Family Reunion (Liza, Jula and Aero)

Alec was the one to answer the door, just because old habits died hard. Zold had kindly asked Alec to be presentable for Silence's sake, sine he didn't want her Fiance to look down on them. Well, more honestly, Zold really just liked having a Butler.

Alec gave a slight bow to the guest and opened the door fully, stepping aside to let him in. Much in the same manner that Geronimo and Silence had met him when they had initially comein, Zold was sitting at a long, grand table, but he was sitting closer to the foot of it, with some tea and tea-saucers out. Zold gestured for Russell to have a seat across from him. "Ahh," he said lightly. "You must be Russell. I'd say that I've heard so much about you, but I only know the basics." He glanced up at him quite casually. "Please, have a seat. As you know from the letter I have sent... I am Baron Zold. What I have heard, though, is that you have caught the eye of my daughter." He politely poured some tea for the guest.

"So... I hear you're an assassin. That must be quite a cozy profession." He took a sip of his own cup of tea and looked at Russell expectantly.

When she'd arrived back at the house she gave the same warning to Geronimo that she'd given to her father and got a much meeker reaction from her friend, as well as a hug and a promise to behave. She didn't know Russell would be there so soon and nearly panicked when she heard him in the other room, then remembered who she was panicking over and blew off her little episode before bringing out a fresh pot of tea. "He's been a right joy to work with I gotta say. Never a cloudy sky with him!" Hopefully coming in and making light conversation would help to ease the tension that needed cutting with a cleaver.

"Fresh tea, piping hot so be careful. Think I should call Rose down or would that just make this all the worse?" Something told her that bringing Rose into this meeting would just tick Silence off if the girl insulted him. "If there's anything else I need to get from the kitchen speak now before I get comfortable and have some tea? No? Alright then!" She made herself comfortable and poured a cup of tea, wincing at the fabric of her sleeves rubbing against the light burns on her arms. "You had no trouble finding the house, right Russ?" She'd really missed him during her travels and having him right there and not being able to hug him was not so nice.

"I certainly don't see why we should disturb Rose. As Silence and Rose are still not allowed to speak to each other, bring her down here I'm sure would only cause unnecessary hurt feelings. I'm sure she'll be fine reading. I'll call her down for breakfast, after tea." He raised an eyebrow at Silence's overt displays of affection towards the Kaionarian former-assassin-turned-Circus-performer. There was no denying that Silence did not at all take after Zold even a little bit, but he had to admit to himself that there was probably some good in that. "Yes," Zold said a little Dryly, "I can't imagine any profession more dangerous than an assassin. People don't make friends that way. I suppose it's for the best that you left. Silence..." he glanced at Silence and smiled. "I'd like to speak with this young man in private if you don't mind. Would you mind helping your good friend Alec and Geronimo with breakfast?"

Alec greeted Silence as she entered and started getting some eggs to crack for breakfast. "... So... " He gave Silence a sly smile. "Is that man in there the one you were mentioning earlier?"

Zold leaned back as he sized Russell up, rubbing his chin. "I don't mean to come off as rude, but you have to understand... I want what's best for my daughters, both of them. I'm in no place to be a controlling father to Silence at this time. She certainly has a mind of her own, and I wouldn't change that. But I'm sure you understand my concern. She seems to think of you as more than just a friend... And yet you haven't proposed yet. Now, I know I may not seem very intimidating -" He chuckled. "Whatnot with your background in murdering people for money, I'm sure I don't seem like much of a threat. But I am a political man, and while I would never, ever threaten bodily harm to anybody, I have my own areas of expertise - the least of which being powerful magic. So why don't you tell me about your plans with my daughter?"

Silence turned red again and glanced at Alec. "Indeed he is and I don't know what father sent me in here for, he'll tear Russell to pieces and I'll be the one stuck holding the bag! He can handle all sorts of things, my temper included, but that man interrogating him is a horse of a different feather!" She quickly made some hotcakes and grabbed some butter to put on a tray before fidgeting with a cooking utensil. "Seriously hope he gives me a chance to explain this to him...I didn't intend for father to suddenly go off on an interrogation with him." This was pure uncensored nervousness radiating from her and it was starting to really show.

