Mayfair Manor

[XCandy and LunacyX]

Of course Antha already knew who was in the house and where exactly they were when they pulled into the driveway. She was perfectly aware that her precious dolls were outside, that they had been gawked at yet again by her cousins, but it was something of a bore to her. She didn't feel like talking to them just yet, and she imagined Courtland would want to have some time to tell them all about his while she was out of earshot. It was fine with her---she was in the mood for a little more amusement anyways.
That was how she wound up in the kitchen, leaning over Kain's sleeping form and gently invading his dreams. Have you ever wondered what a dream is? She pressed a little more forcefully on his mind, creating a faint pain that knew from practice would awaken him. "Some people say your dreams are your subconcious mind conversing with your conscious mind. They tell you your deepest desires and your darkest fears." She paused to laugh, leaving that trademark grin upon her lips. "Tell me, Kain, was your dream a pleasant one?"

 

[.David Talbot.]

Courtland ignored Antha and went around to the back yard. "It's cold," he whined. "Why is everyone sitting out here like there's not snow on the damm ground?"
Atticus followed him. "Khayman," he acknowledged the master with a nod of his head. "Felix." He stood away from everyone in the shadows of the trees.
"You missed it Felix," Courtland laughed. "Nicolae got attacked by plants. So what are you all chatting about?"
"Your little plot," Cyrus answered.
"Legitimizing Felix. Or Trevor." This from Lawrence.
"Ah. My plot." Courtland grinned. "The guys in the Calais family are all pretty sketchy if you ask me. The oldest one was practically seething. He didn't want us there apparently. The another one looked like he would maul poor Atticus. And Rynn always acts like he has something to hide. Then there's Cian. I think he's too drugged to be up to anything. He acts like a lunatic. But a cheerful one. And Antha seemed extremely fond of him."
"In other words she's plotting a hundred different ways to get him into bed," Cyrus translated for Felix.
Courtland grinned again. "Definetely. But then she seemed a lot less repulsed at the idea of marrying him than anyone else."
"If we could convince them to do it," Cyrus pointed out. "Not many people want to marry into our family once they know about us."
Courtland grinned yet again. "But here's the beauty of it. Their family is about to die out. If Cian and Antha could produce an heir than it'd solve both of our problems. Their line would live on and we would have our next Designee of the Legacy. I think it's brilliant." He turned his eyes on each of them as if waiting for feedback.

 

[Goblin In A Suit]

Kain opened his eyes. "Somewhat." he aswered her question simply. "It was the kind of dream that you get when you bring together deep desires and dark fears." he streched his arms above his head to strech. His tone was forlorn as he spoke. "Its good to see you in the flesh insted of just in a dream ma'am." he fixed his mask after he spoke.

Seth spoke up, "I don't think Antha would enjoy the thought of marrying at all. Shes still to young to wish to settle down. It is my belief that she wants simply what she hasn't had yet." Seth stopped for a moment. *Besides she is only a few rooms away right now.* Seth thought to himself.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

The girl just laughed, her gaze settled unerringly on Kain, and placed herself in one of the chairs around the kitchen table. "I'm beginning to see a thread of similarity between you and my new cousin," she commented, making a vague motion towards the door, "You know my name, mon cher, so why not use it?"
She was aware that even as she spoke, they were talking about her outside. But the chatter was of no interest to her, having heard it a hundred times in the few past years.

 

[Azure Halfbreed]

Standing there, Felix assessed the situation. It seemed that time man, Cian was more of a match for Antha than Felix was. And as both Courtland and Cyrus mentioned, Antha was thinking of a hundred different ways to get him into bed, as Cyrus said. So while Felix was asked ot perform a task, it seemed pointless now. If someone came along, better suited to handle a task than he was, it was only right that Felix stepped aside.

A cool, gentle breeze caught Felix's attention. Tilting his head up, he looked up at the sky. It was hard to tell what time it was exactly, but it was later than one would expect. Felix would need to leave and find a place to reside for the night. He knew that everyone would offer him a room here or try and convince him to stay with Antha. But Felix felt he could find his own place. The only question that struck him mind. How much of a fight will they put up.  

[Goblin In A Suit]

Kain smiled slightly. "If that is what you wish Antha. Then I would be happy to call you by your name." Kain felt better than he had in a long time now that she was talking to him. He didn't let it show but he had a feeling that she knew that already. "I hate to impose but do you know a place I could stay for the night. I have been on the streets for a long time now." he asked. Kain's eyes were on her eyes the whole time. He felt lost the entire time he spoke to her.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

Antha was silent for a moment, the grin spreading slowly to her lips like the most maniacally angelic Cheshire Cat. "But of course, you are most welcome at my house. If, that is, you do not mind the silent swamps." She paused to laugh, glancing out the sliding glass doors to the garden. Her cousins were just out of sight, but she knew how they looked seated around the little table, the words they exchanged. "But I think, mon cher, that you are enough like me to prefer it to this loud house and restless city. The silence and the dead are far better company." She did not mention that Felix would be staying with them as well. It didn't seem proper, given that Felix didn't even know. He knew that they would try to convince him to stay with them, and she gave him a good deal of credit for that, but he didn't seem to understand that Antha would not ask him. She would give him his orders, and like it or not, he didn't have the power to disobey.

