|
Post by Ivren Hargweth on Oct 25, 2005 6:28:11 GMT -5
Ivren Hargweth stands across the road, scowling at the house. Is he in there now? Is his latest girlfriend? He has stood here so often, keeping an eye on the family that should have been his. But this is the last time. They are to stay in Eluria for now- Tinnu made up her mind. Perhaps somewhere deep down she has more hope, or more needfor hope, than he does. But he will never pass this house again. He takes his bow and nocks an arrow to it. He aims for the front door. The bow makes a slight thwang. The arrow buries itself in the front door with a dull thud, and the Elf turns and walks away.
|
|
|
Post by Brightshield on Feb 4, 2006 6:53:37 GMT -5
Armagor turns another page of the Sigil newspaper. It seems preoccupied with events on Mechanus these days. He is not too bothered about a missing wheel or two, and he yawns. Gods, but he's tired. If only that child would stop wailing. It's what, a year old now, and still it won't sleep properly when it's supposed to.
Of course the kid isn't the only thing getting on his nerves. That woman is still there. Getting more and more adamant about marriage. Soon. Armagor growls softly and taps his fingers on an ad for interplanar goggles (never fall into random portals again!). Why won't she get a hint? He doesn't want to marry her. So he promised, yeah whatever, his father really shouldn't make it his business- because it isn't. Hell, he doesn't even know if the kid is his! He's seen with what ease she let herself be talked into bed.
Sex was pretty awful too.
Armagor shakes his head. And then these two Hargweth kiddies. Whatever, really. He isn't going to assume responsibility for random strangers just because they look slightly like him. For all he knows they're one of his brothers'. Or Raine's, she certainly seemed to get around.
The door slams, and he looks up.
Aldena slams the door behind her and waves the servant away. She can take off her own scarf, thanks. She hangs up coat and scarf on the little coat rack in the hall and peers upstairs a little. She can hear Alferizar tutting that child. Armagor really should be marrying that girl, or else move out. The situation is getting ridiculous.
She sighs and pushes the door to the lounge open.
"Hey."
Armagor nods at his sister and folds the paper back up. He notes her nose is red with cold. This city can get pretty chilly.
"How'd it go?"
Aldena shakes her head.
"Got nothing. Yes, they need musicians, but No, they'd rather not have Elves. It's really getting worse."
He knows this. His audience in the Friends of the Queen is growing less and less- it mainly consists of Elves these days. Or sometimes Human punks that try to heckle him into losing his temper. He smiles at the thought of that one Suggestion carefully woven into his last performance. Extremely satisfactory.
That last performance was a week ago, though, and the landlord has turned him down a few times since. Also, the ladies- especially the Human ladies- have been less than susceptible. It annoys him. He just wants some fun. It doesn't really help when people call you a conspiring genocidal maniac.
Aldena sighs and sits on the couch. A year or so ago- or was it longer? She doesn't remember- she was lying here feeling miserable. She still doesn't know what got into her for that one. Unwelcome little echoes of her mother, perhaps. She gazes at the postcard Eirien sent from Sigil. Everything seems to be going just fine. And Elanor is happy with that boy. A little surprising that there hasn't been a wedding invitation yet. She knows her impulsive little girls...
"They're fine, you know."
Armagor, having followed his sister's gaze, puts his feet up on a flowered ottoman.
"I know. I was just thinking of Elanor, that's all."
"Think she's slept with him yet?"
He grins and waits for the inevitable blush. It's funny how the slightest hint can still set Aldena off, even these days, even after what she herself did at around Elanor's age.
Aldena flushes and tries not to think about it, which of course means that she does. Would that boy... with her baby? They did seem very much in love... But he was shy. That is a comforting thought.
He laughs and puts his arms behind his head.
"So even the Chantery?"
"... wouldn't really have me, no. They're having problems as is, students walking away, parents complaining about Elven teachers, that sort of thing."
"You could always ask Adar to set up a music class in the Academy."
