Goodbyes

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian had walked back to the shop in silence, Adara's hand comfortably in his, thinking about the conversation. His mind, while concerned with not seeing Adara, had been focusing more on the knowledge that there was a lot in it for him. It was only when he went into his shop and up the stairs to settle on the couch with Adara that he glanced over and saw the necklace he had given her. Then the reality of it all flooded back and he pulled his hand from hers to wrap his arms around her.

He wasn't going to see her for possibly months, and it was going to be hard for him, because without her there, it would be so much easier to...no, he wouldn't think of that. Emilian loved her, and as he buried his head in her neck and breathed in her scent, it made his heart ache. He prayed that he didn't end up hurting her, he wouldn't hurt her, he wouldn't let himself. He would push through whatever her father did and come back to her, prove that he could marry her.

[Adara Snow]

Adara wrapped her arms softly around Emilian's head, holding him close. It didn't occur to her that he'd have a thought for the money, and so all that was left was the thought of how much she loved him for doing this. If a thought had existed that he would be exposed to temptation without her, she didn't let it surface, but concentrated on all the good this could bring. Her father would accept Emilian this way, and she no longer had to worry about finding herself married to someone she didn't know.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

When Michael pushed open the door after knocking, he almost said something, then realized that the air in the room was somewhat thicker than it should have been. He glanced back at Dare and stepped into the room, unsure what was going on, just knowing that he had a bad feeling from the way they were holding each other. "Emilian?" he called, not wanting to startle them, but it was the only way to figure out what was going on.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare hitched up his sketchbook under his arm as he followed Michael into the room, wondering what that look from Michael had meant. Then he saw Emilian and Adara, unmoving on the couch in a posture that silently screamed of their emotional connection, and...desperation? Sadness? Loss? It was entirely different from the last time he'd seen them, and Dare couldn't help comparing and contrasting. The emotion, the connection, it was amazing how much was palpable just walking in. Dare's gaze shifted from the pair on the couch and settled on Michael, wondering how much of what he felt could be felt like that. They weren't as intense as Adara and Emilian obviously were, but still...there was a lot between them.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian had heard the knock, and had heard the door open, though he hadn't responded, he hadn't breathed in enough of Adara to pull away. Then when he heard his name he knew he couldn't stay like he was any longer and pulled his head up, first meeting Adara's eyes before turning his head to look at Dare and Michael. He thought about not speaking, though that could have been because he just didn't want to say what had happened. But he spoke anyway, his eyes cold, then softening as he did, "We just got back from Diagon Alley," he said, as though it would explain everything.

[Adara Snow]

Adara's arms loosened, but she had difficulty pulling herself away to a more acceptable distance for company. Her hands hovered on Emilian's shoulders even as she nodded, silently declaring that something had happened, even if she refused to allow herself to see anything other than the benefits. Finally she sighed softly, then brought her hands to rest in her lap. "Father wishes Emilian to learn the running of the estate," she said, unsure whether Michael would guess the rest, but unable to say more just now.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael raised an eyebrow and, instead of asking aloud, looked to Emilian for the answer to his unspoken question. What had happened for Adara's father to want Emilian to do that? The last Michael had known, the man had wanted Emilian dead. Michael glanced back at Dare again, like he would find an answer by looking at Dare.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's brows rose a bit, but all he could do was shrug. He didn't know a thing about Pureblood politics, so he didn't even know whether to think this was strange or not. For all he knew, the Vow had done its job, and everything was copacetic now. Or Adara's father had something else up his sleeve. Either way, Dare moved a bit farther into the room, up to Michael's side rather than hovering in the background. He didn't have anything to add, but that didn't mean he had to stay invisible.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian didn't want to pull away from Adara, wouldn't have at all had she not pulled her arms back. He settled back into the couch but kept his arm behind her back so that there was enough contact to hold him over, and let his other hand rest on his leg. "I'll be leaving," he said, his voice not nearly as strong as it usually was. "In a few days, and I don't know when I'll be able to come back."

[Adara Snow]

Adara's lip found its way between her teeth, and her brows knitted. That was the part she hadn't wanted to acknowledge. She lowered her head slightly, closing her eyes against the painful emotions washing through her, trying to push them back where they couldn't hurt her. She couldn't open her mouth to speak, couldn't form words. Michael would know the risks her relationship with Emilian would face, would he not?

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael found himself wishing that Emilian had another couch as he went over to the chairs to the right of Emilian and Adara with the small table between them and sat in one, gesturing for Dare in the other. It was the answer that Michael hadn't wanted to hear, did Adara's father have any idea how dangerous it was to the relationship for Emilian to not be around Adara? He probably doesn't care, he told himself. "So...is he okay with you two?" he asked, creasing his eyebrows as he tried to understand how the decision had been made.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare followed in Michael's wake, taking the other seat after a brief pause in which he'd actually considered perching on the arm of the delicate chair Michael was sitting in. But he could bear the distance for a little while, especially considering the conversation. Dare was suddenly aware as he sat of the fact that his shorts had been in the lake today, and even if he knew he was dry, he couldn't quite relax against the ornate fabric of the chair. He forced that from his mind, though. Setting his sketchbook across his lap, Dare turned his mind back to the conversation.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian's fingers curled lightly around Adara's waist and he shook his head, expression cold again. "No, he just realized that he has to live with it. I'm supposed to go with him so I can run the estate, and he agreed to us and a doubled dowry." His eyes flashed ever so slightly at the last, remembering the thoughts he had had earlier in the day of money, though the appeal of it wasn't so great with Adara by him, a constant reminder that he wouldn't be seeing her.

[Adara Snow]

Adara's eyes blinked open at that, then shifted to look aside at Emilian. She didn't recall any mention of her dowry, and so she could only assume that was something which had been discussed after she had withdrawn. She was surprised that Emilian would mention such a thing more than that her father had offered it. She couldn't imagine that the money would mean much to Emilian; after all, he had expressed no concern over his current finances. Still, she caught that spark in his eyes, and her own darkened ever so slightly with a moment's doubt.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael didn't miss the look in Emilian's eyes when he mentioned the dowry, and his eyes matched Adara's and darkened. He knew Emilian's money hungry side and he knew how dangerous it could be. He wondered how the fact of money would affect Emilian's feelings for the relationship. "So what about the shop, just going to keep it closed?" he asked, deciding against talking about the money.