"I can certainly see your point brother..."[/i] Were the words that identified to Fotios that had succeeded - once again - in convincing his brother towards his own frame of thinking.

While Konstanos was in no way stupid, nor was he easy to coerce or gullible, Fotios found him to be far more adhering to rank and power than their middle brother Georgios. Where Georgios appeared to let his heart intervene on circumstances that were really as simple as Fotios exacting his own decision as Head of the House of Leventi, Konstanos was far more open to understanding the way of the world. Especially when it was explained to him in a manner that suited his and his family's best interests.

Which is why Fotios had always maintained a strong friendship with Konstanos’ side of the family - encouraging of his daughters’ connection to the Lady Evangelina over their cousins Nana and Imma.

Not that he wanted Agape, Melina - and certainly not Dafni! - exposed to the two youngest females of Georgios family. Good grief he would drown in conversations of vapid uselessness at the dining table if such visits were encouraged more. At least the Lady Evangelina seemed to have a head on her shoulders. Far more spirit than was suitable for a woman of her breeding, but such things could always be worked around. Just as with her father...

Having laid the foundations of an idea in Konstanos' mind regarding a future Senate meeting that he and Irakles had plans for, Fotios dropped the subject entirely, knowing that too much pressure on a certain point anyone wincing away. Instead he turned to the second reason he had made the three-hour ride to Acharist.

Two hours later and he had yet another agreement from Konstanos - this one a confirmed decision over the sprout of a concept and he was pleased when the man summoned for his daughter to be brought to the room they had occupied since he had arrived at the house.

The morning room - as the local family called it - was bright and white and Fotios found he had a strong taste for it. Those who distrusted him might have assumed that Fotios was preferential to darker colours and shadowy rooms, but such a thought was folly and entirely untrue. Fotios liked light. He liked brightness and openness. The world portrayed on a blank canvas, ready for him to paint as he saw fit.

To shift in shadow drew suspicion. To stride through the light drew no such attention.

Drinking from the glass of grape juice his brother had provided him with - slightly asinine but it was passable - Fotios secured one leg over the other at the knee and tapped his elevated foot as he waited. He watched with mild amusement how the light from the morning sun gleamed off of his riding boots and passed the time they waited for the girl in unimportant chatter regarding the man's son...

Or, at least, Fotios gave the impression that such talks were unimportant.

When the door to the morning room was finally opened and Evangelina revealed to be the entrant, Fotios simply glanced around the edge of his high-backed chair and was pleased to see her reaction to his presence. The girl may have intended to show him no weakness and that his existence in her home was no concern to her - for she very clearly showed no signs of fear, timidity or hesitation. And yet the set of her jaw, the strength of her step and the slightly too determined effort to show lack of fear was only a strong indicative that the emotion did, indeed, exist.

Instead of calling her bluff however, Fotios simply dipped his head in greeting to the girl, as she managed to greet him without welcoming him and then inquired as to his two eldest daughters.

"No." He answered.

That was it.

Let the girl fret on whatever that was to mean while he considered his chalice again and swirled the liquid within.

"Konstanos, I have been drinking this concoction for the last two hours, do you happen to have some wine?" He asked the man. "I see no purpose in such a beverage when it is only waste of grapes that could be used otherwise."

With a chortle at Fotios' dry humour, Konstanos nodded and rose from his chair to poor the two gentleman fresh goblets. It was during this action that Fotios levelled his gaze on his niece. Placing elbow on chair and chin on hand, Fotios allowed his gaze to drift impartially from head to toe on the girl and narrowed his eyes in assessment. The length of his middle finger rested upon his lower lip as he considered her, only blinked and breaking the connection when Konstanos returned from the other side of the room and supplied him with a decent drink.

"Thank you, brother." He commented. "Now, I think it best we not keep Evie here in suspense, don't you?" He offered a conspiratorial smile that his brother took to be humorous and returned. "Why don't you inform the girl what's been decided?"

Fotios feigned disinterest as Konstanos shifted in his seat to look at his daughter who awaited his words patiently, his ears simply pricked to check the word use the man employed.

