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Post by Rosestar on Jan 6, 2021 23:05:36 GMT -5
"You got it!" Along side her best friend, Nariko grabbed a plate and loaded it with egg rolls, bringing them over to the dining room with Lily. "Good evening! We bring the sides for this delicious meal!" She said with a bright smile as she followed Lily's lead on arranging the items across the table. "Oh, good evening to you both. Thanks for grabbing those for us." She smiled softly at the two as the sound of rain began to hit the windows enough to be noticeable. Looking outside, a shocked look appeared on her face as she took a step back. "Ummm, James, would you mind opening your garage really quick?" She has already exited the dining room a bit of rush, grabbing her keys from the jacket pocket. "I'd rather not leave my bike out if it's going to start raining." "Oh, of course." James stood, just as quick, and headed out towards the kitchen. Off to the side was an entrance to the garage. He clicked the button, and the garage began to open. He watched Aika run outside from his vantage point, and waited until she handled her motorcycle to move from his spot, waving her in through this door when she was done. "Hope it'll let up later," he said to her, just as far off thunder started rumbling in the distance.
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Post by Misty on Jan 6, 2021 23:11:55 GMT -5
“I don’t have anything else I’d like to share.” With that, Lucas stood and extended a hand to Clive. “It was a pleasure to meet you, and thank you for assisting me with my file.” (I’m sorry this is so short featherleg)
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Post by featherleg on Jan 6, 2021 23:14:49 GMT -5
"Thanks!" She called over her shoulder as she rushed outside, hopping onto the bike and swiftly revving it up. Following James' guidance into the garage, her Suzuki bike was successfully parked. Luckily not too much water had gotten on it, which she seemed relieved by. "I hope so. I avoid riding in the rain as much as possible." The two reentered the house and headed back to the dining room after James had closed the garage door behind the two. The rumbling of thunder did not ease Aikas concerns that the rain was just passing by. Please don't let it be a storm. She thought as she took her seat next to Dalton.
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Post by featherleg on Jan 6, 2021 23:18:44 GMT -5
(No worries! Misty ) "Not a problem!" Clive shook his hand, signaling that their business had concluded for the day. "I will notify Lady Selena once everything is finished, you have my word. Feel free to roam the grounds while you two are here. The western gardens are currently open and have a new aviary exhibit." "Thank you Clive. Perhaps we'll take a look on our way out." The two exchanged a parting handshake before Selena gestured for Lucas to follow her out of the office. Waving goodbye to Clive and closing the door behind them, she turned towards her brother with a proud smile. "Well, that wasn't too bad, was it?"
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Post by Rosestar on Jan 6, 2021 23:23:24 GMT -5
"Thanks!" She called over her shoulder as she rushed outside, hopping onto the bike and swiftly revving it up. Following James' guidance into the garage, her Suzuki bike was successfully parked. Luckily not too much water had gotten on it, which she seemed relieved by. "I hope so. I avoid riding in the rain as much as possible." The two reentered the house and headed back to the dining room after James had closed the garage door behind the two. The rumbling of thunder did not ease Aikas concerns that the rain was just passing by. Please don't let it be a storm. She thought as she took her seat next to Dalton. Unfortuantely for Aika, the storm didn't seem to be retreated. Over the course of dinner, the thunder grew closer, and more frequent as dinner continued on. Silently, James wondered if he should be preparing the guest room for Aika. He knew Dalton never minded driving in the rain, but maybe he should start thinking with more caution.
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Post by featherleg on Jan 6, 2021 23:30:34 GMT -5
As they wrapped up dinner, which for Aika consisted of trying to not look outside and instead answer the barrage of questions asked by Lily and her friend, Nariko, who said she could call her Natasha, a sighed escaped her lips as her, Dalton, and James begun cleaning the table. The meal was fantastic, as to be expected when it was James cooking, but she could not concentrate at all during it. Usually she welcomed the rain whenever it occurred, but having the sudden storm meant she might have to stay the night. There's no use thinking otherwise. It's practically a downpour at this point. "Hey, James? Would it be alright if I stayed here tonight?" She asked, motioning to the storm outside.
