter, even as shrewd eyes and a calculating mind took careful notes on who they needed to keep an eye on. Most of the complaining was just that—complaining. She knew well how often men were prone to speech without action, but there were others…
All who bore the name of Stravos needed to tread lightly. Especially now.
Her gaze was filled with a carefully veiled irritation as she scanned the room for her husband and children, particularly Chara and Danae. Where were they? When she’d told them they were to be seen today, it had been in no uncertain tone, a direct order that would have hellish consequences should they choose not to heed it. Elias almost felt a lost cause, drunk on power as he was, but even with a mother’s doting love for her son, she knew the girls were of a different stock. Clever and ambitious as their parents, she needed them here to ensure they presented a united front, to reassure the Athenian court that all would be well in time, so long as they remained patient. But it was hard to appear united if she was the only Stravos in attendance.
Circenia was where she was meant to be.
A glistening tiara was nestled in her immaculately arranged ebony locks, a crimson chiton of the finest silk draping her statuesque form and a golden organza epiblema cunningly wrapped around her torso. Gold and rubies were the theme of her extravagant trappings from the drops in her ears to the bangles at her ankles, beautifully complementing her outfit with the ostentatious flair Circenia was known for. The Stravos colors were no accident, an unsubtle reminder of who remained to care for Athenia while their Xanthos 'Queen' was away. Never mind she herself had been born a swan; as the years with Keikelius had gone by and their children had grown into adulthood, the princess became more Stravos every day. And they were not a family to be taken lightly.
Her smile was dazzling, her laughter musical; the Stravos matriarch was the perfect portrait of a gracious hostess as the Athenian nobility started to file into the grand hall of the Palati. No expense had been spared in the food that circulated the hall, borne on silver trays by royal servants ready to cater to the court’s every whim, while armed guards filled the Palati and kept a watch over those in attendance. Circenia was no fool. She was well aware of the growling and grumbling among the nobility that Elias was not fit to hold the position of regent while Persephone was away. The tension her son’s rash and seemingly foolish actions was causing. While it was true that the Senate still had yet to meet since the Queen’s disappearance, Circenia intended to set some of their minds (or at least their mouths) at ease today. She would take care of the problems her son couldn’t be bothered to deal with in the way she knew how.
As usual. It seemed like she was always the one cleaning up the mess.
Making her way through the slowly growing assembly of nobles, she stopped to speak with as many of them as she could, offering charming smiles and light banter, even as shrewd eyes and a calculating mind took careful notes on who they needed to keep an eye on. Most of the complaining was just that—complaining. She knew well how often men were prone to speech without action, but there were others…
All who bore the name of Stravos needed to tread lightly. Especially now.
Her gaze was filled with a carefully veiled irritation as she scanned the room for her husband and children, particularly Chara and Danae. Where were they? When she’d told them they were to be seen today, it had been in no uncertain tone, a direct order that would have hellish consequences should they choose not to heed it. Elias almost felt a lost cause, drunk on power as he was, but even with a mother’s doting love for her son, she knew the girls were of a different stock. Clever and ambitious as their parents, she needed them here to ensure they presented a united front, to reassure the Athenian court that all would be well in time, so long as they remained patient. But it was hard to appear united if she was the only Stravos in attendance.
Vasia was not usually one to be caught up in whatever small dramas were the source of gossip and speculation at court. In fact, her attendance was usually only out of a sense of duty, to represent House Antonis and keep their political connections warm. Her father and brothers did their job with their military might, so it was left mostly to Vasia and her aunt to tend to other matters.
But as she dressed that morning, even she could not deny that she was anxious to attend this court session. The city was astir, gossip flying as rapidly as bows from an arrow, every question loud in the silence that had been since the Queen’s disappearance. Not all carried the concern or upset that should have been present- Vasia had noted those who disliked the fact that Persephone had been named heir at all, those who muttered that it was no great loss to find themselves free of the ruler who should never have been ruler in the first place. Vasia had been hard pressed to hold her tongue then, not to point out that she was certain the Queen Persphone would have performed her duties as regent better than they could ever hope to. It did not change her opinion though, which was more than ready to embrace a woman’s right to inheritance. The men were afraid, feeling usurped.
She gave her reflection a brief critique as she considered all of this. Long blonde hair had been braided back from her face, displaying the long elegant line of her neck, set off by the sparkle of jewels that lay against her skin. The chiton she wore had been laid out by her retainer, but Vasia thought it looked well enough, gathered silver silk with the azure blue of Antonis layered over it, and she added a simple bangle before heading out to the carriage that would bear her to the Palati. She hoped she would see her brothers there, but Vasia was not going to allow them to make her late and so she bid the driver to move off and sat back.
She should have called upon the young princess before now, Vasia mused as the carriage rolled through the city streets. Hera knows the girl needed some better influences than Elias. She had hoped to try and speak to her at court, if indeed Princess Emilia was to show her face, but such a wish had already been denied with word the young regent was too unwell to attend.
Upon her arrival in the grand hall however, it did not escape Vasia’s notice that Emilia’s place seemed to have been filled with no other than Lady Circenia of Stravos. With the tiniest lift of her eyebrows, the Lady Antonis turned her attention away from the sight of the Stravos matriarch to return the greeting of the Lords to her left. There was a slow trickle of people arriving, and Vasia moved amongst them, speaking to those who were friends to Antonis, gifting her brightest smile to those she counted personal friends.
It appeared no expense had been spared in the vittles provided, and Vasia wondered if Circenia really thought that the nobles of Anthenia would allow their disquiet to be silenced by a few sweet pastries and some good wine. She hoped her faith in her countrymen was not misplaced, even as she accepted a chalice and sipped delicately at the crisp white wine it held. She bid the ladies she had been speaking to excuse her, and then went to offer her greetings to their host, her expression pleasant as she gave a gentle dip of her head to Circenia. “My Lady Stravos, it is good of you to play host to us all today. It has been far too long since we have come together” Vasia swept an elegant hand around to gesture at the gathered nobles, and took in the additional guards who had been drafted in. “Wise too, to reassure people with such a show of strength”. The soldiers did not all appear to be of the Athenian Guard though, and the blonde canted her head to the side as she studied one of the men a moment before turning back to Circenia. “You need only have asked if you needed additional men though, I am sure my brothers could have lent some likely fellows. No need to raid the arena to protect us”
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Vasia was not usually one to be caught up in whatever small dramas were the source of gossip and speculation at court. In fact, her attendance was usually only out of a sense of duty, to represent House Antonis and keep their political connections warm. Her father and brothers did their job with their military might, so it was left mostly to Vasia and her aunt to tend to other matters.
But as she dressed that morning, even she could not deny that she was anxious to attend this court session. The city was astir, gossip flying as rapidly as bows from an arrow, every question loud in the silence that had been since the Queen’s disappearance. Not all carried the concern or upset that should have been present- Vasia had noted those who disliked the fact that Persephone had been named heir at all, those who muttered that it was no great loss to find themselves free of the ruler who should never have been ruler in the first place. Vasia had been hard pressed to hold her tongue then, not to point out that she was certain the Queen Persphone would have performed her duties as regent better than they could ever hope to. It did not change her opinion though, which was more than ready to embrace a woman’s right to inheritance. The men were afraid, feeling usurped.
She gave her reflection a brief critique as she considered all of this. Long blonde hair had been braided back from her face, displaying the long elegant line of her neck, set off by the sparkle of jewels that lay against her skin. The chiton she wore had been laid out by her retainer, but Vasia thought it looked well enough, gathered silver silk with the azure blue of Antonis layered over it, and she added a simple bangle before heading out to the carriage that would bear her to the Palati. She hoped she would see her brothers there, but Vasia was not going to allow them to make her late and so she bid the driver to move off and sat back.
She should have called upon the young princess before now, Vasia mused as the carriage rolled through the city streets. Hera knows the girl needed some better influences than Elias. She had hoped to try and speak to her at court, if indeed Princess Emilia was to show her face, but such a wish had already been denied with word the young regent was too unwell to attend.
Upon her arrival in the grand hall however, it did not escape Vasia’s notice that Emilia’s place seemed to have been filled with no other than Lady Circenia of Stravos. With the tiniest lift of her eyebrows, the Lady Antonis turned her attention away from the sight of the Stravos matriarch to return the greeting of the Lords to her left. There was a slow trickle of people arriving, and Vasia moved amongst them, speaking to those who were friends to Antonis, gifting her brightest smile to those she counted personal friends.
It appeared no expense had been spared in the vittles provided, and Vasia wondered if Circenia really thought that the nobles of Anthenia would allow their disquiet to be silenced by a few sweet pastries and some good wine. She hoped her faith in her countrymen was not misplaced, even as she accepted a chalice and sipped delicately at the crisp white wine it held. She bid the ladies she had been speaking to excuse her, and then went to offer her greetings to their host, her expression pleasant as she gave a gentle dip of her head to Circenia. “My Lady Stravos, it is good of you to play host to us all today. It has been far too long since we have come together” Vasia swept an elegant hand around to gesture at the gathered nobles, and took in the additional guards who had been drafted in. “Wise too, to reassure people with such a show of strength”. The soldiers did not all appear to be of the Athenian Guard though, and the blonde canted her head to the side as she studied one of the men a moment before turning back to Circenia. “You need only have asked if you needed additional men though, I am sure my brothers could have lent some likely fellows. No need to raid the arena to protect us”
Vasia was not usually one to be caught up in whatever small dramas were the source of gossip and speculation at court. In fact, her attendance was usually only out of a sense of duty, to represent House Antonis and keep their political connections warm. Her father and brothers did their job with their military might, so it was left mostly to Vasia and her aunt to tend to other matters.
But as she dressed that morning, even she could not deny that she was anxious to attend this court session. The city was astir, gossip flying as rapidly as bows from an arrow, every question loud in the silence that had been since the Queen’s disappearance. Not all carried the concern or upset that should have been present- Vasia had noted those who disliked the fact that Persephone had been named heir at all, those who muttered that it was no great loss to find themselves free of the ruler who should never have been ruler in the first place. Vasia had been hard pressed to hold her tongue then, not to point out that she was certain the Queen Persphone would have performed her duties as regent better than they could ever hope to. It did not change her opinion though, which was more than ready to embrace a woman’s right to inheritance. The men were afraid, feeling usurped.
She gave her reflection a brief critique as she considered all of this. Long blonde hair had been braided back from her face, displaying the long elegant line of her neck, set off by the sparkle of jewels that lay against her skin. The chiton she wore had been laid out by her retainer, but Vasia thought it looked well enough, gathered silver silk with the azure blue of Antonis layered over it, and she added a simple bangle before heading out to the carriage that would bear her to the Palati. She hoped she would see her brothers there, but Vasia was not going to allow them to make her late and so she bid the driver to move off and sat back.
She should have called upon the young princess before now, Vasia mused as the carriage rolled through the city streets. Hera knows the girl needed some better influences than Elias. She had hoped to try and speak to her at court, if indeed Princess Emilia was to show her face, but such a wish had already been denied with word the young regent was too unwell to attend.
Upon her arrival in the grand hall however, it did not escape Vasia’s notice that Emilia’s place seemed to have been filled with no other than Lady Circenia of Stravos. With the tiniest lift of her eyebrows, the Lady Antonis turned her attention away from the sight of the Stravos matriarch to return the greeting of the Lords to her left. There was a slow trickle of people arriving, and Vasia moved amongst them, speaking to those who were friends to Antonis, gifting her brightest smile to those she counted personal friends.
It appeared no expense had been spared in the vittles provided, and Vasia wondered if Circenia really thought that the nobles of Anthenia would allow their disquiet to be silenced by a few sweet pastries and some good wine. She hoped her faith in her countrymen was not misplaced, even as she accepted a chalice and sipped delicately at the crisp white wine it held. She bid the ladies she had been speaking to excuse her, and then went to offer her greetings to their host, her expression pleasant as she gave a gentle dip of her head to Circenia. “My Lady Stravos, it is good of you to play host to us all today. It has been far too long since we have come together” Vasia swept an elegant hand around to gesture at the gathered nobles, and took in the additional guards who had been drafted in. “Wise too, to reassure people with such a show of strength”. The soldiers did not all appear to be of the Athenian Guard though, and the blonde canted her head to the side as she studied one of the men a moment before turning back to Circenia. “You need only have asked if you needed additional men though, I am sure my brothers could have lent some likely fellows. No need to raid the arena to protect us”
Lesley hadn't been able to turn down the offer of work that had been extended to several of the free gladiators - not with food prices rising, that for the materials for his mother's work even faster, and with the worry that without his added income she would not be able to sustain herself making him hesitate to look to the riskier options he preferred. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you. Great. Being up in the rich part of the city was making him go all philosophical. It was true, though - what the lords and ladies got up to with their bickering and their scheming and their marriages and alliances affected everyone, no matter how much they wished to simply reap the rewards justly due to a quiet life of virtuous labour.
Today he was dressed identically to the other guards, thigh-length short sleeved tunic under light leather breastplate and greaves - at least, Lesley considered it light, as did the regular members of the Athenian guard, unless he misjudged them, but some of the other temporary hires didn't seem as used to it. The bronze sword at his hip was a comfortable weight, the spear less familiar, though between his skill with staff and trident he had no concerns on that score, and indoors it was more ceremonial than practical regardless. It was odd having his tattoos on display outside of the arena, but that was minor compared to the strangeness of being back among the rich and powerful. Familiar, and yet not familiar. Alert brown eyes scanned the room, but he was only picking out movement, attitude, patterns. He wasn't looking for anyone in particular, and if he recognized anyone, it wouldn't be his place to approach them anyway. Others more familiar with the current positions of all the players could watch for potential trouble; he was just here to be a visible deterrent, and to step in if and when trouble actually erupted.
Less obvious was that he was also listening to everything around him. The quiet murmur as the nobles greeted each other merged into a blurred blanket of sound, but he picked out the nearest conversations, and even without making out words, he could recognize the voices of those he'd once known, and he could certainly make out tone and mood. The room was polite, cautious, but overall everyone seemed genuinely glad to be here even if, like the rest of the city, they had gotten well into the habit of expecting more bad news at every turn. The occasional starkly cold tone seemed more that some people didn't like each other than current, immediate anger or offense, and among these people, in this situation, no-one was likely to simply break out into violence simply because they disliked someone. Not impossible, and he stayed alert, but he wasn't tense or worried.
A nearby reference to the men from the arena had him amused, but he managed not to show he'd overheard. The implication he and the others were of lower quality than professional soldiers was hard to take offense at given how neatly she'd used it to backhand the de facto queen regent. Lesley had heard the rumours, and the fact that, so far as he'd noticed, Elias had not yet appeared and all the guests were greeting Cicerena as host did nothing to dispel them. It appeared that no matter how badly the baron of Lyncestia may have wanted the throne, no matter how offended that Persephone had been given the crown, he wasn't much interested in actually ruling. He could blame Emilia all he liked for the senate not reconvening, but if the young fashion-obsessed girl he'd met was capable of defying her in-laws, Les would eat his breastplate.
He wondered absently why he was even bothering trying to evaluate the political situation. Too much education, not enough, well, anything else. That was a familiar enough feeling. No, he decided as he scanned the room again, he wasn't just bored. He was educated enough to know that knowing a noble's political inclinations were as important up here as it was important down there to know whether a gladiator was right-handed or left-.
As for the lady with the gracefully sharp tongue, it took him a moment to place her; her voice seemed familiar but she was closer to Raf's age than his own and Pavlos'. Blonde hair, not too much jewelry... the Antonis sister maybe? Right, Vasia, that had been the girl's name. Possibly, but he wasn't sure. It had been a long time ago, and girls' voices didn't change as much as boys' during puberty, but they still did somewhat.
He listened only absently for any other interesting conversations nearby or anyone else he recognized, calmly alert, the majority of his attention still on doing his job.
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Lesley hadn't been able to turn down the offer of work that had been extended to several of the free gladiators - not with food prices rising, that for the materials for his mother's work even faster, and with the worry that without his added income she would not be able to sustain herself making him hesitate to look to the riskier options he preferred. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you. Great. Being up in the rich part of the city was making him go all philosophical. It was true, though - what the lords and ladies got up to with their bickering and their scheming and their marriages and alliances affected everyone, no matter how much they wished to simply reap the rewards justly due to a quiet life of virtuous labour.
Today he was dressed identically to the other guards, thigh-length short sleeved tunic under light leather breastplate and greaves - at least, Lesley considered it light, as did the regular members of the Athenian guard, unless he misjudged them, but some of the other temporary hires didn't seem as used to it. The bronze sword at his hip was a comfortable weight, the spear less familiar, though between his skill with staff and trident he had no concerns on that score, and indoors it was more ceremonial than practical regardless. It was odd having his tattoos on display outside of the arena, but that was minor compared to the strangeness of being back among the rich and powerful. Familiar, and yet not familiar. Alert brown eyes scanned the room, but he was only picking out movement, attitude, patterns. He wasn't looking for anyone in particular, and if he recognized anyone, it wouldn't be his place to approach them anyway. Others more familiar with the current positions of all the players could watch for potential trouble; he was just here to be a visible deterrent, and to step in if and when trouble actually erupted.
Less obvious was that he was also listening to everything around him. The quiet murmur as the nobles greeted each other merged into a blurred blanket of sound, but he picked out the nearest conversations, and even without making out words, he could recognize the voices of those he'd once known, and he could certainly make out tone and mood. The room was polite, cautious, but overall everyone seemed genuinely glad to be here even if, like the rest of the city, they had gotten well into the habit of expecting more bad news at every turn. The occasional starkly cold tone seemed more that some people didn't like each other than current, immediate anger or offense, and among these people, in this situation, no-one was likely to simply break out into violence simply because they disliked someone. Not impossible, and he stayed alert, but he wasn't tense or worried.
