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Post by Vyn on Sept 4, 2007 1:20:58 GMT -5
Ophelia couldn't help but think of how ironic the world was as she sat for once on her couch upstairs instead of in her lab. She'd put work for the day on hold and was left in a bog of her own thoughts as she awaited the guest she'd urgently summoned to visit. The letter he'd sent back had announced he'd be arriving today, and while she was eager to see her old friend she was also terrified. What would he think? What would he say? She knew he wasn't fond of her region, that she was forcing him to not only enter a place that made him uncomfortable but to tell him news that would be doubly so. Things simply...never seemed to piece together right. There was always a kink in the puzzle, a missing piece or a wrong piece all together. Yet she knew it wasn't anyone's fault but her own. She had made the decision that shaped her life and though they could be frustrating to live with, she didn't regret them one bit. Now, if only Silvanus would arrive and distract her from her brooding! |
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Post by FlyingPanther on Sept 4, 2007 1:50:49 GMT -5
The things he did for friends. Silvanus was about to piss himself as he entered into Corvistowne, a place in which he had never visited before, thanks to his obvious discomfort with the tales of it's residents. He walked along quickly in his Bipedal form, hoping with every fiber in his body that the place that Ophelia told him to go to was close by, or that he would spot it behind the next corner. As far as he could see was an unfamilar urban jungle, made up of all sorts of clockwork and steam driven devices. It was unnerving for someone like himself, who had grown up in such a rural area. It was like an alien world. Not to mention the place wasn't that diverce. Nearly everyone on the street, save for a Torquehelm (which wasn't really helping the situation, as they were rather weird to him aswell), was from this region. But when he felt the great urge to run in the direction he came from, he remembered the letter. One could not judge always judge the mind of the person behind the letter, but she had been very vague and her writing nearly unreadible with how quickly she had written. Everything about the note screamed emergency and he wasn't about to let his friend down if she needed him. He had made a rare exception in choosing her as a friend, and while he was very afraid of this place, he wasn't about to go back now. Soon he stood infront of Ophelia's abode, and without hesitation knocked on the door, waiting for her to answer. He got a sinking feeling in his stomach. He hoped it was not anything to terrible... |
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Post by Vyn on Sept 4, 2007 2:01:18 GMT -5
Silvanus would be lucky enough to know that Ophelia's home was not in the heart of Corvistowne but on the outskirts, away from the general masses. Few came and went her way unless they were specifically looking for Ophelia, was would be the case with Silvanus, but newcomers would ever be surprised by what they found upon arriving: a small and rather 'humble' dwelling which was housing one of the most respected chemists in Corvistowne.
His knock would rouse an anxious twitter of movement and then the soft tread of hooves as Ophelia approached the door and pulled it open for Silvanus.
Just the sight of him left her dumbstruck, her yellow-green eyes filled with an unusual sort of vulnerability instead of their usual jaunty pride. Of course, she had a reason to be nervous this time. She was still as slender as ever, not the sort to put on heavy weight as some mothers did, but the bulge of her stomach was undeniable and impossible to ignore. It was also, as one could assume, the reason for her plea of emergency. Bowing her head lightly, pure gratitude shining in her orbs as she lifted her head, Ophelia stepped back and beckoned him in.
"Thank you so much for coming, Silvanus... I know this isn't your choice of local to visit."
She said the last bit with a warm but hesitant smile. The doe obviously felt bad, she hadn't wanted to drag him here...but it wasn't wise to defy a doctor's orders. Especially not when logic agreed to their validity.
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Post by FlyingPanther on Sept 4, 2007 2:22:00 GMT -5
Silvanus waited anxiously at the door, looking behind him every now and again, obviously paranoid in his unfamiliar surroundings. He nearly sighed in relief when the door opened, but was able to stop himself. The female had a rather worried look on her face, and for a second or two Silvanus returned a sypathetic but confused look. It was then that he saw something very different about Ophelia, that made him go still. The female sported a rather round belly. He wanted to believe that it was just some belly fat that Ophelia had put on while he had not seen her lately. But it was unmistakible. The buldge was located to low to be stomach fat, and was to much like a rounded pot, while the rest of her body remained relatively unchanged.
