Sister and Brother

[Atrice]

Hilda explained that Charis hadn't seemed to like her either, and that Charis seemed very young. But she also betrayed Hilda, didn't she? Yet for some reason, Hilda didn't think ill of her because of it. Wulfric sighed again when his sister wondered if he'd spoken to Charis, "I have not. Every time I showed up at the house after that, it was convenient, that no one I wanted to speak to were there." He rolled his eyes, "You know Charis has a son with him? Which means he's our brother. Or mine anyway. I considered stealing both of them away, to Germania. So that boy wouldn't have to grow up here. But it seems impossible now." And it was, wasn't it? Because he wasn't leaving now anyway and Peregrinus probably loved his father. And Wulfric couldn't save every kind person he met. Even if he wanted to.

They then discussed Tiberius and Wulfric was very wary about the prince, he feared he might try and use Hilda for something. They could not afford to put their people in danger, simply because they wanted a nice place to live. That was stupid. Then he'd rather live in the den he had now. Hilda mused about how young the rulers were and then about Wulfric's age too. He arched a brow.

"This summer will be my twentyfifth, I'm not that young!" He commented, nudging her arm in jest, "I never considered my age much. Just that... if I must do it, then I will. It's just how things are. I'm sure I'll manage. But we don't even know if it'll be me. There are others before me. And I'm here." He paused, glancing her, "Why? You think I'm too young too?" 

@Sara

[Sara]

Hilda's brows rose in surprise at Wulfric's plan and she choked in bemusement before she shook her head, frowning at him. So soft hearted. "Maybe I could try again. She must leave the house sometimes and I could corner her so she'll speak to you. Explain." She offered by way of help. She knew how to be...persuasive when she needed to be and she didn't think the timid little woman had enough wits or strength to fend off a verbal assault by Hilda. 

She grinned at him. "You are young!" she interjected with a laugh and a shake of her head before she listened to the rest of his speech. "No, I don't think you're too young, but you are young. That is not a bad thing - it is harder, I think, to rule if you're old. You're out of touch with the youth of the tribe, of the village." She glanced across to him. "And hey, when we go home," Eventually, "Nobody needs to know the reality of what happened here. You could just tell them it was a great success. It's not like they're going to come here themselves, right?" 

 

TAG: @Atrice

[Atrice]

He gave her a look when she suggested to try and catch Charis when she was leaving the house, "It would be weird though. And I don't want to seem like some kind of stalker." But he was sad that what could have been a friendship turned into nothing, probably all because of his stubborn piece of a father. He wasn't sure though that Hilda would agree with him or if she'd just go and seek out Charis anyway... "Don't hurt her, alright? Her son is my brother." He added, just to be sure. 

Then somehow the topic turned on him being the next leader and king of their tribe, and how Hilda thought him young. He wasn't that young though. But she just grinned and said he was young, and that it wasn't always a bad thing. But she went about how when they went home, no one would know what happened here in Rome. He arched a brow again.

"I think mother would guess it didn't go very well. But then I suppose, she's not one to judge? She made me think my father was approachable." He rolled her eyes, maybe it wasn't just his father he should be mad at, but his mother too. She'd judged this all wrong. If she never told him about his father, he would still be in Germania and he would not have been through the disappointments here in Rome. 

@Sara

[Sara]

Hilda rolled her eyes as they walked. "Of course I won't hurt her." But she would corner her - somewhere where she couldn't run back into the arms of her loving husband. And she would demand she accompany Hilda to see her brother. Baby or no baby, Wulfric deserved to hear the truth of what happened. 

But the conversation meandered on and she watched Wulfric consider it...and then arched his brow. Maybe not then. Hilda snorted. "Quite. I don't know what she saw in him," She frowned to herself, "She talked of him very little - only told me that she sent you here to find him...I..." Another thought occurred to her, as a way to explain it. A chill ran up her spine. "Do you think...he forced her?" 

 

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[Atrice]

Wulfric worried a little over Hilda approaching Charis the way she suggested. He vividly recalled the last time Charis came to him, to tell him to please leave Rome. She had ended up crying, hadn't she? It had been quite a fight. And it wasn't a pleasant memory. Why did Rome leave him with so many of those? The time he was beaten, the time Charis told him to leave, the way his father denied him... and yet of course, Iophon had shown him kindness and Teutus didn't seem to hate him either. At least there was that.

