Jewel always spent a few hours every morning reviewing her memories back of when she was dying again, defeating the devil, and how the fool helped get her old body back. Always going over the 'what if...' she could have taken instead of path she went. What if she made a deal with death, To become the first and what if she made another deal with death to get rid of the plague, and to stop the devil. Three years ago to stop the disease that was killing both vampire and human. Would go through her head as she walked around the kitchen when the son was raising outside the shop. In the middle of making a breakfast casserole oven part of their brink stove while keeping an eye on the fireplace. She was in middle of fire roasting a freshly bought goose given to Julian as a form of payment from a merchant.
"Is everything alright?" Kipling's voice would draw her from her thoughts.
"Just thinking about the past." She sighed. "Got a odd answer."
She ended up using the smoke from the fireplace with her magical touch to create an image that had Kipling creeped out. Image she created was apart of the her thoughts about 'what if' Julian made a deal with The Devil. His pale skin was now replaced by thick black feathers that covered him from head to toe. His feet replaced by a tarsometatarsus while his arms was a mixture of human arms and hands twisted into claws. Left Kipling unable to speak when he was going to request to make a them a cup of tea before sitting down. Have someone else verbally say how scary the picture Jewel created from the smoke. In the form of a Julian practically jumping out of his boots at the sight, when he came from stair well.
"Calm down." Jewel dismissed the smoke. "Just something I am sharing with Kipling."
"From a nightmare?" Julian whispered.
"No, more like my random thoughts." Jewel sighed.
"I always forget how chilling your thoughts could be." He took a cleansing breath.
Jewel would turn her back to him rather angry he reacted the way he did when she was just sharing with someone. Not like she was waiting to show him what she thought would have happen to him back then. Memories from when she proved his innocence as number one suspect in a murder case of the former count. Still bothered her since entering the Arcana realm back then still made the morrow of her bones run cold. Just before she check the cooked the goose was, or pull the casserole out of the oven with her hands. Familiar arms in billowy shirt sleeves would end up reaching out to her waist and wrapped around her. Slowly pulled her close to a hairy chest that could clearly be seen through opened collar of the shirt Julian was wearing. Who would apologize for his dramatic reaction to a simple sharing her thoughts with their future son-in-law.
"Please tell me, you guys aren't about to have relations in front of my fiance?" Julius asked joining Kipling.
"More like your father doing his usual freak out." Kipling whispered.
"Over?" Julius wondered what his father would be freaking about.
Kipling would end up informing him about the image that his mother shared him before Julian walked in and flipped out. Julius sighed and mumbled how this was to early for his family's usual drama at this hour. Going on how he ended up coming back late since he stayed over at the Vlastomil Mansion. Tending to a young girl by the name Aemilia, she was timid young thing that injured her hand when working. End up crying after she had her hand mended that she had her feeling rejected by Praetor Vlastomil. Stating he started treating her with a cold shoulder and emotionless face since he turned down her confession. Wishing she had somewhere else to be then here since she could feel her heart falling apart. Left him to give her a open invitation to leave that place and come to his family's shop for new employment. Before he ended leaving to go back home since this visit was a emergency he ended up covering.
"Explains why you weren't up before me." Kipling understood Julius' sluggish movements.
"All I want is a cup of tea and more time to sleep." Julius yawned.
Jewel would end up giving Julian a kiss before she grasped his shirt in rough manner and reminded him to behaved around guests. This goofy grin that crossed Julian's face when he nods his head and helped Jewel tend to what she was cooking. Leaving Kipling to make tea for the four of them while Julius took a seat at the table to put his head down. Moment of quiet wouldn't last long when Juliana came bouncing down the stairs with her roommate yelling her good morning.
"I know I been saying this for the last few weeks." Nessaea was getting sick of Juliana's cheery self. "Can you tone down the happy?"
Julius would end up laughing at what Narseh had to say about his sister lowering her excitement meter a few numbers. Julian would end up laughing at the idea of his daughter ever showing a ounce of unhappiness as Jewel went silent. Kipling almost dropped the serving trey filled with the cups when this was said before knock at the back door turned heads. Cant ended up running away from her inside nest clucking as loudly as she could when she began running around the kitchen.
"What I Say?" Nessaea looked around the room.
"Something that is impossible to do." Julius blankly stared at her.
"Then isn't some spell or potion that could alter her mood or make her less... cheery..." Nessaea waved one of her hands around.