A nearby reference to the men from the arena had him amused, but he managed not to show he'd overheard. The implication he and the others were of lower quality than professional soldiers was hard to take offense at given how neatly she'd used it to backhand the de facto queen regent. Lesley had heard the rumours, and the fact that, so far as he'd noticed, Elias had not yet appeared and all the guests were greeting Cicerena as host did nothing to dispel them. It appeared that no matter how badly the baron of Lyncestia may have wanted the throne, no matter how offended that Persephone had been given the crown, he wasn't much interested in actually ruling. He could blame Emilia all he liked for the senate not reconvening, but if the young fashion-obsessed girl he'd met was capable of defying her in-laws, Les would eat his breastplate.
He wondered absently why he was even bothering trying to evaluate the political situation. Too much education, not enough, well, anything else. That was a familiar enough feeling. No, he decided as he scanned the room again, he wasn't just bored. He was educated enough to know that knowing a noble's political inclinations were as important up here as it was important down there to know whether a gladiator was right-handed or left-.
As for the lady with the gracefully sharp tongue, it took him a moment to place her; her voice seemed familiar but she was closer to Raf's age than his own and Pavlos'. Blonde hair, not too much jewelry... the Antonis sister maybe? Right, Vasia, that had been the girl's name. Possibly, but he wasn't sure. It had been a long time ago, and girls' voices didn't change as much as boys' during puberty, but they still did somewhat.
He listened only absently for any other interesting conversations nearby or anyone else he recognized, calmly alert, the majority of his attention still on doing his job.
Lesley hadn't been able to turn down the offer of work that had been extended to several of the free gladiators - not with food prices rising, that for the materials for his mother's work even faster, and with the worry that without his added income she would not be able to sustain herself making him hesitate to look to the riskier options he preferred. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you. Great. Being up in the rich part of the city was making him go all philosophical. It was true, though - what the lords and ladies got up to with their bickering and their scheming and their marriages and alliances affected everyone, no matter how much they wished to simply reap the rewards justly due to a quiet life of virtuous labour.
Today he was dressed identically to the other guards, thigh-length short sleeved tunic under light leather breastplate and greaves - at least, Lesley considered it light, as did the regular members of the Athenian guard, unless he misjudged them, but some of the other temporary hires didn't seem as used to it. The bronze sword at his hip was a comfortable weight, the spear less familiar, though between his skill with staff and trident he had no concerns on that score, and indoors it was more ceremonial than practical regardless. It was odd having his tattoos on display outside of the arena, but that was minor compared to the strangeness of being back among the rich and powerful. Familiar, and yet not familiar. Alert brown eyes scanned the room, but he was only picking out movement, attitude, patterns. He wasn't looking for anyone in particular, and if he recognized anyone, it wouldn't be his place to approach them anyway. Others more familiar with the current positions of all the players could watch for potential trouble; he was just here to be a visible deterrent, and to step in if and when trouble actually erupted.
Less obvious was that he was also listening to everything around him. The quiet murmur as the nobles greeted each other merged into a blurred blanket of sound, but he picked out the nearest conversations, and even without making out words, he could recognize the voices of those he'd once known, and he could certainly make out tone and mood. The room was polite, cautious, but overall everyone seemed genuinely glad to be here even if, like the rest of the city, they had gotten well into the habit of expecting more bad news at every turn. The occasional starkly cold tone seemed more that some people didn't like each other than current, immediate anger or offense, and among these people, in this situation, no-one was likely to simply break out into violence simply because they disliked someone. Not impossible, and he stayed alert, but he wasn't tense or worried.
A nearby reference to the men from the arena had him amused, but he managed not to show he'd overheard. The implication he and the others were of lower quality than professional soldiers was hard to take offense at given how neatly she'd used it to backhand the de facto queen regent. Lesley had heard the rumours, and the fact that, so far as he'd noticed, Elias had not yet appeared and all the guests were greeting Cicerena as host did nothing to dispel them. It appeared that no matter how badly the baron of Lyncestia may have wanted the throne, no matter how offended that Persephone had been given the crown, he wasn't much interested in actually ruling. He could blame Emilia all he liked for the senate not reconvening, but if the young fashion-obsessed girl he'd met was capable of defying her in-laws, Les would eat his breastplate.
He wondered absently why he was even bothering trying to evaluate the political situation. Too much education, not enough, well, anything else. That was a familiar enough feeling. No, he decided as he scanned the room again, he wasn't just bored. He was educated enough to know that knowing a noble's political inclinations were as important up here as it was important down there to know whether a gladiator was right-handed or left-.
As for the lady with the gracefully sharp tongue, it took him a moment to place her; her voice seemed familiar but she was closer to Raf's age than his own and Pavlos'. Blonde hair, not too much jewelry... the Antonis sister maybe? Right, Vasia, that had been the girl's name. Possibly, but he wasn't sure. It had been a long time ago, and girls' voices didn't change as much as boys' during puberty, but they still did somewhat.
He listened only absently for any other interesting conversations nearby or anyone else he recognized, calmly alert, the majority of his attention still on doing his job.
Circenia was speaking with her sister Sera when Vasia approached, the lady of Stravos all smiles and grace as she turned to greet the newest addition to their gathering. She returned Vasia’s inclination of her head with one of her own, clasping ringed hands in front of her. “It has been far too long indeed, Lady Vasia,” she agreed with the young lady of Antonis. “With the unfortunate absence of our dear Queen and the worrisome state of our beloved princess’s health, we have done our best to take it upon ourselves to ensure life continues on as normal. Or as close to normal as we can get, yes?”
Her crystalline gaze narrowed ever so slightly at the young lady’s comment on the guards that occupied the Palati. The undercurrent of her tone was not lost on Circenia, a true viper of the Court born and bred. If Vasia wanted to mince words, the Stravos matriarch was only too happy to oblige. She had no doubt she’d come out the victor.
“Your kind offer is greatly appreciated, my lady, but we felt it best to bring in men with no… prior affiliation,” she explained, eyes glinting dangerously, as if daring her to argue. No affiliation besides the Stravos money lining their pockets, of course. “With the tensions in the kingdom running so high, we thought it better to draw from a more neutral pool for the safety of everyone involved. I’m sure you understand.”
She, too, glanced at the nearby gladiator who stood in mute watch, a man whose name she’d never bothered to learn. Why would she? It wasn’t as if she deigned to spend time among those so much lower to her in station. She and her husband paid them to do a job, and so long as they did it, there was no need for much else. The princess just had to hope her faith in him and his fellows wasn’t misplaced.
Turning her attention back to Vasia, she offered another smile, plucking two glasses of wine from a passing servant’s tray. One she kept for herself and the other she offered to her companion, whose own glass seemed nearly empty. Conversation always seemed to flow so much better with spirits in hand, especially with the thinly veiled hostility that ran through the Athenian court like water. “Tell me, Lady Vasia, how does your family fare? It has been far too long since I had the unparalleled pleasure of spending any time among the fair ladies of House Antonis.”
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Circenia was speaking with her sister Sera when Vasia approached, the lady of Stravos all smiles and grace as she turned to greet the newest addition to their gathering. She returned Vasia’s inclination of her head with one of her own, clasping ringed hands in front of her. “It has been far too long indeed, Lady Vasia,” she agreed with the young lady of Antonis. “With the unfortunate absence of our dear Queen and the worrisome state of our beloved princess’s health, we have done our best to take it upon ourselves to ensure life continues on as normal. Or as close to normal as we can get, yes?”
Her crystalline gaze narrowed ever so slightly at the young lady’s comment on the guards that occupied the Palati. The undercurrent of her tone was not lost on Circenia, a true viper of the Court born and bred. If Vasia wanted to mince words, the Stravos matriarch was only too happy to oblige. She had no doubt she’d come out the victor.
“Your kind offer is greatly appreciated, my lady, but we felt it best to bring in men with no… prior affiliation,” she explained, eyes glinting dangerously, as if daring her to argue. No affiliation besides the Stravos money lining their pockets, of course. “With the tensions in the kingdom running so high, we thought it better to draw from a more neutral pool for the safety of everyone involved. I’m sure you understand.”
She, too, glanced at the nearby gladiator who stood in mute watch, a man whose name she’d never bothered to learn. Why would she? It wasn’t as if she deigned to spend time among those so much lower to her in station. She and her husband paid them to do a job, and so long as they did it, there was no need for much else. The princess just had to hope her faith in him and his fellows wasn’t misplaced.
Turning her attention back to Vasia, she offered another smile, plucking two glasses of wine from a passing servant’s tray. One she kept for herself and the other she offered to her companion, whose own glass seemed nearly empty. Conversation always seemed to flow so much better with spirits in hand, especially with the thinly veiled hostility that ran through the Athenian court like water. “Tell me, Lady Vasia, how does your family fare? It has been far too long since I had the unparalleled pleasure of spending any time among the fair ladies of House Antonis.”
Circenia was speaking with her sister Sera when Vasia approached, the lady of Stravos all smiles and grace as she turned to greet the newest addition to their gathering. She returned Vasia’s inclination of her head with one of her own, clasping ringed hands in front of her. “It has been far too long indeed, Lady Vasia,” she agreed with the young lady of Antonis. “With the unfortunate absence of our dear Queen and the worrisome state of our beloved princess’s health, we have done our best to take it upon ourselves to ensure life continues on as normal. Or as close to normal as we can get, yes?”
Her crystalline gaze narrowed ever so slightly at the young lady’s comment on the guards that occupied the Palati. The undercurrent of her tone was not lost on Circenia, a true viper of the Court born and bred. If Vasia wanted to mince words, the Stravos matriarch was only too happy to oblige. She had no doubt she’d come out the victor.
“Your kind offer is greatly appreciated, my lady, but we felt it best to bring in men with no… prior affiliation,” she explained, eyes glinting dangerously, as if daring her to argue. No affiliation besides the Stravos money lining their pockets, of course. “With the tensions in the kingdom running so high, we thought it better to draw from a more neutral pool for the safety of everyone involved. I’m sure you understand.”
She, too, glanced at the nearby gladiator who stood in mute watch, a man whose name she’d never bothered to learn. Why would she? It wasn’t as if she deigned to spend time among those so much lower to her in station. She and her husband paid them to do a job, and so long as they did it, there was no need for much else. The princess just had to hope her faith in him and his fellows wasn’t misplaced.
Turning her attention back to Vasia, she offered another smile, plucking two glasses of wine from a passing servant’s tray. One she kept for herself and the other she offered to her companion, whose own glass seemed nearly empty. Conversation always seemed to flow so much better with spirits in hand, especially with the thinly veiled hostility that ran through the Athenian court like water. “Tell me, Lady Vasia, how does your family fare? It has been far too long since I had the unparalleled pleasure of spending any time among the fair ladies of House Antonis.”
It was safe to say that Danae was less than pleased with the prospect of attending yet another court event. In truth, once Elias had made it clear that he had no intention of opening the Senate, she had hoped that these court events would cease as well.
However, that was not to be the case.
She should have known better. Danae should have realized long ago that her own family’s bemoaning at the absence of such a treasured event would have encouraged Elias to open the doors of the Palati. It was almost infuriating how predictable this turn of events was and how blind Danae had been to not have seen it coming. If she had an ounce of common sense within her, she should have snapped at Chara or walked away from her mother whenever they spoke of missing court events; if only to make it clear that Athenia was better off without them. All she could do now was curse herself as she adjusted the blasted gold earrings she strong-armed into wearing for the umpteenth time. How on earth did she not have the mind to speak up or grin and bear the punishment that the other women in her family would have given to the insolent youngest for daring to suggest that Court events were not worth the trouble and were not nearly as fun as they thought them to be.
Seven Hades. She’d honestly rather single-handedly crown that rotten brat Emilia than have to deal with attending court that evening. After all, seeing her worst nightmare come true was far more entertaining than what this evening had in store.
Earlier that evening Danae had just given the reins over to Chara in regards to her appearance. It was just far easier to let her sister handle the tedious task of putting together an outfit for her than suffering through it herself or letting her mother do it. (Especially as it was far easier to stand up to her sister if Chara tried to put her into something gut-wrenchingly gaudy.) Luckily, though the eldest Stravos had mercy on Danae --for whatever reason she didn’t know or care-- and had cobbled together something that was only partially unbearable to wear… which was a step up for Danae. Circenia would have never considered her comfort if she had been the one approached.
Regardless though, Chara had done an excellent job of preparing both girls. That much was clear to the sixteen-year-old as the pair entered the palati and she noticed several heads turning to the sisters. Granted, most of the eyes were upon the elder one, who in her task ensured that she would not be outshone by the younger child; but several gazes stopped to linger on Danae as well. Even though she wanted to shrink beneath their gazes, she could at least understand why they were doing so. After all, how could they not see her in a get-up like this? The core of the outfit was a blood-red peplos with fine gold detailing of flowers that were scattered throughout the fabric, catching every light source that came into contact with it. Not to mention the other glitter bouncing about the room from the drooping gemstones in her ears and the bangles bouncing on her wrist. Plus, to top it all off, Chara had managed to hide the mangled remains of her hair underneath a lovely red hairpiece. All in all, the eldest sister had managed to highlight Danae’s youth in a few piles of fabric and she looked far more lovely than she had at any other court event she had attended.
Too bad it was pretty much wasted on her while she had her signature scowl plastered across her face.
As soon as the girls were inside the event, Danae separated herself from Chara as she was not eager to have to deal with the crowds that would soon surround her sister. Instead, she moved towards her familiar spot towards the walls where she believed she would have been able to hide for most of the night. However, she was shocked to see that instead of it being empty save for the wallflowers like herself, there was now a line of guards. Of course, she had known that her parents had hired some of the gladiators for the event, but she didn’t expect this many. Her penny pincher of a mind thought that it might even be just a tad bit too excessive for the family’s ledgers to handle. Or if it came from the swan’s coffers, she might have considered it to be too little.
Either way with her usual method of escape shut off to her, Danae had no choice, but to seek refuge elsewhere. Glancing about the room, she didn’t see any real opportunities for such a thing though. Not when she didn’t get along with a good majority of the courtiers and the few she did enjoy spending time with, like Cyrene or Daniil, hadn’t arrived yet. The only real place she felt that she could escape to and not have to deal with pretending to be enjoying herself was the most unlikely… her mother.
As she hiked up her skirts so that she may not trip over the fabric (as her entire ensemble had come from Chara’s wardrobe) the girl couldn’t help, but think that this choice was entirely detrimental to want she wanted… yet, Danae knew that Circenia was aware of how uncomfortable her daughter was at such an event and given that the girl was now talking again and seemingly trying to make an effort to resume a normal life after everything; the woman might take pity on her and let her daughter shield her shortcomings behind the strengths of her mother.
Might.
It was a bet that Danae was willing to take, but she suspected that it was one that she had already lost when the girl moved to her mother’s side and saw that the woman was not alone. Instead, she was entertaining Vasia. Danae was a little surprised to see this conversation occurring as the two families were not the closest -- especially with Vasia’s branch as the blood connections were not as strong as Alehandros’s, but Danae gave no inclination of this. Instead, she merely lifted her brow in surprise for a moment before turning her face away for a moment as she reached for a goblet from the nearby servant. When she turned back to the pair, that well-practiced smile all noble girls were forced to learn was plastered on her face, not indicate how annoyed she was to be there.
“ Lady Mother! Lady Vasia, how pleasant it is to see you!” Danae said in greeting to the both of them. She had attempted to make her tone as warm as she could, but she knew in an instant that Circe would be able to see right through the farce. However, a glance at her mother hopefully conveyed the girl’s plight to the host. With any luck, she would let Danae just stand there for a bit until her friends appeared.
As a safeguard though, to make sure that Circenia couldn’t turn her away so quickly, Danae also jumped into the conversation at hand, adding to the question she had overheard a moment before, “ Yes, do you have good tidings from my cousins? I’m sure Hebe wasn’t pleased to miss out on all the fun again.”
In truth, Danae didn’t care about the Alehandros bunch. She couldn’t be bothered to if you paid her. However, if she wanted to seek refuge at her mother’s side, she knew that she would have to play this sick courtly game and convince her mother that her permanently sour attitude wouldn’t embarrass the woman.
Though, no one could be an actor before their mother and Circenia was not known for her patience...
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It was safe to say that Danae was less than pleased with the prospect of attending yet another court event. In truth, once Elias had made it clear that he had no intention of opening the Senate, she had hoped that these court events would cease as well.
However, that was not to be the case.
She should have known better. Danae should have realized long ago that her own family’s bemoaning at the absence of such a treasured event would have encouraged Elias to open the doors of the Palati. It was almost infuriating how predictable this turn of events was and how blind Danae had been to not have seen it coming. If she had an ounce of common sense within her, she should have snapped at Chara or walked away from her mother whenever they spoke of missing court events; if only to make it clear that Athenia was better off without them. All she could do now was curse herself as she adjusted the blasted gold earrings she strong-armed into wearing for the umpteenth time. How on earth did she not have the mind to speak up or grin and bear the punishment that the other women in her family would have given to the insolent youngest for daring to suggest that Court events were not worth the trouble and were not nearly as fun as they thought them to be.
Seven Hades. She’d honestly rather single-handedly crown that rotten brat Emilia than have to deal with attending court that evening. After all, seeing her worst nightmare come true was far more entertaining than what this evening had in store.
Earlier that evening Danae had just given the reins over to Chara in regards to her appearance. It was just far easier to let her sister handle the tedious task of putting together an outfit for her than suffering through it herself or letting her mother do it. (Especially as it was far easier to stand up to her sister if Chara tried to put her into something gut-wrenchingly gaudy.) Luckily, though the eldest Stravos had mercy on Danae --for whatever reason she didn’t know or care-- and had cobbled together something that was only partially unbearable to wear… which was a step up for Danae. Circenia would have never considered her comfort if she had been the one approached.