He looked up at her face again, entering into the home, and letting her close the door behind him before he dared utter anything. He knew why now he was summoned here instead of visited. All angry emotions that might have been created from being forced to come here vanished in an instant, left only with a horrible feeling in his gut. "Not at all, Ophelia. You had said it was urgent, I'm more then happy to come to a friend in need..." he said, momentarily trying to forget what he had seen, but there it was staring him in the face when he turned back to her. His gut felt like acid was eatting away at it.
"How far along are you?" was all he managed to utter, though very softly. He hated to admit feeling a mix of fear and jealousy. Fear at the possibility of the bun in the oven being his own...and jealousy at the idea of it being anyone elses. He strugged off the jealousy...because it simply made no sence. They were not in a proper relationship where he had the right. And besieds...she was...a friend.
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Post by Vyn on Sept 4, 2007 13:16:53 GMT -5
Once Silvanus had stepped inside, Ophelia slumped back against the door as she closed it instead of immediately drawing forward. Her legs felt weak and it wasn't just a typical wave of sickness either. She wasn't sure where to begin, or how to begin for that matter. Over and over again she would tell herself that she was not ashamed and yet she knew she was. The great, proud, Ophelia...as a mother? It simply didn't fit into how she saw herself. Especially when it meant she could not spend so much time in her lab. Explosions were suddenly so much more dangerous. It would take Silvanus's voice filling the room to make her frozen legs work once more, to draw her across the floor and toward him at last. Without immediately answering, she slumped into the couch.
Her house was still furnished with the barest necessities of life but Maxwell had made an attempt to add at least some minimal comforts of 'home' to the place. After all, even if she never wanted out of her lab that was not to say that her current live-in assistant did as well. Especially not with his own changes.
Luckily for Ophelia's sanity, Maxwell had gone out for the day and would not be back anytime soon. Ophelia would have more than enough time to prepare herself for that aspect of her woes. For now, she would just focus on Silvanus.
"Close to five months." The date of pregnancy would coincide perfectly with that one unforgettable night and though they had seen each other a few times between them, it was only now that the change was too noticeable to ignore. Too noticeable to pretend she was only getting sick or any of the other various excuses she came up with to hide the truth she knew she would eventually have to face. "I..." The usually bold doe was found hesitating then, shifting uncomfortably where she sat. This wasn't supposed to happen! "They're yours, Silvanus."
Since that passionate night, Ophelia hadn't been with anyone else quite like that. She'd been too busy with work and with her own experimentations in genetics. Experiments that had only made this situation worse. Not only was she to have Silvanus's offspring, but Maxwell was to have hers as well. Inwardly she cursed herself although there was no way she could've known before hand that the both of them would end up pregnant. That she'd wind up with so many little ones beneath her rough that all belonged to her in some way or another. Her mother's side of the family had always had large litters, and judging by both her own belly and Maxwell's she had to assume that she would as well.
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Post by FlyingPanther on Sept 4, 2007 16:03:15 GMT -5
Silvanus watched the female shakily make it over to the couch. He had the distinct urge to help her to her seat, but he knew that this would be a blow to what seemed to be Ophelia's already injured pride, so thought better of it. Instead he simply watched her struggle, knowing that internally she was struggling to. He was struggling to understand to, his fear mounting by the second, anticipating what he knew he was going to hear. He wondered for a moment if that wasn't nessesarily a bad thing, but everything in his mind was telling him it was.
5 months, she told him. That was a long time. What bothered him was that she knew exactly how long it had been. He could see clearly that she was far along, and boy did she have one hell of a belly already. He had only ever seen one other woman pregnant...his own mother, and she had only one.....'offspring'. But Ophelia's belly was much bigger then his mothers, even when the 9 months had ended...and she was no were near that ready. It was then that she broke the news to him, the fear that had been building was not in vain. They were his children.
He turned away from her slightly. He knew this was what he was going to hear the moment he saw her belly, but still he had not been ready. He held his forhead with a hand, as if trying to read if he had a fever or not before letting it down, and taking deep breaths. No need to make a scene, no need to alarm poor Ophelia. But he could hardly help it. Tears started welling in his eyes. There was big changes now in store for both of them, and he was scared. He wasn't ready to be a father. In his mind he was no better then that monster....
