Five years. It takes five years of magical schooling before a Drakøn child can even touch a wand. Not five years of pure theory but of understanding their magic, becoming intimate with its purest form before adding the constraints of a magical conduit. So at roughly twelve years old the Zoldyck Creed Foundlings that have proved control over their magic can finally take on the excruciating task of making their own wand, of course with the aid of a Wandmaker. The time which it took to complete such a task would vary from three days to a year, not including the time taken collecting the materials. It is rigorous work yet with a beautiful outcome of yielding a wand so in tune and distinctly just for you. This is the way it is for the Drakøn children in the Creed Indoctrination.
Yet after a month of splintered woods, withered feathers, brittle heartstrings, and failed ingenious combinations, nineteen-year-old Diana has not even moved past the first phase of wandmaking. After scavenging through every resource available to her and demolishing many priceless materials, Diana was left with no choice but to rely on Mikkhail's aid in securing more material in hopes that one would be viable for her wand. It was not till the twentieth giant rack delivery that Mikkhail had to acknowledge the ridiculousness of her situation. There was no next delivery but rather an unexpected visitation.
When the day came, Diana was found in Timesen Den, over a five-hour walk from Tower Ciel. She had not spoken to her only constant companion at Obsidian since their altercation. She wasn't mad at him or held any content; she just wasn't willing to find out what mask he'd be wearing next time they see each other. Something about being around someone so blatantly more powerful than her made Diana feel uncomfortable. She didn't hold any God-worshipping infatuation with him but she wasn't willfully blind enough to ignore the unspoken understanding that Leo wasn't human. Of course, anything that has lived as long as he had could be nothing else but unnatural. You couldn't blame the girl for being cautious and albeit a little scared.
So did it truly come as a surprise that her first instinct upon feeling a hand on her shoulder from an unobserved presence was to go for a slap even before getting a chance to see the person?
The taunting echo of the slap resonated in the lab, and for a moment both parties stood still attempting to process what had just occurred. It was Diana who let out a sigh of relief, much to the befuddlement of the other. "Thank God, it's just you. I thought you were the Keeper for second." She held her chest, speaking more to herself than the tall blonde man.
"Well with a statement such as that I have no choice but to also hold relief that it was my face being beaten." At the rasp of his voice speaking with a light tease, it finally became real to Diana that she had just assaulted someone who could only be from the Creed. A quick inspection of his attire said as much. The military olive green slim-fitting cloak with red trimming told her he was an active Bellator there was no need for the red skull House signet his base uniform green was one of its own letting it be known that he was from the immediate Degurechaff family.
Fuck.
The clear curse ran through her head, Diana wanted to punch herself. Her first meeting with another Creeder that isn't a Zoldyck and what does she do she assaulted him! She harshly bites her lip trying to focus on anything else. Diana had to force herself to keep her head up and push away her embarrassment. She felt so stupid. "You shouldn't sneak up on people, much less strangers, you never know how they'll react."
"Forgive me, Domina Zoldyck. We have not been properly introduced though we are not strangers." Despite his words of apology his icy blue eyes sparkled.
"Bellator Degurechaff. We know titles but we are still strangers." Her reply was firm yet her tone lacked any emotion, it was quite a change from her previous behavior.
He gave her a thoughtful look, tilting his head. Her chess flared when she realized he was sizing her up. As if he noticed her irritation he gave her a toothy grin replying in a deep smooth voice, "I guess we'll have to remedy that."
"State your business or leave, Bellator Degurechaff. I'm in the middle of my work." She felt a bit pathetic using their status difference to enforce some basic respect from him especially when the truth of her standing within the Creed was obvious. Diana may be a Zoldyck but she held no influence and the little power she had came from her name only. Unlike her half siblings she didn't have the backing of other houses from the father line, her own father had been an insignificant mundane not a General product of a two house unity. That being one of her many disadvantages in comparison with her half siblings and even her little sister. With her interactions among the clan being limited, her best course of action to remedy her current unstable position within the clan was to gain favorability among those accessible to her like her brother, mother, and Keeper.
