His Story

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His Story

[Deleted]

16 May 14, 01:25 AM
Veronica: She's standing in front of a large vanity mirror, putting on her last finishing touches with a frown and a resigned look in the eyes. "Well they certainly didn't waste any time" she observed sardonically. "I've been graduated all of four days. FOUR DAYS, Cam" Thoroughly disgusted with the whole thing, she plopped, no small feat in a dress and heels, onto the chair in front of the vanity. "Hex me, now"

16 May 14, 01:25 AM
Veronica: encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTy0MzeUMgSOM9XXpdCYD1MH2hu0mGXjnbDiAjjz7jE4RQvd5ZL

16 May 14, 01:28 AM
Cameron: Scowling, he wasn't any happier about this then she was. He loved his parents, but this one quirk of theirs about contracts was going to mess them both up. "I know, Ronni, trust me. I'M AWARE." Of course he was, he was next in line, right? "No. Man up like you have a pair, Ronni. Jeeze, you think I'm going to have it any easier?" He stepped up behind her and put a hand on either shoulder looking into the mirror.


16 May 14, 01:34 AM
Veronica: She sighed, "sorry, not your fault, I just..." She put down the brush, realizing that obsessively painting her face, while good for having something to do with her hands, wasn't going to help anything. "Couldn't they have given me a bit more warning. Seems like 'be sure to look nice dear, your fiance's coming to dinner" isn't something you mention over lunch." She made a face at him in the mirror. She arched a brow at him. "Yes actually" she answered, turning to look at him wryly. "Woman, remember?" She pointed to herself, "at least you'll probably get to read your contract." When he put his hands on her shoulders, however, she relaxed noticeably and took a slow, deep breath, reaching up, she placed a hand over the one to her left. "You're right though, nothing to do about it now." She studied their faces in the mirror, similar-looking masks of irritation. "I hope he's not a total bastard" she murmured, no fear evident in her tone, but it was there in the eyes. "They wouldn't do that,

16 May 14, 01:34 AM
Veronica: right?"

16 May 14, 01:41 AM
Cameron: "They didn't want you to know in advance because you'd fret. And they didn't ell either of us way in advance cause they know we'd give the a hassle about it." He rolled his eyes at her. "Pffft, because they will want me to see how locked in I am I bet. No, I'm the one who has to carry the name, I suspect mine will be worse then anything you get." A smirk. "No way, one look at you and he'll be counting the nights till the wedding. Come on, he's probably as looped in on this as you are, given no choice I bet."

16 May 14, 01:43 AM
Veronica: She snorted. "Smart of them" she acknowledged grudgingly. "How much would I have to pay you to go to dinner naked?" she asked, looking mischievous. "Right, because being the one to continue the line is way worse than being breeding stock" she wrinkled her nose at him and sighed. "Kidding, maybe...okay no they both suck." She smirked, "On second thought maybe I'LL go to dinner naked, let him think he's stuck with a crazy person." She thought about that a moment, considered it. "You think?"

16 May 14, 01:49 AM
Cameron: He gave her a reflective look as if considering it. "Hmm, will make my time much worse, but it does have simplicity to it." He snorted. "We're both breeding stock, Ronni, get real, I just don't carry the child but I'm supposed to be just as happy and obedient about it." He chuckled, leaning down to motion with his hands. "With these? He'll want to speed the wedding up." He leaned back quickly and moved out of reach before she could hit him with something. "Oh come on, anyone in a contract has to be right? He's never met you before. At most he might have seen a picture. At most."

16 May 14, 01:54 AM
Veronica: She shook her head. "Nah, Cam, I'm kidding. I'll handle it." She smoothed her hair one last time and stood. She smirked, "I guess you're right, and you do get to deal with a pregnant, hormonal probably teenage bride for nine months" she grinned and waggled her eyebrows at him. "Maybe I should feel worse for you." She rolled her eyes, "happy and obedient, right." He commented on her anatomy and she picked up the first thing her fingers touched on the vanity, which happened to be a rather expensive bottle of perfume. Turning, she made it hurl it at his head, but seeing him across the room she grinned and sat it down again. Sighing, she stood. "You're right, maybe he's as unhappy about it as I am." She crossed the room, staring at the door as if it might bite her. "What's the expression, the enemy of my enemy is my friend?"

16 May 14, 02:00 AM
Cameron: "Gah" he responded making a face "That's going to be a mess. I've heard horror stories." He moved fast, remembering her aim. He did give her a look tho. "Now hang on, who are we considering the enemy? Have our parents turned out that bad?"


16 May 14, 02:02 AM
Veronica: She grinned, "so I guess that means you won't be coming to visit so often to see your dear sister after I'm pregnant with your niece or nephew?" the teasing light had returned. She gave him a look that clearly asked whose side he was on. "No, but they hardly count. They fell madly in love in like thirty seconds, but not everyone gets that lucky, Cam..." Something in her seemed to melt, however, and she nodded. "I get your point, I'll give it a chance, but if he's a prick I make no promises."

16 May 14, 02:05 AM
Cameron: He grinned. "Oh I'll be there because my sister will consider me safe base and won't be treating me badly because I'm her brother." Cameron stepped closer and frowned at her. "Yeah well if they were so in love how come we get contracts? No, something else to it then just that. I think somewhere along the line we became closer to commodities to be sold. The love is there, but it's more 'cherished' then adored." He clearly thought they should be adored. "If he's a prick, you put it to him sharply when you first get him alone. If he doesn't like that he'll learn and fast if he wants his home to be peaceful

16 May 14, 02:10 AM
Veronica: She laughed, her first honest laugh all day. "Pretty assets" she agreed. "Even though I'm the prettiest" she made a kissy face at him, childishly. "I adore you, Cam" she said seriously. "You know that right?" Because that was her biggest fear really, that once she was gone, things would change. She tried to avoid these conversations but...it felt like the time for one. She got a somewhat dark look in the eyes. "d@mn straight" she murmured, and there was the slightest trace of steel in her tone before she smiled. "Shall we?"

16 May 14, 02:22 AM
Cameron: "Definitely prettier, I'm the handsome one." He laughed at her at first and then sobered coming over directly. Holding open his arms he pulled her in for a very tight, strong hug. "d@mn straight I do, sis, and you aren't losing me. So drive that from your mind. No matter what kind of marriage you had, we're a team long before anyone else." He nodded approvingly at her steel tone and nodded.

16 May 14, 02:26 AM
Veronica: "The most handsome" she agreed. She went into his arms, and for a second she clung to him, unwilling to admit she was afraid. "Stop doing that" she mumbled into his shoulder. "You're not allowed to know what I'm thinking, its...creepy." Another moment and she released him, knowing if she didn't do it now she never would. "We should go down now before they send someone up." She took his hand and squeezed before she released him. "For the love of Merlin don't let me fall on my @ss on the stairs."

16 May 14, 02:30 AM
Cameron: "I know. Not like we're twins even." He ran his fist roughly up her back. "Go up you mean We're supposed to be in the dining room when they bring them up I think." He grinned. "Done!" and put his arm around her waist holding her tightly against him. "Let me drag you off there at once..."


16 May 14, 02:32 AM
Veronica: She shook her head, "Nope, I'm the older, wiser one, remember?" She nodded, "Right, dining room" and it was the first time her nerves felt obvious to her. Having him close was comforting, gave her a sort of strength to straighten and find her resolve. She smirked as she opened the door, darting her eyes at him. "Can it be kicking and screaming? Might as well make an entrance." But as they entered the hall she was quiet, gathering her nerve, and though she was nervous, her steps never faltered.

16 May 14, 02:36 AM
Cameron: Cameron felt proud of her as they went up the flights to the dining room on second. There their mother waited, motioning them to seats beside each other across the table from three set places. She fussed over Ronni's hair and top for a moment before they heard feet coming up. In her ear her mother whispered "Behave like a lady, now. You want to make an impression on them." And as soon as she moved away Cam whispered "So no kicking me. Remember that."


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16 May 14, 02:40 AM
Veronica: She sat rigid, allowing herself to be fussed over almost as though she were part of the decor. "Of course mother" she murmured softly, tone perfectly polite but otherwise there was nothing, a veil had fallen over her expression. "Wouldn't want them to be disappointed after coming all this way. Would we?" As her mother moved out of hearing and Cam spoke she turned her head nearly imperceptibly. "Of course not, pinching you is much more fun."

16 May 14, 02:51 AM
Cameron: He smiled as he stood behind her chair and subtly put a hand on each of her shoulders very light on the back out of sight. Just to make sure she felt him there. The three Egyptians came in, but he ignored the clearly older ones and focused on the young man who he cold see was much older then them yet still young looking. For his part, Omari looked a glance around, saw her, then panned up to Cam with some interest, as if he hadn't seen him before. As introductions were made, he nodded his head when mentioned before he held the chair for his mother who his father ignored.


16 May 14, 02:57 AM
Veronica: Bolstered by her brother, Veronica relaxed a bit. She could do this. She could. With any luck, this contract, though it was a cage in its own right, at least meant she wouldn't be under her parents constant 'protection' anymore. She was fed up with being their princess. She wanted to be a woman in her own right. She studied the young man in front of her, though she tried not to do so obviously. Smirking, she leaned over to Cameron and said softly in French "I think you might have competition for most handsome in the room, Cam." Her mother shot her a look, they had discussed on countless occasions that making comments in other languages at the dinner table was as rude or worse than whispering. It hadn't, however, curbed their habit of doing so.

16 May 14, 03:03 AM
Cameron: His eyebrows went up and Cameron smirked as he took his seat, but it was the newcomer who responded also in French. "And pleasure to meet you both. Thank you. A young woman in any group is automatically the prettiest in the room so i shall not give you false flattery." Cameron chuckled under his breath trying not to add more as his father looked a little irritated. he said "If the comments are done? I think that it is good to know that all the details have been taken care of and that tonight we celebrate a union between our families..." he began to drone on as the two siblings tuned him out.

16 May 14, 03:08 AM
Veronica: She was focused on her brother, so when Omari spoke, it took her by surprise, and a moment to realize he was answering in French. She didn't blush, but she did meet the newcomer's eyes for the first time. "Is flattery not always false by definition?" Arabic this time since she was addressing him directly. Let her parents think she was trying to be accommodating. When her father spoke up, however, she went quiet. As her father droned on about the importance of the occasion, she murmured "What he means to say is that we're here to celebrate their first successful auction."

16 May 14, 03:12 AM
Cameron: He raised an eyebrow at her meeting her gaze directly, but with a certain amount of confidence in his words which were also in Arabic. "Exactly why it is not needed here, since the conclusions are already in." In others words, why butter up what I already have. Cameron gave a silent whistle as his father took over and murmured back "And the winner of it isn't too blatant about it either."


16 May 14, 03:15 AM
Veronica: Her expression, if possible, became even more veiled. "Charming" English this time, screw accommodating. She resolved to ignore him completely as far as she was able from that point on. "Let him think what he likes" she told her brother. "As if I find myself suddenly in need of his approval just because his father was the highest bidder."

16 May 14, 03:26 AM
Cameron: He could feel his sister getting steamed and figured he would be hearing about this later on, big time. "Indeed." Omari said, his eyes suddenly looking more interested in her. Cam nodded at her words as the first course was brought in. "Oh what i wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall of your first private conversation with him..."


16 May 14, 03:31 AM
Veronica: Refusing to let him get to her more than he already had, she focused on her brother. "How about you marry him and I'll wait for the next one?" But she knew she was stuck. Merlin this was going to be awful. She lowered her voice further. "With any luck that won't be until at least dinner number two, maybe by then I'll have something to say to him that isn't an expletive."

16 May 14, 03:34 AM
Cameron: He snorted and then held up his hands in silent apology as his mother glared at him. He didn't miss the father was ignoring them, but the mother gave them a few glances, maybe as if pondering the siblings' pairing. The first course gave them a little time to work with at least, but the other side of the table had impeccable manners with food, even if the parents were a little curious abut what they were actually eating it being unfamiliar. They let the parents do most of the talking, though both siblings were being watched by both sides. Omari in particular seemed to be judging how close they were and what issues he might face.


16 May 14, 03:38 AM
Veronica: Taking a soft but deep breath, she steeled herself. All she had to do was get through this dinner...and the rest of her life, but first there was the dinner. She would worry about the rest later. In the spirit of continuing to ignore Omari, and also in the interest of keeping her mother off both her and Cameron's cases, she addressed his mother in Arabic. "I imagine this is very different from what you're accustomed to. Are you enjoying London thus far?" She was gripping Cameron's arm under the table so hard she was going to have to apologize later even as she gave Omari's mother her most charming smile. Obviously ignoring each other worked well enough for his parents.

