96.6 - Confrontation
Jul. 17th, 2009 11:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
faery_ringHe hadn't changed the locks. Something told me that he wouldn't simply because my father would never have thought of such a thing, not even after I had shot him. The house had not changed. What can change in an early 17th Century French Château that had been in our family for that many generations?
I entered the Great Hall and was greeted by a rather surprised Francois, who had been with our household for years. He was in an apron, drying a dish when he heard my key in the lock. He was about to speak when I held my forefinger to my lips. I did not want him to say my name, for if there was anything that my father was sure to hear, it would be even the smallest pronouncement of my presence. No. This visit would be between Papa and myself and it would be on my terms - not his. I was still exceedingly angry at Papa for what he had done to Stelios at the Tammy Awards, and even though my beau had simply written off my father as a coward and had relegated him to whatever category of person to be both avoided and never again trusted - I had the burden of having to deal with the man who was my father directly.
I found him in the library, staring out the window. He must have recognised my footfalls or my perfume for he did not turn before he spoke. "I did not think that you would stay too long away, chere," he said in that soft basso rumble of his, "If you wish, I can let your mother know you are here."
"I am not here to see Maman," I said. "I'm here to speak to you, Papa."
It was then that he turned to face me. There was no surprise on his face, but certainly his curiosity had been piqued. "I'm surprised, Caroline." he said, "the last words that you spoke the last time that I saw you was that any communication between us would be either brokered by your godfather or by the Spartan. You sent word and men to come gather your things and you had cleared out nearly every trace of yourself here so that you had no reason to return. Now you wish to speak with me again. My only question, Chere, is 'why'?
I took a deep breath and searched out a place to sit down, I chose the wing chair that my mother most often sat in next to the table where she and my father would always play chess or read beside each other in the evenings. Customarily they would share a glass of wine or cognac. I could only hope that I would have the same level of devotion in my life, with whomever I decided to share it with. There was still the scent of his custom blended tobacco whenever he partook of it, the sweet scent of whiskey laced with bourbon and juniper clung strongest to chair that I was sitting beside. I finally dragged my eyes across the room to look at him where he stood.
"I'm still angry with you Papa." I said. "I don't know why you shot Stelios and I cannot even begin to think of any reason that would be good enough for you to have done something like that...." I fought to keep my voice from becoming louder. I did not want to have to deal with my mother as well. "He was someone to whom you gave your approval." I looked away from him now, blinking back tears, "At least you did...in your way. "
"And what if I told you that I did not shoot him for his sake, but -" my father looked at me a long time, never losing that calm demeanour of his. "rather for your own?" I was just about to protest, just about to object to this premise, but he lifted a hand to silence me, "Non, before you say something, think a moment," he said, "I have no reason to harm him. I had no reason whatsoever to kill him. No anger, or ill will, or bad feelings. And toward you, Caroline, I feel nothing but love, and indeed a parental pride if one may call it that, in my eldest, beloved bardic child," he said as he sat down next to me, "So very proud of you."
I wasn't prepared for this reaction from him and was completely taken aback, " But I shot you! And I heard what Maman did in retribution. She was almost as furious with you as I was. Both Amarante and Jocelyn, too, were worried beyond belief! I think poor Amarante almost believed Maman intended to kill you over this!"
He just looked at me long and quiet before a small sad smile washed over his features. "Because now I know for certain what I have always hoped," he said. "That you, my eldest, my sweet sunlight on roses, would be able to protect yourself, even against the most devastating of foes, even in the midst of the most catastrophic of circumstances." His voice was a quiet rumble in that warm, still room, " Those words that you thought I spoke to Stelios? Those were not for him to hear. Those were for you." He eased closer and slowly raised his hand to my cheek as if giving me a chance to move away if that was what I would rather. I sat still and did not shiver as his fingertips rested against my skin. "The war has come, Caroline," he did not pull his eye away from mine, "It is here, and it is everywhere. The Watchers and others that fear every kind of Immortal will not hesitate to destroy us. It will not matter where we go. And I cannot protect you, because I will not always be there. And Stelios, for all of his love and devotion, will not always be at your side. You know this. So, I had to be certain, absolutely certain that you were prepared to defend what you loved and believed in."
"But I shot you, Papa!"I choked back a sob, then lifted my chin, "and I did it because...because you shot him!"
"We both know that he would have survived. And of course, you did not hesitate to do what your instincts told you to do, oui? That only pleases me more." He took a long curl that had fallen forward in front of my face and tucked it back behind my ear, then stroked my hair lightly. "And it was worth my pain to be certain, and your mother gave me plenty in retribution." His one eye was unrelenting, as was this honesty from him. "it would have been worth my life, Chere, just to be certain that my loved ones are safe."
