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JSYK
Nov 17, 2008 1:08:18 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 17, 2008 1:08:18 GMT -5
Once back at the castle, Armand released Zizzy's hand, telling her shortly to wait in the drawing room. It tended to be the designated room of family decisions and family news.
He walked in on his father and Simon bent over an array of maps. He cleared his throat and they both glanced up.
"Hello, Armand," Simon said.
"Sorry to interrupt," Armand began and Jack snorted.
"Please, interrupt," he said. "I hate all this political stuff."
"Says the king," Simon said dryly. "It's good thing people don't vote to keep you in office."
"I just like the shiny crown." He grinned and Simon rolled his eyes.
Armand bit back his pained expression, forcing a small smile. They were relaxed, enjoying themselves, a day of low stress that he was about to interrupt.
"I need to talk to you," he said to his father, and Jack paused at the grave tone to Armand's voice. "And mom, if she's around."
"I'm sure she is..." Jack murmured. He exchanged a look with Simon, who lifted a shoulder in a don't-ask-me.
"I'll be in the drawing room," Armand said and left before Jack or Simon could react further.
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Armand returned to the drawing room and immediately went to Zizzy, cupping her face and kissing her on the lips. "My parents will be here in a minute," he whispered.
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Jack found Pia and knocked on the open door, leaning into the doorframe. "Pia?" he called. "Armand would like... to talk to us." He lifted a brow of warning: no, I don't know what's going on, so don't ask.
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JSYK
Nov 17, 2008 1:15:15 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 17, 2008 1:15:15 GMT -5
This was ten million times worse than the first time she'd met his family. Then, she'd barely been able to breath properly, she was so nervous. Right now, she was having a hard time keeping herself together, literally. Little wispy fluffs of her kept curling outwards in lazy tendrils before wavering back into solidity. When Armand came back into the drawing room and he kissed her, it helped her pull herself together a bit. But it was all shot to hell when he mentioned his parents.
"They're going to hate me." She whimpered, looking into her lap (which was transparent).
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JSYK
Nov 17, 2008 1:39:21 GMT -5
Post by Princess Katie on Nov 17, 2008 1:39:21 GMT -5
“Jack. Perfect timing, would you look at this?” Pia waved this month’s copy of Harper’s Bizarre across the room at him, from her lounging position on the chaise beside the fireplace. “Apparently, the fashion critics didn’t like the dress I wore to that Opening Night thing at the Opera a couple weeks ago, listen. ‘Her Majesty, Atropia Belladonna, made an appearance in what has to be one of the most revealing dresses she’s worn during her reign. The plunge of the not-so-sweet sweetheart-top was cut so low that the world could see her bite scars. Those, by the way, are not on her neck.’” She scowled and tossed the magazine aside with a snort. “Whatever, I think I looked stunning.”
In her anger at the insolent article, Pia had completely talked over whatever it was Jack was trying to tell her. She realized this as she stood to look at herself (and the dip of her bodice) in the mirror. “Wait. Armand what?”
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JSYK
Nov 17, 2008 1:58:50 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 17, 2008 1:58:50 GMT -5
Jack put his best concerned face on, fighting hard to keep his gin at bay. "Of course you looked stunning," he assured her. He arched an eyebrow, smirking, enjoying just looking at her.
"Want me to behead him?"
He had to backtrack. He'd forotten about Armand too for a moment. "I don't know," he said. "He just said he wanted to talk to us. He seemed... serious."
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"They won't hate you," Armand said.
He couldn't guarantee they'd be happy, either, but probably they wouldn't hate Zizzy, or him.
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JSYK
Nov 17, 2008 2:28:37 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 17, 2008 2:28:37 GMT -5
"You don't know that."
Zizzy tried to take a deep breath, but on the exhale, part of her went a little too far and she had to inhale heavily to reel herself back in. After a moment, she stood and wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her head on his chest.
"Maybe we don't have to tell them. Maybe I can just hide, they wouldn't notice. The castle is big enough to hide one little baby."