16 May 14, 03:41 AM
Cameron: The woman's eyes came to her swiftly enough and she smiled. In the same Arabic, but a lot more accent she said "It is a very different place from home, for certain! A lot of history here, yes?" Cam under the table shifted her grip to his leg, feeling a change of pace was needed.

16 May 14, 03:46 AM
Veronica: She nodded, charmed, and relived to have someone to talk to who might be helpful to her cause. "Not nearly as in Egypt I think, but plenty yes." Gradually, her grip on Cameron's leg relaxed, though she kept her hand there in case for several more minutes. "Do you enjoy traveling?" It was small-talk, which Veronica normally abhorred, but for the moment it was necessary, a lifeline, and she took hold with both hands. If she was going to marry this man, she needed an ally, maybe even a friend. Perhaps she could find that in his mother. At least her own had stopped glaring.

16 May 14, 03:51 AM
Cameron: The woman hesitated before adding after a glance at her husband to see him occupied "Different history, much more modern." Again, hesitation and she glanced at Omari who answered for her. "This is Mother's first trip outside of Cairo since she moved there with my father from Paris. Thus everything about it is exciting and unnerving all at the same time." His mother placed a hand on his arm in thanks and it was clear they had a different bond then the father did.

16 May 14, 03:56 AM
Veronica: She seemed nervous about her husband, and Veronica wondered, for a very nervous moment, if that should worry her for her own future, but then Omari came to his mother's rescue and she focused on him again, against her better judgement, searching his eyes, which she was forced to admit were very nice. She nodded to him, but didn't respond, addressing his mother again. "You must let me show you around while you are here then" she might come to regret the offer, but it was as close as she could make herself come to offering her future husband a truce. If he chose to reject it, well, ignoring him was still an option. Dinner was drawing to a close, and as they neared dessert, Veronica realized she had survived, the relief was only evident for a moment before she caught herself again.

16 May 14, 04:01 AM
Cameron: Omari pursed his lips at her offer even as his mother turned a worried look on her husband who turned having caught part of it. "We've already been toured around a bit. Thank you for the offer, maybe another trip then." rather curtly before her own father said "Veronica, take Omari down to the living room so you two can spend a few moments getting to know each other, Mr Silver here wants to hear Cameron's description of Hogwarts and how it differs." With an apologetic glance, Cameron got the chair for her and moved to the head of the table as Omari stood, patting his mother's shoulder before stepping out into the hallway first and then waiting for her to point the way.


16 May 14, 04:06 AM
Veronica: Feeling reprimanded, but not sure what she'd done (supposing her earlier attitude toward his son was not the cause) she nodded. "Of course" At her own father's words, however, she went noticeably rigid for a moment and then after a long beat. "Yes, father" Cameron got her chair and she stood gracefully with a pointed look at Cameron as though she was not sure which of them she felt worse for. She followed Omari out of the room and led him to the sitting room in silence. Turning, she looked up at him, annoyed that he was noticeably taller which forced her to look up at him, though not as much thanks to her shoes. "I believe, as you said, we can dispense with the useless flattery"

16 May 14, 04:11 AM
Cameron: Omari didn't miss the communication between her and her brother who was clearly slightly younger. When she stopped and looked at him he nodded, seriously. "Yes, I see little point to it." He looked around the living space and stepped over to the fireplace mantel, clearly liking the fireplace stone. "You are setting yourself up for disappointment with my mother I am afraid. My father will nix anything which involves her going out of his sight." It was clearly an expensive house. "Your parents take great pride in their home I can tell." His watched her from the corner of his eye. "Do you believe they feel the same about you?"

16 May 14, 04:18 AM
Veronica: Conceding that point, she frowned at his comment about her mother. It was not yet her place, if it would ever be, to dig too deeply into his family. "I...got that impression" she said carefully, and she doubted it was because he was in any way protective. His mother seemed nervous, almost frightened of his father. "He does not seem the type to tolerate being...disobeyed" it was as far as she dared push, but she wanted to know what he'd say, wanted some indication of whether he agreed with his father's methods. His comment about the house caught her off guard. "Yes" she said simply, and then after another moment. "It reminds them of their honeymoon in Greece." Her first instinct when he asked the question was to snap at him, but she stopped, remembering what she and Cameron had said only an hour before. "It depends on what sort of pride you mean" she said softly, but in no way sadly. "My parents view me as an asset to be traded, so it stands to reason that yes, they take pride in the aspects they consider....useful selling points." She sounded matter of fact as she said it.

16 May 14, 04:22 AM
Cameron: He shook his head, not meeting her look. "The culture we grew up in does not and my father is an excellent example of that raising." He kept his voice neutral on purpose; after all she was not to be trusted with too much yet. His eyes however lit up at the mention of Greece. "Greece is like this? Interesting. Have you ever been there?" He then turned as she spoke and listened to her words before taking the distance between them up in two long strides. "Assets is it? And how do you feel about that, Ms Clarke? I am quite interested to know your thoughts on this....deal."

16 May 14, 04:28 AM
Veronica: Which told her absolutely nothing, and she suspected he'd done it on purpose. Arse. The slight tinge of interest in his voice however, intrigued her. "Yes" and then a shake of her head. "No, its their special place. We don't do much traveling really. A bit here and there." Okay, this was going better than she might have thought, but she was determined her guard would not come down near so easily. Though she had the urge to step back when he came toward her, she stood her ground. "I..." and for a brief moment she considered opening up to him. Very brief. "Don't think what I feel has any consequence to you." She sounded maybe vaguely bitter as she added. "The deed of sale has already been signed, has it not?" What difference did it make to anyone really how she felt? Except for Cameron of course.

16 May 14, 04:32 AM
Cameron: "Shame." He looked over the fireplace one last time, an interest there indeed. "Honeymoon then so we can see what they liked so much." He looked at her, directly and frank. "Then you would be wrong. What I said upstairs was because I dislike lying and false words. I see little point in making you feel I am appreciating you when right now all I know you from is a piece of paper and a picture from school. It is a deed very much, but that does not mean I know anything about you to compliment you on unless you want me to begin verbally expressing my reactions to your 'assets' which I think not."


16 May 14, 04:36 AM
Veronica: A smirk, though not at him. "Exactly" His eyes found hers, and as he spoke, a smile tugged persistently at the corners of her lips, though she resisted. She did, however, relax, some of the rigidity leaving her frame. "Touche" she said softly and a bit of the life returned to her eyes. "I'm not especially fond of the concept of being sold for breeding stock" she said finally. "But I get the impression that is the general idea." She shrugged. "My brother and I both knew early this was our parents' plan for us. I had hoped I might have a bit longer to...enjoy being out of school."

16 May 14, 04:41 AM
Cameron: He nodded, having expected it, but the touch of appreciation in her voice for truth he liked. "Good. You speak your mind. I will advise you not to do so in front of my father. I was not pleased to have not much say in it either, but the family needs a solid connection here in the UK and I am the only son." His face did not show it but he said a touch softer "I am sorry we are not closer in age, I am sure that is a disappointment for you." He pursed his lips a tad. "The contract, however, leaves little leeway for personal opinions and my father and yours seem to share a love of things being completed on time."


16 May 14, 04:46 AM
Veronica: "I think it is safe to presume I will say less in front of your father than I say in front of my own, which isn't much, I can assure you." It relieved her on some level to realize he was being used just as much to serve a purpose as she was. "A...business endeavor?" She relaxed another fraction. "Will it anger you if I tell you that makes me feel a bit better?" Not that she much cared either way, but it was good to know in advance how bad his temper was. She laughed then, and for a moment her expression brightened with it. "Not particularly actually. You obviously don't remember boys my age." She gave him a serious look, though this was the first that lacked a sarcastic edge. "Have they given you any information regarding a timeline of...events?" Marriage, babies, all of it would likely come far too quickly for her liking.

16 May 14, 04:50 AM
Cameron: He nodded. "Business. Nothing personal, I am sure you are a nice person to get to know, but I don't think I will be given the chance to take things slowly." A raised eyebrow to her comment about age. "Excuse me? I do not thin I understand that part..." As she asked details, he realized in her culture as well women must not be told much. That would help in the long run. "Details yes. Civil marriage, by the end of the summer, child within a year. I will have a house in the South near the coast but that is still being arranged. Our family business will be coming across the channel."


16 May 14, 04:57 AM
Veronica: She could, in a strange way, appreciate his honesty. She had never expected to be loved, never even hoped for it. "Somehow I think you're right" she acknowledged, liking him much better than she had a few minutes ago still didn't mean she was excited about the prospect of having his children, especially since a great many of those details were...foreign to her still. She tried not to simile, and she succeeded...mostly. "I do not mind someone older because boys my own age are focused on one thing and one thing only." To include her brother, but she made exceptions for him. "It would be nice to actually have a conversation on occasion once things are...settled." Yes, once they got through the pesky details of marriage and sex they could begin getting to know each other properly. That thought did earn a grin. "A year" she said the words as though she wasn't quite sure how she felt about them, and in truth she wasn't. She had known it would go quickly, had hoped maybe not quite so quickly.

16 May 14, 05:00 AM
Veronica: "I suppose we really will have to skip the formalities then" she said, more seriously than before. There was no time, and she found herself uselessly frustrated, could they not even have afforded her just a little time to be human? No, no of course not. She studied Omari's expression and wanted to sigh. She felt the cage doors she'd always seen as inevitable swing shut with a silent clang of finality. "So everything will be settled very quickly then." It was all she could think to say. "I suppose there are details we should discuss as to your expectations."

16 May 14, 05:18 AM
Cameron: Comprehension lit his eyes. "Ah! I see. So parents here do not see to their son's education in such things beforehand?" Curious, he hoped her mother had at least told her the woman's side of it. If not he would be very displeased. "I suspect your father might have argued for something bigger in a service, but my father is used to throwing money around I am afraid. Were you expecting something more?" Her expression showed two things; first frustration, but also resignation. Both pleased him that she was going to do as she was told. "Business will keep me moving rapidly as my family sends in exports and I have to arrange their destinations. but I will have time at the beginning for us to try and get used to each other for awhile. With my father in Cairo running distribution I will often have to make trips back there and to also check on my sisters. Would you be interested in that sort of travel or no? What do women expect here in a marriage?"


16 May 14, 08:34 AM
Veronica: Another twitch of her lips as she considered the implications of that statement alone. he was probably some sort of expert. Was that good or bad? She had no idea. Much as it pained her, the idea of discussing sex with her brother, he was probably the most experienced one in the house. Merlin that was just odd. "Not in the way I think you mean" she answered. "Here, boys see to their own...education." She answered his next question more carefully. "I have very few actual expectations regarding the details. I wasn't given much to go on where they are concerned." She smirked, "if you're asking was I expecting a party, the answer is no." More like a funeral. Business trips? She smiled wryly at him. It was all so horribly cliche. So they would be married, and he would never be home? Could be worse, she decided, and then thought of his mother. Definitely worse. "I understand" she said simply. What else was there to say? He surprised her, however, when he asked if she was interested in coming

16 May 14, 08:41 AM
Veronica: along, and it showed. "Yes" she said quickly, almost too quickly. The idea of being home by herself endlessly, while initially attractive, would likely become boring later. At least this way she could hedge her bets. "I would be interested." Something else caught her attention. "Sisters?" She studied him over again. "How many?" His next question she considered for several seconds before she answered. "It depends" She glanced around at the house, a solid testimony of her own parents' feelings for one another. "In a real marriage, meaning one where the participants choose one another, I suspect the expectations are far different." Another wry smile. "In a...business arrangement, I suppose it depends on the woman. As far as I am concerned I have no expectations of you. I do not know you. I would prefer to be treated with respect as it saves me the trouble of making us both miserable, and..." Here her tone was softer, less ironic and what little teasing there was was lost. "I have never been afraid of much in my life. I would prefer not to be afraid of you." It spoke volumes without speaking much of anything, and was the closest she could safely come to telling him that her biggest fears where he was concerned stemmed from whether she would have the same look she'd glimpsed from his mother in ten years time.

16 May 14, 12:51 PM
Cameron: A smile. "Really?" A soft laugh before he became more serious. "That must be rough on the girls around them. Guys are not very good at self control I think." She had few expectations? He frowned, had she been raised to think it would all be taken care of as well? So be it. "I'll make some plans then. Afterwards should at least be something special." The smile returned with her interests. "Excellent. There are some standards I will have to teach you for some of those places, a few changes or wardrobe as this," he motioned at her dress, "while very nice would not do in some areas. It might actually get you stoned to death in some. But I shall guide you." He also nodded at her interest in his family. "Four, two much older and I am the middle of a set of triplets so my younger sisters and I are very close." A wry look, as if he knew what she meant. "You will have no reason to fear me. This is not a child-slave marriage after all or something perverse. I will take care of you and see to your

16 May 14, 12:53 PM
Cameron: needs as I expect the reverse back to me. Seem fair enough?" It took him a minute before he glanced at the door, realizing what she was probably referring to. "I am not my father, not in this. He is a harsh man, but generally easy to get along with if you toe a certain line. You will not have to deal with him much, I promise you that."


