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A sense of rigid normalcy began to form around her days at the Kotas estate, and Thea had formed a relatively simple routine. So long as she remained within the confines of the royal household, she as free to go as she pleased, but should she wish to enter the city at all, Kotas guards would flank her. As such, she set out for two walks across the length of the Kotas grounds each day, once in the morning and once in the cool of the evening.
This was ideal, as it kept her out of the way and easily overlooked. In a way, she almost hoped that the Kotas would like her better for that alone.
As the sun set over the trees, casting shadows across the orchards and meadows, Thea would find a quiet moment to herself here and there. There was a time that she, ideally, would have enjoyed a glass of wine or the fumes of some of her most fragrant herbs, as if to stop the world for a while and just take in the quiet beauty of nature, particularly in parts of the grounds that she was less familiar with.
However, there would be none of that here, not with the eyes upon her. Instead, she was to remain a perfect and unmarred vessel for the child that grew within her.
It was early still, and apart from the bouts of sickness which ebbed and subsided from time to time, there was little to no showing of her condition. At least, not apart from her gowns fitting too snugly across her hips and chest. It was one of those things, she knew, where the body would adjust to make accommodation for the task ahead, even if the child within her had not yet grown enough to show.
Give it time.
Yet still, it was just the knowing that there was a life inside her that cast her mind in different directions than it had ever been before. Apart from thinking of her family, Thea truly did not need to think of anyone other than herself, really, and it showed in the desirous and pleasure-seeking ways she led her life. After all, what she used to influence herself never had an effect on others in the end. Here, though, it would.
Thea never really cared for something so particularly before. It had been curious to see the shift in Evras, but it was an entirely different thing for it to happen to her. In fact, thinking more on the new life hiding within her was a far easier preoccupation than thinking about the consequences that would follow - a wedding...a crown upon her brow...
Those thoughts passing through added a flicker of anxiousness that stilled her feet as she walked, one hand resting gently at her waist, looking back through the trees that lined the meadow beside her. The grass was starting to darken as it ceased to grow, but there were still patches of wildflowers and clover that fought for the remaining rays of the sun for as long as they could manage.
In her mind, she imagined a child's laughter and a head of dark hair bounding through the trees across the way...
As much as she did not want her circumstance in all this, there was at least some sense of peace in the thought of the child.
"You will like it here," she murmured aloud, her voice soft as the autumn wind carried it through the leaves, "And you will be loved and cared for, by myself and your Father..." Despite the fact that they held no love for one another. Trust, yes, in that they held each other in confidence all these years. Already seeing the intense shift in Vangelis from the moment he found out, Thea knew that he would take on the Father's mantle with the same tenacity that he took on his own standing as Crown Prince. It would not be surprising at all to see him as an excellent father...
...and far different from her own.
Taking her eyes from the meadow, she glanced down to where her hand rested, as if hoping that by doing so, she would see a change. A bit of roundness? A sign of growth and strength? After all, the child had proven already that they were stubborn enough to fend for itself, even in the womb...and Thea felt a rush of guilt.
"I am sorry...for what I tried to do," she murmured to the tiny soul inside her, knowing how only a few weeks ago, she had tried to end it all before it began. It was easier to think of it as a problem to be rectified at that time...but now, she could not see it any other way. "I will never let anything or anyone try to harm you again."
After a quiet moment, a soft smile formed as she pressed her rose-soft lips together, but disappeared just as quickly as she heard approaching steps from the woodline behind her...
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Jul 1, 2020 14:15:36 GMT
Posted In Little Talks on Jul 1, 2020 14:15:36 GMT
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A sense of rigid normalcy began to form around her days at the Kotas estate, and Thea had formed a relatively simple routine. So long as she remained within the confines of the royal household, she as free to go as she pleased, but should she wish to enter the city at all, Kotas guards would flank her. As such, she set out for two walks across the length of the Kotas grounds each day, once in the morning and once in the cool of the evening.
This was ideal, as it kept her out of the way and easily overlooked. In a way, she almost hoped that the Kotas would like her better for that alone.
As the sun set over the trees, casting shadows across the orchards and meadows, Thea would find a quiet moment to herself here and there. There was a time that she, ideally, would have enjoyed a glass of wine or the fumes of some of her most fragrant herbs, as if to stop the world for a while and just take in the quiet beauty of nature, particularly in parts of the grounds that she was less familiar with.
However, there would be none of that here, not with the eyes upon her. Instead, she was to remain a perfect and unmarred vessel for the child that grew within her.
It was early still, and apart from the bouts of sickness which ebbed and subsided from time to time, there was little to no showing of her condition. At least, not apart from her gowns fitting too snugly across her hips and chest. It was one of those things, she knew, where the body would adjust to make accommodation for the task ahead, even if the child within her had not yet grown enough to show.
Give it time.
Yet still, it was just the knowing that there was a life inside her that cast her mind in different directions than it had ever been before. Apart from thinking of her family, Thea truly did not need to think of anyone other than herself, really, and it showed in the desirous and pleasure-seeking ways she led her life. After all, what she used to influence herself never had an effect on others in the end. Here, though, it would.
Thea never really cared for something so particularly before. It had been curious to see the shift in Evras, but it was an entirely different thing for it to happen to her. In fact, thinking more on the new life hiding within her was a far easier preoccupation than thinking about the consequences that would follow - a wedding...a crown upon her brow...
Those thoughts passing through added a flicker of anxiousness that stilled her feet as she walked, one hand resting gently at her waist, looking back through the trees that lined the meadow beside her. The grass was starting to darken as it ceased to grow, but there were still patches of wildflowers and clover that fought for the remaining rays of the sun for as long as they could manage.
In her mind, she imagined a child's laughter and a head of dark hair bounding through the trees across the way...
As much as she did not want her circumstance in all this, there was at least some sense of peace in the thought of the child.