The truth is Diana had grown complacent in her position; it wasn't till she met her elder sister two months ago that she became agitated and thus irritational. Her need to alíviate this itch caused her persistence to join the front lines in turn completely disregarding the politics within the Creed. She knew her foolish self destructive mistakes cost her a decrease of favorability with not only the Keeper but also her brother. Despite it being so logical Diana had not realized this till now. Previously all her encounters had been with those of higher standing than hers so it isn't till now that she's being shown blatant disrespect from someone who could be considered of equal standing if not lower that she's experiencing a rude awakening. He may be the heir to House Degercuaff but Clan father or not she was still the daughter of the Kaisen . The only reason she wasn't of a higher standing was because she had just joined the Creed Indoctrination which by itself is an unprecedented phenomenon for a Zoldykborne thus making her the last in line for succession of six.
With these thoughts in mind Diana knew what she had been contemplating for the past week had to be done as soon as possible. She had to regain favor with the Keeper but first she needed to deal with whatever the arrogant heir wanted.
"Ah yes your wandmaking attempts. See they have been less than fruitful." He looked past her at the messy work space littered with indistinguishable remnants. "Mikkhail said you'd be working on it. Speaking of him, he's sent me to escort you to the Gates Parlor."
Her face had not changed but Diana held in her excitement at the news. Here was a chance to move past their last awkward meeting. Her excitement was short lived as she took in the questionable circumstances leading to this unexpected encounter, why is he back so soon? The unknown answer couldn't be anything good, the younger woman knew that for sure. "Mikkhail's back?" Diana indirectly inquired.
"An unexpected council summon was called, Mikkhail of course will be in attendance."
Diana took note of his manner of speaking. The Bellator didn't let more information out than necessary, meaning he didn't know much or he was wary of her. Either way she could work with that. "I'll have to halt the process of some of my work before I'm ready to go. It shouldn't take too long." She had to establish that she won't stop what she's doing and hurry at the Zoldyck Heirs beckon call. A privilege that she had acquired through months of training under Mikkhail and one that only his siblings had despite being his subordinates.
"Take your time, Domina the meeting won't be till Dusk."
In response she nodded her head, turning around to her workplace. Looking down at her journal skimming through her time sensitive projects she became distracted by the eyes on her. "Are you going to watch me the whole time while I work?" Diana raised a brow in question. In all honesty it was a good sign that he waited for her but it didn't mean she wanted an audience.
He shrugged his shoulders, a slight smile on his face, "What can I say Mikkhail always goes on about his genius little sister. I'm curious so may I ?"
She knew it was supposed to be a compliment but it felt more like a taunt she didn't put it past the playful man. "If you're going to be here then at least be of use." If you're going to test me then I by all means intend to do the same.
"Of course Domina I gladly give my body for you to use as you please." He teasingly responded, a sly smirk plastered on. With his terrible flirting Diana was sure his previous statement was a backhanded compliment.
If she wasn't trying to actively reinforce her standing she would have matched his energy. "Great, than take your body to apothecary and bring over the Death Pixie's tears."
"As my Domina commands." He did a small bow, his hand over his heart, a courtesy to the Zoldyck Family yet his flirtatious tone remained. It better be that this fool can't take anything seriously or Imma have to beat the respect into him. Diana thought though her words didn't match her feelings. He is a playful fool and she hates to admit it but it suits him.
Looking back at her scroll Diana held in a wince, her thought process was a mess and her scroll was the perfect visible presentation of that; with broken thoughts littered around, jumbled together in a mixture of cursive and normal letters, as if she were limited to one scroll. She quickly pulled out a new scroll from the shelf underneath the table, writing down in illegible cursive her main points. She used to write normally but after continuous teasing she began writing in cursive since one one says anything about illegible cursive, too embarrassed to admit they struggle in reading it.
When she heard his footsteps closing in, she rolled up her original scroll to focus on her new one.
She was currently marinating the wood of holly in the blood of a chimera unwillingly shed with carbonated bubbles moving the mixture and another of the same but with Palo Santo wood. It was almost about to complete the three hour mark under the skylight of the open cave-like building. She was also working on joining two phoenix feathers, one from a rare albino and another from an even rarer onyx using her own hair as a binder to hold them together during the process.
Her goal between these contradictory subjects was to create working chaos. She had attempted many stable and complementary components only for all to instantly die upon her touch. Her woods signified peace and harmony and the blood of the chimera of conflict and disparity. The union of two opposite feathers, one of purity and the other a bringer of calamity would be another form of her wood.