Regardless though, Chara had done an excellent job of preparing both girls. That much was clear to the sixteen-year-old as the pair entered the palati and she noticed several heads turning to the sisters. Granted, most of the eyes were upon the elder one, who in her task ensured that she would not be outshone by the younger child; but several gazes stopped to linger on Danae as well. Even though she wanted to shrink beneath their gazes, she could at least understand why they were doing so. After all, how could they not see her in a get-up like this? The core of the outfit was a blood-red peplos with fine gold detailing of flowers that were scattered throughout the fabric, catching every light source that came into contact with it. Not to mention the other glitter bouncing about the room from the drooping gemstones in her ears and the bangles bouncing on her wrist. Plus, to top it all off, Chara had managed to hide the mangled remains of her hair underneath a lovely red hairpiece. All in all, the eldest sister had managed to highlight Danae’s youth in a few piles of fabric and she looked far more lovely than she had at any other court event she had attended.
Too bad it was pretty much wasted on her while she had her signature scowl plastered across her face.
As soon as the girls were inside the event, Danae separated herself from Chara as she was not eager to have to deal with the crowds that would soon surround her sister. Instead, she moved towards her familiar spot towards the walls where she believed she would have been able to hide for most of the night. However, she was shocked to see that instead of it being empty save for the wallflowers like herself, there was now a line of guards. Of course, she had known that her parents had hired some of the gladiators for the event, but she didn’t expect this many. Her penny pincher of a mind thought that it might even be just a tad bit too excessive for the family’s ledgers to handle. Or if it came from the swan’s coffers, she might have considered it to be too little.
Either way with her usual method of escape shut off to her, Danae had no choice, but to seek refuge elsewhere. Glancing about the room, she didn’t see any real opportunities for such a thing though. Not when she didn’t get along with a good majority of the courtiers and the few she did enjoy spending time with, like Cyrene or Daniil, hadn’t arrived yet. The only real place she felt that she could escape to and not have to deal with pretending to be enjoying herself was the most unlikely… her mother.
As she hiked up her skirts so that she may not trip over the fabric (as her entire ensemble had come from Chara’s wardrobe) the girl couldn’t help, but think that this choice was entirely detrimental to want she wanted… yet, Danae knew that Circenia was aware of how uncomfortable her daughter was at such an event and given that the girl was now talking again and seemingly trying to make an effort to resume a normal life after everything; the woman might take pity on her and let her daughter shield her shortcomings behind the strengths of her mother.
Might.
It was a bet that Danae was willing to take, but she suspected that it was one that she had already lost when the girl moved to her mother’s side and saw that the woman was not alone. Instead, she was entertaining Vasia. Danae was a little surprised to see this conversation occurring as the two families were not the closest -- especially with Vasia’s branch as the blood connections were not as strong as Alehandros’s, but Danae gave no inclination of this. Instead, she merely lifted her brow in surprise for a moment before turning her face away for a moment as she reached for a goblet from the nearby servant. When she turned back to the pair, that well-practiced smile all noble girls were forced to learn was plastered on her face, not indicate how annoyed she was to be there.
“ Lady Mother! Lady Vasia, how pleasant it is to see you!” Danae said in greeting to the both of them. She had attempted to make her tone as warm as she could, but she knew in an instant that Circe would be able to see right through the farce. However, a glance at her mother hopefully conveyed the girl’s plight to the host. With any luck, she would let Danae just stand there for a bit until her friends appeared.
As a safeguard though, to make sure that Circenia couldn’t turn her away so quickly, Danae also jumped into the conversation at hand, adding to the question she had overheard a moment before, “ Yes, do you have good tidings from my cousins? I’m sure Hebe wasn’t pleased to miss out on all the fun again.”
In truth, Danae didn’t care about the Alehandros bunch. She couldn’t be bothered to if you paid her. However, if she wanted to seek refuge at her mother’s side, she knew that she would have to play this sick courtly game and convince her mother that her permanently sour attitude wouldn’t embarrass the woman.
Though, no one could be an actor before their mother and Circenia was not known for her patience...
It was safe to say that Danae was less than pleased with the prospect of attending yet another court event. In truth, once Elias had made it clear that he had no intention of opening the Senate, she had hoped that these court events would cease as well.
However, that was not to be the case.
She should have known better. Danae should have realized long ago that her own family’s bemoaning at the absence of such a treasured event would have encouraged Elias to open the doors of the Palati. It was almost infuriating how predictable this turn of events was and how blind Danae had been to not have seen it coming. If she had an ounce of common sense within her, she should have snapped at Chara or walked away from her mother whenever they spoke of missing court events; if only to make it clear that Athenia was better off without them. All she could do now was curse herself as she adjusted the blasted gold earrings she strong-armed into wearing for the umpteenth time. How on earth did she not have the mind to speak up or grin and bear the punishment that the other women in her family would have given to the insolent youngest for daring to suggest that Court events were not worth the trouble and were not nearly as fun as they thought them to be.
Seven Hades. She’d honestly rather single-handedly crown that rotten brat Emilia than have to deal with attending court that evening. After all, seeing her worst nightmare come true was far more entertaining than what this evening had in store.
Earlier that evening Danae had just given the reins over to Chara in regards to her appearance. It was just far easier to let her sister handle the tedious task of putting together an outfit for her than suffering through it herself or letting her mother do it. (Especially as it was far easier to stand up to her sister if Chara tried to put her into something gut-wrenchingly gaudy.) Luckily, though the eldest Stravos had mercy on Danae --for whatever reason she didn’t know or care-- and had cobbled together something that was only partially unbearable to wear… which was a step up for Danae. Circenia would have never considered her comfort if she had been the one approached.
Regardless though, Chara had done an excellent job of preparing both girls. That much was clear to the sixteen-year-old as the pair entered the palati and she noticed several heads turning to the sisters. Granted, most of the eyes were upon the elder one, who in her task ensured that she would not be outshone by the younger child; but several gazes stopped to linger on Danae as well. Even though she wanted to shrink beneath their gazes, she could at least understand why they were doing so. After all, how could they not see her in a get-up like this? The core of the outfit was a blood-red peplos with fine gold detailing of flowers that were scattered throughout the fabric, catching every light source that came into contact with it. Not to mention the other glitter bouncing about the room from the drooping gemstones in her ears and the bangles bouncing on her wrist. Plus, to top it all off, Chara had managed to hide the mangled remains of her hair underneath a lovely red hairpiece. All in all, the eldest sister had managed to highlight Danae’s youth in a few piles of fabric and she looked far more lovely than she had at any other court event she had attended.
Too bad it was pretty much wasted on her while she had her signature scowl plastered across her face.
As soon as the girls were inside the event, Danae separated herself from Chara as she was not eager to have to deal with the crowds that would soon surround her sister. Instead, she moved towards her familiar spot towards the walls where she believed she would have been able to hide for most of the night. However, she was shocked to see that instead of it being empty save for the wallflowers like herself, there was now a line of guards. Of course, she had known that her parents had hired some of the gladiators for the event, but she didn’t expect this many. Her penny pincher of a mind thought that it might even be just a tad bit too excessive for the family’s ledgers to handle. Or if it came from the swan’s coffers, she might have considered it to be too little.
Either way with her usual method of escape shut off to her, Danae had no choice, but to seek refuge elsewhere. Glancing about the room, she didn’t see any real opportunities for such a thing though. Not when she didn’t get along with a good majority of the courtiers and the few she did enjoy spending time with, like Cyrene or Daniil, hadn’t arrived yet. The only real place she felt that she could escape to and not have to deal with pretending to be enjoying herself was the most unlikely… her mother.
As she hiked up her skirts so that she may not trip over the fabric (as her entire ensemble had come from Chara’s wardrobe) the girl couldn’t help, but think that this choice was entirely detrimental to want she wanted… yet, Danae knew that Circenia was aware of how uncomfortable her daughter was at such an event and given that the girl was now talking again and seemingly trying to make an effort to resume a normal life after everything; the woman might take pity on her and let her daughter shield her shortcomings behind the strengths of her mother.
Might.
It was a bet that Danae was willing to take, but she suspected that it was one that she had already lost when the girl moved to her mother’s side and saw that the woman was not alone. Instead, she was entertaining Vasia. Danae was a little surprised to see this conversation occurring as the two families were not the closest -- especially with Vasia’s branch as the blood connections were not as strong as Alehandros’s, but Danae gave no inclination of this. Instead, she merely lifted her brow in surprise for a moment before turning her face away for a moment as she reached for a goblet from the nearby servant. When she turned back to the pair, that well-practiced smile all noble girls were forced to learn was plastered on her face, not indicate how annoyed she was to be there.
“ Lady Mother! Lady Vasia, how pleasant it is to see you!” Danae said in greeting to the both of them. She had attempted to make her tone as warm as she could, but she knew in an instant that Circe would be able to see right through the farce. However, a glance at her mother hopefully conveyed the girl’s plight to the host. With any luck, she would let Danae just stand there for a bit until her friends appeared.
As a safeguard though, to make sure that Circenia couldn’t turn her away so quickly, Danae also jumped into the conversation at hand, adding to the question she had overheard a moment before, “ Yes, do you have good tidings from my cousins? I’m sure Hebe wasn’t pleased to miss out on all the fun again.”
In truth, Danae didn’t care about the Alehandros bunch. She couldn’t be bothered to if you paid her. However, if she wanted to seek refuge at her mother’s side, she knew that she would have to play this sick courtly game and convince her mother that her permanently sour attitude wouldn’t embarrass the woman.
Though, no one could be an actor before their mother and Circenia was not known for her patience...
Vasia’s smile was sparkling, the tiniest quirk of her brows an indication as to what she thought of Circenia’s words. Of course, the Stravos’ were concerned about the safety of everyone. Not at all a wish to protect the tenuous foothold they had adopted in Persephone’s absence. But she would not be so crass as to air such thoughts publicly, and so she just nodded “Quite” and accepted the glass of wine that the dark haired woman offered to her.
The wine was good, cold and crisp and sharp enough to cut through the falsity of the smile that Lady Circena wore as she asked after Vasia’s own family. Still, the Antonis blonde opened her mouth to answer, only to pause at the arrival of one Circenia’s own daughters. Shifting back slightly to allow for Danae of Stravos to join them,Vasia let her gaze flicker briefly over the younger Stravos girl, noting with some fascination the unusually bright attire and that unusual headdress. Not usually one to care one jot about a person’s attire, it was the sudden shift in what she was accustomed to seeing Lady Danae wear that had Vasia take notice. “ Well met, Lady Danae. You look very lovely today”. And then as the girl added her own enquiry to that of her mother, Vasia offered them both an answer.
“It is kind of you to ask. I am sure you will have the opportunity to ask them yourselves later, certainly my Aunt will be attendance, and I had hoped my brothers too, but you know, a military man’s life is rarely his own. Lady Hebe...well I am hopeful we may yet have the opportunity to see more of her around court, but nothing is certain yet, so I cannot promise.”
She took another small sip of wine before turning their conversation to the elephant in the room, or rather the conspicuous absence of one Princess Emilia. “I had heard her highness was unwell still? I do hope it is nothing too serious? That poor child has been through so much already. Nevertheless, it is good of you to act as stand in host to us all, Lady Circenia”
Vasia knew she would have to make her excuses and move on to talk to others soon enough, for it was testing her resolve to play nice with the serpent that was Circenia of Stravos. And now she was outnumbered, like being in a pit of vipers. Still, it would not do to be too brief i paying her courtesies, so she politely enquired as to the whereabouts of the Lord Elias, surprised not to see him, given how noticeable presence he had been since the Queen’s disappearance.
The Lady Antonis found herself wishing her brothers would arrive sooner rather than later. Mateos in particular should show his face, he was a baron and one of those voices that had been silenced by the lack of the senate meetings. It would do no harm either for both Mateos and Stelios to quietly flex a little Antonis muscle. Though.. Vasia’s gaze flickered briefly back to the gladiator, and she thought she realised where she knew him from, a secretive smile lifting her lips a moment as she considered. It was not everyday after all that someone managed to get the jump on the hothead that was Stelios. Perhaps that gladiator might be worth a moment of her time, if only so she could use it against her brother later. She let the smile linger just long enough for the man to notice, before returning her attention to the women of Stravos.
“Will the Lord Elias be in attendance at all?”
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Vasia’s smile was sparkling, the tiniest quirk of her brows an indication as to what she thought of Circenia’s words. Of course, the Stravos’ were concerned about the safety of everyone. Not at all a wish to protect the tenuous foothold they had adopted in Persephone’s absence. But she would not be so crass as to air such thoughts publicly, and so she just nodded “Quite” and accepted the glass of wine that the dark haired woman offered to her.
The wine was good, cold and crisp and sharp enough to cut through the falsity of the smile that Lady Circena wore as she asked after Vasia’s own family. Still, the Antonis blonde opened her mouth to answer, only to pause at the arrival of one Circenia’s own daughters. Shifting back slightly to allow for Danae of Stravos to join them,Vasia let her gaze flicker briefly over the younger Stravos girl, noting with some fascination the unusually bright attire and that unusual headdress. Not usually one to care one jot about a person’s attire, it was the sudden shift in what she was accustomed to seeing Lady Danae wear that had Vasia take notice. “ Well met, Lady Danae. You look very lovely today”. And then as the girl added her own enquiry to that of her mother, Vasia offered them both an answer.
“It is kind of you to ask. I am sure you will have the opportunity to ask them yourselves later, certainly my Aunt will be attendance, and I had hoped my brothers too, but you know, a military man’s life is rarely his own. Lady Hebe...well I am hopeful we may yet have the opportunity to see more of her around court, but nothing is certain yet, so I cannot promise.”
She took another small sip of wine before turning their conversation to the elephant in the room, or rather the conspicuous absence of one Princess Emilia. “I had heard her highness was unwell still? I do hope it is nothing too serious? That poor child has been through so much already. Nevertheless, it is good of you to act as stand in host to us all, Lady Circenia”
Vasia knew she would have to make her excuses and move on to talk to others soon enough, for it was testing her resolve to play nice with the serpent that was Circenia of Stravos. And now she was outnumbered, like being in a pit of vipers. Still, it would not do to be too brief i paying her courtesies, so she politely enquired as to the whereabouts of the Lord Elias, surprised not to see him, given how noticeable presence he had been since the Queen’s disappearance.
The Lady Antonis found herself wishing her brothers would arrive sooner rather than later. Mateos in particular should show his face, he was a baron and one of those voices that had been silenced by the lack of the senate meetings. It would do no harm either for both Mateos and Stelios to quietly flex a little Antonis muscle. Though.. Vasia’s gaze flickered briefly back to the gladiator, and she thought she realised where she knew him from, a secretive smile lifting her lips a moment as she considered. It was not everyday after all that someone managed to get the jump on the hothead that was Stelios. Perhaps that gladiator might be worth a moment of her time, if only so she could use it against her brother later. She let the smile linger just long enough for the man to notice, before returning her attention to the women of Stravos.
“Will the Lord Elias be in attendance at all?”
Vasia’s smile was sparkling, the tiniest quirk of her brows an indication as to what she thought of Circenia’s words. Of course, the Stravos’ were concerned about the safety of everyone. Not at all a wish to protect the tenuous foothold they had adopted in Persephone’s absence. But she would not be so crass as to air such thoughts publicly, and so she just nodded “Quite” and accepted the glass of wine that the dark haired woman offered to her.
The wine was good, cold and crisp and sharp enough to cut through the falsity of the smile that Lady Circena wore as she asked after Vasia’s own family. Still, the Antonis blonde opened her mouth to answer, only to pause at the arrival of one Circenia’s own daughters. Shifting back slightly to allow for Danae of Stravos to join them,Vasia let her gaze flicker briefly over the younger Stravos girl, noting with some fascination the unusually bright attire and that unusual headdress. Not usually one to care one jot about a person’s attire, it was the sudden shift in what she was accustomed to seeing Lady Danae wear that had Vasia take notice. “ Well met, Lady Danae. You look very lovely today”. And then as the girl added her own enquiry to that of her mother, Vasia offered them both an answer.
“It is kind of you to ask. I am sure you will have the opportunity to ask them yourselves later, certainly my Aunt will be attendance, and I had hoped my brothers too, but you know, a military man’s life is rarely his own. Lady Hebe...well I am hopeful we may yet have the opportunity to see more of her around court, but nothing is certain yet, so I cannot promise.”
She took another small sip of wine before turning their conversation to the elephant in the room, or rather the conspicuous absence of one Princess Emilia. “I had heard her highness was unwell still? I do hope it is nothing too serious? That poor child has been through so much already. Nevertheless, it is good of you to act as stand in host to us all, Lady Circenia”
Vasia knew she would have to make her excuses and move on to talk to others soon enough, for it was testing her resolve to play nice with the serpent that was Circenia of Stravos. And now she was outnumbered, like being in a pit of vipers. Still, it would not do to be too brief i paying her courtesies, so she politely enquired as to the whereabouts of the Lord Elias, surprised not to see him, given how noticeable presence he had been since the Queen’s disappearance.
The Lady Antonis found herself wishing her brothers would arrive sooner rather than later. Mateos in particular should show his face, he was a baron and one of those voices that had been silenced by the lack of the senate meetings. It would do no harm either for both Mateos and Stelios to quietly flex a little Antonis muscle. Though.. Vasia’s gaze flickered briefly back to the gladiator, and she thought she realised where she knew him from, a secretive smile lifting her lips a moment as she considered. It was not everyday after all that someone managed to get the jump on the hothead that was Stelios. Perhaps that gladiator might be worth a moment of her time, if only so she could use it against her brother later. She let the smile linger just long enough for the man to notice, before returning her attention to the women of Stravos.
“Will the Lord Elias be in attendance at all?”