"You will like it here," she murmured aloud, her voice soft as the autumn wind carried it through the leaves, "And you will be loved and cared for, by myself and your Father..." Despite the fact that they held no love for one another. Trust, yes, in that they held each other in confidence all these years. Already seeing the intense shift in Vangelis from the moment he found out, Thea knew that he would take on the Father's mantle with the same tenacity that he took on his own standing as Crown Prince. It would not be surprising at all to see him as an excellent father...
...and far different from her own.
Taking her eyes from the meadow, she glanced down to where her hand rested, as if hoping that by doing so, she would see a change. A bit of roundness? A sign of growth and strength? After all, the child had proven already that they were stubborn enough to fend for itself, even in the womb...and Thea felt a rush of guilt.
"I am sorry...for what I tried to do," she murmured to the tiny soul inside her, knowing how only a few weeks ago, she had tried to end it all before it began. It was easier to think of it as a problem to be rectified at that time...but now, she could not see it any other way. "I will never let anything or anyone try to harm you again."
After a quiet moment, a soft smile formed as she pressed her rose-soft lips together, but disappeared just as quickly as she heard approaching steps from the woodline behind her...
A sense of rigid normalcy began to form around her days at the Kotas estate, and Thea had formed a relatively simple routine. So long as she remained within the confines of the royal household, she as free to go as she pleased, but should she wish to enter the city at all, Kotas guards would flank her. As such, she set out for two walks across the length of the Kotas grounds each day, once in the morning and once in the cool of the evening.
This was ideal, as it kept her out of the way and easily overlooked. In a way, she almost hoped that the Kotas would like her better for that alone.
As the sun set over the trees, casting shadows across the orchards and meadows, Thea would find a quiet moment to herself here and there. There was a time that she, ideally, would have enjoyed a glass of wine or the fumes of some of her most fragrant herbs, as if to stop the world for a while and just take in the quiet beauty of nature, particularly in parts of the grounds that she was less familiar with.
However, there would be none of that here, not with the eyes upon her. Instead, she was to remain a perfect and unmarred vessel for the child that grew within her.
It was early still, and apart from the bouts of sickness which ebbed and subsided from time to time, there was little to no showing of her condition. At least, not apart from her gowns fitting too snugly across her hips and chest. It was one of those things, she knew, where the body would adjust to make accommodation for the task ahead, even if the child within her had not yet grown enough to show.
Give it time.
Yet still, it was just the knowing that there was a life inside her that cast her mind in different directions than it had ever been before. Apart from thinking of her family, Thea truly did not need to think of anyone other than herself, really, and it showed in the desirous and pleasure-seeking ways she led her life. After all, what she used to influence herself never had an effect on others in the end. Here, though, it would.
Thea never really cared for something so particularly before. It had been curious to see the shift in Evras, but it was an entirely different thing for it to happen to her. In fact, thinking more on the new life hiding within her was a far easier preoccupation than thinking about the consequences that would follow - a wedding...a crown upon her brow...
Those thoughts passing through added a flicker of anxiousness that stilled her feet as she walked, one hand resting gently at her waist, looking back through the trees that lined the meadow beside her. The grass was starting to darken as it ceased to grow, but there were still patches of wildflowers and clover that fought for the remaining rays of the sun for as long as they could manage.
In her mind, she imagined a child's laughter and a head of dark hair bounding through the trees across the way...
As much as she did not want her circumstance in all this, there was at least some sense of peace in the thought of the child.
"You will like it here," she murmured aloud, her voice soft as the autumn wind carried it through the leaves, "And you will be loved and cared for, by myself and your Father..." Despite the fact that they held no love for one another. Trust, yes, in that they held each other in confidence all these years. Already seeing the intense shift in Vangelis from the moment he found out, Thea knew that he would take on the Father's mantle with the same tenacity that he took on his own standing as Crown Prince. It would not be surprising at all to see him as an excellent father...
...and far different from her own.
Taking her eyes from the meadow, she glanced down to where her hand rested, as if hoping that by doing so, she would see a change. A bit of roundness? A sign of growth and strength? After all, the child had proven already that they were stubborn enough to fend for itself, even in the womb...and Thea felt a rush of guilt.
"I am sorry...for what I tried to do," she murmured to the tiny soul inside her, knowing how only a few weeks ago, she had tried to end it all before it began. It was easier to think of it as a problem to be rectified at that time...but now, she could not see it any other way. "I will never let anything or anyone try to harm you again."
After a quiet moment, a soft smile formed as she pressed her rose-soft lips together, but disappeared just as quickly as she heard approaching steps from the woodline behind her...
Ever since his brother had told him of the change in situation, that he had been having an affair with Zanon's own sister-in-law for eight years and he was now breaking off his betrothal with a woman Zan counted as a dear friend, he had felt something off. It wasn't just that in their final encounter before his brother had sailed to war that there had been blows and words of disappointment exchanged, though that haunted him daily. There was something else that simply felt wrong, as if a shadow was following him through his days.
The attempted poisoning of his brother, the apparent assassination attempt on his father's vessel, and now Thea of Thanasi being pregnant with his brother's child all seemed too closely connected. And the death of his own servant, the girl who'd been gifted to him to help ease the pains in his leg and the brutal murders around the country. Someone was trying very hard to throw doubt and fear into the winds as most of the men in the country left for war. It was possible of course that he was paranoid, he knew on some level he was. But how could all of this suddenly befall them when for so many years there had been a relative peace in Colchis if not an attempt to enact what had occurred in the other Grecian kingdoms.
With the rapid change of kings in Taengea, leaving his eldest cousin Achilleas on the throne and the former Stephanos fighting for Colchis in the battles, the overthrow and disappearance of the Athenian queen Persephone, he wondered if perhaps the Egyptians had been planning this for a long while. Would it be so difficult for them to secretly infiltrate the kingdoms, to try to unseat the three long reigning kings in Zenon, Minas, and Tython? Certainly in Athenia and Taengea whatever was at work had succeeded, it was pure luck that both his father and Vangelis had escaped the attempts made on their lives.
