The chatbox has been hidden for this page. It will reopen upon refresh. To hide the CBox permanently, select "Permanently Toggle Cbox" in your profile User Settings.
This chatbox is hidden. To reopen, edit your User Settings.
Danae couldn’t believe her luck as she moved from courtier to courtier with little resistance. No one seemed to stop her or even notice her! By Zeus, this was going better than she had ever expected, especially as this was the first time she had ever attempted such a thing. She had expected it to fall apart from the start, but no one seemed to catch on...
… but little did she know that she had been caught from the moment she approached Lord Makarios.
She did not realize it, but her mother and brother had had their eyes on the girl from the start of her plan and been silently taking note of how she was moving in between the men. Elias had been a bit quicker to put the pieces together than the Stravos matriarch, but he had done nothing to stop Danae from weaving her web until the Marikas vassal spoke. It was only then, as a knowing smirk grew on Danae’s face as she spoke to the fourth questionable lord she had come in contact with, did the Stravos family try to put a stop to the youngest’s undermining.
The smirk faded into one of shock when instead of addressing Lord Makarios’s question, Elias instead turned his attention on Danae, summoning her to the front of the crowd. With all eyes suddenly turning towards her, Danae felt her pulse beginning to race as her throat suddenly felt very, very tight. The surge of confidence that came with thinking up this brilliant plan of hers faded in an instant as that familiar, crushing anxiety came crashing back in as Elias embarrassed her in front of the entire court. The girl tried to stammer out some sort of defense or excuse to keep her from needing to leave the safety of the crowd and up to the front of the room where everyone could see her in her shame. Didn’t Elias know that his youngest sister had severe insecurities in the court? Did he consciously decide to put his sister through this much pain just to shut her up?
She could manage to shake her head no when Elias called Circenia forward in order to force Danae to join them up at the front of the room. The girl was trembling ever so slightly at this point as she found it to be infinitely harder to force oxygen into her lungs. If her brother’s only goal had been to pull Danae off of this plan of his, he had succeeded as all thoughts of import taxes and transportation costs disappeared from her mind as she tried to think of anything that she could say to keep her from standing at the front where she wouldn’t be able to escape from all the gazes she could practically feel boring into her. It was like they were all drilling holes into and without Danae needing to utter a single word, they could see everything that was wrong with the Stravos girl -- which she believed were innumerous. She couldn’t bear the thought of purposely subjecting herself to that if she stood next to Elias and needing to pretend to force a smile onto her face all the while.
No, no. That was too much, she couldn’t do it.
As Circenia stepped forward to wrap an arm around the girl, Danae could feel the loose piles of fabric rub against her back. For a moment the Stravos girl imagined that this was some sort of cloak shrouding her from the view of the courtiers. No one would be able to see how beet red she was while she was underneath her mother’s wing. Even though Danae usually pulled back from her mother’s touch, this time she leaned into the side hug, hoping to alleviate the stomach-churning fear that was clawing at her chest. She hoped that maybe her mother might protect her from needing to be at the front of the crowd, that she would stand up to Elias enough that Danae could escape to the back of the room where she could calm down and not attempt something so stupid again. Danae knew that Circenia was aware of her insecurities. Surely her mother would take pity on her because of the humiliation that Elias just put her through?
That wasn’t to be though. When her mother hissed that it was Danae who was in the wrong for embarrassing Elias, her face fell and she moved further away from the woman. It wasn’t enough that the other courtiers would notice, but Circenia certainly would. Without saying a word, Danae had made it clear that her mother had said the wrong thing. That is the one moment that her daughter was silently turning to her for reassurance and comfort as she felt hopelessly out of place, the woman had made it seem that her son not being subjected to the same thing was far more important than making sure that Danae was alright. Though, who was she kidding? Elias was her golden child. He could do no wrong in her eyes so how dare Danae speak out against his stupid plan that would lead Athenia further into ruin. Elias was her perfect boy so, of course, it was a perfect plan.
She suddenly longed for her father to suddenly appear and to put a stop to this whole mess. He would have no qualms about telling Elias that his plan was moronic. Keikelius would understand how Danae was feeling right now and wouldn’t make it worse like the rest of her family was about to do if they actually dragged her up to the front where her anxiety would be on full display. Seven Hades, she wouldn’t even be dealing with this anxiety in the first place if Keikelius had been here. All she would have done was whisper her thoughts in his ear and he would express them for her -- with his own input sprinkled in, of course. But no. He had to stay home when the rest of his family went to hold court. Her one possible champion had decided it was not worth coming.
Though… it seemed as if she had a new champion tonight.
Even though her mind was already whirring frantically with a thousand incoherent thoughts about not wanting to stand where everyone could see her and she couldn’t hide, the voice of her least favorite person registered in her head. She glanced up towards Rafail in confusion, her eyes having an almost dazed look to them as the anxiety took up most of her thoughts. His words were not out of character for Raf. (Zeus knows that he had said worst in the past to her.) But it was the fact that he defended her that had Danae all confused. Wouldn’t he be the one laughing the hardest at her humiliation? The girl didn’t honestly know what to make of it -- given that the truth was not something she would have considered in a thousand years.
Whatever it was, it was confusing and if Danae was going to be forced to stand at the front, she didn’t want to interact with him. Being close to her mother was calming her down a bit as she tried to keep that mental image of a shroud of safety in her head, but she knew that if Raf started with his jibes that she would not be able to keep it together. “ Don’t let him talk to me, please.” Her plead was barely loud enough for her mother to hear, just something for her to know as she was attached to the matriarch’s hip for the rest of the night. However, what she didn’t realize that she was playing a dangerous version of the pronoun game with her use of ‘him.’ Although she was speaking of Rafail, Circenia could very easily interpret it as Elias and that could land Danae in a whole world of trouble. If her mother thought that she was talking about Eli, which wouldn’t be a stretch given how Danae had pulled away when the matriarch last mentioned him, it could be taken a Danae looking to undermine the unity they were supposed to present. Plus he was her precious boy. She was not someone who took to insults against Elias lightly.
