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sustraiii · 6 days

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TEAM ZRCN ARC 1 REWRITE - CHAPTER 11

Dinner with Zelde's parents - it is as bad as you think it will be.

Xanthos

The plan had been to only stay a night whilst the storm passed. However, the storm turned out to be worse than expected and a night became three.

For the first night, Xanthos had been eager to stay in such a large house, and finally learn more about Zelde and her life. By the first morning, Xanthos was eager to leave and could understand why Zelde was so reluctant to speak about her past.

The vast majority of Zelde's family had been welcoming enough, if a little too stiff and formal for Xanthos's tastes. But Oriana Serac had actively gone out of their way to make all of them feel unwelcome, none more so than her daughter.

Luckily by the third morning, the weather had cleared and Cordovan messaged Olive Vines to inform her they would be with them soon. Before they were to leave they had been invited to lunch.

Zelde had been reluctant to agree but Oriana rather snidely insisted they stay, stating that she did not know when she would ever see her daughter again. Xanthos hoped for Zelde's sake it was never.

After being urged to freshen up again, Guilford had led the four of them upstairs, directing them to two separate rooms to freshen up. Cordovan and Xanthos in one and Neela and Zelde in the other. They had only been left alone for a few minutes when Guilford had returned with a pile of folded clothing, which he proceeded to hand out to Xanthos. He must have made a face, as the older man was quick to explain that it was Oriana’s insistence he ‘dress up’, as his current outfit wasn’t appropriate for her lunch. Xanthos had frowned but he quietly thanked Guilford and took the clothes. Besides, they were guests here, the least he could do was abide by their rules.

Xanthos nervously adjusted the collar of his shirt, finding that no matter what he did, it didn’t seem to sit comfortably on him. He caught his reflection in the mirror and shook his head. He did not like wearing such formal clothes, he disliked the way they looked on him and found them too constricting.

Xanthos adjusted the shirt collar one more time when Cordovan exited the bathroom.

Cordovan took one look at him and a small smirk formed on his face.

“I know, I know, I look hideous.”

“Actually, I was going to say it suits you,” Cordovan said. “That’s probably the smartest thing I’ve seen you wear that wasn't our academy uniform.”

“Oh, uh thanks,” Xanthos responded with a small laugh.

Having now freshened up, the two headed downstairs, where they were told to wait for the girls in the hallway by Guilford. Cordovan waited quietly, eyes focused on the doors, whilst Xanthos found himself looking around the hall some more, taking in the impressive architecture of the home.

Both their attentions were caught when Zelde and Neela descended the stairs. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cordovan look away, concealing the blush that had begun to form on his cheeks. Although even if hadn’t tried to hide his blush, Xanthos wasn’t sure Zelde would have noticed, as her gaze was firmly trained on him, more specifically his clothing.

“You didn't have to change,” She said.

“Your mother insisted,” Guilford explained to Zelde for him. Zelde pulled a face but didn't argue and allowed them to be guided into the dining room by Guilford, with a table that was already set with an array of food and drink awaited them. The Sewicks were already picking at some plates of food, so thankfully, the team did not have to wait to be invited to sit.

Xanthos went for some simple food options, filling his plate with rice, some assorted vegetables, and a chicken breast. He was not usually the sort to be so plain with his food choices, but half of what was on offer looked so unappealing, that he had to wonder if it even really was food.

As they ate - or in Xanthos’s case, nibbled - quiet conversation filled the air. It was Callaway who talked the most, asking a vast array about the team’s experiences as huntsmen. Xanthos was more than happy to answer him, even if most of the questions Callaway had asked over the past three days had been much the same. Everyone seemed to be content to answer him, but it was a little difficult to keep up with, what with all the questions. Although he himself did not ask any questions, Albus seemed a little interested in what was being said, and Xanthos noted he listened intently, occasionally saying something to prompt a further response. Unsurprisingly, Oriana seemed disinterested in the conversation, her only response being to glare at her husband or son when began to speak about it.

Xanthos couldn’t help but wonder what her problem was. Sure she was a wealthy, upper-class Atlesian woman, but that was hardly any excuse for her dismissive behaviour.

