The Price of Anger

[Lord Laurent de Lac]

Laurent's day had been going rather well. He was still getting settled in to the massive city that was Triadon, but time was making it easier. It was not that Triadon was a foreign place to him, it was more that the de Lacs visited it so rarely. Pescadin and the surrounding burroughs were nothing compared to the might and majesty of Triadon. It even bigger than Twinport and Rosewine! The size made it easy to become lost, but he was fortunate that the city guard could easily be found and that they were willing point him in the right direction.

He entered the house with a forced exhale and then he smiled at the familiar sights. He felt safe here. As near as he could tell, there was no else in the house aside from the servants. They assured him that Lord Aristide had gone off some time ago and that Lisette was in the marketplace. It pleased Laurent to know that Lisette was venturing out on her own. It was good for her to do so. She had recovered significantly in the years since the tragic events.

"Excellent," he smiled as he started to loosen his tunic and get more comfortable. But now what was he going to do? He supposed he'd best have a meeting with Lady Julia and soon. He needed to find out if she was going to truly be the heiress of Twinport. If that was the case, he was going to have to find another vocation! Thus, he ventured to the study to start penning a letter.


Lady Lisette de Lac

[Lady Lisette de Lac]

Returning home flushed with fury and basketless, Lisette didn't bother with trying to close the door gently. She let it slam behind her with a satisfyingly loud crash and started down the hall with staccato steps towards the stairs leading up to her chambers. Wanting nothing more than to be alone to vent her emotions, knowing she would have to explain her actions to her brothers, she moved with the brisk pace that warned the servants off. The lady was not in a good mood.

The silence was welcome to her, suggesting that none of her brothers were home. Good, she would have a chance to vent in peace and privacy, leaving her able to explain herself with a measure of calm.

[Lord Laurent de Lac]

Lady Julia,

I trust that this letter finds you well and in good spirits. It has been far too long since we have met each other as cousins. I remember our past meetings fondly, even if I may have spent far too much time trying to make you laugh more than anything else. In fact, if we meet again, I may try to do so again just for old times' sake.

I write to you to request the pleasure of your company. I feel we have a great deal to discuss, particularly regarding the future. Also, I have some concerns about my family and I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter. Your lord father has made his stance on various matters quite clear.

I propose that we

The sudden slam of the door made him jump, nearly causing him to stretch a streak of black ink across the parchment. Fortunately, that did not happen. Exhaling thankfully, he set the pen aside carefully and ventured out of the study just in time to hear Lisette going upstairs. She was angry. Something happened.

Deciding to give her several minutes of solitude, he finished up the letter before venturing up the steps himself toward the door of her room. "Lisette?"

[Lady Lisette de Lac]

Reaching the sanctity and safety of her room, she slammed that door as well, forgetting to lock it before she flung herself face down on the bed. The tears she wanted to shed refused to come, but Lisette curled up around one of the pillows and let the trembling she'd barely staved off seize her. Closing her eyes, she dragged in ragged, harsh breaths, jumping when she heard her twin's voice. There was no keeping Laurent out, much less at bay, but she couldn't bring herself to answer. Her silence, she knew, would bring him into the room and to her side. Just as he always had been. Only then did she think she could tell him of what occurred.

[Lord Laurent de Lac]

Laurent kept his steps slow and even as he made his approach, not wanting her to feel anymore rushed than he did. He opened the door to peek inside, immediately noticing that she was curled up miserably on the bed. He had no idea what had happened, but there were only a few explanations he could immediately think of. She did not seem physically harmed, which he took as a small blessing.

The tall man approached the bed, settled onto it and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm here," was all he could bring himself to say. When she was ready to tell him what happened, she would do so.

[Lady Lisette de Lac]

Turning into his arms, her safe-haven and shelter against every storm, the tears finally broke loose as she sobbed against his shoulder. "It was horrible. That dreadful, disgusting man was there and spoke to me, Laurent. I tried to get away, tried to be polite, but..." Lisette clung to her twin, shaking her head as she replayed the entire sordid scene in her mind. And it was every bit as bad in memory as it had been during its unfolding. "He would not let up, I was so angry. I... I slapped him and told him it was his fault, that he had made his son into that wretched, cruel and selfish prig." Lifting a teary face, she braced herself for the disappointment and anger he was likely to feel for her behavior. She deserved it, but hated it when it came from Laurent.