She had originally tried a yew tree branch soaked in unicorn blood unwillingly taken from a fawn with a unicorn elder hair soaked in the willingly given unicorn blood of a mother. Despite the arithmetic calculations being perfect the design didn't hold up. Diana hypothesized that the disparity was a drop too large to overcome. Either way she wasn't willing to attempt it again.
She was currently working on another hypothesis, one of pure chaos and death energy. Therestle hair, banshees blood, Dementors Cloak and elder wood. This elder wood was special on its own having grown from the corpse of two therestle mates. She had just completed soaking the Elder wood in Banshee's Blood making it resemble ironically enough cherry wood.
Now she had to treat the brittle Therestle hair with Death Pixie's Tears. The Dementors Cloak wouldn't be able to be used till the final step in the process of joining the core with the wood since it would work as a magical and physical binder.
Should each individual process succeed she would need help from an Invisum to join them since her calculations showed that it would require Death magic, a magic only Oculus Delphines were versed in.
"What are you doing if you don't mind me asking, Domina?" He questioned behind her getting closer into her personal space to set the little dark purple shimmery liquid beside her.
She thanked him before replying, her tone showing no sign of being phased by his presence. "Creating a wand that will actually work for me. I have two cores and three woods in the process."
"Holly and Yew. Odd combination but why the blood?"
"Uh yeah. They're being treated with chimera blood so that their joining process is smoother. Its core is an even more bizarre combination but it's in the process of joining in the Lunar Sol room. Right now I need to treat this Therestle hair for another combination I'm working on."
She walked away from the table with the woods with the small bottle jar in hand to another table across where the core laid in a stained age golden box holder. He followed after a short delay.
After opening the lid Diana put some gloves on ignoring the weird look directed at her and slowly reached into it removing the brittle hair with far gentler hands than when you would hold a newborn. Once placed on a small wired rack she held in a groan at hearing the voice of the intruder once again.
"Are you an Elemantalist Class?" He innocently inquired.
"No."
"Hmm, then which one are you?" The Bellator became intrigued having been sure of her class considering how passionately she spoke of her projects and how she had been working on her wandmaking process on her own when everyone else had a wandmaker overseeing their entire making, one on one. It was a meticulously long endeavor to the point that the wandsmakers sometimes finish the process themselves midway if of course they belong to your House or allied. He had gotten lucky with one of his second uncles who had been his overseer.
"None, I don't have a class."
"Everyone has a class but if you don't want to tell me that's fine too, Specialist."
"Not a Specialist and I don't have the sight like Elena."
"Hmmm I would have expected them to rush your classing."
Diana didn't say anything, turning her focus to the dropper of tears dropping exactly seven of them over the hair watching it eagerly absorb it as the excess steamed off. Truth is Diana had asked to be classed but like many things it had been denied to her. They had wanted her to develop a solid foundation of the Creed before making such an important choice and so she backed down initially agreeing. Now it only felt like a further taunt that she would never catch up and to have another Creed member point it out left a bitter taste in her mouth. She had hoped getting close to the Keeper would have helped her situation but it only seemed to worsen it.
They remained silent the duration of her work, taking out the woods, binding them and placing them in the Sol Lunar room. Half an hour after their initial meeting Diana was finally able to stop.
"Ready?"
She gave him a nod grabbing a hold of his offered forearm. The sharp squeezing sensation that she grew to despise felt unbearable in that everlasting second. Despite the torture coming to its end Diana held onto her head, massaging her temple to ease the migraine threanting to come on.
"Are you alright?"
She flinched at his voice, having forgotten that she wasn't alone. "I'm okay, it's nothing." Despite her words she couldn't remove her hand that was applying pressure at her temple or even open her eyes.
"Doesn't look like nothing."
"I said Im fine."
Before he could respond a sharp wince was heard. At that Diana did open her eyes. She saw familiar silver hair that reminded her of the shining mane of a white mare she had as a child. At his remorseful face she shut her eyes once more the brightness of his hair becoming too much at the moment.
"I'm so sorry, Diana. It completely went over my head that apparition makes you sick. I should have picked you up myself." She felt his warm hand rub her back.
"It's okay, I know you're busy. It'll pass."
"No, it's my duty to take care of my little sister. It won't happen again, promise."
"Don't make a promise over something so trivial, Mikkhail. Magic will bind you to it."
" I swear to lady magic that should it be in my ability I will walk you, Diana Perespone, through Zoldyck Providence Obsidian. So mote it be.
