She wakes up in the same bed as her cousins, wrapped up between a pair of protective bodies in the warm darkness of the canopy. They move to fit her every shift, and after a few turns, she settles in with her face nestled in Debitt's neck and her back against Jasdero's stomach. He drapes a light arm over her thin waist; she sighs, making Debitt shiver. They all press closer, and they collectively tug the comforter up to their chins. Little kittens in a nest, she fancies, letting Debitt adjust the pillow beneath them before falling back to sleep.

Morning in Hyde Park was brisk, fresh, and punctuated by the crunch of hundreds of hooves in peach-coloured gravel. There were few women among the riders on Rotten Row, those who felt confident their ability to ride alongside the gentlemen. Rhode and Lulubelle were keeping pace alongside the men of their families, David and Jasdero flanking their cousin's dappled Arabian astride a pair of heavy Percheron while the pretty Benjamin fawned over his new Lady Disraeli as they trotted side by side on their Thoroughbred bays. The Lady Kamelot was ailing, as was often the case these days, and had retired to Ladies' Mile for a languid stroll upon her sweet Carpathian pony. Cyril was not terribly bothered by his wife's absence, quite entertained by his newly returned brother. Tyki looked prepared to throttle the Prime Minister at times, but absence truly made the heart grow fonder, and he mostly seemed content to be among family once more.

Rhode was not entirely satisfied to be riding sidesaddle, nor with the tame nature of their ride. She preferred romps across their vast estate in the countryside, tempting scandal where no one could see by wearing David's old breeches and shirt, galloping at a breakneck pace across moor and moss to tempt her luck at jumps. In London, however, she was obligated to maintain a light canter, and the twins were always nearby to help her quell her temptations. The troublesome trio did impeccably at keeping pace, watching the newlyweds and entertaining themselves by making snide remarks. It was far too easy, really; they all kept polite little smiles on their faces, nodding to the ladies and gentlemen they passed as they maligned.

"Do you suppose he shares her love of cats?" Jasdero adjusted his ascot as he guided the horse with one hand on the reins.

"I doubt he cares. She's a minx," David grinned, nudging his mount away from a sharp tap of Rhode's crop.

"Oh, hush, you two! I'm sure he appreciates how pretty she is," Rhode shifted her hips, getting a better seat in the saddle with a soft noise of discomfort.

"As well as her tongue." David leaned over, hooking a hand around one of Rhode's hips and tugging her firmly on top of her horse. "Try to stay up. It would be very embarrassing to pick you up out of the dirt on your first ride of the Season."

Rhode muttered something that could have been a thank-you, smiling as a pair of boys gawked her up as she passed. "This Season is going to be perfect."

"Because you're the prettiest girl in London," Jasdero's charming smile faded rather quickly after a rather unsavory young woman trotted by. "I have a feeling there is something in the smelling salts these ladies are using. There aren't this many ugly broads in all of Norfolk."

"Jasdero!" David and Rhode exclaimed in unison, the latter breaking down into rather unseemly giggles.

Tyki came sliding to a walk beside the three youngsters, looking a bit haggard. "Discussing your aunt's sexual relationship with her husband is not quite the appropriate line of conversation for a ride in public, children."

"Oh, dear. How did you outrun Cyril on that old nag, Tyki?" David didn't look terribly excited to have his uncle in close proximity, especially when Rhode drew out of their cozy formation to ride beside the older man.

"It's a stallion, David. I'm aware you're far better suited to fish and mermaids, but even you should be able to recognize a fine piece of horseflesh when you see it." Tyki's tone was casually disdainful, and his niece giggled at the insult.

"You two, be nice. You have all summer to tear each other apart." Rhode tsked, looking between the two with mild disapproval. "It wouldn't be any fun if you killed each other before we even start."

The sky was still half summer when the rain began, landing on the pavement in a loud chorus of breaking water. The song began in allegro, skipping the soothing prelude to attack the filth of the earth, a torrent of cleansing water to bring life to the achingly dry plain. Black clouds reached for the mountains, straining to overcome the periwinkle blue and pale yellow that had covered the sky in watercolor grace only minutes before. Soon all was grey, the sickly gold light of the horizon creating an eerie sensation of twilight amidst the flashes of blinding lightning and the dull snarls of thunder. It was as though a giant lion were perched just out of sight, howling, growling, roaring as it bound from place to place in desperation. A tree scorched and screamed as lightning slapped its tall branches, a tongue of flame rising among the pine needles.

"I created you- I made you into an assassin, a perfect killer, and you dare raise your hand against me?"

He drove the toe of his boot square into her gut, sneer bordering on the sadistic as she hacked and crumbled.

"Ungrateful bitch." 

She was a high-spirited girl, even when she was being beaten down, and Tobias found her resilience exciting. Her blue eyes burned with hatred behind her muddied black hair, lips red with her own blood, cheeks blushed purple from his fists. Beautiful, he marveled, readying himself for another kick. She wasn't finished fighting, however; she grabbed his ankle as he kicked her again, dragging him down roughly.

Tobias woofed as he hit the ground, reaching to get a grip on the girl's legs before she could scramble out of range, but she was waiting for that. Several sharp kicks toward his face didn't land, though they made it hard to catch her, and when he finally had hold of a foot he twisted it sharply. It popped, but she rolled with it, teeth gritted against the pain. There wasn't a chance to free herself, this time, amateur fighting mistakes entirely absent from Tobias' movement. He forcefully dragged her backward, a hand slamming into the base of her back to keep her down even as she jabbed an elbow sharply into his stomach. Flipping her onto her back wasn't difficult once he raised himself to his elbows, putting his weight on her shoulders to keep her down.

"Do you need your lessons refreshed, Brogan?" He hissed the words, enjoying that flash of fear in her eyes as his grip on her tightened. Reminding her what she had become, forcing her broken mind back to be replaced by the slave he had created- He would enjoy every moment of it. She would learn her place.

Stolen from stutterbird

✖ Ask any of the characters I roleplay a question, and I'll reply in-character as them with an answer. [ If you know one that isn't listed, that works, too. I just haven't updated the list yet. :X ]

✖ Feel free to ask them ANYTHING, Regardless of whether you know their canon or not.

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☐ Post five replies for Econ discussion one
☐ Finish Project One for Econ
☐ Write Case Study One for Econ
☐ Take Graphing Quiz for Econ
☐ Take Quiz one for Econ
☐ Read Chapter 1
☐ Read Chapter 2
☐ Read Chapter 3
☐ Read Chapter 4
☐ Read Chapter 5

☐ 1.1 Homework
☐ 1.2 Homework
☐ 1.3 Homework
☐ 1.4 Homework
☐ 1.5 Homework
☐ 1.6 Homework
☐ 1.7 Homework
☐ 2.1 Homework
☐ 2.2 Homework
☐ 2.3 Homework
☐ 2.4 Homework
☐ 2.5 Homework
☐ 2.6 Homework
☐ 2.7 Homework
☐ Finish take-home part of Test One

☆ Math - 8.30 to 12.00 (got out early)
☆ Dentist - 1.10 to whatever
☆ Tutoring - 3.00 to 4.00
☆  Acting -  6.30 to 9.30