Tom-b
Everything had toppled. Everything was in ruins.
Evengii’s death was the catalyst, but not the actual reason. She didn’t really care that he was dead, beyond a slight empathy with her Lady. His glory had been in Kindred politics, a subject she cared little to nothing about. Beyond that, she’d never seen him do anything even remotely interesting or unusual. At that age, she had hoped he’d be at least a little eccentric - such would’ve been worth knowing. But, he was quiet, stalking, imposing, imperious…and what good was that to her? It was like a blind girl being expected to swoon in the presences of a famous painter.
But then, after he died, it all fell apart.
She had such high hopes, too. Mistakenly, she’d thought Bella was his partner, his counterpart, his peer. She had dreams of the Manor becoming a matriarchy, full of darkness and mystery, of sensuality and regality, high high high above politics. Steeped in something older than Court or power-plays, something ancient and undeniable. It was men who made up politics so they’d have something to do that made them feel important. Women…simply ruled.
And then the Lady had declared Julian the patriarch. Julian. Nona liked Julian - he’d always been kind, honest and clever. He’d always treated her perfectly: as something more than a servant, but certainly less than a Kindred. Few achieved that balance. So, it wasn’t an issue with the vampire, himself. But it was lopping off one man’s head and another springing up in its place. Why? Why? Why had Bella not claimed the Family for her own?
It seemed the moment Bella sent the missive, he was at her door. The moment Bella had decreed that the Derzhava would be ruled by men for another five centuries, Tom returned. It had been months since he’d vanished and now, somehow, he knew that Nona was no longer confident as she had been growing since the child was born. He knew she’d not stand up to him. How could she? She was a woman; had been literally bought and sold like chattel. The one man she loved would only see her out of view of others. She breathed, and was therefore inferior. She was a toy, a pastime, a diversion. Nothing more.
Tom reminded her of all that she had fought to deny these last months. His lessons were, in a word...effective.