Escape From Witch Mountain

Who: Arienne and Max
Where: The DiGiovanni House
When: Early Evening

He'd been stuck in the house all day, brought into meetings, witness to his father's violent temper, listening to the man contain his tears at the loss of his wife, the blame needing to put somewhere, anywhere and nothing coming to light.

It was chaos and Max was enjoying it, seeing them run around like chickens with their heads cut off.

His cousin showed up in the afternoon with Arienne in tow and she was the mourning daughter, fussed over. With so much family around, he couldn't trail after her for some real conversation and forced to bide his time until evening came and the men took their dinner in the dining room. The Don was cajoled and forced to accompany them and Max wasn't one to be invited to those sort of things. He was just the bulldog to most of them. Only his father and uncle knew his connection so he took to wandering upstairs to look for his sister, whom he suspect was in her room.

Arienne was in her quarters. She'd washed up for the evening already, and gotten her nightdress on, though she didn't truly have any intentions on going to sleep. She'd merely done it for effect, as she kept getting looked in on far too often for her liking. So, she'd gotten ready for bed and people had stopped, assuming her to be asleep by now.

When her door opened once more, she looked over from where she sat on her bed, the heavy canopy drapes pulled back. She had been writing in her journal--an work of fiction entirely. She'd been keeping a journal for years now, but it was all normal, every day things that a girl her age should be writing about. Nothing of her true passions, thoughts, feelings or ambitions were detailed on the pages. Currently she was writing about her mother's death, and how the house felt so empty, along with there being a hole in her life that wouldn't be filled. She set it down when she saw her brother there, and she smiled lightly. "Finally escape?" she asked. Though really she imagined he slipped away without anyone noticing. People didn't pay nearly enough attention to her brother.

"Not that difficult," he said with a shrug. A glance up and down the hallway and he slipped into his sister's room and shut the door behind him. It was hard to find bits of Arienne's personality in the room that wasn't really hers. It was a room in a dollhouse. Pretty and perfect and she took pains to take care of it that way. Observing her room though wasn't on his list of things to do that evening. "Do you like the guest room? You can have it and decorate it however you want. Within reason. No dolls. Dolls are creepy." He remembered a pretty doll from Paris Arienne played with as a toddler. He'd taken it apart in gruesome fashion for a child his age. He hadn't meant to make his sister cry, and it was the only times he'd really sacrifice her happiness for himself. To destroy her dolls.

Arienne smiled a touch as she looked at him. "Are you saying I can come stay with you?" she asked, needing the clarification. It was what she wanted. To get out of this house, to be in an environment that she felt so much freer in. That was one thing that being with Nathaniel was teaching her in an abstract way--she quite enjoyed not having to pretend. It was nice, it was like she could breathe. And with Max, she didn't feel she needed to pretend either. There was precious little she kept from him, and it was for all their goods, really. "I promise, no dolls." she added, conceding to that stipulation.

"I got father at a vulnerable moment alone. He agreed with my sound argument that until this matter was resolved and we could rule out it wasn't any kind of abstract attempt on the family, that your saftey would be best seen at my home. We can go tonight, if you'd like. Cover of darkness and all that exciting business." He winked at her and walked past the bed to look at a fancy print on the wall, tapping the glass as he studied it. "I suspect father will be put to bed after they get some food into him."

Ari smiled brightly at that. "Let's go tonight!" she said, actually souding excited which was rare for her. She immediately crawled off of the bed, moving to her huge walk in closet to start throwing some clothes together. She knew she could send for the rest of her things, but she wanted enough to go on now. The sooner she could get out of this house and into the one she wanted, the better. "How are you dealing with all of this?" she asked. "Are they ignoring you, or have you been asked your opinions?"

She looked her age then, the brightness that filled her face at the prospect of leaving and how quickly she rushed to it. Ari was serious much of the time, too old and calculating for her few years. "We'll take the servants exit. We've got press out front after all." There were a few fastidious reporters hoping for pictures at the least ever since that morning as the family started to convene that morning. At her inquiry he looked thoughtful, leaning against her desk and shoving his hands in the pockets of his black slacks. "It's been... interesting. I think he's caught in his memories of what hopes he and mother had for me and what I can do for him. Then he's blubbering and he's not going to take any comfort from me, so I have to get Uncle to take care of it. I gave a report this morning of the information I was searching out today. Then I suggested my concern for your safety after a particularly touching memory of mother wanting to push me in a pram and here we are." If Max had anything, it was good timing. Even if his parents (parent, Max mentally corrected) did not care for him any longer, there was no doubt in his love for his sister, even if they suspected nefarious purposes from time to time. "I thought about killing him."