17 May 14, 12:02 AM
Veronica: He seemed surprised by her desire to travel, and she wondered why. "Of course. You try being cooped up behind walls your whole life and see how eager you are to go anywhere else." Emphasis on anywhere, she might have gone to the moon if she could have managed it. She shrugged, "I don't know much about it" she assured him. "Just the stories that make rounds in the dorms at school" and those she heard from her brother, but that was another matter. She looked startled by his comment. "My mother has put a great deal of energy into decorating the rest of my life to her liking, I assumed this would be much the same." When he spoke of making the after special, something in her softened, and she began to think it possible she had misjudged him...a little. "That...would be nice." It would at least give her something to look forward to after all of the political dust had settled. He smiled, and now that she wasn't feeling quite so guarded, she acknowledged it was a nice smile, and did so in

17 May 14, 12:08 AM
Veronica: return. "Ah yes,I imagine my behavior up to this point would be...less than ideal to some cultures." Though her expression was not apologetic, there was understanding. "I will trust your judgment on that" she murmured. It beat getting stoned to death at any rate. He spoke of his sisters and she grinned. "Oh...oh wow...that is..." and Cameron said she was hard to deal with sometimes...but that meant one thing very important: He likely understood women, and what's more, he obviously cared for his sisters. It served to soften her further, though she still stubbornly withheld judgment. She made a face at his choice of words before she could stop herself. "I should hope not" she agreed. She hesitated, but not for long. "Yes" she said softly, sincerely. "That is fair enough." She looked up at him from under her lashes. "I suppose I will need some guidance in that regard as well. I don't have much practice...'toeing the line'" she admitted. "Though I would appreciate it if you didn't mention that to my mother."

17 May 14, 12:12 AM
Cameron: Tilting his head he considered the point and then nodded, accepting it. "Granted." Ah, so she heard stuff from other students then, likely to be overblown or incorrect as they were passed around. He nodded. "Yes, I can imagine. In my case it is my father's will which runs our family, sometimes too much." A glance at the door and he shook his head; they would get into that later on. "Good. I shall plan appropriately then and leave some spontaneity in it." She understood about behaviors? "What have you heard if I may ask?" She also seemed surprised about his sisters. "Oh wow what?" he asked with a smirk. "I shall not say a word to your mother long as I have no difficulties with you myself, naturally, and there will be time for guidance as you put it later on. He will be returning to Egypt with my mother so there will be time for that at least." He frowned as an idea occurred to him. "Enlighten me to what you need in the house, please, if there is some special skill or hobby you do on a regular basis."


17 May 14, 12:23 AM
Veronica: "I understand" It was, after all, her father's word which was final in their house as well, though her mother had more power than some. Spontaneity, the word earned a genuine smile, though it faded somewhat as she considered how to best communicate her understanding of cultural norms. "Essentially it is a woman's job to be seen and not heard" she smirked. "but also to be entirely covered, so I suppose not exactly seen either." She grinned, appreciating the shift in topic. "I was just thinking how Cam might feel if he had three more sisters to deal with" she answered. "I think I might feel something like sympathy for one man in a house with that many women." She did appeared relieved at that, though she tried not to be too obvious about it. Having only him to deal with was a much more attractive concept. "Need" she repeated. "I...enjoy reading, most especially cultural and language studies" she said after a moment. "I also..." and here she hesitated, "I enjoy fashion design."

17 May 14, 12:31 AM
Cameron: Nodding, he clearly was still serious. "Essentially, yes. That culture has some rather severe punishments for those who break the rules of the religion as it is heavily religious based there." He chuckled at the comment about her brother. "Yes, there are times I felt a bit too much focused on." His eyebrows raised; that was an odd combination to him. "Reading is not an issue. Fashion design? Do you make clothes then and if so what style?"

17 May 14, 12:38 AM
Veronica: She looked relieved he seemed all right with her love of reading given the tenor of the conversation. His reaction to the fashion comment almost made her laugh. "It varies" she answered. "Mother has very traditional ideas about the way women should dress. The only way I could develop my own style was to create one for myself." She shrugged, "I'm not sure I could explain it to you in broad terms. I see something I like and I personalize it. That's all it is really."

17 May 14, 12:53 AM
Cameron: He noticed the relieved look and smiled. "What, did you think I was against knowledge?" He shook his head and went rather serious again. "I have no objection to your learning, long as obedience is still seen as that is what will get both of us in trouble." Listening, he certainly couldn't tell whether her talent was good or not. "Well then, if I give you an outfit to wear, it will be ones that can not be altered or added to as often if I give you one it fits certain guidelines. Here in the UK of course you can wear what you like. Within reason," he added having heard of some really absurd outfits

17 May 14, 01:00 AM
Veronica: "For women?" she gave him a look as though asking if he'd checked out during their conversation about cultural differences. "I was prepared for it as a possibility, yes." She nodded, seeing the reason in his clothing comments. "As I said, outside of the U.K. I trust your judgment, and here I would never wear anything that reflected badly. I have too much self-respect for that." Well, mostly. Sometimes she had been known to dress in certain ways merely to give her parents potential for a stroke, but he didn't need to know that. She got the impression he liked control, and she didn't mind him having the illusion of it if it made her life easier. "So, let me see if I have this right. I get the impression what this essentially comes down to is you're agreeing to see to what I need so long as I am willing to behave properly depending on the audience and behave as you see fit, correct me if I've misunderstood."

17 May 14, 01:06 AM
Cameron: Nodding he gave the room again a look. "Yes. And I know the public perception of it is that culture is down on education for women, but that is not entirely true. There are extremists in every culture, we just seem to be inflicted with the more public ones." She began a sum up and he paid grave attention to her words, nodding at the points. "Close enough I think for our purposes. It fits under the simple idea of I will see to what you need and you will see to what I need. That includes certain behaviors during travel and family visits of course. I assume, for instance, that you wish your brother to have access to our house from the way you react to him for instance."


17 May 14, 01:10 AM
Veronica: That earned him a wry smile again. "Right, our extremists weren't so much sexist as...blood purist" she knew very little about either of the great wars that had afflicted London in past years. Her parents had towed a very careful line of neutrality. When he confirmed her summary, she nodded. Not bad for a first conversation, she was forced to admit, though Cameron would be disappointed. Speaking of Cameron. "I would consider that important, yes." More than important, but she didn't know him well enough yet to risk giving him leverage. "My brother and I are very close" she acknowledged calmly. "We've spent a lot of time playing "them against us" with our parents since we were kids."

17 May 14, 01:16 AM
Cameron: Again he nodded, amused. "Yes, and I consider the blood to be far worse then the gender personally. One at least is a physical difference the other is just hatred. There are those who accept it for religion and have long and happy lives it seems." He shrugged. Her other point was in answer to his own. "My sisters and I have always felt it was family against everyone else. We never told our father anything that blatantly however." Motioning to the door he added "I think we have about covered what could be expected, unless you have something else you want to bring up?"

17 May 14, 01:22 AM
Veronica: "Then we can agree on those points at least." She nodded. "No, I think you are right, any longer and my parents might get the impression this is going well. I can't abide giving them that sort of satisfaction this quickly." She didn't particularly care what he made of that. "I am" she added hesitantly after a moment. "Glad to see that first impressions are not always what they seem however."

17 May 14, 01:25 AM
Cameron: Leading the way this time he stepped out and then as they walked back he said "I can always enter first and you come along a few minutes later if it gives you a better position." His face was grave but his eyes were clearly amused at her. "I have surprised many before you. I assure you, I am more then a surface."


17 May 14, 01:28 AM
Veronica: "Thank you" she smirked, "But no, I think Cameron and I will be in enough trouble as it stands. He's still got to go through this, I'd rather not make it worse for him if I can help it." She said nothing for a long moment at his surface comment, and then: "I think you'll find me more difficult to surprise than most" said softly and with simple confidence. "Everyone is more than a surface, Monsieur Zander" she responded. "The only difference is how deep they allow others to tread."

17 May 14, 01:34 AM
Cameron: He assembled his face into one of seriousness as they headed up and nodded to her comment, but the second one deserved words. "Very true, as I have demonstrated this evening in fact." Let her wonder how that was meant. "I have to admit feeling more positive to know you are not some empty headed socialite as many English girls are spoken of." He motioned her into the dining room saying nothing as they went back to their seats seeing as dessert had been delivered.

[Deleted]

Cameron and Veronica's conversation : attheready.proboards.com/post/27124

[Deleted]

18 May 14, 12:11 AM
Veronica: She sat by the pool, feet dangling in the water with a book on Egyptian cultural etiquette by which she appeared to be thoroughly engrossed. She mumbled something under her breath which sounded suspiciously like "I have to wear a what?" before turning the page with a frown.

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18 May 14, 12:20 AM
Omari: Having been directed through the back, Omari shook his head at the manners. Apprently once you were an accepted contract you were family under their perception? Walking to the door he paused and watched her reading a moment, letting his eyes get a good look before he opened the door and stepped out, walking over to her. Still ten feet away he said so she would be startled "Well, enjoying a book in the sun? I've noticed you do not have nearly as many sunny days as back home here..."

18 May 14, 12:23 AM
Veronica: Without looking up, she smirked. "You'll have to try harder than that. I live with Cameron." she put the book down and turned her head to look at him over her sunglasses a moment before she stood up. "Mom's going to be furious when she realizes she sent you back here and I'm dressed like this" but she said it as a positive. To him she said, "I suppose very few places have more sunny days than the desert."

18 May 14, 12:33 AM
Omari: He arched an eyebrow at her. "Excuse me? DO you mean that I need to tryandbe more charming or I should not talk about the weather?" A glance down since she mentioned it and he had to admit that the women were certainly good to look at here. "To be honest I have actually seen les son the street in a few places in London."

18 May 14, 12:35 AM
Veronica: "I meant if you're going to try and scare me, you'll have to be more creative than that." Now that she wasn't in heels, he was that much taller. "Though if you're in the mood to be more charming that would also suffice." She gave him a look. "You must visit some interesting streets then." Not wanting to be rude exactly, but curious, she gave him an expectant look. "What can I do for you?"

18 May 14, 12:54 AM
Omari: He chuckled. "Scaring you wasn't in my plans for the day, I simply dropped by since I had to be in England today and your mother just told me how to get back here." He frowned. "I didn't think so. A bikini I think they call them and hiking boots and another wearing those shorts that seem to be..." he hesitated "too high?" Shrugging he smiled slightly. "I just figured by now you would have more questions for me."


18 May 14, 01:01 AM
Veronica: Thoughtful of him, she decided, and she softened a bit, looking from him to the book and back again. "Would you like something to drink?" She led him to a set of table and chairs not far from the pool. "I do have questions, a lot of them in fact, but I doubt you have time for them all today..." She looked to him for confirmation. He spoke of bikini's and shorts and she laughed. "Bikini is right, yes, and I can only imagine the shorts."

18 May 14, 01:06 AM
Omari: He pursed his lips. "Water or something light would not be a bad idea." Following her to the small table he Removed his suit coat and slipped it over a chair before sitting in it. "Then let me hear the big ones. There will be other trips, but let me hear what is bothering you or making you curious first." He smirked. "She wouldn't have gotten a fair trial at home, let's put it that way. I don't quite see the point of exposing that much if one expects to be treated well. "

18 May 14, 01:11 AM
Veronica: She nodded, summoned Perry and politely requested water for both of them before she focused on him again. She considered the concept of 'big ones' for a moment. "All right, from the research I've been able to do, I gather that modern Egyptian culture is rather split on the idea of women's rights. There seems to be a group with more modern ideas about equality and another with a much more traditional view. I can gather which your father belongs to. Which are you?" She asked mostly because he'd made it difficult to tell by observation. Another nod, "In public I agree" she said carefully, unsure whether she ought to tell him she didn't much like wearing much clothing when in private.

18 May 14, 01:19 AM
Omari: He sat back trying to appear relaxed though his mind was geared up for trouble from this little spitfire. "Mixed. Wizarding society sort of...moves around religion there. It's best t look as if you are religious even if you are not." He pursed his lips. "My sisters enjoy more, hmm, freedom if you will then most do. But they also help run the family business. My mother does not so she doesn't have so much. That I have little power about I'm afraid." He nodded gravely and pondered what he wanted to hear from her. "Long as no outside except family sees you in it, I don't object to viewing you this way. However if another man besides your brother is in the house I would have to take some action."