Zanon had gone for a walk, more of a limp if he was being honest, trying to think of anything other than his growing anxieties and fears about sending his son into the mines. It was past time for Dion to descend into the tunnels beneath the city, to prove he was a man of Colchis and a Kotas prince. With Evras' delicate pregnancy, and the way the world stood now though, Zanon wished he could keep his only living son close by him at all times. If he lost Dion...he didn't know what he would do.
Company wasn't unexpected on the day, but who it was almost made him halt. Thea was allowed to wander the gardens, but he had given strict instructions that she be watched. Before this, he had enjoyed her company, trusted her the most out of the enemies that were his wife's family. But seeing how she could lie and keep secret something so important for so long, the way she had maneuvered herself into position as soon as Vangelis had given any sign he had the intention to take a wife, it seemed far too suspect.
"Thea. Should you not be resting, and thinking of the wellbeing of my brother's child?" He tried to keep his tone even, but the warmth he'd held for her before was notably absent as he leaned on the cane he needed to walk. Some days were better than others, and today was not a good one.
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Dec 29, 2020 18:18:22 GMT
Posted In Little Talks on Dec 29, 2020 18:18:22 GMT
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Ever since his brother had told him of the change in situation, that he had been having an affair with Zanon's own sister-in-law for eight years and he was now breaking off his betrothal with a woman Zan counted as a dear friend, he had felt something off. It wasn't just that in their final encounter before his brother had sailed to war that there had been blows and words of disappointment exchanged, though that haunted him daily. There was something else that simply felt wrong, as if a shadow was following him through his days.
The attempted poisoning of his brother, the apparent assassination attempt on his father's vessel, and now Thea of Thanasi being pregnant with his brother's child all seemed too closely connected. And the death of his own servant, the girl who'd been gifted to him to help ease the pains in his leg and the brutal murders around the country. Someone was trying very hard to throw doubt and fear into the winds as most of the men in the country left for war. It was possible of course that he was paranoid, he knew on some level he was. But how could all of this suddenly befall them when for so many years there had been a relative peace in Colchis if not an attempt to enact what had occurred in the other Grecian kingdoms.
With the rapid change of kings in Taengea, leaving his eldest cousin Achilleas on the throne and the former Stephanos fighting for Colchis in the battles, the overthrow and disappearance of the Athenian queen Persephone, he wondered if perhaps the Egyptians had been planning this for a long while. Would it be so difficult for them to secretly infiltrate the kingdoms, to try to unseat the three long reigning kings in Zenon, Minas, and Tython? Certainly in Athenia and Taengea whatever was at work had succeeded, it was pure luck that both his father and Vangelis had escaped the attempts made on their lives.
Zanon had gone for a walk, more of a limp if he was being honest, trying to think of anything other than his growing anxieties and fears about sending his son into the mines. It was past time for Dion to descend into the tunnels beneath the city, to prove he was a man of Colchis and a Kotas prince. With Evras' delicate pregnancy, and the way the world stood now though, Zanon wished he could keep his only living son close by him at all times. If he lost Dion...he didn't know what he would do.
Company wasn't unexpected on the day, but who it was almost made him halt. Thea was allowed to wander the gardens, but he had given strict instructions that she be watched. Before this, he had enjoyed her company, trusted her the most out of the enemies that were his wife's family. But seeing how she could lie and keep secret something so important for so long, the way she had maneuvered herself into position as soon as Vangelis had given any sign he had the intention to take a wife, it seemed far too suspect.
"Thea. Should you not be resting, and thinking of the wellbeing of my brother's child?" He tried to keep his tone even, but the warmth he'd held for her before was notably absent as he leaned on the cane he needed to walk. Some days were better than others, and today was not a good one.
Ever since his brother had told him of the change in situation, that he had been having an affair with Zanon's own sister-in-law for eight years and he was now breaking off his betrothal with a woman Zan counted as a dear friend, he had felt something off. It wasn't just that in their final encounter before his brother had sailed to war that there had been blows and words of disappointment exchanged, though that haunted him daily. There was something else that simply felt wrong, as if a shadow was following him through his days.
The attempted poisoning of his brother, the apparent assassination attempt on his father's vessel, and now Thea of Thanasi being pregnant with his brother's child all seemed too closely connected. And the death of his own servant, the girl who'd been gifted to him to help ease the pains in his leg and the brutal murders around the country. Someone was trying very hard to throw doubt and fear into the winds as most of the men in the country left for war. It was possible of course that he was paranoid, he knew on some level he was. But how could all of this suddenly befall them when for so many years there had been a relative peace in Colchis if not an attempt to enact what had occurred in the other Grecian kingdoms.
With the rapid change of kings in Taengea, leaving his eldest cousin Achilleas on the throne and the former Stephanos fighting for Colchis in the battles, the overthrow and disappearance of the Athenian queen Persephone, he wondered if perhaps the Egyptians had been planning this for a long while. Would it be so difficult for them to secretly infiltrate the kingdoms, to try to unseat the three long reigning kings in Zenon, Minas, and Tython? Certainly in Athenia and Taengea whatever was at work had succeeded, it was pure luck that both his father and Vangelis had escaped the attempts made on their lives.
Zanon had gone for a walk, more of a limp if he was being honest, trying to think of anything other than his growing anxieties and fears about sending his son into the mines. It was past time for Dion to descend into the tunnels beneath the city, to prove he was a man of Colchis and a Kotas prince. With Evras' delicate pregnancy, and the way the world stood now though, Zanon wished he could keep his only living son close by him at all times. If he lost Dion...he didn't know what he would do.
Company wasn't unexpected on the day, but who it was almost made him halt. Thea was allowed to wander the gardens, but he had given strict instructions that she be watched. Before this, he had enjoyed her company, trusted her the most out of the enemies that were his wife's family. But seeing how she could lie and keep secret something so important for so long, the way she had maneuvered herself into position as soon as Vangelis had given any sign he had the intention to take a wife, it seemed far too suspect.
