Reconnecting with Family

[Naia Shahrizai]

I'd heard that my cousins Raen and Leighton were in the City, and though I did not know them overly well, I remembered that I liked them, especially Leighton. I had been feeling restless since the party, steering clear of Azriel and everyone else I knew out of embarrassment. I was finding of late that my life was unsatisfactory to me, shallow and lacking purpose, and that I was becoming tired of it. I had thought that having Azriel as a friend would help, but I'd gone and ruined everything with him, and I was too cowardly to ask his forgiveness.

So I had gone first to the West Borough, to where I had heard they were staying, only to find their Grandfather, who reminded me so much of my father that I felt ten years old again and was thrilled to leave. He'd said Leighton had her own place in the South Borough, which surprised me, and then he'd invited me to Raen's wedding, which surprised me even more. I'd agreed to go, and then headed over to the place that he had given me directions to.

It was so much smaller that I was sure it couldn't be the right place, but the directions were pretty clear, so I decided to knock anyway. Heading up the short walkway, I rapped smartly on the door and hoped that I had the right place.

[Leighton Shahrizai]

If I'd had a tail, I'd have been lashing it.

I hated this house. Hated it with my utmost and livid passion. It was one floor, one bedroom. The bathing room itself was tiny and the tub had somehow been dented in the side, not to mention the kitchen. Ugh, the kitchen. That was the worst of it - I had no maid here, no cook, and anything that I needed I had to do myself. I hated that as much as I hated my Grandfather; I didn't know how to cook, didn't know how to start my own fire. I was terrified to let the fire in my hearth die; I'd had to beg my carriage driver to come into the house with me to light it, and the humiliation of that one act was enough that I hoped I never saw him again. I hoped I never saw anyone again.

I'd cried and wailed, screamed into my pillow, but more than anything I sat in moody silence. There was no conversation here, no music or laughter. I had four books, and I'd almost ruined all of them by throwing them at one point or another. My dresses and shoes, my bags and trinkets.. they meant nothing to me, not locked away here as I was. Thankfully I'd been given an allowance, the one mercy my parents had been able to secure for me, and if it wasn't so large as I could hope for, it was..sustainable.

Suddenly a knock kicked me out of my own blackness, and, frowning, I rose and slowly walked to the door. My hair was down, my dress seated well on me by habit, but rather than a smile I answered the door with a guarded suspicion. It wasn't Grandfather or Raen; either would have walked in, and I honestly didn't think my family cared enough to visit me. When the door opened and I saw a flash of raven hair, I stiffened, then realized it wasn't Ashes, but another cousin.

"...Naia?" What was she doing here? And to see me in my misery. I nearly shut the door in her face, but I made myself open it wider, stepping out of her way. "Oh, come in, please... it's been so long!"

[Naia Shahrizai]

I smiled at her and entered the small apartment, a light frown creasing my brow as I saw how tiny the place really was. Was she being punished? I did not understand why Raen was at the townhouse and Leighton was here.

"I know, it's been ages, hasn't it?" I said, giving her a little hug and the kiss of greeting. "I just heard that you and Raen were in town, so I thought I'd come by and see you. Your grandfather sent me over here..." I gestured around the room, the frowned slightly. "Why on earth are you staying here? Surely your parents can afford to put you up somewhere well, nicer?"

I peeked around and decided that as dismal as this place was, she had to be being punished for something, and I was wildly curious as to what it might be. "What did you do, marry a Tsingano?" I jested, hoping she'd tell me what she really had done.

[Leighton Shahrizai]

I returned Naias hug and kiss before I really thought about it, and I realized the more I reflected on it, the less happy I was that she was here. That ANYONE was here -- I didn't want anyone to know of it, to see me like this. I'd rather I died in their minds than this humiliation, and I hated him all the more for it.

At her question of whether I married a Tsingano, I laughed darkly, snapping the door shut and locking it against all those people who walked up and down the street. Once they saw me they continually stared, and to be honest it frightened me.

"No, not hardly. Actually, Raen is the one who is marrying, to a pretty little Shahrizai whore who is using him for security." I scowled and folded my arms under my breasts, knowing I was lacking in the hospitality department, but not really caring at the moment. "Apparently her family can't manage itself or its lands, so our family gets their land, and she gets him." I knew the bitterness came through, but again I didn't care; likely Naia would attribute it to me being in this place at all. "Grandfather was kind enough to arrange it, then extended his kindness in securing me my very own townhome. Isn't it glorious? I'd give you a tour, but really, you could spit and hit the other end of the home so there's no need."

