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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on Mar 22, 2011 12:41:02 GMT -5
Where did this woman come off, presuming to place herself in Naia's life, in MY life, as if she had any right to be there. By blood alone, she should have treated Naia with far more respect than she was, but from what I could glean this woman had no idea how very lucky she was with her family. I'd have given anything to stop my sister and father from dying; my eyes, my fortunes, my very life, yet she appeared ready to throw her sister away on a whim. I was hard inside, my emotions a black rock with no room to allow either myself or Naia to suffer at this girls narcissistic tongue.
When Naia excused herself, I watched her leave before swinging my gaze back to the two lounging so in front of me. "You shouldn't stress her," I said coldly. "The last thing she needs is to prematurely birth the babe, and I doubt you'd appreciate birthing fluids staining your couch."
I wondered just how I could stain her couch. A tip of the brandy glass, mayhap? Just the thought made me remember my empty glass, and I snatched it up, refilling my own without permission or bothering to ask. I'd tolerated their rudeness long enough without offering mine back, and I had no intentions on doing it any longer.
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Post by Sarielle Shahrizai on Mar 22, 2011 14:19:19 GMT -5
Once Naia left, Kendrick turned to me, quite the little snake in the grass, but I just smiled softly. Truly, he was provoking me, and I had quite enough of dancing around Naia's little secret. I watched as he served himself more brandy, and moved to top up my glass as well.
"I do not mean to stres the baby," I said to him in low tones, "But I wonder how you might react if you were to have figured out by numbers alone that your own flesh and blood was willing to sacrifice your happiness without a second thought. Tell me Kendrick, if you were a woman, and had found the sister you had tried to welcome into your heart and home had tried to get a child on the man she knew you loved, and are now betrothed to, how would you act? Judging by the way you grit your teeth and your harsh tone with me, you'd fair a lot worse than I am right now. Of course, I had not wanted to mention it now, when we are about to have dinner, but I won't just sit here while you yourself act no better than I do, and make it appear as though I don't love my sister. I know who and what I am, and how I work, and so does she, so do not presume because you've bedded one that you know how we all are," I said, still smiling.
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on Mar 22, 2011 14:32:23 GMT -5
When she rose and moved to me, I had to stifle the urge to shift my shoulders, so strong was the itch between them. She spoke, and by the end of her speech I was gritting my teeth just like she had said I was, though rather than pausing to think I merely spoke my mind. She claimed Naia had attempted to get on a child with Gadleon? Well. Irregardless to anything, the fact was that the child was mine, and my ire had been provoked from the first.
"Don't presume to know everything about me, either, Baroness. You have proof of this supposed transgression, yes? I will have to assume so, because I couldn't imagine treating ones flesh and blood with so little regard without anything more than suspicion. Naia and I have talked, and I would dearly enjoy seeing this proof at your earliest convenience." Her earliest convenience, but my tone strongly suggested now rather than later.
"I was invited here as a guest, and thus far have received no more welcome than that of a beggar, someone you're contemptuous of and are afraid of stealing your fine silverware. I promise you, Baroness, my coffers are deep enough to not need to stoop to such levels." Putting it lightly, if one counted properties and investments that would wield long term gains. I didn't look at Gadleon, and I didn't know what was going on between Naia and he, but at the moment it didn't matter. She was Julie all over again, and I was defending her against her previous transgressions whether she wanted it or not.
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Post by Sarielle Shahrizai on Mar 22, 2011 15:42:12 GMT -5
I looked up at him, towering over me. "I do not presume to know you, in fact, I know nothing about you, except to see now that you are rather desperate to need to have that child be yours. I do not question who the father is now ," I explained, "and as estranged as I am from my sister, all it took was that one glance, that one look, and I know she knows. Other than the fact that the timing in which she got pregnant with your child was the time in which she had tried to bed Gadleon," I said, "that is proof enough for me. She is the mother to your child, but she is my sister, and one who has slighted me, as we figured out today, not long before your arrival. I will deal with it how I see fit, not you," I laughed then, "and further more to say that I treat you as a beggar in my home?" I laughed again. "Truly, how so? because I question your intentions with my sister? With this babe? Because I provoke you to see how you will react, wondering now, if the child were to provoke you thusly, and with Shahrizai blood there is no doubt it would, would you strike out in anger against it as you have me now with forked tongue? And how have you treated me, whose parlor you stand in, whose brandy you drink? No I do not presume to know you, Kendrick, but what you have shown me does not bode well in my eyes. Sure, a babe needs a strong father, and I will be the first to admit that Naia needs a strong man in her life, whether it be you or someone else of her choosing, but you are so quick not just to anger, but to judgment. Is it wrong that in my own way I look out for my own before I look out for a stranger? Or are you so different?" My tone had not risen, but the words fell faster from my lips. He had had a sister, truly he must understand the concept of tough love.