"My dear, I have been discussing with your Uncle the plans for our future." The Man began and Fotios recognised a few of the phrases he had employed an hour ago in his next words. "When I say future I, of course, mean the House of Leventi." Fotios watched as Konstanos smiled indulgently at his daughter. "You know you have an important role in how we go about attaining such a future for our family, sweetheart and your uncle and I think it time that we encourage you in that area."

Fotios decided at this point that the man was dodging the subject and added to the conversation himself.

"Your father is talking about Court, Evangelina." He stated, with a confidence of speech rarely contested. "You have not attended recently and it is unwise to not show the men of the Court the kind of woman you have grown into." He shook his head in a saddened manner. "You stay away too long and the finer of the pack will have been snatched by women that are more present - even those younger than yourself."

Fotios watched Evangelina carefully throughout her father speaking with her, then as she processed his own words as he chose to take over the conversation and direct it towards its main point. Konstanos always was too much of a dawdler when he was concerned of what his listener may feel regarding his utterances or instructions.

Fotios did not have such a limitation.

Instead, he was assessing the girl for her thoughts rather than her feelings. People were hard to control. Easy to manipulate. But hard to control. Their feelings and thoughts would dictate their behaviour in different scenarios depending on whether the stimulation around them encouraged the head or the heart to lead. It was these ideas - the driving motivations and patterns in thought that could be re-written, coerced and suggested. So that, when the time came to making a decision significant to that of the manipulator... there was no control involved. Only an innate action that the executioner believed to be of their own choice and making.

To force control? To force action? It was a fool’s errand.

But such theories were only based on dealing with those of your peerage or superior in their social standing - the ones you had no legitimate right to order about or demand from.

Evangelina was in no such category.

Not only was the woman female - which immediately set her on the back foot as far as power in society was concerned - but she was also significantly younger that Fotios (obviously) and a member of the House of which he led.

There was to be no manipulation necessary in such a circumstance. Only the acquiescence to his power. An acquiescence that would be ensured after his leaving Acharist by his mother - the man that he had coerced into understanding his own frame of mind.

As Evangelina suggested a "fishing" technique in the courts, Fotios snorted softly to himself.

"Only the desperate go fishing to see who will take them, Evangelina." He said with a cloying smile. "Do not sell yourself short girl, you are not so old yet. Perhaps in a few years..." He changed the stop quickly before the comment could be argued against as an insult over mere outspoken thought. "As for a particular "pack" member, as you call it, there are several men in court who would make a suitable match for you. You are lucky in your position that you are not... old enough to encourage the more selective nobles and your fields of choice will be much wide than that of your cousins, but you will still be highly sought... As sister of the next House head, your position will be enviable and the position of your husband coveted."

Fotios watched the girl carefully his eyes narrowing upon her coyness. Her tone was perfect, her gestures and mannerisms realistic. It was only her eyes that gave her away. She wasn't able to keep at bay the dead look in them as she observed him with irritation over genuine familial loyalty.

If she had been his own daughter her would have certainly found a use for her by now. Honed that skill. Unfortunately, she was Konstanos' child - or rather, Ava's child. For it was her mother's influence that gave her her dislike of him - of that he was certain. He would have ensured such animosity would have never grown in her if he had raised her himself. Unlike his own children who showed appropriate fear of their paternal parent, Evangelina was clearly lacking the respectful attitude that came with being the daughter of a Leventi lord.

She would learn how futile like efforts were when it came to her marriage, if not before. A true noble lord would ensure no such behaviour from his wife.

When she coyly, and rather amusingly, played dumb in her knowledge of the courtiers, clearly eager to know the ins and outs of his plans for her Fotios did not cave. Not because he had such intentions for her, but because he simple didn't.

He had no particular lord in mind - no specific plan - for he needed none. Just seeing her married would play into his ideals for the world just fine. She was a nuisance to him in more ways than one. Firstly, in her resounding dislike of him. Fotios couldn't be sure how much of that animosity she showed to her brother, and he couldn't very well have his heir poisoned against him as he grew into his formative years.