“So the Ursa-”

“Callaway,” Oriana cut her son off with a sharp glare. The woman was currently eating a bowl of soup and had set her spoon down briefly to address her son. “Must you insist on speaking about such a gorey subject whilst we’re having lunch? It is putting me off of my soup.”

Callaway lowered his head. “Sorry, mother.”

They ate in silence for a solid ten minutes, before Oriana, now having finished her meal, broke the silence.

“So, tell me a little about yourselves,” Oriana said, her blue eyes glancing around the table. “Zelde hasn’t spoken to us in years, so I know nothing about any of you.” Xanthos was fighting the urge to remind her she had mostly ignored them and spoken derisively towards them over the past three days. “Do any of you have any relatives in your family who trained as huntsmen? Did they approve of your decision to become one?”

Xanthos shifted a little at her last question. He noted Oriana glanced at her daughter for a long moment as she asked it, and he suddenly felt very uncomfortable as if intruding on a private argument. He couldn’t help but wonder if Zelde leaving to train as a huntress drove the wedge between them.

Neela was the first to answer. “Well, I was born and raised in Highpoint, as the youngest of three. I presume you know my family - the Oxfords?” Both Albus and Oriana gave a small nod before Neela continued. “None of my immediate family were huntsmen, though my brother wanted to train as one when he was younger. He didn’t have the stomach for it, so pulled out the month before he was due to leave for school. My parents seemed a little nervous when I expressed a similar interest and tried to talk me out of it for a while until they saw how committed I was!”

“Did you have any prior training before going to Atlas Academy?” Oriana asked.

“Oh yes, I went to a primary training academy first. Pelorus Academy, if you are familiar with it,” Neela responded. She then looked at Cordovan and gave him a nudge. “Cordovan and I were in the same year.”

The Sewicks turned to look at Cordovan, who had to set down his fork abruptly to speak. “Yes, we both attended the same primary academy. I was born and raised in Atlas, at least for the most part anyway. Both of my parents were huntsmen, so we travelled around a lot.” Cordovan explained. “I suppose having two parents as huntsmen does end up inspiring you quite a bit.”

“Were they well-known at all?” Albus asked, and Xanthos was surprised to see that he looked genuinely interested.

“A little,” Cordovan admitted with a small shrug. “They both enjoyed mildly successful careers at least. My mother joined the Atlesian Army years ago and still works as a specialist for them. As for my father, well...he’s around.”

Oriana sniffed a little at this remark, which finally drew Zelde’s attention to the conversation. Silver eyes snapped to her mother immediately and narrowed them in response. Oriana picked up on this pretty quickly, and although they said nothing, it was clear they both had plenty to say to one another.

Not wanting an argument to break out, Xanthos was quick to jump in with his own response to Oriana’s earlier question. “Unlike the rest of my team here, I was born and raised in Vacuo. My mother is about the furthest thing you can get from a huntress. Not too sure about my dad though, he disappeared shortly before my sister was born.” Xanthos was ten at the time but had never been particularly close with his father. Chrysanthos had always been a mysterious man and left many unanswered questions in his wake when he up and left them. “I’m not sure where the interest in becoming a huntsman came from, to be honest with you. I was watching coverage of a Vytal festival a few years back and there was this really amazing Vacuo team. They didn’t get very far, but I was so in awe with them and what they could do that I knew I wanted to be a huntsman too.” Xanthos laughed a little as he recounted this tale. “I told my mother that same night I wanted to join an academy. I think she was a little horrified at first because she tried to talk me out of it for days. When she saw how set on it I was she did give in thankfully. I think that as long as I was happy she could accept it.”

“Hmm, typical Vacuo parenting for you there,” Oriana said, looking at her husband as she spoke. Albus Sewick stared at his wife in surprise before looking nervously over at Xanthos. Luckily, Albus seemed to have much more tact than his wife, so for that sake alone he would have spared him from the bitter remark he was cooking up.

Luckily, he did not need to respond, as Zelde had him covered. “Mother, do not speak to my friend like that,” Zelde hissed in a low voice.

“Where have your manners gone, Zelde?” Oriana asked. “You should know better than to speak back to your parents.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, you’re hardly a parent,” Zelde retorted.