Truth be told, Rafail had been enjoying the current state in which Athenia found itself. The lack of senate meetings meant there was a delightful halt in the tedious work that came with the title of baron and, although he still had to concern himself with the care of his province (at least, he had to worry himself with whatever couldn't be passed onto somebody else). And, urgh, his province. Thesnia had been giving him a headache for a while now with all its economic difficulties: taxes surely couldn't be that complicated a matter.
But those were subjects to be considered another time. Today was the first court session in almost a month, and Rafail had been craving some long-awaited social interaction with those of his own social class. He had grown bored of spending his days chatting to random Thesnian individuals in the hope that they might have some input as to the current crisis, and was longing for some feminine attention outside of those dull brothel girls. They may well have been selected specially to match his tastes, but there was no thrill, and no chase. He wanted to talk to a proper woman, and he wanted the entertainment of some long-awaited noble conversation.
He had appeared in the court at a suitable hour - not so early that it might be a humiliation and not so tardy that they would have thought he didn't care for the event - and immediately directed himself towards his aunt. With both princess and queen absent, she was the leading lady of the evening, and even the presence of his loathsome youngest cousin did not deter him.
"Aunt Circenia," he greeted the woman with the type of friendly smile which he generally reserved for those few genuine friends of his, momentarily ignoring the other two woman by her side and bowing his head in polite greeting, a hand outstretched to take hers. "It's been so long since we last spoke - I do wish we could have more familial gatherings, particularly in these tricky times." Rafail made an apologetic expression, a somewhat awkward grimace which was at least half-genuine. With the Stravos family seemingly moving up in the world, connections were everything.
Lady Vasia was present as well, and he could not resist throwing her a brighter smile. She was a stunning woman, unmarried and blonde, and perfect to his tastes, even if she did not hold the title he had always craved. "My lady, a pleasure to see you. I should love to have a more private conversation with you later today, if you would not mind."
At last, he turned his attention onto the girl he had been avoiding. Rafail had never once gotten on well with Danae, and he was unsure the pair of them had a thing in common. He rarely expected the couple of them to have any kind of amicable conversation save for when they were forced into it by another (that slap to the face from his great-aunt had certainly not been forgotten!) Yet, as he moved to face her, he was momentarily taken aback. Draped in that delicate crimson so contrary to his own light shade of blue, and decorated in a darling selection of gold and jewels, she more than resembled the woman whose portrait graced his chambers.
"Mam...L-lady Danae." Rafail corrected himself before he'd fully finished the word, although it was far too late, and the blush rose to his cheeks in seconds. He attempted to salvage the situation, tilting his head to avoid the sight of his crimson face. "You look beautiful this morning." It was a more truthful comment than anything else he'd said, loathe as he was to admit it. Urgh. No part of this day was going as he had imagined it, and all the effort he had put into appearing the most handsome man at court was wasted in the humiliation of the situation. This was like that day at the docks all over again.
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Truth be told, Rafail had been enjoying the current state in which Athenia found itself. The lack of senate meetings meant there was a delightful halt in the tedious work that came with the title of baron and, although he still had to concern himself with the care of his province (at least, he had to worry himself with whatever couldn't be passed onto somebody else). And, urgh, his province. Thesnia had been giving him a headache for a while now with all its economic difficulties: taxes surely couldn't be that complicated a matter.
But those were subjects to be considered another time. Today was the first court session in almost a month, and Rafail had been craving some long-awaited social interaction with those of his own social class. He had grown bored of spending his days chatting to random Thesnian individuals in the hope that they might have some input as to the current crisis, and was longing for some feminine attention outside of those dull brothel girls. They may well have been selected specially to match his tastes, but there was no thrill, and no chase. He wanted to talk to a proper woman, and he wanted the entertainment of some long-awaited noble conversation.
He had appeared in the court at a suitable hour - not so early that it might be a humiliation and not so tardy that they would have thought he didn't care for the event - and immediately directed himself towards his aunt. With both princess and queen absent, she was the leading lady of the evening, and even the presence of his loathsome youngest cousin did not deter him.
"Aunt Circenia," he greeted the woman with the type of friendly smile which he generally reserved for those few genuine friends of his, momentarily ignoring the other two woman by her side and bowing his head in polite greeting, a hand outstretched to take hers. "It's been so long since we last spoke - I do wish we could have more familial gatherings, particularly in these tricky times." Rafail made an apologetic expression, a somewhat awkward grimace which was at least half-genuine. With the Stravos family seemingly moving up in the world, connections were everything.
Lady Vasia was present as well, and he could not resist throwing her a brighter smile. She was a stunning woman, unmarried and blonde, and perfect to his tastes, even if she did not hold the title he had always craved. "My lady, a pleasure to see you. I should love to have a more private conversation with you later today, if you would not mind."
At last, he turned his attention onto the girl he had been avoiding. Rafail had never once gotten on well with Danae, and he was unsure the pair of them had a thing in common. He rarely expected the couple of them to have any kind of amicable conversation save for when they were forced into it by another (that slap to the face from his great-aunt had certainly not been forgotten!) Yet, as he moved to face her, he was momentarily taken aback. Draped in that delicate crimson so contrary to his own light shade of blue, and decorated in a darling selection of gold and jewels, she more than resembled the woman whose portrait graced his chambers.
"Mam...L-lady Danae." Rafail corrected himself before he'd fully finished the word, although it was far too late, and the blush rose to his cheeks in seconds. He attempted to salvage the situation, tilting his head to avoid the sight of his crimson face. "You look beautiful this morning." It was a more truthful comment than anything else he'd said, loathe as he was to admit it. Urgh. No part of this day was going as he had imagined it, and all the effort he had put into appearing the most handsome man at court was wasted in the humiliation of the situation. This was like that day at the docks all over again.
Truth be told, Rafail had been enjoying the current state in which Athenia found itself. The lack of senate meetings meant there was a delightful halt in the tedious work that came with the title of baron and, although he still had to concern himself with the care of his province (at least, he had to worry himself with whatever couldn't be passed onto somebody else). And, urgh, his province. Thesnia had been giving him a headache for a while now with all its economic difficulties: taxes surely couldn't be that complicated a matter.
But those were subjects to be considered another time. Today was the first court session in almost a month, and Rafail had been craving some long-awaited social interaction with those of his own social class. He had grown bored of spending his days chatting to random Thesnian individuals in the hope that they might have some input as to the current crisis, and was longing for some feminine attention outside of those dull brothel girls. They may well have been selected specially to match his tastes, but there was no thrill, and no chase. He wanted to talk to a proper woman, and he wanted the entertainment of some long-awaited noble conversation.
He had appeared in the court at a suitable hour - not so early that it might be a humiliation and not so tardy that they would have thought he didn't care for the event - and immediately directed himself towards his aunt. With both princess and queen absent, she was the leading lady of the evening, and even the presence of his loathsome youngest cousin did not deter him.
"Aunt Circenia," he greeted the woman with the type of friendly smile which he generally reserved for those few genuine friends of his, momentarily ignoring the other two woman by her side and bowing his head in polite greeting, a hand outstretched to take hers. "It's been so long since we last spoke - I do wish we could have more familial gatherings, particularly in these tricky times." Rafail made an apologetic expression, a somewhat awkward grimace which was at least half-genuine. With the Stravos family seemingly moving up in the world, connections were everything.
Lady Vasia was present as well, and he could not resist throwing her a brighter smile. She was a stunning woman, unmarried and blonde, and perfect to his tastes, even if she did not hold the title he had always craved. "My lady, a pleasure to see you. I should love to have a more private conversation with you later today, if you would not mind."
At last, he turned his attention onto the girl he had been avoiding. Rafail had never once gotten on well with Danae, and he was unsure the pair of them had a thing in common. He rarely expected the couple of them to have any kind of amicable conversation save for when they were forced into it by another (that slap to the face from his great-aunt had certainly not been forgotten!) Yet, as he moved to face her, he was momentarily taken aback. Draped in that delicate crimson so contrary to his own light shade of blue, and decorated in a darling selection of gold and jewels, she more than resembled the woman whose portrait graced his chambers.
"Mam...L-lady Danae." Rafail corrected himself before he'd fully finished the word, although it was far too late, and the blush rose to his cheeks in seconds. He attempted to salvage the situation, tilting his head to avoid the sight of his crimson face. "You look beautiful this morning." It was a more truthful comment than anything else he'd said, loathe as he was to admit it. Urgh. No part of this day was going as he had imagined it, and all the effort he had put into appearing the most handsome man at court was wasted in the humiliation of the situation. This was like that day at the docks all over again.
Circenia’s eyes, like so many others, were drawn to the entrance as her daughters made their presence known, her heart swelling with pride at their appearance. Chara and Danae were the cream of the crop of the Athenian nobility, as far as she was concerned, and she couldn’t be more pleased in that fact. Beautiful, smart, willful girls, the pair of them, even if Danae occasionally made her want to pull every last strand of hair from her head. She watched the girls approach with a warm smile, a maternal smile far more genuine than any other expression she’d worn that day. Catching Chara’s eye, she offered her a brief nod as she went her own way before watching in surprise as Danae came toward her and Vasia instead.
It was obvious from the state of Danae’s dress that her daughter had not selected her own attire, but the fact that she had dressed up at all had Circenia glowing with satisfaction. She had made it clear to Danae and Chara both that they were to attend this function on pain of death, but even so, she had expected her youngest to find a way to weasel out of it. The young woman looked positively radiant, and the princess felt a warm delight bubbling beneath her cool exterior. The pair were often at odds, but it could never be said that the Stravos matriarch did not love her children. No matter how they vexed her, they were her greatest source of pride and joy, and it made her happier than she’d ever say aloud to have her daughter come and join them.
“Danae, how lovely you look this afternoon,” Circenia told her daughter, her voice warm. Giving her a shoulder a single brief reassuring squeeze, she released her and took a step back to give her some space. She knew how uncomfortable events like this made Danae, and as cold and callous as she could be, she tried not to extend that harshness to her children. At least not in public. “By the end of the day, I’m sure we’ll have at least half a dozen offers for your hand, looking like this.” It was meant as a jest, even if the subject was a clear point of contention between the two. Hopefully Danae would take it for the joke it was.
The princess then turned her polite attention back to Vasia after Danae spoke, quiet pride lingering on her features. She knew her daughter was vastly out of her element, and her nerves were practically palpable, but she still comported herself with the regal dignity befitting her status. It would seem not all of Circenia’s teachings had fallen on deaf ears, after all.
“Lady Hebe is still quite young, is she not?” the lady of Stravos inquired, though she was well aware of the answer. As if she didn’t know the ages and statuses of all the various sons and daughters of the nobility. “I expect she won’t be joining us for another year or two, at least. Though when that day comes, I’m sure she’ll be a delight.”
When Vasia turned the conversation back toward Emilia, Circenia’s face tightened just the slightest bit—not enough to truly be noticeable, but enough that anyone who knew her well enough would be able to sense her displeasure. “Yes, she is still quite unwell, the poor thing,” the princess tutted, her face the perfect portrait of a concerned and doting aunt. “She has taken her sister’s disappearance quite hard, as have we all. It’s truly heartbreaking to see her in such straits, and we’ve thought it best to make sure others don’t see her like this, as well. Can you imagine the blow to morale if the people should see their beloved princess in such distress?” She shook her head woefully with a deep sigh. “But, I assure you, she is under excellent care, and we’re doing everything we can to ensure her well-being. Hopefully, she’ll be well enough to step back into her rightful role again soon, but until then, we will continue to do what we can to ensure life goes on as normal.”
At the inquiry on her son’s whereabouts, Circenia didn’t miss a beat. “Lord Elias is even more concerned with her welfare than the rest of us. He attends her night and day, and if he is not here today, I’m afraid that’s why. More than anyone, he wants to make sure the young princess keeps her health and sanity in these trying times.” Not a word of any of that was true, and if Elias didn’t show himself at this event, her fury would be unmatched, but it never hurt to save face. If he couldn’t be bothered, at least she could give him a good alibi.
Any other such questioning was interrupted by the arrival of Rafail of Marikas, Circenia turning a pleasant smile in her nephew’s direction. “A pleasure, Lord Rafail,” she replied, lightly squeezing his offered hand before releasing it. “Such a lack has been remiss, to be sure. We shall all have to rectify these absences very soon.” An observant eye was turned on the young man as he shifted his attention first to Lady Vasia, then Danae, her gaze hard as polished diamonds. She knew of the distaste between Rafail and her youngest daughter, and if there should be any strife lingering in the air, she was ready to put an immediate halt to it. However, he seemed ready to behave pleasantly enough, and she could only hope the same for Danae. The last thing they needed was more public embarrassment, especially now as they were finally regaining their status.
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Circenia’s eyes, like so many others, were drawn to the entrance as her daughters made their presence known, her heart swelling with pride at their appearance. Chara and Danae were the cream of the crop of the Athenian nobility, as far as she was concerned, and she couldn’t be more pleased in that fact. Beautiful, smart, willful girls, the pair of them, even if Danae occasionally made her want to pull every last strand of hair from her head. She watched the girls approach with a warm smile, a maternal smile far more genuine than any other expression she’d worn that day. Catching Chara’s eye, she offered her a brief nod as she went her own way before watching in surprise as Danae came toward her and Vasia instead.
It was obvious from the state of Danae’s dress that her daughter had not selected her own attire, but the fact that she had dressed up at all had Circenia glowing with satisfaction. She had made it clear to Danae and Chara both that they were to attend this function on pain of death, but even so, she had expected her youngest to find a way to weasel out of it. The young woman looked positively radiant, and the princess felt a warm delight bubbling beneath her cool exterior. The pair were often at odds, but it could never be said that the Stravos matriarch did not love her children. No matter how they vexed her, they were her greatest source of pride and joy, and it made her happier than she’d ever say aloud to have her daughter come and join them.
“Danae, how lovely you look this afternoon,” Circenia told her daughter, her voice warm. Giving her a shoulder a single brief reassuring squeeze, she released her and took a step back to give her some space. She knew how uncomfortable events like this made Danae, and as cold and callous as she could be, she tried not to extend that harshness to her children. At least not in public. “By the end of the day, I’m sure we’ll have at least half a dozen offers for your hand, looking like this.” It was meant as a jest, even if the subject was a clear point of contention between the two. Hopefully Danae would take it for the joke it was.
The princess then turned her polite attention back to Vasia after Danae spoke, quiet pride lingering on her features. She knew her daughter was vastly out of her element, and her nerves were practically palpable, but she still comported herself with the regal dignity befitting her status. It would seem not all of Circenia’s teachings had fallen on deaf ears, after all.
“Lady Hebe is still quite young, is she not?” the lady of Stravos inquired, though she was well aware of the answer. As if she didn’t know the ages and statuses of all the various sons and daughters of the nobility. “I expect she won’t be joining us for another year or two, at least. Though when that day comes, I’m sure she’ll be a delight.”
When Vasia turned the conversation back toward Emilia, Circenia’s face tightened just the slightest bit—not enough to truly be noticeable, but enough that anyone who knew her well enough would be able to sense her displeasure. “Yes, she is still quite unwell, the poor thing,” the princess tutted, her face the perfect portrait of a concerned and doting aunt. “She has taken her sister’s disappearance quite hard, as have we all. It’s truly heartbreaking to see her in such straits, and we’ve thought it best to make sure others don’t see her like this, as well. Can you imagine the blow to morale if the people should see their beloved princess in such distress?” She shook her head woefully with a deep sigh. “But, I assure you, she is under excellent care, and we’re doing everything we can to ensure her well-being. Hopefully, she’ll be well enough to step back into her rightful role again soon, but until then, we will continue to do what we can to ensure life goes on as normal.”
At the inquiry on her son’s whereabouts, Circenia didn’t miss a beat. “Lord Elias is even more concerned with her welfare than the rest of us. He attends her night and day, and if he is not here today, I’m afraid that’s why. More than anyone, he wants to make sure the young princess keeps her health and sanity in these trying times.” Not a word of any of that was true, and if Elias didn’t show himself at this event, her fury would be unmatched, but it never hurt to save face. If he couldn’t be bothered, at least she could give him a good alibi.
Any other such questioning was interrupted by the arrival of Rafail of Marikas, Circenia turning a pleasant smile in her nephew’s direction. “A pleasure, Lord Rafail,” she replied, lightly squeezing his offered hand before releasing it. “Such a lack has been remiss, to be sure. We shall all have to rectify these absences very soon.” An observant eye was turned on the young man as he shifted his attention first to Lady Vasia, then Danae, her gaze hard as polished diamonds. She knew of the distaste between Rafail and her youngest daughter, and if there should be any strife lingering in the air, she was ready to put an immediate halt to it. However, he seemed ready to behave pleasantly enough, and she could only hope the same for Danae. The last thing they needed was more public embarrassment, especially now as they were finally regaining their status.
Circenia’s eyes, like so many others, were drawn to the entrance as her daughters made their presence known, her heart swelling with pride at their appearance. Chara and Danae were the cream of the crop of the Athenian nobility, as far as she was concerned, and she couldn’t be more pleased in that fact. Beautiful, smart, willful girls, the pair of them, even if Danae occasionally made her want to pull every last strand of hair from her head. She watched the girls approach with a warm smile, a maternal smile far more genuine than any other expression she’d worn that day. Catching Chara’s eye, she offered her a brief nod as she went her own way before watching in surprise as Danae came toward her and Vasia instead.
It was obvious from the state of Danae’s dress that her daughter had not selected her own attire, but the fact that she had dressed up at all had Circenia glowing with satisfaction. She had made it clear to Danae and Chara both that they were to attend this function on pain of death, but even so, she had expected her youngest to find a way to weasel out of it. The young woman looked positively radiant, and the princess felt a warm delight bubbling beneath her cool exterior. The pair were often at odds, but it could never be said that the Stravos matriarch did not love her children. No matter how they vexed her, they were her greatest source of pride and joy, and it made her happier than she’d ever say aloud to have her daughter come and join them.