She took the tray out and set it on the table then was immediately asked to fetch Rose for the morning meal. "A maid's job is never done, eh father?" she remarked dryly. "Not that I mind really I'm used to cooking and cleaning my own abode." She rapped on her sister's door lightly and tried to sound cheery. "Rose, father expects you for breakfast and we have another guest, best manners if you please." With that it was back into the kitchen to make sure everything else got done right and she muttered about being the maid once again. "Father will get an earful for this to-do with Russell. I swear it."

Zold took a sip of his tea, half a grin flickering across his face. "I see. So you do mean to propose. Well, that's a relief. Though I'm surprised that it's the cost of the ring that's holding you back... Especially if you switched to being a performer to afford it. I was under the impression that prices for assassins were much higher." Siiip. "And Silence doesn't really seem like the type who needs an expensive ring."

By The Pit… Russell finally gave in and took a sip of his tea. "Well, I didn't have anything saved up from the assassin business. I had to leave Kaionar… in a little bit of a hurry. Some inner group strife. You know how it goes." No he didn't. He had no idea. "And being a side-show in the Circus doesn't quite bring in the coin that I'm used to. It took a little bit of adjusting. I know that she would't want much, but honestly, I want to show her that I really care." Lay on the dreamy pitiful act Russ 'ole boy, good job.


Dance, my puppet! Dance, DANCE! Ahahahaha. Was what Zold was thinking.

He took a gulp of his tea to keep from shouting and steadied his hand against the cup, elbows on the table. Manners be damned. "Thank you, Baron." He grinned, trying his best to look relieved. "That's a generous offer, and I know you want the best for your daughter, but sometimes a man has to do something for himself. How could I look at her on our wedding day with a ring you bought and hold my head high? Silence is an honest girl. I couldn't lie to her about our wedding day. It wouldn't sit right with me."

Zold frowned lightly. "No doubt you'd have other things to spend your money on. If you plan on building a life with my daughter, you'll have to buy a house, save money for raising children... it's tradition for the father of the wife to pay for much of the wedding, and I'd be more than happy to aleve that responsibility for the sake of your future with my daughter. If you'd rather speak to her on the matter, of course I could understand that. In a minute, of course." Since Zold wasn't done asking him questions yet.

"I… that's a good point, Baron." A lifeline, oh gods. And he was going to grab it desperately and hold on for dear life. "I haven't talked with her about marriage or anything yet. She loves working with the Circus. We both do. I couldn't ask her to let go of something she loves to settle down. Perhaps in a little while, but not yet. I do intend to ask for your daughter's hand, but not until she's ready. Until we're ready to take that kind of step."

Zold leaned back and crossed his arms, just studying him for a while. ".. You've turned down my offers to pay for a wedding... really.. it sounds like you've just been making excuses. Now it's hard to expect you to be honest after I made my position and status clear, but it rather seems like you're just leading her on. She seems very keen on you... I find it hard to believe that you haven't even discussed marriage."

He forced a chuckle that sounded natural enough and tilted his head to the side, secretly swearing that if he ever ran into the man in a dark abandoned alley that he wouldn't be walking out of it. "With all due respect, Baron, you don't know Silence. I love her, as much as a man can, I'm sure, but she get's a bit flighty around the subject of permanent commitment. It's the life she's led, having no one to support her, save the Circus. I'm just glad to be there for her, and when she's ready, I'll ask." Yes, you stew in your own guilt for abandoning your bastard, you self-righteous peacock.

Zold leaned forward and propped his elbow on the table, hoping to make Russell uncomfortable with their close proximity. There wasn't any guilt there, if Russell was looking for it. "Perhaps, perhaps not. You see, she had the opportunity to speak with my younger daughter, and while I was lecturing my younger daughter on manners, it came up that Silence thought of herself as spoken for - as if she already knew who she was going to marry. So she seems as though she is ready... let me ask you this candidly. Were you even aware that her feelings towards you were so strong?"

