Ellion

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Nights in the desert weren’t known for their warmth, but the falling rain brought with it a chill that soaked through to the bone. Thick clouds cut the landscape off from any source of moonlight, the darkness devouring what little light torches and lanterns could provide, while the deafening rain forced the masses inside their homes. Silent figures moved about the city unseen, some masked while others simply cloaked, all observing from their places in the shadows. Many things were witnessed that night, though death was only but one horror among many.

By the time the rain began to let up, most of the city’s occupants had either retired to their estates within the walls while few others had already embarked on a long journey home. Five small shadows darted from cover to cover, careful not to spend too much time out in the open where they could be spotted, holding their breaths each time a Drakkan drew too close for comfort. One by one they made their way to an abandoned shop, a disheveled location that looked like someone had left in a big hurry, bloodstains left behind indicating that it was not of their own volition either.

Three girls stood at the back of the building, furthest from the door so as to minimize the possibility of detection despite the hour. One leaned up against the wall with her arms folded against her chest, both her hood and her mask still donned despite her companion’s appearance. Poking her nose into every corner of the building, the second young woman took to canvassing the area while they awaited the arrival of their leader. While it was highly unlikely they would be discovered, it was always better to be sure than to assume. The other two sat together on the floor, the elder of the two helping to warm the shivering youth.

“We’re in the clear, you can remove your mask here. Friends, remember?” The one spoke, rolling her eyes when she received no response from her masked companion.

“It’s alright, leave her be.” Came another voice from the doorway, the new arrival pulling her hood down as she took refuge from the rain. Her breath escaped her mouth in tiny white tufts, water still dripping from the edges of her cloak but it didn’t seem to bother her all that much.

“So, what do we have?” She asked, looking around the room expectantly. No explanations were necessary, there were very few reasons they would risk entering the capitol especially this time of year.

“Unfortunately not much. With the ceremony being moved up the way it did, there wasn’t enough time to properly prepare. Trying to find a way inside on such short notice was next to impossible, so outside of you… and maybe him... the best we have is long after initial contact with their husbands.” The woman she was reporting to nodded her head thoughtfully, eyes drifting to the floor.

“I see. While it was not an ideal situation, it was not a total loss. Every bit of information helps, you know that. The initial contact is a great teller, but it is not everything. We’ll have to wait and see how they fair after a few days spent in their new homes. Was there anyone in need of immediate liberation?” She spoke, looking around the room to each of her companions.

“Excuse me ma’am. There were a couple we took note of that might need our assistance. Whether or not they’ll be good candidates for the front line is still unknown, but I’m sure there’s something we can do… Right?” The shivering girl spoke up, voice light and quite timid as her eyes darted about the space. She looked as if she expected a Drakkan soldier to pop up out of the shadows simply by speaking about them.

“We will try to do whatever we can, but we can’t take in everyone. We’ll have our absent friend look into rehoming the ones we cannot support. An awful premise, I know… but a necessary sacrifice to our cause.” The younger girl looked deflated, clearly having hoped to save whoever it was that she saw. Such was the price they had to pay though, with such limited resources and abundant risks, it was impossible to care for anyone that couldn’t give back to the cause. It hurt the woman’s heart to have admit it, but it was her duty to make the difficult choices.

“There were a few right out of the gate that managed to catch my attention. I think we should consider looking into recruiting them if at all possible. More than a few feisty ones this time around.”

“If by feisty you mean mouthy, then yes… Quite a few.” The deeper sound of a male voice made a few of the members jump a little, the leader clearly having expected the arrival if her relaxed posture was any indicator. Turning around, she motioned for the Drakkan youth to enter and share his thoughts with the rest of them. He was barely old enough to be considered an adult by Drakkan standards, but he had been quick to learn how to blend in with the crowds and appear as if he belonged… An easy task considering he was one of their kind.