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Post by Misty on Jan 7, 2021 0:06:22 GMT -5
“It could have been worse,” Lucas admitted as he dragged a hand through his hair. “But I still don’t like the whole ‘Sir’ thing. I don’t think I deserve it.” He couldn’t think of a single thing he had done that made the title appropriate for him, other than being Selena’s older brother, but that was a relationship, not an accomplishment. “I’d really like to leave, unless you want to see the gardens first.” featherleg
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Post by Rosestar on Jan 7, 2021 0:55:09 GMT -5
As they wrapped up dinner, which for Aika consented of trying to not look outside and instead answer the barrage of questions asked by Lily and her friend, Nariko, who said she could call her Natasha, a sighed escaped her lips as her, Dalton, and James begun cleaning the table. The meal was fantastic, as to be expected when it was James cooking, but she could not concentrate at all during it. Usually she welcomed the rain whenever it occurred, but having the sudden storm meant she might have to stay the night. There's no use thinking otherwise. It's practically a downpour at this point."Hey, James? Would it be alright if I stayed here tonight?" She asked, motioning to the storm outside. "Yes, of course. We have a guest room I can show you to. Lily, Nariko is also welcome if her parents are alright with it." It was plain on his face that James was doing some mental calucations. "I can give you a ride Aika, I don't mind." Dalton mentioned. He had been unusually quiet through dinner. Lily and Nariko were taking up most of Aika's attention anyway. Still, James was still concerned given the earlier episode. "I'm not sure if it's safe for you out there either, Dalton. But feel free to check for weather alerts," James shrugged, heading back towards the kitchen carrying dishes. If anything, Dalton could take the couch.
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Post by featherleg on Jan 7, 2021 1:30:12 GMT -5
Misty"I think you could give yourself a little more credit." She shook her head as she began to walk back towards the main lobby. "We can visit them later, when you're feeling up to it. It would be best to try to beat the traffic going by to Embra anyways." As they returned to the foyer of the Court, the piano music that was playing earlier seemed to have changed in tempo. It was hard to tell if it was a recording or being played live from somewhere within the hall. What was clear was the voice that called out to the siblings from the staircase some one hundred feet away from them. "My dear daughter, I did not know you were visiting! And what do I spy but an acquittance, a friend, at your side?" Selena froze as her gaze met with her adoptive father, Dasco, descending the stairs swiftly with grace with a figure following after him that she did not recognize. A rather tall and lean man with a love for flair and charm, his emerald green gaze looked upon Selena and Lucas with utmost attention. "Hello, father. I did not mean to be a distraction from your work." Her tone dropped from its usual warmth to the one she had used previously when Lucas had met her at the Wolves Den: Defensive, protective. ----- RosestarAika sighed in relief to James' answer. "Thank you James. I truly appreciate it." Her attention turned to Dalton as she shook her head. "If it wasn't raining as hard as it is now, I would have taken such an offer. However, I'm going to agree with James on this. It would probably be for the best if we both stayed here for the night." Having finished cleaning her tea set, she placed it on the table the two had been sitting at previously before heading back into the garage to grab what few items she kept stored in her motorcycle, such as her phone charger, a small notepad, and most importantly, two substitute vials that she kept stored in what looked to be a coin purse. I'll just have to be careful with taking these. Maybe having them in the morning would be the best course of action. Shrugging to herself, she exited the garage and returned to the living room, where the TV suddenly flash with a weather warning of possible flash floods as well as a general precaution to avoid driving in residential zones, the list displayed including James' neighborhood.
