Mar 18, 2024 16:44:46 GMT
Post by Sapphira Sokolov on Mar 18, 2024 16:44:46 GMT
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Money is the anthem [break]
of success
of success
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Sapphira did not enjoy court visits nearly as much as she had in her youth. She did not enjoy the prying eyes or the performance. There was always more to want, always more to gain, but now she found that gain much more in smaller sitting rooms, around carefully made tea. She found that a show of vulnerability was nearly as useful as strong wine. In some cases, even more useful. [break][break]
Everyone wanted to believe something. Everyone wanted something. She knew her brother wasn't different. She couldn't pretend to understand him, not really. [break][break]
He took after their parents. Fine, but their parents were dead. Noctis was alive. She didn't understand how he had lived this long. She didn't understand why the Volkova kept him around, except that she was the only option and they could not control her. But perhaps she was flattering herself. She had learned her modes of control from them.
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Noctis had sensibilities-- odd sensibilities. Ideas of justice and morals and protecting the innocent. It was childhood fancy at best. Those who were innocent were dead. Maybe that was the idea. She saw it as a waste of time.
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The weak were destroyed the strong got stronger. It was the way of the world and she saw no reason to change the system when she could play the system. She knew her words grated on her brother. She knew her courtly manners bothered him. She knew he didn't understand her mannerism.
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But they were still siblings, so she invited him to her home for tea. She wanted to know more about events at the North Court. She had been at the coronation-- of course. She had heard many rumors. She was unimpressed with this new high queen. A child. A mortal. All words for weak.
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Her brother would know more than she did, in theory at least. He was a duke. He had met with the queen. In all honesty, Sapphira knew how to get people to talk. But he was always one more resources. And it had more than long enough since she'd seen him.
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