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Post by Palladium on Dec 30, 2005 15:24:11 GMT -5
"Goodness, don't remind me," Palladium said, his voice tinged with humor. "But even then, I was the rebel - albeit a quiet, nervous one. It's hard to imagine, even for me, actually. I won't go into details, but I will simply say that that time I defied the rules to preserve my friendship with Cora was terrifying - namely because I chose to speak with her father." Shaking his head, "I was afraid beyond description because he was so very noble and intelligent - very awe-inspiring. No one dared to speak out against him because they knew his tongue would cut them to shreds, but I dared because I loved Cora that much. To my surprise, that won his respect." Laughing, he added, "So perhaps, I wasn't all that rebellious or brave, but I like to imagine myself so - a matter of pride on my part, I would say."
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Post by Demeter on Dec 30, 2005 15:27:18 GMT -5
Flora's heart stopped beating for a long moment when he said he loved Cora. Oh, she was such a fool. He was in love with someone and here she was being so... so... Her shoulders shook silently as she wept once more. "She, she must be a very special lady," she said, her voice quivering.
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Post by Palladium on Dec 30, 2005 15:35:18 GMT -5
Not noticing Flora's hurt, Palladium smiled warmly, "Yes, yes she is a very special woman." Laughing quietly, he added, "I almost asked her to marry me once, but I couldn't gather the courage because, one, she was my best friend and I hated the thought of ruining our relationship and two, I didn't think I was good enough for her. She was beautiful and vibrant and I was awkward, and for lack of a better word, dull, in comparison."
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Post by Demeter on Dec 30, 2005 15:37:14 GMT -5
Her heart continued to shatter as he spoke, and he had no idea it was breaking. "I'm sure that if she was a dear a friend as you say she was, I'm sure she wouldn't have cared a whit about your appearence. And sometimes friends make the best spouses," she said, trying to keep her voice even and without a trace of sorrow.
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Post by Palladium on Dec 30, 2005 15:50:51 GMT -5
Glancing up in surprise, Palladium wondered if he had really heard a shaving of bitterness in her voice or if he had just imagined it.
Tentatively he replied, "I think you'll like Cora when you meet her."
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Post by Demeter on Dec 30, 2005 16:00:03 GMT -5
Flora regretted having sounded so bitter but she was still trying to come to terms with her blindness and the fact that apparently he had a sweetheart and she was just so... Oh, how could she have been so foolish.
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Post by Palladium on Dec 30, 2005 17:53:37 GMT -5
Clearing his throat awkwardly when Flora gave no reply, he continued, "Ah, well, all right then . . ." Trailing off, Palladium tried to think of another suitable topic to bring up, but his mind drew only blanks.
Sighing internally, Palladium wished that their good conversation hadn't been ruined. It had been rather pleasant and enjoyable and now . . . silence. How he detested this kind of silence!
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Post by Demeter on Dec 30, 2005 17:54:33 GMT -5
"Tell me about your family," Flora said, wanting to find something to fill the silence. "And then I'll tell you about mine."
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Post by Palladium on Dec 30, 2005 18:13:10 GMT -5
"My family?" Palladium asked. "Well . . . let's see. My immediate family consists of my father, Kyros, my mother, Cyrilla, and my younger sister, Altair. I suppose we are a typical Athryellian family. We value education above most other things. In fact, my father was once a teacher to the local children, but after he fell ill, he gave that hobby up - it was, after all, simply a hobby." Smiling nostalgically, he added, "Never once did he ask anyone to pay him for his services. He simply didn't understand why anyone should be forced to pay for an education. Thus, if my father wasn't also a member of the city council, we would have been quite poor. Anyhow, as you probably guessed, it was my father who inspired me to become a teacher myself."
"As for my mother, she was a very kind woman. She loved nothing more than staying home and being a mother. Sadly, she died last year." His throat tightening, he smiled apologetically, "Forgive me; it is still difficult to speak of her." Clearing his throat, he continued "My sister, Altair, is a sweet girl, two years my junior. She married at age nineteen and so far has a two year old son." Pausing he nodded his head, before finishing, "Yes, that's about it, I believe."
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Post by Demeter on Dec 30, 2005 18:17:47 GMT -5
"My turn, I suppose," Flora said. "I'm an only child, the only one my mother could carry. We Linphean females are far too delicately built to be mothers who have large families. But, I did grow up with a whole swarm of cousins. I'm the eldest," she said. "My mother attended Alfea years ago. Father... well... Father was taught at home. He's not a hero but well... you know what I mean."
She sighed softly. "Father's an artist so we're lucky my mother works at her shop, otherwise, well..." She paused. "I suppose you can guess that I'm not like the other girls who are princesses. But what we lack in money, we make up in love. My family is very close."
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Post by Palladium on Dec 30, 2005 18:37:50 GMT -5
"As is mine," Palladium replied. "Especially with my mother deceased, we find it necessary to stick by one another. She would have wanted it no other way." Pausing for a moment, he smiled. "When you visit Athryell, you'll have to meet them; they are quite an interesting lot, in my opinion."
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Post by Demeter on Dec 30, 2005 18:40:16 GMT -5
"I shall try," Flora said. "I just hope they don't look down on me for, well, being so stupid," she said quietly. "Because I was." She didn't like admitting it, but she was. She had been stupid. She should have waited, she should have asked Tecna, she should have... The should haves were starting to crush her under their weight.
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