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Post by Misty on Jan 7, 2021 10:22:51 GMT -5
Lucas shook his head, dismissing Selena’s words - at least until they were back in the car, where they could have a more serious conversation without anyone overbearing it. However, it was quickly decided that the conversation would be delayed, if it ever happened at all, when the man on the staircase called out to the paid. Lucas bit his tongue, choosing silence. It seemed like the best way to stay out of trouble with Dasco, though it would have been even easier to stay out of trouble if he wasn’t at Court. The woman with Dasco stood just a little taller than he did in her platform heels. She pushed some of her long, blonde hair back over her shoulder as she took in Dasco’s adoptive daughter and her companion. If she recognized either or both of them, her face did not betray it. “Sir, aren’t you going to introduce me to your daughter? You’ve told me so much about her over the years.” Of course, it was near impossible to not have heard about Selena while working for Dasco. featherleg
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Post by featherleg on Jan 7, 2021 13:22:23 GMT -5
Misty"You, a distraction? Never!" Turning towards the woman behind him, Dasco ran his hand through his curled black hair as he apologized to her. "Right, where are my manners. Hannah, this Selena, and Selena this is Hannah. As you know, Hannah, while she may be away on her own mission we still welcome her into our halls whenever the opportunity arises." With that out of the way, he focused his attention back on Selena with interest sparkling in his eyes. "Please, pray tell daughter, have you been able to find your siblings?" "Well...," She glanced over at Lucas before looking back up at Dasco, "...yes. Who you referred to as my friend is in fact that but he is also my brother, Lucas." A look of sheer delight and surprise took over the features of the Court leader as he pivoted towards Lucas. "Forgive my prior rudeness then, lad, for not acknowledging you accordingly. What a turn of events this is indeed! It is wonderful to finally meet you and see you both reunited with my own eyes. Wouldn't you agree, Hannah? Truly fortune smiles down upon these two and in fact all of us."
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Post by Misty on Jan 7, 2021 14:47:17 GMT -5
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Selena. Your reputation precedes you.” In addition to knowing all about Selena, Hannah also knew about her search for her siblings. After all, Hannah needed to be informed so she knew which information to withhold if she ever had a casual conversation with Selena. She smiled at the woman before looking at the man - their older brother who wasn’t doing too well at hiding his discomfort. “And it’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Sir Lucas. It truly is wonderful that you two have been reunited.” Lucas swallowed as Hannah addressed him with the title. As Selena had said earlier, he would have to correct everyone he spoke with, and it likely wasn’t going to be worth the effort - especially in Dasco’s presence. “It’s no problem, Sir. I’ve quite enjoyed reconnecting with Selena.” His statement was very much the truth, even if some of the silence still felt a little awkward. “Is there anyone else you’re searching for, since siblings were mentioned?” Hannah’s question seemed innocent enough, but she really wanted to know what Selena knew about her. featherleg
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Post by featherleg on Jan 7, 2021 15:11:11 GMT -5
Misty"That's kind of you to say, Lady Hannah. I feel that I am at a disadvantage here for I wasn't aware of your presence within the Court." Her hazel gaze flickered between Hannah and Dasco, questioning how and why he had never mentioned her before. I thought I was to be aware of all our employees, even if I'm not currently serving here... Something wasn't adding up, she knew that for certain. A grin spread across Dasco's face, a sense of pride and accomplishment with it in response to Lucas's sentiments towards Selena. "To see and hear that you two are reconnecting brings a beat to my heart. It is rather rare for siblings to find each other after such a separation. We'll have to celebrate the reestablishment of your bond in the future." "If my memory serves correctly, we have two other sisters who we have yet to make contact with." She looked towards Lucas for confirmation, just in case she had forgotten someone. "The information provided by father mainly pointed me in the direction of finding Lucas, so finding anyone else will require other forms of information at this point."
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Post by Rosestar on Jan 7, 2021 15:44:50 GMT -5
Rosestar Aika sighed in relief to James' answer. "Thank you James. I truly appreciate it." Her attention turned to Dalton as she shook her head. "If it wasn't raining as hard as it is now, I would have taken such an offer. However, I'm going to agree with James on this. It would probably be for the best if we both stayed here for the night." Having finished cleaning her tea set, she placed it on the table the two had been sitting at previously before heading back into the garage to grab what few items she kept stored in her motorcycle, such as her phone charger, a small notepad, and most importantly, two substitute vials that she kept stored in what looked to be a coin purse. I'll just have to be careful with taking these. Maybe having them in the morning would be the best course of action. Shrugging to herself, she exited the garage and returned to the living room, where the TV suddenly flash with a weather warning of possible flash floods as well as a general precaution to avoid driving in residential zones, the list displayed including James' neighborhood. Dalton watched the news with an impending sense of dread. It wasn't the first time he had been stranded at the North house, though it had been several years since the last occurrence. It would different now with the other guests in the house. "Are your parents going to be okay?" he asked to James over the lull of the TV. Hopefully, thinking about something else would distract him from the twitchy feeling he was experiencing from the need to get out of the situation. He wasn't quite sure where it was stemming from. "They have a late night scheduled, it seems the storm will pass by the time they even think about leaving." he shrugged. "I wouldn't worry. Hope you don't mind taking the couch." "Not at all."
