Fic: Castle on a Cloud
Written in response to thebsg_epics AU prompt day.
Title: Castle on a Cloud
Rating: K+
Pairing: Roslin/Adar
Summary: AU pre-miniseries in which Laura is married to Adar
Word Count: 1734
Disclaimer: Sadly still don't own any of it.
Laura stared at herself in the mirror as she wound the curling iron through her hair to get ready for tonight’s fundraiser. It was a benefit being hosted by Gods-know-what corporation for who-frakking-cares-which party candidate. As Adar was in his last term he no longer had to host benefits for his own campaign - tough Laura had no doubt he’d be doing plenty of networking and lining up his personal future prospects at tonight’s benefit all the same. Regardless, he was still required to make an appearance no matter what and show his support for the party’s up and coming candidate - and as his wife she was required to attend.
Setting the curling iron down and reaching for her mascara, Laura looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. There was a time not so long ago when all she’d had to think about before coming to one of these fundraising events was if she looked halfway decent and if the President might like her dress. Now, as his wife she had all of the press corps watching her, tons of wealthy socialites to impress, and very specific Presidential orders on what to wear.
Nothing too tight, don’t show too much cleavage, hint at enough leg to make the other attendees jealous but not enough that they think her attainable, don’t wear too flashy a color - it sends the wrong message at a political event, be sure to wear her hair partway up and not let it sit in its natural unruly state - basically have an appearance that could in no way reflect poorly on the President of the Twelve Colonies.
Putting on a light shade of nude eye shadow - ‘don’t wear so much makeup that you look like a harlot’ her loving husband had told her before leaving for his afternoon treasury meeting and preparations for the gala - Laura wondered how her life had gotten to this point. Sure she’d always been known as ‘The Other Mrs. Adar’ behind her back in the Cabinet and the press - but at least then she’d been doing important work, helping make the much-needed changes to the colonial education system. Now what could she say for herself?
She was the wife of the most powerful man in the Twelve Colonies, a pretty face to shake hands and smile for photographers. About a week into their marriage the press had complained of possible favoritism within the Cabinet and, without a word, Richard had followed the advice of his ministers and terminated her position in his administration.
“After all dear,” he’d chuckled while drinking his coffee the next morning, “I went against all their advice and took several hits in the polls when I asked you to marry me. I probably ought to listen to them this time just so they don’t start to think they’re jobs are superfluous.” She’d slapped him.
Now she was simply the wife of the most powerful man in the Twelve Colonies. She went to benefits and made potential donors smile at her jokes. She gave interviews to weekly news journals and morning television programs about the wonderful things her husband’s administration was planning to accomplish. And she made sure not to cause any disturbances in the press.
Once, she’d been part of book clubs, taken a run every morning through Riverside Park, and enjoyed strolling the Caprica City farmer’s market on weekends. Those things had all been deemed inappropriate for the President’s wife. Now she went to political events and came home to the Caprica City President’s mansion. She saw her security guards more than she saw any other living being on the planets.
Laura reached beside her mirror and pulled a simple silver pendant necklace off her jewelry rack before clasping it around her neck. She adjusted the clasp and looked back at the reflection of her finalized image for the evening. She looked demure, attractive, and appropriate. Gods how she hated that word and how much it defined her life these days.
She laughed at the irony of it all as she slipped on her heels. She’d almost said no to him that day he’d asked her to marry him. His wife had only passed away two months prior, and it was one thing for the press to ‘know’ they were sleeping together, it was another thing entirely for the nation and the press to know they’d been sleeping together.
She’d long before accepted the stigma associated with being the other woman - it came with the territory and Laura wasn’t one to deceive herself about the depths of her own flaws - but to marry another woman’s widower so soon after her death still seemed rather callous. Add that to the fact that she really had no desire to be the wife of a President, and Laura had been incredibly tempted to say no.