"You're unbearable but thanks." She gave him a small smile pleased at his commitment to her.
"Shit now I feel like a prick." Her brothers friend spoke out while rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well you are a prick so we can't help you with that." Mikkhail snorted.
Diana didn't hold back the classic overused saying that came out of her mouth, "Said the pot to the kettle."
"Diana!" Her brother let out an exaggerated gasp which only fueled Degurechaff's laughter. She was proud to note that Mikkhail was getting better at understanding her manner of speaking.
"Come on you cant say you're surprised."
"Ah she really is your sister."
"At least she came out like me and not Visenya."
The blonde shuddered, "Don't even joke about that, I can barely handle one as it is."
"You're both doing Visenya dirty. She works hard it's not her fault she's surrounded by fools."
"That would make you a fool as well sister. You aren't free of her scrutiny."
"And so I am. Guilty until proven innocent." Diana shrugged. "So you wanted to talk to me."
"Ah yes, give us a moment, Niac."
"Of course, Eres Zoldyck, Domina Zoldyck." With his hand over his heart the Bellator Heir gave a bow before taking his exit. It was also the first time he had acknowledged her status seriously.
Mikkhail's eyes remained trained on him till his departure from the Gates Parlor. The shift of his face became warmer with a voice to match it, "How are you doing?"
"I'm okay and you?"
"Same old. Have you made any progress with your wand?"
"Same old."
"Ahh I see." He held a look of contemplation showing brief hesitation. Had Diana not spent most of their time together observing him she would never have been able to read his stoic expressions. The small furrow of his brows and the indistinguishable twitch of his left cheek had become familiar whenever he'd uncomfortably inquired about her past. "I. . . I was meaning to call on you sooner but I was commanded not to impede you. I know I cannot be of more help bu-"
"Don't say that! You've made the most difference in my life Mikkhail. I'll never be able to repay you."
He gave her a solemn smile, "You don't owe me anything. I did what you do for those you love."
"Of course I owe you."
"No I loved you from the moment you became apart of this family, Diana. You could never be in my debt for what I give willingly and happily."
"You are too sweet with your words, brother. You'll be taken advantage of."
"Only of those I love."
But who is to say that they will love you? "You are too pure Mikkhail so I will take care of you."
"Hahaha isn't that my line."
"There is only one innocent here and it is not I. Regardless I am grateful to have you."
"How did I get so lucky to get such an adorable little sister. I don't understand why none of the rest aren't verbal at all. Ugh."
"Ha are you as sweet with them as you are to me?"
"I guess not." He rubbed his clean shaven chin. "Actually I've been meaning to give you something. But you have to keep it a secret from the girls. They'd have my head if they found out about this. It's a gift really."
"Really what for?" Her brows scrunched up.
"After our last conversation you left me thinking. I grew up with magic and in the Creed so it was hard to understand where you were coming from when you said those things but after a lot of reflection I thi-"
"Mikkhail about that. I'm sorry I should have never taken my anger out on you. I was just projecting -"
"Diana. It's okay. I was never mad at you just a little confused. But I can't fix everything no matter how much I wish I could. Though I hope this gift will help you feel more confident in your position in not just the family but the creed as well."
She gave him a smile wanting to show her thanks but the sadness in her eyes was too loud not to notice.
"Let's go, I have it in my chambers." Diana accepted his forearm resting her hand on it as he escorted her out the Gates Parlor.
Diana had grown used to moving within the castle held by the Keeper or Mikkhail so it was a luxury she had dearly missed after their first altercation. Though this form of travel was much more preferable than apparition it was still an uncomfortable and invasive sensation. Most people wouldn't even feel it that Mikkhail had been surprised the first time she had described it as such. He had concluded that it was her lack of magic growing up that left magic feeling more of a parasite to her than a warm welcoming as Mikkhail had described it. The Keeper had assured them she would grow used to it but after a year in such potent providence Diana was left questioning his assessment. The entire place felt as if it were leeching off her attempting to drain something within her she lacked. The only place she felt at ease wasn't even her room but rather a marble gazebo next to Keeper's Tower. Diana could not wait for the day she could leave Obsidian. They said this place would help her heal but in truth Diana felt like she was barely holding on. Despite her body being healthy, her mind didn't always feel all there.