As her own mother spoke, defending her daughter to the court, Danae glanced down at her feet, trying to quietly push past the anxiety so that she would be semi-together when her mother would guide her back to Eli’s side. Hearing her words certainly helped as her tone made it seem like the woman really meant what she was saying. That she just wasn’t placating a court that would soon be gossiping about how Elias had treated his own sister, especially as many of them would not have caught on to what Danae was doing. By this point, Circenia had unknowingly helped Danae enough that the girl wasn’t trembling anymore and her breath was starting to even out. Granted, it was quicker and more shallow than it should be, but her mom’s and Rafail’s defense had reassured her enough that stepping forwards wouldn’t subject her to more embarrassment at Elias’ hands. It wasn’t enough to fully calm her, but she wasn’t going to have a full-blown panic attack either. Danae would just be dazed and lightheaded for the next few minutes as she fought to keep everything appearing to be normal for a bit.
After all, she had no intention of standing up there with her family forever. She didn’t want to be anywhere near Elias after that humiliation. However, she knew that she had a better chance of slipping away if she didn’t protest at first. Everyone would get distracted and not notice if the now-quiet Danae found herself in the back of the room again.
As the two women moved towards the front of the room, Danae felt brave enough to whisper to Circenia, “ He’ll ruin Athenia with that plan. Something has to be done.” She doubted that her mother would listen, but Danae was hoping against hope that maybe she would see the danger in the plan. Circenia was not as financially inclined as her husband, but certainly, she knew that Danae was gifted in the field. If Circe saw how the plan worried Danae, maybe she might be more inclined to oppose it by blindly trusting her daughter’s mind. Though, that whole plan fell apart the fact that Circenia knew what Danae did not; that the whole plan was a farce.
However, Danae was still in the dark as the two of them found their place and the girl muttered one last thing, more to herself than Circenia, “ This wouldn’t have happened if dad was here.” If her mother was listening closely, she may have heard the slightly bitter undertones in her words. However, with so many eyes on them now, her mother probably wouldn’t chastise the girl for the quiet muttering, right?
Danae could feel several gazes locked on her as the court watched the latest interruption come to an end. She could sense that they were waiting for something from her. For her to say something n response to the kerfuffle surrounding her. She didn’t want to speak as she didn’t trust her voice at this moment, but Danae knew that she wasn’t going to be left alone until she did… so, she managed to gather up enough courage to say in a shaky tone, “ My mother is right. I was just curious, that’s all. I apologize for the disturbance I caused.” She hoped that the fact that she was a nervous wreck could be attributed to the harsh words of Elias or Rafail and not any of the other factors.
She was content to leave things there if only to save face and pretend that her failure never happened… but unfortunately, the seeds of discord that she had unknowingly laid had already taken root with the four men that she had spoken with and none of them were particularly eager to not steal the spotlight for themselves.
That much became clear when Lord Makarios cleared his throat. After he had a good amount of eyes on him, he continued with spouting off his interpretation of Danae’s idea without giving her any of the credit, “ Forgive me Lord Elias, but wouldn’t it be simpler to use the funds from the import-taxes to pay for the farmers to bring their crops to the capital?” If Danae wasn’t in such a state already, thoroughly subdued by her failure, she might have taken pride in how perfectly her plan worked. After all, Lord Makarios repeated her idea word-for-word. She might have been caught, but it still worked.
Too bad Danae didn’t know the damage she had just caused by planting this idea without having any method of taking her words back. All she could do was glance over her at her brother, face neutral from the anxiety, and wait for his response. If he wanted to embarrass Danae further, this would be the perfect moment to as he could turn it all on its head and call Danae a stupid girl by asking stupid questions that put stupid plans in the heads of stupid men…
However, was he willing to face the consequence of that?
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
Danae couldn’t believe her luck as she moved from courtier to courtier with little resistance. No one seemed to stop her or even notice her! By Zeus, this was going better than she had ever expected, especially as this was the first time she had ever attempted such a thing. She had expected it to fall apart from the start, but no one seemed to catch on...
… but little did she know that she had been caught from the moment she approached Lord Makarios.
She did not realize it, but her mother and brother had had their eyes on the girl from the start of her plan and been silently taking note of how she was moving in between the men. Elias had been a bit quicker to put the pieces together than the Stravos matriarch, but he had done nothing to stop Danae from weaving her web until the Marikas vassal spoke. It was only then, as a knowing smirk grew on Danae’s face as she spoke to the fourth questionable lord she had come in contact with, did the Stravos family try to put a stop to the youngest’s undermining.
The smirk faded into one of shock when instead of addressing Lord Makarios’s question, Elias instead turned his attention on Danae, summoning her to the front of the crowd. With all eyes suddenly turning towards her, Danae felt her pulse beginning to race as her throat suddenly felt very, very tight. The surge of confidence that came with thinking up this brilliant plan of hers faded in an instant as that familiar, crushing anxiety came crashing back in as Elias embarrassed her in front of the entire court. The girl tried to stammer out some sort of defense or excuse to keep her from needing to leave the safety of the crowd and up to the front of the room where everyone could see her in her shame. Didn’t Elias know that his youngest sister had severe insecurities in the court? Did he consciously decide to put his sister through this much pain just to shut her up?
She could manage to shake her head no when Elias called Circenia forward in order to force Danae to join them up at the front of the room. The girl was trembling ever so slightly at this point as she found it to be infinitely harder to force oxygen into her lungs. If her brother’s only goal had been to pull Danae off of this plan of his, he had succeeded as all thoughts of import taxes and transportation costs disappeared from her mind as she tried to think of anything that she could say to keep her from standing at the front where she wouldn’t be able to escape from all the gazes she could practically feel boring into her. It was like they were all drilling holes into and without Danae needing to utter a single word, they could see everything that was wrong with the Stravos girl -- which she believed were innumerous. She couldn’t bear the thought of purposely subjecting herself to that if she stood next to Elias and needing to pretend to force a smile onto her face all the while.
No, no. That was too much, she couldn’t do it.
As Circenia stepped forward to wrap an arm around the girl, Danae could feel the loose piles of fabric rub against her back. For a moment the Stravos girl imagined that this was some sort of cloak shrouding her from the view of the courtiers. No one would be able to see how beet red she was while she was underneath her mother’s wing. Even though Danae usually pulled back from her mother’s touch, this time she leaned into the side hug, hoping to alleviate the stomach-churning fear that was clawing at her chest. She hoped that maybe her mother might protect her from needing to be at the front of the crowd, that she would stand up to Elias enough that Danae could escape to the back of the room where she could calm down and not attempt something so stupid again. Danae knew that Circenia was aware of her insecurities. Surely her mother would take pity on her because of the humiliation that Elias just put her through?
