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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 27, 2011 19:08:00 GMT -5
First Week of Spring
I walked into the empty house and half expected to hear the sounds of Uncle somewhere. But there were no sounds of him anywhere in the house. Even the last lingering scent of him was fading away. Things seemed to have calmed down a bit after the funeral, and I had began doing things in my own way. Of course, Mother wasn't helping the situation, pressuring me to find a husband. I put my cloak on the stand and began for Uncle's...my office, knowing that there's bound to be some sort of official papers. Both from Camlach and from the Crown. I had just sat down before I heard a distant knocking sound.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 27, 2011 20:08:16 GMT -5
I had come calling to tell Alora the news. I didn't know how she was going to take it. I had meant to tell her at the funeral, but I had been such a wreck that I had put it off until now. But my stomach was growing round enough that it was becoming harder to hide, and I had to begin telling people besides Soleil and Gabriel. Alora was the next step. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door and was led to a sitting room by a servant.
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 27, 2011 22:44:29 GMT -5
Marie walked in a minute or so after I sat down. "There's someone here for you, duchess," she said. I sighed, having wanted to get all the business done before too long. I walked into the sitting room to see Ana standing there. "Ana, what brings you here?" I asked, walking in. I wasn't expecting to see her here so soon after the funeral.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 27, 2011 23:07:04 GMT -5
"It's nice to see you too Alora," I replied, already feeling weary. Though I didn't know if it was caused by her brusque manner, or my condition. "I have some news. Would you mind if we sat?"
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 27, 2011 23:20:46 GMT -5
"Of course." I motioned to the chairs, mentally kicking myself for not greeting her properly. I really needed to work on that more. One of the other servants walked in with a tea service and set it down on a nearby table and left. "Tea, Ana?" I motioned to it.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 27, 2011 23:40:49 GMT -5
"That would be lovely, thank you," I said with a smile, settling into the offered chair.
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 27, 2011 23:45:56 GMT -5
I nodded and poured her a cup, handing it to her. "Sugar?" It was one of the first things Uncle had done. Instead of having one of the servants pour me tea, he did it himself. I guess I learned even my first day as his heir.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 28, 2011 18:59:27 GMT -5
"No thank you, this is perfect," I said. I waited until she had her tea before broaching the subject at hand. "I'm pregnant."
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 28, 2011 19:08:08 GMT -5
I didn't even get the tea spout over the cup before I slipped. I wasn't expecting that. I stood there in a state of shock at the news. Wait a minute, if she was pregnant... No. There was no way to prove that the child that Ana was carrying was Uncle's. I refuse to believe. Not even a month into inheriting Uncle's title and lands and Ana was already starting to threaten my claim on it. "Well, this is unexpected, Ana," I managed to say after pulling out of my shock. "Who's the lucky father?" I sat down, trying not to rattle my cup all that much.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 28, 2011 19:17:45 GMT -5
Well, she hadn't spilled anything, which was good. But I could see the news was flying about as well as a lead arrow. "Why would I be telling you if it wasn't Jareth?" I asked as a response to her rather inane question. I would allow her the inane question though, my news was a bit of a shock. She thought she had inherited her uncle's estate.
"I'm about seven weeks along, as far as the chirgeon can approximate. I found out the morning... that morning. I hadn't announced it yet, for I was afraid the stress of Jareth's... I was afraid that the stress was going to make me miscarriage. But the chirgeon believes that I'm out of the danger zone now, and I thought that you should know before I made the announcement." I took a careful sip of my tea.
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 28, 2011 19:29:01 GMT -5
"Well, I can't exactly ask Uncle now can I?" I asked. Calm down, Alora, I told myself. "Please forgive me if it sounds like I don't believe you. It's just too sudden, even if it's been a couple weeks since then." Okay, so she's just about two months pregnant, and she's out of the phase where she might miscarry. But even I know that things could turn around and still cause her to lose the child. I'll accept her claim that the child was indeed from Uncle's loins for the time being.
"Ana, we've both lost that morning," I said, looking to where I had the boar's head mounted. "So...The child's Uncle's. What does this mean for me? It's obvious that it's too young to inherit." My mind was racing, trying to devise a way to where I would be able to keep the title that I had inherited a few short weeks ago.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 28, 2011 19:41:45 GMT -5
Her anger was not a surprise, and I stayed calm in the face of it. "I've asked the Queen do conduct an investigation to confirm that your uncle is the father. I don't want there to be any doubt when the babe is born. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the investigators came to speak with you actually," I told her, then took a deep breath.
"I would like it if you acted as caretaker for the d'Aiglemort estate. I already have my hands full with my own duties, plus a baby on the way. I'm sure we can work out something where you'll receive a decent allowance, both for the next eighteen years and also after if you wish to stay on as an advisor." It wouldn't be the same as having the title, but maybe she would be willing to do this for her uncle's child. He or she would be family after all.
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 28, 2011 19:54:13 GMT -5
An investigation? Oh, that's going to be lovely. It'll be the talk of the City for weeks to come if word got out. My mind began thinking that it might look, just a little bit, like this whole thing was planned out, with Uncle being killed by the boar. I nodded. "Though there may not be much I could say for your," I coughed to clear my throat. "love life." I took a careful sip of my tea and listened to what Ana said about my estate. "Caretaker, eh? This may sound mean, but since I'm Uncle's recognized heir, and until the investigation concludes that he's the father..." I took a deep breath. "Would it be possible until such time that the investigation concludes Uncle's legitimacy, that I claim the title and estate of the duchy? I will more than willing to be the caretaker when the legitimacy is claimed."
