Emmett Greenwood

xenia plucked a few fresh snacks out of the array and onto her plate to taste. everything was delicious so far. “well, i suppose that’s true.” xenia rolled all this around in her mind for a moment. “but last time we spoke, you said you wanted to help me find a permanent position here. what’s changed?”

❝ I could ask the same of you. ❞  There’s a slight pause.  ❝ Earl Greenwood, isn’t it? ❞  His brow raises in the darkness and he leans down to grab the handle of the candle stick holder. With the light now raised it would make his position fairly obvious, the glow only revealing half of his face. ❝ If you must know I was reading and taking in the fresh air. I imagine you are doing something similar? ❞

Annette simply nodded at his words since he had already continued speaking. She chuckled softly in response. “I have not only been working. They are lovely people indeed, though I don’t know if I would write home about them. It would perhaps only entice my father and mother to come visit.”

Despite being aware of the man drawing closer the voice that calls out causes him to jump. The book falls from his lap and clatters on the floor, just narrowly avoiding his candle. A harsh curse slips from his lips before his gaze peers upwards towards the voice. ❝It’s only me.❞ Yarric call as if that clears everything up. Though with the darkness of his attire the low light of night he is till barely visible. It takes him a moment to scramble to his feet as he stares out in to the darkness.

xenia shook her head. “no, i’ve always stayed at home with my grandmother. it just became the routine.” she had asked to come along a number of times over the years, but there was always some reason she shouldn’t.

she burst into laughter at his suggestion, mostly out of surprise. “but i’ve only just arrived here! i’ve barely gotten a chance to see the capitol, let alone anywhere else.”

Ah, her grandmother. Emmett thought back but couldn’t remember whether or not he had ever met Delia’s mother. Even if he hadn’t, he doubted she was his biggest fan after Delia fell pregnant. Munching on a biscuit, Emmett tried to seem casual. “But there will always be time to see the capitol. In fact, it’ll be the safest place if war breaks out. Which is why you should go other places now! Seize the day.”

“I have heard her name, but I have yet to have the pleasure of meeting her,” Annette answered. She’d heard nothing but good things about the young woman, and she had to admit she was curious to see for herself. “Indeed. I pray I have much longer with my parents.”

“So they’re making threats in spite of you paying?” She raised a brow, well, that was simply bad form. “Give me all the information on the payment drop-off. I can arrange to have someone inconspicuously keep an arm on the drop,” she told him, it should be easy enough for her spies to follow whoever took the payment back to their employer.

“Yes, that’s the problem. They already have my money, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. If they told me what they actually wanted, I would arrange to have whatever it is taken care of, but since they aren’t making any other demands, I don’t know how else to make the threats stop.” Emmett wasn’t stupid, but this wasn’t his area of expertise. Dealing with scandal was one thing. This was far bigger than a scandal. Relaxing slightly, Emmett slunk back in his seat. “Thank you. I just want this taken care of. I’m tired of living my life wondering if someone’s watching me...and what they might do when I’m not looking. Do you know what that’s like?”

“Well, if that’s so, I look forward to being proven wrong.”  Felicity may be stubborn and sure of her own beliefs, but she could admit when she had been wrong.  In this case, she did not expect she would be proven wrong, of course, but as satisfying as she might find it to really fight with him, she could not push it too far.  “Your efforts very well might prove necessary in the coming days.  I hope you will be as successful as you believe.”

“There’s always a chance that things will go wrong, but there’s a difference between being realistic and being pessimistic.” Emmett took another bite of food. He didn’t mind standing and talking to this woman (despite her seemingly low opinion of people of his status) as long as he could munch on his late breakfast. The food was helping to alleviate his massive hangover headache. “Realistic means understanding the possibility that Oscana will go to war with Ryhule and Ryhule’s monarch will provide no food this winter. It means making plans for such a situation. Pessimism is believing that those deals won’t come to fruition. Which are you? A realist or a pessimist?”

“Ah, I see.” Annette nodded gently. It was more explanation than she had expected. “Is it anything with which I may be able to assist?” She was always willing to help out someone who seemed troubled, especially if they seemed like a good person. “Grief never truly goes away. I do what I can to help her in this time.”

It would seem the two would be at a standstill, that both of them were too stubborn to let the other have their way. “Then you don’t get to decide where my daughter and I go. And certainly not if we decline your protection.” Did Delia feel a bit guilty for the way she was acting? Yes. But she couldn’t help that protectiveness come over her when it came to Xenia. Even though Emmett was the reason she had Xenia, he hadn’t been there, hadn’t raised her. “And I suppose you can’t tell me those reasons?”

“Not right now. Not if you won’t accept my help.” Emmett kept walking backwards toward the house. Being gone too long would raise eyebrows. He’d been chatting with other women all night, and he didn’t want anyone thinking he’d snuck off to have a romp with Delia. If his blackmailer thought he was starting something back up with her, Emmett was sure things would get worse. “I’ll see you around, Delia.”

“Why is that?” Annette had to admit she was curious about why it wasn’t an option, especially if he claimed he wanted to leave. Though, she wouldn’t blame him for not telling her. After all, she wouldn’t tell if she were in his shoes. “They mentioned it a few weeks back, but my place is with Princess Elisa. I will serve her, whatever the outcome may be.”

Jia didn’t even feign surprise as he revealed his secret to her, as if he were merely speaking of the weather. It wasn’t so outrageous; she was surprised that the blackmailer had devolved to threats, though. “Have you been paying them anything up until now?” She asked, if he hadn’t paid, it wasn’t entirely surprising, but she wondered why they didn’t simply release the information. 

Emmett’s secret wasn’t exactly a surprising one considering his reputation. A reputation that was largely accurate. “Of course I’ve been paying them!” His eyes widened slightly. “If I didn’t, they would’ve hurt the woman and my child. I might not have been...involved in their lives, but I don’t want to see them hurt. I wasn’t going to take the chance. I have the money. I just - I’m tired of waiting to see if they’re going to carry out their threats even if I pay. It feels like it’s never going to end.”

“Only when the worst far outnumber the good.”  Maybe it was not fair of her, but then again, it was not fair that these people had the power to control the lives and the well-beings of entire populations, simply by an accident of birth.  It was not fair that her family had had to rely on these people who could not be bothered to help them when they had needed it most.  “But I do agree with you there.  Above all else, the people must be taken care of, no matter what happens between the monarchs.”

“I will. Thank you for the advice.” Even if it hadn’t been asked for, it truly was appreciated. She could only imagine what might happen if Ryhule decided to hold their crops. “Perhaps you should, if it’s what you believe to be best.”

“I wasn’t aware that held meaning for you.” The remark seemed a bit crass but she’d already spoken it. Delia took a deep breath as she thought through what to say. “I’m sorry, Emmett. We’ve spent so long on our own. We don’t need your protection.”

Emmett’s lips parted slightly, surprise and hurt flooding him. She wasn’t wrong. He hadn’t taken an interest in Delia or Xenia for the past twenty years. He had no right to waltz back into their lives and demand anything of them - but this was a matter of life and death. Slowly, Emmett closed his mouth, pressed his lips together, and shook his head. “You’ll see. You’ll realize just how dangerous this place is and you’ll flee.” Or at least, he hoped she would. He began to back away, taking large steps in the direction of the house. “Just because I wasn’t around doesn’t mean that I didn’t care. You don’t get to decide if I’m willing to offer my protection and you certainly don’t know all of my reasons for staying away for all these years.”