18 May 14, 01:25 AM
Veronica: She listened intently, nodding when he paused. "I understand" she said softly. She tilted her head. "What is it you deal in exactly?" She knew he handled imports and exports, but of what she had no idea. She frowned at the mention of his mother, she did not appreciate seeing anyone misused. She looked up at him. "Of course no one would see me" She shot him a look. "What sort of 'action'?" If he hit her she'd hex him, end of story. Or she'd have Cameron do it, she knew he would, and he'd likely ask very few questions first. She did love her brother.

18 May 14, 01:34 AM
Omari: "My sisters find traditional and modern items from the countries they live in and arrange shipments to Cairo were my father's branch distributes them to the markets which fare best. Magical, muggle, furniture, antiques, crafts, a wide mixture. I am going to be the main branch of export outside the Middle East so the UK, Americas, the far east such as China and Vietnam as well." A glance at her and seeing the challenge in her eyes whether she meant it or not and his eyes became a bit harder for the answer itself. "If they were in the near vicinity of you I would be throwing them off the building without a wand. Because you will be mine and I will not accept another man near you in that fashion. DO not take this personally, I would have this issue no matter who I had chosen, but if there is anything or anyone I am going todraw a line about, it will be my wife and my sisters reputations."


18 May 14, 01:41 AM
Veronica: "Ah, that is..." she searched for a word. "A clever set-up" she said finally. She noticed the change in him, the way he became more rigid, and she felt something in herself respond similarly, though as he continued, she understood. "You do not have to worry about that" she said simply. The idea of him throwing someone off a building should have frightened her, but she found herself amused instead, though she tried very hard not to show it. "I care very much for my reputation, Omari" the name felt strange on her tongue, but she supposed it was something to get used to. "And I am not the kind of person who invites that kind of...attention." His wife. She would be his wife...Some of her ease faded. He might even be stricter than her parents, and that thought was downright depressing. "How many children do you expect to have?"

18 May 14, 01:51 AM
Omari: He nodded, adding "Father may have personal views I don't subscibe to, but he knew how to set his children up to take the best advantage out of four daughters." Most Egyptians would have simply married them off, but he managed better then that. "Good. Because on the trips we take a simple mistake can get rapidly out of line. I won't take you on all of my trips back home for that reason. Going into the Mosque's can be risky for a woman of the wrong reigion." Ah, here it came. "Expect? Expet is not a word I wiill use. Who knows what the future will bring and how? Too many variables. I hope" he stressed the word " for a few sons. If we havedaughters as wel lthat will be a blessing, but I hope for more then a couple of boys. That is asclose as I will get to 'expect.' I am sure you understand why."

18 May 14, 01:59 AM
Veronica: She wondered, though she wouldn't have asked, what he really thought of his father. She had read a bit about Muslim religious practices in the book she'd been studying, and some of the more extremist details made her flinch. "I am perfectly okay with that" she answered. "Though I really wouldn't mind getting to know your mother a bit better." That woman needed a friend in Ronni's opinion, even if it meant having to spend time around his father. "Will the wedding be...religious?" If it was, she needed to start reading up...quickly. He was being far more reasonable with regard to children than he had been a few minutes ago about other things. She found him confusing, but also intriguing, and that of itself was more than she'd hoped for in a husband. "I do" she answered, then she smiled softly. "I'd like at least one girl" she admitted. With any luck, she'd be able to give her daughter a life different from what she had known, but a good deal of that depended on this man. "Do you know yet

18 May 14, 01:59 AM
Veronica: when the house will be finished?"

18 May 14, 02:13 AM
Omari: He pursed his lips a moment. "I will see what I ask my father for, a visit for you to learn her wisdom about our culture might sway him some." He shook his head. "Simply a civil service in front of a judge, a couple of witnesses will be all that is needed. Why, do you need something?" A slight nod; all women wanted a daughter, he knew this. "By the end of the honeymoon which will be about three weeks long. We will return to see it together. I have a craft room and a sitting space as well as bookshelves in the plans. I will leave it to you to fill them.


18 May 14, 09:29 AM
Veronica: She looked surprised by that, or more specifically by him. "All right." Process. She needed to process all of this. She smirked when he explained the service. Far less public than her father would have wanted.. Her mother had probably had a stroke. "She'll probably still work a ridiculous dress in somehow" she mumbled, and then realized she'd said it out loud. "I did not expect to have anything to thank you for, but for saving me from the wedding she's been planning since I was born...I might." She narrowly avoided choking on the sip of water she had just taken. Three weeks? Alone. With him. Merlin! He continued, however, rescuing her. Craft room? Empty bookshelves for her to fill? Her eyes lit up. That was something worth getting excited about! "Really?" Pleasure and excitement permeated her tone. "That is...wonderful." And, more slowly, after a moment's hesitation. "Thank you."

18 May 14, 03:17 PM
Omari: He noted her surprise with satisfaction. In appearing to be on her side he won her more to him at the same time and loyalty was what he wanted. "I suspect a wedding dress she will deliver, but avoiding the rest make sit doable I suppose. If we were to do it the way she first spoke of it would be a year before a wedding could be done and this is business. Waiting three months for the house to be finished is long enough. I gathered she had quite a few things to start on as soon as the contract was signed, but her frustration at least can not be blamed on you. So your thanks I will take with relish, as I am told they say." Her near choking left some signs and he looked at her more directly. "Surprised? It will be my first vacation and we shall see if your parents were right about Greece. It will give us time to become much more familiar with working together as well and in that it is probably too short a time." Yes, there would be a lot of learning to do in those weeks, though the physical

18 May 14, 03:20 PM
Omari: would go fast enough indeed. Her direct pleasure however made his eyes fill with self-satisfaction. "For what I ask, it is only appropriate I make payment in front not just to your parents. You may still consider it a cage, but it's one with a door not a lock. You will be responsible for the running of the house which will have a few servants, hired of course."


18 May 14, 11:19 PM
Veronica: She smiled appreciatively at the image of her mother's face when she'd been told the ceremony would be basic. "I'll consider it a wedding present" she answered. Three months for the house, so if the honeymoon was going to be three weeks and the house would supposedly be finished then...two months...essentially, to figure out who in Merlin's name she was marrying. It wasn't near enough, but it would have to do. "You like the house that much then?" It was the first time she'd made even a half-attempt at teasing him. "I'm sure it will be...lovely." It would be the farthest from home she'd ever been, and her first major trip without her parents. "I guess we will have to make do" she answered, though she agreed with him it was not nearly enough. The smile she offered at the cage comment was almost sardonic. "It is, at the very least, an improvement" she allowed. "I am certain it will work out." It had to, not like failure was an option in this case. Still, she would have to test and see how

18 May 14, 11:20 PM
Veronica: her boundaries might be pushed, without irritating him too much she supposed.

18 May 14, 11:26 PM
[×] Omari: "I did request no inflated dresses. Those fluffed ones girls seem to love these das don't look right to me." And no jewelry since he had a tradition to uphold there, but that would at least be a surprise for her as her mother had promised. "The house is fine, it just needed a lot of remodeling inside. It will put us half the island away from your parents though. Southern coast." He was sure she had been expecting things for a few years by now never knowing what she would end up with. "I've made plans to give us the most of the time. I apologize if it does not seem long enough, but it will have to do." He shrugged, improvement it might be, but still. "I do expect you to tell me in private when there is something you have issue with, whether it is something that can be changed or not."


18 May 14, 11:31 PM
Veronica: The way she grinned told him exactly how much she appreciated that. "You're looking better and better all the time" she informed him. "They look like wedding cakes" she agreed. "and not the kind you'd want to eat." She laughed softly, "you're just full of good news today." She looked up at him suddenly, wondering if he was preparing her for something she wouldn't like. "Is there some bad news I should be preparing for?" She nodded agreement. "It is what it is, in that at least we are both at a disadvantage and I do not hold it against you." She gave him a strange look at that. "If it cannot be changed, what is the point in talking about it?"

18 May 14, 11:37 PM
Omari: He nodded, thinking her description was probably accurate. "I suppose we have to go to whatever dinner your parents decide to make, but I made arrangements for h trip tickers to be in the late afternoon so that should keep it to a lunch sort of thing. A real dinner will be just us." He smiled. "You are marrying without a choice in the matter, I sort of assumed that was the bad news." He shook his head. "Nothing speific, but I have heard stories about western girls finding the Arabic world to be a hard pill to swallow. Making things easier outside of that would be to make that easier fo yu to accept." A frown at her, finding that attitude somehow wrong. "So that I know. If there are ways to make it easier to accept, then those would be ones I would know to watch for. Otherwise you must take it as is."


19 May 14, 09:42 AM
Veronica: She looked relieved by his comments about dinner, and found herself thinking that even though she might not have chosen him for a husband, he wouldn't make a bad ally. Time would tell if she could trust him, however, and she was in no hurry to do so. She smiled wryly at him however for the marriage comment. "I have known this was coming since I was ten years old" she answered. At the time when her mother had informed her that she and Veronica's father would be choosing her future spouse, Veronica hadn't known there was anything abnormal about it. "Not particularly" she answered. "You could say I've had plenty of time to adjust to the idea." A half-smile as she looked up at him pointedly. "My only concern was that my parents' would choose someone I found...difficult to acclimate to" she said carefully. "And I will not know that for some time yet." There was no cheek in the statement, merely a presentation of fact. She had no choice however she felt about him, but she hoped they might be

19 May 14, 09:47 AM
Veronica: able to reach some sort of understanding with one another. He mentioned her necessary adjustment and she frowned, thinking of the book. "If we lived there full time that might be true" she said softly, "as it stands I fully believe anything can be tolerated in the short-term well enough." She thought warily of his father. "I think so long as I dress appropriately and do not speak much I will be able to blend in well enough." She thought about that last comment. "Fair enough" she told him. If they had to spend the rest of their lives together, and he was fully responsible for her well-being, maybe confiding in him wouldn't be a bad idea. She was slower this time, in presenting the question. "Were you given any choice yourself?" She was curious, thinking of Cameron's comment the night of the dinner before they'd gone up.

19 May 14, 12:57 PM
Omari: Nodding he said "Good then. I suspected as much. Will be much easier that way." Hers words about adjusting caused him to look at her for a minute and then added "I can understand that. You seem reasonable enough, more then I would have thought to be honest." He half-snorted silently about being quiet. "I will give you advice and some training on that later enough. As for choice, my only time of choice was in picking between the pictures of three ladies. You know where that choice led and after that choice I learned who you were and what the contract would contain. My father isn't stupid; he knows if I did not chose some aspect there would be trouble, but I protect and serve my family. There was never a choice about the rest." Speaking of which, he wondered how much detail to give her for the last part. "Do you want to know, by the way, any of what I know about the wedding so far or the bands? There will not be an Engagement ring, actually, since you would have it about a month and then not be able to wear it again. That seems foolish to me considering the cost, so I put the extra in the bands. I think you will them more then adequate for the aftermath. And since you are no longer in school, there is no reason to have something to brag over, correct?"


19 May 14, 01:26 PM
Veronica: She smirked, and a bit of mischief sparked suddenly. "Were you expecting a prissy, materialistic airhead?" She met his eyes, still smirking. "Because I could give it my best shot if you would like." She tilted her head a moment, considering how she felt about being trained, but then decided it was probably for her own good. "Pictures" she repeated, "so Cameron was right." She wondered what the other two had looked like. He had been trapped into family duty the same way she had. It helped. She hesitated, and then: "Yes" she glanced away before meeting his eyes again. She wasn't particularly surprised or bothered by his decisions on the rings. She kept her thoughts to herself, however, until he mentioned bragging. Her lips twitched. "Why would I have bragged about a ring from a man who was required by his family to marry me?" she asked him.

19 May 14, 01:36 PM
[×] Omari: He shook his head. "Yes to the expectation, but no thank you." He gave her a curious glance. "Excuse me?" Hearing her words he took a sip of the water which had been brought and leaned forward, placing his hands together on the table. "I do not know the dress, but both hands and feet will be given a henna treatment suitable for brides and you will be wearing a set of jewelry passed down ten generations in my family which my mother just had reworked a few years ago. The service is maybe ten minutes, you will need to pick a witness outside your family, I shall be doing the same for mine. Both of my closest sister's will be there with their families by the way." He shrugged, leaning back again and relaxing some. "I do not pretend to know the way every woman will react to news of this sort."