Then there was how close she was with her mother - a woman who held more control over Konstanos than he would have liked. Two such women in the household and his job in keeping Konstanos in line with what was best for House would become twice as hard.

The end result was... it would be useful to him if Evangelina was removed from the family home.

"As I said, Evangelina..." He commented with just a coy a tone as she had adopted. "I have no particular gentleman in mind. For you are not as sought after as your cousins nor so low in prospects as to require my intervention... That being said..." His eyes sparked. "There are several options you might wish to consider..."

Fotios raised his glass to his lips, drank and then considered the rim of it as he licked at his lips before continuing, his posture calm in his seat.

"The Mikaelidas family is one of the strongest and most prosperous in the lands, despite recent tragedies and yet your cousins have safely wrapped that up. There is still the Lord Emilios but I feel too many attachments to a single household to be detrimental to future plans... Dimitrou have only one son unless you would be willing to consider the brother of Lord Gavriil - he remains unmarried and the age difference would... I'm sure be... surmountable... Then there is Lord Nikos..." Fotios sighed dramatically. "Who would be the correct age and rank but is unfortunately a Condos and I have no love for such a family - I fear unity with them would only make our trade rivalries - which I always win - more delicate. And I do not like delicacy in my business dealings."

Fotios swirled his drink as if considering.

"Which leaves you with two options my dear..." Fotios continued, as Evangelina's father stayed silent on the subject, clearly uncomfortable with discussing his daughter's future marriage in such objective terms. "You can... lower yourself... in order to marry someone of a noble family." Fotios glanced at Konstanos and was pleased to see his nose wrinkle. Clearly, he liked the idea of Evangelina lowering herself about as well as Fotios liked the idea of her remaining unmarried - good...

"Or you can seek communications and connections with other kingdoms..." He paused, watching to see how such a suggestion would go down. Fotios was after her out of the house, but out of the kingdom would serve just as well. Plus, bonus points for additional overseas connections for the Leventi name. "I understand that the Colchian royal family has many unmarried suitors."

As the girl stood and relieved him of his cup, Fotios was gracious enough to allow his fingers to release it but not so much as to lift it until her grasp. She was forced to bend to take it. When she moved to the side bureau in order to refill the cup, Fotios listened carefully as he always did. There were particular and continuous sounds to pouring a drink and, when one knew how to listen and how to mentally create an image of what those sounds foretold in your head, it was easy enough to know when someone was producing a special additive or may be taking an arduous amount of time for something so simple as pouring a drink.

He noticed, with relish, that Evangelina would not dare and took the cup from her willingly upon her return.

"I need your father here at the barony, Evangelina." He told her firmly, cutting her off from first one and then her other parent. "And I'm sure Lady Ava has more pressing matters to attend to with young Konstantinos." He smiled graciously at Evangelina's father. "Fear not, Konstanos, the girl can stay with myself. I'll ensure that Eirini teaches her the way of the court and she'll have plenty of company in the form of her cousins. She has already expressed her enjoyment of them visiting." He turned to Evangelina now. "This time, my dear. You'll be able to visit them."

"Now." He said with a firm prompt and set aside the wine Evangelina had poured him, untouched, as he stood from his chair. "I must be on my way back to Vasiliadon or it shall be night before I arrive home."

Looking down at Evangelina, he smiled at her.

"Fear not, dear niece. You have responded to this arrangement with all the eagerness I had hoped for. I will prepare the house for your stay and then send word with your expected arrival date... I shall also envoy several letters to come of my connections in Athenia and Colchis..." He eyes sparked. "We shall find you the very finest of husbands, I can assure you."

Being walked to the door of the study where a servant was waiting to see him out, Fotios turned momentarily to Konstanos.

"You should be proud at how obedient your daughter is, brother mine." He said sweetly. "I was expecting a fight upon such a topic but I now look forward to receiving her at the manor."

With a low bow from his brother - which was only appropriate - Fotios bid the two of them adieu and left the Acharist manor house, satisfied on a professional level that events were going to plan, and one a personal level at the look of fire he had seen in the pretty little Evangelina's eyes. It was always satisfying to beat down someone who had no chance to begin with - no matter their spirit.