Honor?

[Tismri]

Viola stretched in her seat, sore from sitting hunched over the cloth for so long, repetitively weaving the needle through it and dragging the thread behind. She never did like work. It was always such a bother when she had so much else she could be doing right now. Still, it brought her money--and often more than her fair share thanks to her witless wit. And it was better than the orphanage. It nearly made her sick just hearing the echoing words of Elaine in her head, going on about honor and justice. What were they, but meaningless concepts made to give comfort to humans who refused to see the true meaning behind suffering in the world?

FLASHBACK:

"Viola, apologize to Braelin," Dublin requested calmly and patiently.
"Why should I?" Viola said, crossing her arms as she glared at the other girl angrily. "This is my ribbon. My favorite, too! I have every right to yank her hair out to get it!"
"You're a bloody liar!" Braelin replied, still in tears from having a chunk of hair ripped out. "It's my ribbon! You're just mad because you lost yours!"
"Girls, it doesn't matter to me right now whose ribbon it actually is," Dublin told them. "What I'm concerned about right now is, Viola, you harmed Braelin. We don't intentionally hurt each other in this house."
"I could have done worse," Viola muttered under her breath. Then she turned to the girl and gave a believably penant look. "Braelin, I'm soooo sorry for hurting you. I really didn't mean to pull out a fistful of your gorgeous dark hair." Braelin didn't look convinced. Viola took a quick moment to think of a good lie to smooth things over before Dublin was actually pushed to be mildly uncivil. "But since I lost my favorite ribbon, can I please borrow yours? I promise I'll get you a new one! I prettier one, too!"
"Really?" Braelin asked. Viola smiled; she was buying it.
"Really!" The two girls stared at each other for one more tense moment before the silence was broken.
"Well...okay. As long as you promise..."
"Thank you, Brae!!!" Viola squeeled, giving her a hug. "You're my bestest friend ever!!!!" She immediately turned to head off to her room, expertly tying the ribbon into her hair.
"Viola, go help Den with the chores," Dublin told her. Viola knew without asking it was a sort of punishment for her bad behavior. How old did he think she was? She was sixteen! She wasn't a child anymore! But, in order to keep any more attention from her for the moment, she stomped off to where her foster parents' favorite child was.
"I hate this place," she said as soon as she was out of Dublin's earshot.

[Max452]

OOC: Where's current Viola at? Wanna think of a good reason why Denzil is trying to find her.

Flashback:

A 14 year old Denzil was scrubbing the floors of one of the bedrooms in the Orphanage. It was actually one of his favorite chores because it allowed him time to think and relax. He was happy to help his family in any way, especially if it meant that everyone here could feel more at home. Den stopped scrubbing for a moment to stretch his back. He dumped his scrubber into the bucket next to him, getting it soapy again before returning to his chore. He idly wondered what had happened downstairs; he had heard girls screaming. He frowned at that thought. He hoped that it wasn't because someone was picking on another. He was half tempted to go down and investigate, but her heard his father's voice. He would let Dad take care of it for now, but would help out later, after all, Mom was busy with her own duties, and if Denzil could help relieve any burden in the house, he would! He continued to scrub when he heard footsteps approach.

[Tismri]

OOC: She's in Dras-Leona right now.

Viola tried to make her face a bit more pleasant as she entered the bedroom where Denzil was washing the floor. He was a goody-two-shoe, the household favorite. She knew if he heard her complaining, he would run right to mommy and daddy and tell them what a bad girl she was. So she had a bright, cheery smile on her face when she went in.
"Hi, Den!" she told him, as if he were her favorite person in the entire world. "I'm supposed to help you with the chores." She looked at him, down on the floor with a brush and a bucket. "What are you doing that for? Can't you just sweep it?" Ever maintaining the illusion of having no brain whatsoever...

