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Post by Chase Firebrand on Aug 13, 2010 17:20:52 GMT -5
Chase put on an urbane smile, perfect but for the anger that glowed in his eyes. "Until then," he said politely. He held the door for Carolynn and shut it quietly behind her before his face crumbled into a furious glare. He would buy her a large house, an enormous house, and take his father's wisdom in situating her quarters far from his own.
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Post by Druscilla Grace on Aug 13, 2010 17:35:37 GMT -5
Dru had been dying to see Chase since the promotions, but things had been so crazy lately that there hadn't been much time to sleep, much less visit him. Between setting up people at the club so that she didn't have to worry, settling in the new DJ, the heavily tattooed charmer Robbie, and readying the library things had been crazy. The previous librarian had had such a weird way of sorting things, and Dru had been going through fixing everything to make more sense for her.
What she hadn't expected was to see a not-so-happy woman leaving Chase's office. She might not have given the woman a second glance had the face not triggered a vague memory of the Prophet. No, it couldn't be, why would she be here? Dru barely had the good grace to smile as they came close and she passed the woman to knock on Chase's door, much less say hello and pretend things were all fine.
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Post by Carolynn Firebrand on Aug 13, 2010 17:35:41 GMT -5
Carolynn still wasn't happy, and she was debating turning around and telling him to find someone else when an uncomfortably familiar girl popped up in front of her. Her eyes narrowed once more and she brushed past the girl, refusing to further acknowledge her presence. Why would Chase be with her? This...barkeep had nothing on her, and yet, if the Prophet was to be believed, the two regularly met at the school.
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Post by Chase Firebrand on Aug 13, 2010 18:03:53 GMT -5
Chase was still fuming when he answered the door, ready to bark at any student who was stupid enough to disturb him. Seeing Dru didn't help much, considering who had just left, but he kept his mouth closed and waved her in, his gaze skittering out into the corridor. The last thing he needed was the Daily Prophet printing that his office had a revolving door for female visitors, however true that seemed at the moment.
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Post by Druscilla Grace on Aug 13, 2010 18:14:21 GMT -5
"That was her, wasn't it?" Dru asked once she was inside. "She didn't look happy." And neither do you. The woman was beautiful, though. She felt jealousy start to rise up, whether she knew it was inappropriate or not. "Are you okay?" She crossed her arms loosely and brought her lip between her teeth. Perhaps she should have just pretended she hadn't recognized the woman.
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Post by Chase Firebrand on Aug 13, 2010 18:19:08 GMT -5
"Yeah, I'm great," Chase said, unable to hold back the bitterness. Yes, that was her, and no, she wasn't happy. It was obvious to him why she wouldn't be, so it didn't occur to him for a moment that Dru might not intuitively know as well. He didn't explain, but shut the door and turned away, pausing before he headed toward his desk. He could find something to do, sift through the notes on his desk and find something to take his mind off this.
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Post by Druscilla Grace on Aug 13, 2010 18:25:19 GMT -5
Dru was silent as he moved and after a few moments came up behind him. She brought her hands up to move against his shoulders in an attempt to help him relax. "What happened?" It was hard seeing him like this, and any of her jealousy or unease at finally coming face to face with her was pushed away. "If you want to talk, anyway." It felt so wrong to be asking about his problems with her, but it didn't feel right not to try.
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Post by Chase Firebrand on Aug 13, 2010 18:29:49 GMT -5
Chase tensed at Dru's touch, but he reminded himself that whatever Carolynn did or said had nothing to do with her, and made an effort to calm down. "She's not happy being married to a Deputy Headmaster," he said with little thought as he shuffled his papers. "But she refuses to call it off." Because of her age, the reason he'd gotten her in the first place. Otherwise he was sure she'd be waiting for her British cousin to settle down and bid for her.
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Post by Druscilla Grace on Aug 13, 2010 18:33:03 GMT -5
Dru wouldn't mind being married to a Deputy Headmaster, but she was all but certain saying so would not help either of them in this situation. Besides, she was sure that Chase would already know. "Why won't she call it off?" she settled on. It would be rather nice if it was called off, especially since Dru refused to think that Chase would probably just be promised to someone else if it happened.
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Post by Chase Firebrand on Aug 13, 2010 18:47:17 GMT -5
Chase pulled a paper out of his stack and stared at it unseeing as he formed his reply. "She's nearly twenty-five years old," he said at last. "She should have been married five years ago like the rest of the witches her age, and there aren't many men in Pureblood Society willing to take an older woman. The theory is that if a woman has been passed over for so long, she must have some defect."
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Post by Druscilla Grace on Aug 13, 2010 19:02:58 GMT -5
So why had Chase agreed? "Why do they have to be married that young?" Dru asked instead. She wanted to ask why Chase had ever said yes if the woman was undesirable to most others, but she didn't want to hear more about how he didn't have a choice and was doing his duty or whatever. "Why hasn't she been?" Wouldn't it hurt the family's reputation if there was something up with her?
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Post by Chase Firebrand on Aug 13, 2010 19:09:07 GMT -5
"Her father gives her more freedom than most and she wished to enjoy as much of it as possible," Chase said, answering Dru's final question first. It was something he could certainly understand. As to the first question... "This is just the way things are done, Dru. A Society man needs an heir and a woman near thirty has far less time to provide one than a woman of twenty." And men liked younger women. Why choose a witch who would soon be degrading, getting crows' feet or gaining weight, when one could choose a blossoming flower who would look perfect for years to come?
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Post by Druscilla Grace on Aug 13, 2010 19:28:49 GMT -5
"So then why are you with her?" Dru asked, unable to keep the question from her lips this time. "I mean...I know...but if she's too old..." She didn't finish her thought, hoping that Chase could fill it in on his own. She was under no delusions that she would end up with Chase and that would be it, and it felt like she was getting too close to bringing up that very dangerous topic.
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Post by Chase Firebrand on Aug 13, 2010 19:36:04 GMT -5
Chase only just repressed a sigh, and now he set his papers down. It didn't sound like the topic was going to blow over, so he might as well answer her questions and get it over with. "Her family has a great deal of money and status in Europe. My family has a great deal of money and status in the States. Our fathers made some kind of deal I don't even want to know about and sealed it by giving me Carolynn. The empires expand and everyone looks better for it. They marry off their daughter and we gain power here."
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Post by Druscilla Grace on Aug 13, 2010 19:58:36 GMT -5
Dru was silent as she slid her hands down his back and moved her arms around his waist. Why had it had to end up like this? "I think it's probably a good thing I'll never meet your father," she said. "Might just have to slap him." She wanted Chase to be happy, and it was rare that he was truly happy, and really it was because of his father. Not that slapping the man would do any good, but it would certainly feel good.
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