[The Home & Hearth] Hail, I Bid You Welcome

[Zana]

8th Cylus, 721

"I hate you."

Zana delivered that message to Theo with an entirely serious expression as they sat, having just finished their breakfast. They were sitting in the small, pokey, not-at-all-to-her-liking dining area of the Home and Hearth. As hailstones roughly the size of her fist pounded against the roof, the walls, the windows, she met his eyes. "I hate you nearly as much as I hate it here." She sighed, rather dramatically and looked down at the plate on which her food had been. "I mean, it just screams 'hearty and welcoming', doesn't it?" Slender fingers pushed away said plate and she added, in case there was any doubt just what she thought of 'hearty and welcoming', "I fear I may vomit."

Sighing, she looked around.

"I know that you have experience of running establishments, and I understand that you see potential," she said, with a sigh. "But you know, and I know, this place is in need of full-time leadership, and strong handling." Ice blue eyes regarded him and Zana's lips lifted, just a little. "While I know you can do that, dear heart, does that mean you should?" Her lower lip stuck out, just a little, because she knew how much that slight pout drove him wild.

Zana was making sure that there was no doubt among the people here that she was not on board with any take-up of this place from Theo. She knew that he was thinking about settling in this place, and that would entail purchases. If he was too eager, that would invoke an increase in price, Zana knew. His 'wife' (she'd been called that three times now) not wanting to settle here would give him reason to be doubtful, to step away - and with that information, he could drive a better bargain.

Also, of course, since they were both very much of the opinion that this was a very good idea ~ her change of mind regarding the place after they moved in, her delight at being part of the community and her care for each individual would be a real feel-good story. Zana had no doubt, therefore, that it was an advantage to them both that she was behaving in a manner so very difficult.

"I hope and trust, my love, that we will not be venturing outside to-trial?" The hailstones were really throwing it down. They had to go out, she knew, but that didn't mean that she couldn't play on it. So, she looked at him and sighed, again, a little more loudly and with more irritation, less fondness in it. Zana was, after all, a consummate actress. "I don't know why I married you, you beast! I should have listened to my mother when she warned me about you!" She huffed and then slumped, a little. "Oh, I'm sorry, darling," she hated that word, even when she didn't mean it. "Forgive me, but are you really sure that it's a good place to settle down and start a family?" That would unnerve him, she was sure. She placed a hand over his, her eyes contrite. "I know you believe in community, so do I, but here? Really?"

She couldn't help it, she looked down. "In a place with this sort of crockery?"

Our love is a bed of nails, love hurts good on a bed of nails.
I'll lay you down and when all else fails, drive you like a hammer on a bed of nails

[Theo Nji'Ryn]

If Zana excelled at convincingly portraying the adoring but somewhat spoiled city bred wife, who was much more at ease with the comforts of convenience and luxury (and who [/i]wasn't[/i]?), than all the more modest things that hearty, comforting, hearth and home seemed to imply: Theo was equally able to portray the adoring, doting husband who's greatest wish was to make her happy. Even if she didn't realize quite yet, that Gunvorton was where her future happiness was.

But the loving wife in turn, indulged her husband's sense of optimism and humanitarianism. He'd almost choked on the words, as unfamiliar they'd tasted on his tongue the first time he'd uttered them. They'd agreed however, and he'd fallen into the role as easily as Zana had hers. And he'd dressed the part. A well made, well tailored wardrobe that wouldn't have been cheap to come by. But not pretentious, nothing flashy or pretentious. Perception was everything after all.

He leaned forward across the table, past the plate that he'd made sure to eagerly wipe clean with the last of the rather stale and bland crust of bread he'd been served on the side, and took Zana's hand gently in his. "It's not so bad as that, is it darling? It's nothing that a new, fresh perspective can't improve on?" Plenty of potential in Gonvorton, they'd already agreed, and it had little to do with the food or accommodations. His tone, and hers, and their demeanor though, would give away little of that. Instead, from all appearances, his visions regarding the possibilities of the place, had thus far come up a little bit short in convincing his wife.

"You know I want nothing more than to make you happy." Implication was, she only had to see that she could be. To see the possibilities. It was a large investment after all, possibly very large, that he could not make otherwise. If Zana was unhappy, everyone was unhappy. "It would be a wonderful place to raise children, don't you think? Just think of it. With my business sense and the touches that only you can give to the place? Crockery and menus can always be altered." he said. "But you know that I won't do anything that will make you unhappy, darling."

