InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I didn't float here downriver."

algreengrass (algreengrass) wrote in pandorarpg,
@ 2012-02-16 20:45:00

Entry tags:

!status: complete, ^date: november 16 2003, character: astoria greengrass, character: zacharias smith

Who: Astoria Greengrass and Zacharias Smith, with NPC Arabesque Greengrass
What: Afternoon tea with ulterior motives
Where: Greengrass Manor in Gloucestershire
When: 1:30 pm Nov. 16
Rating: PG most likely, definitely worksafe

Astoria was sitting at the vanity in her room, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Things were getting stranger by the day, for many reasons, and not all of them bad. She'd met the Undersecretary the other day, who had seemed interested in helping her to further her career, she'd learned Samara was returning to the department, which promised to be helpful to her, she'd met a bloke who made her question so many things in her life, but in a good way, and now her mother had invited Zacharias Smith to tea this afternoon, quite out of the blue. She was pretty sure her mother was up to no good.

Still, custom required her to put on her game face and put her well learned Pureblood manners to use when he came around. She was just setting the headband in her hair when the buttler announced their company had arrived and she was forced to decend from her room into whatever plans her mother was setting in motion. She closed the door to her bedroom behind her and went downstairs where her mother was already inviting him into the sitting room and having a servant bring in tea and a few things to eat.

"Ah, Astoria, there you are dear," Arabesque said, motioning for her to enter the room and take a seat near where Zarcharias was sitting.

Astoria walked over and offered him an honest smile. "Hello, Zacharias, so nice of you to join us."

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overlooked
2012-02-18 11:57 pm UTC (link)

He would have liked to be surprise, but ever since his grandfather overruled his mother's ultimatum, it was only a matter of time. The money always came with a catch, which was why he had made a point to get away with as much as he could before it all caught up to him. "Did she now?" And she didn't even have the courage to tell him this herself. "It is rather interesting time, Elaina rekindling her interest in my marital status."

Zacharias glanced over at Astoria, who did seem honestly surprised about the change in conversation. "As for smart, other than the fact you disprove of Astoria's desire to be employed I can't say that I really know much about her." Perhaps they could all be taken for surprise yet again. And if their mothers were going to force them through this, he was going to get something out of it in the process. "Although if you and my mother had spoken at any length, you must be aware of her feelings about that particular matter."

Despite her maiden last name and the trappings it entitled her, Elaina was never one content to stay at home. She hadn't just been handed a role on the Board of Trustees at St. Mungo's, Elaina had earned it. And she was working hard to instill the same values in Adelle.

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algreengrass
2012-02-19 01:44 am UTC (link)

To Astoria's horror, Zacharias didn't seem to be shooting down the idea immediately. Though even though she was not listening completely close, she was pretty sure he had just defended her a little against her mother. She tuned back in to the conversation from her moment of shock in time to here her mother respond to that. "Oh, don't mistake me, Zacharias, I have no problem with Astoria having a job, I simply worry that she isn't focusing on her long term plans and that she is using it to hide from her responsibilities." Astoria knew it was an expectation for every purblooded daughter to marry and continue the family line, and she figured Zacharias was very familiar with that as well. While her mother sounded callous and rude, it was how she had been raised, and it was extrodinarily normal for a pureblood. Astoria was fairly unnormal for a pureblood, and everything fell on her since her sister had the smarts to get out while she still could.

"Mother, maybe we should have talked about this before Zacharias arrived," Astoria said in a bit of a whisper. She gave a nervous smile at Zacharias that she didn't consider could be construde as her actually being interested in the proposition.

"Nonsense Astoria, I wanted to surprise the both of you, I thought it would cheer you up, as you've been so down the past few weeks." Astoria closed her eyes so that her mother couldn't seen her rolling them. Yea, she'd been down, probably had something to do with visions of inferi like creatures and nightmares of being brutally tortured to death, but hey, what had she to complain about? Astoria was at a loss for words. She looked to Zacharias hoping he would see how insane this was.

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overlooked
2012-02-19 03:20 am UTC (link)

"My mother might argue that having a career should be a long term priority." She had certainly made quite the fuss about him getting a proper job, which he turned out that he actually liked. Zacharias shifted in the chair, making himself comfortable. "I would imagine you would agree given that Mr Greengrass is no longer around and your daughters are full grown that it is good to have other pursuits."