The real answer, of course, was no. Silence had only barely gotten over her squeamishness about physical proximity after the threat of hypothermia had forced them together, and hadn't seemed too keen on him in the meantime. They were friends at best as far as he'd seen, but this whole talk of marriage obviously meant something entirely different than what she'd shone him. "Not to this extent, no." He replied, using a hint of honesty. "I knew we were only seeing each other, and I knew that I would wait for her forever if that's what it took. I didn't know she was ready."

Zold leaned back and took a monocle out of his pocket and began to polish it. "Well to be perfectly frank, I'm really not which version of the story you've told I really believe. You seemed surprised enough when we started this conversation so I'm willing to believe that you were unaware of her feelings, but I expected somebody who used to kill for a living to be a little bit blunter from the get-go. Well this was a fancy dance we both did. That wasn't so hard though, was it? Let me finish by saying this - if you do intend to marry her, I recommend making your advances more obvious. What I said was true - I am of course willing to pay a hefty Dowry, and also finance the wedding and the ring if necessary. But if you break my daughters heart, intentionally or unintentionally, I'm sure I'll find some way to make you regret that decision."

His tea cup clicked loudly against his plate when he set it back down, having finished it off after that little stressful engagement, but was just glad that he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Obviously, this nobleman had never met an assassin that talked his way out of getting killed before. "Of course, Baron. I wouldn't think of hurting Silence. The lass is dear to me, and I'd never want to break her heart." And now that he knew that was a real possibility, he didn't have to lie. Having politicians putting him on their hit list was not a life goal for him.

Zold smiled, relaxing. "Thank you, though, for taking this time to speak with me. I know it's never easy meeting potential in-laws. But, in case I speak with you in the future, I prefer honesty. I'm somewhat more inclined to be lenient when people are straightforward about their intentions. It makes the turbulant political life I lead somewhat clearer.

Russell smiled and nodded his head. How did he tell Zold that he had up until this point never considered anything remotely resembling marriage to Silence? He didn't. That's what he said. Better to keep his mouth shut after this little display. He was already half in the ground, no need to add more dirt to the pile. "I'll keep that in mind, Baron. It was a little shocking to suddenly find out that she comes from a respectful family, I'll admit I didn't see it coming."

"That's fair," Zold said with half a laugh. "I just discovered this fact myself. I was under the impression I only had one daughter. Sadly, her ... late, respectful mother opted not to tell me that she was with-child, and as a result, I missed out on what might have been a much healthier, happier family than the one she was raised with. I'm only glad now that she has found happiness in spite of her struggles."

Silence walked in with a tray on her arm and rolled her eyes at her father. "Dare I ask what horrors have transpired in my absence? Or more bluntly, father what have you done in sending me to help Alec fix breakfast?"

Zold smiled pleasantly. "Nothing, I believe that your friend and I just came to an understanding about each other's intentions. I hope the lad isn't shaken too much - I'm sure that a stout assassin like himself can take a little bit of civil discussion, right?" He smiled at Russell. Then, to Alec, "Would you go and fetch my younger daughter for me?"

Alec went to go fetch Rose, as directed, to bring her back down.

Russell smiled cordially back at Zold with a slight nod of his head. "Of course." He raised his cup only to realize that he'd drank the last of it and set it back down with a small sigh. "Don't worry about me, luv." He said instead to Silence. "Your father's a good man. Just looking out for his daughter."

THATS RIGHT that's exactly what Zold was and what he was doing. He nodded in agreement with Russell.

Alec came back down with Rose, who didn't even spare a glance at Silence or the new stranger.

Russell : *quietly getting over a heart attack*

Silence: Guess everyone can start eating if there isn't some set routine to go through." Rose still made her feel rather annoyed with her prissy attitude, but best not to let it show.


...

"So you're not one of the performers yourself?" Zold asked.


"Oh no, I am." Russell smiled at the Baron, now fairly practiced at remaining pleasant. "It turns out that my skills as a sub-par assassin can come in handy on a tight rope, actually. Surprise to me."

