Well If You Haven't Picked Someone Yet
Glade 23 year 116 Age of Steel
Elizana sat at her desk her eyes narrowed and focused on the the paper before her. The young woman was trying to draw her maid at this moment. That young woman had expressive eyes and Elizana was curious to see if she could actually draw some of those expressions. Elizana sat staring at the paper studying the circle she had drawn. She still felt really stupid about just drawing basic shapes and then enhancing them but she did have to admit that her art had gotten better since she started doing that. No the eager young woman really just wanted to jump in and draw but she had to admit that taking her time doing the basic steps helped down the road.
At that moment she was tapping the back end of her pencil as she thought where next to processed. She heard the door to TV he room opening behind her. She turned just her head to see who it was and when she saw it was her father she smiled and turned back to her picture. The tabbing stopped and instead the noice of pencil scratching took its place as Elizana continued to draw.
Her father’s presence wasn’t really that unusual as this was also the room he escaped to as the natural light in this room was superb and the view was breathtaking. The room also was rather simply decorated one of the hold overs from there great grandfathers day and through careful maneuvering father and children the countess had failed to remodel it. Elizana’s focus was such that it took a few moments before she realized that her father had taken his normal seat by the window. Very carefully Elizana set down the pencil and then turned her chair so that she was looking father who was standing by the window looking very pensive.
The silence stretched longer and longer as the Elizana waited for her father to speak. Eventually he turned and looked at his daughter his eyes looked tired but there was a firmness behind his expression. Elizana began to feel uneasy since she had seen that expression on her father’s face in years and she knew that it was never good news. Octavian walked over to her drawing table and bringing a seat with him sat dow by her. He put his large hand on her small one and now she really knew she was in trouble.
“Elizana” he paused at that point and then continued. “I don’t believe that we have really had a chance to speak recently, well not really personally as father and daughters should.” He said giving her a strained smile. The young woman was a bit floored at this turn of conversation. If her mother had sat down and made that statement Elizana wouldn’t have been surprised but coming from her father this was different. They actually talked regularly.
With a raised eyebrow Elizana spoke this observation. “Father we talk regularly. I would say you actually know me fairly well.” She said and normally she would say it with amusement but this time there was a seriousness that dampened even Elizana normal exuberance. Her father smiled a little but still looked serious.
“That is true, but I have missed the part where you grew up.” He said squeezing her hand. Elizana gave a half dismissive sound but it died before it reached its full effect under that serious gaze. Unable to stand the uncomfortable conversation any longer Elizana finally burst out.
“What is the matter Father? This behavior isn’t like you at all.”
“I hope,” There was a focus on the word hope indicating he was worried he hope would be in vain. “That you are aware of our visitor from Branderbren.”
“Yes, and I have even meet and talked with his lordship.” Elizana said a bit of her flippancy making an appearance. She wasn’t nine anymore. She had learned the importance of being aware of who was in the palace. Secretly she suspected that she was more aware then her parents as she didn’t discount servants. The Count gave her a small smile before the seriousness returned to his expression.
“I to have recently had an extensive conversation with him, which is what has led me to believe that I have failed as a father and truly haven’t gotten to know you as well as I should.” Elizana was sure her eyebrow was going to become frozen in that upward tilt after this conversation. The count of Ludren looked his daughter full in the face and let her hand go as he sat back in his chair.
“Elizana, do you have a romantic interest?”
At that moment she was tapping the back end of her pencil as she thought where next to processed. She heard the door to TV he room opening behind her. She turned just her head to see who it was and when she saw it was her father she smiled and turned back to her picture. The tabbing stopped and instead the noice of pencil scratching took its place as Elizana continued to draw.
Her father’s presence wasn’t really that unusual as this was also the room he escaped to as the natural light in this room was superb and the view was breathtaking. The room also was rather simply decorated one of the hold overs from there great grandfathers day and through careful maneuvering father and children the countess had failed to remodel it. Elizana’s focus was such that it took a few moments before she realized that her father had taken his normal seat by the window. Very carefully Elizana set down the pencil and then turned her chair so that she was looking father who was standing by the window looking very pensive.
The silence stretched longer and longer as the Elizana waited for her father to speak. Eventually he turned and looked at his daughter his eyes looked tired but there was a firmness behind his expression. Elizana began to feel uneasy since she had seen that expression on her father’s face in years and she knew that it was never good news. Octavian walked over to her drawing table and bringing a seat with him sat dow by her. He put his large hand on her small one and now she really knew she was in trouble.
“Elizana” he paused at that point and then continued. “I don’t believe that we have really had a chance to speak recently, well not really personally as father and daughters should.” He said giving her a strained smile. The young woman was a bit floored at this turn of conversation. If her mother had sat down and made that statement Elizana wouldn’t have been surprised but coming from her father this was different. They actually talked regularly.
With a raised eyebrow Elizana spoke this observation. “Father we talk regularly. I would say you actually know me fairly well.” She said and normally she would say it with amusement but this time there was a seriousness that dampened even Elizana normal exuberance. Her father smiled a little but still looked serious.
“That is true, but I have missed the part where you grew up.” He said squeezing her hand. Elizana gave a half dismissive sound but it died before it reached its full effect under that serious gaze. Unable to stand the uncomfortable conversation any longer Elizana finally burst out.
“What is the matter Father? This behavior isn’t like you at all.”
“I hope,” There was a focus on the word hope indicating he was worried he hope would be in vain. “That you are aware of our visitor from Branderbren.”
“Yes, and I have even meet and talked with his lordship.” Elizana said a bit of her flippancy making an appearance. She wasn’t nine anymore. She had learned the importance of being aware of who was in the palace. Secretly she suspected that she was more aware then her parents as she didn’t discount servants. The Count gave her a small smile before the seriousness returned to his expression.
“I to have recently had an extensive conversation with him, which is what has led me to believe that I have failed as a father and truly haven’t gotten to know you as well as I should.” Elizana was sure her eyebrow was going to become frozen in that upward tilt after this conversation. The count of Ludren looked his daughter full in the face and let her hand go as he sat back in his chair.
“Elizana, do you have a romantic interest?”
