Thread: Familial Discord (Methos and Claire Dunally)

Candra listened from her hiding place with rapt horror. Her father's land holdings? That was what that vile man - her uncle , she couldn't believe she could possibly be related to such a beast - was after? She knew how important those holdings were to her father. It was virtually all he had left of his family's once great estate. Lucius had taken everything else, and now he wanted the meager bits he wasn't given? If only she were a man and could challenge him openly! In fact, why didn't her father do just that? But then, what would happen to them all if he lost - if Lucius cheated just like he did with everything else? At the mention of what would happen to she and her siblings if she didn't sell the land, her heart sank. Were things as bad as that, then? She had hoped the rumors of such impending disaster were untrue - such things often were exaggerated. But she could just barely seen her father's face through the scrim, and she noted the change in him at the prospect of receiving funds twice the value of the land. No matter how much it pained him, he would sacrifice it for the good of the family, and Lucius knew it. The ember of anger toward him burned hotter. At least her father was bargaining high enough to make it somewhat painful for her uncle as well. Well, greed is costly, Uncle, she thought to herself bitterly. I will agree only if you sell me your daughter Candra in that amount as well. It took her aback briefly. Her? Why her? Truly she had bloomed this past year, and before the hardships befell them, her father had already had tentative inquiries about to whom her hand might eventually fall, but... She shook her head at the audacity of him. What reason could he possibly have for wanting it, apart from causing her father even more pain? Was he truly interested in marrying her? After looking down on her family for so long? In the pause that followed, however, her heart skipped a beat before returning to hammer almost painfully in her chest. She had expected her father to refuse outright, even without thought. But he dallied. Just for show, surely? Surely he was but playing a game with the man? Her mind began to whirl. Selling her. She blinked quickly. Truly buying her is what her uncle had meant. Not buying her hand , but her ! A slave...? He was wanting to buy her as... a slave? And her father... name of Jupiter, what could he possibly be stalling for?! Her mouth went dry, and her breathing grew erratic. Thisi bad? Things were this bad, that he was actually considering... I have little choice but to agree. Candra Circe paled, her face draining of color as dark spots began to swim in her vision. She noble born. She had been groomed since childhood to be the dutiful and indispensable wife of a man of note. She had taken to her role without complaint, loyal to her family and thankful for her place in life... and now, to be cast aside like this... to be sold to this man - this horrible man - as easily as a mere piece of property, without ceremony or courtship... Her hand lifted to her breast, pressing down on the painful tattoo of her heart. Perhaps her faint would have gone unnoticed had she not tried to steady herself on the scrim on the way down, making the fabric ripple and tear at its top as her weight dragged at the stitching.