Leaning back again. "They seem like good people here. I think we can do some good as well. But I know it's a large investment, if you're not sure," he conceded, but then leaned forward and took her hand again. "We're here now though. I know it will be an adjustment. Just give it a chance?"

[Zana]

Hail? That's a baseball.......

Her fingers wrapped around his, her ice-blue eyes looking at him. In fairness to Zana, she was a truly excellent actress, and it might even be hard to tell when she was acting. But she gazed upon him adoringly and she smiled softly. He asked her if it truly wasn't as bad as that and Zana sighed. "No, sweetheart, I know." A new and fresh perspective? Her foot slid up his leg and she was more than happy to show him quite a new perspective as far as that was concerned. Thank Delroth for long tablecloths, she considered.

He wanted her to be happy? To make her happy? Zana slipped off her shoe and nodded. "I know you do my love. I'm sorry, I don't mean to be difficult.". Innocent - or something very similar to it - eyes gazed upon him and Zana paid close.. very close... attention to Theo. And his words. He spoke of it being a wonderful place to raise children, of what it would be like and she sighed softly. He wouldn't do anything that made her unhappy? Zana knew that, of course. But equally. "Theo, you say that. But always, always there's someone else to worry about. I want a family," by all the Immortals, she was about to vomit in her mouth a little. Or, a lot.

But just think of it, he said, and Zana nodded. "I want to.. Theo, I do. But I need you to promise me," she said softly. "If we give it a season. This season, Cylus. It's dark and it's cold, and I understand, but please darling?" She looked at him with those earnest ice-blue eyes. "If you still want this after this season, of all of them, then on the first of Ashan, we'll move here. We'll live here, and we'll give every bit of energy." Her foot under the table was moving, teasing. Like the swan that she was, though, above the surface of the table, she was positively serene.

Give it a chance he said, and she nodded. "If, when Ashan comes around, Theo. If you and I agree that this is the place for us, for us to grow our family?" Delroth forbit. Ew. Growing voluntarily fat in order to spawn vile little creatures which were impossible to understand at one end and incontinent at the other? No thank you. "I need to know that being part of this community means something for us. For our children." Her hand grasped on to his, her fingers clutching on him. "Oh, darling, I want here to be where you want to have babies with me." Yes. Vomiting in her mouth. Ew. "I do. With all my heart and soul."

She sighed slightly. "If you're sure of it, though, I support you my love." Her foot twitched and her eyebrow lifted. "Theo, darling. If we do this, if we do. Where will we live? Are you really thinking of here, this place? I'd like to know what we're looking at. Maybe I could perform here, work here of an evening." She was going to do that, and he knew that already. "What do you think darling?" She didn't care what he thought. "May I do that please?"

The perfect woman. That was what she had to be, she knew it. Every man had to want to be him, and more than that? Every man had to want her to be his wife. Or his wife to be like her.

Like that was ever happening, but whatever.

Whatever.

[Theo Nji'Ryn]

Zana was shameless. Was, always had been, always would be. Lucky for Theo, her fondness for tormenting him in ways that only she was truly familiar with, was well matched with his own ability to appear completely nonplussed. Oh, he was moved well enough by her conduct, concealed from prying eyes by the low draping tablecloth. But if various onlookers didn't know different, she did, all too well. And that was exactly why she did it. To casual curious eyes, however, Theo looked the part of the doting husband, only interested in his beloved's happiness.

He only quirked a brow, so imperceptibly that she alone might see it, when she swore that she wasn't trying to be difficult. "Of course you do," he said lovingly, his gaze never leaving Zana's as he lifted her hand and placed a soft kiss on her fingertips. Nipped her discretely too, his eyes swirling with color and challenge. "Just think of family we'll raise here in this place," he crooned. "Two, three little ones? They'll be as beautiful and clever as their mother."

Theo knew that Zana was as interested in birthing and raising children, as he was in siring them. Or at least, being tracked down and knowing he'd sired them, should that inadvertently be the case. "Anything, darling," he said when she asked him to make her a promise. He frowned visibly though, as if the time frame she cited was hardly enough to make a go of it. It was plenty of time, of course, but that was by the by. "A season?" he asked, as if he might argue, but then reconsidered.

