Late Night Revelations

Posted on Mon Dec 5th, 2022 @ 8:42pm by Princess Royal Giana Orsini & Emperor Antonius VI & Crown Prince Paolo Orsini
Edited on on Thu Jul 13th, 2023 @ 7:17pm

Mission: Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location: Rio de Jinero Palace
Timeline: Date 2371-07-12 at 0015
3228 words - 6.5 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

Paolo Orsini had a full day which had started with government box reading, correspondence, and lessons in history, politics, and music. Then, after lunch, he attended a few brief meetings with well-wishers and others. An evening with some friends spent running in the courtyard and playing video games had just wound down and the drivers had taken them home. Now, after a shower, he sat in his office behind his desk, which faced a window out-of-which he could see the late night skyline of Rio, a world of excitement he was too young to breach. A shower had refreshed him, and he sat in expensive royal-blue pajamas with a white lining, reading the dregs of his government box. It was bright red and had engraved in gold letters the words “The Crown Prince”, he began reading a financial report from the Imperial Treasury. He noted the handwriting on the page with circled items and little notes for him in the hand of Contessa Pennington and he smiled. Some of her comments were quite witty. She had mastered his sense of humor to a tee. Distracted from the numbers in the page, his mind wandered to her and he wondered what she was doing at that very moment. He started to imagine what she might be wearing too, when a knock at the door interrupted him. He quickly replaced the port with a report on Starfleet procurement.

“Come in, he said, looking over his shoulder to see who would enter.

The door openers slowly and in walked Antonius and Giana. It was a strange sight, for sure, and caused the boy to immediately climb to his feet.

“Father…sister.”

“Paolo, burning the midnight oil, I see.” Antonius said, a half smile on his face.

“Yes, I do that a lot. The was very full today.” Paolo said, stepping away from his desk chair and toward the furniture in the middle of the room.

“That it was.” Antonio commented. “We need to talk with you, son. Let’s have a seat.”

Paolo complied quickly, moving to one of the comfortable chairs surrounding a coffee table in the middle of the office. For the office of a 14 year old boy, it was comfortable, warm, dark, and full of serious books.

As Giana walked in with Antonius, it struck her that this was the first time she had actually been in here though it was a fact that wasn't really all that surprising given her relationship - or lack thereof - with her younger brother. She stepped inside, managing a tired smile for Paolo but not interrupting his moment with Antonius. She really was tired now, it had been a long day and an emotionally exhausting evening. She moved to one of the other chairs and sat down; her body automatically slid into the stance of a seated high born lady. She looked to her father then and waited to see where he would prefer to begin.

“Let’s start with you, Giana.” Antonius said, looking at his daughter. His face made it clear he wanted her to tell Paolo the truth about Giuseppe, about her past, and about their relationship. He sad down in one of the most comfortable chairs, but still sat in a dignified manner. “And I’ll be right here.”

Giana had been sure that her father would want to speak to Paolo first, so she had almost stopped paying attention but caught his words before she had. She blinked at him in surprise and then licked her lips, looking back to Paolo. She sat quietly for a moment, trying to figure out how exactly to start this conversation.

"This is... a difficult conversation to know how to navigate with you, Paolo." She admitted and folded her hands on her knee. "Do you remember that I told you I don't know what love is?"

“I remember distinctly.” Paolo said, lifting his head to her in a gentle tell of resentment. Such an expression was very rare for the good-natured boy, so it wouldn’t go unnoticed. “How could I forget?”

Giana fought the visceral reaction to meet that expression with sarcasm and smugness. It may have been missed on any other person, but on Paolo it was impossible to miss. She took a deep breath to make sure she spoke evenly.

"Father came to see me tonight and we had... an eye opening conversation." Her gaze briefly shifted over to Antonius and then she looked back to Paolo. "It has given some clarity to the past years for us both and we... I wanted to share this with you. So that maybe it would provide the same to you and you might understand why I said that."

"You know after Giuseppe was born, mother and father had a bit of trouble conceiving and bringing another child to term," she began with surprising sympathy in her voice, it was not a secret in the family it was simply a fact, "so when I was born, Giuseppe was nearly nine years old already. He was sweet to me when I was little, and I was the apple of papa's eye. We did very much love each other; we were happy. Time went by, and Giuseppe grew older and started being... less sweet... and when he was around the age you are now he started being mean and would pinch me so hard it left bruises if I really annoyed him."

She sighed and closed her eyes a moment, opened them again, then continued. "When I was eight years old, there was a day where I really just wanted to play with Giuseppe. I loved him, he was my big brother and he wasn't always mean. Sometimes he was really nice, and I guess I was just hoping for a nice day. I was tired of tutors, tired of manners, I just wanted to spend time with my older brother because I loved him and I missed him. I got away from my caretakers and went to see him. He was, unhappy when I showed up in the gym where he was exercising. He berated me and I was at the age where I figured out I didn't like getting yelled at, so I yelled back. Then he slapped me across the face."

