Overkill (November 19 Open)

[Perseus Renate]

Percy slammed the door to the main office. Why the fuck had he come back? He had sworn that the only way he would return to this godforsaken island was to lead his army through blood soaked fields. He couldn't believe that he had let his damn brother con him into coming back. Oberon always knew how to play Perseus and that made him want to slam his fist in his elder brother's smug face.

He paced back and forth like a caged tiger, his anger growing more and more. He wanted, no he needed to get out of here. What pissed him off even more was the mountain of paperwork on the desk, it appeared to be almost 3 months of correspondence. When would he stop being such a doormat for them. Most of his life he was the person his father went to for advice and relied on to keep the business afloat. Then after he died Oberon did the same thing. No one else in Forsilvra would ever have said to his face that he was weak, no one dared. The only men who dared to use Percy were his brother and father.

This thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Walk in for fuck sake." He growled at the closed door. Since when did anyone in his family knock, they all barged in their tongues heavy with wants and demands. Especially if they knew he was there.

[Illiana]

The tone of the response was almost as telling as the colorful phrasing, though after her brothers' vocabularies it was almost sedate. Illiana opened the door and walked in to what looked like a battlefield, if paper and ink stood in for bodies and blood. Ah, so it was a bad time. Then again, it seemed like every time was a bad one where this family was concerned.

"I hope I am not intruding," Illiana said with a slight, rueful smile as she looked around at the desk and the general chaos of the study. "I heard you'd just gotten back and wanted to greet you... but it can wait til you've had a better chance to settle in..."

She glanced again at her good-brother. "Welcome home, Perseus... Is... Is there anything you might need? If you like I can send Blueberry to you," she said, referring to her long-time secretary whose oddly hued hair had long ago caused his Forsilvran masters to forget whatever his original name might have been- if he'd even been truly old enough for one before the reavers had taken him from some foreign vessel. He dyed it with the aid of some strange powders from the Uncharted Lands, though Illiana had never inquired after the significance of the ritual. "He is very good with organizing papers and such."

[Perseus Renate]

Perseus rolled his eyes. When did Illiana ever care if she was intruding. She did things just when she wanted to do them. "Please come in. I wouldn't want to offend the lady of the house now would I?" The way he said lady of the house one would assume that he was talking about a particularly unpleasant form of fungus.

"Yes I am settling in nicely, can't you tell?" He waved his hand towards the mountain of paperwork. "Your ever loving husband has left me with yet another mess. Has he even entered this room since I left two years ago?" He knew he was taking his frustrations out on her and he knew it was wrong, and he hated that feeling. He let out a long and drawn out sigh. "Yes, Blueberry would be a welcome addition. If you can spare him during your long trip. If I am to get this correspondence done before you come back from the wedding I am going to need all the help I can get." He walked behind the desk and motioned Illiana to take a seat. "Tell me how is everything here? Has Oberon pissed you off yet? I never really understood what you see in him." Perseus never hid his dislike of his brother and certainly wouldn't do so to Illiana.

[Illiana]

Illiana tilted her head at him wordlessly. He was being atrocious and he knew it, but she let it pass. "I am sure someone has," she replied with a shrug. She would not admit it had been her. Oberon's choices were his own as far as the businesses were concerned. She did not interfere. "I won't need him at court. I'll send him to you today... I'm sure he knows which of the clerks in the city might be trusted to help as well."

She walked toward his desk but she did not take a seat yet. "Everything is going well as far as I know, though if you wish to know of the business then Stella is the one to ask. The Lady of the House is not meant to touch such matters, after all." She instilled her own title with a touch of mockery.

"He is a good man, Perseus. He is... trying to make up for his past. The girls are all well, and Athenase is growing so quickly I cannot believe he is already a year. I would swear Lyra was his age only yesterday." Illiana's expression softened as she spoke of the children. "She'll be so happy to see you. Cyprien's taken to calling her 'Fiddle' and it's insulting her highness's dignity." It was easier to talk of such matters rather than... anything else.

[Perseus Renate]

He sorta felt bad for being so mean to her, it wasn't Illiana's fault that he was here, in fact he wondered if she even wanted him to be there. He certainly wasn't going to apologize, he wasn't even sure he was sorry. "I never thought that you would grativitate to the uppity Lady of the House routine. I figured you'd want to know every single gold piece coming into this place, not saying you money grubbing just that you appreciated gold as much as any of the Renate. Stella will be married off at some point, someone will have to take over that can be trusted."

He eyed her, was she really that stupid? Did she swallow every line that Oberon fed her? His esteem for her almost dropped a notch to even up with his brother Cyprien. "What is he doing this time? Swearing off drink and whores? I have heard that line since he turned 12. If you want a little free advice, stop expecting anything from him and you will never be disappointed. The more you hope for him to change the more frustrated you will become." He had done that long ago and now he wasn't as annoyed as he would have been normally.

He felt his heart skipped a beat when he mentioned Athanase. "So the boy is doing well?" He was unable to say his name. He wanted to ask more but found the words turning to sawdust in his mouth. He was glad that she switched to speaking of Fidella. "Well she wouldn't be your daughter if she didn't have the bel-Imperia pride."

[Illiana]

"With seven children and a busy household I've found other ways to fill my hours. Oberon isn't... fond of the idea of letting me near the business, and I gravitate to where I am wanted, like any woman." She raised a brow. "No one ever mentions marrying her off- I don't think anyone's even thought of it lately... but of course now you're back she shan't have to carry so much of the burden. Perhaps she can coach a replacement."

She didn't hope her husband would change, in fact she didn't care at all, but the play was the thing. "Perhaps I care for him as he is, and accept the flaws with the good. Still, I thank you for the advice. I'm sure it will come in useful." She hated lying to Perseus but it was useless to admit anything else. She had wed Oberon for the security of his position as much as for any attachment she felt to him- an attachment that as often as not had her and Oberon at one another's throats. Perseus and Cyprien could despise her all they liked for being a whore or supporting their brother (or both- with the Renates sometimes it was hard to tell which was the greater crime), but her struggles with Oberon were not their concern. Certainly not Perseus'.

"Considering she's announced she wants to be a courtesan, I suppose that's a good thing." Illiana actually laughed, but she looked at him closely as she thought of her son-- their son, though that would have to go unspoken, like so many truths. "Athenase is a beautiful child, and sweeter than his sister. He's going to be too clever for everyone's good..." she paused and stopped herself from continuing. "My apologies, I am sure you have more important things to do than discuss the daily affairs of the nursery."