the danger and the power friend and the foe

[sosilversoexact]

The last thing Martel wants to be doing today is dealing with the fact the daughter he somehow acquired in the past few years has, in turn, somehow acquired a price on her head. One that evidently is, somehow, his fault. He's not sure how that works, precisely, but the attempts on Maryani and Nourelle are directed at him and it's grating on his

Comments

[onlyhalfwild]

"Don't swear!" Nourelle chastises him, coming skidding to a halt in front of this group of strangers assembled. She plants her hands on her hips in a gesture that is terrifyingly like her mother and looks them over with imperious curiosity.

Martel's abrupt silence didn't go unnoticed, either. She turns to glance at him over her shoulder, awaiting some sort of explanation to follow.

"I'll get you later," she informs Talen, who says something rude in response that makes her eyes go wide with suppressed indignation.

[sosilversoexact]

"You will not." Martel's words are directed at both children, automatically--Talen's been here long enough that he's been on the receiving end of that more than once before--and his voice brooks no argument, offers no explanation.

"Hello, brother," Sparhawk murmurs, rising, hand on his sword. "We heard you'd be here."

"Milord Stragen carries tales. Go to your mother, Nouria, I'll not tell you twice."

[onlyhalfwild]

Nouria narrows her eyes at Sparhawk, now; she knows that move, but Martel is telling her to go. She weighs wanting to interfere in what she fears is a situation that will culminate in violence against facing Martel's wrath should she disobey.

"You aren't allowed to fight in here," she settles on, to Sparhawk, "Or else."

Having delivered that threat with typical childlike vehemence, as well as an odd note of something that probably doesn't belong in a girl so young (she knows she's in a dangerous position, and she's also not quite like other girls and knows that, too). She nods politely to Sephrenia, who seems nice just by looking at her, and swiftly leaves the room.

Presumably to go tell Maryani what's going on.

[sosilversoexact]

Martel's expression is sort of--fascinating when Nouria makes her announcement to Sparhawk, and he touches her shoulder in what he hopes is a vaguely reassuring way when she passes him out the door. There isn't anything he can say to improve ... anything, so he lets her go without further comment.

At no point has he taken his eyes off Sparhawk or, more importantly, Sparhawk's sword, and he doesn't change that when he speaks instead to Sephrenia, "You look tired, little mother. Will you let me greet you?"

Talen, meanwhile, is predictably concerned by this turn of events, a little boy trying to play catch up in the lives of adults who prefer to keep as much as possible of those lives under lock and key.