In fact, she has said no if she remembered correctly. She stood up and grabbed her matching wrap off the end of the bed. She’d said, “No. Richard, are you insane? There’s no way we can get married right now, the press would have a field day.”
She’d reacted as a member of his Cabinet, as someone scared of the political fallout, and she’d rather expected him to agree with her point. Instead he’d replied with a blunt, “Screw the press. I’ve just been elected to my final term, it would be more convenient for both of us, and everyone already knows we’re sleeping together anyway.”
She’d been so taken aback by his utter dismissal of the political realities of the situation that when he started kissing her and unbuttoning her blouse in the middle of the Presidential Office, she’d had no clue what to do but to go along with it. When he’d finished some time later and she was lying half-naked on his couch with her skirt bunched up and her stockings around her left ankle Laura still had no clue what to say.
He was right that it would be convenient. She really had no desire to marry him, but he was undeniably safe - if not in terms of the public fallout then certainly in terms of her own emotional fallout - and that had to count for something, right?
He’d kissed her passionately once more and then gotten up to retrieve a diamond band from inside his desk drawer. She was still tempted to say no, but he was staring at her with such an expectant look on his face that she really didn’t see the point in rejecting him - it’s not like she was ever going to get, nor would she accept, a better offer.
Grabbing her clutch off the bedside table and then stopping briefly to glance out the window at the waiting limousine in the driveway below, Laura shook her head at her own foolishness. Their marriage was convenient, yes. She didn’t feel the heart-wrenchingly painful emotional attachment that surrounded all her memories of her family when she was around him. And she didn’t have to worry about him feeling anything like that for her either.
Yes, their marriage was convenient, but was it worth the tradeoffs? As she nodded to the security guard holding the door for her and gracefully stepped into the limo she considered it. This wasn’t the life she’d wanted - not even close - but who ever really got what they wanted from life? She’d grasped long before now that her childhood dreams of what her life might look like were not to be realized - for one thing they’d included her family.
So was her life perfect? No, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t good enough. She uncrossed her legs and adjusted the hem of her silk dress as they pulled up to a curb with many flashing bulbs she could already make out through the tinted windows.
Was she happy? She grabbed the proffered hand of her security escort and stepped out of limo with a dazzling smile for the press. Maybe. Maybe not. But in the grand scheme of things did it really matter?
Laura walked up the steps of the building and politely nodded to the two young men in uniforms holding the doors for her. At this point she just hoped Richard had finished frakking his new blonde assistant, was this one a blonde or a redhead? - amazing how the bloom faded from the rose when there was no longer the thrill of secret, forbidden desire to keep them together - and made it to the party. It was always so awkward when she arrived at these things before he did. She was an excellent public persona, but there were only so many times one could feed the same lines to the press.
Descending the stairs into the ballroom where the benefit was being held Laura was relieved to see Richard already there schmoozing with the guests - that gave her one less inconvenience to deal with. Laura smiled adoringly at him as he approached her and slid an arm around her waist, saying into her ear, “You look wonderful tonight darling.”
“Thank you,” Laura replied with the same adoring smile as camera bulbs flashed around them, “and you look very handsome as well. I like your new perfume.” Tilting his head in brief acknowledgment - that was one game they didn’t have to play with each other - Adar led her over to a table of Admirals nearby, telling her that she simply had to hear all about their plans for new security technologies and how a politically savvy individual could make serious cubits in the industry.
She was already bored of the conversation by the time they arrived at the table. She’d honestly rather hear about his afternoon rendezvous with - what was this one’s name, Shelly? - than sit through a discussion with this lot. Though seeing some of the Admiralty here did remind her…she’d been meaning to ask Richard if she could go to the decommissioning ceremony at the end of the week.
They were turning some old battlestar into a museum, it was more the new Secretary of Education’s domain, but she was starting to go a little stir crazy in the Presidential mansion. It could be good press for him if she made an appearance, and it would mean a few days alone with his secretary, so hopefully he’d be inclined to let her go…she’d ask him after the gala was over.
