Incommunicado – The Rise of the House of Vaurek Part 2
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
“… the one who I forbade you from associating with? Isha, you are extraordinary. Why do you think that you can get away with such a betrayal?" Llairr t’Khellian hadn't quite recovered from her daughter's surprise move in the Senate chamber. She was determined to change Isha's mind.
"Who have i betrayed?" Isha responded coolly. "My husband is dead, our daughter is his successor. It would be a betrayal to the Illialhlae to force the House to adopt my lover's children.
Llair and her daughter could be defined by their contrasts. Llairr favoured the precise military uniform of the Rihannsu navy, whereas Isha was swathed in a soft rich robe. Isha favoured politicking where her mother favoured direct action. Llairr opted to dictate terms where Isha preferred to negotiate, and so she changed her approach.
"It is I who have been betrayed! My own erei'Hfirh opting to skulk around with a man of no name, no breeding and no status. It is dereliction of duty. What are you thinking asking to found a new House? Return to the Senate tomorrow and inform them that you were mistaken. I need a strong heir, and whatever else you are you are that.”"
Isha rolled her lower lip between her teeth. The undercurrent of this confrontation had been rippling between the women for years, its source in Llairr's insistance that Isha break of her liaison with the young Tal'Shiar officer and marry the Head of the House Illialhlae. For decades it had swirled and strengthened and now it burst out, unable to be curbed any longer.
"I did my duty to your House mother, twice. A house I left when I married, I returned at your insistance to serve as your heir when my sister was lost. That was seven years ago. In that time Kaolea has come of age and proven herself a leader, it would be an insult not to let her take her position of erie'Hfirh, one that I took only becuase there was no-one else at that time who could fill it.
"I left you House when I married, mother, and I told you that I would leave again when teh time was right. Now is that time. I leave my Husband's House in the rule of our daughter. I have done my duty to both Houses, I am a free woman, and I choose to use my wealth and influence to create a dynasty worthy of a great man."
Isha paused for breath as her words reached a crescendo, "Both Houses will have the support that the House of Vaurek can offer and I expect the same. On this matter I have nothing more to say." That was not strictly true, there was one more thing that Isha could have said to her mother but she left the words unspoken even though they hung in the air between them.
You have no power over me!
Llairr remained silent for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. Isha could see the musclues flickering beneath her smooth skin as she considered her options, then she saw in her gaze that her mother had acknowledged to herself at least that she could not win this arguement. It might be years, if ever before she acknowledged the same to Isha.
"Very well," Llairr said eventually. "You will return the badge of your office."
"Of course I will," Isha replied. Her mother was referring to one of the three swords that stood on a stand in her office back on Deep Space Five. The second of those three would be returned to her daughter and the third would mark the new line. "I have already sent word that it will be so. I have not yet heard anything back from the station, nor from the Dhelan."
"The Dhelan," Llairr said softly, "a ship you leave in the command of an undisciplined half-breed, one who has no respect for either her own, or for our customs."
Isha had expected this, but with the stipulation she had given the Senate there was nothing she could do for Rianni even if she wished to. "Perhaps you should start with the more senior members of your House who lack discipline, mother," she said, referring obliquely to R'Vek. Isha smiled as she continued in a more sympatheric tone. "If anyone can instill a sense of her obligations in Rianni Monteros it is you,” Isha declined to add that Llairr had failed to control Rianni’s father, but that was another story. “Have her marry," she suggested, "a male mate is not Rianni's preference, but she will come to understand that she has a duty to her House, to your House and that she can persue her own needs once that is done."
Llairr sat back in her chair and slowly exhaled. "You are a surprisingly cold woman, Isha, for all your passionate words," she had not expected such cynicism from her daughter.
"I'm a realist, mother. My main concern now is my children. I was serious when I said that I will retire to my colony on Cariel III and help expand the Empire's economy. Rianni is a grown woman and can take care of herself. If she ever expected me to wrap her in fleece then she was mistaken."
Isha could see that Llairr had raised an eyebrow, she couldn't really determine what her mother was thinking until Llairr asked, "Have you images of them?"
Isha nodded, "They are the tiniest little people I have ever seen," she said as she reached into a pocket and extracted a compact projector. Isha didn't care to mention how frightened she had been about losing them, how ealry they were, that was a conversation she would have with Chelsea if they ever met again. "This is Eviess ir-Pradai t’Vaurek, adn this Argelian ir-Pradai tr’Vaurek. Children, this is your hru'Nanov Llairr t'Khellian, a great lady who you will come to respect." Isha knew that they were just images, but it might be years before they met in person, and she owed her mother a little comfort after the blow she had dealt to her.