That wasn’t to be though. When her mother hissed that it was Danae who was in the wrong for embarrassing Elias, her face fell and she moved further away from the woman. It wasn’t enough that the other courtiers would notice, but Circenia certainly would. Without saying a word, Danae had made it clear that her mother had said the wrong thing. That is the one moment that her daughter was silently turning to her for reassurance and comfort as she felt hopelessly out of place, the woman had made it seem that her son not being subjected to the same thing was far more important than making sure that Danae was alright. Though, who was she kidding? Elias was her golden child. He could do no wrong in her eyes so how dare Danae speak out against his stupid plan that would lead Athenia further into ruin. Elias was her perfect boy so, of course, it was a perfect plan.
She suddenly longed for her father to suddenly appear and to put a stop to this whole mess. He would have no qualms about telling Elias that his plan was moronic. Keikelius would understand how Danae was feeling right now and wouldn’t make it worse like the rest of her family was about to do if they actually dragged her up to the front where her anxiety would be on full display. Seven Hades, she wouldn’t even be dealing with this anxiety in the first place if Keikelius had been here. All she would have done was whisper her thoughts in his ear and he would express them for her -- with his own input sprinkled in, of course. But no. He had to stay home when the rest of his family went to hold court. Her one possible champion had decided it was not worth coming.
Though… it seemed as if she had a new champion tonight.
Even though her mind was already whirring frantically with a thousand incoherent thoughts about not wanting to stand where everyone could see her and she couldn’t hide, the voice of her least favorite person registered in her head. She glanced up towards Rafail in confusion, her eyes having an almost dazed look to them as the anxiety took up most of her thoughts. His words were not out of character for Raf. (Zeus knows that he had said worst in the past to her.) But it was the fact that he defended her that had Danae all confused. Wouldn’t he be the one laughing the hardest at her humiliation? The girl didn’t honestly know what to make of it -- given that the truth was not something she would have considered in a thousand years.
Whatever it was, it was confusing and if Danae was going to be forced to stand at the front, she didn’t want to interact with him. Being close to her mother was calming her down a bit as she tried to keep that mental image of a shroud of safety in her head, but she knew that if Raf started with his jibes that she would not be able to keep it together. “ Don’t let him talk to me, please.” Her plead was barely loud enough for her mother to hear, just something for her to know as she was attached to the matriarch’s hip for the rest of the night. However, what she didn’t realize that she was playing a dangerous version of the pronoun game with her use of ‘him.’ Although she was speaking of Rafail, Circenia could very easily interpret it as Elias and that could land Danae in a whole world of trouble. If her mother thought that she was talking about Eli, which wouldn’t be a stretch given how Danae had pulled away when the matriarch last mentioned him, it could be taken a Danae looking to undermine the unity they were supposed to present. Plus he was her precious boy. She was not someone who took to insults against Elias lightly.
As her own mother spoke, defending her daughter to the court, Danae glanced down at her feet, trying to quietly push past the anxiety so that she would be semi-together when her mother would guide her back to Eli’s side. Hearing her words certainly helped as her tone made it seem like the woman really meant what she was saying. That she just wasn’t placating a court that would soon be gossiping about how Elias had treated his own sister, especially as many of them would not have caught on to what Danae was doing. By this point, Circenia had unknowingly helped Danae enough that the girl wasn’t trembling anymore and her breath was starting to even out. Granted, it was quicker and more shallow than it should be, but her mom’s and Rafail’s defense had reassured her enough that stepping forwards wouldn’t subject her to more embarrassment at Elias’ hands. It wasn’t enough to fully calm her, but she wasn’t going to have a full-blown panic attack either. Danae would just be dazed and lightheaded for the next few minutes as she fought to keep everything appearing to be normal for a bit.
After all, she had no intention of standing up there with her family forever. She didn’t want to be anywhere near Elias after that humiliation. However, she knew that she had a better chance of slipping away if she didn’t protest at first. Everyone would get distracted and not notice if the now-quiet Danae found herself in the back of the room again.
As the two women moved towards the front of the room, Danae felt brave enough to whisper to Circenia, “ He’ll ruin Athenia with that plan. Something has to be done.” She doubted that her mother would listen, but Danae was hoping against hope that maybe she would see the danger in the plan. Circenia was not as financially inclined as her husband, but certainly, she knew that Danae was gifted in the field. If Circe saw how the plan worried Danae, maybe she might be more inclined to oppose it by blindly trusting her daughter’s mind. Though, that whole plan fell apart the fact that Circenia knew what Danae did not; that the whole plan was a farce.
However, Danae was still in the dark as the two of them found their place and the girl muttered one last thing, more to herself than Circenia, “ This wouldn’t have happened if dad was here.” If her mother was listening closely, she may have heard the slightly bitter undertones in her words. However, with so many eyes on them now, her mother probably wouldn’t chastise the girl for the quiet muttering, right?
Danae could feel several gazes locked on her as the court watched the latest interruption come to an end. She could sense that they were waiting for something from her. For her to say something n response to the kerfuffle surrounding her. She didn’t want to speak as she didn’t trust her voice at this moment, but Danae knew that she wasn’t going to be left alone until she did… so, she managed to gather up enough courage to say in a shaky tone, “ My mother is right. I was just curious, that’s all. I apologize for the disturbance I caused.” She hoped that the fact that she was a nervous wreck could be attributed to the harsh words of Elias or Rafail and not any of the other factors.
She was content to leave things there if only to save face and pretend that her failure never happened… but unfortunately, the seeds of discord that she had unknowingly laid had already taken root with the four men that she had spoken with and none of them were particularly eager to not steal the spotlight for themselves.
That much became clear when Lord Makarios cleared his throat. After he had a good amount of eyes on him, he continued with spouting off his interpretation of Danae’s idea without giving her any of the credit, “ Forgive me Lord Elias, but wouldn’t it be simpler to use the funds from the import-taxes to pay for the farmers to bring their crops to the capital?” If Danae wasn’t in such a state already, thoroughly subdued by her failure, she might have taken pride in how perfectly her plan worked. After all, Lord Makarios repeated her idea word-for-word. She might have been caught, but it still worked.
Too bad Danae didn’t know the damage she had just caused by planting this idea without having any method of taking her words back. All she could do was glance over her at her brother, face neutral from the anxiety, and wait for his response. If he wanted to embarrass Danae further, this would be the perfect moment to as he could turn it all on its head and call Danae a stupid girl by asking stupid questions that put stupid plans in the heads of stupid men…
However, was he willing to face the consequence of that?