Title: Castle on a Cloud
Rating: K+
Pairing: Roslin/Adar
Summary: AU pre-miniseries in which Laura is married to Adar
Word Count: 1734
Disclaimer: Sadly still don't own any of it.
Laura stared at herself in the mirror as she wound the curling iron through her hair to get ready for tonight’s fundraiser. It was a benefit being hosted by Gods-know-what corporation for who-frakking-cares-which party candidate. As Adar was in his last term he no longer had to host benefits for his own campaign - tough Laura had no doubt he’d be doing plenty of networking and lining up his personal future prospects at tonight’s benefit all the same. Regardless, he was still required to make an appearance no matter what and show his support for the party’s up and coming candidate - and as his wife she was required to attend.
Setting the curling iron down and reaching for her mascara, Laura looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. There was a time not so long ago when all she’d had to think about before coming to one of these fundraising events was if she looked halfway decent and if the President might like her dress. Now, as his wife she had all of the press corps watching her, tons of wealthy socialites to impress, and very specific Presidential orders on what to wear.
Nothing too tight, don’t show too much cleavage, hint at enough leg to make the other attendees jealous but not enough that they think her attainable, don’t wear too flashy a color - it sends the wrong message at a political event, be sure to wear her hair partway up and not let it sit in its natural unruly state - basically have an appearance that could in no way reflect poorly on the President of the Twelve Colonies.
Putting on a light shade of nude eye shadow - ‘don’t wear so much makeup that you look like a harlot’ her loving husband had told her before leaving for his afternoon treasury meeting and preparations for the gala - Laura wondered how her life had gotten to this point. Sure she’d always been known as ‘The Other Mrs. Adar’ behind her back in the Cabinet and the press - but at least then she’d been doing important work, helping make the much-needed changes to the colonial education system. Now what could she say for herself?
She was the wife of the most powerful man in the Twelve Colonies, a pretty face to shake hands and smile for photographers. About a week into their marriage the press had complained of possible favoritism within the Cabinet and, without a word, Richard had followed the advice of his ministers and terminated her position in his administration.
“After all dear,” he’d chuckled while drinking his coffee the next morning, “I went against all their advice and took several hits in the polls when I asked you to marry me. I probably ought to listen to them this time just so they don’t start to think they’re jobs are superfluous.” She’d slapped him.
Now she was simply the wife of the most powerful man in the Twelve Colonies. She went to benefits and made potential donors smile at her jokes. She gave interviews to weekly news journals and morning television programs about the wonderful things her husband’s administration was planning to accomplish. And she made sure not to cause any disturbances in the press.
Once, she’d been part of book clubs, taken a run every morning through Riverside Park, and enjoyed strolling the Caprica City farmer’s market on weekends. Those things had all been deemed inappropriate for the President’s wife. Now she went to political events and came home to the Caprica City President’s mansion. She saw her security guards more than she saw any other living being on the planets.
Laura reached beside her mirror and pulled a simple silver pendant necklace off her jewelry rack before clasping it around her neck. She adjusted the clasp and looked back at the reflection of her finalized image for the evening. She looked demure, attractive, and appropriate. Gods how she hated that word and how much it defined her life these days.
She laughed at the irony of it all as she slipped on her heels. She’d almost said no to him that day he’d asked her to marry him. His wife had only passed away two months prior, and it was one thing for the press to ‘know’ they were sleeping together, it was another thing entirely for the nation and the press to know they’d been sleeping together.
She’d long before accepted the stigma associated with being the other woman - it came with the territory and Laura wasn’t one to deceive herself about the depths of her own flaws - but to marry another woman’s widower so soon after her death still seemed rather callous. Add that to the fact that she really had no desire to be the wife of a President, and Laura had been incredibly tempted to say no.
In fact, she has said no if she remembered correctly. She stood up and grabbed her matching wrap off the end of the bed. She’d said, “No. Richard, are you insane? There’s no way we can get married right now, the press would have a field day.”
