09-21-2015, 07:32 PM
Slab marble made the bathroom where Jaxen showered. He longed to soak in the oversized tub and savor the stream of water pouring across the back of his neck like a waterfall, but the shower was a fine substitution. Body jets power-washed the snake voodoo off him. The trickle of rain streaming from above streamed rivulets of water along the lines of his face. He wasn't particularly hurrying, but he did take a minute to close his eyes, lean his head back and let the droplets prickle his face and soften the stubble lining his jaw. It was a shame to leave the shower, but there was a subtle haste his to doing so. Even if it was just to go stand in front of the mirror and take a long look at himself.
When he left in search of something to wear, other than the towel wrapped snug around his waist, he was feeling quite a bit more like himself again. Damp footprints marked the path he made from the bathroom back to the hall. He probably should have taken greater care before stumbling out into the open, but the consequences of running into someone he wasn't too interested in meeting didn't seem to be worth the trouble.
Of course, the odds of walking straight into sight of his oldest brother hadn't seemed that plausible. Matvei had about twelve years on Jaxen and therefore was looking older and older, though Mat was likely to describe himself as dignified.
Dressed in a suit, plum dress-shirt and blue-gray tie, Mat was at least looking rather professional. Jaxen recognized the label with a glance, but despite the designer's value, the ensemble was just too damn boring. Matvei, in return, paused in mid-stride upon catching sight of his youngest brother dripping all over the runner down the middle of the hall, and having come out of his room no less.
"I guess it is true after all. You are alive. I guess everyone overreacted for nothing then."
He said as he strolled forward, ignoring the smirk contorting Jax's lips into plausible deniability.
"I heard I was missing for three months,"
Jax replied as Mat came to stand in front of him.
Matvei snorted some sort of amused laugh. "It's easy to lose track of time when you're pissing away your life."
Jaxen shrugged. "Well this has been pleasant catching up. I am off to find clothes."
Mat grabbed his arm as he moved by. Jax looked down at the grip and back up to the face of his brother. A warning might have narrowed his eyes if Jaxen hadn't been alone with his thoughts. He had something new with him now. Thanks to Tarin.
"Our father came home from the city in the middle of the day to see you. Not to mention mother begging me to bring her over so she could see you for herself. You've kept everyone waiting long enough."
Having circled around, Stanislav approached from the other direction, arms crossed and exchanging dark looks with Matvei.
"First of all, I've already seen our mother. And what are the two of you going to do, punch me in the stomach, drag me down by my arm and throw me in front of our father like I owe him money?"
Mat started to answer, but Jaxen lifted his hand in surrender. He was more than capable of wriggling his way out of his stouter brother's grasp, although it would require twists of light to stop Stanislav in his tracks. But there was no point making a scene. "Calm down. I'm going. Can I get dressed first?"
Mat shoved him along, and Jaxen frowned. Guess that was a no.
---
Irina wasn't immune to Sierra's quizzical look. She offered an explanation. "My oldest used to bet Jaxen on how long they could stand with their feet in the snow without running inside. He won for a few years, but when Jaxen was seven when he outlasted fifteen year old brother in ice-swimming. That boy was a rebel to begin with. Walking around in the snow doesn't seem that odd to me. But you said he claimed to be kidnapped. What are you not telling me dear? You don't think its true?"
Irina lifted her hands thoughtfully. The light shimmered off long, painted nails.
Her eyes flickered toward Elias to study his expression. He'd revealed more details than the shy girl had been willing to offer. Perhaps he would again.
"You might be on to something if so. We certainly received no demand of ransom. If anyone was dumb enough to kidnap Scion Marveet's child, they should have made some contact."
Edited by Jaxen Marveet, Sep 25 2015, 08:19 PM.
When he left in search of something to wear, other than the towel wrapped snug around his waist, he was feeling quite a bit more like himself again. Damp footprints marked the path he made from the bathroom back to the hall. He probably should have taken greater care before stumbling out into the open, but the consequences of running into someone he wasn't too interested in meeting didn't seem to be worth the trouble.
Of course, the odds of walking straight into sight of his oldest brother hadn't seemed that plausible. Matvei had about twelve years on Jaxen and therefore was looking older and older, though Mat was likely to describe himself as dignified.
Dressed in a suit, plum dress-shirt and blue-gray tie, Mat was at least looking rather professional. Jaxen recognized the label with a glance, but despite the designer's value, the ensemble was just too damn boring. Matvei, in return, paused in mid-stride upon catching sight of his youngest brother dripping all over the runner down the middle of the hall, and having come out of his room no less.
"I guess it is true after all. You are alive. I guess everyone overreacted for nothing then."
He said as he strolled forward, ignoring the smirk contorting Jax's lips into plausible deniability.
"I heard I was missing for three months,"
Jax replied as Mat came to stand in front of him.
Matvei snorted some sort of amused laugh. "It's easy to lose track of time when you're pissing away your life."
Jaxen shrugged. "Well this has been pleasant catching up. I am off to find clothes."
Mat grabbed his arm as he moved by. Jax looked down at the grip and back up to the face of his brother. A warning might have narrowed his eyes if Jaxen hadn't been alone with his thoughts. He had something new with him now. Thanks to Tarin.
"Our father came home from the city in the middle of the day to see you. Not to mention mother begging me to bring her over so she could see you for herself. You've kept everyone waiting long enough."
Having circled around, Stanislav approached from the other direction, arms crossed and exchanging dark looks with Matvei.
"First of all, I've already seen our mother. And what are the two of you going to do, punch me in the stomach, drag me down by my arm and throw me in front of our father like I owe him money?"
Mat started to answer, but Jaxen lifted his hand in surrender. He was more than capable of wriggling his way out of his stouter brother's grasp, although it would require twists of light to stop Stanislav in his tracks. But there was no point making a scene. "Calm down. I'm going. Can I get dressed first?"
Mat shoved him along, and Jaxen frowned. Guess that was a no.
---
Irina wasn't immune to Sierra's quizzical look. She offered an explanation. "My oldest used to bet Jaxen on how long they could stand with their feet in the snow without running inside. He won for a few years, but when Jaxen was seven when he outlasted fifteen year old brother in ice-swimming. That boy was a rebel to begin with. Walking around in the snow doesn't seem that odd to me. But you said he claimed to be kidnapped. What are you not telling me dear? You don't think its true?"
Irina lifted her hands thoughtfully. The light shimmered off long, painted nails.
Her eyes flickered toward Elias to study his expression. He'd revealed more details than the shy girl had been willing to offer. Perhaps he would again.
"You might be on to something if so. We certainly received no demand of ransom. If anyone was dumb enough to kidnap Scion Marveet's child, they should have made some contact."
Edited by Jaxen Marveet, Sep 25 2015, 08:19 PM.