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* Jewel has been sad and pensive since returning from Dusk's funeral. She removes her mourning blacks, brushing off the skirts and hanging them carefully before changing her shift for her nightgown and housecoat. * Angel tosses his hat on the rack and hangs up his coat before throwing himself onto the sofa to sit with his feet on the table and his head tipped back, eyes closed. * Jewel tucks her housecoat around her, and goes to sit beside Angel, rubbing his leg absently with one hand. She sighs. <Angel> ::opens his eyes and gives her his half-smile:: Hello, lady. <Jewel> Hello, husband. ::her smile is sad, and doesn't quite reach her eyes:: <Angel> ::touches her face lightly, tracing a line down her cheek:: You holding up all right, my lady? <Jewel> ::looking wry:: I'd do better without so many crises of conscience, I think. ::putting her head on his shoulder:: I've been... putting something off again. <Angel> ::takes a deep breath:: Anything but that, my lady... <Jewel> ::raises an eyebrow at him:: Mm? <Jewel> ::touches a finger to his nose, peering at him:: Are you making fun of me? <Angel> ::kisses her finger:: Would I do that? <Jewel> ::smiles a little more genuinely:: Yes. You're quite a meanie, that way, mocking us lesser mortals for our weaknesses. <Angel> ::raises one eyebrow:: A problem already corrected, my lady... What is it? Anticipation is bad for me. <Jewel> ::sighs again:: I'm sure getting upset isn't terribly good for you, either, but I think you're going to be, again. * Angel sits up, putting his feet back on the floor. "You'd best tell me, then." <Jewel> I have to tell you... well, I *had* one thing to tell you. It's turned into something of a laundry list, I'm afraid. All... all sort of connected, too, oddly enough. <Jewel> ::takes a deep breath:: It all started when I found out that Bie was expecting. * Angel stands up and goes to the sideboard to open a bottle of wine. He pours himself a glass, then, upon considering, gets out the brandy and drops a shot into his wine glass. "Go on." <Jewel> I was... ::looking down:: jealous of her, a little. You see, I... ::swallows:: I went off my own herbs a... a while back. I wanted... ::bites her lip, and takes a deep breath:: I wanted a child of yours, and... well. And then... just a little before I found out about Bie, I had something of a-- a false alarm, and I was more disappointed than I'd expected to be. <Jewel> ::slouching down a bit on the couch:: I should have talked to you about it first, my lord. I'm sorry. <Angel> ::takes a sip of wine:: A false alarm, or did you lose a baby? ::he crosses the room to her again, but stands, rather than sitting:: <Jewel> ::frowns, thinking:: Just a false alarm, I think. I was late... but not so late that I really thought I'd... caught. You understand? <Angel> ::gives her his half-smile again:: Very well, actually. You forget, I used to manage a brothel... I'm rather familiar with women. <Jewel> ::bites her lip and looks wry:: I should have known you'd be a very, er, "hands-on" manager. <Angel> ::fidgets with his goblet:: It's not entirely like that... but it's in everyone's best interest to make sure the tags are healthy and well-cared for. <Jewel> ::shrugs:: I don't know, honestly. It *could* have been something... but I was waiting long enough to be sure it *was.* I had no sickness, and wasn't even to the second month. Maybe... ::thinks, and counts on her fingers:: Halfway through the first? I've been that late before, sometimes... during orals, say. ::looks wry:: <Angel> ::sighs:: I wish you'd told me sooner. Did you... see anyone about it? <Jewel> ::nods:: I saw a woman I know. Everything was fine, there was no sign of... well, there wouldn't have been, even if there *had* been something. But... there's nothing wrong with me, that she could tell. <Jewel> And... ::scootching down on the couch a little more:: I was going to, and then this whole mess with Vander came up, and, well... there were more important things to occupy you. <Angel> ::looks at her directly:: I knew you'd stopped taking your herb... <Jewel> ::bites her lip, looking up:: You... knew? * Angel nods. "Up until recently, things have been settled. Mostly comfortable. Why shouldn't you have a baby, if you want one?" <Jewel> Well-- hm. I'll come back to that question in a bit. One thing at a time. ::takes a breath:: As I said, Bie came to talk to me because she was pregnant. But Bie wasn't the only one to come to me with confidences, around then... I also spoke with Dusk. <Angel> ::raises an eyebrow:: Making a business of the rumor-mongering? <Jewel> ::pressing her lips together:: *You*, my lord, are the *only* person I'm telling these things to, because I promised not to keep secrets from you. I have no intention of telling anyone else these things. *Especially* not Dawn. <Angel> ::takes a deep breath:: My lady, if you mean to confess to an affair, I am going to ask you very kindly not to. <Jewel> I don't-- I *told* him I couldn't keep it from you, and he agreed to it. A what? ::eyes wide:: Oh, *gods* no! It-- well, I don't even know if it makes a difference anymore, but... ::looking up at Angel again:: Dusk knew about Bie. I don't know... I *think* he knew about the child, but I'm not certain. But... he knew that Bie had broken the... ::crooks a smile:: the unwritten rule, and he wanted Dawn to be happy, so... <Jewel> ...he was planning to... go away. <Angel> ::smiles bitterly:: I think he managed *that* in the only possible manner. Dawn wouldn't... just let him. <Jewel> ::shakes her head:: No, I mean... he intended to *fake* his death. And... he needed me to know, because he knew I could possibly find him. I don't... ::frowns:: Dusk is-- was-- so good at illusions. I just don't *know.