While an outsider might have been confused by the sight of what was clearly a Drakkan male conversing with a bunch of wayward Gemmenite women, those that had been around long enough knew he was not someone to be wary of. He had been the child of a bride from one of the earlier reapings, sometime around when the Rebels had really started getting their bearings. The woman had unfortunately been impregnated before she was able to make her escape, but she managed to find sanctuary with the Rebels where she gave birth to and raised her son. She had long since passed away by this point, but the son proved to be a great asset to the Rebel’s cause.

“If the information I heard was correct, one of my primary interests is a girl whose been stirring trouble since she was brought over the spine. She’s got a lot of courage, and seemed like the sort to look out for her fellow brides. Has already taken quite a beating too from the sound of it.” She began, the boy who was now standing beside her shaking his head in response.

“As great as she sounds, you should probably give up on that one. The man she was handed to is no joke, and those chains the real deal. Even the War Lords seemed unnerved around the guy.” He chimed in, fighting a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold.

The eldest woman in the group cleared her throat to gain attention, standing to her feet despite the lack of necessity. An old habit yet to have died off.

“Our leader here has pretty sharp instincts when it comes to these girls. If she’s your prime, m’dear, then there must be reason. The girl wouldn’t be the first to liberate herself from her situation… If what you say about her husband is correct, we might have to wait to see if she makes it on her own rather than going and collecting her. In that case, we’ll be waiting to take her in with open arms.” Heads around the room nodded their agreement as the woman took her seat, the leader waiting for everything to settle before continuing on.

She went on to speak about a few others, such as one with enough nerve to all but yell at her husband and insult his prior bride, a strange girl who hailed from the Spine itself, and various others that had succeeded in standing out. Not all were spoken of in positive terms, however, as the discussion turned to interests from the previous year. More than a few of their potential candidates had died, and another had seemingly grown attached to her husband. There was little hope for converting and was thus considered a lost cause.

Another girl had almost fallen into their grasp after the death of her husband, but her mental stability had proven too weak to trust for their cause. She was left to wander the woods in the hopes that she would either die a swift death or find a way to survive on her own… Neither of these were the case as she made an appearance at this year’s event with a man known to be a bit of a hermit.

With the rain slowing to a slow drizzle, the group’s time together had come to a close. The woman in charge dismissed them, wishing them safe travels and the information necessary for locating their next meeting. She had been prepared to take off in her own direction when the elder woman from before stopped her to ask a question.

“I was able to catch a glimpse of a girl earlier this evening… She looked a lot like..well...me and I think she might be related somehow… It’s been a long time since I’ve heard anything from my family but I have this feeling… She could be of great help to us, so with your permission I would like to look into it further.” Such a request tugged at the heartstrings of the young leader, a dangerous game to play when making decisions for the wellbeing of the rebellion.

Normally she would have declined such a risky investigation due to the relation to the subject. So many things could go wrong in such a situation, several being along the lines of being recognized and found out, while others followed the more concerning topic of clouded judgement. Still, rebellion ran through the veins of the family in question, and if she was anything like the woman standing before her… She would be more than a help to the cause.

“You know I cannot allow you to investigate such a matter on your own… But you may choose somebody to run point on the investigation. If it pans out, I’ll consider her options, but that decision has to go through me… Is that understood?”

Deal struck, the pair made off in different directions, hoods pulled and bodies hugged close to the shadows. The Reaping might have been over, but there was far more work to be done.

TLDR

-Who are these strange gems? Where did the come from? What do they want?
-Finish up your first night. The next posts should be ending the night/taking placing in the morning!
Go with peace!

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Hey everyone!
Time shifts Monday <3 your Gms

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

_{Bride of Keregar @Legion02; and sister bride of Nadia @Vesuvius00}

A subtle jerk shot through Xaelia’s body as she instinctively started towards her distressed sister bride. But the cold metal she kept behind her back held her back, a rope tying her in place. The pool of blood caused a itch to start forming as the blood began to dry down her palm. It was too much to ask that that was a sign that the bleeding at slown, the knife was too sharp and the cut was too deep for such an idea. Being unable to comfort Nadia hurt more.

