Backposting: Nicole's 45th Natal Fete

[Azriel Shahrizai]

*** One Year Ago***

Damnit, what was I doing here? You're here for your sister remember... Right, Nicole.

"Come by Azzi, Lillianne and André are so excited to meet you! André thinks you are a figment of my imagination and I need to prove him wrong."

Oh Anael, Eisheth...Namaah what was I doing here? Right Nicole.

And there she stood, coming at me with open arms.

"Little brother." She called out embracing me. I held her back and smiled.

"Nicole." I said back giving her my unamused brother look but then gave way and smiled.
"Its good to see you big sister." She grinned.

"You came."

"Of course I came, it's your natal." I said as she guided me toward the salon, my trunks were being taken upstairs.

"Oh come on, you hate the City Azriel." She said giving me a raised brow.
"I had to threaten you to come here."

"Oh yes, I remember. "Dearest brother, if you do not venture to come see me. I will pack up my things and come to Marsilikos and will bring my whole house hold. I'll also be staying indefinately...." How could I forget." I chuckled.

"Well, I had to get you here some how." She teased. "But did you have to show up on the day of my natal fete. Couldn't you have shown up yesterday?" She turned and found a servant coming our way holding a tray of drinks. The festivities and already begun apparently. She handed my a drink and guided me further in.

"Yes." I said plainly and took the glass from her.

"Oh alright, come in and meet people." She said smiling and linking her arm on mine. She led us into the dinning room where a group of people were standing.

"Everyone, this is my brother Azriel Shahrizai. Azriel, this is the Comte Marcel de Manois and his wife the Comtesse Marié. This is Lord Pierre Ganoux and this is his daughter Patriece Ganoux." She smiled to me.
"Now if you don't mind I have to do find my daughter." She said turning away from me and walking away. I grabbed her forearm and pulled ber back.

"Don't you dare leave me here." I whispered harshly.

"Sorry, duty calls." She whispered back and winked walking away from me again. I released her arm and sighed turning back to the group.

[Lillianne Prévost]

It was my mother's forty fifth natale, and she was having a fete. I didn't used to mind these gathering, my governess would usually let me watch from the servants' door, even after I had made my appearance and was sent off to bed. I don't think they ever mentioned it to my mother. But I was fifteen now, and was supposed to be a young lady.

I suppose I wouldn't mind so much if I liked the people my mother had invited. Marie de Monois was nice, but her husband was a flake. And I despised Patriece, though I knew her father was a very good friend to my mother. She was just so transparent, and obviously thought that I wasn't worth her notice. Apparently eighteen years made her more proud than Azza.

So I was outside in the courtyard, hidden from the front door by a potted tree, and peering into the dining room through the glass door. I watched the stirrings of a new guest, and immediately knew three things: that this was my much anticipated Uncle Azriel, that he didn't want to be here, and that Mama was coming to fetch me. I sighed and extracted myself from my hiding place, smoothing the wrinkles out of my violet dress.

I went back inside the house so I could approach the dining from the opposite direction that my mother had left - so I could arrive before she could scold me outside of the hearing of our guests - and entered the room with little fuss. I smiled to them all as was polite, then turned my attention to the only one I hadn't greeted previously. "Hello, you must be my uncle," I said softly in a pause in the conversation.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I had been listening to the conversation of the Comtesse, she was speaking of a new store she had been to in the City and that she had heard that the matching pair of Courcel twins had visited. I was thinking about the implications when there was a voice at my side. I jumped softly and jerked my head toward the girly sound beside me.

"Hello." I said pulling back a little. She seemed too close. All children seemed too close no matter if they were kin or not.

"You must be my niece." I said then returned to my quiet silence.

[Lillianne Prévost]

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Patriece and her amusement at Azriel's obvious discomfort. I hoped he wouldn't see it. She was such a cow.

"May I call you Uncle?" I asked, since he didn't seem inclined to speak more. I shifted back, trying to take up as little room as possible.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I furrowed my brow but smiled a little.
"Only if you have to." I said pursing my lips and taking a drink. "So...you're a...a girl." I raised my brows trying not to seem rude, but I wasn't sure what sort of conversation to have with her. This seemed about the best.
"Hows that going for you."

[Lillianne Prévost]

"About as well as normal sir," I replied with a hint of a smile. "How is being a man?"

[Azriel Shahrizai]

"Good," I nodded. "Good." I glanced around from side to side.

"So, do you get to do these sorts of things often?" I asked still trying to bring up conversation pieces.

[Lillianne Prévost]

"I have been recently. My mother has decided it's time for me to be out in society," I replied with a smile. "Mother mentioned you've been traveling around Terre d'Ange?"

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I raised my brow in interest.
"Uh, yes." I said thinking for a moment. "I've been living in Marsilikos of most recent." I furrowed my brows thinking.
"How old are you?" How old was she?

[Lillianne Prévost]

"I'm fifteen sir," I replied. "I have heard much about Marilikos, do you like it there? I have always wanted to visit." He truly didn't remember my age. Mama had mentioned my uncle's head was in the clouds, but I thought she was exaggerating, like siblings tend to do.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

"Fifteen!" I replied eyes wide as I looked around a bit, truly surprised by her answer. Elua I thought she was ten! Boy I sure was absent wasn't I. I worried my lower lip a little trying to re count the last fifteen years to figure out where I had been.

"Yes, Marsilikos is quite a place. Very vibrant." I nodded taking a sip of my wine, which I truly detested. I prefered ale and occasionally cognac.
"I'm sure you'd like it there." I added absently.