* And... all in all, I think it's better that way. I *did* look, once, just after Dawn told us. But... I couldn't feel him. <Jewel> ::shrugs:: I don't know if it matters anymore... either way, he's beyond our reach. But... I thought you, at least, should know. <Angel> ::sighs:: Trust Dusk to be all mysterious. <Jewel> Yes, well... there's one more piece to this. ::her voice trembles slightly, and she gets up to fetch a small, corked bottle of dark brown liquid from a drawer:: Dawn was by, when you were out. He gave this to me... he'd just found it in Dusk's things. <Jewel> Dawn swore to me he didn't know a thing about it, and I believe him, but not for the reason he thinks. I-- I'm not sure what to think about it, honestly. <Angel> ::takes another sip of wine:: What is it? <Jewel> Concentrate of birthbane. <Angel> ::narrows his eyes:: For what? <Jewel> ::sighs:: Dawn doesn't know *what* Dusk was doing with it. ::turns it in her hand so that Angel can see the label:: It's only about six months old, and there's a dose missing. <Jewel> *I* think... well... Dusk was *very* jealous. If it had ever come to a choice between himself and Bie, for Dawn... he might've made sure there was no choice. <Angel> ::his eyes narrow further:: You said that's what *you* think. And yet, why come to you over it? What did Dawn say? <Jewel> Dawn thinks.... he thinks Dusk might have worried about... what would happen if I had a child. About... a war of succession, in the Guild. He thinks... Dusk might have tried to dose me. <Angel> ::slowly:: Your... "false alarm"? <Jewel> ::closes her eyes:: I don't *know.* The date on the bottle is older than that. The *only* people I've mentioned it to were my own healer and Bie, and that was recently. <Jewel> But... ::takes a breath:: Is it true? Is war a risk, if I... if I have your child? <Angel> ::shrugs one shoulder, his eyes distant:: Life is risk, my lady. <Jewel> I only... ::miserably:: I wanted to bear your child. But... now I'm afraid I'm being selfish. Is it... something *you* would want? <Angel> ::laughs shortly:: My dear lady... You are a member in good standing of the *Thieves' Guild*. And you're worried about being *selfish*? * Jewel's eyes fill with tears, and she bows her head. <Angel> ::mutters to himself:: Fuck. ::he finishes off his wine:: Cat... <Jewel> ::quietly:: I'm sorry, I... I should have asked you first... I should have t-talked to you... dammit... I didn't *know*... * Jewel keeps her head down, her shoulders shaking. <Angel> ::takes a deep breath and drops onto one knee near her:: My lady, don't... ::he takes his handkerchief out and tilts her chin up to blot her cheeks:: You need not cry over it. <Angel> ::gives her his half-smile:: I knew you weren't taking your herb. If I objected, do you think I'd have said nothing? <Jewel> ::her face wet, lower lip white where she's biting it with her teeth:: I'm s-sorry... gods... I'm such a w-watering pot... <Jewel> I d-didn't know you knew. I... ::sniffs, attempting a watery smile:: I should have. Nothing gets past you. <Angel> My lady... there's nothing to be sorry for... you've done nothing objectionable. ::his eyes narrow further and his jaw tightens some:: But... should Dusk have staged his death and I find out that he *did* dose you without your knowledge, I will kill him. Understand that. <Jewel> ::nods slowly:: I... I understand. <Jewel> You think Dawn was right, then? ::eyes widening:: And... you don't blame Dawn, do you? <Angel> Not... entirely. Although if he was in the know, he'd be three times more a fool for having told you. <Jewel> ::sighs:: I don't think he even realized until Bie mentioned my little disappointment to him. <Jewel> ::meeting his eyes:: He made no secret of the fact that he wants that ring on your finger eventually. But *not* that way. ::sighs:: I think he was more horrified than I was. <Jewel> ::smiles faintly and takes Angel's hand, rubbing her thumb over the Guild ring:: *This* ring. Not *this* one. ::stroking her finger over his wedding ring:: <Angel> ::eyes the remaining liquid:: I hope to all the gods he *didn't* use this on anyone. That much... that could cause permanent damage. <Jewel> ::nods:: Well... if I'm right, Bie seems fine so far. And if Dawn's right... ::takes a breath:: I suppose we'll find out, eventually. <Angel> ::snorts, fingering his rings:: I offered it to him, a few weeks back. He declined. But it's his, when I'm ready to retire. <Jewel> ::nods, bringing his hand up to her lips and kissing it:: Which is not quite yet, I hope. <Angel> ::shrugs one shoulder:: Not today. But... ::takes her hand and looks at her:: You know I'd rather give it over then risk you, or any child of ours, in something as stupid as a succession war? <Jewel> ::gravely:: I know. But I don't want to make you choose between lives. I can wait until you're ready, love. <Angel> ::runs one hand through her chestnut hair:: There's quite a bit of time for a child to grow up before it becomes an issue. The Guild wouldn't accept anyone less than twenty, and that reluctantly. If you want a child, love, I'll be happy to do my part. ::he gives her an only slightly exaggerated leer:: <Jewel> ::giggles and cranes her neck to kiss his nose:: Are you certain? It could be a *lot* of work, you know. It generally only happens on the first try when people *aren't* trying, as I understand. <Angel> ::mock dismay:: I shall endeavour not to disappoint you. |
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