Re: FemShep/Liara - Fantasy AU - 5/?
anonymous
November 11 2012, 19:26:31 UTC
Benezia was still in her study, feeling conflicted and powerless as she cradled her head in her hands, when she heard two loud crashes outside the door. She straightened in her chair and forced her face into a neutral expression, just as her heavy wooden door almost burst from the hinges and she saw a figure in the wreckage. She wasn’t startled. She was expecting her.
“Is it true?” A familiar deep voice slid over her as the figure stepped forward, strong and alluring both, and she had to fight off a tingle of desire, annoyed that she even felt it. Would she never be rid of it?
“I trust my guards are only unconscious and not worse?” She said to buy herself more time, not ready for a discussion, but Aethyta would have none of it.
“Is. It. Fucking. True?” She ground out again, and when Benezia only nodded, she clenched her jaw and brought her hands to her crest. She chewed her lower lip for a moment, but it was obvious that she was about to burst, and Benezia steeled herself for the attack.
“I can’t fucking believe you.” Aethyta started, sounding like she was forcing herself to stay as quiet as possible, but was losing the battle horribly. “I mean, I knew that you liked your precious title and your power more than anything,” 'More than me' wasn’t spoken but it still managed to hit a particularly sore spot deep in Benezia’s chest. “But to think that you would sell your own daughter to the humans as some kind of a breeding…” Benezia twitched, as if slapped, and Aethyta’s voice died down suddenly.
“You think this is about me?” Benezia whispered, angry at herself when Aethyta’s words cut her deeper than they should. “I’m trying to save her. Our baby.” Aethyta blinked rapidly a few times, then looked away, mollified for a moment but still furious.
“How?” She croaked.
Benezia rose then weaved around the table to come closer, offer some comfort, then stopping suddenly and steeling herself when Aethyta jumped back, as if stung by the mere prospect of touching her. And can you blame her?
“Her position in court has…deteriorated in the last few decades, ever since I stopped making her accompany me anywhere I went.” She stopped for a moment, trying to decide how to phrase her next sentence, then opted for being blunt. “There are whispers about her being a pureblood shut-in, experimenting on Goddess knows what in her tower; that she is a weakness and that the kingdom would be better off with someone more suitable.” Aethyta tensed, a growl escaping her, but Benezia continued. “Only whispers for now, but I won’t have her be in danger. This human, this Shepard, she is both feared and loved and would be a powerful ally, if they are joined.” She hesitated for a moment, then continued briskly. She couldn’t stand Aethyta despising her for this. “And Liara can still refuse. If she doesn’t want this, we can find another solution.”
Aethyta finally looked at her, her eyes uncharacteristically raw in their emotion, before she spoke. “The kid won’t refuse. Because she is like you.”
Benezia straightened. “She is a T’Soni. We have a responsibility to the people. We have to do our duty.” She cut off, feeling defensive.
“And that’s where we disagree, Nezzie. You don’t have to do shit. You just choose it.” She licked her lips, then fixed Benezia with one last look, before turning away.
“Our little agreement is now done. I’m not staying away anymore. Either you tell me everything that’s going on once the humans arrive, or I’m tearing my way in again.”
“Is it true?” A familiar deep voice slid over her as the figure stepped forward, strong and alluring both, and she had to fight off a tingle of desire, annoyed that she even felt it. Would she never be rid of it?
“I trust my guards are only unconscious and not worse?” She said to buy herself more time, not ready for a discussion, but Aethyta would have none of it.
“Is. It. Fucking. True?” She ground out again, and when Benezia only nodded, she clenched her jaw and brought her hands to her crest. She chewed her lower lip for a moment, but it was obvious that she was about to burst, and Benezia steeled herself for the attack.
“I can’t fucking believe you.” Aethyta started, sounding like she was forcing herself to stay as quiet as possible, but was losing the battle horribly. “I mean, I knew that you liked your precious title and your power more than anything,” 'More than me' wasn’t spoken but it still managed to hit a particularly sore spot deep in Benezia’s chest. “But to think that you would sell your own daughter to the humans as some kind of a breeding…” Benezia twitched, as if slapped, and Aethyta’s voice died down suddenly.
“You think this is about me?” Benezia whispered, angry at herself when Aethyta’s words cut her deeper than they should. “I’m trying to save her. Our baby.” Aethyta blinked rapidly a few times, then looked away, mollified for a moment but still furious.
“How?” She croaked.
Benezia rose then weaved around the table to come closer, offer some comfort, then stopping suddenly and steeling herself when Aethyta jumped back, as if stung by the mere prospect of touching her. And can you blame her?
“Her position in court has…deteriorated in the last few decades, ever since I stopped making her accompany me anywhere I went.” She stopped for a moment, trying to decide how to phrase her next sentence, then opted for being blunt. “There are whispers about her being a pureblood shut-in, experimenting on Goddess knows what in her tower; that she is a weakness and that the kingdom would be better off with someone more suitable.” Aethyta tensed, a growl escaping her, but Benezia continued. “Only whispers for now, but I won’t have her be in danger. This human, this Shepard, she is both feared and loved and would be a powerful ally, if they are joined.” She hesitated for a moment, then continued briskly. She couldn’t stand Aethyta despising her for this. “And Liara can still refuse. If she doesn’t want this, we can find another solution.”
Aethyta finally looked at her, her eyes uncharacteristically raw in their emotion, before she spoke. “The kid won’t refuse. Because she is like you.”
Benezia straightened. “She is a T’Soni. We have a responsibility to the people. We have to do our duty.” She cut off, feeling defensive.
“And that’s where we disagree, Nezzie. You don’t have to do shit. You just choose it.” She licked her lips, then fixed Benezia with one last look, before turning away.
“Our little agreement is now done. I’m not staying away anymore. Either you tell me everything that’s going on once the humans arrive, or I’m tearing my way in again.”
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