This war was something my mother, Hsu and even Stelios had alluded to. I had ignored it, buried myself in my music, hoping that it would go away. If my father was saying that it had at last arrived, then, the threat was very real. I finally realised what it was that he had done. He had forced me out of my cocoon of safety and gentleness in the hopes that life would always give me what I put out and forced me to look at the reality that not everyone in the world was well intentioned. He had forced me to relentlessly stand my ground - blood ties be damned if the danger came from that direction. I was terrified and relieved and I began to cry. My father pulled me to sit on his lap, like he never was able to do when I was a child, and he held me as I sobbed. I cried and punched at him for what he had put me through, angry at him being so cowardly for shooting the one man that I decided that would be the first - and indeed the only man I would ever give myself to. He took it all until I had no more tears left to cry.
Finally, through jagged breaths I looked up at him. No doubt my eyes were red and swollen for my entire face stung and throbbed. The love had not left his one eye, and his hands did not cease in their reassurances. "Papa, I need your perspective, " I looked down at my hands and the handkerchief that had somehow made its way there through all of the crying. I dabbed my eyes, yet no eye make up was apparent. Surely I must have cried it off all on his shoulder. "I know that I am the eldest and first in line for Maman's Throne," I struggled with the words, but you and I both know that I am far less suited to it than.... " I looked up at him, " than Jocelyn is."
I told my father that Stelios had already been appraised of my plans to abdicate and I made it clear that no matter what he or Maman or anyone else said, my mind was made up. I was not even going to remain in France or return to America. I had made up my mind that Stelios and I would live together in Greece whenever Stelios and I were not travelling. It would be less likely if there was a war, I reasoned, that we would stay in one place. Surprisingly my father agreed with everything that I had said, including my abdication as my mother's heiress.
"Perhaps you should let me tell your Maman, Caroline," Papa poured two snifters of brandy and handed one to me. I took it gratefully and took a deep sip of the warming liquid. "I can intercede for you," he continued, "and now that your sister is ready to go to the Fortunate Island soon to further her training, they will better be able to prepare her for...the rest."
I nodded and took another sip, "Jocelyn has what it takes for the rest- I don't."
My father let out a soft chuckle and shook his head, "Au contraire, Caroline," he said. "If you had had a sword that night rather than Stelios' pistol, I am quite certain you would have done to me all that your weapon would have allowed."
In spite of the trepidation I felt at the prospect, I had to admit to myself that he was right.
Muse: Caroline de Rochefort
Fandom: Original Character
Word Count: 1758
crossposted to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
writers_muses
I entered the Great Hall and was greeted by a rather surprised Francois, who had been with our household for years. He was in an apron, drying a dish when he heard my key in the lock. He was about to speak when I held my forefinger to my lips. I did not want him to say my name, for if there was anything that my father was sure to hear, it would be even the smallest pronouncement of my presence. No. This visit would be between Papa and myself and it would be on my terms - not his. I was still exceedingly angry at Papa for what he had done to Stelios at the Tammy Awards, and even though my beau had simply written off my father as a coward and had relegated him to whatever category of person to be both avoided and never again trusted - I had the burden of having to deal with the man who was my father directly.
I found him in the library, staring out the window. He must have recognised my footfalls or my perfume for he did not turn before he spoke. "I did not think that you would stay too long away, chere," he said in that soft basso rumble of his, "If you wish, I can let your mother know you are here."
"I am not here to see Maman," I said. "I'm here to speak to you, Papa."
It was then that he turned to face me. There was no surprise on his face, but certainly his curiosity had been piqued. "I'm surprised, Caroline." he said, "the last words that you spoke the last time that I saw you was that any communication between us would be either brokered by your godfather or by the Spartan. You sent word and men to come gather your things and you had cleared out nearly every trace of yourself here so that you had no reason to return. Now you wish to speak with me again. My only question, Chere, is 'why'?
I took a deep breath and searched out a place to sit down, I chose the wing chair that my mother most often sat in next to the table where she and my father would always play chess or read beside each other in the evenings. Customarily they would share a glass of wine or cognac. I could only hope that I would have the same level of devotion in my life, with whomever I decided to share it with. There was still the scent of his custom blended tobacco whenever he partook of it, the sweet scent of whiskey laced with bourbon and juniper clung strongest to chair that I was sitting beside. I finally dragged my eyes across the room to look at him where he stood.
"I'm still angry with you Papa." I said. "I don't know why you shot Stelios and I cannot even begin to think of any reason that would be good enough for you to have done something like that...." I fought to keep my voice from becoming louder. I did not want to have to deal with my mother as well. "He was someone to whom you gave your approval." I looked away from him now, blinking back tears, "At least you did...in your way. "
"And what if I told you that I did not shoot him for his sake, but -" my father looked at me a long time, never losing that calm demeanour of his. "rather for your own?" I was just about to protest, just about to object to this premise, but he lifted a hand to silence me, "Non, before you say something, think a moment," he said, "I have no reason to harm him. I had no reason whatsoever to kill him. No anger, or ill will, or bad feelings. And toward you, Caroline, I feel nothing but love, and indeed a parental pride if one may call it that, in my eldest, beloved bardic child," he said as he sat down next to me, "So very proud of you."