"How did you and Silence meet, if I may ask?"

Oh. Oh crap. "Well, that's a funny story actually. We met here in Kaionar when the Circus was visiting. She was looking for a cure. Frederick bit her, you see. I happened to be in the shop she went to go get the remedy."

"... Fredrick... bit her...?" Zold looked at Russell dubiously, though there was something that he absolutely wanted to ask, but he chose not to ask it. Instead, "Is Fredrick some kind of poisonous Dragon? The beast was put down, right?"

"Er, no. He's a spider... centuar... thing." He wasn't entirely sure how to explain the man-spider in a way that grasped his character. He wasn't even used to Frederick. "He sort of bites people as a way to show them he likes them. Seems it's become a rite of passage."

"... So there's a poisonous half-spider boy working at the very circus that you're working at, and he likes biting people? Why exactly has this beast not been killed yet?"

He shrugged his shoulders in a small lift. "He draws crowds. We get a lot of customers there to see the man-spider beast."

----

After Breakfast, while Silence was up washing the dishes, Rose excused herself and popped into the kitchen, with her arms crossed. She lingered for a moment, before sighing. "Can I talk to you or are you going to get all upset again? I wanted to say something before you stormed off. It's rude, you know. I was going to write, but you're still here."

Rose leaned against a counter, snacking lightly on one of the berries that hadn't been served out during breakfast. "Your problem is that you only think you're worth a few silver. I ask you this - if you're worth only a handful of coinage, why is it that anybody should spend any of their time on you at all? If you want my respect, then you should respect yourself a little bit more, and think more highly of yourself. But if you don't command respect for yourself (without throwing a temper-tantrum), then nobody else will respect you either, including me, and including father. I know this is an unusual situation for you, and I know you don't like me, but as long as you're trying to kiss up to me because you want to be my bigger sister because you don't want me to hate you, then that's showing how much value you think you're worth." She sighed and went to the ice-box and poured herself a glass of milk that had been delivered this morning.

".... You can't be my older sister. I don't have anything to learn from you. But... if you want... we might be able to socialize as acquaintances, as long as you stop trying to suck up." Rose, here was offering the olive-branch in a way.

She felt embarrassed having to hear this from a child but brushed the feeling away and smiled. "Well alright then if that's what you want. I'll be honest you're still a child to me and I think there's plenty out there that you haven't learned, but it's not like I can force anything on you." Okay so she sold herself a bit short on her worth, it was humility! "It's called humility, Rose, when you're not high class you can't get away with saying you're the greatest thing since salt preservation. I was so concerned about making a good impression that I did the opposite by accident, fancy that! I'm worth a good deal apparently if a man like Russell enjoys my company." Silence didn't feel quite so uneasy around the girl now, and it would only get easier to talk to her, but she felt like Rose was looking down her nose at her.

"Seems to me my issues around here are that I don't fit in with everyone else and what they expect of me. Back home what everyone expects of me is to do my job, do it right, and be happy with myself. I'm insecure around here because for all intents I just found out I have family, they're highly respectable, and I'm a disgrace to them." Now that the magic wasn't pushing her emotions at her like a tsunami, she was overall a happier person and making light of things became all the easier. "I know you're not too happy to have to share your father, or to have a sibling at all, but I'm not going to be here very long before I have to leave again, the elf at the breakfast table included."

"Don't put words in my mouth," Rose snipped. "I can imagine how you think that I'm worried about sharing Father, but that's not what it's about. It's easy to think that the problem I have with you is something that's my fault, and doesn't have anything to actually do with who you are, but that's simply not true." She paused a bit, and exhaled lightly. "The truth is, you barged into my room and started asking me about the state of how I choose to live. Just because I'm upper class, am I the meaner one? Is it less of an insult to me, just because you're the victim of a poor upbringing? You wanted to push your ideas onto me like friendship when we hardly know each other. You got offended when I didn't immediately agree, simply because I stated, truthfully, that you can do what you want and I wouldn't intervene," Rose said irritably. "And then you had the audacity to call me selfish. Well. So are you. But I didn't want anything from you - I didn't want you to prance in and try to force yourself on me. It was you who wanted something from me. You wanted my immediate, unconditional love, and you were the one who wanted ME to be more like YOU, not the other way around. In your insecurity, you sought to feel more 'correct' by bringing me down, rather than boosting yourself up."

