Therin Shahrizai de Leveque
Aristocrat
Future Comte de Leveque; House Shahrizai
Son of Noctis and Lucretia Shahrizai de Leveque
Posts: 153
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Post by Therin Shahrizai de Leveque on Nov 15, 2009 23:47:02 GMT -5
I walked up to the entrance of Kushiel's temple, I had a offering and incense in hand. I needed some peace. This was not my first time here, but I always felt a little better when I left, even if it only lasted for a few months.
I told the acolyte my troubles. My heart and mind still ached with the loss of my friend. Watching him suffer was almost as bad as his actual death.
I burnt incense and pleaded with Kushiel for either answers or at least a ease of mind. I was then lead away, a short whipping was in order. The pain healed more than anything else. I simply went through the steps because they were required. This was the only place where I allowed someone to touch me with a lash. Unlike some of my cousins I did not enjoy pain in the slightest in the bedroom. But, here, it was cleansing. At least I could share some of Lucis suffering, even if it did not help him.
When all was said and done I made my way back toward the common area. I would sit again, my mind a little more at peace. The smell of the temple incense relaxing me.
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Nov 16, 2009 13:27:52 GMT -5
I don't know really what always drew me to Kushiel's Temple. Back home father had dragged me there every week, ostensibly to do penance for my many and varied wrongs, but I think he just enjoyed knowing how I hated it.
It was different here, though. I found a kind of peace when I walked through the doors that I usually only found when riding, and since I could not ride all the time, this was another way of finding a bit of calm in the storm that was my mind.
I never spoke to the priests or acolytes, however, preferring to find a comfortable place to sit and just be, a place where my acquaintances never found me. Even Sarielle never seemed to come here, so it was the perfect haven.
Today I was sitting and thinking, mostly about Azriel and the many things he'd given me to ponder, when I saw a face that caused me to do a double take. I didn't know many of my kin before I came here, but I did know some. As much as my father was reclusive, even he had been known to offer his hospitality occasionally or partake of the hospitality of others. I squinted a bit, trying not to stare, in case I was wrong. One Shahrizai could be much like another, of course, with our common hair and eye colors. No, that was definitely him.
Rising with a sinuous grace from my seat near the door, I walked over to him and grinned. "Therin?" I didn't wait for a response, just continued on, "How are you? I haven't seen you in ages! When did you get to the City?" Here I paused, as I felt it might be nice of me to let him get a word in edgewise.
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Therin Shahrizai de Leveque
Aristocrat
Future Comte de Leveque; House Shahrizai
Son of Noctis and Lucretia Shahrizai de Leveque
Posts: 153
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Post by Therin Shahrizai de Leveque on Nov 17, 2009 12:02:54 GMT -5
I was lost in my thoughts, my burning back distracting me enough to remind me not to let them go to dark. I heard a voice and looked up to see an old friend who greeted me with many questions.
I was done with this place so I stood and gave her a hug before answering any questions.
"It is good to see you too Naia. I am as well as I can be I suppose and we have only been here a few months. My father has been up to something but I know not what. How have you been doing?"
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Nov 23, 2009 0:49:16 GMT -5
Therin rose and enfolded me in a hug and I gave him a squeeze before stepping back to respond to him.
"Oh, well enough I suppose." I shrugged a little and smiled. "You've been here a few months and I'm just now seeing you? Maybe Sarielle's right, I do need to get out more." And out of Night's Doorstep once in awhile, though I kept that to myself. Plenty of time to drag Therin into trouble later.
It suddenly occurred to me that he was a close cousin of Gadleon's and I grabbed his arm and began to lead him back to the spot where I had been sitting, keen to gossip.
"So, you know your cousin Gadleon? Guess who he's courting. Go on, guess!" I said, practically pushing him onto the divan by the window and then sitting cross-legged across from him.
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Therin Shahrizai de Leveque
Aristocrat
Future Comte de Leveque; House Shahrizai
Son of Noctis and Lucretia Shahrizai de Leveque
Posts: 153
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Post by Therin Shahrizai de Leveque on Nov 23, 2009 23:57:00 GMT -5
I had not had much chance to be out myself in these last months, so it was not really Naia's fault. I mentioned this to her as she dragged me toward another spot in the temple. I went with her, a little amused by her eagerness. It was a nice change from the drool that is at home.
I had not had a chance to run across Gadleon yet so I was very interested to hear that he was courting someone. "I will admit that me and Gad have been a little out of touch. If it's someone from the city then I wouldn't know where to start guessing. I need to get out more too I think."
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Nov 24, 2009 21:37:10 GMT -5
I paused for effect, then grinned widely. "My sister! He spends more time at our house than his own, I'd wager." I didn't mention my own little liasion with Gadleon, as the way it had fallen out was not exactly flattering.
"Oh, and we have some other cousins staying with us, twins, Erie and Eros, do you know them?"
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Therin Shahrizai de Leveque
Aristocrat
Future Comte de Leveque; House Shahrizai
Son of Noctis and Lucretia Shahrizai de Leveque
Posts: 153
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Post by Therin Shahrizai de Leveque on Nov 29, 2009 19:26:43 GMT -5
It had been some time since I had seen either Naia or Sarielle, I tried to imagine Gad with Sarielle for a moment. I supposed that it was a relationship that would work out. I did not spend to much time thinking on it though, since such thoughts always went downhill for me.
I had seen the twins at some Shahrizai gatherings, or at least I think I had. There were not a lot of twins in the family so most likely they were the individuals I was thinking of. However, I had not really made acquaintances with them.
"Not really," I said, "it sounds like you two have a full household then."
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Nov 30, 2009 21:37:16 GMT -5
I nodded vigorously, my dark curls bobbing around my shoulders as I did so. "Yes, though luckily Sarielle's place has plenty of room."
