Tea with Family: Ana, Eros & Erie

[Jareth d’Aiglemort]

At this point I elected to follow suit of the other male in the room and thus I remained silent.

[Eros Shahrizai de Amodour]

I would have clapped excitedly had I not been holding my tea.
"Really?!" I replied eager as I glanced to Erie who simply rolled his eyes before I looked back at Anacrasia.
"I would love to." I added with exhuberance. "Thank you so much."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

Her reaction made me smile, happily and honestly. Sometimes family could be the biggest pain in the rear, and other times they could be like this. "You're welcome. I'd love to have a second opinion," I replied. "And we can have a nice girl's day out."

[Erie Shahrizai de Amodour]

I took this opportunity to turn and look at Jareth.
"We should have a girl's day out as well." I said to him with a mocking grin. "We can do our hair and wear pretty dresses."

[Eros Shahrizai de Amodour]

I narrowed my gaze at my brother and his tease before I rolled my eyes and shook my head before looking back to Anacrasia.
"Ignore my brother, I do." I then smiled, returning to the conversation. "And that would be wonderful, I can't wait."

[Jareth d’Aiglemort]

I batted my eyes at him and did my best to ignore the ladies “I draw the line at waxing your back just so you know.”

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

"Perfect," I replied with a smile. I ignored the boys, not wanting to encourage them. "May I refill anyone's cup?"

[Erie Shahrizai de Amodour]

I chuckled softly as I looked to the Duc, enjoying the fact we seemed to be on the same page as I glanced to Eros with a teasing smile.

[Eros Shahrizai de Amodour]

"Yes please." I said offering her my cup. "Your home is lovely Ana." I then said as I looked around. "I keep telling Erie that we should start looking for town homes now so that we'll have one in mind for when we make our majority." I glanced to him for a moment then back to Anacrasia.
"But he's not much into that idea."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

"Thank you dear," I said with a smile, putting my cup down to pour her another. "Not sure if you're going to want to stay in the City?" I asked Erie.

[Jareth d’Aiglemort]

I fell into comfortable silence and idly listened to the ladies chat. There was really not much to be added to the woman talk but at least with Erie about I had a male companion in the vigil.

[Erie Shahrizai de Amodour]

I shrugged a little and glanced from Jareth to Ana.
"I don't know." I replied honestly. "I've never liked the idea of being stuck in one place."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I handed Eros's cup back to her, and then poured myself more. "Will you be passing your title on to your sister then?" I inquired. I wasn't asking to be cruel, or to say he needed to settle down, I was merely being practical. The estate would need tending. If it wasn't Erie, it would have to be someone.

[Erie Shahrizai de Amodour]

I glanced to Eros but she stayed silent, her raised brow telling me I had to take this question myself.
"We've...we've talked about it." I said looking back to Anacrasia. "I don't think I'd make much of a nobleman, I don't have the head for it nor the skills. Eros is far more grounded then I." I looked to Eros again and she gave me an appologetic smile, she knew how much these thoughts grated on me.
"At the moment I'm set to inherit, but I have no designs on marriage of children; legally my title will pass to Eros' offspring and not mine."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I nodded when he finished. "That's acceptable. I'm glad to see the two of you are responsible enough to be practical about this," I said as I picked up my teacup again.

[Erie Shahrizai de Amodour]

Was it? Was it acceptable... practical? I had begun to question these things in the last few weeks. For the group I simply flashed a quick smile and then took a sip of my tea.

[Jareth d’Aiglemort]

The topic turned political and as always Ana was on top of things. I paid attention with some interest as now these matters were affecting me even if Ana and I had agreed to keep our estates and affairs separate. This in turn got my mind to wandering on to my niece who I had named to handle my affairs should something happen to me. It had been agreed that one of our children would tend to Ana’s side and one to mine, but well we had not even conceived children yet so it would be sometime before anyone reached majority.

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

Erie didn't look convinced, but obviously didn't want to talk about it further. And Jareth's mind was wandering. So feeling a little impish, I said, "Well Eros and I have bored you both with womanly talk. Is there a manly topic you two would like to discuss?"