From the look that passed between father and son, they clearly had some idea of what was soon to follow, and in truth perhaps the rest of ZRCN had an idea too, based on their earlier interactions with Sewick matriarch. If anything Xanthos was just surprised to see Zelde stirring up trouble rather than trying to avoid it.

What came from Oriana’s mouth was a slew of horrid remarks to her daughter, claiming she was ungrateful for throwing away the life she could have so easily had, selfish for not taking into consideration her family’s feelings, of how she was simply wasting her life. The whole scene was uncomfortable to sit through, and after exchanging a few glances with Cordovan and Neela, Xanthos knew he couldn’t sit quietly any longer.

“You should stop talking to your daughter like that,” Xanthos advised, making her turn to look at him. “Considering how insufferable you have been in the days since I’ve met you, I’d say it’s a small mercy that Zelde opted to leave and become a huntress, it spared her becoming a heartless bitch like yourself.”

Albus’s mouth formed a small ‘o’ shape, though if he was offended by the slander towards his wife, he didn’t rush to her defence. Surprisingly Zelde mouthed a silent “Thank you” his way for helping her, and he simply nodded. Unsurprisingly, Oriana was not impressed with being called a bitch. She rose from her seat, one hand hitting the table and the other clenching into a tight fist in her rage.

“How dare you speak to me like that!” She snarled. “You’re nothing but an insignificant street rat from Vacuo, yet you have the audacity to come into my own home and speak down to me.”

“Oriana, enough!” Albus urged. For once, his voice rose above a quiet whisper.

Oriana paused for a moment, eyes passing over each of the team in question. “I hope it was worth throwing the life we gave you for these people. And when this life inevitably goes wrong, you should know, there will be no place for you in my house anymore.”

With this, Zelde rose from her chair, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin before letting it fall to the table. She proceeded to gesture to her teammates to stand and follow her, before looking off to Guilford who had been stood quietly in the corner this whole time. “Guilford would you be so kind as to gather our things, I think it is time we ought to go.”

He nodded simply and hurried out of the room. If Xanthos had been in his place, he would have been thankful for the excuse to leave.

“Yes, I do believe, you’ve outstayed your welcome wouldn’t you agree, Albus?” Oriana prompted, looking to her husband for support.

“No…” Albus muttered quietly. “It is you who has outstayed your welcome, Oriana.”

Oriana’s confidence seemed to flicker, evidently not used to her husband answering back to her. “Albus?”

“For too long I have stood by and done nothing. Watched as you belittled me, my family, our children,” His voice cracked as he said that. “Enough is enough, Oriana. I’m done with this - our marriage. I’m done with you.”

“Father…?” Zelde blinked.

Xanthos wasn’t sure what to say or do at that moment. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

“This is your fault!” Oriana yelled, making a move for where Zelde was standing. “You should have never come back here.” Thankfully, Albus caught Oriana by the wrist and kept her in place.

Albus gave an apologetic glance to Zelde and then the rest of Team ZRCN. “I’m sorry you all had to see this.”

Albus gave his daughter a knowing look and she nodded. With a tilt of the head, Zelde gestured for her team to join her in leaving, which they did so without question. She paused to look at Albus and Callaway.

“Father. Cal…” Her voice trailed off as she looked at her brother. He simply offered her a warm smile and a gentle nod. The group carried on walking, before Zelde stopped by her mother, standing to her side. Neither woman directly looked at each other, with Oriana staring down the table refusing to make eye contact, and Zelde merely glancing at her out of the corner of her eye. “Mother, it has been a pleasure as always.” She leaned forward and gave her mother a peck on the cheek before they walked out of the room.

Guilford was not waiting for them when they entered the hallways, though as requested, he had gathered their clothes, as well as their weapons and the meagre supplies they had bought with them. None of them wanted to linger here for much longer, so they gathered their things and quickly left the house. Once they had passed beyond the metal gates, Zelde’s calm persona cracked, and a few tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Are you alright, Zelde?” Neela asked, tentatively touching her arm.

“I’m fine,” Zelde insisted. She took a deep inhale, as if to steady herself and began moving forward. “Let’s find Helia Vines.”

#team zrcn fic #team zrcn #zelde sewick #xanthos ravindra #cordovan radcliff #neela oxford #albus #albus sewick #orian #oriana serac #call #callaway sewick #guilford

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