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Post by featherleg on Jan 7, 2021 15:55:58 GMT -5
"Would you mind showing me where the guest room is? I'll probably go find the girls afterwards to see if they have a pj set to spare." This whole situation was making her nervous, but she was trying her best to hide it. A rush of footsteps sounded from above as Nariko appeared in the hallway frame. "Don't worry, Aika, we got you covered! I have a stash of clothes I keep in Lily's room so feel free to use it!" She bolted back upstairs, yelling to Lily about starting the next game up. At least that's covered. Hopefully wherever the guest room was wasn't too close to the small party Lily and Nariko were having. "I can help with breakfast tomorrow, if you need it." Rosestar
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Post by Misty on Jan 7, 2021 16:15:02 GMT -5
“I’ve only recently started working for Sir Val. Is it possible I started after you took a leave of absence for your personal mission?” The lie came smoothly, but Hannah didn’t like the way Selena was looking between her and Dasco. Was she already suspicious that information was being withheld from her? Was a celebration really necessary? Lucas briefly looked at Selena. Given her status in the Court, it likely was. It might be the only Court event Selena could convince him to attend - mostly because he would be one of the guests of honor. “I believe we also have a brother who has not been accounted for.” He, Samuel, has been present with Lucas and Selena in one of the memories that had surfaced during the mind search. Five siblings sounded correct to him, but Lucas couldn’t be certain of that. He was more certain that it was likely the other three siblings were dead if Dasco hadn’t found any information to indicate they had lived beyond a human lifespan. “I truly hope you’re able to find your other siblings, Lady Selena.” That would prove difficult for two of the three, as they had lived and died a lot time ago. Hannah had even attended the funerals. featherleg
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Post by featherleg on Jan 7, 2021 16:36:22 GMT -5
Misty"Perhaps, though I'm sure my father would have filled you in on the timeline of my departure, surely? Organization is key to running a successful Court and I doubt he would forget such details." There had to be a crack in logic somewhere she could expose in this conversation. It didn't matter if it was Hannah or Dasco that tripped up, all it took was a single misstep for her to start a proper line of deductions. Selena nodded solemnly to Lucas, trusting his memory in the moment over hers. "Thank you for the correction. I'll be sure to add him to my search as well." Three siblings left to find. Even if they had passed, any closure would be far better than none. "Thank you for your support, Lady Hannah. I wish we could spend more time together getting acquainted, but my brother and I have business in the city proper that must be attended to. I hope you can forgive us for such a short introduction."
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Post by Misty on Jan 7, 2021 17:48:06 GMT -5
“I must have forgotten that he mentioned it to me. I swear, I would be so lost without my planner and journal.” Except Hannah’s sort of lost normally meant starting a new novel while she was already in the middle of a few or forgetting which plot and cast of characters belonged to which book. She didn’t consider either problem to be too serious, but she had a pretty reading journal nonetheless. “We’ll find them together,” he assured her. Lucas would help Selena as much as he could without being overwhelmed by his lack of memories from his human life, even if that simply meant keeping her company at odd hours of the day. “Don’t worry about it. Perhaps we can talk more at one of the upcoming galas? You’ll both be attending, right?” Hannah suspected that Selena would have to force Lucas to attend. featherleg
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Post by featherleg on Jan 7, 2021 18:20:10 GMT -5
"She does have a tendency to miss the start of meetings, but she's gotten better overtime, I assure you." Dasco said promptly to Selena. Whether it supported Hannah's claim she wasn't certain. She knew her father to be great a telling stories to anyone who would listen, the main issue at hand though was whether this story was true or fabricated. A look of surprise donned her face as Lucas's statement. An appreciative and soft smile followed, her eyes hopeful. "Right, of course." It may take them some time to gather documents and information, but she no longer had to go down this route by herself. "We'll have to discuss it first. Lucas hasn't attend such events in a long while and I wouldn't want to put him in a situation that he wasn't prepared for." Personally, she would love nothing more to attend, but her brothers well being came first in the matters now. If he wasn't ready to for such an event, then there was no need to push him into it. Misty