"No. Once I get a job I'm going to move out, too. I don't want to be dependant on Adar any longer than I have to."
"You could go to that place San lived, or back to the Deepwoods. You know, Elves-only sort of place? Adar even has San's old house, you could rent it from him or something."
Aldena chuckles. Back to the Deepwoods? Over her dead body. She shakes her head amusedly. Back to the Deepwoods indeed. And get all those accusing stares all over again. Not a one of those old crones will have forgotten.
"Nah."
"Not even... what was that place called again?"
"Faentaure. Nah. Couldn't live in San's old house. Sides, it shouldn't ever have been Adar's anyway. But no, I want to stay a little closer to the girls. They don't really have anyone to fall back on."
"They have me, and Adar. What did you mean, shouldn't have been his?"
She shrugs.
"Just that Adar was really unthoughtful to that girl, I think. He never thought to just give her San's stuff."
Aldena makes a vague gesture at the bookcase in the corner of the lounge. It holds several books that were Ellisande's- even a few that were her husband's.
"Law says it's his so it's his. Ah well. No, I'd like to hang around here myself. You never know when they need their mother, and I'm not sure I trust Adar with girl trouble, really."
Armagor stares at the shelves and shrugs. He can't really be bothered with niceties. That girl is a silly creature anyway. Spitting image of Moiraine, only without Raine's bluntness. Raine could be so terribly blunt. And then there is that husband- the quiet guy. A son of Raine's lover? Sure keeps it in the family.
"Yeah, I guess."
He realises they haven't seen that family in ages. Good thing, considering what happened last family dinner. Painful, painful. And then those kids. Ye Gods. Almost as bad as his brothers'.
"We should invite the siblings over sometime."
Aldena muses.
"Have a great big family reunion. That would be nice. Last time we saw them all was Catriona's wedding, remember? Almost two years."
She keeps getting letters from brothers and sisters, of course, but it's not the same. She wants to see Lucius, Indis and Elwing, especially. Poor Elwing was hit so hard by those deaths. She lost three children and a grandchild. And Indis, who lost a daughter. Lucius lost a son. He had a daughter though, not too long ago. A very pretty girl, apparently. Aldena would love to see the child.
Of course it would be better to see them all in her own house. She has lived under her father's roof quite long enough now. But without a job, a house is out of the question.
Armagor stands and walks for the door.
"Hmm? Where are you going?"
"Out."
"Adar can be home any moment now, you know."
"All the more reason, but I doubt it."
He leaves the room.
Aldena sighs. It's true, Adar only ever comes to the house to eat and sleep. If that. Sometimes he stays over at the Academy, as if crossing the grounds were too much of an effort. It annoys her a little, really. Isn't he concerned about her anymore? He was, for maybe a year or so. Well, that was long, she has to admit. He never cared as much before. It was always the boys here and the boys there. Or his endless grief about Naneth. Pah, she never made such a scene when Bornil died.
She tries not to remember her little depression last year.
Of course even then Adar did not much care about her, did he? It was Armagor who warned the girls. And it was the girls who came and lectured her. Adar would have just let her die. Such a nice thought. Aldena shakes her head and walks over to the bookshelves. She takes out every single one of the books, one by one, and checks the inscription on the inside. Any that say E.B., M.T. or Trevain, she piles up on the coffee table. She comes across a few C.T.s and A.T.s too. Up they go. It is quite a pile. Ellisande must have married a reader.
Aldena hums as she walks upstairs to get her old pack. As she passes Alferizar's room, she glances in. The woman is playing with her little boy. Armagor really should make up his mind one way or the other. She heads on and finds her pack in her room, buried under a small heap of clothing. She should be ironing that. But she does not feel like housework. No doubt when she gets back she will find it all ironed up and be all annoyed about that again. Servants never ask. Of course when they ask they bother her too. She would prefer not to have any.
Aldena walks downstairs again, humming, the pack over her shoulder. She starts packing the books, only passingly reflecting on it possibly being odd to bring books to a library.
|
|