Xae’s eyes widened as she watched the young drakkan hop around Nadia, bringing her a chair and whispering sweet promises to her. Every act of kindness shown to her sister bride brought on a stab of guilt as punishment for the previous cruelty she had shown the boy. And now, she was nothing but thankful for his actions. Although he had been the one to cause the pain in the first place with his questions.

A sharp yanked twisted the knife out of her hand, in the same movement, A set of strong hands yanked her body till she was face to face with another drakken. This one smaller than the twins and far smaller than Keregar.

“Well, well, what do we have here?”

A poorly muffled cry of panic escaped Xaelia’s mouth as she found the knife pressing into her chest. She stiffened, her voice coming in short shallow breaths as he got closer. Her hand twitching to cover her chest as the sound of ripping material filled the air.

“Hiding a knife like that. Imagine what father would say about that. But what if I didn’t say a thing? Maybe, as a little reward I could get a better taste of you?”

His lips felt like cold steel on her neck. A line of goosebumps shot across her body as she tried to break free of the hold, but was held tight. She could only guess at how much of a ‘’taste’ the drakkan was asking for. But the fact that he felt the need to barter meant that he couldn’t just take what he wanted.

Maybe.

Maybe he just liked the game.

But it was a game she would rather not die playing. Her mind quickly shot through every option she had in a limited list. A brave person might have challenged him. Clever person might have thought of a safer plan.

“W-what knife,” she said, her voice a terfied whisper, but her words came out clear as day. “T-the only one here is the one in your hand,” Her entire body gave a traitorous tremor as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. It was a gamble. One where the chances of it paying off were so slim that it was little more than suicide. But the little Drakkan hadn’t known about the knife. While she didn’t expect the little Drakkan to lie for her, there was a chance that he’d at least hesitate when asked for the truth.

summary

-He's touching me
-The only solution is to lie my way out of this.
*Another mobile post, I swear I'll stop making a habit out of this

_{Bride of Azilon @WeepingLibertyand sister bride to Lienna @Obscene Symphony}

“It is unwise to trust a demon, the cost is always far too high,” Rya whispered under her breath, staring at Morganna, but not really seeing, her chin being held in place by the woman’s finger. Her hand reached out, holding Lienna’s hand, the grip too stiff to be a measure of comfort for either side. A noise from somewhere far off seemed to fix Rya’s focus, as her glassy eyes became clear, or at least, clearer.

“What is the cost of protection?” Her voice sounded heavy, fearful. Like a creature who knew there was danger, yet chose to walk forward anyway. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Lienna had yet to take her eyes off of the new drakkan who claimed her as his own. Reaching up, Rya took a hold of a chunk of the girl’s silvery hair. Yanking hard until the girl was forced to look toward Morganna.

“What is the price?” Rya asked again, her hand still burried in Lienna’s hair like a leash, forcing the girl to hold her head forward, forcing her to look away from the pretty, evil, drakkan.

TLDR

Insult, Beg, Hair yank, Beg. Blame Obscene

Your Friendly Neighborhood Government Sanctioned Superheroes

<Snipped quote by Ellion>

I think were still open

@ShwiggityShwah

Yeah I thought so lol, I just wanted to know if there was a cut off time for cs

Your Friendly Neighborhood Government Sanctioned Superheroes

How much longer do we have for character sheets?

Superheroes meets Big Brother

Interested!

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

_{Bride of Kagan@ghastlyInc and Sister Bride of Adorabella @eclecticwitch}

Bree felt a small amount of tension fall from her shoulders as Kagan got up to ready himself for the bath. He turned away from the pair to give them the illusion of privacy. A favor Bree felt no obligation to return as he stripped away his clothing, eyeing him the same way she might appraise a horse. Wonder mixed with a healthy amount of fear. She’d seen naked men before, her brother had little shame in hotter climates. She was relieved to see that the rumor of a barbed tip was false. Although that did little to quell the nausea rolling around her stomach.