"Thea. Should you not be resting, and thinking of the wellbeing of my brother's child?" He tried to keep his tone even, but the warmth he'd held for her before was notably absent as he leaned on the cane he needed to walk. Some days were better than others, and today was not a good one.
Thea felt torn on a daily basis about her circumstances. First and foremost, she dreadfully missed being surrounded by friendly faces - namely those of Mihail and, until recently, Nethis. However, with her brother away at war and her sister quietly gloating over this seeming 'victory' for the family, despite Thea being used a pawn in it all, she was not able to keep their company.
The only other available company saw her as an enemy within their walls, and watched her warily as if she were to strike out at any given moment. Even Evras, who in her delicate state, found reason to build a wall between them over this betrayal. These secrets...as if she never kept one of her own.
And so, Thea was left to combat the sheer and utter loneliness of her current position with an attempt to try to embrace the solitude, for her own safety and that of her growing child. It was difficult to try to convince herself that this constant state of 'peace and quiet' was good for her, as she felt much like a flower wilting in the winter months.
As Zanon approached, Thea held her expression at his words, dipping lightly into a silent curtsy of greeting before offering a soft sigh.
"Fresh air and movement is vital for the health of mother and babe, so early on," she explained, her own tone chilled and her words level, as if reading from a text on the matter, "After all, as you well know, such things may come to be restricted in the latter weeks." Evras would not be taking such walks in her condition, to lessen the chance of bleeding and loss of the child.
Thea's eyes drifted down to Zanon's stance, particularly the way he favored his leg. It was not uncommon for the turn of the season to tighten injured joints. Her eyes floated back to him, as if assessing whether or not to comment on it. There was once a sense of closeness between them, for the mutual love of Evras, but also in understanding the nature of his wound and working together to try different remedies. Her first instinct was to ask about the changes - what was he taking to treat the pain? Had he found another to work in loosening the muscles since losing his prior help for it?
But, with the tension of wariness between them as sharp and cold as the air around them, she kept her questions quiet, but noted his condition by quietly offering, "My pace is slow, however, if you wish to keep company."
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Dec 31, 2020 18:48:11 GMT
Posted In Little Talks on Dec 31, 2020 18:48:11 GMT
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Thea felt torn on a daily basis about her circumstances. First and foremost, she dreadfully missed being surrounded by friendly faces - namely those of Mihail and, until recently, Nethis. However, with her brother away at war and her sister quietly gloating over this seeming 'victory' for the family, despite Thea being used a pawn in it all, she was not able to keep their company.
The only other available company saw her as an enemy within their walls, and watched her warily as if she were to strike out at any given moment. Even Evras, who in her delicate state, found reason to build a wall between them over this betrayal. These secrets...as if she never kept one of her own.
And so, Thea was left to combat the sheer and utter loneliness of her current position with an attempt to try to embrace the solitude, for her own safety and that of her growing child. It was difficult to try to convince herself that this constant state of 'peace and quiet' was good for her, as she felt much like a flower wilting in the winter months.
As Zanon approached, Thea held her expression at his words, dipping lightly into a silent curtsy of greeting before offering a soft sigh.
"Fresh air and movement is vital for the health of mother and babe, so early on," she explained, her own tone chilled and her words level, as if reading from a text on the matter, "After all, as you well know, such things may come to be restricted in the latter weeks." Evras would not be taking such walks in her condition, to lessen the chance of bleeding and loss of the child.
Thea's eyes drifted down to Zanon's stance, particularly the way he favored his leg. It was not uncommon for the turn of the season to tighten injured joints. Her eyes floated back to him, as if assessing whether or not to comment on it. There was once a sense of closeness between them, for the mutual love of Evras, but also in understanding the nature of his wound and working together to try different remedies. Her first instinct was to ask about the changes - what was he taking to treat the pain? Had he found another to work in loosening the muscles since losing his prior help for it?
But, with the tension of wariness between them as sharp and cold as the air around them, she kept her questions quiet, but noted his condition by quietly offering, "My pace is slow, however, if you wish to keep company."
Thea felt torn on a daily basis about her circumstances. First and foremost, she dreadfully missed being surrounded by friendly faces - namely those of Mihail and, until recently, Nethis. However, with her brother away at war and her sister quietly gloating over this seeming 'victory' for the family, despite Thea being used a pawn in it all, she was not able to keep their company.
The only other available company saw her as an enemy within their walls, and watched her warily as if she were to strike out at any given moment. Even Evras, who in her delicate state, found reason to build a wall between them over this betrayal. These secrets...as if she never kept one of her own.
And so, Thea was left to combat the sheer and utter loneliness of her current position with an attempt to try to embrace the solitude, for her own safety and that of her growing child. It was difficult to try to convince herself that this constant state of 'peace and quiet' was good for her, as she felt much like a flower wilting in the winter months.
As Zanon approached, Thea held her expression at his words, dipping lightly into a silent curtsy of greeting before offering a soft sigh.
"Fresh air and movement is vital for the health of mother and babe, so early on," she explained, her own tone chilled and her words level, as if reading from a text on the matter, "After all, as you well know, such things may come to be restricted in the latter weeks." Evras would not be taking such walks in her condition, to lessen the chance of bleeding and loss of the child.
Thea's eyes drifted down to Zanon's stance, particularly the way he favored his leg. It was not uncommon for the turn of the season to tighten injured joints. Her eyes floated back to him, as if assessing whether or not to comment on it. There was once a sense of closeness between them, for the mutual love of Evras, but also in understanding the nature of his wound and working together to try different remedies. Her first instinct was to ask about the changes - what was he taking to treat the pain? Had he found another to work in loosening the muscles since losing his prior help for it?
But, with the tension of wariness between them as sharp and cold as the air around them, she kept her questions quiet, but noted his condition by quietly offering, "My pace is slow, however, if you wish to keep company."