Danae couldn’t believe her luck as she moved from courtier to courtier with little resistance. No one seemed to stop her or even notice her! By Zeus, this was going better than she had ever expected, especially as this was the first time she had ever attempted such a thing. She had expected it to fall apart from the start, but no one seemed to catch on...
… but little did she know that she had been caught from the moment she approached Lord Makarios.
She did not realize it, but her mother and brother had had their eyes on the girl from the start of her plan and been silently taking note of how she was moving in between the men. Elias had been a bit quicker to put the pieces together than the Stravos matriarch, but he had done nothing to stop Danae from weaving her web until the Marikas vassal spoke. It was only then, as a knowing smirk grew on Danae’s face as she spoke to the fourth questionable lord she had come in contact with, did the Stravos family try to put a stop to the youngest’s undermining.
The smirk faded into one of shock when instead of addressing Lord Makarios’s question, Elias instead turned his attention on Danae, summoning her to the front of the crowd. With all eyes suddenly turning towards her, Danae felt her pulse beginning to race as her throat suddenly felt very, very tight. The surge of confidence that came with thinking up this brilliant plan of hers faded in an instant as that familiar, crushing anxiety came crashing back in as Elias embarrassed her in front of the entire court. The girl tried to stammer out some sort of defense or excuse to keep her from needing to leave the safety of the crowd and up to the front of the room where everyone could see her in her shame. Didn’t Elias know that his youngest sister had severe insecurities in the court? Did he consciously decide to put his sister through this much pain just to shut her up?
She could manage to shake her head no when Elias called Circenia forward in order to force Danae to join them up at the front of the room. The girl was trembling ever so slightly at this point as she found it to be infinitely harder to force oxygen into her lungs. If her brother’s only goal had been to pull Danae off of this plan of his, he had succeeded as all thoughts of import taxes and transportation costs disappeared from her mind as she tried to think of anything that she could say to keep her from standing at the front where she wouldn’t be able to escape from all the gazes she could practically feel boring into her. It was like they were all drilling holes into and without Danae needing to utter a single word, they could see everything that was wrong with the Stravos girl -- which she believed were innumerous. She couldn’t bear the thought of purposely subjecting herself to that if she stood next to Elias and needing to pretend to force a smile onto her face all the while.
No, no. That was too much, she couldn’t do it.
As Circenia stepped forward to wrap an arm around the girl, Danae could feel the loose piles of fabric rub against her back. For a moment the Stravos girl imagined that this was some sort of cloak shrouding her from the view of the courtiers. No one would be able to see how beet red she was while she was underneath her mother’s wing. Even though Danae usually pulled back from her mother’s touch, this time she leaned into the side hug, hoping to alleviate the stomach-churning fear that was clawing at her chest. She hoped that maybe her mother might protect her from needing to be at the front of the crowd, that she would stand up to Elias enough that Danae could escape to the back of the room where she could calm down and not attempt something so stupid again. Danae knew that Circenia was aware of her insecurities. Surely her mother would take pity on her because of the humiliation that Elias just put her through?
That wasn’t to be though. When her mother hissed that it was Danae who was in the wrong for embarrassing Elias, her face fell and she moved further away from the woman. It wasn’t enough that the other courtiers would notice, but Circenia certainly would. Without saying a word, Danae had made it clear that her mother had said the wrong thing. That is the one moment that her daughter was silently turning to her for reassurance and comfort as she felt hopelessly out of place, the woman had made it seem that her son not being subjected to the same thing was far more important than making sure that Danae was alright. Though, who was she kidding? Elias was her golden child. He could do no wrong in her eyes so how dare Danae speak out against his stupid plan that would lead Athenia further into ruin. Elias was her perfect boy so, of course, it was a perfect plan.
She suddenly longed for her father to suddenly appear and to put a stop to this whole mess. He would have no qualms about telling Elias that his plan was moronic. Keikelius would understand how Danae was feeling right now and wouldn’t make it worse like the rest of her family was about to do if they actually dragged her up to the front where her anxiety would be on full display. Seven Hades, she wouldn’t even be dealing with this anxiety in the first place if Keikelius had been here. All she would have done was whisper her thoughts in his ear and he would express them for her -- with his own input sprinkled in, of course. But no. He had to stay home when the rest of his family went to hold court. Her one possible champion had decided it was not worth coming.
Though… it seemed as if she had a new champion tonight.
Even though her mind was already whirring frantically with a thousand incoherent thoughts about not wanting to stand where everyone could see her and she couldn’t hide, the voice of her least favorite person registered in her head. She glanced up towards Rafail in confusion, her eyes having an almost dazed look to them as the anxiety took up most of her thoughts. His words were not out of character for Raf. (Zeus knows that he had said worst in the past to her.) But it was the fact that he defended her that had Danae all confused. Wouldn’t he be the one laughing the hardest at her humiliation? The girl didn’t honestly know what to make of it -- given that the truth was not something she would have considered in a thousand years.
Whatever it was, it was confusing and if Danae was going to be forced to stand at the front, she didn’t want to interact with him. Being close to her mother was calming her down a bit as she tried to keep that mental image of a shroud of safety in her head, but she knew that if Raf started with his jibes that she would not be able to keep it together. “ Don’t let him talk to me, please.” Her plead was barely loud enough for her mother to hear, just something for her to know as she was attached to the matriarch’s hip for the rest of the night. However, what she didn’t realize that she was playing a dangerous version of the pronoun game with her use of ‘him.’ Although she was speaking of Rafail, Circenia could very easily interpret it as Elias and that could land Danae in a whole world of trouble. If her mother thought that she was talking about Eli, which wouldn’t be a stretch given how Danae had pulled away when the matriarch last mentioned him, it could be taken a Danae looking to undermine the unity they were supposed to present. Plus he was her precious boy. She was not someone who took to insults against Elias lightly.
As her own mother spoke, defending her daughter to the court, Danae glanced down at her feet, trying to quietly push past the anxiety so that she would be semi-together when her mother would guide her back to Eli’s side. Hearing her words certainly helped as her tone made it seem like the woman really meant what she was saying. That she just wasn’t placating a court that would soon be gossiping about how Elias had treated his own sister, especially as many of them would not have caught on to what Danae was doing. By this point, Circenia had unknowingly helped Danae enough that the girl wasn’t trembling anymore and her breath was starting to even out. Granted, it was quicker and more shallow than it should be, but her mom’s and Rafail’s defense had reassured her enough that stepping forwards wouldn’t subject her to more embarrassment at Elias’ hands. It wasn’t enough to fully calm her, but she wasn’t going to have a full-blown panic attack either. Danae would just be dazed and lightheaded for the next few minutes as she fought to keep everything appearing to be normal for a bit.