“Danae, how lovely you look this afternoon,” Circenia told her daughter, her voice warm. Giving her a shoulder a single brief reassuring squeeze, she released her and took a step back to give her some space. She knew how uncomfortable events like this made Danae, and as cold and callous as she could be, she tried not to extend that harshness to her children. At least not in public. “By the end of the day, I’m sure we’ll have at least half a dozen offers for your hand, looking like this.” It was meant as a jest, even if the subject was a clear point of contention between the two. Hopefully Danae would take it for the joke it was.
The princess then turned her polite attention back to Vasia after Danae spoke, quiet pride lingering on her features. She knew her daughter was vastly out of her element, and her nerves were practically palpable, but she still comported herself with the regal dignity befitting her status. It would seem not all of Circenia’s teachings had fallen on deaf ears, after all.
“Lady Hebe is still quite young, is she not?” the lady of Stravos inquired, though she was well aware of the answer. As if she didn’t know the ages and statuses of all the various sons and daughters of the nobility. “I expect she won’t be joining us for another year or two, at least. Though when that day comes, I’m sure she’ll be a delight.”
When Vasia turned the conversation back toward Emilia, Circenia’s face tightened just the slightest bit—not enough to truly be noticeable, but enough that anyone who knew her well enough would be able to sense her displeasure. “Yes, she is still quite unwell, the poor thing,” the princess tutted, her face the perfect portrait of a concerned and doting aunt. “She has taken her sister’s disappearance quite hard, as have we all. It’s truly heartbreaking to see her in such straits, and we’ve thought it best to make sure others don’t see her like this, as well. Can you imagine the blow to morale if the people should see their beloved princess in such distress?” She shook her head woefully with a deep sigh. “But, I assure you, she is under excellent care, and we’re doing everything we can to ensure her well-being. Hopefully, she’ll be well enough to step back into her rightful role again soon, but until then, we will continue to do what we can to ensure life goes on as normal.”
At the inquiry on her son’s whereabouts, Circenia didn’t miss a beat. “Lord Elias is even more concerned with her welfare than the rest of us. He attends her night and day, and if he is not here today, I’m afraid that’s why. More than anyone, he wants to make sure the young princess keeps her health and sanity in these trying times.” Not a word of any of that was true, and if Elias didn’t show himself at this event, her fury would be unmatched, but it never hurt to save face. If he couldn’t be bothered, at least she could give him a good alibi.
Any other such questioning was interrupted by the arrival of Rafail of Marikas, Circenia turning a pleasant smile in her nephew’s direction. “A pleasure, Lord Rafail,” she replied, lightly squeezing his offered hand before releasing it. “Such a lack has been remiss, to be sure. We shall all have to rectify these absences very soon.” An observant eye was turned on the young man as he shifted his attention first to Lady Vasia, then Danae, her gaze hard as polished diamonds. She knew of the distaste between Rafail and her youngest daughter, and if there should be any strife lingering in the air, she was ready to put an immediate halt to it. However, he seemed ready to behave pleasantly enough, and she could only hope the same for Danae. The last thing they needed was more public embarrassment, especially now as they were finally regaining their status.
Vasia made an appropriate soft murmur of concern as Circenia addressed her question of the Princess. She had drawn her own conclusions of course, but it never hurt to prompt a little discussion around those most pointed of subjects. There was quite a lot that could be gleaned from watching how it was handled. Lady Circenia did not disappoint ; she was every inch the doting Aunt, and Vasia silently congratulated her, whilst outwardly just giving a sympathetic nod.
“Perhaps I should call on her, if she is too ill to go out? It might raise her spirits a little to have some outside company, what do you think?” She looked to the older woman as if seeking her advice on such a matter, before Circenia moved on to speak of her errant son.
Here, the blonde blinked before smiling just a little after the fact, bemused at the idea of Lord Elias playing nursemaid to a young girl. “Well that is unorthodox. I would never have painted Lord Elias as a caretaker, but perhaps I have misjudged him. You must be proud to have raised such a doting son, my Lady”
There was no chance to speak further on it, as they were joined by another man, and at this Vasia bit back on the amusement that wanted to spring forth. Rafael of Marikas was quite possibly the most preening, self- adoring man she had ever come across, and she never failed to be amazed at his pomp and affected glamour. What a contrast to her brothers, her gaze flickered over him from head to foot as he played the sycophant to his Aunt, and then Vasia gave a quick flick of her brows before dipping into a faint curtsey. “I’m quite sure the pleasure is mine, my Lord,” she replied, allowing a hint of her humour to show. What on earth he thought to have a private conversation with her about, she did not know, but it might be amusing just to see her brother’s glowering at him, and to witness Rafael’s response to that. “And I am certain there will be ample opportunity for whatever you wish to discuss” She cast her eyes around those gathered and gave a small nod of her head. “For now though, please allow me to excuse myself, there are others I have not greeted yet and I don’t want to monopolise our host. My thanks again for the hospitality, Lady Circenia. Lady Danae, Lord Rafael”
And with that, Vasia gently extricated herself from the small gathering, and wandered the perimeter of the room a little, taking small sips from her glass as she looked out for those that she knew and those that her family had ties with. If she found herself edging toward that one particular gladiator then it could only be coincidental, surely?
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Vasia made an appropriate soft murmur of concern as Circenia addressed her question of the Princess. She had drawn her own conclusions of course, but it never hurt to prompt a little discussion around those most pointed of subjects. There was quite a lot that could be gleaned from watching how it was handled. Lady Circenia did not disappoint ; she was every inch the doting Aunt, and Vasia silently congratulated her, whilst outwardly just giving a sympathetic nod.
“Perhaps I should call on her, if she is too ill to go out? It might raise her spirits a little to have some outside company, what do you think?” She looked to the older woman as if seeking her advice on such a matter, before Circenia moved on to speak of her errant son.
Here, the blonde blinked before smiling just a little after the fact, bemused at the idea of Lord Elias playing nursemaid to a young girl. “Well that is unorthodox. I would never have painted Lord Elias as a caretaker, but perhaps I have misjudged him. You must be proud to have raised such a doting son, my Lady”
There was no chance to speak further on it, as they were joined by another man, and at this Vasia bit back on the amusement that wanted to spring forth. Rafael of Marikas was quite possibly the most preening, self- adoring man she had ever come across, and she never failed to be amazed at his pomp and affected glamour. What a contrast to her brothers, her gaze flickered over him from head to foot as he played the sycophant to his Aunt, and then Vasia gave a quick flick of her brows before dipping into a faint curtsey. “I’m quite sure the pleasure is mine, my Lord,” she replied, allowing a hint of her humour to show. What on earth he thought to have a private conversation with her about, she did not know, but it might be amusing just to see her brother’s glowering at him, and to witness Rafael’s response to that. “And I am certain there will be ample opportunity for whatever you wish to discuss” She cast her eyes around those gathered and gave a small nod of her head. “For now though, please allow me to excuse myself, there are others I have not greeted yet and I don’t want to monopolise our host. My thanks again for the hospitality, Lady Circenia. Lady Danae, Lord Rafael”
And with that, Vasia gently extricated herself from the small gathering, and wandered the perimeter of the room a little, taking small sips from her glass as she looked out for those that she knew and those that her family had ties with. If she found herself edging toward that one particular gladiator then it could only be coincidental, surely?
Vasia made an appropriate soft murmur of concern as Circenia addressed her question of the Princess. She had drawn her own conclusions of course, but it never hurt to prompt a little discussion around those most pointed of subjects. There was quite a lot that could be gleaned from watching how it was handled. Lady Circenia did not disappoint ; she was every inch the doting Aunt, and Vasia silently congratulated her, whilst outwardly just giving a sympathetic nod.
“Perhaps I should call on her, if she is too ill to go out? It might raise her spirits a little to have some outside company, what do you think?” She looked to the older woman as if seeking her advice on such a matter, before Circenia moved on to speak of her errant son.
Here, the blonde blinked before smiling just a little after the fact, bemused at the idea of Lord Elias playing nursemaid to a young girl. “Well that is unorthodox. I would never have painted Lord Elias as a caretaker, but perhaps I have misjudged him. You must be proud to have raised such a doting son, my Lady”
There was no chance to speak further on it, as they were joined by another man, and at this Vasia bit back on the amusement that wanted to spring forth. Rafael of Marikas was quite possibly the most preening, self- adoring man she had ever come across, and she never failed to be amazed at his pomp and affected glamour. What a contrast to her brothers, her gaze flickered over him from head to foot as he played the sycophant to his Aunt, and then Vasia gave a quick flick of her brows before dipping into a faint curtsey. “I’m quite sure the pleasure is mine, my Lord,” she replied, allowing a hint of her humour to show. What on earth he thought to have a private conversation with her about, she did not know, but it might be amusing just to see her brother’s glowering at him, and to witness Rafael’s response to that. “And I am certain there will be ample opportunity for whatever you wish to discuss” She cast her eyes around those gathered and gave a small nod of her head. “For now though, please allow me to excuse myself, there are others I have not greeted yet and I don’t want to monopolise our host. My thanks again for the hospitality, Lady Circenia. Lady Danae, Lord Rafael”
And with that, Vasia gently extricated herself from the small gathering, and wandered the perimeter of the room a little, taking small sips from her glass as she looked out for those that she knew and those that her family had ties with. If she found herself edging toward that one particular gladiator then it could only be coincidental, surely?
Lesley knew himself well enough to know that if he didn't deliberately move enough he would start fidgeting, and besides, he didn't feel like being in any closer proximity to Rafail of Marikas than necessary. If ever there was a man who deserved to be dumped on his ass and trampled by his own horse... not that the useless twat was likely to ride if there was any possibility of taking a carriage or litter somewhere. If he hadn't had quite so many conquests, Lesley might wonder if he was lacking a manhood entirely... but it wouldn't do to accidentally say so, so he simply avoided him.
The gladiator paced the edge of the room slowly, consciously avoiding giving off the impression of prowling like the predator he was. Luckily, he didn't feel any particular itch to look for a fight tonight, and he didn't honestly think one was going to break out, so he didn't have to pretend to be calmer than he was.
When the blonde noblewoman drifted towards him, he took another few steps, enough to be certain that she was angling towards him and drifted to a stop just far enough to not be easily overheard but not far enough to look deliberately looking for privacy. Instead, he seemed to simply be conscious that he oughtn't get close enough to the next little knot of chatting women to be accused of eavesdropping on them.
He scanned the room again, sharp and alert in contrast to his usual lazy-old-dog way of keeping track of a room out of his peripheral vision when he wasn't actively looking for a fight. He was being paid, though, so it behooved him to actually look like he was doing his job. He still did not, however, seem to be paying any particular attention to the Antonis daughter.
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Lesley knew himself well enough to know that if he didn't deliberately move enough he would start fidgeting, and besides, he didn't feel like being in any closer proximity to Rafail of Marikas than necessary. If ever there was a man who deserved to be dumped on his ass and trampled by his own horse... not that the useless twat was likely to ride if there was any possibility of taking a carriage or litter somewhere. If he hadn't had quite so many conquests, Lesley might wonder if he was lacking a manhood entirely... but it wouldn't do to accidentally say so, so he simply avoided him.
The gladiator paced the edge of the room slowly, consciously avoiding giving off the impression of prowling like the predator he was. Luckily, he didn't feel any particular itch to look for a fight tonight, and he didn't honestly think one was going to break out, so he didn't have to pretend to be calmer than he was.
When the blonde noblewoman drifted towards him, he took another few steps, enough to be certain that she was angling towards him and drifted to a stop just far enough to not be easily overheard but not far enough to look deliberately looking for privacy. Instead, he seemed to simply be conscious that he oughtn't get close enough to the next little knot of chatting women to be accused of eavesdropping on them.
He scanned the room again, sharp and alert in contrast to his usual lazy-old-dog way of keeping track of a room out of his peripheral vision when he wasn't actively looking for a fight. He was being paid, though, so it behooved him to actually look like he was doing his job. He still did not, however, seem to be paying any particular attention to the Antonis daughter.
Lesley knew himself well enough to know that if he didn't deliberately move enough he would start fidgeting, and besides, he didn't feel like being in any closer proximity to Rafail of Marikas than necessary. If ever there was a man who deserved to be dumped on his ass and trampled by his own horse... not that the useless twat was likely to ride if there was any possibility of taking a carriage or litter somewhere. If he hadn't had quite so many conquests, Lesley might wonder if he was lacking a manhood entirely... but it wouldn't do to accidentally say so, so he simply avoided him.
The gladiator paced the edge of the room slowly, consciously avoiding giving off the impression of prowling like the predator he was. Luckily, he didn't feel any particular itch to look for a fight tonight, and he didn't honestly think one was going to break out, so he didn't have to pretend to be calmer than he was.
When the blonde noblewoman drifted towards him, he took another few steps, enough to be certain that she was angling towards him and drifted to a stop just far enough to not be easily overheard but not far enough to look deliberately looking for privacy. Instead, he seemed to simply be conscious that he oughtn't get close enough to the next little knot of chatting women to be accused of eavesdropping on them.
He scanned the room again, sharp and alert in contrast to his usual lazy-old-dog way of keeping track of a room out of his peripheral vision when he wasn't actively looking for a fight. He was being paid, though, so it behooved him to actually look like he was doing his job. He still did not, however, seem to be paying any particular attention to the Antonis daughter.
Elias of Stravos could sit back no more. While the lord and regent that claimed Athenia's throne sent his mother to preside over the first held court meeting, there was no way that would sit well with the nobles of the provinces. Elias just needed some more time, and the flood gates could open without his fear of all that he'd worked and suffered for being dismantled. However, with Circenia herself growing more and more impatient with Elias, he knew that imminent action was a necessity. There is no virtue in hesitance, he mused, recalling a lesson served to him in his time holding merely the barony of Lyncestia. That region swelled with prosperity, and its people still looked fondly to their lord as he provided them with more and more work in these times. The fishing boats he'd commissioned were in the process of completion, and food might well come to the starving populace of Athenia, but...
That isn't enough. Athenia needs its leader,
And its leader it would have. Elias of Stravos tread, unguarded through the halls of the palace. His pace was brisk, his charcoal-hued chiton made of fine silk tied at the waist and accompanied with a crimson himation. The head of Stravos did not adorn himself with jewels, allowing his impeccable natural beauty to be emphasized once he entered the court. The doors were, of course, wide open, and his arrival was preceded with surprised murmurs of the guard. He offered a clasp on the shoulder to an entry vigil before stepping past and allowing his honeyed hues to cast along the denizens within. First, there was his mother. Circenia of Stravos was an extravagantly decorated affair, the colors of their house brandished in favor of her long-abandoned colors of Xanthos. There was a great deal of pride in the royal, but he neither offered his mother greeting nor acknowledgment. He saw his sister, as well, with a dangerous glint of ambition in her eyes that he knew all of the Stravos possessed. All the same, he failed to greet her, letting his glance hover over to the lovely Antonis woman as she and Circenia held their exchange. In his arrival, he could hear them from the halls, and had mused over the excuses to offer for his late arrival.
There was no smile upon his features as he maneuvered his way into the gathering. He stood next to Raf, clasping his friend on the shoulder, his lip quivering in an attempt to hide a grin. It was too few and far between, the times he could see the other man, and in the court, no less! Surely, the noble's mind was on nothing good, but he held a healthy respect for those concerned about their conquests. Elias' had shifted from women to kingdoms, but nonetheless, the respect was there.
"By all means, the court is yours to manage, Princess Circenia,"" he began, showing no hint of sarcasm in his words, his arms crossed over his chest before his musings splintered off,
"However, proceedings haven't begun yet, I gather? I do apologize for my tardiness. However, we can begin in earnest. Do we have a list of proceedings, Circenia? Or is the court content to speculate about our poor princess' health? I assure you, she's in good hands, and we can proceed to direct our attention to where it belongs. To Athenia," he suggested. Elias was offered, as were the others, wine as the tensions within the court began to flare. Elias kindly refused, in full need of his mental faculties as he saw the heads turn in his direction, sharp eyes on him as if mere gazes could let loose the torrential outpouring of questions that would surely come.
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Elias of Stravos could sit back no more. While the lord and regent that claimed Athenia's throne sent his mother to preside over the first held court meeting, there was no way that would sit well with the nobles of the provinces. Elias just needed some more time, and the flood gates could open without his fear of all that he'd worked and suffered for being dismantled. However, with Circenia herself growing more and more impatient with Elias, he knew that imminent action was a necessity. There is no virtue in hesitance, he mused, recalling a lesson served to him in his time holding merely the barony of Lyncestia. That region swelled with prosperity, and its people still looked fondly to their lord as he provided them with more and more work in these times. The fishing boats he'd commissioned were in the process of completion, and food might well come to the starving populace of Athenia, but...
That isn't enough. Athenia needs its leader,
And its leader it would have. Elias of Stravos tread, unguarded through the halls of the palace. His pace was brisk, his charcoal-hued chiton made of fine silk tied at the waist and accompanied with a crimson himation. The head of Stravos did not adorn himself with jewels, allowing his impeccable natural beauty to be emphasized once he entered the court. The doors were, of course, wide open, and his arrival was preceded with surprised murmurs of the guard. He offered a clasp on the shoulder to an entry vigil before stepping past and allowing his honeyed hues to cast along the denizens within. First, there was his mother. Circenia of Stravos was an extravagantly decorated affair, the colors of their house brandished in favor of her long-abandoned colors of Xanthos. There was a great deal of pride in the royal, but he neither offered his mother greeting nor acknowledgment. He saw his sister, as well, with a dangerous glint of ambition in her eyes that he knew all of the Stravos possessed. All the same, he failed to greet her, letting his glance hover over to the lovely Antonis woman as she and Circenia held their exchange. In his arrival, he could hear them from the halls, and had mused over the excuses to offer for his late arrival.