A short walk past two doors and they were at Mikkhail's chambers that was in actuality over a half hour walk from Gates Parlor, not that he knew this. Having been the heir since his birth Mikkhail had the Zoldyck heir ring that allowed him to travel nearly every room in the province at a short distance. There are five rings that allowed this, those in possession of such rings were Mikkhail, Mother, Visenya, the High Priestess, and General Degurechaff Zoldyck who was mothers younger brother. The Keeper has no need for such a thing.
Diana held in her gasp yet the words escaped her mouth, "Geez and I thought my room was huge."
"I thought you said everything is bigger in Texciin."
"It is. Y'all just exaggerate here." It truly was an exaggeration just at the entrance, she could make out from the several open doors other rooms. For what he needed so many rooms she couldn't even begin to guess. Her room had an open room concept making it look more like a loft compared to his room. She had to give it to him white and gold were definitely his colors. From the white drapes to the white marble flooring and the golden accents decorating his room, Diana was pleased to see how much it complemented her angelic brother. What saddened her was to see how un-lived in his room was. And like that the war came back into mind.
"Huh I think you'd like Solstice Manor, it's in Texciin. I'll take you one day." He gave her his sweet smile she has come to compare to honey.
"Thanks, love. I'd like that."
"So what did you think of him?"
"Who? Degurechaff? How someone like you could be friends with someone like him astonishes me."
"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?"
"You guys are nothing alike. You're like a ray of sunshine meanwhile he's ray of darkness."
"He's not that bad. He can be a bit childish and self centered but he's really a good guy. Give it sometime he'll grow on you. It's a shame though he was really taken by you."
"He doesn't even know me."
"It's true he is a bit shallow."
"I thought you were supposed to be a wingman hyping him up."
"Ewww. Not when it comes to my sisters. Besides he'd just be wasting his time pursuing any of you."
"What don't think we're good enough for your boyfriend?"
"Haha nah it's just politics. The Degurechaff have strong ties within the Creed. A little too strong that the girls need to consider the Houses we have weaker ties with like the Narangel, Varma, and even Achilles."
"Consider ? As in marriage?"
"Of course you can't stay single forever."
"What if I don't want to marry?"
"Uh that sounds like a conversation you have with mom." He awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"I don't want kids."
"Now that's definitely a conversation you have with mom." He winced.
"Why? I thought the Creed didn't do arranged marriages."
"Yeah but we also don't do love marriages. It's more of a business transaction."
"Oh how romantic."
"I didn't take you for the romantic type."
She ignored his comment, "But I don't have to get married right?"
"Like I said, you have to talk to mother about it."
"But why? There's five daughters."
"Well actually only four eligible for marriage."
"Excuse me?"
"What? You didn't know? Little Elena can't marry; she's the prospective next Archpriestess."
"No. Did she agree to this? What am I talking about? She can't consent to this because she's a child!"
"She wanted this."
"She doesn't know what she wants."
"Mom should be here for the meeting. How about we talk to her about this after. Okay?"
"Okay." Though she didn't want to drop this she also didn't want to argue with him so soon after making up.
"Everything will work out, don't worry too much about it, Diana." His reassuring nonchalant response was enough for Diana to believe him. He's the type of person that if you have on your side everything feels alright as if no problem can arise which he can't overcome. He'd make a great husband one day and an even greater Kaisen, Diana thought.
He turned to her looking at her in an almost ominous manner, it made Diana swallow in anticipation. "The gift I have for you has to stay between us, got it?"
"Of course."
He nodded at her all previous seriousness, fading away at his eager smile. He beckoned her to follow to a door on the other side of his living room. It was like any other door except it led to a huge walk in closet. Here too she could see the reality of their situation evident by his lack of clothing present.
She looked away towards him instead. "So you wanted to show off your bigger closet?" She sarcastically inquired.
"Hahah you're so funny." He equally shot back, moving past her towards the more crowed section of his closet brimming with formal and casual wear. Of course Mikkahil was never without some sort of uniform or in dress code, it was no surprise this part was left untouched. He knelt down in front of a row of hanging cloaks pushing them aside. Diana did a double take watching Mikkail move his hand through the wall. He seemed to be digging through there for a moment speaking under his breathe assurances,"I know I left it here somewhere just give- Ahh ha I found it." He exclaimed excitedly pulling out a small copper jewelry box.
"Ahh Mikkhail you shouldn't have."
"Don't get too excited. This is just a cover."
Uh.