I knew I wasn't making an incredible amount of sense and I was leaving details off, but I was too frustrated, strung too taut to care. "I need a glass of wine... would you like one too?" That at least I could do on my own. I was already running low, but I thought I'd go out to buy some more later. It'd give me an excuse to leave, even if I did have to rent a carriage to do it.

[Naia Shahrizai]

Leighton seemed considerably ill at ease, and I supposed I could not blame her. As someone who spent most of her time in Night's Doorstep, the South Borough did not bother me, but Leighton was easily an East or West Borough kind of woman.

"I heard!" I exclaimed, when she mentioned Raen's marriage, and it did not take any special perception to see how she felt about it. "So, your grandfather set you up here because Raen's getting married? That doesn't make any sense, there's plenty of room in the townhouse and I'm sure Raen wouldn't mind you staying there...." I trailed off, what did I know about the situation? Maybe Raen did mind? Though I recalled them being close, it had been a few years since I had seen them, who knew how things might have changed. Look at Sarielle and I, for example.

"Your grandfather," I began, nodding that I would indeed like a glass of wine, "is a piece of work, I hope you don't mind me saying. He's so much like my father..." I shuddered. I'd thought I was putting father behind me, but his memory was like a scabbed over wound, and talking about him was like picking it around the edges.

"Well," I looked around critically, then continued, "I'm sure we can make the place nicer. I am really good at decorating, and I can paint you a few things for the walls. Don't worry, Leighton, I'm sure now that you're here in the City, some man will snatch you up and marry you forthwith and then you can leave all this behind."

[Leighton Shahrizai]

I didn't wait for Naias response; honestly it didn't matter if I waited or not; I could hear her through my entire home irregardless. Her words brought a dark, mirthless laugh from me as I dug a bottle out and set about trying to uncork it, even going so far as to use the contraption I'd found in a drawer. "My grandfather," I started, the bottle of wine pinned against my ribs as I worked at the cork, "is an arrogant prick who," Gods, who in the seven hells puts corks in so tightly? "Deserves to die alone, painfully and thinking of all the wrongs he's dealt over the years."

My voice was strained as I worked at the cork, and by the time I was done talking I was scowling at the bottle. I had half a mind to break the top of it open, but I didn't exactly relish the idea of ingesting glass. I tightened my grip, trying to use back and forth motions to coax the damned cork out of the bottle. "Not to mention he's afraid I'll disrupt his perfect little union between Raen and that unsavory whore." The fact that I would wasn't the point. "You should see her Naia. She cowers when she should have spine. I'd be damned if I'd let anyone talk to me the way she lets me talk to her, but do you think she has the guts to say anything? It's pathetic. And Raen is being forced to have a child with her."

Gods, saying it didn't make it any easer. I was glad for the stubborn wine bottle then, to hide the quiver of my voice and the shaking of my arms as I tried not to cry. I let that line of thought fall away, focusing on what else she'd said, though I gave up and set the damned bottle down on a counter with a clatter.

"I don't think anyone would want to marry me Naia," I replied, sighing as I leaned against the counter. My arms crossed over my stomach, and I watched her, how the light gleamed off her beautiful blue-black hair. "There's only one man that I'd have, and that shall never happen. Besides," I said, hoping to turn this around on her, "could you imagine yourself married? A little wifey to tend the needs of her husband."

[Naia Shahrizai]

Well, I certainly agreed with her about her grandfather, and I wandered closer to the kitchen as she struggled with the cork, obviously irritated.

"So, you don't like the bride to be, I take it?" Which was also quite obvious. "Who is she? I know your grandfather has that thing about 'pure blood' so I assume she's one of us, though she doesn't sound like it."

I was mad to know who this 'one man she'd never have' was, but I knew better than to ask, instead choosing to roll my eyes and laugh mockingly at her other remark. "No, actually, I have no interest in playing house with any man. I haven't met one yet who's worth it. Besides, imagine how boring it would be to come home to the same man every night... ugh."

I looked at the offending wine bottle and offered, "You want me to try? I work in a wine shoppe so I'm familiar with difficult bottles."