 

[Goblin In A Suit]

"Of course Antha, I would be happy to stay. If there is anything I can do to repay you just ask me." he said. He almost sliped out a quick I love you, however he managed to stop himself. It wouldn't have been right to say to say it any way. "I thank you for your kindness." He said then smiled. He coughed a little then fixed his dust mask. "Stupid thing never covers right every time." he said to himself.  

[.David Talbot.]

Cyrus looked at Felix for a moment and then looked toward the doors to the kitchen where Antha was speaking to Kain. "You don't have a choice," he said. "Antha wants you at Satis House. If you don't follow her commands she'll drag you there by force and probably punish you for disobeying orders." It was a hard truth he thought Felix might understand. Antha was their superior so her word was law. You don't just disobey that. Not without severe consequences.
"He'll learn," Lawrence said while he piled the papers in his briefcase and stood to leave. "No matter what he's like as a member of this family I think he'll do well as a Mayfair serving his Designee of the Legacy. Given his background he might prove better than us at doing our duty." That was as close as Lawrence came to giving anyone a real compliment. But it made him uneasy so he said goodbye and headed off to Mayfair and Mayfair again to his lonely little office and mountain of paperwork that he would put on hold to satisfy Antha's wishes.
Courtland laughed and took his empty seat. "I think he's right. He might not have as much fun but I think he'll do his duty." He and Cyrus looked at each other from across the table. They both knew what Cyrus had asked Felix to do.
"He thinks he won't have to?" Cyrus asked him.
"Yep." Courtland smiled and looked over at Seth. He wanted to get back on topic. "No of course Antha doesn't want to get married. She never has and I never think she will. All she wants is to sleep with him. But she has to. It's her duty just as much as it is ours to serve her. And if she doesn't marry him then it'll probably end up being me." A moment passed by before he laughed. "I don't mean I wouldn't like to marry Antha. It's just better for her to marry someone outside of our blood. Any more incest in her line will make a complete monster."
Cyrus shivered. He had seen it before. Mayfair babies from people who had done just a little too much interbreeding. They were disfigured to a point that no one would look at them.
They never lived more than a few hours.
"We have to make sure if Antha has a child it doesn't turn out like those...things," Courtland whispered. He was looking at Cyrus. "It's part of our duty to her."
Atticus joined in on this very suddenly. "The disfigured Mayfair infants?" he asked. Courtland and Cyrus nodded gravely. "I've seen them." The boys both looked at him suddenly. Obviously they were alarmed. "Yes. Antha has brought a few of them to me over the years. She said she couldn't understand why they were so very warped and disfigured. It disturbed her that they didn't even look human." His eyes grew dark. "It was the first time I saw her cry. We put the little thing on a sheet on my desk and we tried to figure out what exactly went wrong with it. But she fell down and started sobbing and finally took refuge in Singe's room until it was over and I had disposed of it."
"And?" Cyrus asked.
"And even we could not figure it out. There must be something in the origin of your blood that causes it. Something in your magic that we cannot see."
The boys were silent for a few minutes. Finally Cyrus managed to look at Felix. "It's one of the horrors of our family," he explained. "Every so often someone will push the interbreeding a little too far and give birth to soemthing that......I can't even describe it. These things are so disfigured you can't even tell they're supposed to be human."
"It's been happening a lot more over the years," Courtland said. "Especially along the main line. Both of Antha's parents have had those babies. I think anyone with Mayfair blood and Antha together would have one as well."

 

[.David Talbot.]

[didn't mean to write that much......... sweatdrop anyway lunacy commanded me to apologize for her because she might not be on much for a little while because she's moving and won't have internet until she finds her own place so I CLAIM TEMPORARY AUTHORITY OVER THIS GUILD twisted MUAHAHAHAHAHAH]  

[Azure Halfbreed]

((David has authority??? eek that's it. I quit! .......... Nah, i'm kidding))  

[.David Talbot.]

[ack! my heart!! it hurts!!!!!! THE BETRAYAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]  

[.David Talbot.]

[since i'm in charge now i demand a DANCE PARTY!!!!!!! get to it!]  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

((David, what did I tell you about throwing parties?))  

[Goblin In A Suit]

Seth sat in silence thinking. *I've only seen one baby like that and it was by accdent.* Then he spoke up. "I think someone should warn her about that. It might make her more inclined to marry outside of family." Seth looked though the door. "You know it seems shes already a little distracted with that human." Seth pointed out seeing her speaking to him. He didn't know her well enough but that smile seemed like she was planning something.