The monster that had gotten to his mother...
He tried to erase the memory from his mind. It had been so long since he had thought about that, and it brought back a flood of memories that he didn't want around at a time like this. How horrible a person he was, as he stood there in tears, not consoling Ophelia like he should be. How weak he was, "Oh gods, Ophelia...I'm so sorry..." was all he could muster to say.
He wanted to be angry about why she hadn't told him sooner. He wanted to be happy that he was having his first children. But all he could be was sad. What had he done to Ophelia? What had he done to his future bastard children? Born out of wedlock and without a proper father figure around more then likely. He was as bad as that monster, and he couldn't convince himself otherwise. Unless..."I never imagined I'd have children out of wedlock," he admited to Ophelia, trying to put on a smile for her, to let her know that everything was going to be ok, that he could be strong for both of them, but the smile faltered. "I won't be absentee in all this..."
He couldn't help but think about his mother, oh how she was probably writheing in her grave. Having children with a Corvistowne-ian. He knew she had always hoped he would find a nice Avington doe. She had been just as racist...if not more then Silvanus. He loved Ophelia, but as a friend. He felt as if he had not only let down his friend, but his mother aswell...and that was not a good combination.
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Post by Vyn on Sept 4, 2007 16:29:36 GMT -5
"These were my actions, Silvanus... I don't want you apologizing for them, I just wanted you to know."
Ophelia had rotated where she sat, staring up at Silvanus with a look that was both sad and consoling. Why was he so distraught? Most men were proud to have their seed spread around, but here she forgot again that Silvanus was Mr. Chivalry. It was the reason she had given herself to him... It was the reason she'd found herself falling in love with him. Falling or not, however, Ophelia would not ask him to do anything he didn't want to, she wouldn't ask for pity or for sympathy. It simply wasn't in her.
She hadn't meant to keep it from him for so long, and in all honesty she knew the time only because she could judge exactly when she'd last been with Silvanus. There was no other chance for it to have occurred, it was guess work but accurate guess work nonetheless.
"It happens." Ophelia admitted lightly, a rather unconventional outlook born of her hometown she supposed. She hadn't seen many relationships last here, everyone seemed married to their work instead. "If its any consolation, I never really planned to be a mother. Work first, love later... I suppose that's not how it'll work now, will it?" The chemist sighed, tilting her head toward her lab door as her thoughts switched to something else. She couldn't just push Maxwell's children off onto him either. "The only offspring I was expecting was from that experiment..." Sighing heavily, the doe lifted her attention back up onto Silvanus and then paused.
She'd gotten lost in her thoughts, hadn't she?
Picking up where she left off with a short shake of her head, Ophelia went on. "I don't plan to let you be absent either. Once I'm 'fit for travel'," Ophelia scoffed a little at this before continuing, "I intend to bring the little terrors by whenever possible. And, of course, you're always welcome here, if you feel the desire to come."
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Post by FlyingPanther on Sept 4, 2007 16:50:52 GMT -5
"They may have been your actions Ophelia...but I certainly didn't help you...not...get pregnant!" he said angrily to no one other then himself, ready to put the blame all upon himself. He wanted to, and some part of him needed to. True, it had been Ophelia who had seduced him that one amazing night, but in the end he had also wanted it, and putting the blame on her would only turn him to dislike her. He didn't want to dislike Ophelia, after all the hard work he had put into shruging off his racism just to be able to stand around her and speak to her. After all the hard work he had put into trying to change his views. He didn't want to resent her for something like this.
Memories flooded back to events outside this room. How long had Ophelia cried when she learned and realized that she had been burdoned with children. That she would not be able to be in her lab truely until she was rid of them? Rid of them... The memory shifted to that of his mother, crying hysterically upon her bed, a smaller Silvanus peeking in the room to see what had happened. His mother had looked in bad shape. It was only a couple months later once she had begun to show that his mother had told him what happened. She had been raped by some unknown horrific thing, and was now burdoned by it's child. Rage filled within Silvanus in a way it had never really done before. He certainly had not raped Ophelia, but he had done her little good. He had done to her what that monster had done to his mother. Burdened her.
