End of the Beginning (Emilian/Adara/Artemisios)

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian remained silent for a moment as he took in the man's words. "Most of the people here won't be her peers. There are very few here that are or will grow to be in the same class as she is, and the ones I know don't look down on her in the slightest, in their eyes her reputation hasn't suffered." The majority of the school was muggle-born, or at least of a lower class than Adara and Emilian, so what should it matter?

[Artemisios Snow]

Artemisios's eyes hardened at the boy's continued obtuseness. "Do you think that only the students of Hogwarts read the Daily Prophet? The Prophet is worldwide, as are Alumni of the school who will indeed read a column regarding their Alma Mater, to keep in touch with the way it is being run. To keep abreast of the children of their peers, and those who will be the peers of their children. The society of tomorrow is forming now, junge."

[Emilian Sota]

"You're so worried about adults believing the gossip column of a newspaper practically run by students?" That wasn't saying most of it wasn't true. "People have done much worse than be with me and went on to be respected and do great things, I think her reputation, and the family's, is fine." Emilian was close to just leaving, he could barely think to put his thoughts into words, much less think of an argument that would persuade Adara's father.

[Artemisios Snow]

"The Snow family has a spotless reputation, most especially the females. Pure as their namesake, Sota. You are a spot, a stain, and if you would put aside emotion long enough to listen, you would find that I have made no arguments against your continued relationship with my daughter, only with the image which is projected to society!" Artemisios's voice had begun to rise as he spoke, until he was nearly speeding through the words at the end. He paused, regrouped, and took a calming breath before going on.

"I have come to accept that your presence in my daughter's life is unavoidable, junge. I wish to assess your willingness to take responsibility for your actions." He wished to clear the stain from his daughter's name, but had not yet found the key to controlling Sota enough to force the issue of a public statement of intent. "I wish to begin preparing you for the responsibility which you will assume through your association with Adara."

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian narrowed his eyes slightly as his mind jumped back to the owl he had sent off the day before. "My responsibility?" he asked, though he thought knew exactly what the man expected of him. In his opinion there was no need for a ring, or a proposal, people were expected to do things during their youth so why did it matter so much to that man?

[Artemisios Snow]

The boy was incredibly dense, and Artemisios regretted his decision not to have simply killed Sota himself with a simple Avada Kedavra that day. "Surely you have realized that I have no sons," Artemisios said, leaning forward lightly against his arms as they rested in front of him on the desk. "Snow is more than a name, more than a simple estate. It is an Empire, junge, and will necessitate far more than a shopkeeper to keep it from crumbling. Lives depend on the upkeep of that empire. I assume that you think to marry my daughter?" If only there were some loophole in the Vow his daughter had taken, Artemisios would kill the boy now rather than leave him in control.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian had a moment where he realized how much he would have should, when he married Adara. He was his parents' only son and, while some of his inheritance had been transferred to an older cousin, he was still getting the vast majority of his parents' wealth and property. And with Adara would come even more, making him a very rich man. He settled into his chair and glanced over at her, not realizing how dangerous thoughts like those could be, then focused again on Snow. "Yes, one day," he said, his mind still running through the possibilities.

[Artemisios Snow]

Artemisios watched the boy for some moments, recognizing the light in the boy's eyes. The older man's lips curved ever slightly into a dry smile. "If you think that you will be receiving more than a token for marrying her, you are wrong, junge. A dowry is all that will belong to you. The rest remains in my daughter's name, until the occasion that she bears a son." Artemisios would not go into any further detail on that line now, as it had no bearing on the issues he was trying to make Sota understand.

"Even so, a great deal of power and responsibility will rest on your shoulders, should you marry Adara. My daughter has been tutored well in the running of the estate, in the maintenance of social ties, but it falls to her husband to make executive decisions that will keep things on Snow lands and in the surrounding areas running efficiently. It is work and sacrifice, junge, and failure could mean an uprising, the crumbling of a society dependent on the Snow empire, and a painful death for those deemed responsible. Are you confident in your leadership abilities, Sota?"

[Emilian Sota]

The rest remains in my daughter's name. That didn't mean anything, he could still get his hands on it if he really wanted it, he couldn't see Adara keeping it from him. He pulled his thoughts away from that to try to focus on what else the man was saying. Truthfully, no, he wasn't very confident in his leadership abilities, they had never been tested, and he had never really had a reason to need to be a true leader. "I can't give an honest answer, but I'm a fast learner." If that was what was needed, then he could work on it.

[Artemisios Snow]

Artemisios doubted that. The boy had simply realized what an advantageous match Adara was. Artemisios was under no delusions that he would get rid of Sota now, though if he'd had any choice to begin with, he never would have pointed all this out to the boy. "I am glad to hear that," Artemisios said at last. Whether he believed the boy or not, he was at least demonstrating some willingness to cooperate.

"I have a proposition for you," Artemisios went on, his dark eyes not leaving Sota's for a moment. "I will consent to a lengthy betrothal between yourself and my daughter, and will double an already generous dowry. On one condition. You must come with me to Schneewittchen, the Snow family seat, and apply yourself to learning the running of it."

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian didn't particularly like that idea, but if it was what was needed... "How long would it be?" He didn't plan on doing it, but he did intend to get as much information as he could before giving the man a firm yes or no. He didn't want to leave his shop, didn't want to leave Adara, but how much freedom did he really have if he wanted to stay safe and keep her?

[Artemisios Snow]

Artemisios's dark eyes gleamed with the knowledge that he'd gotten the boy's attention, if not his immediate assent. "It would depend, of course, upon how fast a learner you are," he said. Artemisios would extend the time for as long as he could; he fully intended to teach the boy some hard lessons. "It would take some months, naturally, but if you wished, I might be persuaded to make allowances for periodical returns to Hogsmeade, on the condition that my daughter reside exclusively at Hogwarts until any and all conditions are met on your behalf."

[Emilian Sota]

"So I would be allowed to come back, but not see Adara?" Reside exclusively at Hogwarts. "Or do you mean that she just couldn't stay the night?" Either way Emilian didn't like it, he had grown used to having Adara with him all the time, and he couldn't imagine going back to the way they had been before, even just the thought of her going back up to the school was enough to make him cringe.

[Artemisios Snow]

"The latter," Artemisios said, his jaw tensing at having to make the distinction. If this was the future of the Snow family, then Artemisios needed to begin searching for a new wife, one able to produce a son for him. Or, at the least, he should pray to whatever deity had not yet forsaken him that Adara produced a son with some intelligence. "Think of it as an incentive to excel, junge," Artemisios went on. "Once my conditions are met, you will be free to do as you wish." Hopefully, the boy had not already forgotten those conditions that he had already mentioned.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian had the feeling he had done something wrong, and shifted slightly in his chair. He thought for a few moments on everything, trying to think of a way out of it, he didn't care to go to the Snow estate for any length of time, much less months. He didn't speak, he didn't know how he could get out of it, not and stay safe and with Adara.