After all, she had no intention of standing up there with her family forever. She didn’t want to be anywhere near Elias after that humiliation. However, she knew that she had a better chance of slipping away if she didn’t protest at first. Everyone would get distracted and not notice if the now-quiet Danae found herself in the back of the room again.
As the two women moved towards the front of the room, Danae felt brave enough to whisper to Circenia, “ He’ll ruin Athenia with that plan. Something has to be done.” She doubted that her mother would listen, but Danae was hoping against hope that maybe she would see the danger in the plan. Circenia was not as financially inclined as her husband, but certainly, she knew that Danae was gifted in the field. If Circe saw how the plan worried Danae, maybe she might be more inclined to oppose it by blindly trusting her daughter’s mind. Though, that whole plan fell apart the fact that Circenia knew what Danae did not; that the whole plan was a farce.
However, Danae was still in the dark as the two of them found their place and the girl muttered one last thing, more to herself than Circenia, “ This wouldn’t have happened if dad was here.” If her mother was listening closely, she may have heard the slightly bitter undertones in her words. However, with so many eyes on them now, her mother probably wouldn’t chastise the girl for the quiet muttering, right?
Danae could feel several gazes locked on her as the court watched the latest interruption come to an end. She could sense that they were waiting for something from her. For her to say something n response to the kerfuffle surrounding her. She didn’t want to speak as she didn’t trust her voice at this moment, but Danae knew that she wasn’t going to be left alone until she did… so, she managed to gather up enough courage to say in a shaky tone, “ My mother is right. I was just curious, that’s all. I apologize for the disturbance I caused.” She hoped that the fact that she was a nervous wreck could be attributed to the harsh words of Elias or Rafail and not any of the other factors.
She was content to leave things there if only to save face and pretend that her failure never happened… but unfortunately, the seeds of discord that she had unknowingly laid had already taken root with the four men that she had spoken with and none of them were particularly eager to not steal the spotlight for themselves.
That much became clear when Lord Makarios cleared his throat. After he had a good amount of eyes on him, he continued with spouting off his interpretation of Danae’s idea without giving her any of the credit, “ Forgive me Lord Elias, but wouldn’t it be simpler to use the funds from the import-taxes to pay for the farmers to bring their crops to the capital?” If Danae wasn’t in such a state already, thoroughly subdued by her failure, she might have taken pride in how perfectly her plan worked. After all, Lord Makarios repeated her idea word-for-word. She might have been caught, but it still worked.
Too bad Danae didn’t know the damage she had just caused by planting this idea without having any method of taking her words back. All she could do was glance over her at her brother, face neutral from the anxiety, and wait for his response. If he wanted to embarrass Danae further, this would be the perfect moment to as he could turn it all on its head and call Danae a stupid girl by asking stupid questions that put stupid plans in the heads of stupid men…
However, was he willing to face the consequence of that?
Never forget your power, Elias, and never let anyone else forget it, either.
Of all of the advice that Circenia of Stravos had given him over the years, it was this bit that clung to Elias the most. He remembered it in the heights of his achievement, when the port of Lyncestia was refurbished and new hubs within the hidden coves within the province rose up after. He recalled it as he sailed with his father, learning with him secrets to the trade of brutal business years before that. But most of all, he'd remembered it in the midst of his crushing defeat, when all of his machinations fell like dominoes at the behest of those vile wretches that were Aimias of Argyris and the Senate that his word turned against him. It was Circenia's words that he clung to even when the woman herself could not look him in the eye, and that same neglect forced him to look in the mirror to realize just how foolish he'd become.
Now, in the court of Athenia, where he languished in the absence of the Senate that had ushered his disgrace, Elias of Stravos held tightly to the understanding of his own power even when the one who spat in the face of it was his own sister. In his own way, the Headlord of Stravos loved Danae. But, unlike his elder sister, who was keen enough to forgive him lest she receive no benefit from his eventual rise to power, or his parents who he'd appealed to so emotionally, she continued to stand in his way. Elias would never harm his sister, but the girl needed to be broken. She needed the unsubtle reminder that to cross the elder brother for whatever reasons she held was utterly unacceptable and no softly spoken reprimand from their mother would teach her the lesson immediately.
I admire you, Danae. You are a smart girl, but you are not one of us, yet, he ruminated. Despite himself, seeing his sister maneuver the court as a ghost, whispering the seeds of discord in the ears of others impressed him. But, Danae needed to use those talents for him, or suffer the consequences for using them against him. It was merciful, in his eyes, to deter her with public humiliation. For if she wasn't his 'dear' younger sister, the punishment would be far steeper for such a slight. It was the same mother that held Danae of Stravos, after all, that instilled in her son the nature of vengeance. Swift, brutal, and decisive. Just as he'd done with the witch-Queen by driving her out of her own kingdom and turning her sister into his marionette.
Elias did not look to his mother again once she held Danae in her arms. It was crass for him to do as he did, veiled only thinly in polite words and offers of education. But, if Danae was too dense to understand why he offered placating words and pretty sounding plans to the court, then he could not help her understand it in any other way. The Stravos did not attempt to force the issue, but instead was quite intrigued when it was Rafail of Marikas who stood at Danae's defense. The lord was Elias' best friend, and the hesitance in his voice was quite unlike him. Was there even a flush upon the man's face? Elias couldn't help but be amused and bewildered in the same breaths. Danae of Stravos was nothing like the woman he surrounded himself with, hollow-headed and taken to exquisite beauty. The Headlord withheld the chuckle that wanted to escape him, and brushed it off as the Lord of Thesnia being bored to death by the happenings in the court.
He could empathize, after all. Until Danae had began her little charade, he'd thought this to be a complete waste of his time. Or rather, now he believed it both a waste and a potential disaster, for it was apparent that Lord Markarios wanted the answer to the question Danae bequeathed upon him. Rather than outright dismiss the lord, who apparently thought it entirely his idea rather than crediting whatever Danae had fed him... he considered it. After all, the crown that Elias of Stravos wished to wear was not one that invited tyranny. His own inclinations leaned towards absolute power, but for anyone to believe that such a thing was possible right away was utter folly. Elias needed to spend years in that position of power to twist the Senate to his intentions, and beginning today with acquiescence was ideal.
