The Forgotten Zodiac

"Don't be ridiculous, Morgan." Alexander's tone was suprisingly scornful. "That reward has been posted for the past ten years. The money was set aside in the treasury then. The only admissable modifying circumstance is that Vi convinced him to take half. Fining you would only call unwanted attention to you, and the people who go over my budget are the exact people we want to keep oblivious of your presence."

Morgan blinked in surprise, then snorted a bit with mild amusement. "I suppose you're right. I still feel as though I owe you or something...ah, well. I suppose working for you still will make up for that sometime in the future, right? Saving your life and all." He patted Alexander on the back, smiling a bit. "But, uh...I am going to need a little bit of help. I want the dress to be a surprise...but I have absolutely no idea what she would like. Slim and simple? Frilly and lacy? I can't even begin to understand what women like in dresses...or in anything, for that matter."

((Thoughts for the ball: perhaps it's a charity event, and it'll be stolen by a Protestant activist? Or it'll otherwise be taken over by protestants. Which do you prefer?

You should have known the ball wouldn't go well. >;3))

((A combination of both. Charity event that is broken into by the Protestants. Though, we need some good Protestants. Dagan and Vi are Protestant, by political definition. We should bring that up.
Also, Bun, why would I want it to go well?))

Alexander looked at Morgan in some surprise and visible skepticism. "Morgan, I've spent a total of twenty minutes with her, maybe. I have no idea." He thought about it for a second and came up with a better idea. "Why doesn't she go with Vi when Vi gets her dress? You can see what Isabella gravitates too and you'll have some idea of what to get her."

"That's an excellent idea. Vi is already headed out to get a dress...tomorrow, I believe." Morgan nodded thoughtfully. "She can take down an inventory of what dresses Isabella was looking at, and I could find the perfect dress with that information. Alexander, you're a genius. It's no wonder you were placed at the head of your household." He ruffled his friend's hair, grinning giddily. "Now then, I want to request blueberry ice cream for dessert tonight. It's Isabella's two favorite things. Ice cream and blueberries." He laughed as he continued walking, but he wasn't about to change direction if Alexander didn't want to go to the kitchen at the moment.

((Fun. That will be fun...>:3

I can come up with some convincing bad guys. 030))

((You always have excellent bad guys. I'd try to help you, but I want to see what you'll come up with.))

Alexander flinched slightly when Morgan touched his hair; he'd grown up with obese old ladies wanting to stroke it, and he still hated to have it touched. "Are you doting, Morgan? I really didn't picture you as the doting type. Huh." He shrugged and headed toward the kitchen, since, for now, he didn't have much else to do. Besides, it would led credence to Morgan's request if Alexander was with him.

((If nothing else, you could play a few minions. o3o I do fairly well with bad guys, yeah. Shady characters are fun.))

Morgan turned his serious gaze on Alexander again. "She...reminds me of my younger sister. Clara. My dad was real kind and caring, but my mom had a temper to be reckoned with. Poor little Clara had trouble learning. Mom tried to teach her how to cook, how to bake, how to wash clothes...let's just say mom wasn't the best teacher in the world. Clara would run to me crying almost every other day, and I'd have to teach her. I wasn't always such a confident genius, you know. But when I helped Clara, and she'd smile up at me...I felt like everything was right in the world and nothing could possibly change that." He shrugged, continuing to walk. "Isabella...her smile is almost exactly the same. I don't know how, but...she's so much like Clara that it almost hurts. I want to make her smile, so the world seems right again..." He then snorted at his own words. "Ha, dunno what's gotten into me today! That was a little overdramatic. Way too cheesy. Who's writing my lines?" He chortled at himself, grinning like an idiot again.

((Ohhhhhhhhh, fourth wall.))

"Well, clearly not you. The Morgan I know would never experience emotion, much less show it. I'll put it down to the stress of the day." Nonetheless, Alexander smiled in a serious yet reassuring way. The information would go no further, of that Morgan could be sure. Sappy and overdramatic though it was, no one understood the importance of family like those who had only seen siblings from the outside. "Morgan, now that she's here..." Alexander drifted off for a second and bolstered his courage. "You still think ignorance is safest for her? About the political relationships, I mean." What he meant was "about our engagement", but he didn't intend to state that so clearly. Morgan's previous reaction had been quite fervent; it wouldn't due to antagonize him.

Morgan sighed. "You would tell her she was to be wed, and she would question what a wedding is. She doesn't know, Alexander. Judging from the letters I recieved from Clarissa, she's gone through a trauma-induced memory block. I'm surprised she remembers day-to-day things. When I first went to collect her, it took a lot of convincing to keep her from running away from me. She didn't recognize me, of course. Even though I had visited a couple times before you hired me..."

He ran his fingers through his hair, stopping in front of the kitchen doors. "She's a teen with a mind trapped in her learning years. If you tell her something she doesn't understand...heck, even if I told her, she might not take it so well. Especially when you tell her it'll happen to her...no, it would be best to do what we can for her mind before we do something as drastic as that." Morgan decided. "As her only living relative, I hope you'll trust my decisions."