"Of course I immediately ran off to tell my nanny what had happened. She assured me that she would take care of it, that she would tell my father and Giuseppe would be disciplined. I was eight, and I had been taught to trust those who took care of me, so I never doubted that they would do as they had said. Then... nothing happened. Giuseppe was never punished. I don't know what you were taught, Paolo, but Elana and I were taught to never burden our father or mother by coming to them directly or asking them questions, so for all purposes, to me it seemed that my father had been told that my brother had hit me... and he had done nothing about it."

Giana sat back in her chair now, her expression growing distant, hurt, something neither Paolo or Antonius were accustomed to seeing on her face. "Giuseppe I guess picked up on the fact he hadn't been punished, because then it suddenly became a game to him: what could he get away with before getting his hand slapped? So he escalated, little by little. He was always careful to keep it off of my face - at least usually. He went too far a few times pushing me around and I'd end up with head wounds." She looked over to Antonius, "Which I would guess were explained away by me just being clumsy. I was when I was younger."

She looked back to Paolo, "I know you never knew me before, little brother, and I doubt you will believe me, but I actually was once a loving, sweet child, but as the years went by I became confused and that confusion turned into resentment. From where I stood my father - who claimed to love me so - stood by and let my older brother abuse me and I couldn't figure out why. When I was that age, I did everything papa asked of me without question. I was happy to do it, but I became less happy... more rebellious. I was doing my best, and I still was never as worthy as my big brother, so much so that my father was willing to look away and let him do whatever he wanted to me."

"When I was eleven he broke my arm. He didn't have a reason, he was just bored. He pinned me down to the floor and stomped on it until it broke." She paused again, her eyes going slightly distant, then she kept going, "When nothing came of even that, I guess that was the breaking point for me. I started to change and withdraw more and more. I stopped being nice, I stopped being obedient." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Giuseppe's interests started to switch, and mixed in with the assault, he began to molest me. When I was thirteen, he took it too far, and I finally threw enough of a fit and fought back that I guess it was too much for him to deal with anymore and he finally stopped."

She smiled then, bitterly, so full of sadness. She looked to her father, clearly emotional, but she was holding it in this time. "I actually thought that you were going to be angry with me for finally standing up for myself."

Giana's eyes went back to Paolo. "So what would I know of love, Paolo? My nurses and teachers lied to me and knew I was being mistreated and did nothing, my father who had surely been told by his loyal household staff did nothing, my brother who abused, molested and..." her voice caught and she swallowed, unable still to bring herself to say it. "All of this, while spouting that they loved me. How would I know how to love?"

Paolo didn't say anything. He didn't know what he even should say. But his face told the entire story. He looked at her with eyes as sad as her father's had been as he listened. His mouth was still and he gave neither nod nor movement. By the time she was done, tears welled in his eyes and threatened to fall. He didn't let them, but instead walked over and plopped down next to her on the couch. Not waiting for a cue, he put his arm around his sister and laid his head on her shoulder. Antonius watched, silent also, leaning back in his seat.

Giana watched Paolo get up and was obviously very confused, it depend when he sat down next to her and for a moment she looked downright perplexed as he wrapped his arms around her and put his head on her shoulder. With a bit of awkwardness, she lifted her arm and put it around him. "When you were born, Paolo, I saw our mother and father give you all of that love and care that I craved and just... needed so much, but it never came. I resented you for that and have all of these years." She spoke quietly to him, but it was still loud enough for Antonius to hear. "No matter what happened though, that really wasn't fair to you and I... I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry I haven't treated you better, that I haven't treated you like a sister."

"I don't expect you to forgive me, maybe in time you might, but even if you don't I am going to try to be better with you. I can't promise I will always be nice and kind... I don't know that I have it in me anymore, but I'm willing to try. Love... again, I just don't know. Everything is just so... damaged surrounding that, I don't even know if I love the man I call fiance." She smiled a little. "But in the end I am your sister, I am your family, and we are supposed to support each other, that is what is important."

"It's never too late to say sorry; or to forgive; or to learn." Paolo said, looking at her, the tears still stuck in his eyes. "I forgive you, sister. I forgive you."

She looked down at him then, bringing her other hand up to his cheek and looking into his eyes. A couple tears slid from her own blue eyes, one hitting Paolo's cheek as it fell. She then wrapped both arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Now we must speak of business." Antonius said, interrupting them with some feeling, at least. The hour was late and they would have their whole lives to talk of such things. "As a result of this new information and my suspicions about other crimes, Giuseppe is being arrested in the next few moments. He will remain in prison until the date of his trial."

