Her husband walked in casually and plopped in the chair to her left across from her. She didn't lift her gaze from the paperwork and letter she was focused on. Marius looked at her for a while as she scribbled away. Then he spoke.
"So I am sure you've heard you are being challenged again for the seat in Britain." Marius stated joining his palms together in front of his mouth. Pandora stopped writing, a smile came across her face, "Damned if you do, damned if you don't. That's politics." She continued to write her gaze never meeting his. "Of course naturally they will run a smear campaign about how much you are not doing for the city." Marius said with a subtle hint of anger.
Pandora once again stops writing, a bit annoyed at having to do so. Looking up at him she responds, "Doesn't matter what they say, actions speak louder than words. And I have installed a jail that makes the city safer and I have been working on a General Hospital to help our sick citizens get well. I've had no direct reports of any issues. Not saying there hasn't been, just saying nothing has been reported; I am not that naive. The city herald has his post to take any messages from citizens if they need my assistance. I check in with him often, and when I do I do not see any citizens about but that's not shocking. Britain is quiet, its just a quiet town as most of our towns are now-a-days. The days of Lord British's reign when the cities thrived are sadly long gone and everyone knows it. It is Luna where most folks go to run daily business with our banking system. I am not living in some delusional place that this will change in the near future. I am a realist. Sure, we've had some issues to take care of in our family and that's taken some time... " she sighs as her face hardens, goes back to writing as if continuing would deeply wound her.
"I know that is painful for you. To have Cherry and Va'lis in such a state; to have Brelynn wander about not visiting with us," Marius replies leaning in towards her. "Don't make me cry about it, Marius." She says. Marius reaches out his hand to her, aching for her to allow him to comfort her. But she doesn't extend hers back to him, simply continues to write. Marius slowly retracts his hand as sadness covers his face. "Is it ever possible for people to understand that just because you were not able to have your own children, of your own blood, that the ones you adopt or take as your own mean any less?" He says, "I for one could not have loved my girls more, I was exceptionally devoted as their father. And though I was reluctant as first, I feel the same for Va'lis. I mean... we are all someone's children are we not?" Pandora's writing starts to fade, the thought of the loss of her daughter Saralyn and the state her relationship with her daughter Brelynn was in along with how desperate and sad Va'lis was these days had taken over her steel focus; slowly her eyes meet his. Marius continued, "No matter what wrongs we have done, our parent's still love us. I am not blind to what Va'lis has done, no... you of all people know I am not... but he has turned himself around and has been making progress in his redirection. It was unconcionable what was done to him and how his arrest and subsequent jailing was mishandled. The lies that were told of him and how he was murdered without a trial; without due process; without law." Marius stopped. Pandora had tears welled up in her eyes. "If I could fix it all, I would," he said. "I know," she said as she wiped her face, "You tried." She thought back to her kidnapping, the time she was held, beaten, and r aped while her captors murdered her daughter. She remembers what it felt like to be rescued, by her loving husband... she remembers what it felt like to see Va'lis there, to hug him. That's why she stands so boldly by his side, he was there when she was at her worst. He knew she would do it for him; without question. He was then, is now, and with her last breath... her son.
"I know he is." Marius said outloud as usual reading her face; her thoughts. "These others will say you have been away, or haven't been around, but how untruthful they will be found out to be with such defamy. Like other governors that have at one time or another had personal issues to deal with --- I mean Gov. Warstein is one of them --- and have had to miss something or other here and there. You held bi-weekly town hall meetings for as long as you've been in office... both terms... until recently due to pressing issues with our family. Name another city that has been so dutiful? None. And these others running for office? Did we ever see them at the town hall meetings voicing their so called "care and concern" for Britain? No." Anger rose again in Marius. "A jail... an upcoming hospital... new courses to be offered at the Bardic Collegium... the plans for the betterment of our library system... what else can you do?!? Really?!? The citizens that do care will surely side with you; if their votes aren't bought as they once were."
Pandora slowly returned to her writing, a letter asking Bianca to return home but to first pass through Germany, "Damned if you, damned if you don't," she mumbled.
Once she finished the letter, she passed it to her husband who was rather shocked to see the name that it was addressed to. Bianca, the woman he scorned so long ago but remained such an integral part of his family; the woman that just seemed to make sense of everything; the woman with the power of a thousand voices.
Pandora rose from her desk to come around, it was wine she was craving. Marius rose with her following her out of the office. He managed to grab her up tenderly by the waist pulling her to him. They share a passionate kiss, for theirs is a love that could never be equalled. He whispers to her, "I will love you for all my eternity."