"Morgan, believe me, I have no desire to rush the situation. I only suggested it because, living here, she's bound to be informed eventually, and I thought it better that she hear from you than be told by a stranger." Alexander continued this thought in his mind, then commented on the flaw it contained. "Of course, I don't suppose she'll be interacting with to many strangers, even now that she's here."

"This is so. The only 'friends' I can see her making are some new flowers in the flowerbed. I figure she might like gardening. Clarissa might, even if she doesn't." Morgan said thoughtfully. "I wonder what flowers she likes...eh, I'll just get her a whole bunch. That'll work well." He brushed off Alexander's concern, knowing that she wouldn't interact much with other people. She was just too scared. "We've walked past the kitchen twice." Morgan observed as they walked. "I believe we've grown too accustomed to walking as we talk."

Alexander stopped in front the kitchen and laughed slightly. "I suppose we have. I believe you have business here?" He commented. He stepped away from the doorway and gestured for Morgan to enter the kitchen. "One desert request shouldn't take too long."

It didn't take long at all. Alexander hardly had to be there; Morgan's usual charisma did most of the work. People had a tendency to listen to him one way or another. He didn't even have to bribe anyone, this time. It was simply a little girl's first night in the castle, and he wanted to surprise her.

So before long, the two were walking and talking again, this time on their way to Alexander's office. Apparently he had an RSVP to send.

Alexander spent the rest of the day in his study, writing that RSVP, refusing several other invitations, and creating other diplomatic correspondence. He and Morgan left the room for dinner early and navigated their way to Isabella's new room. Despite Clarissa's competence, it wouldn't be wise to leave to luck their arrival at the dining hall. 

Dinner came swiftly, and was almost over just as quickly. "That was good," Morgan nodded in satisfaction, rubbing his chin with a smile. "Did you like your soup, Isabella?"

"I enjoyed it immensely," Clarissa licked her lips. She quite liked this gourmet cuisine. It was much better than anything she could cook, at any rate. 'How often do we have meals here?"

"Morning, noon and night. You can get breakfast and lunch elsewhere, there are plenty of places in town. As I'm sure you're aware. But nothing beats the dinners here." Morgan grinned.

"I believe that," Clarissa nodded eagerly, then turned to wipe a bit of soup off of Isabella's face. "Did you like it?"

((Soooooo

I've been considering having one of the more major characters we have now, um...die. Pretty much. I don't like Vi very much.))

((Sure, do it. Kill her off. At the ball?))

Isabella frowned and seized at the napkin, shaking her head at Clarissa. "I can do it," she snapped. The girl relented immediately, tears welling in her eyes and one hand pressed to her mouth. "I-I'm sorry; I didn't mean it; I'm sorry!" She wiped her face repeatedly and looked like she was trying to suppress tears. "Don't be mad, please?" Breaking eye contact, the girl stared at the table and sniffled. "I didn't mean it."

((We need a tragic death to stir up action against the Protestants, so. Yeah, at the ball. It's either her or Clarissa.))

Clarissa smiled, shaking her head. "It's quite alright, dear. You know enough to clean your own face, I shouldn't be quite so doting. I'm sorry," She patted Isabella on the shoulder gently.

"Alright, quiet down, girls. Dessert is coming." Morgan eyed the tray being brought to them. Clarissa looked surprised as the dishes of blueberry ice cream were set out, one by one.

"Why, Isabella, look. Dessert. You like dessert." Clarissa grinned.

Isabella relaxed on the bench and smiled at Clarissa. When the desert came, she jumped and straightened. "It is dessert!" She gasped and froze briefly as she registered the contents of the bowls. "It's- it's blueberries! And ice cream! Clarissa, it's blueberry ice cream!" The girl leaned back against the chair and stared at the bowl, so delighted it was there that she didn't know what to do with it.
Alexander smiled at Isabella's reaction, it was hard to remain impassive when there was such complete joy. "Looks like you were right, Morgan. Her two favorite things."

Morgan laughed. "I'm a genius, I know. Eat up, Issy, before it melts!" He encouraged her, grinning.

"This is quite good," Clarissa was pleased. "Fantastic, I'd say. This ice cream tastes like it's been freshly made..."

"Which it is. And the blueberries are from the finest bushes this side of the Alps." Morgan chortled.

"It's amazing."

"Right." Isabella nodded seriously and started eating, looking around as she do so to see that other people were also enjoying their ice cream. "Thank you, Morgan. I love blueberry ice cream."
"How do you know the bushes are the finest? I'm sure there are mountain villages somewhere with better blueberries. These are just some of the best commericially available." Alexander smiled slightly, enjoying poking at Morgan's statements, and started in on his bowl.

"I said this side of the alps," Morgan pointed out, tutting lightly. "Just enjoy your ice cream, lad. Hm...I wonder where Dagan and Vi are."

"Mm," Clarissa swallowed her spoonful to speak, smiling still. "Vi said they were going on a date tonight. Something about a fancy restaurant downtown."

"Ah. No matter, then. Perhaps I should check on Brutis while they're away." Since the overgrown lizard had saved his life, he was slightly attached to the thing. It wasn't anything serious. Just a small visit after dinner. Maybe a few scraps now and then. They were growing quite close.