She was startled out of her thought by her tiny purple problem touching Bree’s dress. The girl had done nothing wrong. She was a little too peppy, borderline obnoxious. And Bree knew that none of this was her fault, But that didn’t matter. Her very existence made Allie’s less likely. Her provocative nature and ease with her own body seemed more a desirable trait than Bree’s own...lacking skill set.

Bree snatched the girl’s wrist as it touched the top of her dress, squeezing it. Bree’s face flushed red at the Adora’s boldness. “Thank you, for your thoughtfulness,” Bree’s whispered voice hinting a poorly concealed rage. “But don’t touch me, ever,”

Being with Kagan was expected, she planned to be with a drakkan. Allie and her both. It was an inconvenience above all else. But...Adora touching her felt like betrayal. Once she was certain that the girl had gotten the message, she dropped her wrist and turned to removed her own clothing. She left her ruined dress and under things in a small pile on the floor. Bree paused for a second on her way to the tub eyeing the two abandoned glasses, hesitating over which to grab. She finally settled on Kagan’s and filled it with the remaining wine. Although she longed for more for herself, she didn’t want to fog her mind any further.

While her sister-bride made a show of getting in the water, Bree slipped in with little ceremony, careful not to spill the wine as she did. With Adora taking the spot across from Kagan Bree sat somewhere between the pair. Her body giving a few small shivers as water started to warm her. Truthfully, she would have appreciated a little more heat, but that was personal preference, this was more than fine. After a minute she held the glass out to Kagan “I’ve always found that a bath pairs best with wine,”

Bree had been in somewhat of a ball when she first entered the bath, as she warmed, her legs began to uncurl, stretching out into the water, she was only able to stretch out half as far as she like when her legs crossed over Kagan’s.

She watched as Adora put on a show of removing the pins from her hair. Bree fixed a pleasant smile on her face. “You truly are lovely,” she said, “ And the royal family must have been so lucky to find someone as experienced as you to pass out as a special reward,”

summary

Bree is a bitch. But at least she brings wine

_{Bride of Keregar @Legion02; and sister bride of Nadia @Vesuvius00}

An ache started to form deep in her stomach. The more the boy spoke, the more the ache grew.
You knew this would be bad. You know all the stories. You know. But knowing what had happened to others was far easier to deal with then facing the reality on her own. The fact that it was coming from such an innocent voice made it all the worst. Children are not a good liars and his voice carried such an air of certainty, that Xaelia didn’t question any of it.

The ‘smaller’ drakkan was soon forced to the side by two hulking figures. They were Keregar reborn younger and more wild. Like new sparks trying to catch the world a blaze. She felt herself shrink as they spoke about her and her sister-bride as though they were objects. Xae tried to make her self small, shoulder hunching forward and her arms crossing over her chest. She couldn’t stop them from looking, but she didn’t have to make it easy for them to see.

One of the twin’s said something to the other. Lighting a fuse that exploded into a fight between the brothers. Showing just how quickly drakken comradery could turn to violence, even between siblings.

One pulled a knife, tossing it at the brother's face.
The other caught it in the cup.
The cup fell.
The liquid splashed across the floor.
And the cup rolled.
Right to Xaelia feet.
Knife still buried deep.

The little drakkan had made it very clear that this was the place that Gems were sent to die. Whether it was tonight, in a week or nine months after a particularly unlucky night.

Trusting that the two brothers were now far more interested in themselves than the two girls, Xaelia risked reaching for it. The cup was heavy and the knife looked far larger in her hand than it did in the twin's. The blade was buried deep in the cup and every second she spent working it free was another second that she could be found out. In her panic, her left thumb slipped across the blade as she finally yanked it free.

The wound wasn’t deep and the blade was so sharp that she’d hardly felt it, but already a small trail of scarlet was pooling from the wound.

She felt a certain amount of comfort with the hilt in her hand. But her plan had ended with getting the knife. It was too large to hide in her dress and the room was too sparsely furnished to be of any use in hiding the object.

She tried to imagine using it, slashing at the drakkan, cutting at them. She’d lose, that was for certain no matter what. Yet even in her fantasy, she wouldn’t see herself a using for more than a threat with no intention to follow up.

“Enough!” Time was up.

“What is going on?” For the moment, Keregar’s wrath seemed to be focused on his sons. The rage of a wild fire that sent the young pups scattering into the safety of the thunderstorm. Xae shoved her hand and knife behind her back, adding the other one to make her stance seem little more natural.

The little drakkan apeared again as soon as his older brothers vanished. Carrying small mugs that gave off a familiar scent. One that reminded her of the open air markets along the costal cities. Taking the cup would have meant moving one of her hands, which she couldn’t do, not now.

“I don’t like tea,” she said curtly, then after a moment added "Thank you though, . Her voice carrying the same tone as when she lecture the boy about how mothers worked.

“You’re both from Gemina right? How does it look there?”

She could at least humor the boy with that.

“It is the most beautiful and blessed place on earth,” she said, surprised to hear a true sound of longing in her voice. “ To the south, there are the desert cities that formed around oasis'. There the sand warms and the water cools and they always serve food so rich with spices every other meal before pales in comparison. To the East are the costal towns. The beaches are white sand and there are tall trees that you climb for fresh fruit all year round. The houses are made of white stone and the water is filled with flightless birds that will swim around your feet. The north has forests of evergreen trees and in the winter, the land is covered with a blanket of snow so white that is makes all clouds look grey. They service a warm drink, sweet as melted candy. The capital is made up of diamonds that glisten in the light like a morning star and the streets are lined with marble and gold. It is a true tragedy that there are poor souls who never get to experience its wonder,”

She tried to keep the words flowing, tried to keep talking, to erase all guilt that her face might have initially displayed. While her mind tried to create a plan that would see the knife in a safer place.

Summary

Xae panics. Boys fight. Find knife. Tell story. Full spite

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

_{Bride of Azilon @WeepingLibertyand sister bride to Lienna @Obscene Symphony}

The new drakken entered with a bang and shout. Rya had seen his kind before, the type that even some drakken were wary of. “ Any of our kind that look as he does are to be feared twice as much, for they are a hidden threat. Many of your kind look upon his face and think the same as your friends, however, I have no doubts he has had to prove himself time and time again. Azilon’s words from yesterday echoed around her. He had been talking about the prince, but this drakkan fell in that breed too.

The entrance of the drakkan had caused the crowd to shuffle. Some making a quick exit, others pulling close. Protecting prizes or simply closing ranks for a better attack strategy. This was a game that was known well to all. The chain that Azilon had attached to her waist operated exactly has it had been designed to, keeping her attached to whomever had the other end of it. Which was Lienna. A hulking drakkan, corralling his two terrified brides had managed to force his way between the trio. Other figures quickly filled in the gaps. Rya could just see Azlion through the crowd.

She opened her mouth to call out, when the world attentions shifted to her. Or rather, the girl that was attached to.

"That one. I want that one. I'll kill anyone who begs to differ."

Rya felt her breath catch in her chest, there were too many eyes, too many people, too much looking…

"The room was crowded and all the eyes were looking at the silver haired gem. The pair had drifted from their master, which was alway dangerous, now more so than ever. But he was close enough to help. The older gem saw that his mind was made up. He didn’t beg to differ He already had a thing he didn’t want, this would spare him from two. The fact that the whole act would dishonor his family was more reward than a gembride could ever be- "

Rya clamped her hand over her own mouth and gave Lienna a horrified look. “I’m--I’m sorry. I don’t… I try not to do that anymore,” Her eyes cast a quick glance around, it was clear that those nearby had heard her, but those further back seemed to have missed it. “At least I didn’t ...shout it--,” It was on her second sweep of the room that she spotted Morganna, standing next to a mountain of a drakkan, just as far away from them as Azilon. “He’ll hurt you,” said Rya, her voice little more than a whisper. “I don’t want him too,” Rya took a few steps backwards as the attention became split between Lienna and Rynek. The chain caught on her waist as Lienna didn’t understand that meant to move. Reaching out, Rya grabbed the girl by the wrist and pulled her through the crowd.

Morganna didn’t care about Gems. Didn’t care about Azilon losing his toys. But taking Lienna would be a slight against the house Dantanath and that might be enough to get her to help when her brother wouldn’t.

They reached the pair shortly, most drakken unwilling to get involved and neither helped, nor stopped the two as they made it through the crowd. “P-please Morgana,” said Rya softly, her head tilted low, too occupied at the task at hand to pay much mind to the other unwelcomed guest of the night. “It-It,” But the words refused to form in her mouth, so she stood there in silence.

summary

Azilon is the voted worst husband/son/brother of the year by all parties.
Rya has a moment of cray
Time to offer Morgana a horribly steep prize for a relatively small favor

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

_{Bride of Keregar @Legion02; and sister bride of Nadia @Vesuvius00}

The numbness from the impact faded into a warm pricking pain just as Keregar’s hand caught Xae’s face. She met his glare, rage flickering in her eyes as the gap between their faces grew short. Her teeth clenched beneath her lips as she willed herself not to break eye contact. Her face was jerked to the side seconds before their faces reached each other. A wet warmth touch her skin as his tongue traced the slap pattern on her face. Her resolve dying, Xae felt her eyes squeezed shut, face twisting as she held her breath, her lungs trapping the flow of air as she kept as still as possible, like a cat being licked by a wolf.

Her eyes cracked open again, watching as the drakkan pulled back.

”You’re not in Gemina anymore. You’re in Drakka. I won’t tolerate insults like that again.”

Xae couldn’t trust herself to speak after Keregar released her face. Rage coild in her gut, her only solace was that Keregar wouldn’t have reacted so angrily if there wasn’t hint of truth in what she had said. Using the back of her hand, she wiped at her cheek, surprised to find traces of her blood. A smear of crimson was left across her face. Xae’s eyes narrowing as Keregar turned his attention to her sister bride.

For whatever reason, he seemed to save his wrath for her. After ordering Nadia to strip from her beautiful dress, he mentioned Sorracks sanctuary. An area designed for one of the many dark gods of Drakka. The god of children and all things that went along with that.

Xae tried to imagine the home that Keregar described. She pictured tall log walls with sharp points on the end. Inside, rough buildings and the smell of smoke, little more than camping. Allowing nature in just enough to remind them all it was there. A life exposed.

There was a sudden commotion as a drakkan faced the crowd and demanded a bride of his own. Before getting a proper look, she and her sister bride were ushered out into the rain. The journey to their temporary home was wet and cold. Colder than any desert had any right to be.

The home of Keregar left a lot to be desired. It was bare. The floor was smooth, worn down by years of use. It gave off the impression of a place just moved in or out of. No sign of someone actually having made the place a home. A soulless place.

“Are you two my new mothers?” The additional voice startled Xae, her eyes narrowed on the young drakken.

Xae struggled to process the words for a moment. Although she knew that drakken were born and they must grow up, she never had put much thought into what that process looked like. Always picturing the monsters that drakken were once they were full grown. Taking a second look, she saw Keregar written all over the young drakkan’s face. In the shape of the eyes and nose. The way that the lips curved just so. The boy was much fairer than his father, but that was the only difference . In those features, Xae found her hate getting pinned. “That’s not how mothers work,” She said, a strain in her voice as she kept the anger she felt buried within.

Despite that thought, an annoying voice tried to whisper soothing words about how many mothers this boy had had throughout his life. Despite the voice asking how many had treated the young thing as a monster, her voice remained cold.

But she wasn’t about to show kindness towards anything of his.

TLDR

Xae gets slapped and takes her rage out on K's son

_{Bride of Kagan@ghastlyInc and Sister Bride of Adorabella @eclecticwitch}

The wine here was far more dry than anything she kept at home. It left a pleasant, vaguely metallic, taste in her mouth. The type of wine that would pair well with meat and cheese. The lack of food she had the chance to consume today meant that the small amount of liquor was already leaving her with a pleasant warmth in her face. The rest of her still fighting off the chill of the rain.