Isha t'Vaurek
hru'Hfirh of the House of Vaurek
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
| Title | The Rise of the House of Vaurek Part 2 | |
| Mission | Incommunicado | |
| Author(s) | Commander Isha t'Vaurek | |
| Posted | Sun Jul 08, 2012 @ 12:33pm | |
| Location | Isha's Estate. Ra'tleihfi. ch'Rihan. | |
| Timeline | Indeterminate but within Incommunicado timeline - will amend when I decide exactly where this falls |
"Who have i betrayed?" Isha responded coolly. "My husband is dead, our daughter is his successor. It would be a betrayal to the Illialhlae to force the House to adopt my lover's children.
Llair and her daughter could be defined by their contrasts. Llairr favoured the precise military uniform of the Rihannsu navy, whereas Isha was swathed in a soft rich robe. Isha favoured politicking where her mother favoured direct action. Llairr opted to dictate terms where Isha preferred to negotiate, and so she changed her approach.
"It is I who have been betrayed! My own erei'Hfirh opting to skulk around with a man of no name, no breeding and no status. It is dereliction of duty. What are you thinking asking to found a new House? Return to the Senate tomorrow and inform them that you were mistaken. I need a strong heir, and whatever else you are you are that.”"
Isha rolled her lower lip between her teeth. The undercurrent of this confrontation had been rippling between the women for years, its source in Llairr's insistance that Isha break of her liaison with the young Tal'Shiar officer and marry the Head of the House Illialhlae. For decades it had swirled and strengthened and now it burst out, unable to be curbed any longer.
"I did my duty to your House mother, twice. A house I left when I married, I returned at your insistance to serve as your heir when my sister was lost. That was seven years ago. In that time Kaolea has come of age and proven herself a leader, it would be an insult not to let her take her position of erie'Hfirh, one that I took only becuase there was no-one else at that time who could fill it.
"I left you House when I married, mother, and I told you that I would leave again when teh time was right. Now is that time. I leave my Husband's House in the rule of our daughter. I have done my duty to both Houses, I am a free woman, and I choose to use my wealth and influence to create a dynasty worthy of a great man."
Isha paused for breath as her words reached a crescendo, "Both Houses will have the support that the House of Vaurek can offer and I expect the same. On this matter I have nothing more to say." That was not strictly true, there was one more thing that Isha could have said to her mother but she left the words unspoken even though they hung in the air between them.
You have no power over me!
Llairr remained silent for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. Isha could see the musclues flickering beneath her smooth skin as she considered her options, then she saw in her gaze that her mother had acknowledged to herself at least that she could not win this arguement. It might be years, if ever before she acknowledged the same to Isha.
"Very well," Llairr said eventually. "You will return the badge of your office."
"Of course I will," Isha replied. Her mother was referring to one of the three swords that stood on a stand in her office back on Deep Space Five. The second of those three would be returned to her daughter and the third would mark the new line. "I have already sent word that it will be so. I have not yet heard anything back from the station, nor from the Dhelan."
"The Dhelan," Llairr said softly, "a ship you leave in the command of an undisciplined half-breed, one who has no respect for either her own, or for our customs."
Isha had expected this, but with the stipulation she had given the Senate there was nothing she could do for Rianni even if she wished to. "Perhaps you should start with the more senior members of your House who lack discipline, mother," she said, referring obliquely to R'Vek. Isha smiled as she continued in a more sympatheric tone. "If anyone can instill a sense of her obligations in Rianni Monteros it is you,” Isha declined to add that Llairr had failed to control Rianni’s father, but that was another story. “Have her marry," she suggested, "a male mate is not Rianni's preference, but she will come to understand that she has a duty to her House, to your House and that she can persue her own needs once that is done."
Llairr sat back in her chair and slowly exhaled. "You are a surprisingly cold woman, Isha, for all your passionate words," she had not expected such cynicism from her daughter.
"I'm a realist, mother. My main concern now is my children. I was serious when I said that I will retire to my colony on Cariel III and help expand the Empire's economy. Rianni is a grown woman and can take care of herself. If she ever expected me to wrap her in fleece then she was mistaken."
Isha could see that Llairr had raised an eyebrow, she couldn't really determine what her mother was thinking until Llairr asked, "Have you images of them?"
Isha nodded, "They are the tiniest little people I have ever seen," she said as she reached into a pocket and extracted a compact projector. Isha didn't care to mention how frightened she had been about losing them, how ealry they were, that was a conversation she would have with Chelsea if they ever met again. "This is Eviess ir-Pradai t’Vaurek, adn this Argelian ir-Pradai tr’Vaurek. Children, this is your hru'Nanov Llairr t'Khellian, a great lady who you will come to respect." Isha knew that they were just images, but it might be years before they met in person, and she owed her mother a little comfort after the blow she had dealt to her.
Isha t'Vaurek
hru'Hfirh of the House of Vaurek