Speaking about the house being crowded got me to thinking, and I smiled over at Therin and mused aloud, "I wonder if it might not be time for me to get my own place..."
I leaned back and considered, adding with a grin, "Of course, then Sarielle won't be paying all the bills!"
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Therin Shahrizai de Leveque
Aristocrat
Future Comte de Leveque; House Shahrizai
Son of Noctis and Lucretia Shahrizai de Leveque
Posts: 153
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Post by Therin Shahrizai de Leveque on Nov 30, 2009 23:24:04 GMT -5
I thought for a moment about Naia's request. "I would say move out if you are living under the hand of someone else. But, if you are free to move about then staying could keep things easier." I had not seen the two sisters together for quite some time so I did not know what their relationship currently was like.
With a sigh that showed annoyance to my own situation I said, "I wonder what my father would say if I moved out. Its not like I have to live there to gain his land when he finally rides himself to the grave."
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Dec 1, 2009 0:12:40 GMT -5
I thought about that for a moment. While I had my issues with Sarielle, she certainly did not bother to concern herself with my comings and goings. Ostensibly I liked that about her, but a part of me was hurt that she could not be bothered to care. I did not wish to pursue that line of questioning, so I turned my attention instead to Therin's remarks.
It seemed that I was not the only one with parental issues. Were the Shahrizai just incapable of raising a child properly? "Good point. The City is an amazing place to live, and like you said, you don't need to live on the land to inherit it. Just ask Sarielle." That last came out with a little more vitriol than I planned, but I had to admit that it galled me that she inherited everything when she hadn't even been home in seven years.
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Therin Shahrizai de Leveque
Aristocrat
Future Comte de Leveque; House Shahrizai
Son of Noctis and Lucretia Shahrizai de Leveque
Posts: 153
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Post by Therin Shahrizai de Leveque on Dec 8, 2009 11:50:45 GMT -5
I couldn't help but to smile a little at Naia's comment. Being the second born would be pretty unpleasant in its own way. Assuming my father isn't dealing in ways that would have us all living in the streets my siblings would probably fair the same. He was very big on tradition. Though if I left for 7 years he would probably change his mind. I at least could share with my sisters. There was plenty to keep the 3 of us comfortable without having to depend on each other. I didn't really want those two bothering me on a daily basis for the rest of my life eather.
"You'd think that she would care enough to let you have a little something to call your own. If I have my memories straight your family has always done quite well."
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Dec 8, 2009 12:56:37 GMT -5
“You would think,” I replied sourly. I actually hadn’t thought about it overly much, but now I was beginning to get a bit irritated at the entire situation. Here she was, living in the City for years, while I helped father keep up with the estate, and now she had inherited everything, and I nothing! The unfairness of it made my stomach twist uncomfortably and I had to force the smile back onto my face.
“Well, I suppose it is the lot of the second child, isn’t it? I shall have to run off and marry someone well-to-do if I want to have anything.” I rolled my eyes at the thought. “Hopefully someone well-to-do and not completely insufferable.”
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Therin Shahrizai de Leveque
Aristocrat
Future Comte de Leveque; House Shahrizai
Son of Noctis and Lucretia Shahrizai de Leveque
Posts: 153
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Post by Therin Shahrizai de Leveque on Dec 10, 2009 22:22:46 GMT -5
I laughed a little at her reply, a laugh at the irony of the system, not one of amusement.
"I guess that is how the peerage turns," I said. It really doesn't make much sense though. There are not enough first borns to marry every second, third, and so on. A little twist of fate doesn't tell which child would be best at caring for a families estate either."
I decided then that I would do right by ny sisters. It would also make things easier on myself. It really was a logical move, to bad Sarielle didn't see it. I would have to ask her about it the next time I see her.
"This temple is not the most exciting place to hang out. I think we could find more interesting places to talk."
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Dec 10, 2009 23:27:34 GMT -5
I couldn't have agreed with him more, but of course who could argue with the way things had been done for centuries? I sighed, feeling sour suddenly.
I perked up at Therin's suggestion of finding somewhere more interesting to talk and I grinned over at him.
"What did you have in mind?"
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Therin Shahrizai de Leveque
Aristocrat
Future Comte de Leveque; House Shahrizai
Son of Noctis and Lucretia Shahrizai de Leveque
Posts: 153
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Post by Therin Shahrizai de Leveque on Dec 19, 2009 1:34:23 GMT -5
I thought, at first the local bars came to mind, but I was not really in the mood for a drink. I realized then that I had not yet visited Valerian, though of course I had heard much about it.
A slow smile spread across my face, one with a slight touch of hunger in it, "how about Valerian?" I asked. In truth it had been simply to long since I had enjoyed any physical pleasure. I always enjoyed myself more when one of my kin was around.
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Dec 26, 2009 23:55:14 GMT -5
"Valerian?" I said, feeling a bit intimidated at the thought. Of course, I had been there once for that auction, but hadn't even stayed long enough to see who had won. Well, why not?
I tucked a dark curl back behind my ear and smiled back at him. "Valerian it is, cousin. Though I have to admit that I have not yet visited that house." In fact, the only house of the Night Court I had visited was Mandrake, but I was not about to tell him that!
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Therin Shahrizai de Leveque
Aristocrat
Future Comte de Leveque; House Shahrizai
Son of Noctis and Lucretia Shahrizai de Leveque
Posts: 153
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Post by Therin Shahrizai de Leveque on Dec 30, 2009 13:41:30 GMT -5
I stood up and offered her my arm. "Do not worry, it is my first time as well. I am sure we can both find ways to entertain ourselves there. It is, after all, the adepts job to be an expert, not ours."
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