03-26-2010, 12:18 AM
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@$%&Officially, romantic liaisons were forbidden among the ranks of the clan in her homeland. The leader and her consort had the privilege of producing the next generation, and the group raised the youngsters as a whole. In her youth, the puppies had been her siblings, and Alacrity had accepted the policy as the way of things. The truth was generally racier, a fact which she was shielded from given her inexperience and social position at the time. There were numerous couples among the clan’s “working class”, carefully hiding the nature of their “friendship”. Most of these “secrets” were quite well known, but just as tradition forbade them, tradition also permitted them to be ignored. And, because the wild dogs’ bodies rejected the luperci virus, they retained the twice-a-year fertility cycle of their ancestors – accidental pregnancies were rare. Perhaps if the change had not passed them by, things would be different… but such was the way of fate, and thus tradition still held her sway.
@$%&It was in this environment that Alacrity was raised. In her world, she saw eligible young men compete for her elder sister’s affection, hoping for the chance of rank, or offspring, or hunting rights. Love went hand in hand with politics, and there was always a price. So even when Alacrity noted that her feelings for the Inferni hybrid extended past those of simple friendship, she had dismissed them as an impossibility. She viewed the situation in somewhat Victorian terms: she the daughter without dowry, he the gentleman with rank, family, and connections.
@$%&Still, it was a lovely gesture, and if Alacrity’s face was too overwhelmed to properly convey emotion, her tufted tail could at least sway in delight. Anselm’s gift could not have been more perfect – she dearly missed being out-of-doors, able to experience the landscape properly. “They are wonderful Anselm, truly,” she replied sincerely, and with considerable emotion. He was saying the sweetest things. “But… I can’t take these." She found herself unable to meet his eyes. Alacrity had never regretted her lot in life, or been envious of her sisters, until now. She spoke in a rush, and despite a heroic effort she could not quite keep all of the bitterness out of her voice. “My mother was a notable leader, but she’s gone now. And anyway, I am a lesser daughter and out of favor with the sister who took her place. I have nothing to offer you in return.”. She was blindly applying the rules of home to this culture, without pausing to consider differently. "I'm sorry." Strangely, while she had never thought much of the shallow, extravagant gifts suitors brought her sisters, she didn’t doubt Anselm’s sincerity or interest in her person. He, wonderful lad, wanted her happiness. But could she, despite all of her cheerfulness, shrug off the past and allow herself to be happy?
Awkward post is awkward. Let me know if anything doesn't make sense? -fails-
@$%&It was in this environment that Alacrity was raised. In her world, she saw eligible young men compete for her elder sister’s affection, hoping for the chance of rank, or offspring, or hunting rights. Love went hand in hand with politics, and there was always a price. So even when Alacrity noted that her feelings for the Inferni hybrid extended past those of simple friendship, she had dismissed them as an impossibility. She viewed the situation in somewhat Victorian terms: she the daughter without dowry, he the gentleman with rank, family, and connections.
@$%&Still, it was a lovely gesture, and if Alacrity’s face was too overwhelmed to properly convey emotion, her tufted tail could at least sway in delight. Anselm’s gift could not have been more perfect – she dearly missed being out-of-doors, able to experience the landscape properly. “They are wonderful Anselm, truly,” she replied sincerely, and with considerable emotion. He was saying the sweetest things. “But… I can’t take these." She found herself unable to meet his eyes. Alacrity had never regretted her lot in life, or been envious of her sisters, until now. She spoke in a rush, and despite a heroic effort she could not quite keep all of the bitterness out of her voice. “My mother was a notable leader, but she’s gone now. And anyway, I am a lesser daughter and out of favor with the sister who took her place. I have nothing to offer you in return.”. She was blindly applying the rules of home to this culture, without pausing to consider differently. "I'm sorry." Strangely, while she had never thought much of the shallow, extravagant gifts suitors brought her sisters, she didn’t doubt Anselm’s sincerity or interest in her person. He, wonderful lad, wanted her happiness. But could she, despite all of her cheerfulness, shrug off the past and allow herself to be happy?
Awkward post is awkward. Let me know if anything doesn't make sense? -fails-