[Max452]

Den smiled politely at Viola as she walked in. Her cheery attitude didn't fool him; she was infamously known to despise this place. She had yet to earn his trust as she was known to back talk his parents and the other children here. He hoped, that she'll learn, as he once did, the importance of family, honor, and respect. He stopped his cleaning for a moment to talk with her, since she seemed so interested in what he was going; he refrained from rolling his eyes.
"Viola, you know why I'm scrubbing." Den replied with an obvious tone. "We have to keep this place clean if we want to live in it." He returned to his work. "Did Father make you come up? - you're not one to be merry when it came to chores." He stated, letting her know that he wasn't fooled by her acting. He never understood why she acted this way. They had a good life here and Mother and Father attended to them all equally. They were family - so why did he always get the feeling she hated being here?

OOC: Still thinking of a reason, perchance the flashback will give me some clues lol

[Tismri]

Viola continued her fake smile even after Denzil called her on it. She gave an enthusiastic nod and laid down on a bed, kicking her feet in the air as she watched him.
"Yep...Daddy dearest sent me up here to help with the chores," she told him. "He was mad because I pulled Brae's hair." Well...he wasn't mad, exactly. And she only ever referred to Dublin and Elaine as her parents out of sarcasm. Because she knew they weren't her real parents...Her real parents were...
"Parents are supposed to love and take care of their kids, right?" she suddenly asked Denzil, seemingly out of the blue. Now, for once, she wasn't smiling, and the stage light of her eyes was dimmed down. She was dangerously close to revealing her real self for just a moment. But then it passed, and she was bubbly again.
"So what needs to be done?" she asked him curiously, looking around the room. Her mind was working...she was pretty sure she could find a way out of doing chores but still make it seem like she was working, but that depended on what needed doing.

[Max452]

Denzil had looked up from his work when he actually heard Viola sound serious for once. He watched her, wondering about that question. He remembered asking that question too, 4 years ago when he found out Dublin and Elaine weren't really his parents. It made him question a lot of things, especially their love for him and his biological parents' love for him too. It was a hard period for Denzil, but in the end, he realized, that it didn't matter who gave birth to you, it mattered on who loved you. Denzil continued to stare at Viola a moment longer, even when she returned to her cheerful persona.
"Mmm, the bedsheets need to be collected and given to Paula to wash. You can do that if you want or dust the furniture." Denzil replied, still watching her with a concerned look. "You know, Viola, Elaine and Dublin do love and care for you; they care for all of us, even if they aren't really our parents, it doesn't mean their love for us is any less. And, our real parents, who ever they were, they loved us too. Parents do love us and do care for us - they want us to be happy." Denzil suprised himself with those words; he hadn't expected himself to say anything about her odd question, but he felt compelled, it seemed.

[Tismri]

Viola heard the two choiced Den gave to her and immediately knew which one she was going to do. There was no way she was going to put all that effort into pulling off those icky bedsheets and carry them around until she found Paula. She found a little dustrag and picked it up, going around the room "dusting" the furniture. She was more or less just twirling around, hardly even having the rag touch any surfaces.
She paused for a moment as Den began to assure her that Elaine and Dublin really loved them, and that her real parents had loved her, too. For a moment, she was completely still. Then she burst into hysterical giggles for a long moment, unable to contain herself until she overturned a bedside table.
"Just SHUT UP, DEN!" she shouted. "Just...just...shut up..." Her demeanor completely changed for several long moments, reflecting the same attitude she'd had for her first two years under her foster parents' care. She was completely silent, actually setting to work dusting, although she ignored the table she'd thrown. Finally, she hummed lightly and resumed her twirling.
"I wonder what's for dinner," she stated. "I hope it's not potato soup. I hate potatoes."