19 May 14, 01:45 PM
Veronica: She gave him an amused smile. "All right, as long as you're sure." She had done some reading on wedding and bridal traditions in her book, but the idea of actually participating in such a thing intrigued her. Her eyes widened and flew up to his from where she had been surreptitiously studying his hands on the table. "Ten generations?" Wow...did they have anything still from that far back? She doubted it. "That's...a lot of effort for ten minutes" she pointed out what she felt was the obvious. "A witness" she murmured thoughtfully. "I don't suppose they would accept a cat?" She liked the thought of getting to meet his sisters. Maybe they would be more willing to speak openly with her, though if they were anything like his mother, she doubted that as well. She shrugged, conceding the point. "Well, I can assure you I have no grand notions about what I would want in a wedding, so whatever makes things go smoothest is acceptable."

19 May 14, 01:50 PM
Omari: If she was wiling to put humor in then he was doing well. "Certain traditions make sense. The henna is to make you feel more beautiful and the jewelry is passed down from heir's wife to her son's wife. It's been reworked from the old pattern as the original threading needed to be replaced. And it might seem like a lot, but you will be the only one with the right to wear it for special occasions." He pursed his lips but appeared to be amused. "I don't believe a cat can legally sign a document, so no." He let her last comment drop with a turn of his hand, seeing no point to an answer there.


19 May 14, 02:14 PM
Veronica: She looked wary for a moment. Speaking of henna..."How do you feel about...tattoos?" She suspected he wouldn't like it much, but best to find out now than later. "But Isabelle would be thrilled though!" Then she stopped, realizing that sounded strange. "I can talk to them...to cats I mean." So long as she was listing her quirks for him.

19 May 14, 02:18 PM
Omari: He frowned, hearing she was putting some value into the question. "What do you mean? As in you already have one?" He sat up then looking at her directly and with some not quite alarm and not quite anger, somewhere in between. The question about the cat he raised an eyebrow up. "Still, it's a legal matter though if it means that much to you I'm sure your brother can hold her while we are there." Talking to cats? Rather important to know that it meant he would have pets around!

19 May 14, 02:21 PM
Veronica: "As in I already have one" she confirmed. Standing, she unbuttoned the first few buttons of the shirt and let it fall off her shoulders, revealing the butterfly. "Cameron and I snuck out over the summer last year and got them." She didn't say anything more, letting that sink in. She laughed, "Oh no, she'll live, she'll just be grouchy about it for a few days. I suspect by the time we're back from the honeymoon she'll have forgiven me."

19 May 14, 02:25 PM
Veronica: www.sitesnobrasil.com/fotos/images/fotos/mulheres/s/sophie-charlotte2.gif

19 May 14, 02:25 PM
Omari: She had marked her skin. It's pattern nor it's meaning wasn't important to his mind, but the fact he had not heard about it till now did. "Your....brother. So you parents know nothing about it?" Well that explained that! It was a rebel sort of thing then -- not encouraging. It meant she was going to be more a handful then he had original thought and his brows came down as he thought about. "Just the one I take it?" keeping the frustration out of his voice.


19 May 14, 02:29 PM
Veronica: She heard something in his tone that gave her the impression of disapproval, but he didn't sound mad. "No, I keep it hidden most of the time." She murmured a charm, and the tattoo faded out of sight. "I did not think you would appreciate it as a surprise in a few weeks." Turning back to face him as she buttoned the shirt, she nodded. "Just the one, it was a fun experience, and nice to share it with Cam, but I don't have any real interest and doing it again."

19 May 14, 02:34 PM
Omari: As it disapeared his frustration was muted slightly by the fact she was revealing it now. That set a certain statement about being under his name later. "I...see. Youthful spirits or purpose?" d@mn straight she should not be considering it again, but he did not say that out loud. "Yes, I would not have liked that surprise for sure."

19 May 14, 02:38 PM
Veronica: "Both" she could sense his negative feelings, and they made her wary. "I knew my parents had begun looking at contracts for me at the time. I wanted to experience a bit of freedom before the cage fell. Cameron wanted a tattoo and I decided to go with him, something we'd always have together before the contracts separated us. I chose the butterfly because they're small and lovely, but most of all because they, unlike me, are able to fly and go where they choose. Also because I teased Cameron about his dragon being cliché so of course I wanted to get something equally predictable, but it still meant something to me." She arched a brow at him, still wary. "No I imagine you do not like surprises much."

19 May 14, 02:42 PM
Omari: He listened attentively his hands itching to catch at her arm, but resisting. No, she would not react well to that right at this stage. "So. Rebellion. And a sibling rebellion together." He mused on this a moment and then stood walking around the table to her side and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I do not have one and probably never will. As long as you never do something like that without talking with me in advance first, then I will learn to deal with that." And feel anger her skin was marred in silence, but he would think on that later.

[Deleted]

20 May 14, 10:42 PM
[×] Omari: Walking up to the door in a suit as normal, Omari was curious why she had requested this meeting so soon after the last. Still, there must be something important to her. Admiring the house again he stopped to look at it part way up the drive and then continued to the door before knocking and then rnging the bell...

20 May 14, 10:56 PM
Veronica: She was in the sitting room when the bell rang. She felt nervous, but tried to focus her thoughts before she stood and went for the door rather than waiting for it to be answered by someone else. She opened it slowly, still trying to gather her nerve. He stood there, looking like something out of Witch Weekly and she wanted to sigh. "You're early" she observed, stepping aside so he could enter.

static1.puretrend.com.br/articles/5/43/55/@/35369-sony-fashion-weekend-kids-a-musa-637x0-2.jpg


20 May 14, 11:01 PM
Omari: She opened the door in a very sparkly dress. "I prefer early to late." Whn she stepped inside he stepped in, but kept turning so he could see the dress. "My goodness, that's very shiny."

20 May 14, 11:04 PM
Veronica: She nodded, "makes sense" Then she smiled, "It is isn't it? You wouldn't believe what it took to get all of these sequins together." She raised her eyes to his and tried for a softer, more inviting smile. "How are things with the house?"

20 May 14, 11:08 PM
Omari: He nodded, glancing over it again at the invitation and noting how high up it was. Westener fashins. "Excuse me, you put all of those on it yourself? They don't come on the fabric when you buy it?" He had no idea how dressmaking was done. "It's coming along well. It will probably be done just before we leave and the furniture people will move everything in while we are gone under the eye of the decorator."

20 May 14, 11:14 PM
Veronica: "I had a little magical assistance, but yes." She nodded, glad to know everything was coming along nicely and on schedule. "I had a few questions, I was hoping you had some time to discuss them." She led him into the sitting room as she spoke.

20 May 14, 11:18 PM
Omari: It looked like more work then he would have thought, but he nodded. "Ah, of course magic." Following her up the stairs he wondered why women in the Western world wanted so high a dress line and then expected men t behave correctly. "Certainly, it coincide well with the check up on the work so hardly an issue of time."

20 May 14, 11:21 PM
Veronica: They entered the room and she sat, crossing her legs as she did so. "I was hoping to get to know you a bit better actually. We don't have very long until the wedding and I was hoping to be a bit more familiar by then." In more ways than one.

20 May 14, 11:23 PM
[×] Omari: His eyes almost fell for it, but he managed to keep them up as he sat down opposite her. "A more gradual approach then I take it? All right."


20 May 14, 11:29 PM
Veronica: "Well, gradual is relative in this case I think." She focused on him intently. "You asked me a lot about how I felt and what I liked to do. I'd like to know about you as well. What do you do when you're not handling business in..." She grinned, "very formal attire."

20 May 14, 11:33 PM
Omari: "Oh." He hadn't expected the interest and he should have. Meeting her eye for eye, he nodded. "That makes sense. A lot of my free time goes into studying new markets, trying to figure out what will sell well in other places which can be very tricky. I have to succeed for my famil to do well you see and I take that very much to heart." He hesitated. "I, uh, do have one habit my mother insisted on which I have stuck with, classical guitar. She always felt music was a very important part of an education."

20 May 14, 11:37 PM
Veronica: She frowned, and then caught herself, schooling the expression again. "That sounds..." she wasn't sure what to say. "Very tiring" she hadn't been able to think of something more encouraging to say. It was good he cared so much for his family, but he sounded like a workaholic, which wouldn't have bothered her except he was going to be the father of her children. She perked up, however, when he mentioned the guitar. "Really?" She brightened. "I play the piano" she informed him. "Part of that classical education my parents' insisted was so important." She hesitated, "I would like to hear you play some time" she told him. "If you wouldn't mind."

20 May 14, 11:43 PM
Omari: He grimaced. "It is. I have a man who travels to each area and collects records for me, things not availale to the general public as he can and I have to often go through things in another language. It's a lot of work." he shook his head and relaxed a tad more. "But it is for a good purpose so it's all right in the end I would say." She had mentioned piano before and he had forgotten about that. "What sort of piano do you prefer? Maybe we should go piano shopping to get the right kind..." His expression looked at her curiously. "Ah well, certainly. It was the same from my mother. Though many of the songs I play are not Western ones, I will try to give you a goo selection." He thought about it for a moment. "Actually, taking you to a musical performance in Egypt migt not be a bad idea..."

20 May 14, 11:51 PM
Veronica: She noted he seemed to be opening up a bit, at least in his body language, and she exulted privately. "The ends justifies the means" she summarized. "You care very much for your family" she murmured, a statement rather than a question, and there is warmth in her tone as she does so. "It appears we have something in common then." She looked slightly surprised at the nonchalant way he mentioned it. "I could see if my mother would mind if I brought the one we have here. I am the only one who uses it." She shrugged lightly. "I don't mind. I prefer classical music anyway. It is smoother, and it would be interesting to hear something new." She brightened immediately. "A musical performance?" In another country, it caught her interest and held. "That would be incredible."

21 May 14, 12:00 AM
Omari: "You will be included in that you realize." He nodded at her expression and how she spoke about bringing a piano herself."If she agrees I can have it moved in while we are gone." Seeing that idea won favor he smiiled. "Yes. We use some instruments you will not know, of course, and the sound changes for certain, but I think it sounds like a good idea. Have you ever performed yourself somewhere or just as a hobby?"

21 May 14, 12:07 AM
Veronica: He spoke, and as the realization did hit, it brought her up short. "I..." She stopped, started again. "I guess I hadn't thought about it really. I've been very focused on getting to the wedding, not so much what happens after." Another nod, "I'll speak to her tonight and owl you when she decides." He smiled at her, and she was pleased, both with herself for causing it and with the smile itself. She smiled softly in return. "It does" she agreed, but then shook her head. "Oh no, I play here as a means of relaxing, sometimes I attempt to write my own pieces, but I haven't gotten very far to that end yet." She uncrossed her legs, and recrossed them at the ankles. "I also like to swim, as you probably guessed from our last...encounter."

21 May 14, 12:24 AM
Omari: He nodded. "I know it will take some time, but once the wedding is done it will be much easier to picture I think. I have not included space for an office though I have just remembered." He frowned, feeling foolish for having not done so. He shook his head "Oh same here, I just play pieces already written. It can be a chllenge sometimes, but mostly it keepsmy fingers nimble enough." Ah d@mn. That was a mistake. "I can swim, learned in school, but I don't. I've never felt very comfortable swimming so much as soaking."

21 May 14, 12:30 AM
Veronica: "At that point I think it will be a bit late for 'picturing'" she observed, because then they'd be in the middle of it. She looked surprised, and then almost amused. "Well, you can't be expected to remember everything. You've been very busy right?" Still, she did find it ironic he'd forgotten that particular space. The fingers comment earned a smirk, and hard as she tried, she couldn't resist teasing him. "And that is...important in your line of work?" She tried not to think too heavily on what he might actually need those skills for. She shook her head at him. "You're missing out" she assured him. "Swimming is great for stress relief, though I can't argue that soaking is nice also."

21 May 14, 12:36 AM
[×] Omari: A grimace. "I only have an idea from watching my sister's in their marriages, sorry. I don't know a way to help picture it beforehand." He looked non-plussed for a moment. "I guess I can claim it for work then. I think I will need the honeymoon to recover for this has added a lot on my load for sure." A glance at her. "Not work no. Keep a secret even from your brother? Just between us?" Why he even tried, he wasn't quite sure, but rust had to start somewhere.


21 May 14, 12:39 AM
Veronica: She smiled. "I wouldn't expect you to. I think this is one of those things we'll just have to...learn as we go." He spoke of they honeymoon and her wanderlust was evident. "Three weeks in Greece" her tone communicated exactly how excited she was by that idea. "I can't wait." She looked startled. A secret? From Cam? She studied his eyes. He would be her husband in a matter of weeks, and she wanted him to trust her. "Okay."