Paolo's eyes went wide. He didn't ask why. In fact, he'd wanted to do worse when he heard what Giana had told him.

"Good. At least he can't hurt anyone there." he said with an affirmative nod.

Giana drifted into silence for the moment and simply let Antonius and Paolo talk. She was exhausted and raw, but still tried to be present. She had released Paolo from the embrace and sat beside him, but did experimentally reach out and placed her hand over his to see if he wanted the continued physical contact with her. "No... he can't. If he stays there."

"Jessica and Antonio?" he asked with tender concern.

"They'll will stay here with us." Antonius said. "Now, as you know, I've been planning for the unlikely possibility that I should meet my demise before you come of age. I have solicited the agreement of the women in our family as a Regency Council, should something like that occur. Your mother and your sisters will tend to the affairs of state, taking your wishes into consideration of course, until you would turn 18. This agreement has a number of overt implications, despite its secrecy. Giana will have my blessing to marry Sacha if that is what she still wishes, and will be appointed Lady of the Northern Dominion in her own right; a title for herself and for her children."

Paolo looked at her then, his eyes probing again. He had grabbed her hand when she offered and was holding it still, but right now he was processing others planning his life for him and splitting up titles. It made him nervous.

Giana looked down when she felt his eyes on her and gave what she hoped was a reassuring squeeze to his hand. “That is not meant as a slight to you in any way, Paolo. Such a maneuver will keep our family at the height of power. You and your children will always have an ally with the Northern Dominion.”

Paolo looked away, still quite silent. He blinked, and his eyes searched but found nothing. It wasn't clear how he was feeling or what he was thinking, really.

Antonius pursed his lips.

"This is a natural part of the process, son." he said. "Not pleasant, but quite necessary. Soon, we'll start your horse-trading lessons and you'll known what I mean." he turned then to Giana. "Anything else, Giana? Or should we let Paolo get to bed?"

Giana looked to her father and then down to Paolo again, squeezing his hand once more. It was truly all very strange, like a glimpse of what could have been had things gone differently in her life. Kindness, attentiveness, concern. "Paolo? Did you want to say something?"

He looked back and forth between the two of them and frowned.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad you’re back, Giana.. and I appreciate what you’re trying to do, Father. But I want to be in at the ground floor next time. I don’t like being informed of done deals with elements that can’t be reversed about the future of my reign. I didn’t ask to be the Crown Prince, but now that I am, I should like to be consulted..earlier.”

Antonius leaned in, his eyes focused on his son. “That can be arranged..”

Giana just nodded to show that she was at the very least acknowledging what Paolo said. It wasn’t her place to comment since that was something aimed more at their father, though she was frankly a bit disheartened that he hadn’t seemed neither understanding nor supportive of her being given position. This deal was supposed to come with enthusiastic and public support by both Antonius and Paolo. She wasn’t sure that was going to happen; did they really think she would do that poorly? She looked to Antonius again.

Antonius nodded, and then stood. He was once Crown Prince, but his father had always been generous enough to include him. He tried to do the same with Giuseppe and now Paolo, but he supposed he let his desire to bring Giana into the fold distract him from that. He put a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“You will be a great Emperor one day. Hopefully a long long time from now. But I will try to remember to include you now.”

Paolo looked up into his father’s eyes and, after a few brief moments, smiled. There was love there, honed through years of one on one interaction and attention. He then looked at his big sister with that same expression.

“A Dominion Lordship is a huge change for you. I shall get you an appropriate gift to celebrate.”

Antonius found his daughters face with his hand. He touched her as he once did when she was young. So beautiful, and so different. But his love seemed, in that moment, remarkably still the same.

“Let’s leave Paolo to his bedtime…which was hours ago, by the way, boy.”

When Paolo looked to their father with that pure, genuine love and Giana saw the expression returned, she could feel her chest clench with sadness and jealousy. She didn't let its depth be shown on her face, but a portion of that sadness was in her eyes. When Paolo looked up at her with those same eyes, she managed to give him a smile and instead of sad she just looked tired. What kind of gift would he get her? Probably a book. If he remembered at all. She didn't really care either way, but it was a nice thought.

When Antonius touched her, she didn't really seem to know how to react. She didn't flinch or pull away, but she also didn't lean into it. She simply gave him the same tired smile she had given to her brother. When he gave her room, she stood and then looked back to Paolo.

"Goodnight, Paolo. Sleep well."

"Goodnight." Paolo said. He watched them go with interest. He could have went back to his box, but suddenly he was feeling far too tired. He closed it, turned off his lights, and set out for his bedroom.

END