They discussed what going back to Germania might be like, and how their mother would guess it didn't go too well in Rome, even if they claimed it did. But then of course, what right had she to say anything? Wulfric was maybe even a bit upset with her. She made him travel all the way to Rome, where he was just met with rejection. Hilda agreed with him, wondering what their mother saw in Wulfric's father. He looked at her when she suggested his father forced her.

"No, I don't... I don't think so? She said she'd been with him several times. That she came back to him. Surely she wouldn't have, if he'd treated her poorly." Wulfric replied, "At least I don't hope so! But we won't ever know, will we? Did he... try anything with you?" Gods he hoped not, because that would be weird. His father attempting to seduce his half-sister. But then of course, Hilda said she tried to blackmail him, so maybe not. Still, the thought was unpleasant. He wrinkled his nose at it.

@Sara

[Sara]

Hilda listened to her brothers explanation with a wrinkled nose and a pronounced, dramatic shudder at the thought her mother would willingly go to that man's bed. He was not bad to look at but his personality made him an ogre in Hilda's eyes. Or some sort of demon, perhaps. 

"Then she was a fool." she murmured. She loved her mother dearly but...a man like him? Truly? Not  that Hilda could talk, she'd bedded a few idiots...and unpleasant men purely because they were easy on the eye. But she chose to look past her hypocrisy. And then Wulfric posed a question to her and she blinked, staring up at him. "No." She shook her head with an eye roll. "But you can tell he enjoyed what he saw." She matched Wulfric's look with one of her own. "We're well rid of him Wulfric. And as long as we're together, that's all that matters, eh?" She nudged him. 

 

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[Atrice]

Wulfric didn't comment. He wouldn't call his mother a fool. He'd always loved her, she was his mother and she did what she could for her children. And he had somehow always known he was different from his siblings, it just wasn't until he was an adult that he knew why. But he wouldn't call his mother a fool. Maybe his father had been different back then, when he was young. Maybe... maybe the years had changed him. Who knew? No one did... not Wulfric and not Hilda at least.

He worried now though that his father might have tried something with Hilda, but now she blinked and said it hadn't been so. Although he'd enjoyed what he saw? Wulfric wrinkled his nose again. That was just wrong. In so many ways. His father... and his sister. Even though they were barely related by blood... 

"Yes, as long as we're together." He agreed, trying to get the imagine of his father and his sister out of his head. Maybe try and think of something else entirely, "Are we at that palace of yours yet?" 

@Sara

[Sara]

She smirked at him and nodded. As long as they were together they could be a formidable pair. Their personalities - whilst so different - complimented one another she thought. Even when they argued, she suspected if  they turned their focus onto another that person would suffer the consequences. She glanced up at him, musing. She hoped, that whatever the future held, they would be strong together. She liked to imagine a world where her brother was Chief and she an advisor. Even if that was a pipe dream. 

She rolled her eyes at his question and gestured down the street. "It's down there, opposite the brothel." with its enormous phallus and weak looking girls and boys perched outside trying to lure in business. "A quick drink and then the Palace?" She paused in the street, watching him. "Or if you'd rather, we can go straight there?" 

 

TAG: @Atrice

[Atrice]

A palace opposite a brothel? He couldn't tell if his sister was joking or being serious now. But he wrinkled his nose again at the brothel, he hadn't been in one since that time Ione took him to hers and he wouldn't like it either. He felt so bad for her, he couldn't help her, he might get in trouble. On the other hand, she seemed so oddly... not content with her situation, but like she just accepted it and didn't mind it so much. But his sister then spoke of drinks again.

"I think just straight there... if we meet any of their leaders, this prince of yours, I don't want to approach him in a drunk state." Not that Wulfric did get drunk very often, he was way too sensible and practical for that. He didn't like to wake up not remembering what he did last night, he didn't like his memories to be a blur. He didn't like the headache and he didn't like not thinking straight. How would a leader, a maybe future king, act if he wasn't thinking straight? That wasn't the kind of leader he wanted to be.

@Sara