Hunting on the Nassau Country Estate, Tagged: the Nassaus, Duke Demordray

[Lex Lore]

Adrien of course answered her rather open-ended half-question with the party line of their household, the Orrielles. Ariadne fought the urge to ‘tsk’ at his almost immediate gut-instinct answer. How could he be so blind? Why not think about it for a few minutes, take some time to really put two and two together. She sipped her tea letting the silence linger on awhile as she mulled over her own thoughts and his answer.

Why would he suspect someone else? The most convenient answer was right there staring him in the face, with all of Anders fictitious stories, evidence and very near conviction to back it up. Why go through all the hassle of overturning it?

Had she really expected a different answer? Maybe not but she had been hoping against hope that she was not alone in her suspicions. That maybe someone else had come to her own conclusions, Adrien had been her best shot in her own family though. Aldous, though near and dear to her heart would not go through the trouble of trying to find the truth of the situation, she knew this much of her brother. He would simply accept the situation that was explained and played out for him, he would mourn their father, but he would heal in his own odd way and move on from it.

Adrien she had hoped would see the situation for what it was, from his odd viewpoints and all his knowledge. That knowledge it seemed was for applying to something other than his own life; he certainly had fallen right in with Aldous on this topic. She took another sip from her cup and started again in a softly chiding tone continuing to look out on the children and not at Adrien.

“What a convenient answer. Not exactly applicable to the current state of affairs though, is it?” Annabelle and little Wilders, the only future this family had was them. What would happen if she continued on this topic? She had hoped to have her own children for them to play with and to model her own children after her niece and nephew. Would that ever happen if she didn’t hold her tongue now and let the conversation lapse?

What about her father, Duke Wilders, dead… assassinated. Murdered by his own oldest child. Who now headed this family. What about him? Was her father worth her own status? Was the truth? Maybe nothing would come of it but she was too far in to turn back now. Anders knew, at least one other family member should know of her suspicions, should something happen to her.

“The Orrielles family status and finances have little changed with the passing. Someone else’s has changed significantly gaining a more secure seat of power; with little chance of repercussion or significant risk to themselves other than a large sum of coin.”

[Adana]

Endalia sat on the horse, waiting for the others to ready themselves for the ride. They, however, seemed to be taking their sweet time doing so - what was so time consuming about mounting a horse? she wondered, a bit exasperated, to herself. She wanted to start the hunt already, and to stop with this nonsense.

Her gaze wandered from the hunting party saying goodbyes - she had already done so, in her opinion, and need not repeat it - and toward the lush woods beyond. That was where the hunting party would go; that was where Endalia hoped she could burn off steam and frustration in a safe way. Perhaps, even, if she played her cards right, she would be able to sever any ties with a certain man.

But more than that, she would be amongst nature once more.

Endalia had fond memories of riding and hunting in the woods that her own parents had owned. Now, much of those woods had been sold, even though her eldest brother was not very keen to auction it off, and thankfully enough it was to their neighbor, who graciously kept it quiet. But everyone knew that Endalia's family had entered upon hard times. As far as she knew, it was Endalia who had married well - the only child to have done so - but her father, and her brother, were both proud men. They did not wish everyone to know just how desperate their financial state had become.

Before troubles of money had entered her mind, Endalia could remember begging and pleading with her father to allow her to ride in the hunt. It was the one thing she wanted more than any other - and it was the one thing her father always denied her. It was not fashionable now for a woman to ride, he informed her, though it had been at one time. Endalia had always vowed that she would hunt whether or not it was fashionable, and had to settle for taking her pony out (though her mother had a heart attack when she found out that Endalia had used her brother's clothes to do so).

There was nothing quite like taking a ride on a horse in the late afternoon... she had done so many times with her siblings. Sometimes, they would even have a picnic in a clearing near a stream, and when they were certain that they had enough time to fully dry off before going home, they may even take a dip in the water. Riding were some of her fondest memories before marriage.

Being told that she couldn't do certain things had left an impact on Endalia, she supposed. If only her father had worded things differently! But he never really understood her nature, though he was more understanding than her dear husband. Her eyes snapped back to the present, and back to Lord Demordray, who was probably thinking that Endalia was quite out of her mind. Perhaps she was. Regardless, she had vowed to go hunting, and she would - and she would repeat it again and again, if she desired...

If they ever got around to it, anyway.

Anders and Aldous seemed to be bickering once more, or at least heading in that direction. Endalia sighed heavily and resigned herself to further waiting.

((OOC: Yeah... I know it's a bit out of turn, and that I was due to post awhile back, but here it is... just wish we could actually hunt!))

This post has been edited by Adana on Jul 14 2010, 02:26 PM

[J's Ginger Muffin]

The entire Hunting trip was a fucking disaster. Plain and simple. There wasn't a single good thing that had happened in their entire time away and as Anders burst back into the room where the rest of the family was sitting having tea his face was bright red. Not with embarrassment at the giant holes bursting along his jacket and trousers -through which flesh was visible- but in anger at what his idiot of a brother had done. Before they'd embarked on their hunting trip Anders had snapped a little at Aldous a few times, the last being when the fool had stood around with his hands in his pockets when Anders had needed a hand onto his horse. What had followed was much worse however, Anders recalling it as he stormed across the room and threw himself into a chair, swiftly opening a bottle of whiskey and guzzling straight from the bottle.