21 May 14, 12:43 AM
Omari: Once she accepted that her excitement about tave was something he could follow more closely. "We will start it by boat, if that is okay. It wiill be a cruise ship to get there." Her startled eyes gave him a smile. "Good. I, uh, picked up soemthing from Beauxbattaums I don't do much of, but I need my fingers flexible for when I do. Mural painting." he watched her carefully to make sure she did not laugh.

21 May 14, 12:47 AM
Veronica: She looked at him for a moment as though seeing him for the first time. "Its more than okay" she assured him. It sounded amazing in fact. She gave him a slightly skeptical look. "You paint? Really?" Who was this man? He had spent most of their interactions thus far coming off like an over-strict workaholic, and now suddenly he had an artistic streak? "I paint also, though I've never tried murals before." She looked intensely interested in him now, not even trying to hide it. "What do you paint?"

21 May 14, 12:52 AM
[×] Omari: He was glad she didn't have a fear of water. "I wasn't sure how you would feel about boats." He nodded, looking more relaxed now the secret was out. "Only big like wall sized things. And I wouldn't say I'm al that good I just ....like it." Nw he laughed very minimally. "Blurry landscapes."


21 May 14, 12:55 AM
Veronica: She nodded, "Omari, there are very few things that truly frighten me." So long as he was entrusting her with personal details...."I do not like being confined in small spaces, and I am not a fan of being alone in the dark, beyond that you do not have to worry." She shrugged, "sounds perfectly valid to me. I will not judge your painting skills if you do not judge my composing skills." She stuck out her hand across the space between them. "Deal?"

21 May 14, 01:02 AM
Omari: Shrugging he said "the house is decent sized so no issue there and there are skylights. And of course I will be there most of the time." Hmm, the rest ofthe time might be an issue though. A smile though at the 'deal.' Holding out his hand he grasped hers as welland shook once. "Agreed. Deal."

21 May 14, 01:09 AM
Veronica: She shook her head. "I'll be all right, it is more unfamiliar places I was referring to." Not entirely true, but she didn't want him thinking she couldn't handle herself. His touch as he wrapped his fingers around hers was warm and firm, it got her thinking about how his fingers might feel elsewhere and she blushed, glancing away from where she had been meeting his gaze. Releasing his hand , she took a breath. d@mn Cameron for getting her thinking about things this way. He had spoken of having experience, and she wondered exactly how much. Her eyes drifted unconsciously to his mouth for a moment before she lifted them to his eyes again. "It appears we are more alike than I might have thought originally" she said softly, desperate to focus on something other than her thoughts.

21 May 14, 01:12 AM
[×] Omari: She blushed from shaking his hand and he felt puzzled. What was that about? "Art projects turned hobbies you mean?" It seemed a curious statement. "I concur. That will make things much easier I think."


21 May 14, 01:22 AM
Veronica: A rueful sort of smile, then: "Its a start, isn't it?" She tilted her head slightly, "I hope so" she glanced at the fireplace he'd been so enamoured with at dinner. Distracted by her private thoughts, her social graces had been put on hold. How was she supposed to talk with him when all she could focus on was how badly she wanted to...Merlin! d@mn it! Cameron had been right. Oh this was not good, not good at all. She could not be infatuated with her future husband. No way! She almost laughed at that thought. How backwards this all was, and for a moment she was afraid something might have come through in her eyes.

21 May 14, 01:25 AM
Omari: Puzzed by her behavior, he wondered if he shouldask someting in return. For a moment he pondered. "So. Wht sort of books do you normally read? Fiction or non-fiction? as if there were only two types

21 May 14, 01:28 AM
Veronica: She turned back at the sound of his voice. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" She realized how rude she seemed right now and gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Omari, I was distracted. All of this, its a bit overwhelming." She registered, though belatedly, what he'd said. "It depends. I enjoy both. If I find something that catches my interest I study it until I feel well-informed. In general though I enjoy fiction. It is a nice way to...escape."

21 May 14, 01:35 AM
Omari: "I would have thought by now it might be less overwhelming and more dealable." Ah so not just knowledge. "Escape? So books have become your outlet when you can not control things then?" He had heard of people using them that way.

21 May 14, 01:42 AM
Veronica: She conceded that. "It is not the marriage itself I am referring to" she answered. "That has become, as you put it, very ''dealable'." She nodded, surprised by how astute he seemed to be. "I suppose you could put it that way, and since I don't actually control anything" she shrugged. "I read a lot."

21 May 14, 01:46 AM
Omari: Wel now, hewould give her plenty of books if she just gave him all the control of course. "I see. Well it is certainly easy enough to do. And whn there are kids around time will disapear rather fast I suspect."

21 May 14, 01:48 AM
Veronica: She felt herself drawn back into the conversation. "Then I'll just read to them" she murmured, a soft smile that was more in the eyes than the lips. What would their children be like, she wondered? "How many would you like? Ideally I mean, if you could choose."

21 May 14, 01:50 AM
Omari: They went from casual conversation to landmine in about six split seconds, causing him to fall silent for a good half a minute as he struggled to think how to put the answer in terms she would not freak out about. "Well we already spoke about what could be expected and that I thought was all right. But I guess if you really are asking what my dreams would be like that is another thing entirely and I am not sure you want to hear that answer in truth."

21 May 14, 01:53 AM
Veronica: "We spoke about realism. I'm not asking what you expect to happen, I'm asking what you would prefer." After a moment's consideration, she moved across so she was sitting next to him and laid her hand on his arm. "If I didn't want to know, I wouldn't ask" she answered. "You asked what sort of things I wanted, now I'm asking you."

21 May 14, 02:02 AM
Omari: Ah, no point in avoiding then. "I would prefer my family to not be down to one male heir again. Not just that, I would like my sons to be involved in every part of the family business so it can not only grow, but so that all of it stays in the family. And then I could send them to work for my sisters and know everyone oftheir aunts and how to be successful s they do not need to expand things, it will be easier for them all." He pursed his lips and looked away from her. "But for that I woud need six sons. And to be fair I would like my daughters o know their aunts as well. So four of them."

21 May 14, 02:07 AM
Ronni: He spoke and she listened, maintaining the contact. When he finished, however, she looked a bit pole axed. "Ten" she murmured, as though willing it to sink in properly. "I think you were right about time getting away quickly."

21 May 14, 02:11 AM
Omari: "Mind you, that's not close to the record which I do believe is something like 65 with a single wife. Somewhere in Afghanistan if I remember correctly. But I am a realist; if one is going to try for multiple heirs, one should also be prepared to acknowledge that at last half if not more will not be interested in the family business. Hence the number so they are not forced by family pressure to do anything against their families."

21 May 14, 02:15 AM
Ronni: She stared at him wide-eyed. "I draw the line at like...15" she answered. "After that you're going to need another wife." She removed her hand, but was still studying him intently. "Do you think so far ahead about everything?"

21 May 14, 02:18 AM
[×] Omari: HIs eyes went to hr, unsure she was pulling his leg or not. "Was that a joke?" He shook his head "I would not ask you. It was and is a dream. I only tell you because you asked." She asked and he turned to face her head on, aware she had her hand on his leg. "I am an only son. You brother knows of the pressures put upon one's head. I am sure there are times he has thought about freedom from responsibility and what he could o if he had brothers. Not all of us need to think far ahead, but it's there from the beginning." He watched her digest this.


21 May 14, 11:35 AM
Veronica: She laughed, "Yes, that was a joke." A nod, "I appreciate that. Sincerely though, I do not mind a large family. We will have to wait and see." She had always liked the concept of being a mom, though she would do things far differently than her own mother had. Her expression softened further at the mention of Cameron, and her eyes said clearly 'you have no idea'. "You would be right" she agreed. Though all the siblings in the world would not have changed her own fate. The curse of being female she supposed. As she processed, it raised something, a question. "Do you ever do anything just because you want to? Because its fun?"

21 May 14, 01:32 PM
Omari: Ah that was good! Because Omari did want a large family, very much so! "I should confess, I have placed a few extra rooms in the children's space for the future on purpose and in hope." When she spoke about her brother he understood. "See? No thinking ahead at all really. It is the nture of our sitations. You just happen to be my door at more freedom." She asked a semi-tricky one and he leaned her way sightly, his voice dropping a small amount. "Yes, but over the years I have learned to come up with good reasons for those extra things, logical arguments for their incusions and my father has never questioned them in depth because I try to show their results in my work. Those have become habits and are hard to count as 'fun' I suspect in your perception."

21 May 14, 02:00 PM
Veronica: She smiled, perhaps he was more the idealist than he let on. "Thinking ahead again" she teased. "There is nothing wrong with hope" she pointed out. She had several of those herself. He continued, and she wrinkled her nose at him, not sure how much she liked being referred to as a door, but then something struck her and she smiled ruefully. "That is rather ironic isn't it?" She was his door, he was her cage. It was almost poetic in a sense. He leaned forward, closing more of the space between them, and suddenly the conversation had a much more personal feel. She tilted her head. It was impressive he was able to justify the things he enjoyed to his father's satisfaction, but sad to her that he should have to. "So...once we are married, you will have more freedom to make your own choices?" Again, irony, but she couldn't help feeling a bit of satisfaction at that, maybe she'd begun to empathize.

21 May 14, 02:05 PM
Omari: "Ironic? How is that?" WHere was she getting that from? "Hmm, more like I will hae an entirely different set of excuses for it which my father is actually expecting. Once there is a son, then I suspect that is where freedom will actually begin. I doubt there ever is a magical freedom as long as my father is alive and he is only middle aged. You however will be free from your parents completely I believe."

21 May 14, 02:10 PM
Veronica: She looked up at him, not having expected the need to explain. "You spoke of a cage last time we discussed the situation. I was only pointing out the irony that what is my cage will be your door." She didn't blame him for it really, but facts were facts. Children, it seemed odd to think about being so personally close to a man she had barely touched/ Discussing children in abstract was one thing, actually having them...Still it was necessary, and she would figure it out somehow. She nodded, trying not to smirk. Free of her parents, subject to him, it had the feel of being passed from one cell to another, though she acknowledged this one might not be so small. "Yes, that is a rather lovely side-effect" she acknowledged. She did not tell him the rest, however, she suspected it would irritate him.

21 May 14, 02:17 PM
[×] Omari: Now Omari frowned. "Your 'cage' as you say is rigid and complete in your home. Your limitations here are very real and legally solid. Your parents have every right to what they do to you under the law. As my wife, this 'cage' is going to encompass the world in a much larger sense since it will have other countries in it. Thus, the price for having it is steeper. Marriage and children. We hae spoken about the appearance of behavior and rules on the face of it which is what allows me to give you more freedoms. I think the term 'cage' is not a fair description of what you are trading up to. Especially as it does not come close to what you are currently in." Irony. Right. He sighed. "What do you want me to call you? Ms Clarke? Veronica? Tell me what you would like." He waited till she spoke to continue his thoughts...


21 May 14, 02:21 PM
Veronica: She squeezed his leg, apologetic before she pulled away. "I did not mean it wasn't preferable, please don't misunderstand." She smiled, "it is possible this situation will be much better, but as we discussed, I cannot be sure." She understood what he was saying, doing what he asked of her would allow her more freedom to do as she pleased otherwise. At least on paper, it didn't sound like a bad trade off. She seemed to realize that he had in fact never addressed her. "I think Ms. Clarke is a bit formal under the circumstances. Veronica is fine."

21 May 14, 02:25 PM
Omari: The squeeze on his leg was startling in a way because she wasn't his sister. As he looked at her hand in surprise, she spoke. "All right, Veronica, I don't see your 'cage' as a cage so much as a deal. When both sides agree to follow certain rules, then both gain from it. What you called ironic to me seems like a mutal benefit package. It's just that I am getting a much prettier view then I thin ou are getting." He smiled.

21 May 14, 02:29 PM
Veronica: She liked the way her name sounded when he said it, the way his accent changed some of the sounds. Now that she wasn't in direct contact with him, she felt a bit less tense. At his 'view' comment, she laughed. "I personally think the view is excellent." She shook her head at him, "you are a difficult one to read" she confessed. "One moment you are very serious, talking about rules and things, and the next you come dangerously close to having a sense of humor."

21 May 14, 02:32 PM
[×] Omari: Now that was a good sign. "You clearly have never dealt with middle eastern men before," he smiled, "We are good at being reserved. It's natural with most of our culture. Only time will probably teach you how to read me well. I like surpring people..."


21 May 14, 02:41 PM
Veronica: She shook her head, "mostly French" she agreed. She got a somewhat mischievous look in her eyes. "I like surprises" This felt good, almost natural even. Maybe they would be able to connect after all. She hoped so. "I imagine the customs here are a bit overwhelming for you. Most of the people I've met have very little concept of the word 'reserved'."

