[13] [Illusion] What Isn't Said
Title: What Isn't Said
Series: Illusion
Theme no.: 13 (oh! oh! malediction!)
Character(s)/Pairing: Dref, Eliste, Aurelie
Rating: PG-13 (for implications of rape)
Notes (if any): A sort of "missing scene" set before Aurelie leaves for Strell.
He had met Aurelie exactly four times, and that was quite enough, and so Dref started to slowly back away from his apartment door when he heard her overly loud, affected tones.
Stopped when he heard Aurelie mention his name.
“-but Cousin,” she was protesting. “Dref Zeenoson is such a handsome man! Moreover, he is a hero of our new republic! Why, I only want to express my -“ and here she sighed throatily “-express my most intimate thanks.”
Dref suddenly was very glad that he was in the habit of making himself scarce now that Aurelie was co-habiting the apartment. He could well-imagine the disgust Eliste was feeling over Aurelie’s words. She had already endured seeing her cousin’s virtue ruined by a common turn-key; heaven only knew what she thought of Aurlie’s desire to lay down with former serfs. Dref knew very well Eliste’s thoughts about the so-called “mingling” of serf and Exalted blood. As bad as bestiality - worse, perhaps!
“Aurelie,” Eliste was gasping. She sounded, Dref realized, as if she were blushing. She continued awkwardly with: “That is hardly the sort of thing one talks about.”
“Honestly, Cousin. It amazes me how provincial you still are, even after all this time! La, I am sure if I had been in your shoes at Court, I would not have spurned the Duke of Feronte’s advances. Nor any other of your erstwhile suitors.”
“Aurelie.” Now Eliste was sounding annoyed rather than embarrassed. “The Duke of Feronte is an awful boar of a man; his attentions I would not wish upon my worst enemy. If you could have only seen what disregard he had for honour and virtue and - “
“So His Highness was a bit forceful and you - feigning modesty - were unwilling. Ah, Cousin, I do begin to see. You are so loyal to His Grace that even now you cannot admit that - “
“He is a beast!” Eliste interrupted Aurelie’s fantasizing. “There are tales I could tell you -“ Her breathing was harsh, and Dref wondered if she would begin to cry. And he wanted to rush to her side. Offer her his shoulder to cry on. Because it was obvious something was wrong, something much more wrong then -
And something terrible lodged itself in Dref’s breast. Had Feronte -- ? Had Eliste been made to -- ?
“I am sorry,” Aurelie was saying, and it was obvious from her change in tone that her thoughts had taken the same paths Dref’s had. “As you say, cousin. You obviously know His Grace moreso than I.”
Eliste gave a short, bitter laugh. “To my shame.” A silence, and then she continued in an overly careless tone that Dref well recognized. “And I think you ought to leave Dref alone. Why the hearts he broke back in Derriville!”
Series: Illusion
Theme no.: 13 (oh! oh! malediction!)
Character(s)/Pairing: Dref, Eliste, Aurelie
Rating: PG-13 (for implications of rape)
Notes (if any): A sort of "missing scene" set before Aurelie leaves for Strell.
He had met Aurelie exactly four times, and that was quite enough, and so Dref started to slowly back away from his apartment door when he heard her overly loud, affected tones.
Stopped when he heard Aurelie mention his name.
“-but Cousin,” she was protesting. “Dref Zeenoson is such a handsome man! Moreover, he is a hero of our new republic! Why, I only want to express my -“ and here she sighed throatily “-express my most intimate thanks.”
Dref suddenly was very glad that he was in the habit of making himself scarce now that Aurelie was co-habiting the apartment. He could well-imagine the disgust Eliste was feeling over Aurelie’s words. She had already endured seeing her cousin’s virtue ruined by a common turn-key; heaven only knew what she thought of Aurlie’s desire to lay down with former serfs. Dref knew very well Eliste’s thoughts about the so-called “mingling” of serf and Exalted blood. As bad as bestiality - worse, perhaps!
“Aurelie,” Eliste was gasping. She sounded, Dref realized, as if she were blushing. She continued awkwardly with: “That is hardly the sort of thing one talks about.”
“Honestly, Cousin. It amazes me how provincial you still are, even after all this time! La, I am sure if I had been in your shoes at Court, I would not have spurned the Duke of Feronte’s advances. Nor any other of your erstwhile suitors.”
“Aurelie.” Now Eliste was sounding annoyed rather than embarrassed. “The Duke of Feronte is an awful boar of a man; his attentions I would not wish upon my worst enemy. If you could have only seen what disregard he had for honour and virtue and - “
“So His Highness was a bit forceful and you - feigning modesty - were unwilling. Ah, Cousin, I do begin to see. You are so loyal to His Grace that even now you cannot admit that - “
“He is a beast!” Eliste interrupted Aurelie’s fantasizing. “There are tales I could tell you -“ Her breathing was harsh, and Dref wondered if she would begin to cry. And he wanted to rush to her side. Offer her his shoulder to cry on. Because it was obvious something was wrong, something much more wrong then -
And something terrible lodged itself in Dref’s breast. Had Feronte -- ? Had Eliste been made to -- ?
“I am sorry,” Aurelie was saying, and it was obvious from her change in tone that her thoughts had taken the same paths Dref’s had. “As you say, cousin. You obviously know His Grace moreso than I.”
Eliste gave a short, bitter laugh. “To my shame.” A silence, and then she continued in an overly careless tone that Dref well recognized. “And I think you ought to leave Dref alone. Why the hearts he broke back in Derriville!”