"So I am sure you've heard you are being challenged again for the seat in Britain." Marius stated joining his palms together in front of his mouth. Pandora stopped writing, a smile came across her face, "Damned if you do, damned if you don't. That's politics." She continued to write her gaze never meeting his. "Of course naturally they will run a smear campaign about how much you are not doing for the city." Marius said with a subtle hint of anger.
Pandora once again stops writing, a bit annoyed at having to do so. Looking up at him she responds, "Doesn't matter what they say, actions speak louder than words. And I have installed a jail that makes the city safer and I have been working on a General Hospital to help our sick citizens get well. I've had no direct reports of any issues. Not saying there hasn't been, just saying nothing has been reported; I am not that naive. The city herald has his post to take any messages from citizens if they need my assistance. I check in with him often, and when I do I do not see any citizens about but that's not shocking. Britain is quiet, its just a quiet town as most of our towns are now-a-days. The days of Lord British's reign when the cities thrived are sadly long gone and everyone knows it. It is Luna where most folks go to run daily business with our banking system. I am not living in some delusional place that this will change in the near future. I am a realist. Sure, we've had some issues to take care of in our family and that's taken some time... " she sighs as her face hardens, goes back to writing as if continuing would deeply wound her.
"I know that is painful for you. To have Cherry and Va'lis in such a state; to have Brelynn wander about not visiting with us," Marius replies leaning in towards her. "Don't make me cry about it, Marius." She says. Marius reaches out his hand to her, aching for her to allow him to comfort her. But she doesn't extend hers back to him, simply continues to write. Marius slowly retracts his hand as sadness covers his face. "Is it ever possible for people to understand that just because you were not able to have your own children, of your own blood, that the ones you adopt or take as your own mean any less?" He says, "I for one could not have loved my girls more, I was exceptionally devoted as their father. And though I was reluctant as first, I feel the same for Va'lis. I mean... we are all someone's children are we not?" Pandora's writing starts to fade, the thought of the loss of her daughter Saralyn and the state her relationship with her daughter Brelynn was in along with how desperate and sad Va'lis was these days had taken over her steel focus; slowly her eyes meet his. Marius continued, "No matter what wrongs we have done, our parent's still love us. I am not blind to what Va'lis has done, no... you of all people know I am not... but he has turned himself around and has been making progress in his redirection. It was unconcionable what was done to him and how his arrest and subsequent jailing was mishandled. The lies that were told of him and how he was murdered without a trial; without due process; without law." Marius stopped. Pandora had tears welled up in her eyes. "If I could fix it all, I would," he said. "I know," she said as she wiped her face, "You tried." She thought back to her kidnapping, the time she was held, beaten, and r aped while her captors murdered her daughter. She remembers what it felt like to be rescued, by her loving husband... she remembers what it felt like to see Va'lis there, to hug him. That's why she stands so boldly by his side, he was there when she was at her worst. He knew she would do it for him; without question. He was then, is now, and with her last breath... her son.
"I know he is." Marius said outloud as usual reading her face; her thoughts. "These others will say you have been away, or haven't been around, but how untruthful they will be found out to be with such defamy. Like other governors that have at one time or another had personal issues to deal with --- I mean Gov. Warstein is one of them --- and have had to miss something or other here and there. You held bi-weekly town hall meetings for as long as you've been in office... both terms... until recently due to pressing issues with our family. Name another city that has been so dutiful? None. And these others running for office? Did we ever see them at the town hall meetings voicing their so called "care and concern" for Britain? No." Anger rose again in Marius. "A jail... an upcoming hospital... new courses to be offered at the Bardic Collegium... the plans for the betterment of our library system... what else can you do?!? Really?!? The citizens that do care will surely side with you; if their votes aren't bought as they once were."
Pandora slowly returned to her writing, a letter asking Bianca to return home but to first pass through Germany, "Damned if you, damned if you don't," she mumbled.
Once she finished the letter, she passed it to her husband who was rather shocked to see the name that it was addressed to. Bianca, the woman he scorned so long ago but remained such an integral part of his family; the woman that just seemed to make sense of everything; the woman with the power of a thousand voices.
Pandora rose from her desk to come around, it was wine she was craving. Marius rose with her following her out of the office. He managed to grab her up tenderly by the waist pulling her to him. They share a passionate kiss, for theirs is a love that could never be equalled. He whispers to her, "I will love you for all my eternity."
Last edited: