A binding of Hearts: the reception

[Soleil Belfours]

"Take your time," I said as I gathered Synnove, who whined and reached out for Christophe again. "It's a busy day for you."

I nuzzled my baby. "Yes, my sweet, I know, but Papa will come back later."

To Christophe and Mala, I said, "Congratulations again, and many happy returns." I then took a step back to let Anacrasia greet the couple.

[Marie Legard]

My mouth had been opening for a greeting, but when he gave her full name and where she was from, my mouth snapped shut and my eyes went wide. It is impossible to name all the emotions that flew through me at that moment. The one that lasted though was betrayal. How could he be here with a Valerian when he had been part of the force that had severed Christophe from my life for so long?

I cast Pierre a look that felt like it could have cut stone, then calmed myself enough to look back at the woman he was with.

“It is a pleasure meeting you,” I said. My brother’s actions were none of her fault, and I was not so petty as to take it out on her.

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I smiled to the happy couple. "Congratulations indeed. It's wonderful to see you so happy Malabelle," I said to her, then teased with a grin, "Just be sure you keep him in line."

[Malabelle Shahrizai]

“Oh, no worries there,” I said with a laugh, slipping my arm through Christophe’s again. “Not that it takes a lot of effort.” I smiled up at him and then at Ana again. “Thank you for coming. It means a lot to me that you were there.”

[Karina Mikhailova nó Valerian]

Things suddenly shifted to... something strange and awkward. I had a very strong feeling that I was suddenly in the middle of something between brother and sister, and I had no idea what it was. So deciding discretion was the better part of valour, I smiled to Marie. "The pleasure is mine. I've heard wonderful things about you," I said.

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "I wouldn't have missed it. But I'll let you get to your other guests. I wish the two of you the happiest of marriages."

[Marie Legard]

“Have you?” I asked, trying very hard not to sound bitter. I wasn’t sure if I managed. “I wish I could say the same to you.”

I was so furious, so hurt I knew I wasn’t going to manage any level of politeness for much longer.

“I should go find Henri,” I lied. “I hope you both have a lovely time.” I shot Pierre another scathing look and turned, heading towards the stairs that would take me to my room, feeling the need for privacy so I could get ahold of myself.

[Malabelle Shahrizai]

“Thank you,” I told her, still smiling wide.

I looked at Christophe again. “Who next?”

[Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai]

I had a sneaking suspicion that the Duchese didn't like me much, but I put it from my mind. She was here and supporting our marriage, and that's all the mattered.

"Douleur," I told Mala, indicating the woman that was patiently waiting her turn. "Douleur, thank you for coming, I'm glad you could make it," I said to her with a happy smile.

[Douleur nó Shahrizai]

“Thank you so much for inviting me,” I said, smiling at them both. “The ceremony was just lovely.”

[Pierre Legard (D)]

Damn damn double damn. Marie was as cold as ice but I didn't blame her, after everything I'm sure it came as a bit of a shock. I watched as she spoke coldly to Karina and then departed, running off to find Henri. Taking a breath I swallowed, watching her back as she left then looked to Karina, my brows knit gently.

"I think we should speak... in private." I said softly as I turned toward her and took her hands in mine.
"There are things that I... haven't told you... things you should know about me. This wasn't the place I wanted to say them, but I can't continue on like this without you knowing." I took her hand in mine and looked about, before guiding us past the group and into the house.

I knew it well enough to know where I might go to find some privacy, finding the library first and I turned the handle to find it unlocked. Walking us through the door I closed it behind us and brought us further into the room before releasing her hand.
"May be you should sit down." I said softly as I looked at her, nervousness making my heart race faster and my palms sweat. I wanted to believe that Karina would accept my words and not turn against me, but I was enough of a realist to know she'd likely tell me never to speak to her again. At least I could try though, in hopes that she was every bit the woman I though she was and be able to forgive my misdeeds.

[Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai]

"I'm just grateful that the weather held," I replied. "How are things at Valerian?"

[Karina Mikhailova nó Valerian]

I raised an eyebrow when he gathered my hands in his and said he had things to tell me. I kept quiet though as I followed him, sitting on one of the plush chairs in the library as he requested. He was nervous, very nervous, and I wondered what he could possibly need to tell me that would put him so on edge.

[Pierre Legard (D)]

When she was sitting I kneeled in front of her and took her hands in mine.
"Before I say anything, I want you to know that you are..." I sighed, thinking on how to say the things I felt.
"You are so special to me, no woman has ever captured my heart the way you have." My words were barely a whisper as I looked at her. My hands gripped hers for a moment before I knew I had to let go and stand in order to tell her my story. So I pulled back and rose but began to pace a little.

"I am not very close with my siblings." I finally said after thinking on what to say. "When my parents found out about... about what Christophe was like, that he would be suited for Valerian... they were very unhappy." I glanced to her as I paced a little, trying to control my breathing.
"My mother in particular was quite objectionable to the whole process and she had some very harsh words for my brother. In short, the words most often used were disgusting and traitor." I sighed and closed my eyes, coming to stand before her though I didn't quite face her.
"You have to understand, I was young and I was hurt. Christophe was more then just my brother, he had been my friend, and when he left I was very hurt, and I let my mother's ways corrupt my thoughts. I too was just as bad as my mother, I told my younger siblings that Christophe wasn't their brother, and I whole heartedly agreed with my parents that his tendancies to pain were an abomination." I sighed and looked to her finally.