Giving a hum of noncommittal acknowledgement, Zanon leaned with both hands against the cane before him, giving his leg a chance to stretch and rest. After so many failed pregnancies he'd heard countless pieces of advice, usually leaning heavily against the frame of his bed or the wall after yet another physician who claimed they could help his wife carry a child was making excuses. Well in the future do this, in the future do that, as if their future wasn't slowly shrinking and there had been the loss of four potential lives. Dion had truly been a blessing from the gods.
Sending him into the mines was a nightmare he had wanted to put off as long as possible, especially given Evras' current condition, but it could not be set aside any longer. Especially if gods forbid anything were to happen to the men at war, or the two Kotas babes in wombs at the moment. Dion was the only one of the next generation, the loss of any more could bring about fear or unease, a failing of trust in the family on behalf of the people. If they could not send their only living heir into the mines, what strength and courage did they show to lead in war and protect their shores.
Thea's comment about her slow pace almost made him smile, there was a definite twitch in the corner of his mouth and a brief light of humor in his eye. In the past she would have been the first he turned to for help, especially after the death of his slave who had helped him manage the pain, but after the turmoil of the summer, the loss of Selene as a friend and confidante, and the harsh words Vangelis had thrown at him before his departure, Zanon had little trust remaining in the woman who had been his brother's whore for so long.
"I believe I can manage. If only to ensure no harm befalls my brother's child." There was a bitterness in his tone as he looked at her stomach, trying to see if he could tell how far along she was by the curve of her abdomen, but failing to see more than the very slightest of additions to his sister-in-law's waistline. Evras had shown differently, her body had remained as it was save for the prominent roundness that held the growing babe, but Thea was older. Perhaps the overall puffiness was the way they carried.
"Your presence will be required at the small ceremony to be held for Dion. He will be entering the mines within the month." It wouldn't do if Thea was truly to be the next queen of Colchis and his brother's wife to exclude her from the activities. Better to avoid any additional speculation and bad blood there, and she had been Dion's favorite aunt. Not that the boy knew the full extent of what was happening, but he knew that things had changed, that Thea was to marry Vang, and that there would be two babies by the next summer.
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Jan 3, 2021 21:00:11 GMT
Posted In Little Talks on Jan 3, 2021 21:00:11 GMT
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Giving a hum of noncommittal acknowledgement, Zanon leaned with both hands against the cane before him, giving his leg a chance to stretch and rest. After so many failed pregnancies he'd heard countless pieces of advice, usually leaning heavily against the frame of his bed or the wall after yet another physician who claimed they could help his wife carry a child was making excuses. Well in the future do this, in the future do that, as if their future wasn't slowly shrinking and there had been the loss of four potential lives. Dion had truly been a blessing from the gods.
Sending him into the mines was a nightmare he had wanted to put off as long as possible, especially given Evras' current condition, but it could not be set aside any longer. Especially if gods forbid anything were to happen to the men at war, or the two Kotas babes in wombs at the moment. Dion was the only one of the next generation, the loss of any more could bring about fear or unease, a failing of trust in the family on behalf of the people. If they could not send their only living heir into the mines, what strength and courage did they show to lead in war and protect their shores.
Thea's comment about her slow pace almost made him smile, there was a definite twitch in the corner of his mouth and a brief light of humor in his eye. In the past she would have been the first he turned to for help, especially after the death of his slave who had helped him manage the pain, but after the turmoil of the summer, the loss of Selene as a friend and confidante, and the harsh words Vangelis had thrown at him before his departure, Zanon had little trust remaining in the woman who had been his brother's whore for so long.
"I believe I can manage. If only to ensure no harm befalls my brother's child." There was a bitterness in his tone as he looked at her stomach, trying to see if he could tell how far along she was by the curve of her abdomen, but failing to see more than the very slightest of additions to his sister-in-law's waistline. Evras had shown differently, her body had remained as it was save for the prominent roundness that held the growing babe, but Thea was older. Perhaps the overall puffiness was the way they carried.
"Your presence will be required at the small ceremony to be held for Dion. He will be entering the mines within the month." It wouldn't do if Thea was truly to be the next queen of Colchis and his brother's wife to exclude her from the activities. Better to avoid any additional speculation and bad blood there, and she had been Dion's favorite aunt. Not that the boy knew the full extent of what was happening, but he knew that things had changed, that Thea was to marry Vang, and that there would be two babies by the next summer.
Giving a hum of noncommittal acknowledgement, Zanon leaned with both hands against the cane before him, giving his leg a chance to stretch and rest. After so many failed pregnancies he'd heard countless pieces of advice, usually leaning heavily against the frame of his bed or the wall after yet another physician who claimed they could help his wife carry a child was making excuses. Well in the future do this, in the future do that, as if their future wasn't slowly shrinking and there had been the loss of four potential lives. Dion had truly been a blessing from the gods.
Sending him into the mines was a nightmare he had wanted to put off as long as possible, especially given Evras' current condition, but it could not be set aside any longer. Especially if gods forbid anything were to happen to the men at war, or the two Kotas babes in wombs at the moment. Dion was the only one of the next generation, the loss of any more could bring about fear or unease, a failing of trust in the family on behalf of the people. If they could not send their only living heir into the mines, what strength and courage did they show to lead in war and protect their shores.
Thea's comment about her slow pace almost made him smile, there was a definite twitch in the corner of his mouth and a brief light of humor in his eye. In the past she would have been the first he turned to for help, especially after the death of his slave who had helped him manage the pain, but after the turmoil of the summer, the loss of Selene as a friend and confidante, and the harsh words Vangelis had thrown at him before his departure, Zanon had little trust remaining in the woman who had been his brother's whore for so long.
"I believe I can manage. If only to ensure no harm befalls my brother's child." There was a bitterness in his tone as he looked at her stomach, trying to see if he could tell how far along she was by the curve of her abdomen, but failing to see more than the very slightest of additions to his sister-in-law's waistline. Evras had shown differently, her body had remained as it was save for the prominent roundness that held the growing babe, but Thea was older. Perhaps the overall puffiness was the way they carried.