[Erie Shahrizai de Amodour]

I didn't respond, comfortable with sipping my tea and falling silent with hopes that Jareth would come up with something.

[Jareth d’Aiglemort]

I rolled my eyes and picked up the ball a bit when things fell silent. The tact I took was not a complete change of topic but it at least started shifting things a bit in other directions. “I swear to the gods we could all get a lot more done if we did not have to spend so much time worrying about heirs and who inherits what upon another’s passing.” I smiled a bit “I know it is all relevant and needed but at times it is so cumbersome.” I let my gaze shift to Ana “which reminds me love at some point I am going to have to catch up with my niece who is at present my heir and discuss how are pending nuptials affect matters.” I just shook my head “see what I mean it all gets cumbersome.”

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I managed to only sniff at the mention of Lisette. And to think, she leached herself onto Gabriel. It didn't matter that I was mad at him, my cousin deserved better. Though he was probably doing it just to get back at me.

"At least you have a clearly designated heir my dear. I am not so lucky." I looked to the twins then. "Who would you choose?" It was a loaded question. Our family was wrought with illegitimate children, some acknowledged and many not. Questions of inheritance often got sticky for the smallest of holdings.

[Erie Shahrizai de Amodour]

I listened to the banter between Anacrasia and Jareth, fell sympathetic, and all I had to worry about was my small little holding, the only persona I'd ever have to deal with is Eros; their troubles were far broader then mine. I simply shrugged at Ana's question.
"I would suggest none of our family, they're all too busy bickering about inbreeding and who gets what." I murmured as I took a sip of my tea; I had little to say about the matter and was probably the worse person to ask, though I was sure Eros had an opinion.

[Eros Shahrizai de Amodour]

I had been listening to the conversation go back and forth, letting Erie take the lead and pleased that he had. In truth, I didn't mind the idea that Erie would one day decide he wanted to marry and have children, he had spent so long in his shell that I wanted him to come out of it and find some happiness. Besides, I knew he would take care of me, and I had hoped that I would be able to marry well myself; not that I was counting on it. My thoughts were too deep for the moment, so when Ana asked about heirs, I took the opportunity to say something a little more lively.
"I think you should choose me," I said very matter-of-factly, though I flashed a teasing smile. "After all, I'm probably one of the only people in the family that's not opposed to your marriage. Plus, I'm oh so pretty." I then gave Ana a large, pretty grin and batted my lashes playfully. Of course it didn't matter if she chose me; like my hopes for my brother, I hoped Anacrasia would simply be able to have her own children with Jareth and then the problem would be solved.

[Jareth d’Aiglemort]

I could see the look on Ana’s face and it amused me as I knew who she was thinking of. As if I would name -that- niece an heir. And so I simply added in mild tones “your thinking of the wrong niece love.” I then fell silent as I let her sort out matters with the twins. I knew one thing for sure and that was that I was not at all up to the task of diving into Shahrizai family politics.

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

Eros's reply made me laugh. "Well, since you're so pretty..." I teased back. "Hopefully in a couple of years we won't have to worry about such things." I glanced at Jareth then. No one but my fiance and Soleil knew that I had lit my candle. Hopefully it would take less than a couple of years to produce an heir.

[Jareth d’Aiglemort]

I simply smiled at Anacrasia when she looked at me. No need to let all of one’s secrets out in the open for all to poke and prod at.

[Jareth d’Aiglemort]

As things fell into ‘girl talk’ I did my best to seem attentive while not really listening as I found the topic so boring it could nearly bring tears to my eyes.

[Eros Shahrizai de Amodour]

I smiled gently.
"That would be wonderful, I'm sure Eisheth will bless you with many adorable children."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

"I pray that we will be blessed at least twice. I'm not sure about many though. I can envision Jareth with a pack of children about his knee, but I'm not sure about myself," I said with a jesting smile.

[Eros Shahrizai de Amodour]

I chuckled softly at Ana's words.
"A girl and a boy?" I asked curiously if she was hoping for a gender in particular.