"I will not pretend that I know everything, Lord Markarios. The court is an open forum for those to comment as they see fit. Usually, questions are aired and matters are clarified, but as all of us are aware, this matter is of critical importance. However, to believe that such funds are sufficient is, perhaps, misguided. Ships come to Athenia less and less because of the excessive taxes and, I'm sure you're aware, Lord Markarios, that a kingdom without a king is not beholden to infinite resources," he continued.
Of course, he spoke from both sides of his mouth. The concerns of financial stress was insignificant. Resources were finite, but enough could be found so as to secure this matter. The issue that rose within Elias was that he already had his plans in place for the boon that was Thesnia's bounty. Other provinces had their own food, as well, but from what he understood, Rafail's province in particular had more than enough to do what the both of them wanted so dearly. No, if this matter pressed on and the disaster that was Danae's involvement required him to send carriages and claim that food immediately... That effort would need to be undone before it bore fruit.
"But, you're right. Lord Rafail, do you believe that arrangements could be made? Are there any precautions that need be considered? And... more importantly, are there others who agree with this course of action and abandoning the idea that I suggested? If it suits the court, the Crown Princess can be apprised and a suitable shift in the import-taxes can be made so that we enjoy the best of both ideas," he mused.
It bode him well to be considered open to the ideas of others. Even if, in reality, as far as he was concerned Lord Markarios could burn in the pits of Tartarus for being so pliable as to be manipulated by a girl just out of childhood.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
Never forget your power, Elias, and never let anyone else forget it, either.
Of all of the advice that Circenia of Stravos had given him over the years, it was this bit that clung to Elias the most. He remembered it in the heights of his achievement, when the port of Lyncestia was refurbished and new hubs within the hidden coves within the province rose up after. He recalled it as he sailed with his father, learning with him secrets to the trade of brutal business years before that. But most of all, he'd remembered it in the midst of his crushing defeat, when all of his machinations fell like dominoes at the behest of those vile wretches that were Aimias of Argyris and the Senate that his word turned against him. It was Circenia's words that he clung to even when the woman herself could not look him in the eye, and that same neglect forced him to look in the mirror to realize just how foolish he'd become.
Now, in the court of Athenia, where he languished in the absence of the Senate that had ushered his disgrace, Elias of Stravos held tightly to the understanding of his own power even when the one who spat in the face of it was his own sister. In his own way, the Headlord of Stravos loved Danae. But, unlike his elder sister, who was keen enough to forgive him lest she receive no benefit from his eventual rise to power, or his parents who he'd appealed to so emotionally, she continued to stand in his way. Elias would never harm his sister, but the girl needed to be broken. She needed the unsubtle reminder that to cross the elder brother for whatever reasons she held was utterly unacceptable and no softly spoken reprimand from their mother would teach her the lesson immediately.
I admire you, Danae. You are a smart girl, but you are not one of us, yet, he ruminated. Despite himself, seeing his sister maneuver the court as a ghost, whispering the seeds of discord in the ears of others impressed him. But, Danae needed to use those talents for him, or suffer the consequences for using them against him. It was merciful, in his eyes, to deter her with public humiliation. For if she wasn't his 'dear' younger sister, the punishment would be far steeper for such a slight. It was the same mother that held Danae of Stravos, after all, that instilled in her son the nature of vengeance. Swift, brutal, and decisive. Just as he'd done with the witch-Queen by driving her out of her own kingdom and turning her sister into his marionette.
Elias did not look to his mother again once she held Danae in her arms. It was crass for him to do as he did, veiled only thinly in polite words and offers of education. But, if Danae was too dense to understand why he offered placating words and pretty sounding plans to the court, then he could not help her understand it in any other way. The Stravos did not attempt to force the issue, but instead was quite intrigued when it was Rafail of Marikas who stood at Danae's defense. The lord was Elias' best friend, and the hesitance in his voice was quite unlike him. Was there even a flush upon the man's face? Elias couldn't help but be amused and bewildered in the same breaths. Danae of Stravos was nothing like the woman he surrounded himself with, hollow-headed and taken to exquisite beauty. The Headlord withheld the chuckle that wanted to escape him, and brushed it off as the Lord of Thesnia being bored to death by the happenings in the court.
He could empathize, after all. Until Danae had began her little charade, he'd thought this to be a complete waste of his time. Or rather, now he believed it both a waste and a potential disaster, for it was apparent that Lord Markarios wanted the answer to the question Danae bequeathed upon him. Rather than outright dismiss the lord, who apparently thought it entirely his idea rather than crediting whatever Danae had fed him... he considered it. After all, the crown that Elias of Stravos wished to wear was not one that invited tyranny. His own inclinations leaned towards absolute power, but for anyone to believe that such a thing was possible right away was utter folly. Elias needed to spend years in that position of power to twist the Senate to his intentions, and beginning today with acquiescence was ideal.
"I will not pretend that I know everything, Lord Markarios. The court is an open forum for those to comment as they see fit. Usually, questions are aired and matters are clarified, but as all of us are aware, this matter is of critical importance. However, to believe that such funds are sufficient is, perhaps, misguided. Ships come to Athenia less and less because of the excessive taxes and, I'm sure you're aware, Lord Markarios, that a kingdom without a king is not beholden to infinite resources," he continued.
Of course, he spoke from both sides of his mouth. The concerns of financial stress was insignificant. Resources were finite, but enough could be found so as to secure this matter. The issue that rose within Elias was that he already had his plans in place for the boon that was Thesnia's bounty. Other provinces had their own food, as well, but from what he understood, Rafail's province in particular had more than enough to do what the both of them wanted so dearly. No, if this matter pressed on and the disaster that was Danae's involvement required him to send carriages and claim that food immediately... That effort would need to be undone before it bore fruit.
"But, you're right. Lord Rafail, do you believe that arrangements could be made? Are there any precautions that need be considered? And... more importantly, are there others who agree with this course of action and abandoning the idea that I suggested? If it suits the court, the Crown Princess can be apprised and a suitable shift in the import-taxes can be made so that we enjoy the best of both ideas," he mused.