"Your presence will be required at the small ceremony to be held for Dion. He will be entering the mines within the month." It wouldn't do if Thea was truly to be the next queen of Colchis and his brother's wife to exclude her from the activities. Better to avoid any additional speculation and bad blood there, and she had been Dion's favorite aunt. Not that the boy knew the full extent of what was happening, but he knew that things had changed, that Thea was to marry Vang, and that there would be two babies by the next summer.
As the Prince stood there, Thea kept her gaze on him, as if hoping to divine his thoughts with any movement or shift in expression. There had been a trepidatious trust that had lingered there for near a decade, through their shared love for Evras, and general good will between them. Of course, the rift between their families over the generations, despite marriages and children, left them all cautious of one another deep beneath the surface.
Only now, it was ever present.
Much to Thea's relief, Zanon did not insist on her return to the estate proper in that moment. While her 'position' currently had her in a state of limbo as far as what she could and could not do, there was still a definitive ranking among them. If Zanon ordered her to return, she could voice her disagreement, but would ultimately have to follow.
After all, their titles remained intact...until she and Vangelis...
The ghost of a smile caught Thea's eye. Ah, so he had caught her jest, and reacted to it. Certainly not in the way it would have been once, but it was something at least. More than she had received before.
She'd take it.
Her eyes followed his gaze, towards her abdomen, where her hands folded over it lightly. Thea was ever aware of the fact that she was not beginning to show as prominently as Evras did. Then again, Thea's body had long reached maturity before being with child, while Evras had only barely become a woman when pregnant with Dion. Certainly, that had something to do with it...right?
"I intend to see the priestesses in the days to come," Thea acknowledged, her eyes also drifting down to where her hands stood guard, "With all that has come to pass...I look forward to their guidance." For the span of a blink, her brows pinched almost imperceptibly at the consideration. It was different now from when it was Thea assisting someone else. All throughout Evras' pregnancies, Thea had been there alongside the priestesses to comfort and guide.
As for now, the priestesses would do.
They walked only a few steps before Zanon made his request, Thea's brows raising and eyes rounding slightly. So soon? Silently doing the figures, she walked quietly in wonder that Dion was indeed of age to go to the mines. A mixture of feelings had her opening her mouth a moment, hesitating, then speaking at last.
"Of course. Anything for Dion." Shaking her head, she even huffed a soft laugh of disbelief, "Ten. Some days it feels as if he was only just learning to walk and speak..."
And those nights when Thea rocked him in her arms to offer her sister a moment of reprieve. He had been so small, and still even in his face, with the roundness of his eyes and the pout of his lips, he looks so...young...
Would Evras do the same for her...?
The thought of it all sent a surge of inexplicable emotion through her, and she felt the now-too-familiar stinging and tightening around her eyes which she rapidly tried to blink away as she looked to the path just before her feet.
It dawned on her that she had been silent in her thoughts for a moment too long, leaving the air hanging awkwardly. Clearing her throat lightly from the surprising twinge of emotion that had caught at the base of her neck, she looked toward Zanon again.
"Forgive me..." she started, initially apologizing for the lull and intending to leave it there, but words of confession slipped through her lips, "I find myself taken by sentimentality more so than before."
It was said that women in these delicate conditions would sometimes have rushes of emotion. Thea could no longer tell if it had been the suddenness of the changes in her life or the child within her that had caused her to become so sensitive in these passing weeks. Quickly, she shifted back to the topic at hand instead of her own vulnerability.
"As Evras is indisposed, I offer whatever help I may in this. If it so pleases you." Thea awaited the decline to her offer, what she knew would come to pass. No doubt Queen Yanni would handle any and all affairs, but...with Evras bedridden, there might come a need for some part of the ceremony.
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Jan 29, 2021 1:45:52 GMT
Posted In Little Talks on Jan 29, 2021 1:45:52 GMT
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As the Prince stood there, Thea kept her gaze on him, as if hoping to divine his thoughts with any movement or shift in expression. There had been a trepidatious trust that had lingered there for near a decade, through their shared love for Evras, and general good will between them. Of course, the rift between their families over the generations, despite marriages and children, left them all cautious of one another deep beneath the surface.
Only now, it was ever present.
Much to Thea's relief, Zanon did not insist on her return to the estate proper in that moment. While her 'position' currently had her in a state of limbo as far as what she could and could not do, there was still a definitive ranking among them. If Zanon ordered her to return, she could voice her disagreement, but would ultimately have to follow.
After all, their titles remained intact...until she and Vangelis...
The ghost of a smile caught Thea's eye. Ah, so he had caught her jest, and reacted to it. Certainly not in the way it would have been once, but it was something at least. More than she had received before.
She'd take it.
Her eyes followed his gaze, towards her abdomen, where her hands folded over it lightly. Thea was ever aware of the fact that she was not beginning to show as prominently as Evras did. Then again, Thea's body had long reached maturity before being with child, while Evras had only barely become a woman when pregnant with Dion. Certainly, that had something to do with it...right?
"I intend to see the priestesses in the days to come," Thea acknowledged, her eyes also drifting down to where her hands stood guard, "With all that has come to pass...I look forward to their guidance." For the span of a blink, her brows pinched almost imperceptibly at the consideration. It was different now from when it was Thea assisting someone else. All throughout Evras' pregnancies, Thea had been there alongside the priestesses to comfort and guide.
As for now, the priestesses would do.
They walked only a few steps before Zanon made his request, Thea's brows raising and eyes rounding slightly. So soon? Silently doing the figures, she walked quietly in wonder that Dion was indeed of age to go to the mines. A mixture of feelings had her opening her mouth a moment, hesitating, then speaking at last.
"Of course. Anything for Dion." Shaking her head, she even huffed a soft laugh of disbelief, "Ten. Some days it feels as if he was only just learning to walk and speak..."
And those nights when Thea rocked him in her arms to offer her sister a moment of reprieve. He had been so small, and still even in his face, with the roundness of his eyes and the pout of his lips, he looks so...young...