I wasn't prepared for this reaction from him and was completely taken aback, " But I shot you! And I heard what Maman did in retribution. She was almost as furious with you as I was. Both Amarante and Jocelyn, too, were worried beyond belief! I think poor Amarante almost believed Maman intended to kill you over this!"
He just looked at me long and quiet before a small sad smile washed over his features. "Because now I know for certain what I have always hoped," he said. "That you, my eldest, my sweet sunlight on roses, would be able to protect yourself, even against the most devastating of foes, even in the midst of the most catastrophic of circumstances." His voice was a quiet rumble in that warm, still room, " Those words that you thought I spoke to Stelios? Those were not for him to hear. Those were for you." He eased closer and slowly raised his hand to my cheek as if giving me a chance to move away if that was what I would rather. I sat still and did not shiver as his fingertips rested against my skin. "The war has come, Caroline," he did not pull his eye away from mine, "It is here, and it is everywhere. The Watchers and others that fear every kind of Immortal will not hesitate to destroy us. It will not matter where we go. And I cannot protect you, because I will not always be there. And Stelios, for all of his love and devotion, will not always be at your side. You know this. So, I had to be certain, absolutely certain that you were prepared to defend what you loved and believed in."
"But I shot you, Papa!"I choked back a sob, then lifted my chin, "and I did it because...because you shot him!"
"We both know that he would have survived. And of course, you did not hesitate to do what your instincts told you to do, oui? That only pleases me more." He took a long curl that had fallen forward in front of my face and tucked it back behind my ear, then stroked my hair lightly. "And it was worth my pain to be certain, and your mother gave me plenty in retribution." His one eye was unrelenting, as was this honesty from him. "it would have been worth my life, Chere, just to be certain that my loved ones are safe."
This war was something my mother, Hsu and even Stelios had alluded to. I had ignored it, buried myself in my music, hoping that it would go away. If my father was saying that it had at last arrived, then, the threat was very real. I finally realised what it was that he had done. He had forced me out of my cocoon of safety and gentleness in the hopes that life would always give me what I put out and forced me to look at the reality that not everyone in the world was well intentioned. He had forced me to relentlessly stand my ground - blood ties be damned if the danger came from that direction. I was terrified and relieved and I began to cry. My father pulled me to sit on his lap, like he never was able to do when I was a child, and he held me as I sobbed. I cried and punched at him for what he had put me through, angry at him being so cowardly for shooting the one man that I decided that would be the first - and indeed the only man I would ever give myself to. He took it all until I had no more tears left to cry.
Finally, through jagged breaths I looked up at him. No doubt my eyes were red and swollen for my entire face stung and throbbed. The love had not left his one eye, and his hands did not cease in their reassurances. "Papa, I need your perspective, " I looked down at my hands and the handkerchief that had somehow made its way there through all of the crying. I dabbed my eyes, yet no eye make up was apparent. Surely I must have cried it off all on his shoulder. "I know that I am the eldest and first in line for Maman's Throne," I struggled with the words, but you and I both know that I am far less suited to it than.... " I looked up at him, " than Jocelyn is."
I told my father that Stelios had already been appraised of my plans to abdicate and I made it clear that no matter what he or Maman or anyone else said, my mind was made up. I was not even going to remain in France or return to America. I had made up my mind that Stelios and I would live together in Greece whenever Stelios and I were not travelling. It would be less likely if there was a war, I reasoned, that we would stay in one place. Surprisingly my father agreed with everything that I had said, including my abdication as my mother's heiress.
"Perhaps you should let me tell your Maman, Caroline," Papa poured two snifters of brandy and handed one to me. I took it gratefully and took a deep sip of the warming liquid. "I can intercede for you," he continued, "and now that your sister is ready to go to the Fortunate Island soon to further her training, they will better be able to prepare her for...the rest."
I nodded and took another sip, "Jocelyn has what it takes for the rest- I don't."
My father let out a soft chuckle and shook his head, "Au contraire, Caroline," he said. "If you had had a sword that night rather than Stelios' pistol, I am quite certain you would have done to me all that your weapon would have allowed."
In spite of the trepidation I felt at the prospect, I had to admit to myself that he was right.
Muse: Caroline de Rochefort
Fandom: Original Character
Word Count: 1758
crossposted to
writers_muses
OOC
Date: 2019-07-17 09:30 pm (UTC)Re: OOC
Date: 2019-07-17 11:13 pm (UTC)Yes, he is definitely all of those things. I think that is what makes him so damned fascinating as a character. There is a great deal of depth there and he thinks things through on levels that others don't even consider.
Must be all of that Court training. ;)