She scowled. "And, I'm sorry for giving you the advice that you should think more of yourself. Whatever relationship you have with father isn't my business. I know that you have your own life and you're not staying here, and I know that my father is a kind, passionate man who will do anything for the ones he loves, and if you deserve some of that, I'm happy for you. My problem with you is your attitude towards me, and nothing more."

She tightened her lips, realizing that she had been losing her temper a little bit. "I'm sorry, I don't like being talked down to. I apologize for the harsh words I used, but that is how I feel. Please forgive my rude outburst."

When she was a little calmer, she continued.

"Feel free to be humble, but stop calling me selfish. Just the way you didn't ask to be born into a poor family, I didn't ask to be born into this one, but I'm glad I was, and I embrace it. Does that make me a terrible person, for accepting and appreciating my comfortable lifestyle? I'm not blind to the life of the poor, but whether or not I have a bleeding heart of them, I'm not going to forsake my father and my upbringing to appease the poor masses."

"I know this is hard for you, and I know you feel like you don't fit in... because you don't. That's a part of who you are, though, and I know this world is beyond you. Don't judge your value based on whether or not that elf in there wants you or not, because then your self-value is just going to decrease if he chooses not to marry you, since he's not in a contract to wed you. Not that I'm saying he will, but your self-worth has to come from within you."

"So what I'm saying, ultimately, is this: If you want to fit in a little bit more, have a little more confidence. And stop putting me down to make up for your lack of confidence. I'm willing to work with you considering your confidence short-comings, but what I WON'T tolerate is having any stranger, family or not, trying to change who I am. I happen to like who I am. Whether you like me or not is your business, and whether I like who you are or not, I'm not going to try to change who you are. But we can still be polite to one another, whether or not we agree with the other."

"You've got short-comings too little missy, nobody's perfect. I'll be damned if I ever think I'm worthless, but Russell is the only person in this whole world who really makes me think I'm worth more than just the time of day. Wait till you're my age and you get sweet on someone, then you might understand." She dried some of the dishes and checked them for extra spots during her talk and then began stacking them to be put away. "Do you have any idea of life beyond this city? Beyond this 'house' even? How can you appear to know so much if you never go out and experience things for yourself?" Rose really did sound like a child who couldn't get her way. "When I was your age I never imagined leaving Golam, period. I couldn't fathom it, it was all I knew that existed. A year later my entire world is ripped away from me and I'm left to die who-knows-where thousands of miles from home. You can think you're all grown up and know everything you need to survive beyond the limits of this property, but I'm telling you firsthand that you're wrong."

She was trying to help and give her advice, even if she didn't want it. She took some of the cheeriness from her voice and replaced it with a tinge of concern. "I know you don't want or think you need advice from me, and for being so young you've surpassed me in a couple of ways already. The only worry that I have with you, whether you like it or not, is that you're growing up a bit too fast. I can't change that and it's not my place to wish for such things; do you think maybe you could smile now and then? I bet you're three times prettier when you smile than when you look neutral." She had a lot of her father in her, for sure. "If you ever need anything, someone to talk to or otherwise, feel free to ask." She finished with the dishes and turned to Rose. "I think I'll go make sure father and Russell are getting along, if we're done with our conversation for the moment."

Rose smoothed herself out with her regained poise. "Your pity is misplaced. I don't pity myself, so there's no need for you to pity me either," she said cooly. "While I appreciate your concern, it's wasted. Yes, I suppose we're done." She was fairly sure that this conversation hadn't gotten her anywhere. Acquaintance was it.