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JSYK
Nov 17, 2008 22:38:05 GMT -5
Post by Princess Katie on Nov 17, 2008 22:38:05 GMT -5
“Darling, it’s Armand. Of course he seemed serious. If this was Alexander, we’d have something to worry about,” Pia dismissed, breezing into the drawing room with a preternatural grace, like a butterfly made of scarlet dupioni and black eyeshadow.
She swooped in to kiss Armand on his cheek, but paused abruptly. Something smelled like fear. The queen turned to face Zizzy with a slightly suspicious expression. She was looking a little see-through. “Are you okay, dear?” Pia asked, with a tone that sounded a bit more compassionate than she felt.
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JSYK
Nov 18, 2008 1:58:19 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 18, 2008 1:58:19 GMT -5
Jack followed in behind Pia, not willing to swoop in and kiss anyone. He had to agree with his wife. Zizzy almost looked transparent she was so pale.
He raised an eyebrow at Armand, and was not comforted by the tight set to Armand's lips, or the edge hidden in his eyes.
"We have something to tell you," Armand said (obviously, but he was stalling).
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JSYK
Nov 18, 2008 2:11:53 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 18, 2008 2:11:53 GMT -5
It was even worse with them in the room. She pulled away from Armand, but her arms stayed behind for a second and she had to really focus to get them to follow her so that she could solidified without becoming dismembered. "I'm..." Well. She wasn't okay, or fine, but she wasn't exactly hurt or sick either. How exactly to describe her predicament?
"...pregnant." She watched his parent's faces with fear for a moment, but she could hardly keep it up and her gaze dropped. Oddly, however, there was a stroke of defiant strength in her stance. Zizzy understood they had every right to be angry, but it was her son and she was keeping him no matter what.
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JSYK
Nov 18, 2008 21:20:55 GMT -5
Post by Princess Katie on Nov 18, 2008 21:20:55 GMT -5
“No,” Pia said flatly, drawing away from Zizzy and Armand as if she had just learned they were contagious. “Nonononononooo. You can’t be pregnant. You two are just kids. You are too young to be parents—I am too old to be a gr-“ Grandmother? Pia shuddered at the word. She felt lightheaded, ill. Morpheus! She was barely used to being a mother, no need to throw this on her plate. Pia wondered, for a second, how angry Karma would get at her for killing a pregnant girl.
A dangerous flash of gold in her eyes foretold of major bitchiness to come. She glanced at Armand from the corner of her eye. She could hardly stand to be mad at him, let alone look at him while she was mad; he was, after all, the favorite. “It is yours?” Pia questioned quietly, fiddling with the necklace at her throat to keep from smacking someone.
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JSYK
Nov 18, 2008 23:56:28 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 18, 2008 23:56:28 GMT -5
Jack's eyes widened. Pregnant?
This sort of accident was the kind of thing he expected Alexander to spring on them, or in his worst nightmares, Genn. But... Armand? His initial reaction was to blame Zizzy, because it was unfathomable to think something so irresponsible could be Armand's fault, but that wasn't fair, and he stopped himself, though not before a terse, "Forget how to use a condom?" slipped out.
Armand stared at them in disbelief, hurt, and then his face clouded defensively. "Yes, it's mine. And if I'm not mistaken, I've got a century on Dad when you were pregnant with me." He paused a beat, and when he continued, he was calm, if not a little distanced. "We just wanted to tell you. If it's going to be a problem, we have no problem leaving."
"Don't be stupid," Jack cut him off. "Of course you don't have to leave."
At least they were in love, right? He hoped so. When Pia got pregnant, they were sure. They'd had over a decade to think about if they could spend the rest of their lives with each other. He slid a sideways glance at his wife. She didn't look pleased, and probably it would benefit them all if at least one of them had a cool head.
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JSYK
Nov 19, 2008 0:15:54 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 19, 2008 0:15:54 GMT -5
Zizzy didn't flinch, but it felt as though she'd been slapped. Was it his? What, exactly, was Pia suggesting? That she slept around? Not everyone was a whore and...Zizzy stopped herself. She had to remain calm, remind herself they had a right to be angry and that she was in the wrong here. She looked up at Armand's mention of leaving, the last thing she wanted to be responsible for was a schism in the family. That would just double her popularity.