Would Evras do the same for her...?
The thought of it all sent a surge of inexplicable emotion through her, and she felt the now-too-familiar stinging and tightening around her eyes which she rapidly tried to blink away as she looked to the path just before her feet.
It dawned on her that she had been silent in her thoughts for a moment too long, leaving the air hanging awkwardly. Clearing her throat lightly from the surprising twinge of emotion that had caught at the base of her neck, she looked toward Zanon again.
"Forgive me..." she started, initially apologizing for the lull and intending to leave it there, but words of confession slipped through her lips, "I find myself taken by sentimentality more so than before."
It was said that women in these delicate conditions would sometimes have rushes of emotion. Thea could no longer tell if it had been the suddenness of the changes in her life or the child within her that had caused her to become so sensitive in these passing weeks. Quickly, she shifted back to the topic at hand instead of her own vulnerability.
"As Evras is indisposed, I offer whatever help I may in this. If it so pleases you." Thea awaited the decline to her offer, what she knew would come to pass. No doubt Queen Yanni would handle any and all affairs, but...with Evras bedridden, there might come a need for some part of the ceremony.
As the Prince stood there, Thea kept her gaze on him, as if hoping to divine his thoughts with any movement or shift in expression. There had been a trepidatious trust that had lingered there for near a decade, through their shared love for Evras, and general good will between them. Of course, the rift between their families over the generations, despite marriages and children, left them all cautious of one another deep beneath the surface.
Only now, it was ever present.
Much to Thea's relief, Zanon did not insist on her return to the estate proper in that moment. While her 'position' currently had her in a state of limbo as far as what she could and could not do, there was still a definitive ranking among them. If Zanon ordered her to return, she could voice her disagreement, but would ultimately have to follow.
After all, their titles remained intact...until she and Vangelis...
The ghost of a smile caught Thea's eye. Ah, so he had caught her jest, and reacted to it. Certainly not in the way it would have been once, but it was something at least. More than she had received before.
She'd take it.
Her eyes followed his gaze, towards her abdomen, where her hands folded over it lightly. Thea was ever aware of the fact that she was not beginning to show as prominently as Evras did. Then again, Thea's body had long reached maturity before being with child, while Evras had only barely become a woman when pregnant with Dion. Certainly, that had something to do with it...right?
"I intend to see the priestesses in the days to come," Thea acknowledged, her eyes also drifting down to where her hands stood guard, "With all that has come to pass...I look forward to their guidance." For the span of a blink, her brows pinched almost imperceptibly at the consideration. It was different now from when it was Thea assisting someone else. All throughout Evras' pregnancies, Thea had been there alongside the priestesses to comfort and guide.
As for now, the priestesses would do.
They walked only a few steps before Zanon made his request, Thea's brows raising and eyes rounding slightly. So soon? Silently doing the figures, she walked quietly in wonder that Dion was indeed of age to go to the mines. A mixture of feelings had her opening her mouth a moment, hesitating, then speaking at last.
"Of course. Anything for Dion." Shaking her head, she even huffed a soft laugh of disbelief, "Ten. Some days it feels as if he was only just learning to walk and speak..."
And those nights when Thea rocked him in her arms to offer her sister a moment of reprieve. He had been so small, and still even in his face, with the roundness of his eyes and the pout of his lips, he looks so...young...
Would Evras do the same for her...?
The thought of it all sent a surge of inexplicable emotion through her, and she felt the now-too-familiar stinging and tightening around her eyes which she rapidly tried to blink away as she looked to the path just before her feet.
It dawned on her that she had been silent in her thoughts for a moment too long, leaving the air hanging awkwardly. Clearing her throat lightly from the surprising twinge of emotion that had caught at the base of her neck, she looked toward Zanon again.
"Forgive me..." she started, initially apologizing for the lull and intending to leave it there, but words of confession slipped through her lips, "I find myself taken by sentimentality more so than before."
It was said that women in these delicate conditions would sometimes have rushes of emotion. Thea could no longer tell if it had been the suddenness of the changes in her life or the child within her that had caused her to become so sensitive in these passing weeks. Quickly, she shifted back to the topic at hand instead of her own vulnerability.
"As Evras is indisposed, I offer whatever help I may in this. If it so pleases you." Thea awaited the decline to her offer, what she knew would come to pass. No doubt Queen Yanni would handle any and all affairs, but...with Evras bedridden, there might come a need for some part of the ceremony.
Their slow pace worked for him, enough that he could lean heavily on his cane with each step as they walked. The colder weather and damp winds that blew from the sea made his injury even worse, and without any regular treatment he felt as if his entire body was seizing up with aches and pains more often than not. Perhaps he would find someone soon who would be able to relieve the aches in his joints.
He nodded as she spoke of seeing the priestesses for assistance, gaze on the ground to watch where he stepped instead of the garden around them. Perhaps the priestesses would be able to determine if it was truly his brother's child or not, though he bitterly knew there was no chance of it. Even if at this point Vangelis came to his senses when he returned, Selene wouldn't have him again that much he was certain of. How could she come back to a man who had set her aside and gotten another woman with child?
"Twelve." His voice was low, lost in thought as he corrected his sister-in-law. It was impossible for him to believe as well, had they been on friendlier terms he might have laughed along with her at the thought of him having a son old enough to go into the mines. "He will be twelve by the end of the month. As impossible as that seems. And now he is almost a whole man." Once Dion emerged from the mines he would be a man in the eyes of the Colchian people. He would not leave for his first battle until he was sixteen, but from the return from the mines on he would be put into training as a warrior just as the rest of the Kotas men had since before he knew.
Zanon shook his head, brushing off the apology from Thea at how emotional she was. This at least was something he was familiar with. Evras was the same, always emotional beyond her normal self when she was with child, and it worked in Thea's favor to prove that she was not only with child but still cared somewhat for the family she had alienated. His parents had not been this unhappy with a union since his own marriage, and that at least had been easily remedied after they spent time with Evras.
"Thank you, for the offer. Dion will want you in attendance. You are his favorite aunt still I believe. My mother has taken charge of planning, it gives her something else to focus on even with the running of the kingdom she has never been good at resting." He sighed as they walked a few moments longer before stopping and reaching out to take hold of Thea's arm. Turning her to him, Zanon's dark gaze looked her over and then in her eye with a seriousness that had previously been rare in the second prince. This past year had changed a good deal in his life, and brought him to a more solemn conclusion.
"Tell me plainly. Just the two of us. I trusted you once, believed you truly had the best interests of my family in your heart. Is this child you carry intentional? Or is keeping Vangelis from marrying someone better for the kingdom a true accident?" He had so many questions, and why he thought he would be able to read the truth in Thea's eyes now he wasn't sure, but he hoped after everything they'd been through, the familial bond that held them, that she might be able to speak her truth to him here and now.
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Feb 4, 2021 16:31:17 GMT
Posted In Little Talks on Feb 4, 2021 16:31:17 GMT
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Their slow pace worked for him, enough that he could lean heavily on his cane with each step as they walked. The colder weather and damp winds that blew from the sea made his injury even worse, and without any regular treatment he felt as if his entire body was seizing up with aches and pains more often than not. Perhaps he would find someone soon who would be able to relieve the aches in his joints.
He nodded as she spoke of seeing the priestesses for assistance, gaze on the ground to watch where he stepped instead of the garden around them. Perhaps the priestesses would be able to determine if it was truly his brother's child or not, though he bitterly knew there was no chance of it. Even if at this point Vangelis came to his senses when he returned, Selene wouldn't have him again that much he was certain of. How could she come back to a man who had set her aside and gotten another woman with child?
"Twelve." His voice was low, lost in thought as he corrected his sister-in-law. It was impossible for him to believe as well, had they been on friendlier terms he might have laughed along with her at the thought of him having a son old enough to go into the mines. "He will be twelve by the end of the month. As impossible as that seems. And now he is almost a whole man." Once Dion emerged from the mines he would be a man in the eyes of the Colchian people. He would not leave for his first battle until he was sixteen, but from the return from the mines on he would be put into training as a warrior just as the rest of the Kotas men had since before he knew.
Zanon shook his head, brushing off the apology from Thea at how emotional she was. This at least was something he was familiar with. Evras was the same, always emotional beyond her normal self when she was with child, and it worked in Thea's favor to prove that she was not only with child but still cared somewhat for the family she had alienated. His parents had not been this unhappy with a union since his own marriage, and that at least had been easily remedied after they spent time with Evras.
"Thank you, for the offer. Dion will want you in attendance. You are his favorite aunt still I believe. My mother has taken charge of planning, it gives her something else to focus on even with the running of the kingdom she has never been good at resting." He sighed as they walked a few moments longer before stopping and reaching out to take hold of Thea's arm. Turning her to him, Zanon's dark gaze looked her over and then in her eye with a seriousness that had previously been rare in the second prince. This past year had changed a good deal in his life, and brought him to a more solemn conclusion.
"Tell me plainly. Just the two of us. I trusted you once, believed you truly had the best interests of my family in your heart. Is this child you carry intentional? Or is keeping Vangelis from marrying someone better for the kingdom a true accident?" He had so many questions, and why he thought he would be able to read the truth in Thea's eyes now he wasn't sure, but he hoped after everything they'd been through, the familial bond that held them, that she might be able to speak her truth to him here and now.
Their slow pace worked for him, enough that he could lean heavily on his cane with each step as they walked. The colder weather and damp winds that blew from the sea made his injury even worse, and without any regular treatment he felt as if his entire body was seizing up with aches and pains more often than not. Perhaps he would find someone soon who would be able to relieve the aches in his joints.
He nodded as she spoke of seeing the priestesses for assistance, gaze on the ground to watch where he stepped instead of the garden around them. Perhaps the priestesses would be able to determine if it was truly his brother's child or not, though he bitterly knew there was no chance of it. Even if at this point Vangelis came to his senses when he returned, Selene wouldn't have him again that much he was certain of. How could she come back to a man who had set her aside and gotten another woman with child?
"Twelve." His voice was low, lost in thought as he corrected his sister-in-law. It was impossible for him to believe as well, had they been on friendlier terms he might have laughed along with her at the thought of him having a son old enough to go into the mines. "He will be twelve by the end of the month. As impossible as that seems. And now he is almost a whole man." Once Dion emerged from the mines he would be a man in the eyes of the Colchian people. He would not leave for his first battle until he was sixteen, but from the return from the mines on he would be put into training as a warrior just as the rest of the Kotas men had since before he knew.
Zanon shook his head, brushing off the apology from Thea at how emotional she was. This at least was something he was familiar with. Evras was the same, always emotional beyond her normal self when she was with child, and it worked in Thea's favor to prove that she was not only with child but still cared somewhat for the family she had alienated. His parents had not been this unhappy with a union since his own marriage, and that at least had been easily remedied after they spent time with Evras.
"Thank you, for the offer. Dion will want you in attendance. You are his favorite aunt still I believe. My mother has taken charge of planning, it gives her something else to focus on even with the running of the kingdom she has never been good at resting." He sighed as they walked a few moments longer before stopping and reaching out to take hold of Thea's arm. Turning her to him, Zanon's dark gaze looked her over and then in her eye with a seriousness that had previously been rare in the second prince. This past year had changed a good deal in his life, and brought him to a more solemn conclusion.
"Tell me plainly. Just the two of us. I trusted you once, believed you truly had the best interests of my family in your heart. Is this child you carry intentional? Or is keeping Vangelis from marrying someone better for the kingdom a true accident?" He had so many questions, and why he thought he would be able to read the truth in Thea's eyes now he wasn't sure, but he hoped after everything they'd been through, the familial bond that held them, that she might be able to speak her truth to him here and now.