It bode him well to be considered open to the ideas of others. Even if, in reality, as far as he was concerned Lord Markarios could burn in the pits of Tartarus for being so pliable as to be manipulated by a girl just out of childhood.
Never forget your power, Elias, and never let anyone else forget it, either.
Of all of the advice that Circenia of Stravos had given him over the years, it was this bit that clung to Elias the most. He remembered it in the heights of his achievement, when the port of Lyncestia was refurbished and new hubs within the hidden coves within the province rose up after. He recalled it as he sailed with his father, learning with him secrets to the trade of brutal business years before that. But most of all, he'd remembered it in the midst of his crushing defeat, when all of his machinations fell like dominoes at the behest of those vile wretches that were Aimias of Argyris and the Senate that his word turned against him. It was Circenia's words that he clung to even when the woman herself could not look him in the eye, and that same neglect forced him to look in the mirror to realize just how foolish he'd become.
Now, in the court of Athenia, where he languished in the absence of the Senate that had ushered his disgrace, Elias of Stravos held tightly to the understanding of his own power even when the one who spat in the face of it was his own sister. In his own way, the Headlord of Stravos loved Danae. But, unlike his elder sister, who was keen enough to forgive him lest she receive no benefit from his eventual rise to power, or his parents who he'd appealed to so emotionally, she continued to stand in his way. Elias would never harm his sister, but the girl needed to be broken. She needed the unsubtle reminder that to cross the elder brother for whatever reasons she held was utterly unacceptable and no softly spoken reprimand from their mother would teach her the lesson immediately.
I admire you, Danae. You are a smart girl, but you are not one of us, yet, he ruminated. Despite himself, seeing his sister maneuver the court as a ghost, whispering the seeds of discord in the ears of others impressed him. But, Danae needed to use those talents for him, or suffer the consequences for using them against him. It was merciful, in his eyes, to deter her with public humiliation. For if she wasn't his 'dear' younger sister, the punishment would be far steeper for such a slight. It was the same mother that held Danae of Stravos, after all, that instilled in her son the nature of vengeance. Swift, brutal, and decisive. Just as he'd done with the witch-Queen by driving her out of her own kingdom and turning her sister into his marionette.
Elias did not look to his mother again once she held Danae in her arms. It was crass for him to do as he did, veiled only thinly in polite words and offers of education. But, if Danae was too dense to understand why he offered placating words and pretty sounding plans to the court, then he could not help her understand it in any other way. The Stravos did not attempt to force the issue, but instead was quite intrigued when it was Rafail of Marikas who stood at Danae's defense. The lord was Elias' best friend, and the hesitance in his voice was quite unlike him. Was there even a flush upon the man's face? Elias couldn't help but be amused and bewildered in the same breaths. Danae of Stravos was nothing like the woman he surrounded himself with, hollow-headed and taken to exquisite beauty. The Headlord withheld the chuckle that wanted to escape him, and brushed it off as the Lord of Thesnia being bored to death by the happenings in the court.
He could empathize, after all. Until Danae had began her little charade, he'd thought this to be a complete waste of his time. Or rather, now he believed it both a waste and a potential disaster, for it was apparent that Lord Markarios wanted the answer to the question Danae bequeathed upon him. Rather than outright dismiss the lord, who apparently thought it entirely his idea rather than crediting whatever Danae had fed him... he considered it. After all, the crown that Elias of Stravos wished to wear was not one that invited tyranny. His own inclinations leaned towards absolute power, but for anyone to believe that such a thing was possible right away was utter folly. Elias needed to spend years in that position of power to twist the Senate to his intentions, and beginning today with acquiescence was ideal.
"I will not pretend that I know everything, Lord Markarios. The court is an open forum for those to comment as they see fit. Usually, questions are aired and matters are clarified, but as all of us are aware, this matter is of critical importance. However, to believe that such funds are sufficient is, perhaps, misguided. Ships come to Athenia less and less because of the excessive taxes and, I'm sure you're aware, Lord Markarios, that a kingdom without a king is not beholden to infinite resources," he continued.
Of course, he spoke from both sides of his mouth. The concerns of financial stress was insignificant. Resources were finite, but enough could be found so as to secure this matter. The issue that rose within Elias was that he already had his plans in place for the boon that was Thesnia's bounty. Other provinces had their own food, as well, but from what he understood, Rafail's province in particular had more than enough to do what the both of them wanted so dearly. No, if this matter pressed on and the disaster that was Danae's involvement required him to send carriages and claim that food immediately... That effort would need to be undone before it bore fruit.
"But, you're right. Lord Rafail, do you believe that arrangements could be made? Are there any precautions that need be considered? And... more importantly, are there others who agree with this course of action and abandoning the idea that I suggested? If it suits the court, the Crown Princess can be apprised and a suitable shift in the import-taxes can be made so that we enjoy the best of both ideas," he mused.
It bode him well to be considered open to the ideas of others. Even if, in reality, as far as he was concerned Lord Markarios could burn in the pits of Tartarus for being so pliable as to be manipulated by a girl just out of childhood.
Wrapped in her arms, Danae’s anxiety was strong enough to make Circenia nauseous, the taste of nervous bile lingering in the back of her throat. She would be having a word with Elias later about his treatment of his sister; no matter what she’d done, humiliation was not the way to win the sibling’s loyalty who already detested him so thoroughly. While the Stravos matriarch was at least partially responsible for her son’s ruthlessness, she’d like to think she hadn’t taught him to extend that ruthlessness to his own family.
Her youngest daughter pulled away from her, if only slightly, but it was enough. She didn’t understand why the princess remonstrated her rather than her brother, and now wasn’t exactly the place for her to explain it. With too many watching eyes and listening ears lingering upon them, there wasn’t much she could say to alleviate her daughter’s suspicion and disappointment. All she could do was offer a mildly apologetic expression and squeeze her shoulder. Circenia hoped it would be enough.
Don’t let him talk to me, please.
The princess wasn’t sure if Danae meant Elias, Rafail, or both. She’d shield her from the young lord of Marikas the best she could, but Elias was a bit trickier. While even the doting mother wanted to strangle her son in that very moment, she couldn’t publicly speak against him, either. A slight inclination of her head and another light squeeze were all Circenia offered, but she hoped Danae would at least somewhat understand that she was doing what she could for her. Stubborn and headstrong she most certainly was, but the youngest Stravos was not stupid.
He’ll ruin Athenia with that plan. Something has to be done.