Zizzy didn't know quite what to say. Somehow "I'm Sorry" didn't seem to be right, but nor did "Okay, see you later." This was part of the reason she'd thought it be simpler for her to just leave.
"We made a mistake, but I'm keeping him. If that's not alright, I can leave." Not we. She wouldn't rip Armand from his home and tear his family apart for her sake. More than she was already doing, that is.
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JSYK
Nov 19, 2008 1:13:41 GMT -5
Post by Princess Katie on Nov 19, 2008 1:13:41 GMT -5
“Don’t even try to compare yourself to your father and myself,” Pia hissed through her teeth, crossing her arms over her chest, running her tongue across her teeth in irritation. How impertinent! “We,” she started, placing her hand on Jack’s shoulder, “were at least engaged. We knew each other for like, ten goddamn years, and yeah, it’s not like we planned it but I didn’t even think I could get pregnant. But, God! I cannot believe this.” Realization that she was driving her nails into her husband’s shoulder made her quickly retract her hand and run it through her hair. “Oh, sorry, baby,” she muttered.
She felt like screaming or crying or breaking something, but she had to look somewhat mature to make her point valid. “Of course you’re keeping it, what else are you going to do? No blood of mine is winding up in the orphanage or on streets. How—how far along are you?” It almost hurt just to acknowledge that this baby was her own flesh and blood, that it was actually a real, developing baby and not just some irritating idea.
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JSYK
Nov 19, 2008 1:32:44 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 19, 2008 1:32:44 GMT -5
Jack winced as Pia's nails dug into his shoulder and did mental sigh of relief when she retracted her vampire-strength grip.
"We were not suggesting you give the baby up," Jack reaffirmed what Pia had already said, trying to keep his voice neutral, but it still came off a little cold.
And though he tried to block the doubt, it seeped in, along with the typical parental worry. Actual age wasn't really a factor in the Isle of Morpheus, but they were a young couple and Zizzy had just opted to leave, baby and all, without Armand, and hadn't batted an eye.
Armand, he knew, would never abandon Zizzy or the situation, but Jack wondered if he would come to resent being forced into it without prior planning, despite (or perhaps because) it being half his fault.
He blew out a long breath.
He felt really old. A grandfather...? He and Pia were not grandparents. They were barely regular parents.
Armand reached out and grabbed Zizzy's hand. "It was an accident," he said, "but that doesn't mean it was a mistake. And I knew long before this I didn't want to be with anyone but Zizzy. We're just ahead of schedule." Even if she didn't know, he did.
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JSYK
Nov 19, 2008 1:54:00 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 19, 2008 1:54:00 GMT -5
Yes, it might have been better had she and Armand been together ten years, but she fully intended to be with him much longer than that. She was beginning to see maybe it wasn't all that awful; if she could just be sure Armand wasn't pulling his responsible-no-matter-what and wasn't secretly feeling trapped and resentful. The only thing that worried her more about Armand's feelings about all this was the concern she was going to be a horrible mother. Despite Pia's tone, Zizzy was almost comforted by the King and Queen. At least they didn't expect her to give it away, or to go away. "I'm about three months." She mumbled.
She felt bad for the momentary haggard look on Jack's face, for the anger on Pia's. But the warmth and strength of Armand's grip on her hand, and his words---especially his words---warmed her and she was finally able to get a grip on her wispiness and transparency. She squeezed his hand, "I know we're too young, I know the timing is more than off, and I am sorry for the trouble this will cause, but I am not sorry for him existing, and I love Armand more than anything and we'll....manage."
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JSYK
Nov 23, 2008 2:48:49 GMT -5
Post by Princess Katie on Nov 23, 2008 2:48:49 GMT -5
Truly, Pia didn’t want Zizzy to be sorry that the baby existed. But she definitely did not want Zizzy to tell her that she wasn’t sorry—that was cheeky and she didn’t like it one bit. All she wanted was to read her magazine and complain about petty things. Was that so much to ask?
“’Ahead of schedule’ is a euphemism for jumping the gun. Do either of you know anything at all about children?” Not that Pia and Jack knew anything about babies either, “And anyway, you missed a couple of steps. Shouldn’t there be an engagement and a marriage before there are kids?”
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