Zold glanced towards the kitchen, where Rose had gone to follow Silence. He was expecting another disaster. "Ah... yes. A younger daughter. Her name is Rose. But I don't think that she and Revena - pardon me, I mean Silence- I don't think they get together particularly well. They're from two very different worlds, and I think their idea of caring is very different from the other's, so I don't believe they see eye-to-eye. I forbade them from speaking to each other seeing as they seem to make the other upset, but... Ahh, this doesn't bode well. I really don't want either of my daughters to be upset."

As Rose and Silence left the kitchen, Rose was looking a bit perturbed but she was trying to remain graceful. Zold was relieved to see that neither of them were in tears or on fire. Zold smiled at Silence and patted the seat next to him, beckoning her to sit beside him.

Zold gestured to her. "Ah, Rose, this is your sister's dearest friend, Russell. Russell, this is my youngest treasure, Rose."

Rose took a seat on the other side of Zold, and glanced at Russell. She cleared her throat and decided to try to be conversational. "So miss Revena tells me that your marriage to her isn't an arranged marriage," she said, looking a little curious. "Do marriages of impulsive love last as long as arranged marriages? I've never met anybody who ever married anybody else when it wasn't arranged by their parents." And Silence had also said something about him being an assassin, hadn't she? Which made this man dangerous.... which, in turn, made him also pretty cool.

His displays of affection were enough to get her blushing, and she tried her best to get him out of this hole he'd dug himself into. "Father whhat I said earlier was not supposed to lead to anything close to this morning's breakfast interrogation. I deliberately didn't tell you about "his" intentions because I was under the impression that he wasn't quite ready for marriage just yet. We're still getting to know each other you see, and while you know how we feel about each other, how many marriages fall apart because the spouses are completely ill-suited for one another? We're taking our time to make sure that we're not just rushing into this blindly. Perhaps another year or so, maybe two; we're not financially stable enough to support a family or make more...permanent arrangements as it were."

To try and look more convincing she leaned against his shoulder. "Mind you we don't intend to leave our jobs and settle in a mundane home somewhere, it's too boring." Suddenly Geronimo hurried in and looked at Silence. "Sorry to interrupt but, Revena I-OWWWW!" She was cut short by SIlence yanking her to eye-level and glaring at her. Her voice was even but with a deadly irritation. "You named me 'Silence', you're not allowed to call me 'Revena'." Ger tried to do the puppy dog eyes and said, " Yes dear..." which in turn caused Silence to drag her to the kitchen, still pinching her ear in a vice grip. "Ow...ow...ow...ow!" Moments later the raven haired gypsy returned and sat back down. "Terribly sorry, Geronimo shouldn't burst in like that again. Where were we? I do hope this entire marriage subject is clear, yes?"

Rose was super confused. What exactly had just happened? She stayed quiet about Geronimo's rather rude everything, and Silence's very rude display.

Zold tightened his lips. That man was ridiculous. And yet Silence was perfectly happy pinching him and punishing him. Just like a married couple. After Silence had just said that she wasn't really sure if she wanted to marry the assassin, Zold's heart sank. He'd prefer the Assassin over Geronimo any day of the week. At least Mr. Russell was TRYING to kiss his ass, which was a sign of politeness and malleability, and slightly happier holiday family gatherings. Geronimo was just hot-headed and Zold couldn't stand him. He realized that his teeth were clenched, so he forced himself to relax. "That's a pity," he said with a sigh. "I apologize, then, for trying to push the matter. You're 20, Revena, which is well beyond an appropriate marital age. If you feel you should wait, then I will not force the issue. I only want to see you happy."

Rose raised an eyebrow a little bit. "Uhm... Mister Russell... If that's how she treats her men... are you sure this relationship is right for you? She seems to think that, as a woman, she can abuse and molest her male friends, when that's simply not the role of the woman."

"Rose," Zold said firmly, "for now, perhaps you should keep your opinions to yourself for the time."

Rose gave a somber nod. "Yes, father. I apologize."