[Max452]

Denzil scrambled to his feet the moment Viola had turned over the table. He stared at her, with a concerned and wide eye look as she shouted at him. What did he say wrong? Why did she sound so hurt from his words? Didn't she feel loved by Elaine and Dublin? He just stood there, watching her as she inwardly seethed and actually cleaned the room. He placed his scrubber onto the side of the water bucket, having finished. He walked over to the over turned table and gently placed it right again. He heard her question then, silently amazed at how her mood would change, but not at the same time. It was as if she forced herself to act this way so she would hide the real Viola. Den didn't think that was too healthy. The boy just shurgged at her question. "Dunno. Heard that we might have chili tonight with cornbread." Den replied quietly. He went back the middle of the room to grab his bucket and quietly made way to dispose of it outside. He paused at the door. "Viola. I can tell you're hurting...if...if you ever want to talk about it or even want someone to just listen, I'll be happy to be that person. After all, you're not alone here." He told her quietly before departing to rid himself of the dirty water.

[Tismri]

Viola smiled when Den mentioned the possiblity for dinner. "Oh, yummy! Chili sounds absolutely wonderful! Especially since it's getting cold outside...Oh look! I think it's going to snow soon! Yay!" She stared out the window while Denzil left. At his parting words, she felt angry. Angry with him for prying...and angry with herself for losing control like that. It wasn't doing good for her image. And she broke a nail from the table. Today was just a bad day all around.
"You're wrong, Den..." she whispered after she heard the door close behind her. "I was always alone here."

Later that night, Viola lay wide awake, staring at the ceiling, still fuming over the day. She hated it here, hated every single moment. Hated being surrounded by all these people who just went on and on about respect and honor and love. As if any of that was real.
She couldn't take it anymore. She wasn't going to stay in this orphanage for another minute. Silently, she got out of bed and dressed, avoiding the well-known creaky floorboards. She was about to make her way out of the house when, at the last minute, she decided to do something compulsive. She went to a desk and took out a piece of paper, a quill, and some ink. She jotted down a quick, angry note, and folded it once. She made her way to Den's room, opening the door and laying the note on his bedside stand before leaving the house, not ever looking back.
The note read:
Denzil, stop prying where you're not wanted! Leave me alone! Viola.

[Max452]

The house was never this outrageous before; it was absolutely chaotic! News of Viola's disapparance ran the place amuck. But, there, in the dining room, sat young Denzil, quiet and feeling very ashamed at the moment. In his hand, he clenched Viola's note. "Dad. It's my fault she ran away..." He shamefully presented the note to his father. "She seemed really angry about something yesterday and I told her I was around if she needed to talk, but, I made her run away instead." He whispered, guilt ridden.

OOC: Okay! I got the idea now, but um, before I begin the chance, since it is about 2 years since then, you think that during that time period Dublin can train Den so he can have the skills to help Elaine and Dublin find her?

[Tismri]

Dublin listened carefully as Denzil explained what he knew about Viola's disappearance. Dublin had always known the girl was unhappy here, but he had not expected her to just up and leave. After all, where would she go? A part of him doubted she had even fully thought that through.
He read over the note, seeing how hastily they were written. Except for her signature, which as usual she seemed to make with the best of care. There was a level of vanity in her that surpassed all the other girls under his and Elaine's care.
"I don't think it was just your fault, son," he reassured Den. "Viola's never been...quite content here. Your mother and I have always tried to do what was best for all of you, but something about her just never was quite right." He frowned; he should have seen this coming. It was possible the others might have even bullied her into running away, as she was often mean to them. He just didn't know about that girl.
"I'll tell you what, Den," he said, "Your mother and I are going to look for her, but we can't do it alone, and we have other responsiblities. Would you like to learn a few things from us and help us look for her?"

[Max452]

Even though his Father told him it wasn't his fault, Denzil still felt like it was, or at least, he must have been the final push. At the mention of being trained by his father, Denzil's eyes immediately shot up from the table. "Yes! I would love to help, Father! I would love to help in any way!" He proclaimed, eager and willing to help his parents, and most importantly help Viola come back.

[Tismri]

OOC: Haha, well...I actually don't have many ideas about training... So, moving on then.

