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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 4063947" data-attributes="member: 11">InterSession #18.2– “A Family Squabble” [sup]1[/sup]As the party left their meeting with Fallon, Laarus stood aside the entrance to the hut waiting for Markos. When his cousin emerged, the young priest of Ra gently touched him on the arm to slow him from following the others back to the caves. "Cousin, do you have a moment? I would like to speak with you."Markos turned his weathered face to Laarus with bored wariness, "Yes, good cousin, how can I help you to endanger me needlessly today?" [sup]2[/sup]Laarus ignored the slight and led the way to the edge of the scummy pond and a nook created by the tall tangled briar that obscured the area from the bog beyond. "It appears we shall be returning to Thricia quite soon. Sooner than expected…" Noticing for the first time that Crusta was following at a short distance the priest gestured towards her. "What do you intend to do about that?"Thinking it was a sign for her to come over, Crusta hurried over and grabbed Markos by the arm and leaned her head low on his shoulder, closing her eyes in an expression of pure joy, a bit of drool pouring out of her gray crusty lips.Markos frowned, "'That'? Perhaps you mean 'her?’” The mage sighed, and gently pulled Crusta off of him.  "Crusta, I have some things to discuss with my cousin, would you give us some time alone?""Okay, Ko-Kos…" She waddled towards the caves, but stopped and looked back. "But we walk talk later, too…"Markos winced at the endearment, but nodded and then turned back to Laarus, slapping at fat gnats bouncing against his face annoyingly. “While at first I encouraged Crusta to join us for purely intellectual reasons I have found her, unlike some others, to be genuine. I hope that she will learn some refinement, if lessons are offered, and I would like to learn more of how she manipulates arcane forces. That is what I hope for her, but as for what her eventually fate will be…? Well, I think, should be left to her. I think she has proven herself these last few days to not be a mindless brute compelled to do evil." "I meant that," Laarus clarified by waving a hand around Markos’ shoulder. "Not just her, but the situation that surrounds you both. What could you hope to come of this?" Markos' cocked an eyebrow with an expression of dubiousness. "I have already said what I hope. To be more specific, I hope to find someone to teach us both to be more polished and refined. On the subject of her witchcraft, I hope we can return to where her foci are hidden on the way back to the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Ray-Ree" target="_blank">Ray-Ree</a>." He paused and exhaled slowly, adding: "Why?"“I had hoped you would have opened up to me more. But, if we must drag this out, so be it…” Laarus sighed. Do you intend to bring her back to Thricia with us?"Markos looked nonplussed, "Perhaps you think I will find someone amongst the Ray-Ree to offer us instruction on etiquette?""Possibly…” Laarus replied, ignoring the sarcasm. “Both <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Admentus" target="_blank">Admentus</a> and <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Cineas" target="_blank">Cineas</a> have spent time in Thricia. They would have had experience with such… Or even here with <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Broken+Circle" target="_blank">the Broken Circle</a>. The <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Watch-Mage" target="_blank">watch-mage</a> and the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Friars+of+Nephthys" target="_blank">friars</a> should have the knowledge with which to train her."  Laarus paused briefly, "But you did not answer the question. Is it your intention to bring her back to Thricia?"Markos shook his head at his cousin’s literal-mindedness. "I intend to offer her the option of returning with us. I hope she will, or failing that, she will choose to make a life amongst the Ray-Ree.""Do you comprehend what the consequences of bringing her back to Thricia will be?" Laarus asked.Markos smirked, "I think I do, cousin. Do you? What do you think will happen?"Laarus frowned at his cousin's tone. "What do you believe would be the consequences? I'd like to know how much you understand before I speak on it. It is not something to smirk about."Markos' smirk became a sneer, "Cousin, stop playing games and speak your mind. What is your concern?"Laarus came back with: "I intend to speak my mind. Why can you not speak yours?" Markos stiffen, "I'm fΩcking losing patience with you here, Laarus, which is akin to a beggar losing coin. State your concern or move off while I attend to more important matters.""If you don't see this as important, then you don't comprehend the consequences,” Laarus chided, standing up straighter. “Bringing her back with you would do much to sully our family's name and reputation. It would endanger our house socially, politically, and financially. Do you understand?"Markos turned, his face growing flush. He took a deep breath and a few steps away from Laarus before turning again.  "It is you who lacks comprehension, cousin. I suggest you let me do the thinking while you stick to being told what is right and wrong. I’m sure you mean well, but your manner is insulting. Now please leave me the fΩck alone so I can attend to something more important than soothing your fear of gray entering your black and white world." He gave an exaggerated bow and began to move off."You are no longer on a boat in the middle of the ocean. Your actions, your associations affect others besides yourself. Even the smallest ripple can gain the power of a great wave," Laarus placed a calloused hand on his cousin’s shoulder and tried to get him to turn around. "Knowing this will harm our House - are you still willing to bring her to Thricia? Is that something you are willing to do to our family? To your mother?"Markos continued to walk off, "Cousin, you assume I have a limited perspective on the matter: I do not. I believe I can manage the situation and that you are grossly oversimplifying it. Either trust in my judgment or not, but I am doing as I please, fully aware of the consequences of my actions, and I suggest you do the same."Laarus quickly stepped around Markos and stopped directly in front of him, blocking his departure. "Believing this would be a situation one could handle alone shows that you are not fully aware. You are smart, cousin, but you are unwise to always think you know more than others… Since your return, you have been welcomed and are once again a part of our House. As such, you have a responsibility to it, and to our family… You cannot just do what you please.""No cousin, I can do as I please,” Markos barked back. “What I can't do is think there are no consequences for doing so. I am aware of what the issues are and I will act accordingly. If you doubt I will act with the family’s best interests in mind, you fΩcking prick, then you should address that directly rather than speak to me like I'm a Gods-be-damned idiot who does not understand the world around him.""You have just said you will do as you please knowing that doing so would not be acting in the best interest of our family. You have only been back two years, cousin. Most of that time spent at <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/University+of+Thricia" target="_blank">the University</a>. There is more to understand than you realize."  Laarus let his head hang and closed his eyes. "But, if you bear no responsibility for our House or concern for our family, then maybe there's another love I can appeal to." The priest of Ra looked up at Markos and his eyes stared into the mage with unnerving intensity, He continued, "Fallon has just warned us about the danger of <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Stygian+Demonborn" target="_blank">Stygian Demonborn</a> and <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Nine" target="_blank">the Nine</a>. She urged us to keep quiet about them and any action we may take against them, lest harm befall us and others. With the information sent to <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Pyla" target="_blank">Pyla</a> and you walking around with one involved in Stygian's breeding project, how long do you think it will take for him to find out what we've done? And do you think he'll do nothing about it?""Gods you are dense!" Markos spat. "You have no idea what my thoughts on this are or what my plans are and you are making assumptions about how openly Crusta will present herself as well as how recognizable she will be to those who do happen to see her. As I said earlier, stick to the black and white… Or even better, go monochrome and leave the complexities of life to me. At the very least wait until I have some feedback from Crusta on this and leave me the fΩck alone! Again, I recognize that you mean well but you are overbearing and insulting to my intelligence. Please! Leave me be until I am calmer and you are ready to approach me to coordinate our efforts rather than to test me!" Once again, Markos began to move past Laarus.Without turning around, Laarus responded. "You are right, cousin, I do not know your thoughts. But, it is not for my lack of asking. If you ever wish to share . . ." Markos left. Laarus remained standing in that spot, looking up toward the patch of sky visible through the tall arching bramble, and basking in the little of the sun's warmth reaching him.End of InterSession #18.2--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Notes:(1)    Like most of our recent InterSessions this was played out on our private messageboards in the two weeks between sessions.(2)    This is a reference to events of Session #15.</blockquote>

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