"She's still a child, let her speak freely while she has the chance. In just a couple of short years everyone will expect her to be seen and not heard. She'll learn in time, dear." With that she took a sip of her tea and set the cup and saucer down. "Father I "do" intend to marry, but I don't feel like I know my...darling well enough to make an engagement official. You'll be among the first to know when things change, I assure you. Wouldn't want to leave you out of my life at this stage now would we?" A few minutes of quiet passed before Silence sighed and straightened in her chair. "So how will the rest of the day be going since all the action's happened at breakfast?"

"Unless someone can think of something I'm going to explore the house and try not to get lost. If you'll excuse me." Here she rose from her seat and looked at the intimidating staircase into the unknown that was the second floor of the vast home. "Oh dear..."

Huff. Rose had half a mind to say "Bite me" to Silence, but had refrained. Instead, with Silence gone, she looked at Russell and her eyes started to sparkle. "So you WERE an assassin!" That's fascinating. We've had assassins here before - of course never on official business but never as a possible familial guest, either!" THIS WAS SO COOL. "Who was the most important you've ever killed?"

"Rose, that's hardly appropriate for the breakfast table."

"I was just asking." Pout. "Well, all right. May I show our guest around then?" u.u That way she could ask him questions about assassination NOT at the breakfast table, since her father was being polite. "I'm sure you'd love to see the garden." She stood brightly and beckoned for Russell to follow her.

Zold sighed. "Yes, of course." He stood and went up to .. he didn't know what to do to be honest. He was feeling sort of drained from interrogating everything and trying to keep the peace. He was tired of having to be super nice to everybody because he was worried about his eldest daughter's opinion. She was so odd. Very unlike every other person in his life. "I'l be in my study." He wasn't sure Silence wanted to talk to him right now.

Alec, who had been standing very, very quietly, decided to follow after Silence.

The second set of footsteps weren't tough to detect and she paused in her stride down the hallway to look at Alec. "I suppose now I see why at least part of your description was correct. Though now I wish I hadn't come here at all. Rose doesn't like me and never will because I'm "beneath" her, father's likely ashamed of me for being twenty and unmarried, and hellfire I don't even know if Russell will bloody speak to me after this fiasco much less continue whatever relationship we have. I'm not sure we'll have anything close to a 'relationship' when all is said and done." For all she knew he might just go back to the circus pack his things and head off for one of the numerous cities surrounding Kaionar. "I will definitely speak to father later about him doing this. When I told him about Russell I didn't think for a second that he'd pull this stuffed shirt act and embarrass me like this."

Luckily for Zold, Geronimo had taken off to have a look about the city and do a little exploring, thus she wouldn't be troubling him any more for that day. "Definitely going to try and explain this to Russ when Rose is done learning his trade. Why she wants to know so badly I've no clue." Ignoring the tension and stress from just a short time ago she leaned against the left wall and slid into a sitting position without actually sitting on the ground*. It looked deceptively simple to do, but if you weren't used to it you'd either slide down and hit your rear or your legs would burn within the first ten seconds. "You cook, right Alec? Think you could teach me a good cake recipe I think this calls for sweets then a massive workout."

[OOC: i.e. the "chair" and it's not an easy thing to do for long periods of time]

"I suppose iced-cream will make me feel a lot better than eating cake. Let's go make it!" With that she practically slid down the banister and waited for him in the kitchen. So this stuff was just cream, ice, sugar, and flavoring? Sounded easy enough to her. It was a trial waiting for it to be done, but once she got to east some she felt jumping for joy, it tasted amazing! "Alec you're a genius! I won't feel half so bad about exercising now!" She could eat this by the cauldron and not feel guilty until she started losing her figure. Then she got her first brain-freeze and eased off on eating it quite so fast. "Alec I don't suppose this place has an empty room, does it? I don't want to break anything and have father get angry with me. Nor do I want to give Rose any insult material."

There was just no way Russell was having more fun than her at this point in the day. He was off entertaining her preteen half-sister and she got to try iced cream before going off to practice, the joys of trying new things! "If there isn't one I'll just find a room that's not being occupied and improvise, I'm not too picky so long as I'm not outside where people will stop and stare at me."