"I can only assume we'll get the other half of her once we do whatever little request he might have. Or we could just return her."

Bree’s eyes flicked towards Kagan at this, squinting slightly a single, horrible thought shot through her mind Return her and ask...for a different one?

She tried to make herself feel guilty about the thought. Gems suffered enough without other Gems encouraging the drakken to view them as objects that could be bought, sold and traded at will. Things that could be returned.

But if anyone could get Allie here...royalty could. It wasn’t personal.

A sudden weight in her hand drew her back as more wine was suddenly added to her glass.

"Try and pace yourself. As I understand it, being drunk generally makes it worse, not better. For first timers specifically."

The vague warmth that had gathered on her face vanished in an instant, leaving a cold dryness in her throat. I also have to convince him and…I don’t really know him and I know that isn’t something he is interested in talking about right now The idea of having sex with Kagan wasn’t repulsive, she had had too much time to get used to the idea. But she was sorely regretting not taking up at least one of the offers made to her by male gems before arriving. She had been saving herself, but that person was very far away now.

Adorabella took the spot to Kagan’s right, so Bree walked carefully across the room, trying her best to keep the mud off of everything, and took the spot on his left.

Bree tucked herself between Kagan’s chest and arm, moving carefully as to not bump either of their wines. Her back resting in the crook of Kagan’s shoulder. She was relieved to find that, after the initial touch of his wet clothing on her skin, the rest of him was warm.

“I’m not nobility or anything,” said Bree, taking another sip of her wine. The taste of it was less strong now, her mouth having grown accustomed to its sharpness. “My family was a merchant class, they sold a little of everything, mostly properties, but my father was hoping to start working on some trade deals with the south,” That statement was putting it lightly. At some point, the power dynamics started to change, with wealthy families climbing up to become equals of the nobility—like weeds among the flowers--her family among them. They were able to grow their wealth faster than most by keeping the family small, the wealth only ever having been split once by twin brothers. Her great-great-great grandfather and equally great uncle. One married and the other didn’t, when the twin died with no heir, the wealth was placed back together. Even now, years later, her families tree was a single branch straight down to her brother Sadge. She didn’t have any uncles, although her father had mentioned an aunt that had been reaped nearly thirty years before. And two great-aunts who had reaped together nearly sixity. In theory, they could be alive, but she didn’t feel the urge to seek them out.

Her father lusted after the idea of marrying her brother to a noble woman for titles and such. But that was the only thing to be gained from such an arraignment. And her families track record for reapings kept many a potential brides leery of such a marriage.

Having been to parties that were held at the houses of ‘high society’ her house was nicer. Was nicer . In all of her dreams of Drakka, she always assumed that her new place would be similar to her hold. Just with uglier houses.

“I have an older brother, he enjoys the social light,” They both had back home, once their formal education was done, there was little else for rich kids to do. Only his talents and existence started and ended with the waxing and waning of the party. Sadge did look out for her, but she was lucky to be family when it came to him, as those were the only ties that held any value in his eyes.

Bree watched Adorabella flit around, drying first Kagan and then herself, much in the same way that Kagan had in the hall before entering the hotel.

“I almost feel silly,” said Bree, leaning forward to dusting off a bit of the fine powered, before settling back in her space. “Bringing this up now that you spent all that time drying us off. But our husband mentioned something about a bath while we were still in the hallway,” She was proud of herself for not letting her voice crack. For not losing her nerve at the last second.

It’s like sticky wax B--alway best to pull it off quickly, than delay and suffer more,
Mom’s always knew the right thing to say.

Summary

Aubree being a bitch and wanting to sell Adora for her lover.
Drinking on an empty stomach.
Plot twist, Kagan is the heater.
Vague life story.

-edited on my phone. I’ll fix mistakes when I get home.

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

@Athoriel estimated time of post?