There was no smile upon his features as he maneuvered his way into the gathering. He stood next to Raf, clasping his friend on the shoulder, his lip quivering in an attempt to hide a grin. It was too few and far between, the times he could see the other man, and in the court, no less! Surely, the noble's mind was on nothing good, but he held a healthy respect for those concerned about their conquests. Elias' had shifted from women to kingdoms, but nonetheless, the respect was there.
"By all means, the court is yours to manage, Princess Circenia,"" he began, showing no hint of sarcasm in his words, his arms crossed over his chest before his musings splintered off,
"However, proceedings haven't begun yet, I gather? I do apologize for my tardiness. However, we can begin in earnest. Do we have a list of proceedings, Circenia? Or is the court content to speculate about our poor princess' health? I assure you, she's in good hands, and we can proceed to direct our attention to where it belongs. To Athenia," he suggested. Elias was offered, as were the others, wine as the tensions within the court began to flare. Elias kindly refused, in full need of his mental faculties as he saw the heads turn in his direction, sharp eyes on him as if mere gazes could let loose the torrential outpouring of questions that would surely come.
Elias of Stravos could sit back no more. While the lord and regent that claimed Athenia's throne sent his mother to preside over the first held court meeting, there was no way that would sit well with the nobles of the provinces. Elias just needed some more time, and the flood gates could open without his fear of all that he'd worked and suffered for being dismantled. However, with Circenia herself growing more and more impatient with Elias, he knew that imminent action was a necessity. There is no virtue in hesitance, he mused, recalling a lesson served to him in his time holding merely the barony of Lyncestia. That region swelled with prosperity, and its people still looked fondly to their lord as he provided them with more and more work in these times. The fishing boats he'd commissioned were in the process of completion, and food might well come to the starving populace of Athenia, but...
That isn't enough. Athenia needs its leader,
And its leader it would have. Elias of Stravos tread, unguarded through the halls of the palace. His pace was brisk, his charcoal-hued chiton made of fine silk tied at the waist and accompanied with a crimson himation. The head of Stravos did not adorn himself with jewels, allowing his impeccable natural beauty to be emphasized once he entered the court. The doors were, of course, wide open, and his arrival was preceded with surprised murmurs of the guard. He offered a clasp on the shoulder to an entry vigil before stepping past and allowing his honeyed hues to cast along the denizens within. First, there was his mother. Circenia of Stravos was an extravagantly decorated affair, the colors of their house brandished in favor of her long-abandoned colors of Xanthos. There was a great deal of pride in the royal, but he neither offered his mother greeting nor acknowledgment. He saw his sister, as well, with a dangerous glint of ambition in her eyes that he knew all of the Stravos possessed. All the same, he failed to greet her, letting his glance hover over to the lovely Antonis woman as she and Circenia held their exchange. In his arrival, he could hear them from the halls, and had mused over the excuses to offer for his late arrival.
There was no smile upon his features as he maneuvered his way into the gathering. He stood next to Raf, clasping his friend on the shoulder, his lip quivering in an attempt to hide a grin. It was too few and far between, the times he could see the other man, and in the court, no less! Surely, the noble's mind was on nothing good, but he held a healthy respect for those concerned about their conquests. Elias' had shifted from women to kingdoms, but nonetheless, the respect was there.
"By all means, the court is yours to manage, Princess Circenia,"" he began, showing no hint of sarcasm in his words, his arms crossed over his chest before his musings splintered off,
"However, proceedings haven't begun yet, I gather? I do apologize for my tardiness. However, we can begin in earnest. Do we have a list of proceedings, Circenia? Or is the court content to speculate about our poor princess' health? I assure you, she's in good hands, and we can proceed to direct our attention to where it belongs. To Athenia," he suggested. Elias was offered, as were the others, wine as the tensions within the court began to flare. Elias kindly refused, in full need of his mental faculties as he saw the heads turn in his direction, sharp eyes on him as if mere gazes could let loose the torrential outpouring of questions that would surely come.
Circenia looked toward Vasia with an empty smile, keen gaze intent on the other woman’s face, as if ascertaining the motives behind such an offer. It never once struck her that the other nobles might have any genuine concern for her niece; as far as she was concerned, people only looked after themselves. If they wanted to nose their way into Emilia’s good graces, it was only out of self-serving intent. But could she really blame them? The young princess stood to be Queen, should Persephone never return. One always wanted to be in good standing with their monarch.
“Yes, perhaps a visit would be good for her,” she agreed after a moment’s pause, not a trace of the hostility she felt creeping its way into her voice. The princess had played this game for a long time, and it wasn’t often that she betrayed any emotion or intent but exactly what she meant to. “I’m sure Her Highness would appreciate a fresh face. I shall see to the arrangements myself when she’s feeling a bit better. Poor dear still isn’t feeling quite up to having company just yet.”
As the lady of Antonis spoke of her surprise at Elias’s care, Circenia’s smile tightened just that little bit more. “Indeed, I am very proud of all my children, Lady Vasia,” she emphasized, her gaze briefly flicking toward Danae, then Chara in the distant corner, before turning back to the golden-haired woman in front of her. Her words rang with sincerity as she added, “All of them have unexpected depths and intelligence that not even I can fathom at times. Perhaps it is merely a mother’s bias, but I’ve always known they would go on to do remarkable things. Lord Elias is a perfect example of just how remarkable they can be. How many others would step up to the stewardship of Athenia like he has? I know I haven’t seen any other volunteers. Maybe he has stumbled a few times along the way, but such is the folly of youth. Time teaches us all.”
The princess offered a pleasant smile in the wake of her almost defensive assertions about her son, nodding graciously as the younger woman excused herself. “You’re most welcome, Lady Vasia. We shall welcome you back very soon. Enjoy the afternoon.” Briefly following the woman with cold, calculative eyes, she made a mental note to keep a closer eye on that one. She was a little too perceptive for her own good.
Much to her delighted surprise, Circenia’s train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of the very son she’d been so staunchly defending mere moments before. She made no attempt to hide her own smile when Elias approached, reaching out to grasp his shoulder in greeting. The Stravos matriarch hadn’t really expected him to make his presence known at this event, and her effort at hiding her blatant shock was nearly unsuccessful.
“My son,” she greeted him warmly before releasing his shoulder. Raising her voice enough that she knew others would overhear, she went on, “My thanks to you for allowing the doors of the Palati to open for us all. I have merely stepped in where I felt I was needed, but now that you are here, perhaps there are some questions you might answer yourself.”
Noting that they had drawn in the attention of most of the room, she stepped forward and cleared her throat, blatantly addressing the entire Court and not just Elias. “There were not meant to be any necessarily… ‘formal’ proceedings here today. I gathered us all here this afternoon to reassure you all that Athenia has not been left stranded. That even in spite of our Queen’s absence and an heir who has not quite seemed to grasp the position she’s now in, we of Athenia will not waver. We will not fall. No matter what obstacles we might come up against, we are strong, and there are many among us who will maintain our honor and bolster our country during her most vulnerable hours. Lord Elias here is undeniable proof of that.”
Gesturing to the proud man at her side, her smile was one of steely determination. “I know there have been questions. Doubts about our intent. Rumors abound at what has truly become of Her Majesty and why the princess hides behind closed doors and refuses to govern the kingdom left in her care. If you have concerns, I pray you step forward and make them known. We of House Stravos have nothing to hide.” Perhaps no bolder lie had ever been spoken, but zealous passion shone in Circenia’s eyes, a burning drive that dared any to contradict her. “Stop whispering in hushed tones and speak plainly instead. Never let it be said your voices went unheard.”
She nodded to Elias in silent encouragement, stepping back to stand a pace behind him. “Lord Elias has trod a path few would even dare to step foot on. Let us put our misunderstandings to rest. For what purpose does our beautiful Court serve if we cannot come together to seek that very understanding?”
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Circenia looked toward Vasia with an empty smile, keen gaze intent on the other woman’s face, as if ascertaining the motives behind such an offer. It never once struck her that the other nobles might have any genuine concern for her niece; as far as she was concerned, people only looked after themselves. If they wanted to nose their way into Emilia’s good graces, it was only out of self-serving intent. But could she really blame them? The young princess stood to be Queen, should Persephone never return. One always wanted to be in good standing with their monarch.
“Yes, perhaps a visit would be good for her,” she agreed after a moment’s pause, not a trace of the hostility she felt creeping its way into her voice. The princess had played this game for a long time, and it wasn’t often that she betrayed any emotion or intent but exactly what she meant to. “I’m sure Her Highness would appreciate a fresh face. I shall see to the arrangements myself when she’s feeling a bit better. Poor dear still isn’t feeling quite up to having company just yet.”
As the lady of Antonis spoke of her surprise at Elias’s care, Circenia’s smile tightened just that little bit more. “Indeed, I am very proud of all my children, Lady Vasia,” she emphasized, her gaze briefly flicking toward Danae, then Chara in the distant corner, before turning back to the golden-haired woman in front of her. Her words rang with sincerity as she added, “All of them have unexpected depths and intelligence that not even I can fathom at times. Perhaps it is merely a mother’s bias, but I’ve always known they would go on to do remarkable things. Lord Elias is a perfect example of just how remarkable they can be. How many others would step up to the stewardship of Athenia like he has? I know I haven’t seen any other volunteers. Maybe he has stumbled a few times along the way, but such is the folly of youth. Time teaches us all.”
The princess offered a pleasant smile in the wake of her almost defensive assertions about her son, nodding graciously as the younger woman excused herself. “You’re most welcome, Lady Vasia. We shall welcome you back very soon. Enjoy the afternoon.” Briefly following the woman with cold, calculative eyes, she made a mental note to keep a closer eye on that one. She was a little too perceptive for her own good.
Much to her delighted surprise, Circenia’s train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of the very son she’d been so staunchly defending mere moments before. She made no attempt to hide her own smile when Elias approached, reaching out to grasp his shoulder in greeting. The Stravos matriarch hadn’t really expected him to make his presence known at this event, and her effort at hiding her blatant shock was nearly unsuccessful.
“My son,” she greeted him warmly before releasing his shoulder. Raising her voice enough that she knew others would overhear, she went on, “My thanks to you for allowing the doors of the Palati to open for us all. I have merely stepped in where I felt I was needed, but now that you are here, perhaps there are some questions you might answer yourself.”
Noting that they had drawn in the attention of most of the room, she stepped forward and cleared her throat, blatantly addressing the entire Court and not just Elias. “There were not meant to be any necessarily… ‘formal’ proceedings here today. I gathered us all here this afternoon to reassure you all that Athenia has not been left stranded. That even in spite of our Queen’s absence and an heir who has not quite seemed to grasp the position she’s now in, we of Athenia will not waver. We will not fall. No matter what obstacles we might come up against, we are strong, and there are many among us who will maintain our honor and bolster our country during her most vulnerable hours. Lord Elias here is undeniable proof of that.”
Gesturing to the proud man at her side, her smile was one of steely determination. “I know there have been questions. Doubts about our intent. Rumors abound at what has truly become of Her Majesty and why the princess hides behind closed doors and refuses to govern the kingdom left in her care. If you have concerns, I pray you step forward and make them known. We of House Stravos have nothing to hide.” Perhaps no bolder lie had ever been spoken, but zealous passion shone in Circenia’s eyes, a burning drive that dared any to contradict her. “Stop whispering in hushed tones and speak plainly instead. Never let it be said your voices went unheard.”
She nodded to Elias in silent encouragement, stepping back to stand a pace behind him. “Lord Elias has trod a path few would even dare to step foot on. Let us put our misunderstandings to rest. For what purpose does our beautiful Court serve if we cannot come together to seek that very understanding?”
Circenia looked toward Vasia with an empty smile, keen gaze intent on the other woman’s face, as if ascertaining the motives behind such an offer. It never once struck her that the other nobles might have any genuine concern for her niece; as far as she was concerned, people only looked after themselves. If they wanted to nose their way into Emilia’s good graces, it was only out of self-serving intent. But could she really blame them? The young princess stood to be Queen, should Persephone never return. One always wanted to be in good standing with their monarch.
“Yes, perhaps a visit would be good for her,” she agreed after a moment’s pause, not a trace of the hostility she felt creeping its way into her voice. The princess had played this game for a long time, and it wasn’t often that she betrayed any emotion or intent but exactly what she meant to. “I’m sure Her Highness would appreciate a fresh face. I shall see to the arrangements myself when she’s feeling a bit better. Poor dear still isn’t feeling quite up to having company just yet.”
As the lady of Antonis spoke of her surprise at Elias’s care, Circenia’s smile tightened just that little bit more. “Indeed, I am very proud of all my children, Lady Vasia,” she emphasized, her gaze briefly flicking toward Danae, then Chara in the distant corner, before turning back to the golden-haired woman in front of her. Her words rang with sincerity as she added, “All of them have unexpected depths and intelligence that not even I can fathom at times. Perhaps it is merely a mother’s bias, but I’ve always known they would go on to do remarkable things. Lord Elias is a perfect example of just how remarkable they can be. How many others would step up to the stewardship of Athenia like he has? I know I haven’t seen any other volunteers. Maybe he has stumbled a few times along the way, but such is the folly of youth. Time teaches us all.”
The princess offered a pleasant smile in the wake of her almost defensive assertions about her son, nodding graciously as the younger woman excused herself. “You’re most welcome, Lady Vasia. We shall welcome you back very soon. Enjoy the afternoon.” Briefly following the woman with cold, calculative eyes, she made a mental note to keep a closer eye on that one. She was a little too perceptive for her own good.
Much to her delighted surprise, Circenia’s train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of the very son she’d been so staunchly defending mere moments before. She made no attempt to hide her own smile when Elias approached, reaching out to grasp his shoulder in greeting. The Stravos matriarch hadn’t really expected him to make his presence known at this event, and her effort at hiding her blatant shock was nearly unsuccessful.
“My son,” she greeted him warmly before releasing his shoulder. Raising her voice enough that she knew others would overhear, she went on, “My thanks to you for allowing the doors of the Palati to open for us all. I have merely stepped in where I felt I was needed, but now that you are here, perhaps there are some questions you might answer yourself.”
Noting that they had drawn in the attention of most of the room, she stepped forward and cleared her throat, blatantly addressing the entire Court and not just Elias. “There were not meant to be any necessarily… ‘formal’ proceedings here today. I gathered us all here this afternoon to reassure you all that Athenia has not been left stranded. That even in spite of our Queen’s absence and an heir who has not quite seemed to grasp the position she’s now in, we of Athenia will not waver. We will not fall. No matter what obstacles we might come up against, we are strong, and there are many among us who will maintain our honor and bolster our country during her most vulnerable hours. Lord Elias here is undeniable proof of that.”
Gesturing to the proud man at her side, her smile was one of steely determination. “I know there have been questions. Doubts about our intent. Rumors abound at what has truly become of Her Majesty and why the princess hides behind closed doors and refuses to govern the kingdom left in her care. If you have concerns, I pray you step forward and make them known. We of House Stravos have nothing to hide.” Perhaps no bolder lie had ever been spoken, but zealous passion shone in Circenia’s eyes, a burning drive that dared any to contradict her. “Stop whispering in hushed tones and speak plainly instead. Never let it be said your voices went unheard.”
She nodded to Elias in silent encouragement, stepping back to stand a pace behind him. “Lord Elias has trod a path few would even dare to step foot on. Let us put our misunderstandings to rest. For what purpose does our beautiful Court serve if we cannot come together to seek that very understanding?”
Vasia knew better than to question a Mother on the perceived merits of her children, and she kept a pleasant smile on her face as the Princess Circenia extolled the virtues of her son. She did not contradict her, but as the Antonis woman moved away, she turned over the words in her head.
Around her,the assembled nobles of Athenia milled around in quiet conversation, the topic of conversation shifting from the unrest that rippled through the sun-scorched city streets to the echoing absence of their Queen, and in hushed whispers, even the psuedo-governance of the Stravos family. Vasia turned an ear to it all, with trouble with food supplies and actual rioting in the capital, it did not paint a flattering picture of Lord Elias.
She was musing on that, and of the impression the young Lord had left after he had visited the Antonis Manor the days prior, unable to decide quite which way her thoughts wanted to settle regarding the Stravos heir, when the hulking form of one of the guards once more moved into her eyeline. He definitely looked..familiar somehow. Vasia turned to him, blue eyes narrowed a touch as she tried to place him.
“What is your name, sir? I cannot help but think I have seen you somewhere before?” He was not an Antonis man, she was certain and yet… “You are not usually a palace guard are you?” Vasia’s brows raised expectantly, he would not deny her an answer she was certain.
Her curiosity regarding the soldier was interrupted shortly afterwards, her gaze tracking the progress of one Elias of Stravos as he made his arrival, almost as if he too had been listening to the whispers that kept the courtiers closed in their little groups. Well, this should be interesting, if nothing else.
And the Lord’s arrival seemed to stir the Princess into action, her voice too loud to be anything but an address to the room as she began to speak, and here Vasia let her gaze wander over her fellows. An open invitation for questions? She wondered which of the gathered Lords and Ladies would risk voicing the concerns that they had whispered not moments before, and whether or not Lord Elias could actually withstand such direct questioning. He had proven himself well able enough to spin sugary words, but a public forum that questioned his actions? The last time that had happened there had not been a postive outcome for he or his House.
Princess Circenia was perhaps too confident in her son, Vasia considered, as she watched heads bend together. But there was no immediate vocalisation, and for a moment an awkward silence descended. With another glance at the courtiers that seemed too afraid to open their mouths, Vasia rolled her eyes to heaven, and cleared her throat. She was never one scared to spek her mind, for better or for worse.
“How gracious of his Lordship to offer to put our minds at ease” she said, clearly and without hesitation. “I am sure your Highness and Lord Elias can appreciate an uncertainty when there has been so much change, and with so much unresolved. I for one, would like to understand what we are doing to ensure we return trade to the capital, before hungry people become angry people, and if there is any assistance that might be offered to help see it done quickly?”