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Post by Misty on Jan 7, 2021 18:57:25 GMT -5
Hannah smiled proudly at the compliment, seemingly indicating that Dasco’s statement had been truthful. “Your praise is most appreciated, Sir Val.” She looked between the other two, almost disappointed that Selena wasn’t going to force Lucas to attend one of the upcoming galas. It might have made for some juicy gala gossip. “That’s understandable. Sir Lucas, it sounds like you have a wonderful, understanding sister in Lady Selena.” “Indeed I do.” Lucas was certain that Selena would let him take things at his pace regarding Court events, even before she had confirmed it in front of Dasco and Hannah. featherleg
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Post by Rosestar on Jan 7, 2021 18:59:58 GMT -5
"Would you mind showing me where the guest room is? I'll probably go find the girls afterwards to see if they have a pj set to spare." This whole situation was making her nervous, but she was trying her best to hide it. A rush of footsteps sounded from above as Nariko appeared in the hallway frame. "Don't worry, Aika, we got you covered! I have a stash of clothes I keep in Lily's room so feel free to use it!" She bolted back upstairs, yelling to Lily about starting the next game up. At least that's covered. Hopefully wherever the guest room was wasn't too close to the small party Lily and Nariko were having. "I can help with breakfast tomorrow, if you need it." Rosestar "Not at all. It's right upstairs." His voice lowered right before they came to the stair well. "And if it's too loud up here, I assure you, the couch is perfectly comfortable as well." With that out of the way, he began guiding Aika upwards. The second floor was relatively straight-forward. It seemed to be a simple entrance hallway that broke off into other separate rooms. The bathroom was more towards the middle, splitting the upstairs into what seemed to be deemed 'Lily's Space' and 'Not Lily's Space'. Lily's bedroom and nearby tech room was off to the left, and James's room and the master suite towards the right. The last door behind the stairwell led to the guest room. When James opened it, it revealed a light purple room, with dark wood furniture set, and a few windows. "Oh, and that's a kind offer." he added to her suggestion of breakfast. "I'll see how ambitious I feel in the morning."
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Post by Misty on Jan 7, 2021 19:01:57 GMT -5
(I feel like something bad is gonna go down in this storm xD)
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Post by featherleg on Jan 7, 2021 19:42:51 GMT -5
Misty"We balance each other out, you know? Just like the sun greets the moon as it passes the Earth, I too will illuminate the spaces that he cannot, for he is dawn and I am dusk." She recited the line perfectly from memory, despite not remembering where she had heard it. The line had always stuck with her and had been a mantra of sorts, a reminder to continue her pursuit to find her siblings. But if her suspicions were correct, there was one person in the world she knew that could not stand such a flowery words. ------ RosestarNoting the upstairs layout as James guided her to the guest room, she stepped into the space and marveled at the décor of the room. It was warm and inviting, and seemed tucked away enough that the sound from 'Lily's Space' wouldn't be an issue. "Alright, just let me know." After being acquainted with the space, Aika was able to get a set of clothes for the night from Nariko before deciding it retire back to the guest room. Closing the door behind her, she quickly changed into the dark blue pj set, which consisted of shorts, a tank top, and hoodie that was surprisingly soft. One of the side tables next to the bed had a stack of books set on it that seemed untouched. Aika spent some time going through the small stack before settling on an older mystery novel called "The Moonstone" by Wilkie Collins. With the sound of the rain outside and her phone playing a premade playlist of piano music, a wave of calm and comfort finally came as she settled on top of the bed. As she started reading the novel, she couldn't help but think back to what Dalton had said to her before dinner. "We're not out of time yet, you know, Aika."She leaned back against the pillows behind her as her eyes closed. If only he knew the impact of those words. How much they hurt to hear coming from him. Time certainly had not been kind to either of them. It drove them apart. Created this distance that she didn't know how to bridge. He was there and yet so far out of reach from her. And the lies. They kept piling up, day by day, threatening to swallow her. But...she made a promise. A promise to see this through, to be there as much as she could for him. She just had to hold on for a bit longer.