"Yes, but I rather not use magic to manipulate our children." Jewel was offended.
"How about a drug?" Nessaea asked looked to Julian.
She ended up being completely ignored by him when he turned his attention toward Kipling and asked about his house hunting. Bringing up what property caught the young man's eyes after being shown around the city during his free time. Wanting to know when he cane take his future son- in- law and actual son out for drinks to celebrate the move.
"Actually..." Kipling looked at Julius.
"We decided we're going to stick around." Julius could feel Kipling's on him. "Someone needs to take over the practice after dad's memory goes."
"I take offense!" Julian sorted.
Jewel had to poke Julian in the chest with a oven mite covered hand to keep him from getting to over dramatic. He would move out of her way when she plucked the casserole out of the oven and on to the table. Trying to give her these big sad eyes in order to get her on her good side for almost and carry on his tantrum.
"You want to sleep in your exam room tonight." Jewel addressed Julian in her most authoritative voice. "Don't."
She even cut into her casserole with a wooden spoon to hard that crunch when she cut through the Macaroni layer. Left everyone to become quiet and slowly end up staring at Julian for some type of reaction from him. He could only give one of his signature grins with a single raised eye brow that got eye roll from Nessaea.
"When do we eat?" Nessaea would ruin the mood.
She would end up yawning once more when she stepped down from the stairs pulling at the sash of her silken bathrobe. Being cautious to not snag one a thread of her embroidered juttis on her small feet when she step on wooden floor. Making sure her hair stayed resting on one of her shoulders when she tried to blink the lingering sluggish feeling. Wiggling the sleeves of her night wear to cover her wrists as she noticed her a few chipped nails and ruined nail varnish. Mumbled about why about why waking up so early with the son was important for a bustling household. Going on about how in The Palace, Her family wake up way pass the sun raise and have breakfast in the Dining Room. Where servants bring the food the table instead of food in dishes being passed around.
"Goose is done." Jewel ended up hitting Julian on side of his head with a wooden spoon whens she caught him staring at Nessaea.
Kipling was avoiding staring at her as Julius covered his sister's eyes with clear view of perky and tanned breasts. Were on open display since the robe she wore wasn't doing much in covering up that part of her. Making one that was staring at her happy he wasn't sexually attracted to her gender since she's been here.
"I will be changing my clothes." Nessaea once more fought a yawn. "After I would like to go forging or to The Market with someone."
Everyone already started coming up with excuses to not be left with her after the many time she was in their presence. Weekly trips to the The Forest to gather herbs one couldn't in the market become a tradition in the Devorak household. Disagreed with a pampered Nessaea, she was always complaining about something she didn't like about outdoors. How bugs or insects were biting her when she refused to use homeopathic mosquito repellent Jewel gave her. She was sweating and a heat rash was forming before they even left the streets of the city with baskets in hand. Unable to take another step when she started to get tired out from all the walking the shop's door step, back or front. Being one of the three or two people that worked the front of the shop during business hours with Jewel. They found out that Nessaea's customer service skills to the regulars wasn't so friendly or helpful. She would rudely addressed someone not needing one of a herbal mixture, or gave them a cold shoulder. Not once did she show favor toward chores. Insisting she wasn't one for scrubbing a counter top or de- scaling a fish that was apart of dinner prep.
Left people within the household to not want to work with her as the days went by and the feelings toward her grew. Kipling and Juliana always got the brunt of Nessaea's attitude since they were the early risers besides Jewel. Always being told that her bed needing making and she needed to be the first one in the water closet with a list of demands. Neither one would do since both insisted she do the things herself since they had better things to do. Jewel would simply remind her that she was guest in their home and would be on her way with Julian following behind. No trying convincing Jewel or Julian to follow her every condition without resorting to begging or pleading. Julius was clear the first time she even tried to flirt with him that known of her womanly assets would get him to flinch.
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Narseh would make his daily visit to the shop like always with a some type of gift from the Palace on hand. This time he brought bird seed with him for Malak, Cant, and Duchovny to snack on whenever their fed. Can to crushing end before he could get through the back door and be greeted by Juliana's smiling face. Instead came face to face with his dear sister sitting in the kitchen alone food prepping dinner. Poor thing was snapping green bean ends off all by self while numinous other things things needed to be done. Which had him laying the bird seed down on the counter after walking through a unlocked door.
"Something wrong?" He would come to ask her.