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 28, 2011 20:14:37 GMT -5
I simply looked at her for a moment. Her greed for her uncle's estate was clear. Dammit, this was going to be more of a fight than I had wanted. In fact, I should be careful around stairs. I wouldn't put it past her to push me down a flight to try to get rid of the baby.
"Haven't you already?" I asked. I didn't try to pretty up my words, I knew she would appreciate blunt. "Come now Alora, I know what you must be thinking. You're rather hoping that the investigation turns up against me, aren't you? Frankly, I wouldn't blame you. But this babe is Jareth's. And by papers we signed months ago when I lit my candle, our firstborn is to inherit his estate. I know that this mess isn't fair to you, but I'm willing to work with you to try to find the best solution, both for the two of us, and the babe on the way."
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 28, 2011 20:29:27 GMT -5
"I actually do hope the investigation turns up for you," I said. "This is all too sudden, Ana." I sat my cup down on the table. "I knew that if when the time came, which was apparently sooner rather than later, if Uncle had no heirs of his own... well, you know." I sighed, a little stressed over this whole matter. "I actually wouldn't mind helping family. Somehow, I wished Uncle had told me this before." I felt my eyes start to water up.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 28, 2011 22:41:57 GMT -5
I shook my head. "Jareth didn't even know himself. I was coming home to tell him when..." I glanced at the boar and then away, determined not to cry again.
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 28, 2011 23:40:45 GMT -5
"No, not about you being pregnant. That your firstborn would inherit." I sighed again. This was tougher than I thought. "I knew that if Uncle had met his end before he had an heir of his own, I would inherit from him," I finished.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 29, 2011 17:51:19 GMT -5
It surprised me that Jareth hadn't told her of our prenuptial. Then again, he always had been a private man. "I can send you a copy of the document we drafted up with the lawyers, if you'd like," I offered. It wasn't much, but I couldn't exactly turn back time and remind my love to mention the matter to his niece.
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 30, 2011 1:03:13 GMT -5
"I would, thank you." I don't know why Uncle hadn't told me of the prenuptial, but I chalked it up to him not having to explain everything to anyone. Though one would expect even a quiet, private man to tell his niece and heir, for the time being, that his expectant firstborn would inherit. Especially since no one really knows when they're going to die.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 30, 2011 1:28:28 GMT -5
"Of course," I said with a nod. I took another sip of tea, then suddenly said, "I am sorry that you had to find out like this Alora. I never meant to cause you grief. But at least... at least Jareth will live on in more than just our memory."
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 30, 2011 1:45:39 GMT -5
By this time, my hands had stopped shaking and I picked up my tea. "He will," I said before I sipped at my tea. There were nearly a hundred questions running through my mind, mostly all about how to introduce the child to what was his... or hers.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 30, 2011 14:59:41 GMT -5
"Thank you for being willing to cooperate," I added after a moment when it became clear she wasn't going to say anything more. "This... well this isn't exactly the ideal circumstance. But I do want my little one to know his or her family, on both sides."
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 30, 2011 16:13:42 GMT -5
"Will you be willing to to have the little one be fostered with me? As to become familiar with what he inherited?" I sipped at my tea.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Jan 31, 2011 22:59:20 GMT -5
"I think that would be a fantastic idea," I replied, nodding my head. Her suggestion was immensely practical, and it was also heartwarming to hear her suggesting such things. Maybe this would work out in the end, despite her initial disappointment.
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Jan 31, 2011 23:33:09 GMT -5
I was glad that Ana had actually accepted my suggestion. Maybe it was a little bit of greed on my part to see my little cousin, but we were family before he, or she, was to hold the title and estate. "Will you let me know when you wish to do that? I do want to deny you time with him."
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Feb 1, 2011 22:05:06 GMT -5
"Oh, when he or she is about ten or twelve or so, I can start sending them to you in Camlach for a month or two each year. How does that sound?" I asked. "Depending on the circumstances of course."
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Feb 2, 2011 14:18:14 GMT -5
"That sounds reasonable. And yes, depending on the circumstances." I took another sip of my tea. So, ten or so years before my cousin would begin coming to Camlach. Not so bad.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Feb 2, 2011 22:34:40 GMT -5
"Excellent," I said, glad to have such a thing decided, at least on principle. I took the last sip of my tea and delicately set my cup down. "Your children, should you have any, will also be welcome in my household."
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Post by Alora d'Aiglemort on Feb 2, 2011 22:55:40 GMT -5
"Thank you, Ana. I hope that just because Uncle's dead, we shouldn't drift apart." I mirrored her at sipping my own tea.
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Post by Anacrasia Shahrizai on Feb 2, 2011 23:38:31 GMT -5
We had never truly gotten close, though I did agree I didn't want to drift much further away. I wanted the lines of communication open for the sake of the babe. "Yes of course," I agreed with a smile. "I'll be sure to keep you updated with the pregnancy, and after of course."
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