21 May 14, 02:48 PM
Omari: He nearly snorted. "The French are mostly just ego, not so much reserved. They just believe everyone else in the world is inferior." He shook his head, she liked surprises? "I've noticed that. Oddly enough it makes it even easier to let people mislead themselves about me and my actions." He reached over and took her hand and added with humor in his voice "And since you like the view I should make sure you have plenty to look forward to on the ship, correct?" Without his eyes moving from hers he kissed the back of her hand, a breath of a kiss which hinted at where else it could be placed.

21 May 14, 02:48 PM
[×] Omari: And would be...


21 May 14, 02:54 PM
Veronica: "Oh I know" She almost rolled her eyes. "They're very...proper...but not for the purpose of morals or ethics. I never quite figured it out." He spoke of himself and she thought of her conversation with Cameron. "Do you do that intentionally?" He took her hand, and she felt warmed by the contact. "I..." and then he kissed her skin and it was soft, almost like a breath, much softer than she'd have thought he could be. "Cannot wait for that cruise." Okay, definitely not gay, she decided. Definitely...oh Merlin she was in trouble. She felt her cheeks flush, more from pleasure than embarrassment.

21 May 14, 02:58 PM
[×] Omari: He happened to agree with her having gone to the same school. Nodding at her question, he added "It's a habit of long standing, letting others jump to conclusions which can give me an advantage and I shall not apologize for it." Her cheeks flushed and she admitted how much she wanted that cruise. He smiled and said almost whisper soft "...especially the first night. Yes, it will be a memory to build a life upon."

21 May 14, 07:22 PM
Ronni: "I wouldn't expect you to apologize" she assured him, "that's very clever." He spoke softly of the first night of their honeymoon and her eyes widened, her throat feeling dry all the sudden and making it hard to swallow. "That is...very eloquent of you." He had sparked a longing in her for something she did not know nor understand. Suddenly she could not wait to have the wedding behind them. Though she was slightly nervous about what came after. "You know" she began softly, hesitantly "that I have never..." The blush deepened.

21 May 14, 11:24 PM
Omari: "Good, and thank you," was all he said not seeing any reason to add more. She blushed and he nodded, glad to hear her confirm it considering her tattoo habit which to him might have led to something much more in the way of rebellion. "Yes I know. I have been given instruction and trust me when I say it was very complete. You will be in good hands, I assure you."
21 May 14, 11:33 PM
Ronni: Her eyes widened. "Instruction?" What in Merlin's name had they told him? What's more, she was fairly certain it had been a guess. We're there spells for that sort of thing? She tried not to smirk at his interesting choice of words.

21 May 14, 11:36 PM
[×] Omari: An eyebrow went up at her surprised face. "I think you misinterpret what I just said. Let me try saying it another way. The contract states you are one innocent of sexual experience. I assumed that was correct hence why I said 'I know.' When I spoke about instruction I was not talking about your family, but the trainning my parents purchased for me."

22 May 14, 12:59 AM
Veronica: Okay, that made sense, but her relief was short-lived. His parents had purchased training for...Merlin! For a few seconds she merely stared at him as though he'd grown a second head which had spoken in a language she didn't understand. She caught herself, and the look disappeared behind a veil of careful indifference. She preferred the misunderstanding. "Oh...all right."

22 May 14, 01:02 AM
Omari: For the first time in this conversation he grinned at her. "Yes, our culture prefers to keep young men from sowing their wild oats all over the place. So while I probably have more experience then your brother by a lot and can easily guide you threw the process to make it as pleasant as possible, I've only been with two women. I suspect if he is skilled, he needed three times as many."

22 May 14, 01:05 AM
Veronica: She tilted her head, unable to argue the logical, but still in shock. He mentioned her brother and she shook her head. "I do not want to think about how many girls my brother has...been with." She found she didn't particularly like thinking about his past either, and wondered why. "So there are women in your country who's job it is to..." She couldn't even finish. It sounded....unpleasant.

22 May 14, 01:11 AM
[×] Omari: He quietly laughed inaudibly and agreed with a nod. He wouldn't ask her brother anyway, but the knowing smile on the boy's face said a lot. "Yes, just like multiple countries including several western ones. I believe I heard that the norm after that is most men sticking to their wives as exclusive after that experience which is quite...well, humbling. Knowing your wife is exclusively yours for life seems much better after such an experience. Prevents many other social problems that way."

22 May 14, 01:20 AM
Veronica: She listened, still trying to wrap her head around the idea that this kind of thing existed. She had very little idea what he meant by humbling, but got the impression it wasn't something he'd enjoy talking about. Again, she couldn't argue the logic, but the double standard amused her. "I suppose so" she answered, still thoughtful. She had more reading to do, if she could even get her hands on a book like that. She studied him a moment. "Most" she said softly, "to include you?" There wasn't much she could do about it either way, but it was better to know now than to have to find out later.

22 May 14, 01:25 AM
Omari: He nodded to her comment and then was amused by her question. "Yes. It's why the Middle Eastern countries do not have issues with illegitimate sons contesting for inheritances too." And that part also amused him, one that the UK had dealt with throughout it's history.

22 May 14, 01:32 AM
Veronica: She felt...relieved, and again did not entirely understand the feeling. Being in an arranged marriage was one thing, being with a man she couldn't trust, that was intolerable to her. "Maybe someone ought to speak to the Minister about it" she answered, clearly a bit at a loss. "But I think they're still trying to increase the birthrates, not curb them." The war a couple of generations before had decimated England's pureblood population considerably. There weren't many left, and those who were were at a disadvantage. "No, though I suspect with six you would have plenty of squabbling to go around."

22 May 14, 01:36 AM
[×] Omari: He had learned about the war and was glad to be well out of it. "I suspect that is true indeed. This country was certainly impacted during that time." He shook his head however. "Actually no. With six, each would take one of the company branches as their part of the company and work towards the family whole. The inheritances would go to my daughters out of my personal share. One of my sons, most likely the eldest, would take over the house we will have here. Hence why six sons is a good figure at the moment."

22 May 14, 01:48 AM
Veronica: She didn't comment. She knew very little about the war save what she had learned from her books and her teachers. He seemed to like order, she realized, and that unnerved her. But, there were lighter things too, his music and his painting, which gave her hope they might be able to relate. "And then what will you do? When they are grown and have taken over I mean?" She couldn't picture him as the type to lay back and retire, though she hadn't known him long enough to picture him as much of anything other than what she had seen.

22 May 14, 01:52 AM
Omari: HIs nod confirmed she was on track with his thoughts (he thought at least). "The greatest thing for any parent I have always been told is to see your children succeed. I think if they all do so well, I would become the manager of the company and began setting up my daughters to start expansion in other countries. Of course, that would mean more travel for us both as well as more free time." He somehow doubted she would let him fill all the time himself. "Is that not a nice dream?"

22 May 14, 01:58 AM
Veronica: To have a large, successful well-rounded family....there were, she decided, worse things a person could aspire to. Still, the fruition was a long way off yet. "It is lovely sounding, yes." She was suddenly grateful for all of her mother's training, though loathe to admit it would probably be useful. It was then she realized something very important. She would be travelling, periodically throughout her life. It was one of the dreams she'd been certain she'd have to give up on. His life though, his goals would require it. She brightened, maybe her parents hadn't been entirely trying to ruin her life after all. "Where do you do most of your travel for work at the moment?" She wanted to know. Egypt and England were obvious, but were there others?

22 May 14, 02:04 AM
[×] Omari: He was glad she could appreciate the advantages of a life with him and hoped that meant she was more seriously considering a larger family then maybe she had originally thought about. But then she latched onto the travel part more. "Obviously Egypt and the UK, but we have business in Turkey, Morocco, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates at the moment. I would rather like to still do some more European and more in the United States & China, but that part may take awhile still.

22 May 14, 02:07 AM
Veronica: She thought about that. All middle-eastern, all places she would have to be very careful socially. Still, it would be nice to experience the culture first-hand, at least in small doses. "Maybe I will come along on the trips I don't have to wear veils for" She smiled ruefully, "not including visiting your family of course."

22 May 14, 02:19 AM
Omari: A purse of the lips. "Well of course with family inside the home it is often much more relaxed. And we shall certainly tour some beautiful places for you to see and there you would probably feel better in the long run to have worn one to blend in to the crowd. But let's make sure we get you in one habit at least," he said with a smile, turning his hand into hers and interlinking his fingers with hers to push the point home, "It's our family we will visit."

22 May 14, 02:24 AM
Veronica: The look on his face told her he didn't like what she said, but surely he could understand how utterly strange it all was. Still, she realized he was right, she was beginning to see things she'd missed before the more she paid attention. She didn't answer right away, when she did, it was a soft wry-sounding "I suppose they would frown on my putting sequins on those" in a slightly amused tone. He laced his fingers through hers, catching her attention easily. When he spoke, the wariness in her expression softened, and she nodded slowly. "Ours" she agreed. "I hope your sisters don't think I'm too strange" she said suddenly. "I imagine they were raised very differently."

22 May 14, 02:28 AM
[×] Omari: He smiled. "Yes, they would. However, they can show you a wide variety of fabrics worn with those which are very appropriate. You wouldn't have to always wear the same." He shook his head. "Oh no, you will be a fascinating new person to interrogate on all the things they have heard about the English probably. Although they also went to the same school. You will find them warmly accepting I think."

22 May 14, 02:35 AM
Ronni: A wide variety of...she had choices? Suddenly the idea of a whole new style to discover sounded more like an adventure than a burden. She looked intrigued, and knew she'd have little trouble convincing her parents that books on the subject were a necessity. The way he described his sisters made her look forward to meeting them. "I'm not a very good representation for typical English girl I don't think, but I'm sure we'll find something to talk about."

22 May 14, 02:37 AM
[×] Omari: It was good to see her finding things in this to be enthusiastic about as it made his getting her into the family much easier. "Ah well, I think you will have heard far more stories then they will have so it will work out."


23 May 14, 10:31 AM
Veronica: She smirked, looking amused. "I'm sure it will." It was nice to be able to see him in somewhat normal terms. He had seemed untouchable when they'd met. Now all she could think about was wanting him to kiss her and that felt...way too normal for this situation. She smiled sardonically to herself. She refused to give her parents any credit for this. But...maybe they hadn't left her best interests entirely out of the equation. It did bring up an interesting question, however. "Omari, how does dating work in your culture?"

23 May 14, 11:42 PM
Omari: He hesitated. "I think you would have to understand the culture first. It's not so much a ulture of random dates so much as family conections, meeting people through other families. After all, friends of your family already have some familiairty. And it goes on from there, though most dates are in groups more then in pairs." He gave her a curious about wha had her thinking about it. "From there it moves into courtship of the family as much as the person sice it is a merging of families."

24 May 14, 12:09 AM
Ronni: She thought about that for several seconds. "That makes sense" it wasn't, in her opinion, a great way to get to know someone. "So it is customary to not have much one on one time per-wedding then?"

24 May 14, 12:12 AM
Omari: "AH well after one has made a connection between families, there is some dating in courtship, but that's later in the process. If a any time the woman told her family she didn't care for the person who was starrting the process, they would make that clear. Saves the pain of face to face embarassment and such and allows things to go as they both wsh."

24 May 14, 12:19 AM
Ronni: "That seems...much more logical." Not that she had the option of telling him to go jump off the nearest cliff, but she found she wanted to do so less and less as the night progressed.

24 May 14, 12:24 AM
Omari: He shrugged. "In everything except contracts, it works best I think since family is so much a part of most lives. Having the knowledge that the family's can mesh is good."

24 May 14, 01:00 AM
Ronni: She smirked, "well, we know that our parents agree on some things at least." Enough to fill a marriage contract if nothing else.

24 May 14, 09:15 AM
[×] Omari: He nodded. "For some reason I doubt my father ever approached marriage from that concept, he seems to see it only as business. He has always run our family like his children were assets." A sigh escaped him as things moved to a more serious subject. "We didn't resist much when we got older because he gave us the distance from him we all wanted, but it meant mother was left more alone. I was the last to be home all the time. It's going to be harder on her now I think."


24 May 14, 01:38 PM
Veronica: Her eyes widened a bit at how closely his words matched the conversation she had with Cameron a few nights before. "Something else we have in common" she murmured. "We have never expected anything except this. I did not resist it much, but Cameron will have a harder time I think." She heard him sigh, and it so closely resembled her own feeling that she smiled softly. "As I accepted their terms in hopes of getting out from under their control one day" she agreed, nodding. When he spoke of his mother however, she frowned, not liking that idea and remember the expression on his mother's face every time she had looked at his father. "You will visit her often" she tried to console, "and I will go with you when circumstances allow." She could understand why it would be hard for him to leave his mother.