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Post by Misty on Jan 7, 2021 20:03:26 GMT -5
(The one person who probably loves book quotes xD) The corner of Hannah’s lip curled up in disgust as she heard the familiar quote for the first time in centuries. It had been one of Selena’s favorites while they had been human, and Hannah couldn’t stand it. If she realized she made a mistake, she didn’t show it. “That’s a lovely- I apologize, but I can’t compliment such a terrible quote.” featherleg
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Post by featherleg on Jan 7, 2021 20:12:58 GMT -5
Misty"I knew it!!" Selena said, stepping forward towards Hannah with her eyes narrowed. "Hannah Marie, what are you doing here? Oh, I want explanations, Father, on how you found my sister and why you thought it was such a brilliant idea to not tell me." Well there went their cover. "My apologies, Selena, I wanted your reunion to be a surprise!" He knew Selena though. She hated being lie to like this, especially by someone she had trusted for decades. "That's not going to cut it and you know it! Why hide her presence and even go so far as to toy with me when you know how much my family means to me??" It was clear that she felt betrayed in the moment based on the anger and frustration in her voice. "I'm not the only insult to injury here, either. You think we would just forgive you for pulling this on us?"
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Post by Misty on Jan 7, 2021 20:36:43 GMT -5
Hannah scowled at Selena’s use of her middle name, but she didn’t otherwise react to it. “I don’t entirely care if you forgive me or not. Quite honestly, I don’t owe either of you anything.” It had been centuries since they had lived together as a family. Why did things suddenly have to change now? She wasn’t particularly concerned with their perception of her suddenly cold attitude. “I have my own reasons for being here. None of them were for a sibling reunion.” (Waiting for the sisters to go at it 👀) featherleg
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Post by featherleg on Jan 7, 2021 20:51:11 GMT -5
"Then your previous wishes meaning nothing to me. Oh, wait, they probably were exactly that. Nothing. Just words for you to say to get what you want." There was a fire in her eyes directed towards his sister as her hands balled into fists, the rest of her shaking. "If you know my reputation, you should be well aware I do not take kindly to such actions. And I beg to differ. You aligned yourself with the very man who took me in and adopted me. You may say that your reasons for being in this Court have nothing to do with us, but you're lying to yourself." She turned, grabbed Lucas by his hand, and started storming off. "I'm done seeking you out, you're not worth my time." Misty
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Post by Misty on Jan 7, 2021 21:08:10 GMT -5
“My presence in this Court has absolutely nothing to do with you,” Hannah repeated firmly. Selena’s assumptions about her motives were wrong. “Not everything revolves around you, despite your relationship to Sir Val.” She turned to look at her employer. “If you need me, I’ll be in my office.” She turned on her heels and headed to the stairs, her shoes clicking against the floor. Once they had put some distance between themselves and the other two, Lucas finally spoke. “What the hell was that?” How could their sister be so cold? Just what had happened to her during her lifetime? And how could Dasco pull that stunt? Selena was his daughter! featherleg
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Post by featherleg on Jan 7, 2021 23:11:07 GMT -5
Misty Dasco watched the two storm off, his hands resting behind his back as he shrugged. "Well, that certainly could have been worse." He calmly followed after Hannah as he hummed along to the piano music that continued to drift through the air. "I-I...I don't know!" She said as she let go of his hand and ran her hands through her hair, her eyes misting over with tears. "Dasco likes to pull stunts from time to time but this?? I just don't understand...why...." Her voice trailed off as her breathing started to become irregular and the shakes from earlier returned.
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Post by Misty on Jan 7, 2021 23:35:57 GMT -5
“I’m surprised she didn’t yell more. I always thought she was a little dramatic.” Hannah tossed her long hair over her shoulder as she climbed the stairs. “Both of them, actually,” she amended. “Selena, look at me.” Lucas placed both hands on her shoulders. “I don’t understand why he would do this either, but Hannah has made her point. She doesn’t want to be our sister. She’s not worth our time if she’s willing to scheme like that just so she could keep her identity hidden from us. What’s more important is that I’m here for you, okay? I’m here.” (Says the one who is my drama queen.) featherleg
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