If it were not already too late for that.
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Vasia knew better than to question a Mother on the perceived merits of her children, and she kept a pleasant smile on her face as the Princess Circenia extolled the virtues of her son. She did not contradict her, but as the Antonis woman moved away, she turned over the words in her head.
Around her,the assembled nobles of Athenia milled around in quiet conversation, the topic of conversation shifting from the unrest that rippled through the sun-scorched city streets to the echoing absence of their Queen, and in hushed whispers, even the psuedo-governance of the Stravos family. Vasia turned an ear to it all, with trouble with food supplies and actual rioting in the capital, it did not paint a flattering picture of Lord Elias.
She was musing on that, and of the impression the young Lord had left after he had visited the Antonis Manor the days prior, unable to decide quite which way her thoughts wanted to settle regarding the Stravos heir, when the hulking form of one of the guards once more moved into her eyeline. He definitely looked..familiar somehow. Vasia turned to him, blue eyes narrowed a touch as she tried to place him.
“What is your name, sir? I cannot help but think I have seen you somewhere before?” He was not an Antonis man, she was certain and yet… “You are not usually a palace guard are you?” Vasia’s brows raised expectantly, he would not deny her an answer she was certain.
Her curiosity regarding the soldier was interrupted shortly afterwards, her gaze tracking the progress of one Elias of Stravos as he made his arrival, almost as if he too had been listening to the whispers that kept the courtiers closed in their little groups. Well, this should be interesting, if nothing else.
And the Lord’s arrival seemed to stir the Princess into action, her voice too loud to be anything but an address to the room as she began to speak, and here Vasia let her gaze wander over her fellows. An open invitation for questions? She wondered which of the gathered Lords and Ladies would risk voicing the concerns that they had whispered not moments before, and whether or not Lord Elias could actually withstand such direct questioning. He had proven himself well able enough to spin sugary words, but a public forum that questioned his actions? The last time that had happened there had not been a postive outcome for he or his House.
Princess Circenia was perhaps too confident in her son, Vasia considered, as she watched heads bend together. But there was no immediate vocalisation, and for a moment an awkward silence descended. With another glance at the courtiers that seemed too afraid to open their mouths, Vasia rolled her eyes to heaven, and cleared her throat. She was never one scared to spek her mind, for better or for worse.
“How gracious of his Lordship to offer to put our minds at ease” she said, clearly and without hesitation. “I am sure your Highness and Lord Elias can appreciate an uncertainty when there has been so much change, and with so much unresolved. I for one, would like to understand what we are doing to ensure we return trade to the capital, before hungry people become angry people, and if there is any assistance that might be offered to help see it done quickly?”
If it were not already too late for that.
Vasia knew better than to question a Mother on the perceived merits of her children, and she kept a pleasant smile on her face as the Princess Circenia extolled the virtues of her son. She did not contradict her, but as the Antonis woman moved away, she turned over the words in her head.
Around her,the assembled nobles of Athenia milled around in quiet conversation, the topic of conversation shifting from the unrest that rippled through the sun-scorched city streets to the echoing absence of their Queen, and in hushed whispers, even the psuedo-governance of the Stravos family. Vasia turned an ear to it all, with trouble with food supplies and actual rioting in the capital, it did not paint a flattering picture of Lord Elias.
She was musing on that, and of the impression the young Lord had left after he had visited the Antonis Manor the days prior, unable to decide quite which way her thoughts wanted to settle regarding the Stravos heir, when the hulking form of one of the guards once more moved into her eyeline. He definitely looked..familiar somehow. Vasia turned to him, blue eyes narrowed a touch as she tried to place him.
“What is your name, sir? I cannot help but think I have seen you somewhere before?” He was not an Antonis man, she was certain and yet… “You are not usually a palace guard are you?” Vasia’s brows raised expectantly, he would not deny her an answer she was certain.
Her curiosity regarding the soldier was interrupted shortly afterwards, her gaze tracking the progress of one Elias of Stravos as he made his arrival, almost as if he too had been listening to the whispers that kept the courtiers closed in their little groups. Well, this should be interesting, if nothing else.
And the Lord’s arrival seemed to stir the Princess into action, her voice too loud to be anything but an address to the room as she began to speak, and here Vasia let her gaze wander over her fellows. An open invitation for questions? She wondered which of the gathered Lords and Ladies would risk voicing the concerns that they had whispered not moments before, and whether or not Lord Elias could actually withstand such direct questioning. He had proven himself well able enough to spin sugary words, but a public forum that questioned his actions? The last time that had happened there had not been a postive outcome for he or his House.
Princess Circenia was perhaps too confident in her son, Vasia considered, as she watched heads bend together. But there was no immediate vocalisation, and for a moment an awkward silence descended. With another glance at the courtiers that seemed too afraid to open their mouths, Vasia rolled her eyes to heaven, and cleared her throat. She was never one scared to spek her mind, for better or for worse.
“How gracious of his Lordship to offer to put our minds at ease” she said, clearly and without hesitation. “I am sure your Highness and Lord Elias can appreciate an uncertainty when there has been so much change, and with so much unresolved. I for one, would like to understand what we are doing to ensure we return trade to the capital, before hungry people become angry people, and if there is any assistance that might be offered to help see it done quickly?”
If it were not already too late for that.
Danae of Stravos was not the kind of girl who enjoyed events like this. Her family knew full well that the youngest Stravos would much rather pluck out every strand of hair on her head, one by one, than make an appearance at the palati. However, her mother was not one to be moved by desperate tears and bloody scalps. Circenia had made it clear in no uncertain terms that Danae was to be there with the rest of her family or else face a slow and excruciating death at the hands of the woman who brought her into this world. The Stravos daughter may be stubborn and defiant, but even she knew that this was not a battle she would win. So, she was here. Granted it was against her will, but she was here.
As uncomfortable as she was, Danae couldn’t help, but relax just a bit when she caught sight of her mother’s smile when the youngest Stravos made her way over to her. As estranged as the two may be with their equally prickly personalities, Danae still knew Circenia well enough to tell when her expressions were genuine and there was no mistaking that grin on her mother’s face. Circenia was clearly proud of her daughter and how not only had she appeared at the event; but had clearly put some effort into her appearance for once. That, in turn, caused a bit of pride to rise in Danae as well. After all, she may push her mother away, but she was desperate for any sort of acknowledgment from the woman that she was doing well. That’s why Danae was so prone to shutting others out. She had long ago taught herself --wrongly, though she may not know it -- that it was easier to not let people in. It was easier to not disappoint people when she did this.
So, the girl practically glowed in the silent approval from her mother. Danae quietly ducked her own head to keep back a girlish, giddy grin of her own as Circenia reaffirmed what her daughter could see. “ Thank you, mother.” She murmured in response, “ It’s all Chara’s work.” Her cheeks burned a bright red from her mother’s praise as the sixteen-year-olds insecurities unknowingly prevented her from basking alone in the compliment. Instead, the uncomfortable feeling that had settled in her chest from not being used to these kinds of words was passed over to her sister. Granted, Chara did deserve some praise as Danae had no sense of style, much to her family’s chagrin, but still… little things like a smile and an affirmation that she looked beautiful would do wonders in helping the girl to break down the walls that she had long ago put up around herself.
However, all good things must come to an end. Danae prickled at her mother’s next words; her grin falling quickly as her mother mentioned a certain topic that Danae was not fond of speaking of. Marriage. Granted, her mother’s words were joking, even her serious daughter could see that, but the whole topic was so uncomfortable for the girl that she visibly stiffened at the prospect of having multiple proposals at the end of the night. It was bad enough that she was currently uncomfortable in her own skin, she didn’t want to have to contend with this forbidden topic as well.
“ Let us hope not. I’m sure Chara would be displeased to see her sister a blushing bride before her.”Danae managed to say awkwardly. The mention of Chara was purposeful. It was her way of reminding her mother that Danae was not the daughter that should be the center of marriage jokes. Not when her sister was ten years her senior and still unmarried. Having Danae married off before her would be considered improper and given how uncomfortable the littlest Stravos was with the subject, she would do everything in her power to remind her mother of that fact in the hopes that it would save Danae. Granted, the girl knew that marriage was an inevitability. Girls of her standing in life did not die old spinsters. It just simply wasn’t done. Yet the prospect of marrying was scary to Danae as it meant that she would no longer be a Stravos. She would be a member of her husband’s house and everything she had worked for would be gone overnight. That included her secret enterprise which would undoubtedly crumble overnight as no man, noble or common, would be keen on letting their wife run a financial empire behind everyone’s backs. No, she’d be regulated to homemaker and mother; roles she had rejected for years. Marriage was not a wonderful thing in the eyes of Danae. It was a horrible monstrosity that ruined everything she had ever known. Jokes or not, it was a forbidden topic for Danae with good reason. Her mother knew this.
As these instinctually panicked thoughts arose in her mind, Danae attempted to tune out the rest of the conversation between her mother and Lady Vasia. She overheard snippets, of course, such as the mention of Hebe’s young age and inquiries to where her failure of a brother was. It was a tense moment of conversation, but luckily the young Stravos’s input was not needed. Instead, she listened quietly as her mother put forth her skills in charisma in an effort to deflect the touchy subjects of Elias and Emilia. It was truly impressive how eloquently Circenia was able to put together answers that were reassuring, but ultimately meant nothing. This was a talent that Danae had yet to master and even as she brought her own pounding heart rate down, she couldn’t help, but flash her mother the slightest knowing grin.
As talented as her mother was though, it seemed to be for naught as the Lady Vasia seemed to be just as shrewd as the older woman was skillful. The Antonis clearly did not fall for the web spun by Circenia and was not subtle in her veiled declaration of doing so. The tension that it brought was so thick that Danae was sure that it could have been sliced with a knife… that was until another face appeared before them from the crowd; someone that Danae would have rather not seen this evening.
Rafail of Marikas.
This man who had practically sauntered over to the group was easily the one person that Danae hated most in this world. Her anger for the braggart outshone her dislike of her siblings by nearly a thousand times and it was thanks solely to the man’s attitude. He was nearing thirty, older than Chara, and yet he acted as if he was her own age. Rafail was a partier and the court whore, seemingly thinking little of who his next conquest would be and caring little for the hapless girl who fell into his bedsheets at night. He was disgusting, callous, and disrespectful to a fault as the majority of their conversations centered around how miserable Danae was and how that made her inherently ugly in the eyes of men like him. Not to mention instances like their forced meal with Lady Ivra where he had demanded that she refill his wine goblet after proclaiming her sister to be the better sister because she put out. He had been slapped for that, of course. You can’t just treat the daughter of the richest man in Greece as a common servant, after all; but it was a clear indication of what made up this boy’s character. Danae wanted nothing to do with it.
She once again visibly stiffened as he approached, turning her body away from as a sign that he was not welcome to be near her… but when would that sort of thing ever stop a poor excuse of a man from doing what he wanted? Danae stood there, face red in absolute rage as she had to quietly tolerate his presence while he lauded praises on her mother and Lady Vasia. Luckily, for her, he seemed to take the hint at first that she did not want to speak with him… until he seemed to run out of things to say to the others and was forced to address her. Danae turned to him with an unamused expression on her face, clearly eager to get these forced pleasantries out of the way so they could both return to ignoring each other’s presence.
However, something strange seemed to happen to Rafail as he caught sight of her in the fancy plumage that her sister had put her into for the evening. The man who was always so quick to insult and hurt seemed to be lost for words as he took in the unfamiliar sight of this version of Danae and stuttered through his greeting to her.
In fact, was that… blush appearing on his cheeks?
The Stravos girl instantly scowled at this, completely unwilling to play whatever game Rafail thought he was pulling into with his sort of action. Had she been a stupid girl like her cousin Emilia, the blush would be interpreted as stirrings of Rafail’s heart, hidden beneath his skin. Luckily, Danae was the furthest thing from Emilia and knew from all their previous encounters that the boy held nothing, but loathing for her. Whatever he was doing, she quickly rationalized it away as some sort of new strategy to embarrass her and she was determined not to fall for it. That much she made clear by her stiff answer, “ Thank you, Lord Rafail.” Danae managed to say through gritted teeth. The sixteen-year-old was clearly loathing to mutter any words of kindness to the one person she hated most. There was no genuine gratitude behind what she said and there never would be when it came to the likes of him.
What she didn’t know though was that it wasn’t any sort of strategy by Rafail. Truthfully, she gave him far too much credit in that regard. No, instead it was just him being momentarily confused by the striking resemblance that the sixteen-year-old had with his late mother and Danae’s aunt, Justana of Stravos. As the woman was Keikelius’s sister, it was unsurprising that the girl looked like the deceased relative, but Danae was completely unaware of how similar the two were in appearance. Though this wasn’t entirely her fault. As the woman had died several years before Danae’s birth, she had never been able to see with her own eyes how strong the resemblance was between her and the late Marikas matriarch. Those who knew her Aunt Justana commented on it, of course, but their words were meaningless to a girl whose own mind had long ago convinced her that any comments made about her appearance were solely done out of pity; and there was nothing more pitiful than comparing the ugly duckling of a family to a dead woman.
Regardless of what the reasoning might be, Danae was all too aware of how the actions of Rafail might be misinterpreted… especially by the older woman nearby who seemed all too eager to marry Danae off. Her curt statement would surely not be enough to curtail any motivations from her mother, so Danae felt a sudden need to make it plainly clear to Rafail that whatever trick he was playing would not work on her this evening and it did not take her long to find both the opportunity and the right thing to say as a new participant joined the conversation; her elder brother Elias.
While Circenia had her back turned to the pair, Danae hissed a simple statement to Rafail, “ Though I guess I do not compare to the shapeliness of my sister, do I, Lord Rafail?” Her eyes flashed dangerously at the man, making it clear that there would be hell to pay if he tried to insult her here in front of her mother and brother. Yet, her words were surely effective in making it clear that whatever he was trying to do, she would not fall for it. After all, she was quoting his own words from that dinner all those months ago, the one where his Aunt Ivra had assaulted him for his cruel words. This event may be about presenting the Stravos family perfection, but Danae was not above ruining it if Rafail tried anything ridiculous. After all, her anger for him outweighed any reason she had. He was just that detestable to her.
However, before things could escalate, Circenia turned to address the court and reassure them that all was well in Athenia. She had to suppress an eyeroll at her reasoning though. Elias was the furthest thing from Athenia’s savior or at least he was in her eyes. That much Danae made clear from a pointed glare at the man as their mother lauded her praises onto her favorite son. She was about ready to gag honestly when the whole thing was done, but that was easily rectified by Danae moving away from Raf and towards him, just to hiss at him; “ You know if you showed up even a minute later, she would have killed you, right?”
Although it seemed to be nothing more than harmless banter between siblings, it carried a quiet warning to him --though if he was smart enough to pick up on it was a matter that was not to be addressed here. He may be his mother’s favorite, but he was not spared from her rage if he continued to mess things up. He was certainly not spared from Danae’s who had very quickly grown tired of her brother’s lack of action, but could not address that at such a public event. Or perhaps she was reading too much into her own words again. Maybe Elias wouldn’t notice at all and accidentally set Danae off in a rage as he treated her words like the sibling banter that it was disguised as.
Between her mother, Rafail, and now Elias; it was going to be a miracle if Danae somehow managed to not lose her cool.
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Danae of Stravos was not the kind of girl who enjoyed events like this. Her family knew full well that the youngest Stravos would much rather pluck out every strand of hair on her head, one by one, than make an appearance at the palati. However, her mother was not one to be moved by desperate tears and bloody scalps. Circenia had made it clear in no uncertain terms that Danae was to be there with the rest of her family or else face a slow and excruciating death at the hands of the woman who brought her into this world. The Stravos daughter may be stubborn and defiant, but even she knew that this was not a battle she would win. So, she was here. Granted it was against her will, but she was here.
As uncomfortable as she was, Danae couldn’t help, but relax just a bit when she caught sight of her mother’s smile when the youngest Stravos made her way over to her. As estranged as the two may be with their equally prickly personalities, Danae still knew Circenia well enough to tell when her expressions were genuine and there was no mistaking that grin on her mother’s face. Circenia was clearly proud of her daughter and how not only had she appeared at the event; but had clearly put some effort into her appearance for once. That, in turn, caused a bit of pride to rise in Danae as well. After all, she may push her mother away, but she was desperate for any sort of acknowledgment from the woman that she was doing well. That’s why Danae was so prone to shutting others out. She had long ago taught herself --wrongly, though she may not know it -- that it was easier to not let people in. It was easier to not disappoint people when she did this.
So, the girl practically glowed in the silent approval from her mother. Danae quietly ducked her own head to keep back a girlish, giddy grin of her own as Circenia reaffirmed what her daughter could see. “ Thank you, mother.” She murmured in response, “ It’s all Chara’s work.” Her cheeks burned a bright red from her mother’s praise as the sixteen-year-olds insecurities unknowingly prevented her from basking alone in the compliment. Instead, the uncomfortable feeling that had settled in her chest from not being used to these kinds of words was passed over to her sister. Granted, Chara did deserve some praise as Danae had no sense of style, much to her family’s chagrin, but still… little things like a smile and an affirmation that she looked beautiful would do wonders in helping the girl to break down the walls that she had long ago put up around herself.
However, all good things must come to an end. Danae prickled at her mother’s next words; her grin falling quickly as her mother mentioned a certain topic that Danae was not fond of speaking of. Marriage. Granted, her mother’s words were joking, even her serious daughter could see that, but the whole topic was so uncomfortable for the girl that she visibly stiffened at the prospect of having multiple proposals at the end of the night. It was bad enough that she was currently uncomfortable in her own skin, she didn’t want to have to contend with this forbidden topic as well.