25 May 14, 04:07 PM
[×] Omari: He nodded. It was one of the things that made him sure she was the right choice for a willing, obedient bride who still had fight in her over certain things. And he definitely wanted the mix, unlike his father. Though maybe his mother had been different when he first bought her, since that what it really was. "Your brother I do not know well, but he seems a, how shall I put this, a slippery sort." A grim smile. "Well you know the exact date now." He shook his head, frowning stronger. "Less often then I shall like as father will be there always." After a moment he added, looking back up at her beside him/ "So, did I answer all your questions wel lenough? Have we achieved the understanding you were aiming for today?"

29 May 14, 12:49 AM
Veronica: She smirked, "that is an...apt description" she admitted. "He has a knack for getting out of tight spots, I'll give him that." She frowned, feeling real empathy for him for the first time. "I understand" she said softly, and then she laid a hand on his arm in an attempt to be comforting. He continued, and she wondered if this was his way of saying the conversation was over. "Yes" she told him softly. "I suppose so."

[Deleted]

29 May 14, 09:39 AM
Omari: Her brother was still partially a mystery to him, but maybe they could solve that issue another time. "It is good that you do," he said glancing at her hand and wondering if she sought something more. "Then I have two questions for you. Do you want to supervise your things being packed up before the wedding itself or would you rather it be done after you are married and we are gone? And also, would you care to go on a book shopping spree this afternoon?"

29 May 14, 09:05 PM
Veronica: She thought about the question. "I would feel better about supervising I think." Especially when it came to her books and sowing supplies. His next question, however, caught her attention instantly. "A..." She nodded enthusiastically. "That would be incredible." An excuse to get out of the house for a few hours? And for books? Maybe she was in love after all.

29 May 14, 09:47 PM
Omari: Nodding he responded "All right, I will make sure that is done te day before then. I assume your parents have a guest room." Her reaction was instant. "Just to start out the new bookshelves, mind, I was going to put them in a box when the mvers begin, but you may have a few now I suppose."

29 May 14, 10:15 PM
Veronica: "Thank you" she was smiling now, trying not to let her excitement show too much in her expression. "Of course" she brushed her fingers through her hair to give herself something to do with her hands. The way he said 'you may have' rubbed a bit, but she let it slide in the face of new books.

29 May 14, 10:19 PM
Omari: He didn't see her face reaction stll feeling he had her in good spirits. "Do you need to change or tell your parents? Or leave a note?" He shrugged. "I'm sure it is okay but rather then cause an incident..."

29 May 14, 10:43 PM
Veronica: "If we're going to be walking I think I will go change" she agreed. "I can leave a note in the entry on the way out." She stood, "I will be back in a moment." She headed for her room and perused her closet for a few seconds. Remembering what he'd said about propriety, she decided to humor him. When she returned to the sitting room, she wore a long deep green summer dress made of a flowing gauzy material and a pair of brown sandals. She smiled at him as she crossed the room. "Ready when you are."

29 May 14, 10:56 PM
Omari: "Of course," he said nodding as she left the room. WHile she was gone, he stepped into the hallway and did some exploring. When she camedown he was in the hallway and nodded at her dress. He would have a hard time not looking at her shoulders, but again this was britian. "Very nice. And certainly," he said offering her an arm, "we'll use magic to get us closer and then walk the rest of the way. It is nice weather at the moment." It was partly cloudy at the moment outside and just a tad warm.

29 May 14, 11:05 PM
Veronica: She accepted his arm, enjoying for a moment the old world feel of the gesture. She nodded, "certainly" she echoed his words from a few moments before. "Are you familiar with this area?" she asked, seeming surprised.

29 May 14, 11:08 PM
Omari: As they stepped to the front door he waved a hand in a very french gesture of 'somewhat' saying "I know where we are going which is in the South of England. London I only know partly, but my father and I made everal tripsto the South to learn the layout once we decided on where the company would be based." Near the end of th driveway they appirated and appeared in the edge of a small park. "There, just a block farther I think about."

29 May 14, 11:12 PM
Veronica: She glanced around to get her bearings. "This is lovely" she told him, "is the house near here as well?"

29 May 14, 11:16 PM
[×] Omari: He steadied her just n case, but she appeared not to need it then they walked towards the gate. "Not far away, about a kilometer. We're going the opposite way but this is a good spot for us to arrive in." He walkedher through the gate and down the sidewalk, enjoying how much cooler it was then back home. "Least I'll never sweat in a suit in this country..."


30 May 14, 09:29 PM
Veronica: She glanced back in the other direction for a moment as though trying to picture it, and then shrugged. When he made the suit comment, she laughed and then wrinkled her nose at him. "That sounds...unpleasant." She gave him a curious look. "Is formal attire the same in your country as here?"

30 May 14, 09:43 PM
[×] Omari: He smiled to himself. "I am used to living in much warmer areas. This fees quite cool, but the humidity is very sticky. The desert has a cleaner feel to it." He shook his head at her question, but hesitate. "Yes and no. We wear some suits which are similar but with a different cut. Amongst other middle easterners robes are far more comfortable and some are formal, as well as respective of our history and culture. I can show you sometime easy enough." Arriving at the bookstore he held the door for her and followed her in.


30 May 14, 09:51 PM
Veronica: She grinned, "you'll get used to it" she promised. "I can't imagine a desert climate really." A distracted nod as they reach the bookstore. "I saw pictures" she pointed out, "but seeing something real would be interesting, yes." She smiled her thanks as she preceded him into the bookstore. Once inside, her eyes lit up, taking on an almost childlike glow. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I love the smell of books."

30 May 14, 09:57 PM
Omari: He chuckled once then patted her arm. "You do not need to imagine it, you will get to experience it." A look at her words. "The smell of books? I have never associated a smell with them so much I guess. But in most of the libraries in Egypt we don't have just books. We have tomes and scrolls and tablets and stone. Just books is so much more a modern thing. Our book stalls included most things unbound."


30 May 14, 10:01 PM
Veronica: She sighed, "in full veils I presume" then another sigh, this one more accepting. "Thank Merlin for cooling charms." She smiled, "of course, new books smell different from old books and-- did you say tablets?" Her eyes widened, took on an avidly interested quality, and then a more hesitant one. "Would I have access to those?"

30 May 14, 10:09 PM
Omari: he shook is head. "No, some headgear to hide your hair on some occasions, but you can go without a veil. However once the wind starts we will all be putting them on trust me. Sand is very dangerous sometimes." Seeing a new aspect to hold in front of her like a carrot. "There are a variety of both book stalls at markets across the desert and a few obscure libraries only accessible in certain deserted areas as well. I can take you to both..."

30 May 14, 10:17 PM
Veronica: She looked relieved. "That does not sound bad" she acknowledged. She frowned, having read a bit on sandstorms in her book. She looked at him as though he hung the moon and all the stars for a moment. "That would be...that would be incredible." Struck almost speechless by the prospect, she almost forgot where they were. When it struck her, she began glancing around to get an idea of the layout and selection. "What do you like to read?"

30 May 14, 10:29 PM
Omari: He said with som pride "There are wonders in the middle east most westeners will only ever read about and never even see pictures of. I suspect you will see many unique things." A frown at the thought as he looked around. "I rarely hae much leisure time for reading... Why don't we look for you and if I see something interesting I will tell you."

30 May 14, 10:36 PM
Veronica: She could feel the promise of that as it sank in. "I am sure it will be wonderful" She frowned at his reading comment, but was soon distracted by the shelves. It didn't take long for her to find the cultural studies section, where she picked up a couple of smaller tomes on Egyptian history, as well as another, this one smaller and more ornate looking, entitled "Egyptian Mythos and Religion" when she finished there, she continued through the stacks until she located a book on astronomy and another on beadwork in fashion design. "I could never stick to just one subject" she explained.

30 May 14, 10:52 PM
Omari: Eyebrows up at the astronomy, he piked up a baset along the way and took the books to add to it as they walked through. "I see that." He added an atlas of the middle east and it's cultures and a book on the mediterain.

30 May 14, 11:22 PM
Veronica: She didn't look remotely apologetic as she added a rather large book on business merchandising. "In case I ever decide to start selling my work" she explained. "And so that I have a better understanding of yours."

30 May 14, 11:26 PM
Omari: He nodded, seeing it as reasonable indeed. "That seems well thought out. In that case you may want to look for Middle eastern arts as well." A hesitation before he added "And possible Arabic if you are interested in reading many things in those countries."

30 May 14, 11:40 PM
Veronica: She paused, looking hesitant and maybe slightly embarrassed. "I can't actually read Arabic" she admitted. "Cam taught me to speak it so we had a way to communicate in front of our parents, but in print its...still elusive."

30 May 14, 11:45 PM
[×] Omari: Pursing his lips he nodded. "Outsiders do find it very difficult sometimes to read unless they grow up with it. However, have you ever had a teacher or were you trying in some different way?"


30 May 14, 11:46 PM
Veronica: "It never occurred to me really. I've been using translation spells, although that gets a bit tricky for the words that don't translate directly."

30 May 14, 11:49 PM
Omari: "Would you be willing to try a teacher? I think I can search and find one to come and give lessons a few times a week if you are interested. It would give you a chance to read more then your normal limitations as Arabic writing is used by one fifth of the world's population."

30 May 14, 11:59 PM
Veronica: "Like a tutor?" She thought about it for several moments. "Sure, that would work" and it would broaden her ability to research certain topics as well. He seemed to echo her thoughts and she almost laughed. "My thoughts exactly" though she hadn't been aware of that statistic. "So many?"

31 May 14, 12:07 AM
[×] Omari: He nodded. "A tutor indeed, especially a female one if I can find one." Which would help with getting her to think a different way as well. "The world's largest languages in order are Arabic, English, Mandarin, Spanish, and Hindu.


31 May 14, 12:09 AM
Veronica: She nodded enthusiastically, "of course" she wasn't sure how she'd have felt about being alone with another man in their house anyway. She arched a brow at him. "It sounds as if you're rather familiar with cultural studies yourself."

31 May 14, 12:13 AM
Omari: He flashed her a look as they passed another shelving section. "I said try, I do not know if I will find one who is scholarly enough or who will want to do the work. I will see." He shrugged. "I work across boders, of course I have to learn about other cultures. We did that some in school the same way I am sure, but my work means I hae to study it carefuly for the local rules in each new business area."

31 May 14, 12:16 AM
Veronica: She felt a bit like an admonished child and decided she didn't much care for the feeling. Arching a brow, she turned her attention to a near by shelf. "That makes sense" she said softly. Why did he have to make everything about business. Everything.

31 May 14, 12:24 AM
Omari: As they walked he thought aout another way to put it. "In arabic society most women run the home and the family life, making all the decisions on shopping, raising, house care, and more so. Outside of those countries which are dominated by Islam, it's harder to guess what will be the norm wth any family. Asking the wrong questions can cause upset from women and men alike. Some will have adjusted enough to western culture to be interested in a job outside the home, most would only do it in the privacy of their own home. It just might take time to find the right person."

31 May 14, 12:27 AM
Veronica: For several moments, she still didn't speak, when she did, it was in a thoughtful tone. "What about someone widowed whose kids were grown?" She wasn't sure what the rules were, but if there were no kids to raise and no husband to see to... It sounded bleak, but it might help to give someone who had lost a lot a sense of purpose.

31 May 14, 12:29 AM
[×] Omari: A sigh. "I wouldn't be able to speak to them directly you see. They will be shielded by relatives and probably living in one of their children's homes. It's very important to us that children grow up knowing their elders and grandparents often live with their kids to help with the grandkids giving them new purpose as part of the family. A person from outside the family can find it hard to learn anything about them."


31 May 14, 12:35 AM
Veronica: She nodded, it made sense, not that that made things any easier. "It is admirable, how well your culture takes care of its families." She thought back to his parents. Well, some of them at least, but she knew better than to say so out loud. It amused her on some level that she had been raised to be the kind of wife his culture required. Too bad she came with a few extra interests on the side. She almost smirked. "I suppose you are right then. We will just have to see." She ran her fingertips over the spine of a slightly worn-looking tome entitled "Mysteries of the Modern World" and plucked it up a moment later. She had no idea what it was about, but the title intrigued her.

31 May 14, 12:44 AM
[×] Omari: Of course they would. Humans came in many varieties and complications and he would find someone, just might take some time. "It will work out eventually I m sure." He added the other books to the basket and added "Probably we ought to look in the travel section for your own dip into the places of Egypt since we know you will get to explore that country the most."