He couldn't speak as his mind entered back into the room, reminding him of what was happening in the present. He looked at Ophelia, he eyes greenyellow with worry. He knew he wasn't helping the situation by being so emotional. That was when she spoke about work now and love later, and how now it seemed to be reverced. Did she love Silvanus. Oh how horrible a person he was if she did. He couldn't look at her for a moment. "Ophelia, I hate to ask this, but...I am just your friend. You aren't looking for more then that are you?" it was a question he had asked before, and he hated to remind her in such a time like this. But he couldn't love her. Not in the way she had made it sound like.
'Good girl, don't let me leave this situation...I would hate myself more then I already do,' he thought to himself as she said she would not let him be absent. He knew his fear would probably drive him to do something stupid at one point, but he was going to try to be as strong as he could. If Ophelia helped him, then he was sure not to messup more then he already had.
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Post by Vyn on Sept 5, 2007 1:36:06 GMT -5
Despite the seriousness of this situation, it was impossible for Ophelia to ignore how sweetly adorable Silvanus was. He was so quick to take things on his shoulders, to bare the weight of the world when he did not need to. This was not a situation requiring blame or apologies, they were both adults and both responsible for their actions.
"I'd still feel wrong to blame you alone, Silvanus... Not that I even desire to go about pointing fingers at all."
Had he been closer, she would've given him a kiss to prove her lack of ill will toward him. Her stomach might've been flipping and flopping for the last few days, but she didn't feel in the least ways burdened. A little set back and quite rationally anticipating the likelihood of being overwhelmed, but not burdened. No, she was almost happy.
If she had to carry any man's seed, it was good that it was Silvanus's. If it weren't, then she might've felt burdened.
"No, Silv. I'm not looking for anything more than friendship. Other than, of course, that you be a father to them. That's all." She was a smart girl and more level headed than most would've been in such a situation but that was just Ophelia's way. "I had only been speaking metaphorically of love."
While she was quick to admit she wanted nothing more of Silvanus than a friend, she could not deny that she perhaps thought a little more of him than that. Not a lover, she had a sad feeling that something would always stand between them ever reaching such a level, but definitely something more than simple friends. She loved him, yes...but in which way or ways was hard for her to tell.
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Post by FlyingPanther on Sept 5, 2007 2:12:56 GMT -5
Silvanus didn't say anything after her comment about pointing fingers. There really wasn't much to say. He had been willing to blame himself, but in the end Ophelia was right. Everyone in this situation was to blame, and yet, also not to blame. In the end it didn't really matter whose fault it was, because Ophelia would still be having the babies and they still needed parental figures. He looked over at Ophelia, her eyes telling him that she wished he was closer to her. He hesitated a moment, before heading towards her, not because he was afraid of her or anything, but because he was confused and so within his own thoughts, that he really didn't know what to do.
He let himself sit down on the couch next to Ophelia, and for a moment didn't look at her, obviously still within his own mind, within his own memories. The horrible ones that had been triggered by this event. He hated how he felt...and he hated that this could not have been more of a celebratory moment. He felt like a small child again, confused and afraid. He looked over at Ophelia, his eyes swimming with all sorts of things, all strange and fairly unreadible. He reached out and touched her hand, feeling as if in this moment that was all he could do. Like a child that needed to hold the hand of it's mother for comfort. He hated being so weak, not being strong for Ophelia. It was just all so sudden...and so uncomfortible.
He watched her belly as if waiting for there to be movement, but nothing. For all he knew it was to early to see anything of that sort, or the babies could just be resting. At length he spoke, "I wouldn't dream of being anything less then a father to them." and there was truth in his words. He pretty much ignored everything else she had said, not out of rudeness...but...again he found himself unable to say anything.
He continued to hold her hand, staring rather blankly at her stomach, while his mind seemed to be all over the place. The shock was beginning to wear off, and while he still felt like he was to blame, and while he still was worried he had shamed his mother, he couldn't help but feel a little bit excited. His first babies. He wished though...that there was something better for them. It tempted him to ask Ophelia to marry him, but he knew that wouldn't solve anything. He did not love her enough to marry her, she was very much a friend. A very very good friend, but that was all. Indeed, marrying her would probably cause more problems then it would solve.
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