Post by Antonin Deliambre on Feb 28, 2018 18:16:06 GMT -5
Since the bloody, violent attempted coup, Antonin kept close to home in every conceivable way. He'd been horrified by what unfolded during the Royal Feast and the very real danger that his family members were in as a result. The loss of Lorenzo, the realization that he could have lost Catalina or their child, or more of his siblings resonated strongly with the Duke. As a result, he grew rather protective of those family members in the city, especially his wife until she was safely delivered of a healthy child - a second girl with dark hair like her mother.
Not long after the Sandovals reclaimed the throne, he found himself involved in consolidating their hold as one of their long-term supporters. Antonin was pressed into service as adviser and then tasked with selecting the new Admiral of the Royal Navy from among his family; the honor was swiftly restored to the Deliambres, bringing back the honor where he felt it truly belonged. His family had long been masters of the sea; to lose the Admiral's rank scored deeply. Now, life was slowly returning to normal, yet the Duke felt as if something lurked in the air. Not necessarily negative or positive, but something he could not put his finger on.
Keeping his eyes open to whatever it might prove to be, he invited Riccardo to join him for a drink and to catch up. The brothers hadn't had a great deal of time together in the past months, and he felt it keenly. Antonin continued to grieve quietly for Lorenzo, taking little comfort from Benoit's execution. Though justice was served, it would not bring his brother, or any of the others Benoit had killed back to life. If anything, he was more determined than ever to keep his family close-knit.
As he waited, he forced his mind away from the darkly bleak thoughts, preferring to reflect on his wife's glowing return to health, the pleasure taken in knowing their new daughter was thriving, and that there would be a wedding soon. Wearing a smile, he looked up to see his brother, gesturing him in.
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Riccardo Deliambre