Proof (Emilian/Artemisios/Adara)

[Artemisios Snow]

The older man's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You assume too much, junge," he said. "My first thought is for the fate of the family, which generations have sacrificed to bring to this very moment. Adara is my only child, and on her delicate shoulders rests the fate of the family; she knows this, and will do what is right, at any expense to herself. She will be happy, because it is ingrained in her to be so, to see only light. She will do her duty without complaint, as she always has."

[Emilian Sota]

"She will not be happy," Emilian said, his own hard eyes narrowing. "It may be ingrained in her to see the light, but she knows sadness and anger and if she is forced into that marriage it will break her." His voice was low and full of leashed anger. The man would know that they were more than friends, there was no way he could ignore the fact that Emilian cared so much for her to even risk angering him. "What is right by you is not what is right by her," he declared, the fingers of both hands curling around the edges of the armrests.

[Artemisios Snow]

"Unverschämter junge!" Artemisios hissed, a hand suddenly curled into a fist slamming the desk top. Artemisios breathed deeply, reining in his temper at great effort, and when he spoke, his voice was low with malignant tension. "I invited you into my private office, wishing to meet my daughter's friend, and you dare to insult me, to question me! There is no reasoning with the ignorant. You will leave now, and you will send my daughter in to me." The boy had grown too bold by far, and Artemisios was finished with him. He knew enough.

[Emilian Sota]

"There is no reasoning with fools," Emilian shot back, standing and putting his palms on the desk, leaning over it and glaring at the man. "I came here hoping to ask her hand, hoping that her father could have some yearning for her to be happy in life only to find that he is more stuck in his ways than even my own parents." His eyes glinted angrily and his blood was pounding in his ears.

"I will leave, but I will not send her back here," he said, pushing himself away from the desk. He wasn't thinking of the consequences of his actions, only that he was angry at the man and showing that he wasn't afraid was strangely satisfying. Deep down he knew that it was a mistake, that the man could steal Adara away and he'd never see her again, but Emilian held out hope that they could get through it.

[Artemisios Snow]

"Hochnäsiger junge!" One large hand struck out across the desk, the back of his hand flying toward Sota's scarred face. "You are not worthy of my daughter's hand!" Artemisios spat. "You are a boy with a miserable past and no future. You have nothing to offer her! By what stupidity would you believe that you were worthy of her?" Artemisios waited for no reply, but went on, one hand shifting unobtrusively across the desk to alight on a plain black paperweight, though he made no move to pick it up.

Almost immediately, the door opened, and his associate's frame filled the doorway. "See Mr. Sota out," Artemisios said to the man, then turned a black gaze on the boy. "Now you may leave," he said. The boy would not be allowed the chance to make good on his implied threat to leave with Adara.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian's head turned sharply with the impact, he stared angrily off to the side for a moment before bringing his hate-filled gaze back to him. He was practically shaking with fury, how dare this man? Before meeting him Emilian had hated him, now he was consumed by it. He remained silent, though, knowing his voice would shake if he tried to speak. The entire left side of his face stung and he had the feeling that his jaw would be sore the next day.

He sent one more blazing look at the man in front of him before turning and storming past the man in the doorway. When he stalked through the store, his hands balled into fists behind him, he spared a glance around the store for Adara, and met her eyes for a moment, the brief contact showing only anger. All else was buried deep underneath it. You are a boy with a miserable past and no future. His jaw clenched as the words echoed through his mind.

[Adara Snow]

Adara was standing in front of a display at one side of the shop, a lightly shimmering silver plume in her hands, when she had heard the office door open and turned, expectantly, hopefully. Her hopes faded in the face of Emilian's obvious anger. What had happened? Adara headed across the shop toward him, her fears rushing to the foreground of her mind.

Her father's associate stopped her with a brief, but insistent clearing of his throat. "Your father wishes to speak with you," the man said.

Adara stopped, indecision written in her eyes. She wanted to go to Emilian now, to tend to him and calm him, to hear whatever reassuring words he might have in return. But her father did not request; he demanded. How could she disobey his summons?

[Emilian Sota]

You have nothing to offer her! Emilian's heart broke for the hope he watched die in Adara, which somehow fought its way through the angry haze in his eyes and thoughts. He dragged his eyes away from hers and stormed out of the store, slamming open the door and turning to go back to his shop. Adara would come see him, if she didn't he didn't know what he would do, she had to come see him. He hated leaving her, but he was no use in the state he was in.

[Adara Snow]

Adara watched Emilian leave, shocked to the core. Something had gone wrong, and Emilian had left her. She couldn't move, couldn't seem to make herself think beyond that simple fact; he had left her. It was the gentle pressure of hands at her shoulders that coaxed movement out of her. She went blindly where her father's associate led her, back into the office, back to the chair she had vacated. She sat, stunned, the silver quill resting lightly in her hands.

[Artemisios Snow]

Artemisios had resumed his seat and his posture of casual power, though the pulse of his blood still roared in his ears. The boy had showed his true colors at last, but he had been the stronger of the two. Artemisios did not flatter himself that he had won the war, but this first battle was his victory.

Artemisios brought his gaze to Adara, recognizing the faraway look in her eyes. It was an unattractive but useful trait she had developed at some point during her childhood. He knew that he would have no difficulty with her. "It is a lovely quill you have chosen, prinzessin," he said, purposefully drawing what was still left of her attention.

"When you leave here, you will return to the school, do you understand? The boy is safe as long as he poses no threat or interference. Remember that, prinzessin. You would not wish your friend to be hurt by your misconduct, would you?" Artemisios knew that the boy was not allowed on Hogwarts grounds. This would give valuable time for him to plan his next move, or to make arrangements to take Adara home.

[Adara Snow]

Adara had already begun to retreat into her private world. It was the only way she could cope with the fears that threatened to choke her. She shook her head slowly, giving her father the expected response without thought. There was enough left of her to take in his words, and they only added to the rush of terror looming over her. Emilian was in danger, and it was her fault. She could do nothing else but return to the school and hope that that was enough.

The part of her that had rebelled only yesterday in Emilian's arms struggled against such inactivity. She told herself only that he had not demanded she send no owls, and in truth, if he did make such a demand, he could not monitor every owl which left the school without the Headmistress's cooperation.

[Artemisios Snow]

Artemisios watched Adara for some time, until he determined that she had withdrawn long enough. "Prinzessin," he said softly, "Awaken now. Take your quill to the castle. Be safe. I will call upon you again." Artemisios stood then, rounded the desk and guided Adara to her feet. His hand lifted hers to his lips for one brief moment. "Remember what I have said. Be good, do as you have been told, and Father will take care of you."

[Adara Snow]

Adara blinked, ink-black lashes fluttering a moment against her cheeks. "It is as you wish, Father," she said softly. When he had released her hand, she turned to the door with her quill, and left the shop. She was going back to the castle, for Emilian.

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[Artemisios Snow]

Artemisios sat for several long moments before his hand once again reached for that smooth black paperweight, summoning his associate. "Have the Jewellery Shop watched," he said. "And see what students at the school you might induce to cooperation." His associate nodded and left, leaving Artemisios to his thoughts.