“ Let us hope not. I’m sure Chara would be displeased to see her sister a blushing bride before her.”Danae managed to say awkwardly. The mention of Chara was purposeful. It was her way of reminding her mother that Danae was not the daughter that should be the center of marriage jokes. Not when her sister was ten years her senior and still unmarried. Having Danae married off before her would be considered improper and given how uncomfortable the littlest Stravos was with the subject, she would do everything in her power to remind her mother of that fact in the hopes that it would save Danae. Granted, the girl knew that marriage was an inevitability. Girls of her standing in life did not die old spinsters. It just simply wasn’t done. Yet the prospect of marrying was scary to Danae as it meant that she would no longer be a Stravos. She would be a member of her husband’s house and everything she had worked for would be gone overnight. That included her secret enterprise which would undoubtedly crumble overnight as no man, noble or common, would be keen on letting their wife run a financial empire behind everyone’s backs. No, she’d be regulated to homemaker and mother; roles she had rejected for years. Marriage was not a wonderful thing in the eyes of Danae. It was a horrible monstrosity that ruined everything she had ever known. Jokes or not, it was a forbidden topic for Danae with good reason. Her mother knew this.
As these instinctually panicked thoughts arose in her mind, Danae attempted to tune out the rest of the conversation between her mother and Lady Vasia. She overheard snippets, of course, such as the mention of Hebe’s young age and inquiries to where her failure of a brother was. It was a tense moment of conversation, but luckily the young Stravos’s input was not needed. Instead, she listened quietly as her mother put forth her skills in charisma in an effort to deflect the touchy subjects of Elias and Emilia. It was truly impressive how eloquently Circenia was able to put together answers that were reassuring, but ultimately meant nothing. This was a talent that Danae had yet to master and even as she brought her own pounding heart rate down, she couldn’t help, but flash her mother the slightest knowing grin.
As talented as her mother was though, it seemed to be for naught as the Lady Vasia seemed to be just as shrewd as the older woman was skillful. The Antonis clearly did not fall for the web spun by Circenia and was not subtle in her veiled declaration of doing so. The tension that it brought was so thick that Danae was sure that it could have been sliced with a knife… that was until another face appeared before them from the crowd; someone that Danae would have rather not seen this evening.
Rafail of Marikas.
This man who had practically sauntered over to the group was easily the one person that Danae hated most in this world. Her anger for the braggart outshone her dislike of her siblings by nearly a thousand times and it was thanks solely to the man’s attitude. He was nearing thirty, older than Chara, and yet he acted as if he was her own age. Rafail was a partier and the court whore, seemingly thinking little of who his next conquest would be and caring little for the hapless girl who fell into his bedsheets at night. He was disgusting, callous, and disrespectful to a fault as the majority of their conversations centered around how miserable Danae was and how that made her inherently ugly in the eyes of men like him. Not to mention instances like their forced meal with Lady Ivra where he had demanded that she refill his wine goblet after proclaiming her sister to be the better sister because she put out. He had been slapped for that, of course. You can’t just treat the daughter of the richest man in Greece as a common servant, after all; but it was a clear indication of what made up this boy’s character. Danae wanted nothing to do with it.
She once again visibly stiffened as he approached, turning her body away from as a sign that he was not welcome to be near her… but when would that sort of thing ever stop a poor excuse of a man from doing what he wanted? Danae stood there, face red in absolute rage as she had to quietly tolerate his presence while he lauded praises on her mother and Lady Vasia. Luckily, for her, he seemed to take the hint at first that she did not want to speak with him… until he seemed to run out of things to say to the others and was forced to address her. Danae turned to him with an unamused expression on her face, clearly eager to get these forced pleasantries out of the way so they could both return to ignoring each other’s presence.
However, something strange seemed to happen to Rafail as he caught sight of her in the fancy plumage that her sister had put her into for the evening. The man who was always so quick to insult and hurt seemed to be lost for words as he took in the unfamiliar sight of this version of Danae and stuttered through his greeting to her.
In fact, was that… blush appearing on his cheeks?
The Stravos girl instantly scowled at this, completely unwilling to play whatever game Rafail thought he was pulling into with his sort of action. Had she been a stupid girl like her cousin Emilia, the blush would be interpreted as stirrings of Rafail’s heart, hidden beneath his skin. Luckily, Danae was the furthest thing from Emilia and knew from all their previous encounters that the boy held nothing, but loathing for her. Whatever he was doing, she quickly rationalized it away as some sort of new strategy to embarrass her and she was determined not to fall for it. That much she made clear by her stiff answer, “ Thank you, Lord Rafail.” Danae managed to say through gritted teeth. The sixteen-year-old was clearly loathing to mutter any words of kindness to the one person she hated most. There was no genuine gratitude behind what she said and there never would be when it came to the likes of him.
What she didn’t know though was that it wasn’t any sort of strategy by Rafail. Truthfully, she gave him far too much credit in that regard. No, instead it was just him being momentarily confused by the striking resemblance that the sixteen-year-old had with his late mother and Danae’s aunt, Justana of Stravos. As the woman was Keikelius’s sister, it was unsurprising that the girl looked like the deceased relative, but Danae was completely unaware of how similar the two were in appearance. Though this wasn’t entirely her fault. As the woman had died several years before Danae’s birth, she had never been able to see with her own eyes how strong the resemblance was between her and the late Marikas matriarch. Those who knew her Aunt Justana commented on it, of course, but their words were meaningless to a girl whose own mind had long ago convinced her that any comments made about her appearance were solely done out of pity; and there was nothing more pitiful than comparing the ugly duckling of a family to a dead woman.
Regardless of what the reasoning might be, Danae was all too aware of how the actions of Rafail might be misinterpreted… especially by the older woman nearby who seemed all too eager to marry Danae off. Her curt statement would surely not be enough to curtail any motivations from her mother, so Danae felt a sudden need to make it plainly clear to Rafail that whatever trick he was playing would not work on her this evening and it did not take her long to find both the opportunity and the right thing to say as a new participant joined the conversation; her elder brother Elias.
While Circenia had her back turned to the pair, Danae hissed a simple statement to Rafail, “ Though I guess I do not compare to the shapeliness of my sister, do I, Lord Rafail?” Her eyes flashed dangerously at the man, making it clear that there would be hell to pay if he tried to insult her here in front of her mother and brother. Yet, her words were surely effective in making it clear that whatever he was trying to do, she would not fall for it. After all, she was quoting his own words from that dinner all those months ago, the one where his Aunt Ivra had assaulted him for his cruel words. This event may be about presenting the Stravos family perfection, but Danae was not above ruining it if Rafail tried anything ridiculous. After all, her anger for him outweighed any reason she had. He was just that detestable to her.
However, before things could escalate, Circenia turned to address the court and reassure them that all was well in Athenia. She had to suppress an eyeroll at her reasoning though. Elias was the furthest thing from Athenia’s savior or at least he was in her eyes. That much Danae made clear from a pointed glare at the man as their mother lauded her praises onto her favorite son. She was about ready to gag honestly when the whole thing was done, but that was easily rectified by Danae moving away from Raf and towards him, just to hiss at him; “ You know if you showed up even a minute later, she would have killed you, right?”
Although it seemed to be nothing more than harmless banter between siblings, it carried a quiet warning to him --though if he was smart enough to pick up on it was a matter that was not to be addressed here. He may be his mother’s favorite, but he was not spared from her rage if he continued to mess things up. He was certainly not spared from Danae’s who had very quickly grown tired of her brother’s lack of action, but could not address that at such a public event. Or perhaps she was reading too much into her own words again. Maybe Elias wouldn’t notice at all and accidentally set Danae off in a rage as he treated her words like the sibling banter that it was disguised as.
Between her mother, Rafail, and now Elias; it was going to be a miracle if Danae somehow managed to not lose her cool.
Danae of Stravos was not the kind of girl who enjoyed events like this. Her family knew full well that the youngest Stravos would much rather pluck out every strand of hair on her head, one by one, than make an appearance at the palati. However, her mother was not one to be moved by desperate tears and bloody scalps. Circenia had made it clear in no uncertain terms that Danae was to be there with the rest of her family or else face a slow and excruciating death at the hands of the woman who brought her into this world. The Stravos daughter may be stubborn and defiant, but even she knew that this was not a battle she would win. So, she was here. Granted it was against her will, but she was here.
As uncomfortable as she was, Danae couldn’t help, but relax just a bit when she caught sight of her mother’s smile when the youngest Stravos made her way over to her. As estranged as the two may be with their equally prickly personalities, Danae still knew Circenia well enough to tell when her expressions were genuine and there was no mistaking that grin on her mother’s face. Circenia was clearly proud of her daughter and how not only had she appeared at the event; but had clearly put some effort into her appearance for once. That, in turn, caused a bit of pride to rise in Danae as well. After all, she may push her mother away, but she was desperate for any sort of acknowledgment from the woman that she was doing well. That’s why Danae was so prone to shutting others out. She had long ago taught herself --wrongly, though she may not know it -- that it was easier to not let people in. It was easier to not disappoint people when she did this.
So, the girl practically glowed in the silent approval from her mother. Danae quietly ducked her own head to keep back a girlish, giddy grin of her own as Circenia reaffirmed what her daughter could see. “ Thank you, mother.” She murmured in response, “ It’s all Chara’s work.” Her cheeks burned a bright red from her mother’s praise as the sixteen-year-olds insecurities unknowingly prevented her from basking alone in the compliment. Instead, the uncomfortable feeling that had settled in her chest from not being used to these kinds of words was passed over to her sister. Granted, Chara did deserve some praise as Danae had no sense of style, much to her family’s chagrin, but still… little things like a smile and an affirmation that she looked beautiful would do wonders in helping the girl to break down the walls that she had long ago put up around herself.
However, all good things must come to an end. Danae prickled at her mother’s next words; her grin falling quickly as her mother mentioned a certain topic that Danae was not fond of speaking of. Marriage. Granted, her mother’s words were joking, even her serious daughter could see that, but the whole topic was so uncomfortable for the girl that she visibly stiffened at the prospect of having multiple proposals at the end of the night. It was bad enough that she was currently uncomfortable in her own skin, she didn’t want to have to contend with this forbidden topic as well.
“ Let us hope not. I’m sure Chara would be displeased to see her sister a blushing bride before her.”Danae managed to say awkwardly. The mention of Chara was purposeful. It was her way of reminding her mother that Danae was not the daughter that should be the center of marriage jokes. Not when her sister was ten years her senior and still unmarried. Having Danae married off before her would be considered improper and given how uncomfortable the littlest Stravos was with the subject, she would do everything in her power to remind her mother of that fact in the hopes that it would save Danae. Granted, the girl knew that marriage was an inevitability. Girls of her standing in life did not die old spinsters. It just simply wasn’t done. Yet the prospect of marrying was scary to Danae as it meant that she would no longer be a Stravos. She would be a member of her husband’s house and everything she had worked for would be gone overnight. That included her secret enterprise which would undoubtedly crumble overnight as no man, noble or common, would be keen on letting their wife run a financial empire behind everyone’s backs. No, she’d be regulated to homemaker and mother; roles she had rejected for years. Marriage was not a wonderful thing in the eyes of Danae. It was a horrible monstrosity that ruined everything she had ever known. Jokes or not, it was a forbidden topic for Danae with good reason. Her mother knew this.
As these instinctually panicked thoughts arose in her mind, Danae attempted to tune out the rest of the conversation between her mother and Lady Vasia. She overheard snippets, of course, such as the mention of Hebe’s young age and inquiries to where her failure of a brother was. It was a tense moment of conversation, but luckily the young Stravos’s input was not needed. Instead, she listened quietly as her mother put forth her skills in charisma in an effort to deflect the touchy subjects of Elias and Emilia. It was truly impressive how eloquently Circenia was able to put together answers that were reassuring, but ultimately meant nothing. This was a talent that Danae had yet to master and even as she brought her own pounding heart rate down, she couldn’t help, but flash her mother the slightest knowing grin.
As talented as her mother was though, it seemed to be for naught as the Lady Vasia seemed to be just as shrewd as the older woman was skillful. The Antonis clearly did not fall for the web spun by Circenia and was not subtle in her veiled declaration of doing so. The tension that it brought was so thick that Danae was sure that it could have been sliced with a knife… that was until another face appeared before them from the crowd; someone that Danae would have rather not seen this evening.
Rafail of Marikas.
This man who had practically sauntered over to the group was easily the one person that Danae hated most in this world. Her anger for the braggart outshone her dislike of her siblings by nearly a thousand times and it was thanks solely to the man’s attitude. He was nearing thirty, older than Chara, and yet he acted as if he was her own age. Rafail was a partier and the court whore, seemingly thinking little of who his next conquest would be and caring little for the hapless girl who fell into his bedsheets at night. He was disgusting, callous, and disrespectful to a fault as the majority of their conversations centered around how miserable Danae was and how that made her inherently ugly in the eyes of men like him. Not to mention instances like their forced meal with Lady Ivra where he had demanded that she refill his wine goblet after proclaiming her sister to be the better sister because she put out. He had been slapped for that, of course. You can’t just treat the daughter of the richest man in Greece as a common servant, after all; but it was a clear indication of what made up this boy’s character. Danae wanted nothing to do with it.
She once again visibly stiffened as he approached, turning her body away from as a sign that he was not welcome to be near her… but when would that sort of thing ever stop a poor excuse of a man from doing what he wanted? Danae stood there, face red in absolute rage as she had to quietly tolerate his presence while he lauded praises on her mother and Lady Vasia. Luckily, for her, he seemed to take the hint at first that she did not want to speak with him… until he seemed to run out of things to say to the others and was forced to address her. Danae turned to him with an unamused expression on her face, clearly eager to get these forced pleasantries out of the way so they could both return to ignoring each other’s presence.
However, something strange seemed to happen to Rafail as he caught sight of her in the fancy plumage that her sister had put her into for the evening. The man who was always so quick to insult and hurt seemed to be lost for words as he took in the unfamiliar sight of this version of Danae and stuttered through his greeting to her.
In fact, was that… blush appearing on his cheeks?
The Stravos girl instantly scowled at this, completely unwilling to play whatever game Rafail thought he was pulling into with his sort of action. Had she been a stupid girl like her cousin Emilia, the blush would be interpreted as stirrings of Rafail’s heart, hidden beneath his skin. Luckily, Danae was the furthest thing from Emilia and knew from all their previous encounters that the boy held nothing, but loathing for her. Whatever he was doing, she quickly rationalized it away as some sort of new strategy to embarrass her and she was determined not to fall for it. That much she made clear by her stiff answer, “ Thank you, Lord Rafail.” Danae managed to say through gritted teeth. The sixteen-year-old was clearly loathing to mutter any words of kindness to the one person she hated most. There was no genuine gratitude behind what she said and there never would be when it came to the likes of him.
What she didn’t know though was that it wasn’t any sort of strategy by Rafail. Truthfully, she gave him far too much credit in that regard. No, instead it was just him being momentarily confused by the striking resemblance that the sixteen-year-old had with his late mother and Danae’s aunt, Justana of Stravos. As the woman was Keikelius’s sister, it was unsurprising that the girl looked like the deceased relative, but Danae was completely unaware of how similar the two were in appearance. Though this wasn’t entirely her fault. As the woman had died several years before Danae’s birth, she had never been able to see with her own eyes how strong the resemblance was between her and the late Marikas matriarch. Those who knew her Aunt Justana commented on it, of course, but their words were meaningless to a girl whose own mind had long ago convinced her that any comments made about her appearance were solely done out of pity; and there was nothing more pitiful than comparing the ugly duckling of a family to a dead woman.
Regardless of what the reasoning might be, Danae was all too aware of how the actions of Rafail might be misinterpreted… especially by the older woman nearby who seemed all too eager to marry Danae off. Her curt statement would surely not be enough to curtail any motivations from her mother, so Danae felt a sudden need to make it plainly clear to Rafail that whatever trick he was playing would not work on her this evening and it did not take her long to find both the opportunity and the right thing to say as a new participant joined the conversation; her elder brother Elias.
While Circenia had her back turned to the pair, Danae hissed a simple statement to Rafail, “ Though I guess I do not compare to the shapeliness of my sister, do I, Lord Rafail?” Her eyes flashed dangerously at the man, making it clear that there would be hell to pay if he tried to insult her here in front of her mother and brother. Yet, her words were surely effective in making it clear that whatever he was trying to do, she would not fall for it. After all, she was quoting his own words from that dinner all those months ago, the one where his Aunt Ivra had assaulted him for his cruel words. This event may be about presenting the Stravos family perfection, but Danae was not above ruining it if Rafail tried anything ridiculous. After all, her anger for him outweighed any reason she had. He was just that detestable to her.
However, before things could escalate, Circenia turned to address the court and reassure them that all was well in Athenia. She had to suppress an eyeroll at her reasoning though. Elias was the furthest thing from Athenia’s savior or at least he was in her eyes. That much Danae made clear from a pointed glare at the man as their mother lauded her praises onto her favorite son. She was about ready to gag honestly when the whole thing was done, but that was easily rectified by Danae moving away from Raf and towards him, just to hiss at him; “ You know if you showed up even a minute later, she would have killed you, right?”
Although it seemed to be nothing more than harmless banter between siblings, it carried a quiet warning to him --though if he was smart enough to pick up on it was a matter that was not to be addressed here. He may be his mother’s favorite, but he was not spared from her rage if he continued to mess things up. He was certainly not spared from Danae’s who had very quickly grown tired of her brother’s lack of action, but could not address that at such a public event. Or perhaps she was reading too much into her own words again. Maybe Elias wouldn’t notice at all and accidentally set Danae off in a rage as he treated her words like the sibling banter that it was disguised as.
Between her mother, Rafail, and now Elias; it was going to be a miracle if Danae somehow managed to not lose her cool.