Zacharias held up a hand, not really wanting to hear a response from her. "All the same, right now, I would very much like the opportunity to speak with Astoria, alone." There was a finality in that word. He would take nothing less. She might not like it, but he didn't really care.

The mothers might be keen to play matchmaker, but he still had his own agency along with some power of his own because he was the last virile Smith. And he rarely played nice.

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algreengrass
2012-02-19 03:36 am UTC (link)

Astoria felt a thrill of nervousness shoot through her as he spoke, partially because she was sure she would hear no end from her mother later about how rude it was for him to bring up her father multiple times in polite company, but partially also because he wanted to talk to her alone. Arabesque looked a little surprised at how she was dismissed by him, but put on a smile and nodded. "I think that is a grand idea, I'll step into the other room, let you two chat." She quickly stood and hurried out the door of the sitting room, a bit faster than she would normally consider polite.

Astoria was half glad to see her go, half terrified about what might happen next, but she decided to go for damage control first. As soon as the door closed all the way, she turned to Zacharias, putting her tea down, and adopting a look of embarrassment. "I am so sorry about that, Zacharias, I had no idea what she was up to. It really was rude of her to invite you and drop that on you with no warning."

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overlooked
2012-02-19 03:47 am UTC (link)

"If I thought you had any hand in it, I wouldn't still be sitting here." For that to happen, Elaina would have to be in the room to keep in check. Only she wasn't here and he might have to deal with it later, but it was sort of amusing watching Mrs Greengrass leave in a bit of a huff.

"This isn't actually the first time a marriage suggestion or 'smart pair' has been more or less dumped on me. Although usually I get a full meal out of it," he added with a bit of a smile. Compared to the other issue in his life, this was easy and still somewhat entertaining. It also wasn't binding, which made it a bit easier.

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algreengrass
2012-02-19 03:51 am UTC (link)

Astoria had no doubt her mother was actively writing an owl to his to complain about his behavior, but she didn't care or really lose much thought on it. She was at least glad he didn't think she had a hand in this, though she figured her choking on her tea had been a pretty good sign that she was as taken by surprise as he was. This wasn't the first time she'd gone through this either, but she'd at least always been informed before hand. This was however the first time she had something else going on with someone when her mother dropped a marriage on her and wasn't too keen on having to end it.

"Mine either," she said in response with a small smile as she relaxed a little. "Honestly, she has nothing better to do with her time." Astoria shook her head a little, her exasperation with her mother's plans clear. "Usually she tells me before hand though."

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overlooked
2012-02-19 04:02 am UTC (link)

It was a nice change to be in this situation with someone who wasn't jumping at the chance to find a husband of a wife. It also created a rare opportunity. "Although this one does sort of miss the mark and given recent circumstances, I don't think that Elaina will let this one go so easily." Between his father and then his cousin, John Davis, it was clear that Elaina Smith was in a bit of a spin.

"I don't suppose I have particularly endeared myself to you mother and some people might say they are sorry, but I'm not sorry." That was a part of who he was. Zacharias Smith didn't apologize, but he also didn't tend to cause trouble unless someone deserved it and any mention of a marriage to continue a bloodline at this point in his life was deserving.

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algreengrass
2012-02-19 04:51 am UTC (link)

Astoria shook her head at his comment. "You don't need to appologize, really anything that riles up my mother is fine with me. She deserves it, after everything I have to put up with, you won't find me complaining about you making her uncomfortable." Astoria couldn't tell where he stood on this topic, whether he was considering what her mother had suggested, or was just as uninterested in being married off as she was. Not to mention, her current romantic interest seemed quite put off by Zacharias, she felt a little guilty about not disliking him more, but he was much more amiable about this whole situation than anyone she'd dealt with before.

Still, Astoria knew that if he was interested in the offer, she would have to accept, or her mother might kill her on the spot. And considering some of the other blokes that had been pushed at her, she could do a hell of a lot worse. But Astoria wasn't ready to give up her life the way it was. She had plans on escaping the manor, and they didn't involve getting married and moving into a different manor. She knew as soon as this was over, no matter what conclusion it came to, she would be running off to find Daphne, who would understand better than anyone.

