IC: Calyse
“Magister Stillwater has had an unfortunate accident,”
Calyse informed him primly. Her composure, particularly considering her involvement, was formidable but Jad could sense the cool reproach hidden behind her polite words. His sister may have shared in Sunsorrow blood but he often had the thought that her eyes were more blue than green.
Arcane power crackled the air behind him when he didn’t bother to look up from his book. Shadows in the corners of the room were thrown into sharp relief and the words on his book disappeared behind the thrum of her agitation. Her previous prowling stopped abruptly and his ears twitched as she moved directly behind his chair, a solid and powerful presence at his back.
“Get up,” it was an order, not a request. The people he would have ever suffered such highhandedness from could be counted on one hand but she was more than just his sister, she was also the eldest and there was no political infighting in the Sunsorrow family. Control of the family would fall to her once his parents stepped down and he would continue on as he always had; diligent, obedient, and competent. “Jadall, look at me.”
The strain in her voice spurred him further and he stood quickly, the chair scrapping harshly against the floor in his hurry. Her anger and reproach he could face if he must but her suffering he could never stand.
Even in the dim light of the candles it was impossible to miss the dark circles under her eyes now that he was facing her fully, and he could just make out the flecks of cosmetics that she had used to try and hide them. Her hair was neat but lacked its usual luster and, perhaps worst of all for Jad, her Magistry robes seemed to float a little too loosely around her body.
“You must rest,” his hands closed on her shoulders to try and press her into his chair but she jerked away from him, her own hand flapping him away irritably.
“No, Jadall. What I require is knowledge that my little brother is not looking for a creative way to end his life. Meddling in the affairs of the Magistry is dangerous and-“
“I somehow doubt that they’ll pillory me if I am discovered. A fine, a written reprimand but that would be the worst of it.” The hand that took him across the face was open and the crack of it echoed through the room. His head snapped back, more from the shock rather than the actual blow.
“Don’t you dare insult my intelligence like this, Jadall. I know what you plan to do.” It hung between them, a loaded confession whose trigger could be pulled at any moment if the wrong thing were said. Jad remained silent.
“It’s dangerous,” it came as a desperate whisper this time and she impulsively seized one of his hands in both of hers. Her eyes, all green, searched his face for any sign of guilt of confession and a choked sound escaped her when all she could find was impassiveness. “You haven’t been well, brother.”
And therein lay the true problem. He had been away from his family for too long and they had seen too much from Dessaid’s tome and heard too much from their own friends. His wellbeing had been called into question and his lack of acknowledgement had only worsened the matter. His quiet relocation back to the family house had helped but their eyes followed him from room to room and he knew that they still worried. It weighed on him.
“Calyse,” he murmured and her intent stare suddenly faltered, eyes skittering off to the side rather than acknowledge the unspoken apology. With a sigh he untwined their hands only to raise one of hers to his face and place a chaste kiss in the palm. Almost instinctively her hand curled around his cheek, slender fingers brushing apologetically across the redness there.
“I can help,” she muttered, eyes still anywhere but him.
“You have helped,” he assured her, and he meant it. She had railed against their parents when they had conceded to his plans and raged still harder when she had been unable to make Jad change his mind. When it had come time for her to do her part, however, she had executed her orders brilliantly and without remorse, a Sunsorrow to the core. “It will be fine.”
“I doubt that.”
“Have I ever failed, sister?” he teased gently, knowing she could feel the way his head tilted upwards. It was enough to drag her gaze back to him and her lips pursed to try and hide her amusement.
“You are so arrogant.”
“Yes.”
Without warning she threw her herself into him, arms flinging around his torso and pulling him close. She was shorter than he was and so she was able to bury her face into his shoulder without issue. For a moment he simply stood there, surprised, but finally raised his own arms and perhaps the tightness of his own hold would make up for the delay.
“Be careful, Jadall.”
“Of course. It will be fine.”
ooc: we need a question soon. /unlazes