You did WHAT? (closed)

[Carolynn Firebrand]

Of all the things her fiance could have done upon graduating, he had become deputy headmaster of a school. Carolynn felt dirty just walking the halls, as though her dress brought straight from Tokyo would be ruined just from the knowledge that kids walked the halls. Her normally carefully controlled features were hard like marble as she turned through the halls at a clip to knock on Chase's door. Her arms crossed tightly in front of her as she waited.

[Chase Firebrand]

Chase felt no compulsion to open his door personally this time, and only gave a brief glance up from his work to flick his wand. His eyes froze, however, at the sight that greeted him, and in an instant he had risen to his feet and annoyance at the interruption was replaced with a warm look, however insincere it might have been.

"Carolynn, darling, what a surprise," he said, taking her hand for a proper kiss to her knuckles. His gaze flickered past her for just a moment, scanning the corridor for nosy students before he returned his full attention to his demanding fiancée. He was in shock that she had uprooted herself from her cozy flat, and more surprised still that his house-elf had not informed him of this unusual circumstance. "Do come in."

[Carolynn Firebrand]

Carolynn stepped in, casting her eyes around the office. "I don't recall you telling me about your impending...promotion," she said, only turning to look at him once the words were done and she was finished examining the room. She put on a smile and brought her hands together in front of her. "I do wish you had told me," she continued. "I could have arranged a congratulatory party." No, she wouldn't have, but at least she would not have been blindsided by an announcement in the paper.

[Chase Firebrand]

A party. Right. Chase didn't believe that for a second, but then, surface conversation was worthless anyway. He could feel her displeasure and wondered if she had come to talk him out of his new position or to release him from their contract. Whatever the case, the conversation promised to be unpleasant at best.

He put on an urbane smile for Carolynn's benefit, then gestured for her to take one of the comfortable chairs half facing his desk. "The offer was a surprise to me as well," he said truthfully. And I took it without a moment's thought otherwise. "My father is still healthy and active. There are years before I'll need to take his place. It is a far more worthwhile pursuit than, say... shopkeeping." Which all her friends seemed to be doing. His reasoning was, of course, a line of bullsh~, but if it soothed her at all, the lie would have done its job.

[Carolynn Firebrand]

Carolynn knew that just because Chase's father was still breathing didn't mean there weren't opportunities for Chase. "I was under the impression you were going to go into other business rather than schooling. Working here seems to be such a permanent choice." If she knew anything about the history of the school, it was that it had a history of keeping professors and headmasters until they died.

[Chase Firebrand]

"It is a man's prerogative to change his mind," Chase said, the words perfectly civil on the surface, but brimming with defiance beneath. He reminded himself that he must do his utmost to keep her, however. If she broke the contract all was well enough. It would reflect badly on him, but no more badly than anything else he'd done. If however, he drove her to it and put forth no efforts to appease her, it would reflect badly on both of them and she would likely ruin any future prospects for him. He did not want to face his father's wrath should he lose the Singhs as contacts entirely.

[Carolynn Firebrand]

"And you changed your mind on the spot?" Carolyn asked, arching a brow at Chase. "I would have assumed that you would inform me of such an important decision." It wasn't normal to accept such a change immediately, or even so suddenly and quickly. Especially considering the decision affected her, as well. It was just a little important to know what a fiance is doing when it came to talking to others. It wouldn't be right for her to be out of the loop, but here she was.

[Chase Firebrand]

"My owl must have been lost," Chase said dryly. He owed her no explanations. Doing so would have been a courtesy, but he had run short of courtesies in the past year. He was growing impatient with life again, unsure what he wanted outside his firm desire to hold onto the power he'd gained at Hogwarts. Returning home would be resuming his place as Daemon Firebrand's son, a second-class aristocrat, when here he was a man in his own right.

"Come now, Carolynn," he went on, his voice softening as he moved closer to the exquisite viper who was his betrothed. "You will still live as you wish. I'll take you to balls and dinner parties and buy your puzzles. You can remain close to your friends. Is that truly so bad?"

[Carolynn Firebrand]

"I did not agree to marry a deputy headmaster," Carolynn said, eyes turning cool before she looked away from him. "It would be like agreeing to marry a woman that was unspoiled, only to have her bed someone that would increase connections." Not entirely a bad thing, if a good connection was made then all the better, but it still wasn't exactly what the man had signed on for. Deputy headmaster just did not have the same ring as...well...just about anything else Chase would have been heading for.

[Chase Firebrand]

"Is that really the example you want to use, Carolynn?" Chase asked, his eyes flickering crimson in annoyance. She had certainly not been unspoiled when he'd met her, and though it had nothing to do with his decisions, it was a point against her. Neither of them was perfect by any stretch of the imagination.

[Carolynn Firebrand]

Carolynn brought her eyes back over to Chase, then raised an eyebrow. As if he had ever expected her to be pure behind closed doors. "You knew what you were agreeing to, as I thought I did. How long do you intend to keep this position?" He would leave tonight, if she had any control over his decisions in her current position.

[Chase Firebrand]

"Until I tire of it," Chase answered, the tension in his voice barely restrained. "How long will you hold friendships with shopkeepers and rapists? I overlook these things because you are perfection in good company, not because I approve." He overlooked her having lived with a shopkeeper for a time because she had left when he demanded it.

[Carolynn Firebrand]

"I do not keep friendship with rapists," Carolynn clarified. She never claimed friendship with Emilian. And Mano could have been considered her escort as she moved closer to her fiance. "Is having shopkeepers as friends all that much worse than remaining in school too long, only to become deputy headmaster?" she asked.

[Chase Firebrand]

"I'm not giving up the position, Carolynn. Not now, and that is my final argument," Chase declared, turning away from his fiancée. "Do what you will with it. If you cannot bear my decision, then make your own." It was dangerous, so dangerous refusing to budge on this when he knew his father wouldn't approve either, but it was what he wanted.

[Carolynn Firebrand]

Carolynn narrowed her eyes at Chase for a few long moments, jaw tightening. She couldn't break it off, though if he made one wrong move then she was not going to just turn another blind eye. "Well then," she said. "I look forward to our meeting this weekend." At least he was good for something, no matter his various faults.