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 Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:00 am
"A solution?" Terryn looked between the two elders and then to Marcus, instinctively moving closer to him. "I am sorry, but I do not see where this is a problem that needs a solution. I mean, if you really want us to pretend we are married or something, I-"
The earl shook his head and put up his hand to silence her. "Terryn, that would not do. We can not allow you two to go around in such a state and not at least be properly married by the church. I know that you have never been particularly religious, but yoou must do it to at least save face. Which is why-" He took a deep breath and sighed. "I am afraid if you two do not wed wihin the next month or so, before things get out of hand and too noticeable, then you two are forbidden from seeing each other."
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:45 am
Marcus stared disbelievingly at the earl, and then moved his very accusatory gaze to his grandmother, who nodded slightly, unsmiling. He gaped for a few moments before snorting. "This...I...no!" he exploded, glaring at both of the elders.
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:55 am
Terryn looked as though she had just been slapped in the face. She held on to Marcus tightly, narrowing her eyes at her father. "Why would you do this? I thought you wanted me to find someone? Why must we be rushed into marriage."
"Terryn, sweetheart. It is not our fault. It is the circumstances." He lookd to the duchess, his heart feeling very heavy for what he was doing.
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:08 pm
"Circumstances?" repeated Marcus, practically spitting the word at his grandmother.
The Duchess was a little unnerved, but held her chin up, nonetheless. "You ought to have more carefully considered the consequences of your decision."
Marcus stared. "Now it's my fault, is it?" he asked, unable to believe what was happening. "It's not something you can do without the other's consent--"
The Duchess, opting not to answer this, cast her hand towards the door. "We will discuss at home. Go to the coach, Marcus."
Marcus was indignant to leave, but couldn't see how he could possibly make things better. He looked at Terryn. "I--I'll---we'll find some way," he told her, less capable of soothing that he originally thought.
"Marcus. Go to the coach," repeated the Duchess, her tone growing harder.
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:15 pm
"Marcus-" Terryn refused to release his hand, looking at her father indignantly. "You can not do this do to me. I am old enough to do as I will, and if I wish to be with him, you cannot stop me!" She gave Marcus one determined look and pulled him in the opposite direction, bolting up the stairs to her bedroom.
"Terryn! You get back here this instant!" His voice fell on deaf ears as he looked to the duchess, sighing. "Do we dare go after them?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:45 pm
On his way up the stairs, Marcus had his second epiphany. His first one, of course, his idea to feign romance with Terryn. Granted, that one did not turn out as plan, but still. He was not disappointed with the results.
"Terryn," he said suddenly, as they entered her bedroom. "Do you speak French?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:48 pm
"French?" Terryn shut the door behind them, fixing the deadbolt and taking a seat on her bed, beckoning him to sit beside her. "A little. My Spanish better."
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:55 pm
Marcus paced. "Yes, that's alright. My Spanish is just passable. We could manage." He looked up to her. "Terryn, as you know, I have many estates. Most of them, of course, are in England, but I have several in France and two in Spain. Russia, I think, would be a bit too far."
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 1:00 pm
"Marcus..." Terryn fell silent, looking a little nervous about the whole thing. "Marcus we can not just flee to another country. Even if we did manage to get away, your grandmother and my father could just follow us." She stood up and stopped his pacing, taking his hands in hers. "For some reason, they think we are too old not to be wed, I do not know why, but they do. We can not just run from them."
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 1:05 pm
"But why not?" protested Marcus. "No one would dare cross me, I could ensure that it would take the Duchess and Earl months to find us." The longer he thought about it, the better it seemed. "If you're worried about leaving the country, we could just as easily find an estate within the country. I have one to the North that you would love, Terryn. There's a beautiful garden of roses..."
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 1:09 pm
Terryn closed her eyes, pain evident on her face. "But..." She looked up at him sadly, pulling herself in to kiss him for a few seconds before resting her head against his chest. "I can not go. My father...he needs me around. Without me, it will be just him and Serina, and you know what she is like. I can not let the manor fall to her."
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 2:45 pm
Marcus frowned at her deeply, and tried to think of another solution, but there was none. Marriage was quite simply not an option. He would truly sooner kill himself than get married. And he knew, in the most rational part of his mind, that it would be impossible to see Terryn if the Duchess and Earl truly were against it. "Alright," he said, in the gentlest voice he could muster. "What do you suggest?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 7:47 pm
Terryn sighed and rubbed at her temples, falling back onto her bed and staring up at her canopy. "I do not know, Marcus. Truly, I have no idea. The only thing I can think of is to try and confront them about this, maybe try to make them see reason or something. I mean, they are acting as though we are harboring some evil secret."
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Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:19 am
"We have tried to confront them," Marcus reminded her. He exhaled and sank down onto her bed next to her. "They were unreasonable."
The Duchess was, quite simply, annoyed beyond the point of return. "Really. They're acting like children."
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Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 10:09 am
"That is true." Terryn inched over and rested her head on Marcus's lap. "Perhaps if we gave them time...My father has never seen me in such a state, has never once seen me actually enjoying the company of any man. Perhaps it is a shock."
The earl shuddered a bit as he fell into his large chair. "Please, do not mention the word children right now."
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