In the closet, Arienne changed into street clothes, or what passed for street clothes with her and chose dark colors so she wouldn't stand out. Then she took her bags, and walked back out to the main room, adding some jewelry and perfume to the bags. "Killing him at this juncture would serve no purpose." she said, though didn't gasp in shock over the idea. But then that was Ari, and she knew sometimes? People were merely in the way.

Max watched her as she continued packing and pulled out a coin to occupy his fingers. "He's thinking of his mortality. He's thinking of all the hopes and dreams him and mother had. All the hopes and dreams they had for me. He'll need to appear strong, you know. I suspect he'll have to name his successor soon to give everyone peace of mind. Would probably be Uncle. Strong, united family front." He flipped the silver dollar in the air, watching it turn over and caught it. "I can make a move. He gave me the oddest look when I suggested you stay with me." He looked at his sister seriously. "I told him I couldn't bear if anything had happened to you, that's why I wanted you to come stay with me. He gave me... the strangest look. Wistfullness, I think." He wondered if she'd pick up on any of the ideas running through his head. Of perhaps inserting himself into a place of trust. Of acknowledgement.

"Wistfullness?" she asked. "Howso? Do you feel that he's altering his opinion on you based on your behavior with me?" she asked, looking over at him. She heard his idea in there, about making a move. She would need more information on that but first she wanted to know what he was talking about with their father's attitude.

"I think it's more like he's wistfull of mother and me being around brings up memory. As long as I don't bring up my usual behavior -- the awkward dinners, the conversation, the fact that I like to torture from time to time -- and keep it basic: a loving, protective older brother, a loyal soldier, he sees me favorably. I think he'd be even more eager right now to marry you off so he doesn't have to worry about you. Men tend to panic over being the sole caregivers of daughters and if someone else can worry about you, he'll do it. I'm stepping in and saying that I'll care for you."

Arienne nodded at that. "Understood. If this helps stave off my impending nuptuals in his eyes, I'll be glad for it. I've no desire to follow through with any of that, and I've been concerned he's going to choose someone for me soon." And so if she was with Max and her father wasn't actively thinking about it, she'd be one hell of a lot more at ease. "What are you speaking of with making a move?" she asked.

"He's going to have to name his successor soon. If I can keep him looking at me favorably, then maybe we can get things back to the way they were meant to be. Which would make things easier for you, for us. He wouldn't name you successor, but I don't expect that you expected that. But if he was looking at me favorably, then I could get into more than I do now. Get more information. Your plans have to change, don't they? Well, this is changing here." He wondered if she'd think he'd try keep her from taking control. He wasn't, that wasn't his intention. He didn't say it. He just wasn't that kind of person to do that.

"My plans need alteration, yes." Arienne stated, considering things. "What would be your goals with that, and do you think you could keep the other families happy? It will be his decision, but they'll have say. They'll have a lot of say right now. They could throw a rather large fuss if they're displeased." she said, which was always part of her own plans. But it involved putting them into positions where they couldn't say anything about anything without being crushed in the process.

"Not sure yet," Max said. "I hadn't thought too much about it. Nothing concrete. It was something that crossed my mind today and I wanted to share it with you." It was the truth. He hadn't thought over goals or plans of attack. He'd only thought of it that afternoon when he was running his errands. "I got you something by the way. In an attempt to fill the void left by mother's death."

"We'll discuss it, figure out the next move and what'll work out best. We don't want to play our hand too soon." she said. Then she smiled. "Did you? That's so very thoughtful of you." she told him, pleased. She liked his little gifts. "I have something for you as well, actually." she added. "Something I believe you'll enjoy very much."

A gift for him? "Really?" he asked, perking up like a child. He did like gifts and he rarely got them. Gifts were him were orders and quite enjoyable ones at that. He pulled his gift for her out of his pocket. A black velvet ring box that he tossed from hand to hand. "Is it shiny?"

"Not so much shiny in the literal sense." Arienne told him, smiling as she watched him play with the box. "But it can be as shiny as you wish to make it." she added. Then she went to her school bag, and pulled out a small slip of paper with a single name on it. It was the name Nate had given her, the name of the man who if he was taken out would serve his purposes best. Crossing to him, she held it out. "This is someone who should be less in the way than he's currently being." she told him, watching him closely to see his reaction. "I believe you'll enjoy taking out a target so...prominent." Since it was a higher up name in the Syndicate.

Max's initial intrigue was tempered by suspicion as he took the paper from his sister. Prominent? Did his sister decide that she wanted one of the family dead? The name on the paper took a moment to recognize and it was a name that Arienne should have no way of knowing. "Where did you get this?" he asked Arienne, his voice curious, suspicion held at bay.

"Does that matter?" Arienne countered, not giving anything away, but her tone wasn't secretive, either. It was an honest question.

He raised an eyebrow at her, folding the paper in half. "This isn't the sort of name I expect you being aware of. I'm just wondering how you came up with it."