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Post by Gadleon Shahrizai on Mar 22, 2011 16:04:16 GMT -5
It was sort of like watching two members of the family go at it in many ways, but at last I spoke up in my normal soft tones. “Kendrick, Sarielle and Naia quarreled and the later moved out of this home. She turned up on my doorstep that night in the middle of a thunderstorm seeking succor. She knew I would give it because we are family and while we tend to cut one another’s throats in private we have one another’s backs. I will spare you the gory details of her antics while I put her up. Then a short time later I break up a fight including you and her at a bar.” I smiled and shrugged “a bit of a coincidence and a bit of an abuse of family tradition. In short bad form all around so yes if you want me to be honest I am more than a little bit pissed off.”
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on Mar 22, 2011 16:18:57 GMT -5
I was in a rather 'desperate' need to have the child be mine? Truth be, that was entirely too close to the truth, not that I was going to admit that. "Desperation has nothing to do with facts, Baroness," I said simply, holding my brandy and regarding her with a weighing look. "The facts are that the babe is mine, and I shall care for it and its mother as I see fit. No one will gainsay me my right, and if they wish to, I'll be more than willing to take it to Parliament for judgement." My gaze hardened, anger seething in my very marrow. "The fact is that you have no solid proof to back up your claims. The fact is, Lady Baroness, how I choose to deal with my son or daughter is none of your accord as nothing more than an Aunt. Provoking my ire to merely attempt to determine how I would react to a maybe scenario that is YEARS down the road? You overstep yourself, and try to justify it with flimsy excuses. I don't have the patience for it, or for you."
Gad spoke, and my gaze cut to him, drinking in his words, but they mattered naught to me either. "Proof! Damnit, I said proof!" My free hand slapped down on the bar, and I gripped my brandy tight enough that my knuckles were white. "You don't know WHEN she lighted her candle, or WHY. Have either of you bothered to ask her? Or are you jumping to assumptions and throwing me into the middle of things? You do not turn your back on family without solid proof, and even then you stand by them against all others. You do NOT gang up on them with teeth and claws, biting and scrabbling like vultures after a fresh kill. Be pissed if you want, Gadleon, but the fact of the matter is that unless you saw her light her candle, unless you asked her when she did it and gained the answer you sought, you do not know."
The brandy glass clunked hard enough on the bar to slosh liquid out of it, and I gave her a short, mocking bow. "This fiasco has gone on far too long. I'd ask you to excuse me, but I don't want any favors from you. Baroness," I said, flashing her a right cocky smile. My gaze took Gadleon in before I turned and made my way from the room, giving Naia's name one sharp call. I wouldn't leave her here, and if she wished to remain behind I'd eat my boots.
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Post by Sarielle Shahrizai on Mar 22, 2011 16:25:48 GMT -5
With quick steps I followed the fuming little insolent, petulent bastard out into the hallway.
"How dare you call my sister thusly? Who the flaming hell do you think you are? Really? You believe becasue you've full coffers and the child is yours that makes you anything of a father, or anything of a man? Instead of standing here, facing me, facing the facts, and talking this out like a grown person, you've decided to spit some spiteful words. And what when you find tha tmy words were truth? Oh right you shall deal with her yourself. I've seen enough men hurt my sister, and I am not about to let another walk out my house, calling her like a dog to his heel. You are not leaving with her, and if you choose to walk out, you shall walk out alone. Be whoever's father you wish, but you are not hers. If anyone has any right it would be me. Your coffers may be deep enough to buy her a pretty little house, but I will be damned if another mindless man tries to use my love for her against me."
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on Mar 22, 2011 16:44:52 GMT -5
She followed me, tagging along like a bristling pussycat; I imagine if she had a tail, every last hair would be sticking straight out. Rolling my eyes slightly, I regarded her with a momentarily patient look.
"Who do I think I am? I'm a man who is looking out for the best interests of a woman. A woman who is pregnant with his child; have I tried to be anything but this?" I glared at her, giving a lengthy pause for a response before speaking on.
"If I should find your words true? I will be disappointed with her in deceiving her family so, but it will not change how I feel about MY child, and it will not allow me to treat her less just because of MY child. And calling her like a dog?" I laughed, an honest, mirthful laugh. "Could you imagine Naia responding to anyone who called her like a dog? How would you have me call her name then, Baroness? 'Oh Naia, darling, please come! My anger has lifted because of your sister, but I shan't let it infect my voice.'" My words were mockingly sweet, and I sneered at Sarielle, my white-hot anger coming back when she informed me I wouldn't be leaving here without Naia.
"IF she stays, it is because SHE wants to, not because you deem it so. IF she stays, but I somehow doubt she'd choose your bitterness over me." As for using her love against her, I merely disregarded it; it was another supposition on her part, false at that, and one I wouldn't deign with a response.
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Mar 22, 2011 17:17:12 GMT -5
I heard the angry quarrelling before I even shut the bathing room door behind me. I was about to step in, to try to salvage this evening somehow, when I heard my sister telling Kendrick what she supposed about the child’s conception. So what if she was correct, she had no right to do such a thing, without even speaking to me first! I felt the color drain out of my face and that baby moved harshly, as if he could feel my pain and confusion.