"Seems everyone in this household doesn't like me." She hissed.
She tossed the last split green bean into the bowel with a rough matter trying to understand why nobody didn't want to work with her. Nobody was willing to explain to her when she asked for some type of example or answer. Left her in bad mood when she started to little chores that were given to her by Jewel.
"Have your ever considered the work they do here isn't something your not us to?" He pointed out to her.
He ended up telling her that their lives were very different then one she and he have lived within the Palace. Outside the walls of their home, a servant wouldn't be around to help with every little thing that was done. That every task or errand was done by a member of this household to help contribute over use a servant.
"No wonder." She stopped to think.
"You do reminder that woman we call mother Pasha was once a servant." He would inform his dear sister.
He went on to tell her that before spunky redhead they had come to call mother Pasha or was now known as Royal Consort of Vesuvia. She was once the head servant that worked under their mother before she become her wife of a reigning countess. Who lived in a small cottage within the gardens of the Palace with her pet siamese cat named Pepi.
"When you get the chance." He got up from his seat. "Check it out, our mother has turned the place into a hideaway."
Soon interrupted by Cant when he she jumped on the table and bobbed her head back and fourth. Stopping to stare at Nessaea without even blinking even once that had Narseh wondering what was wrong with the family pet. Not like he was going to even try to stop the silkie chicken of a black coloring from looking at his sister rather creepily. Remembering the last time he tried to even place a hand on one dark fluffy plumage had ended in his hand getting bandaged.
"Am I in trouble?" She whispered to her brother.
"..." He didn't know to do.
Usual Juliana or Kipling knew what to do when Cant acted like this, which left Narseh in a strange problem. He didn't want to waste the birdseed on just simple distraction and get his sister out of this room with out being chased. Had him gripping the hand that was pecked until blood was drawn in his other hand as he tried to plan something. He gulped and start to raise from his seat knowing he was going to lose a few fingers for what he was going to pull. Taking a deep breath before they were joined by Julius and his mother came through the back door. Took a deepen breath he would release before he came face to face with the feathered fowl that was now facing him. Those biddy little eyes looking right at him when he stepped forward with his arms slowly raised on either side of his person. Came to complete stop when Juliana bolted through the back door with chest heaving and eyes at Narseh.
"I Was Just At the Palace." She screamed at him. "I Wanted To Surprise you!"
She would have angrily gone about having her plans ruined wasn't for Kipling coming from behind her. Lifting a gloves to bopped her on the head with a light tap with a fisted hand to keep her from attacking. Sighing when he told her that she not nothing to worry about while pointing out the what was happening. She would noticed by shifting her pent up fury from having hours of walking pointed at the family pet.
"What Have We Told You About About Bothering Guests?" She screamed at the Cant.
She got a was a few clucks before Cant turned around decided to run toward the stair case with wings a flapping. Juliana dumped the basket hanging off her arm on the floor before Kipling's feet and forcefully gave her cloak to him. Before she ran after the Silkie Chicken not caring how she was behaving in front of royalty.
"Tell me again why you prefer her?" Nessaea looked at her brother.
"She's a woman that follows her instincts." A groofy grin spreads across his face.
"That I can attest too." Kipling kicked the back door closed.
He picked up the the discarded basket and adjusted the cloak on his arm with mess that Juliana left behind. Heading toward the table that everyone in the room sat around to place everything on before removing his gloves.
"Your a little extra today." Nessaea pointed out his attire. "Care to explain?"
"Visiting a dignitary from my home land." He spoke of a flavor countess of Vesuvia asked of him. "She needed someone that could translate and act as a buffer."
He would ended up laying the gloves on the table beside the basket and folded up cloak already on the table. So out of his inner pocket of his waist coat, a letter from Nessaea's mother had delivered a few days by a private messenger. The contains were asking him about helping out the countess and her consort to the best of his ability for a few days. With a opened invitation to the Masquerade not as a plus one on the arm of Vesuvia's famed Doctor, but as a guest.
"Since not a citizen just yet and this event means a lot Julius." Kipling smiled. "Why not take the chance and see where this takes me."
"So matching costumes?" Nessaea looked at her brother and Kipling.
Neither one cared about what their partner was going to wear since they just wanted to have fun in company of family. Whatever happens was something they looked forward since entertainment each year was always different. Nadia always tried her best to put on the best celebration with something that can tingle the all five of someone's senses.