They had been well into the forest before Anders had seen anything worth shooting, there had been a little talk between him, Aldous and Lucifer but most of it was just pointless babbling and Aldous' usual airy headed comments about life in general. Endalia on the other hand seemed icily cool and didn't respond to any of Anders' advances at all. It was a combination of these two things that led Anders to really wanting to let out some of his frustration by firing his gun at something, something preferably living. No matter how much they looked however Anders couldn't find a worthy target until the biggest stag he'd ever seen in his life happened upon their trail. So big was it that he was considering mounting the beast's antler's in his dining hall back at the Nassau manor rather than stowing it with hunting trophies from years gone by.

That was when he'd discovered exactly what Aldous had decided to do. Or rather, what he had "forgotten" to do if Aldous' story was to be believed. According to his dear brother the ammunition had been left back at the country estate. All a great big accident of course, not something the peace-loving idiot had done on purpose to thwart Anders' plans to shoot something. Not only had it denied Anders his outlet but it had fucked the entire trip up entirely. He'd effectively gone for a stupid ride in the woods with two idiots and the iciest bitch in the country. It was a day wasted.

What had happened next was what had now driven Anders to the bottle in such a way. He'd more or less dived off his horse at Aldous, offering excuses for the lack of weapons and alternated between strangling his brother and punching the idiot around the face before Lucifer, aided by Endalia managed to drag him off. Not trusting himself to remain anywhere near them Anders had swiftly re-mounted (his seams bursting open completely at this point) and stormed off back to the country estate on his own. His exhaustion at the exertion of the day was just about the only thing stopping him either going to his own private room and finishing off the booze or storming back outside to find Aldous and finish the job he had started.

Taking another deep gulp of the bottle Anders glared at his family gathered in the room, daring them to comment on his attire or the method of drinking he had chosen.

[SR]

Despite his best attempts at keeping the conversation light and unobtrusive Ariadne seemed to have forgotten all her manners and was obstinately clinging to subjects of conversation Adrien didn’t want to speak of at all. For goodness’ sake, their father had been dead for a while now, couldn’t they just let the man rest? He didn’t particularly care who had killed Wilders Nassau. The man was not well liked, had many enemies, anyone could’ve done it with good and founded reasons.

So what if it wasn’t the Orreilles family? Even if it weren’t them it left a myriad of other people – oh now she had him thinking about it anyway again. Despite his icey looks in her general direction she continued to speak even now, while she was normally more sensitive to his likes and dislikes.

“I don’t like this topic of conversation, Ariadne. And I tired of your riddles.” He pointed out coldly. He hadn’t a clue what mystery man she was speaking of. Plenty of people had shifted power since Wilders’ death, their own brother had, his own children had! He had no desire to deal with her childish games of murder mystery.
“This is our father, I would appreciate it if you’d let him rest in peace.” He added stoically, turning his eyes back to his children and their ponies.

Annabelle still suited her pony fine, but young Wilder would need a new mount soon, his legs were starting to stick out underneath the leggy pony. Perhaps it was time the boy got a real horse. Of course, he would have to discuss the matter with Anders…

Much to his surprise it was just then that his brother came barging into the parlor room just behind them. The noise his angry mood mad – the slamming door, the heavy tred – was enough to make Adrien look up and over at Anders while he flopped himself down in a chair and drank whiskey straight from the bottle. The duke of Nassau was classy as ever.

While Adrien was aware that he should really ask his brother what the matter was, he felt himself disinclined to do so. It probably had something to do with Aldous being disobedient and the bullets he’d had sent back to the armory. There was nothing he could say or do to make Anders cheer up. And he didn’t particularly want to either.

[Lex Lore]

Well… that was that. Adrien was going to play deaf, blind, and dumb to the whole nightmare. Inadequate fool. She should have been born a male and this ninny a female. She could have done much more with his life than he ever seemed to. As much as she detested Anders at least he had some ambition and nerve. Adrien was content to just sit around and let everything happen around him without once trying to change the course, even if that course was headed straight to ruin.

“ Of course, dear brother. My mistake for posing such questions at this time meant for relaxation and serenity. Forgive my impertinent behavior. “ Ari let the apology roll off her tongue in a rather genuine manner. She had only meant for the possibility to be considered, the kernel of doubt to be presented. Not to cause a break in the family that involved her.

Adrien over such a thing he’d let the family come to ruin, Ariadne would never let that happen. She wouldn’t be able to change him now though, or even discuss the topic further. He had shut down already anything she said now on that topic would be pointless. The best she could do now would be to speak of his children, he was always up for talk about the little lord and lady. Elementals forbid either of them crossed Duke Anders one too many times. Maybe that would finally be the one thing to shake Adrien from this bubble of complacency though? Ariadne hoped she never learned the answer to that.

Speak of the devil and he shall come; Ari thought to herself as Anders stormed in look much worse for wear than when he set out. She hadn’t thought it possible but this was proof that it certainly was possible. He drank deeply from the bottle and Ari smiled darkly at the idea of what it was that had him in such a foul mood. She wanted to question, were you missing something on your trip, dear brother. Instead she sweetly smiled and sipped her tea… enquiring like poking at an angry snake instead with,

“Will Aldous and the rest be arriving back soon? Should I tell the cooks to start dinner from the tocks or will we be having fresh game tonight?”