He suddenly began to laugh out loud. "Why did you make that face? Hahah trust me your real gift can't even compare to this old thing." He opened the jewelry box taking out a tiny baby blue box. It was odd to see such small thing covered in intricate designs of painted flowers and wooden carved borders. Mikkhail placed the box in Diana's hand beaming at her almost as if he was proud of his own actions. She wanted to laugh but could tell whatever this was meant a lot to him.
"Thank you."
He smiled at her reaching back for the gift, "You haven't even opened it. You just place it on the floor and tap the silver clasp and ta-da!"
Diana watched as before her eyes the hand size blue box transformed into a large chest. She let out a gasp seeing it's beauty heighten with its size, now able to see the true effort and money put into making the chest appear luxurious yet welcoming. Two contrary aspects when it came to Diana which she herself was surprised she enjoyed.
Unable to express her gratitude, the young woman said the only thing she could.
"It's beautiful."
"I'm glad you like it. Come I'll show you the rest."
"The rest?"
"What you didn't think that was all did you ? Remember Diana we're magic."
"We're Zoldycks," Diana finished after him the mantra he'd seemed to have carved into her mind. It was to remind her of the endless possibilities with magic to never limit her imagination.
"That's my girl. "
At these words Diana couldn't help but blush in pride. She gratefully took out his extended hand as she stepped into the open chest, feeling beneath her a set of stairs. Taking a first hesitant step deeper Diana ventured at a slow pace with her brothers hand at her waist keeping her steady. Despite knowing she wouldn't fall into oblivion Diana could not bring herself to move faster. No matter how long she spent with the Zoldycks the thought of magic still felt foreign to her and so did her trust in it. Diana would not say out loud but she did not trust this magical device what she did trust enough to venture in it was her brother's reassuring smile. The deeper she went the more a warm unnatural yellow light filled around her. The off white walls held paintings of unfamiliar people each distinctly different from the next yet all holding a smiliarity in the way they carried themselves. Even in an unmoving painting Diana could see how sure of themselves each of them were. Seeing her analysis of the paintings Mikkhail spoke up telling what she already suspected.
"They are some of the former Zoldyck Heirs, each one having their own great feat ensuring their place on this wall. There's another room with more heirs if you'd like to see them."
"Yeah I'd like that." She replied this even though in reality she would rather not feel the turmoil of emotions she felt seeing the faces of her ancestors. "Why are only the heirs here? Why not their Kaisen painting ?"
"They all grew up to be great Kaisens but they weren't always Kaisens; they all started off in the same place. In this room. Walking down these steps and looking at the faces of those before them."
This is where ambition was made. It was clear that many resolutions were created in this room. So why is he now mentioning the battle for succession when he was already named heir. "Why are you showing me this?" It can't be.
"Because Diana we're at war."
Don't say it.
"Lives are made and taken."
God please don't say it.
"I want you to make your life your own. Don't throw it away just to die a Zoldyck."
Please don't. . .
"I'm giving you the Zoldyck Heir Wardrobe because I want you to rival me."
. . . Say it.
Her mind was racing with too many questions. Why are you telling me this? Why did you choose me? What do you see in me? Could you always tell? What you do you want from me? Why me ? Why ? Why ? "Why?"
He was silent, staring at Diana with an expression she had never seen on his face and in that moment Mikkhail didn't feel like her brother. He felt ethereal.
"Because you know dying is hard but living is harder. Yet despite not wanting to, you still choose to live. So live Diana. I know how much a first love can change someone but she would have -"
"Don't. You don't get to say what she would have wanted. So don't." Her voice cut more than intended but she could never control herself when it came to her.
Not liking the direction their conversation was heading or the tension she brought into their conversation she decided to mention the other elephant in the room. "What about Visenya? Does she know?" You're backing me up as heir if anything happens to you.
"Of course not! She'd have my head so you can't tell her anything."
Diana stayed silent, unsatisfied with his response.
With a heavy sigh he continued, "Visenya can't be heir. It's no secret the Zoldycks are a matriarch; they've always favored the women."
"They favor the first born as well."
"But also the youngest."
"I'm not youngest."
"But you are. You may not be the youngest in age but you were the last to get the Zoldyck name."
"Why can't Visenya be the heir. She's intelligent, fierce, sure of herself and beautiful. She checks everything."