So Danae hadn’t understood what her brother was doing, that much was clear. At least it wasn’t just an attempt to undermine him; she really didn’t get it. That much, at least, Circenia could forgive her for. At least her motivations were pure.
Leaning in close as if she meant to kiss the girl’s cheek, she said in a quiet murmur, low enough only for her daughter to hear, “It’s a ruse, Danae. I’ll explain later.”
Smiling sweetly at those who looked their way when her daughter offered her apology, Circenia gently patted her back in approval. At least her anxiety was starting to ease, the acidic taste in the princess’s mouth fading with her child’s calming mood. After this debacle tonight, she thought perhaps they ought to keep the girl more keyed into their plans so something like this wasn’t apt to happen again. Danae could hate Elias all she wanted, but like it or not, the family was doomed without him. He was their best shot at maintaining their status in the echelons of Athenian society. Personal feelings aside, they had to stand behind him, even when it appeared he was doing something foolish. Especially then. Questions could always come later, but support always came first.
At least, Elias seemed to be smoothing it all over, declining to humiliate his sister further in the process. The brief look Circenia cast his way could have cut stone, but she held her tongue and instead looked to Lord Rafail for his answer to her son’s inquiry.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
Wrapped in her arms, Danae’s anxiety was strong enough to make Circenia nauseous, the taste of nervous bile lingering in the back of her throat. She would be having a word with Elias later about his treatment of his sister; no matter what she’d done, humiliation was not the way to win the sibling’s loyalty who already detested him so thoroughly. While the Stravos matriarch was at least partially responsible for her son’s ruthlessness, she’d like to think she hadn’t taught him to extend that ruthlessness to his own family.
Her youngest daughter pulled away from her, if only slightly, but it was enough. She didn’t understand why the princess remonstrated her rather than her brother, and now wasn’t exactly the place for her to explain it. With too many watching eyes and listening ears lingering upon them, there wasn’t much she could say to alleviate her daughter’s suspicion and disappointment. All she could do was offer a mildly apologetic expression and squeeze her shoulder. Circenia hoped it would be enough.
Don’t let him talk to me, please.
The princess wasn’t sure if Danae meant Elias, Rafail, or both. She’d shield her from the young lord of Marikas the best she could, but Elias was a bit trickier. While even the doting mother wanted to strangle her son in that very moment, she couldn’t publicly speak against him, either. A slight inclination of her head and another light squeeze were all Circenia offered, but she hoped Danae would at least somewhat understand that she was doing what she could for her. Stubborn and headstrong she most certainly was, but the youngest Stravos was not stupid.
He’ll ruin Athenia with that plan. Something has to be done.
So Danae hadn’t understood what her brother was doing, that much was clear. At least it wasn’t just an attempt to undermine him; she really didn’t get it. That much, at least, Circenia could forgive her for. At least her motivations were pure.
Leaning in close as if she meant to kiss the girl’s cheek, she said in a quiet murmur, low enough only for her daughter to hear, “It’s a ruse, Danae. I’ll explain later.”
Smiling sweetly at those who looked their way when her daughter offered her apology, Circenia gently patted her back in approval. At least her anxiety was starting to ease, the acidic taste in the princess’s mouth fading with her child’s calming mood. After this debacle tonight, she thought perhaps they ought to keep the girl more keyed into their plans so something like this wasn’t apt to happen again. Danae could hate Elias all she wanted, but like it or not, the family was doomed without him. He was their best shot at maintaining their status in the echelons of Athenian society. Personal feelings aside, they had to stand behind him, even when it appeared he was doing something foolish. Especially then. Questions could always come later, but support always came first.
At least, Elias seemed to be smoothing it all over, declining to humiliate his sister further in the process. The brief look Circenia cast his way could have cut stone, but she held her tongue and instead looked to Lord Rafail for his answer to her son’s inquiry.
Wrapped in her arms, Danae’s anxiety was strong enough to make Circenia nauseous, the taste of nervous bile lingering in the back of her throat. She would be having a word with Elias later about his treatment of his sister; no matter what she’d done, humiliation was not the way to win the sibling’s loyalty who already detested him so thoroughly. While the Stravos matriarch was at least partially responsible for her son’s ruthlessness, she’d like to think she hadn’t taught him to extend that ruthlessness to his own family.
Her youngest daughter pulled away from her, if only slightly, but it was enough. She didn’t understand why the princess remonstrated her rather than her brother, and now wasn’t exactly the place for her to explain it. With too many watching eyes and listening ears lingering upon them, there wasn’t much she could say to alleviate her daughter’s suspicion and disappointment. All she could do was offer a mildly apologetic expression and squeeze her shoulder. Circenia hoped it would be enough.
Don’t let him talk to me, please.
The princess wasn’t sure if Danae meant Elias, Rafail, or both. She’d shield her from the young lord of Marikas the best she could, but Elias was a bit trickier. While even the doting mother wanted to strangle her son in that very moment, she couldn’t publicly speak against him, either. A slight inclination of her head and another light squeeze were all Circenia offered, but she hoped Danae would at least somewhat understand that she was doing what she could for her. Stubborn and headstrong she most certainly was, but the youngest Stravos was not stupid.
He’ll ruin Athenia with that plan. Something has to be done.
So Danae hadn’t understood what her brother was doing, that much was clear. At least it wasn’t just an attempt to undermine him; she really didn’t get it. That much, at least, Circenia could forgive her for. At least her motivations were pure.
Leaning in close as if she meant to kiss the girl’s cheek, she said in a quiet murmur, low enough only for her daughter to hear, “It’s a ruse, Danae. I’ll explain later.”
Smiling sweetly at those who looked their way when her daughter offered her apology, Circenia gently patted her back in approval. At least her anxiety was starting to ease, the acidic taste in the princess’s mouth fading with her child’s calming mood. After this debacle tonight, she thought perhaps they ought to keep the girl more keyed into their plans so something like this wasn’t apt to happen again. Danae could hate Elias all she wanted, but like it or not, the family was doomed without him. He was their best shot at maintaining their status in the echelons of Athenian society. Personal feelings aside, they had to stand behind him, even when it appeared he was doing something foolish. Especially then. Questions could always come later, but support always came first.
At least, Elias seemed to be smoothing it all over, declining to humiliate his sister further in the process. The brief look Circenia cast his way could have cut stone, but she held her tongue and instead looked to Lord Rafail for his answer to her son’s inquiry.