[Lord Laurent de Lac]

When she turned into his arms, he immediately enfolded her into a loving embrace and kissed her gently on the forehead. It did not take long for the tears to start seeping through his tunic, but he ignored them. At first, he had no idea who she was talking about, but then enough clues came through: Rupert. A sigh escaped him and then anger welled with him. What had Rupert done to his sister?

"Oh, Lisette," he said quietly and then touched her cheek fondly. She had let her anger out and it was completely understandable. "That family truly does bring out the worst in people," he confessed and then kissed her forehead again. Should she have slapped him? Probably not, but she knew that. However, could she truly be blamed? "What did he say to you?"

[Lady Lisette de Lac]

Drawing in a shuddering breath, Lisette was fully aware she'd let her anger seize hold of her and bring her to commit acts she shouldn't have. Slapping Lord Rupert accomplished nothing except to keep the rancor fresh between them, though there was a tiny evil corner of her heart that gloried in the act. It was like taking a small piece of her pride back. "He said he was not his son, and what did I want him to do? Ignore propriety and cut the fool's tongue out?" She sighed and dashed away wetness from her cheeks. "He also brought up her. On purpose."

[Lord Laurent de Lac]

Laurent nodded slowly, and then frowned when Lisette mentioned their mother. "He brought up our mother? Whatever for? Was he trying to find out whether or she was here or coming? Or do you think he was trying to drive in some sort of knife?" It was hard to judge, especially since Laurent was not there. He had heard Rupert was not the most pleasant of men, but to be outright cold and cruel? Hmm.

Looking around for a moment, he spotted a nearby handkerchief and gently dabbed at her tears with a gentle, encouraging smile.

[Lady Lisette de Lac]

"He was trying to find out if she was here." Lisette tried to think past her emotions in that moment, to better answer his question. "I don't know if he was just probing. It seemed that way. Perhaps we should arrange for her to come to Triadon after all, and we can go back home. That would be the best punishment for the de Veres, inflict our mother on him." Sniffling back her tears, she shifted and tried to smile for his sake.

[Lord Laurent de Lac]

That made him laugh very quietly and once again touch her cheek fondly. "I know it's hard to see him again, Lisette. I do." He gave her a sympathetic expression but he was also trying to figure out how to word his next critical piece of advice as gently as he possibly could. "No, we shouldn't retreat, but you know that. Do you really regret coming here?"

[Lady Lisette de Lac]

"Don't you?" She shook her head, convinced now more than ever that misery followed them like a curse. "Even Ari is not very happy to be here, and you are hardly your usual sunny self, Laurent. I am starting to think there is nowhere we can go where we won't encounter enemies and shrews." Lisette moved away from his touch, anticipating some sort of scold as she went to make use of the water in the pitcher and bowl she kept in her room to wash her face free of tears.

[Lord Laurent de Lac]

"Because we're angry," he said it quietly, and then he spoke up, "We're angry. And understandably so. What happened with Aristide was reprehensible at the very least, and what happened to you was horrid. But ..." His own hands came up to rub at his face tiredly. "I can't do it, Lisette. I don't see how we can continue to hold onto this anger. I have to wonder if this is why we feel we can never be happy or fit in anywhere."

[Lady Lisette de Lac]

She whirled on him, staring at him in mingled disbelief and shock. "So what are you saying? We should just... forgive and forget? Pretend it never happened? Act like they didn't shame and humiliate us?" Lisette could hardly believe her ears. Her own twin, no less! "How can we be happy when they've swanned around like they did nothing wrong? How can we fit in when they've made it all but impossible for us to show our faces? Between that woman we call our mother and the de Veres, I wonder if our House shouldn't return to the Lintenese fold. At least they appreciated us for who we are!"

[Lord Laurent de Lac]

"By showing our faces in spite of them," he lifted his head and gazed at her levelly. "We cannot allow them to win this battle, Lisette. Oh, and to be clear, we are still going to make them answer for what they have done. At the very least, they need to apologize for what happened and offer some kind of recompense. The feud is bad for their image in Court, and they are current marred because of what that boy did."

He raised a finger, "Forgive, maybe, but forget? Never. We've learned our lesson from this encounter and it's time for us to emerge stronger for it."