"You think highly of her don't you. Cause you're blind to her flaws. She's emotional, naive, and too by the books when it suits her. She has too many enemy's in the Creed and many of which she thinks are friends."
"I don't even have friends."
"And you don't have enemy's either. At least not yet. You hold the favor of the Keeper and the Kaisen and the Heir."
"You see me as a blank slate." One to be molded. Of course he sees me as another who needs fixing. Diana hated that they saw her as a damsel in distress that needed saving when Diana knew deep down it was them that needed saving from her. All of this she wasn't doing for herself. Everything she ever did was for the sake of others. She was angry. She didn't want to be and she didn't understand completely why she was so pissed off.
She breathed, deeply.
"It's not a bad thing, sis. It's actually a great thing which is one of the reasons I'm endorsing you."
"I'm not someone that needs fixing and most definitely not someone you can mold."
"I know that. I'm not going to do anything to you if you don't want to but Diana you're not alone anymore. Everything you do and don't is done as a Zoldyck now. Your options are near unlimited so why settle. It's time you see what life as a Zoldyck has to offer. So come on and follow me. We've been on these steps for too long."
She was unable to think of a response to his declaration. Behind those pretty words their true meaning was clear. You belong to the Zoldycks now. So give us everything. He wasn't giving her choice, not truly. There was much she wanted to say, unable to get her anger to move past but she knew these trival emotions wouldn't get her anywhere. She pushed away the fury in her head and the pain in her chest and she shut up and followed him down the last steps into a bright open room.
Diana wasn't able to enjoy the room. Mikkhail walked her through a bright tea room with sunlight, a pink floral bedroom, a matching coral bathroom, and two stories of wide open rooms full of clothing. The clothing was extremely diverse; she'd even say bipolar from conservative ball gowns to what she'd call slut wear and almost all cultural clothing she could think of. The more she saw jewels, heels, handbags, lingerie the clearer it became why Mikkhail didn't have use for the Heir Wardrobe. The only part that would be of use to him is the apothecary and the weapons room. It made sense that most of the contents were feminine since the Zoldycks are a matriarch yet to see it was different from knowing it.
"This is a chest that has been accumulating for over four centuries. Each heir has added and taken from it. I myself didn't see the need of adding more men clothing since mom told me it usually gets taken out to make room for more dresses. I added to the weapons room the Genova Sword of Aargon but that's just to make up for taking the Spear of Atlas. Hope you don't mind."
"Of course not Im . . ." Diana's eyes burnt and she had to look away from her brother's generosity. They weren't tears of joy but of grief and sorrow. This was her brother preparing for the worst. This was her brother trying to ensure his legacy through her. Weak, experienceless, and ignorant Diana. She found herself wondering why and as if the universe heard Mikkail spoke.
"I probably should have told you sooner but I was planning to give you the chest on your birthday. But I was contacted this morning by the Keeper that he'd be in attendance at todays Council meeting and he wishes for you to be present as well."
What ?
In the little Diana learned in studying tomes of history and guidelines she knew the significance of this order. To be an unbaptized Creeder attending a confidential meeting of the Council was already unheard of but to be escorted by the Keeper himself was unreal. Leo, is this your way of apologizing ?
It would make sense and it would explain why Mikkhail had switched up from being supporting to being all in with her. It hurt to know that Mikkhail didn't see anything in Diana; he only thinks that the being he worships as a god has. Meaning . . .
"Did the Keeper know you were giving me the Heir Wardrobe."
"Of course I even asked for his blessing as soon as I got here to give it to you today."
So I was right.
"You want me to wear something from the heir chest to the meeting ?"
"I actually already picked something out, the Keeper suggested white and I instantly knew what regalia for you'd be perfect." He eagerly summoned a layered white dress with gold embroidery on the cloak sleeves and the bottom dress front.
So this is your apology Leo. Diana swore that had she known he'd apologize like this she'd have argued with him sooner. But it still felt like too much. What else are you planning? Something wasn't right Diana could hear the warning bells going off in her head.
She knew that what Leo was doing was solidifying her spot in the Creed and installing her status higher than it should be among the powerful members of the council. In ordering her to wear clothing that was rightfully the heir's they were informally endorsing her as the second in succession. Diana knew she would be making just as many friends as enemies today. Even still it was too much. Leo was going to blindside her in some way. She just knew it. It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. It's something Diana would do. Give them so much that they'd be unable to say no. An illusion of choice.