THE RECKONING

ATIENA CAVALCANTE. DUCHESS OF SÃO PAULO.

❝ this is what it means to be a woman in this world. every step is a bargain with pain. make your black deals in the black wood and decide what you’ll trade for power. ❞

sometimes she forgets that there’s a before and after. 

before — when she had been carefree. adventurous, even. unafraid of vulnerability and all its consequences. after — when she had crafted her anger and bitterness into a hardened shell to present to the world, creating a warpath in which she’d set herself on fire if only to see those who had wronged her burn. 

it’s only in the quiet moments with those she has kept close — those who had witnessed the before and stayed for the after — that atiena allows herself some form of reprieve. even if it is merely a slight softening of her posture; a small sliver of doubt. 

SHE LOOKED UP FROM HER MAGAZINE. light curls bounced by her jawline and she blinked at atiena. the brazilians couldn’t be this gutsy ! it wasn’t how she remembered them. she was quiet for a moment. it was a thoughtful pause. words had consequences, and entertaining atiena without a second thought wasn’t an option. was there a possibility that the crown princess and the duchess had established a friendship ? how likely was that ? “ well of course. i’ve tried to raise them right and capable. i wasn’t aware there was any vacation for the spot. ”

Helena’s fingers twitched at her sides. All she would need to do is reach up and squeeze but she couldn’t give Atiena the satisfaction. “Woof, woof,” she muttered in response. “..isn’t that an easier language for you to understand? I mean you’re a bitch after all, right? Excuse my english, I don’t mean to offend you.” 

" how could i be offended? ”  atiena replies airily,  “ i know what i am. ”  could be it considered masochistic that she actually is enjoying herself? 

helenadobrasil​:

“No querida, that’s Horton e o Mundo dos Quem.” Helena should have let her drown in her lip filler and idiocy but she couldn’t leave the woman stranded. “I’m sorry about her..she get confused sometimes with simple words and phrases.” 

@arturcii​ @atienacavalcante​

he’d been ready to accept the woman at her word, but helena, like a bat out of hell, interrupted so rudely. “no, it’s alright. anyone would be confused,” he supplied. “have the two of you had any drinks from here?” @atienacavalcante​

    francisco chuckled at the confession and the mere thought of what both of them had been like decades ago. “ i think i remember you following me around when our father’s would talk business. ” something neither were very interested in at the time; things were a little different in that regard now. “ if you want to get sentimental i won’t stop you from doing it again. ” 

the mention of the oil spill had been the only time the smile that tugged at the corners of his eyes faded. a touchy subject. “ we can pretend you invited me in for a drink instead. ”

she makes a noncommittal sound.  “ it seems i am still following you around. ” atiena gestures to canadian suburbia right outside the window.  “ i’m here, aren’t i? ”  it wasn’t quite the truth, but an impish smile plays on her lips nonetheless. 

she wanted to speak, to bark back and let it be heard, all the snark remarks she had to the duchess standing in front of her. what a disrespect. maitê should request a bowl. “your grace,” instead, she extends a tint and courteous half smile. “i wasn’t aware of your arrival.” 

He waited a beat, just to make her understand the recklessness of her joke, before mumbling one word and calling off his guards. He sucked in a very deep breath before tilting his tired head forward and giving Atiena a disapproving look. “You’ll get yourself in trouble with that sort of thing eventually.” It was all the reprimanding he could be bothered to do. He glanced to his side to check the time from a very ugly simple clock, and gestured her to step inside. “Two am? We’re not in uni anymore.”

“ trouble? ”  she repeats, completely unbothered by alexei’s disapproval.  “ ah, because little ol’ me is such a threat to the big bad czar. ”  atiena winks at the guards before slamming the door in their faces.  “ consider me flattered. ” 

she traipses through alexei’s home much like she had the first time they met — without restraint or trepidation; when the man in front of her had just been a boy. except he is older now, age and strife etched into his features like a mark she wishes she could rub away with the pad of her thumb. 

“Atiena,” her name rolled off Helena’s tongue with such lethargy. “Not that you care to know but I’ve advised to stay here even if it’s against my wishes. I’d love to be traipsing through oil sludge to have the coastline.” Don’t engage. “What about you? I don’t remember what you do with your free time. We’ve been so far removed lately but running multiple companies can leave little room to socialize.”  

“just like old times,” he repeats. “you promise to play fairly, this time?” he was teasing.