[Lillianne Prévost]

"Perhaps we may visit sometime, if I can tear my mother away from her fabulous friends for a vacation," I said with a smile, indicating the others in the room. Marie smiled at me, and Patriece glared. It was about par for the course. "Speaking of Mother, I wonder where she has gotten to. Probably fetching Father no doubt." No doubt trying to find me.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

"Oh no no no no no." I said shaking my head. "On second thought, you won't like Marsilikos very much." I kept shaking my head, the fear of having them all stay at my small aparment was over whelming.

"Yes, too much crime, very dangerous."

[Lillianne Prévost]

I laughed, unable to help myself at the sudden panic my words invoked. "I'm sorry, you probably want your peace and quiet. Maybe in a few years I can come down by myself? I won't kick up a fuss." I smiled softly, and tried a different tactic. I didn't have enough family in wonderful places like Marsilikos, and I wanted to visit.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I released my anxiousness a bit and let out a small smile at the perceptive girl. My perceptive neice.

"Perhaps when you reach your majority," I offered with a shrug. "That seems fair."

[Lillianne Prévost]

My majority was forever and a half away, but I quelled my disappointment like usual. I had hoped for a year or two, not three. But at least he wasn't shooting down the idea immediately.

"Thank you sir," I said with a smile.

Just then, my mother arrived, Papa on her heels. "There you are sweetness," she said with a smile. "I see you've met your uncle. Azriel, you remember André..." I faded back as my mother took over, knowing it would be best if I just kept quiet.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I gave a slender smile to the girl then turned to see Nicole arrive.
"Yes, André, good to see you again. Though it's been many years." I said bowing to him, he bowed back and I looked at Nicole.

"Your daughter and I were speaking of Marsilikos." I said trying to think up something fast.

"Oh dear, you didn't invite yourself did you Lillianne." She said softly.

[Lillianne Prévost]

Uncle Azriel still hadn't said my name once, and then turned my mother on me. He was making it hard to like him.

"Yes Mama," I admitted softly, grateful that the other guests had drifted on to their own conversations. My mother gave me that significant look that told me I would be hearing about this later, and I felt guilty. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

"Oh no, no, no, no, no." I said waving my hand to Nicole and Lillianne. "No Nicole, its fine. I...I offered for her to come when she reaches majority." I said forcing a smile and feeling horrible for getting the young girl into trouble.

"She shouldn't have invited herself," Said Nicole firmly but softening as she looked at my niece.

"It really isn't a problem." I chuckled again. "The folly's of youth." I teased reaching out and rubbed Lillianne's head with my hand.
"Little scamp."

"Well, alright." Nicole gave me raised brow and pursed her lips a little but was soon smiling again.
"Lillianne is quite the student Azriel." She finally said.

"Oh?" I said smiling a bit awkwardly. This was where I hated people, people that talked about their children....Sometimes talking about them like their not there.
"What's your favourite subject?" I asked looking at Lillianne.

[Lillianne Prévost]

Little scamp?!? And a hair tousle? Well, at least he was trying to make up for tossing me at my mother. I smiled under their scrutiny, happy at least that I had a true invitation.

"I like math sir, keeping ledgers and the like," I replied with a smile at the thought. Numbers didn't lie.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I raised my brow...Math?
"Well, I have to admit Lillianne, I don't think we're in anyway related." I said smiling. "I hate math."

[Lillianne Prévost]

I giggled. "Mama does too," I replied, relaxing a little as everyone did, my mother smiling indulgently at my comment. "Papa says I got it from him. What is your favourite subject then?"

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I smiled to André, a man I new as much as I knew his daughter, then looked back to Lillianne.
"Well," I said glancing to Nicole then back to my niece. "I don't think I went to lessons enough to have a favorite subject, but I enjoyed combat....which I'm sure you don't take...and literature, reading and writting."

[Lillianne Prévost]

"Did you have to learn any languages?" I asked, wrinkling my nose at the thought. "Caerdicci was alright, but Ruskovian is really hard."

[Azriel Shahrizai]

"Uh, Caerdicci, Cruithne, and a bit of Aragonian." I said nodding as I recalled what I learnt.
"Ruskovia wasn't as prominent when I was growing up." I shrugged.

[Lillianne Prévost]

"It still isn't really now either, but Papa thinks it will be," I replied, my tone displaying how dubious I thought it was. Mostly because I found the language so difficult to learn. "Did you ever use any of your languages?"

My mother had been moving about the room, initiating settling down for the meal. I wondered if she would let me sit between Uncle Azriel and the Comtesse.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I nodded.
"Ah, but the Romanov's have sons. They may come to Terre d'Ange one day." I chuckled at the thought. I didn't think that they ever would come. Their family was a mystery for most and most thought them as only slightly less barbaric then the Skaldi.

"Marsilikos is a large port city, I wish I new more languages. I'd probably get int less fights." I chuckled then looked at André who gave me a raised brow.

"Not that I get into fights." I said looking back at my niece. "Not at all..."

[Lillianne Prévost]

"Of course not," I agreed, giggling at the looks my uncle and father had exchanged. "You just wished you knew more languages just for fun."

My mother arrived to usher us to our seats. "May I sit beside Uncle Azriel please Mama?" I asked, and I saw the quick glance she aimed in his direction.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I widened my eyes a little and then looked at Nicole. She had that look on her face like; come on little brother, do it for me. In which case I had to give in.

"Uh, I don't mind." I said with a shrug trying not to look petrified.

[Lillianne Prévost]

I'd never had siblings. Mama and Papa tried after I was born, but none of their babies had come to term. So I was jealous of those looks that my mother and uncle passed back and forth. But then Uncle Azriel agreed, and pleased thoughts overcame my envy. Mama smiled, and so did I.

"Wonderful then," she said. "Lilli, would you show Uncle Azriel where to sit?"

I nodded happily. "This way sir."