"While I appreciate you're my big brother, and you're protective, and I do tell you just about everything--you don't live here and only see me when you wish to see me. What I am and am not aware of with our family and the families of our enemies is hardly something you would really know." she told him, though her tone was quite gentle when she did it. It was true, of course, but she wasn't trying to be mean about it. It wasn't her nature when it came to her brother. "I have been doing quite a lot of homework--how else would I be formulating plans? I can't do that without an awareness of those who would plot against us, now can I?"

True enough. Max looked at the paper, studying the name, the face of the mind coming to the forefront of his mind. It was... big. There was no denying how big it was and he tucked it in his vest pocket before dropping a kiss on his sister's forehead. "Be careful where you go poking. Not everyone is as cuddly as I am. I will have the most enjoyable time with this." He presented her with the ring box in turn, the smile on his face. "Here you go. It's more than what it seems."

Ari smiled at him. "Don't worry, a lot of what I hear is just because the people in this household seem to believe me deaf." she said. Which was also true. The sheer amount of information she got merely from indiscretion by her father and his business associates was a little ridiculous. She opened the box, wondering what he was giving her this time. She was still wearing the last gift he'd given her--she very rarely removed it. She opened the box to see a ring inside, a silver setting, which would match the bracelet, and it had a red stone set into it, with intricate markings along the metal. She smiled as she took it out, turning it over in her hands. Looking up, she was quite clearly pleased. "It's more than it seems?" she asked.

Max grinned down at her and pointed at the ring. There was a little clasp that wouldn't be visible if she wore it towards herself. "They say there was a high born women during the Renaissance who had everything she wanted. She owned land, dictated commerce. A real 'modern' woman. And to get rid of her enemies, she poisoned them." He hooked his nail in the little clasp and the stone setting opened, revealing a little hollow inside. "With her ring. That space will hold enough of whatever you choose to kill a man." It was much more macabre than the bracelet he'd given her that belonged to a dead girl. The death this time was whomever she chose.

Ari gave a soft little gasp, delighted with the gift. "This is so sweet--I love it!" she said, giving him a hug. It was as if he'd brought her a new puppy if she'd been a normal girl. But for Arienne, this was perfect. This was lovely. She very much adored it, and thought it was amazingly thoughtful of him to provide her with something so nicely subtle. He knew her well, and it was more than obvious just how happy she was. "Thank you so much!"

Her delight in the gift had him grinning wider and he hugged her tightly, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "I thought you might like it," he said, releasing her but keeping an arm slung around her shoulders. "Just try not to poison your classmates while you're staying with me. Father might say I'm a terrible influence on you." Not that the man didn't say that already. And it had him wondering how much of Arienne's natural inclinations were natural, and how much had been seeded by him. It was a curious problem that sometimes rolled around in his head.

Laughing lightly, a sound that bordered on warm and sweet, Ari looked up at him, all smiles. "I'll be very discreet." she promised him. But then she didn't have plans to kill anyone, so she wouldn't even have to worry about that. Still, she quite adored having the ability now. "But I suppose we should go. Slip out while the going is good."

"We should find sunglasses. And I probably should've invested in a Roadster," he teased and grabbed her bag for her. "Have you gotten everything you need?" Whatever she didn't have or forgot they could always come back or he could just buy her another.

"Oh we certainly should." Arienne said with a firm nod. Then she glanced around one last time. "I believe I've got everything I need at present." she decided. If she required anything else she could just come back for it. She knew she'd likely have to check in with her father in any event, spending time at both houses. She just wanted to be sure she was with Max the majority of the time.

Peeking out into the hallway, Max looked around but no one was about. They must all still be downstairs. He hadn't been up for that long after all. "After you," he said, gesturing for her to go first. "Back staircase. We'll get a taxi at the next block." And no one would be the wiser.

Arienne did as he asked, feeling like she was escaping prison. For the first time since she'd been dragged back from France, she felt like she was free again. Like she could breathe a little easier, like she wasn't being constantly monitored under lock and key. It was a little like how Nathaniel made her feel, and she savored it. "Thank you for this." she said to him, fully honest and her tone carried genuine sentiment.

Max looked over at her, smiling at her fondly. It bothered him, how serious she was so much of the time that the times when she was happy, the times she was with him, were moments to be savored. Taking her away and out of the city would be kidnapping but it didn't mean the thought hadn't crossed his mind. At least he was able to do this much. "Promise me you won't spend the entire time with your brow furrowed. Have some fun?"

"Oh, I will." Arienne promised him. "Trust me. Just being there'll make me happier than I'll ever be here." she assured him, again truthful there. Plus she had plotting to do, and well. There was Nathaniel. She still couldn't tell Max about him, but that...it gave her a little bit of a rush just to think about. "I will be as carefree as I am capable of."