"I admit that I was bad to my sibling, not what brother should be, trapped in my own delusions and unable to see past my parent's cruelty. But the truth is I've changed Karina." I moved coming to kneel at her feet again.
"I really have, I don't believe those things any more and I'm trying, in my own way, to fix things with my siblings. I want to amend the things I've done and I want you to know that I don't feel that way about Valerians. And not about you, never about you. Please don't hate me, I know I've done wrong but I want to make things right." I grasped her hands, pleading with her, hoping that she would see that I did truly want to change things with my siblings.

[Karina Mikhailova nó Valerian]

I closed my eyes and drew in a deep, calming breath before letting it out slowly and looking at him again. "I am glad that your trying to fix things," I said calmly, then pressed my lips together for a moment before I continued. "And I don't hate you. But to let me walk in here with you, ignorant of all of this, was not a fair thing to do to me Pierre. I don't appreciate being someone's unwelcome surprise."

[Soleil Belfours]

I stepped into the next room, which was where the buffet was. This was always a challenge - serving myself and holding a baby at the same time. Fortunately, a servant saw my distress and filled a plate with the best there was to eat. Satisfied, I sat down, and waited for Ana to join me.

[Pierre Legard (D)]

"You're right, you're so right." I said, at least a little relieved that she didn't hate me. "And I'm so sorry, I should have told you before, I should have spoke about it long before this night. I've just been so embarassed at what I've done. Years and years of believing my parents, of choosing to hate my sibling for something I could never understand. You may not hate me but I hate myself for it, and its me that has suffered by cutting off my family. I've treated Marie and Henri the worst, at least Christophe escaped the day to day workings of our parent's mistreatment. But Marie and Henri have spent years not able to understand why our parents so cavalierly abandon our brother." I sighed and dropped my head forward and pressed it to my hands.
"Gods I'm sorry Karina." I whispered.

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

We stepped away from Malabelle and Christophe, making our way further inside and towards the food. Soon enough we were set up and sitting down. "Well, that went better than I expected," I commented.

[Soleil Belfours]

"I'm so surprised," I said. "I didn't think Malabelle would react so positively to Synnove."

[Douleur nó Shahrizai]

“The same as always,” I said with a chuckle. “Everything changes and yet everything stays the same.” I smiled again. “I should let you get to your other guests.”

“My lady,” I said, curtseying to Malabelle. My smile turned into a playful grin as I curtseyed to Chris. “My lord.”

I stepped out of the way so they could see to their other guests.

[Malabelle Shahrizai]

I smiled as Christophe and his former housemate talked, pleased that some from his House had shown up. I inclined my head to her as she stepped away and then looked at Christophe again.

“Didn’t I see some of your family here a moment ago?”

[Marie Legard]

Only the knowledge that the sound would reverberate through the house kept me from slamming my bedroom door. Instead, I just locked it before throwing myself onto my bed and crying.

Pierre had stolen years from me, years of knowing Christophe, years I would never get back, and then he shows up at Chris’s wedding with the Second of Valerian on his arm. Nothing that had ever happened before in my life had caused me to feel so betrayed.

I wished desperately that Ferris was here as I cried almost soundlessly into my pillow.

[Karina Mikhailova nó Valerian]

He knelt there before me, and I finally truly understood why he had asked me all those abrupt questions when we had went out for dinner. He was trying to reconcile two opposite ways of viewing the world. "Go," I told him, not unkindly. "Go tell them what you just told me."

[Pierre Legard (D)]

I looked up at her then, confusion writ across my face.
"Right now?" I asked as I knit my brows. Its not so much that she wanted me to tell my family what I had told her. I knew it would be embarassing for me and I knew that at least Marie would hate me for a long time to come. But I didn't think in the middle of Christophe and Mala's reception was the appropriate moment to bring up such issues. If anything I would likely embarass Christophe and I didn't want to ruin his special day.

[Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai]

I chuckled at the curtsey she gave me, and looked back to Mala at her question. My brows furrowed. "Odd, Pierre and Marie were just here," I said, looking around, but they had both disappeared.

[Malabelle Shahrizai]

“Do you want to go look for them?” I asked. “I can deal with anyone else who arrives.”

[Karina Mikhailova nó Valerian]

I supposed he had a point. "You need to at least tell Marie. From the look on her face, she's probably locked herself up in a room for a good screaming fit, or maybe lots of crying. I don't know her well enough to say which. Maybe you don't want to talk to Christophe about it today but you need to talk to her," I told him softly. "Just don't do it in the middle of the front room. If it will make things easier, I can go congratulate Chris and then head home."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

"It's a happy day for her, I suppose that if she was ever going to be gracious, today was the day for it," I said. "I'm very glad for it too."

[Soleil Belfours]

"Tis true, I suppose I was expecting the worst," I said. "Perhaps I should be less doubtful." I took a bite of carrot salad, before mashing a bit on my plate and putting it on a spoon to give to Synnove, who made a face. "No carrots, then," I said.

[Douleur nó Shahrizai]

I made my way into the room that seemed set up for guests and found the food. I placed a few items on my plate and then found a place to sit at a table off to the side. I had seen a few others from Valerian at the wedding, but none seemed to have made it to the reception yet. I would stay a little longer, then likely take my leave.