She’d reacted as a member of his Cabinet, as someone scared of the political fallout, and she’d rather expected him to agree with her point. Instead he’d replied with a blunt, “Screw the press. I’ve just been elected to my final term, it would be more convenient for both of us, and everyone already knows we’re sleeping together anyway.”
She’d been so taken aback by his utter dismissal of the political realities of the situation that when he started kissing her and unbuttoning her blouse in the middle of the Presidential Office, she’d had no clue what to do but to go along with it. When he’d finished some time later and she was lying half-naked on his couch with her skirt bunched up and her stockings around her left ankle Laura still had no clue what to say.
He was right that it would be convenient. She really had no desire to marry him, but he was undeniably safe - if not in terms of the public fallout then certainly in terms of her own emotional fallout - and that had to count for something, right?
He’d kissed her passionately once more and then gotten up to retrieve a diamond band from inside his desk drawer. She was still tempted to say no, but he was staring at her with such an expectant look on his face that she really didn’t see the point in rejecting him - it’s not like she was ever going to get, nor would she accept, a better offer.
Grabbing her clutch off the bedside table and then stopping briefly to glance out the window at the waiting limousine in the driveway below, Laura shook her head at her own foolishness. Their marriage was convenient, yes. She didn’t feel the heart-wrenchingly painful emotional attachment that surrounded all her memories of her family when she was around him. And she didn’t have to worry about him feeling anything like that for her either.
Yes, their marriage was convenient, but was it worth the tradeoffs? As she nodded to the security guard holding the door for her and gracefully stepped into the limo she considered it. This wasn’t the life she’d wanted - not even close - but who ever really got what they wanted from life? She’d grasped long before now that her childhood dreams of what her life might look like were not to be realized - for one thing they’d included her family.
So was her life perfect? No, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t good enough. She uncrossed her legs and adjusted the hem of her silk dress as they pulled up to a curb with many flashing bulbs she could already make out through the tinted windows.
Was she happy? She grabbed the proffered hand of her security escort and stepped out of limo with a dazzling smile for the press. Maybe. Maybe not. But in the grand scheme of things did it really matter?
Laura walked up the steps of the building and politely nodded to the two young men in uniforms holding the doors for her. At this point she just hoped Richard had finished frakking his new blonde assistant, was this one a blonde or a redhead? - amazing how the bloom faded from the rose when there was no longer the thrill of secret, forbidden desire to keep them together - and made it to the party. It was always so awkward when she arrived at these things before he did. She was an excellent public persona, but there were only so many times one could feed the same lines to the press.
Descending the stairs into the ballroom where the benefit was being held Laura was relieved to see Richard already there schmoozing with the guests - that gave her one less inconvenience to deal with. Laura smiled adoringly at him as he approached her and slid an arm around her waist, saying into her ear, “You look wonderful tonight darling.”
“Thank you,” Laura replied with the same adoring smile as camera bulbs flashed around them, “and you look very handsome as well. I like your new perfume.” Tilting his head in brief acknowledgment - that was one game they didn’t have to play with each other - Adar led her over to a table of Admirals nearby, telling her that she simply had to hear all about their plans for new security technologies and how a politically savvy individual could make serious cubits in the industry.
She was already bored of the conversation by the time they arrived at the table. She’d honestly rather hear about his afternoon rendezvous with - what was this one’s name, Shelly? - than sit through a discussion with this lot. Though seeing some of the Admiralty here did remind her…she’d been meaning to ask Richard if she could go to the decommissioning ceremony at the end of the week.
They were turning some old battlestar into a museum, it was more the new Secretary of Education’s domain, but she was starting to go a little stir crazy in the Presidential mansion. It could be good press for him if she made an appearance, and it would mean a few days alone with his secretary, so hopefully he’d be inclined to let her go…she’d ask him after the gala was over.