END.

Viola placed the last dress on the counter just as Janice entered, looking at her work critically.
"Your stitchwork is still uneven," she was told. "You need to concentrate on that until you're sewing evenly."
"Oh! I'm never going to get it right!!!" Viola whined, looking at her pile of dresses and tunics.
"Nonsense. You're getting better; you just need a bit more practice. Here." Janice put her day's wages into her hand. Viola grinned, noticing that she'd miscounted and gave her a couple of extra coins. "Off you go, girl. See you early tomorrow."
"Yes, ma'am," Viola responded, bounding out of the store. Actually, she'd been planning to leave Dras-Leona the next day. The city was starting to get boring, and she was beginning to hate the sight of needles and threads. Not that she was going to tell anyone. She made her way to the inn she was staying at and sat at her usual table in the tavern area.
"Got some fresh venison today, Vi," the owner told her. "Want to try a bite?"
"Sure!" she agreed enthusiastically. He paused for a moment, looking her in the eye.
"Stuff's expensive," he warned her. Viola frowned.
"You didn't tell me I had to pay for the bite," she pointed out. He sighed after a moment, knowing the fuss she would make if she didn't get her way. He had to be extra careful with this tenant sometimes. This was his first slip up in a while. He went to make her usual dinner, with the added venison on the side, while she sat there with a mug of mead.

[Max452]

Denzil was tying up his horse at one of the inns in Dras-Leona, having been on the search for Viola for over a month. He knew his parents would kill him. He had left before telling them where or why he was going, as he thought his father and mother's training was sufficient enough to finally go and find Viola. He still felt guilt ridden for making her run away. He knew Mother and Eridor were also out looking, but she also had her Rider duties, which seemed to be occupying her more and more as the news of a Shade Rider appeared. Father was handling the orphange and so, Denzil figured it was time for him to help this way. So, here he was, following lead after lead to where Viola might or had gone. He was exhausted, but it would be worth it if he brought Viola home.

Denzil wrapped his cloak around him, his staff split in half behind his back, and walked into the inn. The young man looked around for some sort of housekeeper to speak with for a stay and some food. As he gazed around, to his utmost surprise, he found Viola sitting at a table. He had actually found her! Making way over there, Den knew he had to be careful as not to chase Viola away. He sat himself promptly down and looked at her quizzically. "What's good here? I'm starving." He replied, seemingly serious, but a look of mirth was in his eyes.

[Tismri]

Viola was glancing over at the kitchen impatiently, wondering when exactly her dinner would be ready. She was hungry! She was looking in that direction again when she heard someone sit down at her table with her.
For one moment, she couldn't conceal her shock. Denzil? What was he doing here? She felt angry and a little frantic; didn't she tell him to leave her alone? Yet here he was, smiling at her as if they were best friends. She was going to ask him why he was there when she noticed the tavern keeper coming her way with her dinner. She had to think of something, and fast.
"DENNY!!!" she cried out, jumping up and hugging him. To those new to the inn, she was making quite the scene, but the majority of patrons were used to her loud antics and hardly even noticed. "I haven't seen you in so long! Was your trip okay?"
"Got company, Viola?" the innkeeper asked as he set down her food. He'd never seen her react so excitedly to seeing anyone before, although she did seem to exaggerate nearly every circumstance.
"It's my little brother!" she told him, grinning from ear to ear. "He promised he would come see me once I settled down, and now he's here!" The owner looked rather surprised; Viola had never mentioned any family before, and she'd lived here for three months.
"Oh, oh, Denny! You have to try the fish! It's simply to die for!!!" She turned back to the owner. "He wants salmon and trout! You know, the one you make with the rosemary seasoning?" The innkeeper nodded, and gave Denzil a glance, until Viola shooed him away. Once he was out of earshot, Viola turned back to Denzil, keeping the smile on her face, but her eyes demanded answers.
"What are you doing here?" she asked him.