I paused to listen, heartened by Kendrick’s defense, such as it was, but I knew that I would need to speak with him, to lay everything out as I should have long before now. He was right about one thing though: all they had was suspicion, nothing solid, and with that they would attempt to destroy what I was trying to build for my son? That was something that I could not allow, though events were quickly outpacing me as Kendrick stormed out, followed by my sister. I was hanging far enough back in the hall not to be seen right away, and I jumped a bit when Kendrick called my name.
Any other time I would have bristled at that, stayed behind only to spite him. Any other time my sister’s defense of me would have made me happy. Right now, though, I couldn’t stay, couldn’t stomach the things that had already been said, and what’s more, I needed to make sure that Kendrick and I were all right, that he would not turn his back on our son because of what he had found out. I did not ever believe he would, the look on his face, once he was past the anger, when he found out about his child was enough to tell me that the child meant as much to him as it did to me, but I had to certain.
I swept down the hall after him, glancing once at my sister as if there was something I could say, but there was too much between us for a moment of words to fix, they hung unsaid in the air, and then I was at Kendrick’s side.
“I think that perhaps this evening has gone on long enough, and that we should all retire to our separate corners before things get any worse.” Was that even possible?
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Post by Sarielle Shahrizai on Mar 22, 2011 19:23:55 GMT -5
Before I could respond Naia came out of nowhere, scurrying with her belly to his side. I laughed, shaking my head.
"I would much rather you both stay but I see you've chosen where your corner will be," I said with a smile. It was not over, she and I would have words, that was for certain. "Do as you please. And Kendrick," I said with a short laugh, "a pleasure, truly. You've seen the door," I shook my head again, and turned my back but not before I gave Naia one last glance as I headed back into the parlour.
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Post by Gadleon Shahrizai on Mar 23, 2011 9:44:00 GMT -5
Well Kendrick was certainly defender the little bitch. But I had no intention of jumping in between him and Sarielle unless it came to blows so I lagged back and just watched. After all I was wiser than that. And then Naia the little chit actually answered his call and I watched not unlike I had upon seeing a man’s guts hit the battle field while he was still standing and alive. The unfolding events were well and truly horrid but I could not look away as it all had some sort of sick fascination for me.
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on Apr 5, 2011 21:56:31 GMT -5
By the time Naia arrived, I was quivering with rage, affronted and worse, but the only thing that kept me from fisting a hand in Sarielles hair and letting her face meet the hallway table was the very fact that this was for Naia. This was for her, and in her stomach was nestled my child. That and that alone her face without mark, and I twitched as I watched her, aware of Naia, but not looking at her.
My oh my, how quickly Naias sister gave up; one moment she was fire and ice, proclaiming Naia wasn't going anywhere, and in the very next breath she was giving up on her sister, assuming her mind was made up and not bothering to fight for her. Was everything she'd said to me a lie, a face? All the more reason for Naia to not stay here.
I turned then, snatching my cloak and hers up. Mine was looped over my forearm, and without another word I opened hers with a flick of my wrist, snapping the fabric straight before settling it over her shoulders. I wasn't rough persay, but neither was I gentlemanly. Clenching my teeth, grinding them, I placed my hand at her back and escorted her from the house, intent on leaving immediately.
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Post by Sarielle Shahrizai on Apr 7, 2011 10:47:28 GMT -5
I heard them leave the house but stayed where I stood in the parlour. I was not about to run out after them and beg them to stay, beg any sort of forgiveness for my actions. I knew what I knew, and that was that. i was not going to step down from my position. I felt ire rising in me again, the nerve of that blockheaded fool! My hands balled up at my sides and I stood stark still just a few feet from teh entrance to the parlour, teeth clenched. Dinner was well underway, so it would be toolate to tell cook not to make so much, heck it should have been completed by now, and probably was, though no doubt no one wanted to interrupt while words were flying about like finely sharpened daggers. I had a mind to send a messenger to wherever that cad lived with a parsel of the dinner that was made. I was angry enough that, had I any poison, I would no doubt have added a few drops... were it not for Naia, even though she had betrayed me, yet again. None of this was fair. Would I always be warring against my sister? Would we constantly need to be on the terms of some uneasy truce with hidden agendas? Would we never be like the sisters we were before father tore us apart? It was seeming more and more a dismal effort and for a moment the tension ceased or moreso morphed to a sadness that ached in my heart of hearts. Finally, I moved from teh doorway, entering back into the hallway to see Gadleon standing there alone.
"I suppose it will just be the two of us for dinner," I said, my voice was a little soft. It was embarassing, or it would have been more embarassing if it were not Gadleon. he knew what Naia was capable of, what she had done, and how I tried to make things better with her, but truly, if I could not keep any sort of reign on my own sister, he must be wondering what sort of mother I might make in the future.
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