"Very well." He could hardly deny her a thing. This much would seem clear to any of those around them. And as a result, their future on Gunvorton could very well rest in her hands. "It's a large investment to be sure. But your happiness is worth far more than that. One season, then." Of course, by now she was laying it on a bit thick. But these were the roles they'd assigned to themselves. "Where would you like to live?" he asked. "Here at the inn for the season and then later, perhaps a suitable house?" By which he meant, an extravagant one. Zana wouldn't have anything less, and well Theo knew it.

The suggestion that she should be part of the evening's entertainment, was something they hadn't discussed. Zana asked sweetly, as if she'd have complied with his wishes had Theo said no. "Well, I hadn't thought of that really. Are you sure, darling?" he asked. But then, because he could deny her nothing, he smiled and squeezed her hands in his. "If you're sure, then yes, of course. I remember the first time I heard you sing. It was as if you'd cast a spell on me with your sweet voice. If you were to sing in this place, they'd come from miles around just to listen."

[Zana]

Hail? That's a baseball.......

Frankly, the thing she liked most about Theo ... no, scratch that. The aspect of Theo's personality which she enjoyed the most was that he was almost ... almost good enough for her. Most men were not, nowhere near. Theo was as wonderfully complex as she wanted him to be, and he had that twinge of arrogance which she found so appealing. And more than anything, he craved her in a way which she needed. He was nearly good enough for her because he almost understood just how lucky he was. His depravity was matched only by his desire - and both of those were out shone by his greed.

All told, sometimes she was a little sad that he would grow old and die and she wouldn't.

But, that was not relevant to right here and right now and so Zana smiled as he turned his adoring gaze on her. When he lifted her hand to his lips to kiss she gasped in pleasure. "Oh, my love, you know I can refuse you nothing!" In fairness, as he nipped her skin Zana sought what revenge she could under the table. Nodding at him, she assured him. "Our babies will be so beautiful, my darling. Strong and handsome like you. With your sense of morality and my focus on family," if there was a hell, Zana knew where she was heading. Except, of course, she didn't believe that at all. She would not die and, if she did, then she would spend eternity in the Domain of her father. That, very much, was the plan. "I'd like three," she said, in terms of children. "at least. Oh, darling, I'm so glad that we're having this discussion."

He agreed that they would wait for a season and Zana clutched his hand, eagerly ~gratefully. Her gaze locked on his and, if he were anyone else, she'd be using her mortalborn abilities on him right now. But, alas, she knew a twinge of regret as she accepted that she had too much respect for Theo to ever consider using them without his express consent. It was what they'd agreed, after all. Sometimes, it was positively restrictive having moral standards. Zana was of the opinion that, not only were they bad for the digestion but they were also the least fun thing to have. Zana whispered a prayer of thanks to her father that, largely, she was not disabled by such nonsense as morality and it only reared its ugly head on rare occasions. With a little luck, she wouldn't be due another bout of morality for twenty or thirty arcs.

"That sounds fine, darling. I'm grateful to you for being prepared to wait," she gushed as she held his hand. Adoring wife, doting husband. Ew. Still. "Yes, it will do us good to get to know the Inn well, I think, don't you, darling?" Once they had enough money, they could buy somewhere that would be utterly inappropriate but wonderfully decadent. She nodded her head, earnestly, and she spoke firmly to him. "We put everything into our work, darling, always. If my voice will help," the word "if" in there almost choked her. Still, needs must. "then it will be my pleasure and privilege to sing. Is it all settled then, my dear heart? Is there anything which is concerning you or you'd like to discuss?"

As the doting wife she was, Zana was more than prepared to pretend to listen to him. She'd even pretend to listen avidly, since it was him.

[Doran]

Zana:

Knowledge:
Deception x 5
Intelligence x 3

Loot: -
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: -
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 15

- - -

Comments: Oh my! I love that you started the thread with Zana saying, “I hate you!”. That made me laugh. A hailstorm is pretty unpleasant though, and you described Zana’s thoughts about the place where Theo and she are now very well in my opinion.

I already told you so in my last review, but Zana’s such a delight!

I love how Zana and Theo are playing husband and wife – and how she talks about growing their family while secretly considering children to be vile little creatures that are impossible to understand. I think I was grinning pretty much throughout the thread!

It’s a pity that this thread was abandoned, but I was still pretty entertained, so, enjoy your rewards!

P.S.: Theo, if you come back, send me a PM, and I'll review your part of the thread!