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overlooked
2012-02-19 05:50 am UTC (link)

"She wasn't wrong, you and I would make quite the pair." Not that Zacharias could imagine many purebloods in this day and age who were jumping with excitement about being expected to marry from a small class of people trying to keep family lines not too muddled if they could.

"Not that I have any interest in any of it, save having my own mother continue to leave me to my own devices." And he was sure she was aware that was a somewhat futile attempt. He might not have been some woman expected to have children and be all sorts of proper, but that didn't mean he was free from expectations. "However, we might be able to buy us some leeway if we appear to be going along with this foolish design."

It was against just about everything he stood for, but in order to win you had to play the game even if you didn't like the rules.

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algreengrass
2012-02-19 10:29 pm UTC (link)

Astoria's heart skipped a beat at his words. He was actually considering what her mother had mentioned? That was not good for her, but the only saving grace was that he was making it sound like they fake it. "You want to pretend to go along with this?" She asked a bit skeptically. "You realize that we'll have to basically actually be engaged, go to functions and get togethers as a pair, and generally do everything we would do if it were real?"

"I'll be honest, I have no interest in being married any time soon, but if you think we can pull this off without getting trapped into actually getting married, I would consider it." She was worried, not only about how getting into this might lead her to being trapped in it, but at how Justin would react to it, as well as everyone else. It would mean less freedom for herself as well. She would have to keep up appearances, but he had a point that it would get her mother off her back, at least for a time.

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overlooked
2012-02-19 11:24 pm UTC (link)

"We don't have to be engaged right away. People are allowed to date, to consider their options." On his end, he knew his mother would be momentarily quelled by the fact he had an appropriate girlfriend. However, he was aware how quickly meddling mothers could try to speed up that timeline. Zacharias knew how to manage his mother and he seemed able to put Astoria's at a state of unease. So, he wasn't really too worried.

"I also have no intention of getting married anytime soon, and I think that is a point that could work in our favor." They could even claim they were going to do it right. But Zacharias knew he wasn't the only one making the decision here. He didn't even want to make it at all. "However, the choice is yours."

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algreengrass
2012-02-19 11:38 pm UTC (link)

She sat very quietly in the wake of his words, really thinking about what this all meant, what she would have to do. She wanted to say no, wanted to laugh it off, appologize for wasting his time, but she knew if she turned down yet another suitor, she would never hear the end of it, and rather than being given some semblance of a choice, she would be forced into something by her mother. At least this left her some freedom, at least this wasn't real. It was the best option she had right now, possibly the best she would ever get.

"Very well," she said with a small nod. "Fine, we can put on a show for our parents, make it look real. Make them think that we're going along with their plans, but only in public. Because otherwise it will be too real, and I'm not comfortable with that." She wanted to run away right now, run to someone who would understand. She wasn't sure though if she would run for Daphne, or for Justin. She just wanted to run.

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overlooked
2012-02-20 12:13 am UTC (link)

"That's fine with me. I sincerely doubt that you could handle me in private anyway," he said with a bit of a smirk. Certainly not if she couldn't even stand up to her mother. No, he needed something a bit rougher and there were few women out there that could truly give him what he wanted in that regards.

Standing up, he cleared his throat so his voice might carry. "Astoria, it has been a pleasure and I do hope that we can get together again soon. Dinner perhaps?" He would leave her to fill in what was happening to her mother. Zacharias had little interest in sticking around, they knew the plan and now it was just a matter of making the right rules.

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algreengrass
2012-02-20 12:34 am UTC (link)

Astoria fought the urge to scoff at his words. "You have no idea what I am capable of," she said without looking at him, not really giving a damn what he thought about that. She had no urge to prove his opinion otherwise, so he would have to decide on his own whether to believe her or not, but he didn't scare her.

Astoria stood as well and dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Yes, I would very much enjoy that. I look forward to our next meeting." With that, she considered her required duties completed and with a quick, forced smile, she turned away and left the room to inform her mother of what had happened, though no doubt she was making her own assumptions. After that, she planned on finding sollace elsewhere.

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