Honor?

[Max452]

Denzil nearly choked when Viola latched onto him. He knew her well enough to know that she was acting, but for what purpose he had yet to discern. He cringed at the weird nickname she gave him. Finally, he was released and they were left alone.
"Denny?" He crinkled his nose. "You called me Denny." He did not like that name. "I'm here to bring you home, Viola. Mother and Father are worried sick." He told her before thinking about the food she ordered. "You know I dislike fish too...." His eyes narrowed. "Are you just trying to make me pay for this?" He asked, before reaching out and dragging her plate over to him. "If that's the case, at least get me something I like." He said, picking up a fork to taste the venison. The food hung in the air, near his mouth as he went to speak with her again. "Why'd you run away?" He asked her.

[Tismri]

Viola's smile briefly turned into a smirk as Denzil caught on to her little game. Even in acting, she could make it clear how unhappy she was to see him. However, her expression changed back to her fake smile when he talked about bringing her home. That orphanage was the last place in Alagaesia she wanted to be.
"I just got sick of it all," she admitted to him, frustrated that he was able to drag the truth out of her. "Every day, for fourteen years, I heard the same thing over and over again. Honor this, respect that, this is justice, that is wrong. And I know it all means nothing. Here, on my own, I don't have to abide by those stupid rules. I can get whatever I want, and not even justice can keep me from it." With that, she plucked her fork out of his hand and took a bite of her venison, and slid her plate back over to herself.

[Max452]

Denzil sighed. She didn't seemed to have grown up at all. "What's so wrong with having those ideals, Viola? They taught us a code that helped us choose the right; not many people do that anymore. You know how lucky we were not to grow up on the streets?" Den asked, letting Viola take back her food. "They taught us to be special. Anyone can go about doing wrong, but not many can go about doing good. Don't you want to be different from the world for once? I mean, think about it - you're hurting a lot of people by just doing what you want." He sighed and stood up. "Think on that Viola and when you actually want to talk, come and find me; I'll be here until the end of the week." He threw down some coins for the meal he never partook and went to talk to the innkeeper about a room.

[Tismri]

Viola grimaced at the words Denzil spoke. He was like a perfect replica of Elaine and Dublin, spouting off their mindless ideals. Of course he would; they were the only parents he'd ever known. As he walked away, she silently finished her dinner, fuming all the while.
Maybe he was lucky, not knowing who his real parents were. There were all kinds of people in the world, some of whom were easy to please and others more difficult. His parents could have been anyone--noble soldiers, hateful crooks. Maybe his mother had been abandoned. Maybe they'd died defending him. It didn't matter anymore who they had been.
Yes, Den was lucky, she knew. He didn't know what it was like, to be thoroughly unwanted and unloved. Ignored in his own home, while his parents did whatever they wanted. He was never beaten for simply wandering into a room. And if he was abandoned by his parents, he didn't remember it.
She could still remember, very easily, their carriage attempting to ride away to safety while the Varden attacked Uru'baen. It was too bulky to make it through the crowded streets, so her parents panicked and got on horses. Viola remembered trying to cling to her mother...and being shoved off to the street, almost getting trampled underfoot. Viola knew, watching them ride away, that this was how it had always been. She was nothing to her father, and an unnecessary burden to her mother. So they left her there, to die. And she often thought it would have been better if she did, so she wouldn't have to live on with those memories.

Angrily, she made her way upstairs to her room. She was jealous of Denzil, jealous that the only idea he had of parents was love and care. That idea seemed such a sick, twisted joke to her. But she knew he wouldn't understand. No one could, unless they had been so completely unwanted before.
"Why are you always prying where you don't belong, Denzil?" she asked the darkness of her room, curling around on her bed, sobbing and feeling sorry for herself since the first time she left.
***
She woke the next morning, still feeling exhausted. She didn't want to go work today, she didn't want to do anything. However, she still got up and made an effort to put on her cheerful face. It was much more difficult. She decided she could just say she was under the weather, and that could be her excuse for staying in today.
As she took her usual seat in the dining room for breakfast, the innkeeper came over with her prepared meal. He looked at her in concern.
"You feeling okay, Viola?" he asked her. She shook her head slightly.
"I'm actually feeling a bit ill today," she told him. "Do you think you could send a message to Janice for me?"
"Of course. Take as long as you need; I'll even let you stay free of charge until you're better." Viola was almost surprised; normally, she had to twist arms to get such favors.
"Thank you," she said. He left her to pushed around at her breakfast for a while.

[Max452]

A rang of laughter filled the dining hall of the inn as Denzil was enthusiastically describing a story with one of the barmaids. He had risen early to eat, as he did not have any last night, and was now, entertaining one of the workers.
"Oh no! What happened next!" The girl asked, laughing with aimable curiosity.
"Well, my brothers and I were huddled on the rafters of our home, just waiting for payback! We were whispering amongst ourselves when we heard the creaking of wood below us. We hushed ourselves quietly, aiming our water contramptions down below us. We were ready to get our sisters this time...but as we readied ourselves, one of my brothers loosed his water bag! And because of that! We all followed suite hoping to get our sisters wet!" Denzil took a deep breath, followed by a bite of his omelette before continuing. "It was eerily silent after that, which wasn't right, we all knew; our sisters weren't a quiet bunch!" He laughed. "So, as I was glancing down, we heard a creak behind us! And when we turned around, our sisters were there! They launched their water bags at us, and since we just wasted ours, we were soon drenched, laughing and screaming all the while!" Denzil proclaimed with mirth. "That was a blast!"
"Your family sounds like they had a wonderful time together!" The inn maid commented with a laugh.
"Yup! There was never a dull moment, that was for sure." He chatted on as he continued to sneak a bit of his food whenever he had a break from talking. He was so busy with sharing his memory that he failed to notice Viola come down stairs.

[Tismri]

Viola heard Denzil's voice through her numb mind, and she found herself reflecting on the memory he was sharing. She managed a very small smile, knowing that was one of the few times she'd really had fun with the other kids. She'd been sneaky and told the girls of the boys' plans. Of course, they were all given a good scolding for ruining the furniture with their indoor water fight.
The memory of being scolded mixed in with her more distant, angry memories. Although neither Elaine nor Dublin ever hit her, their near-constant disapproval of her attitude and actions felt like misery to her. It certainly never caused her to feel loved. Denzil was probably the only one who even missed her there, she was sure. And why would he? She was nastiest to him just before she left.
Tired of sitting there, listening to Denzil's too-cheerful voice, she stood up, scraping her chair loudly against the floor, and made her way back to her room, glancing back at him with a look that was a mix between sadness, hurt, and a glare, before she was out of sight.

[Max452]

The sharp sound of wood scraping against wood caught Denzil's attention. He turned his head over to the sound, only to find a very rare somber looking Viola. He gave a mental sigh as he watched her retreat back to her room. Perhaps he should go and speak with her, but a part of him knew that she was more stubborn than a mule. If she didn't want to come home or even speak with him then there would be no point in even interacting with her. However, his brotherly side won out. Stuffing a few more eggs in his mouth, excusing himself from the barmaid, and paying for his meal, Denzil went to speak with Viola.

Hasting up the stairs, he navigated toward her room. Knocking, Denzil waited for her to open. Maybe he shouldn't rush in speaking with her about coming home first...perhaps lead up to it. He glanced over to the nearby window, gazing outside. He hadn't the time to go around town yet, perhaps this shall be a good chance to see what Viola's mind set was. He waited patiently for her to open the door.

[Tismri]

Viola glanced up when she heard the knock. At first, she was inclined not to open it, suspecting it was Denzil and not feeling inclined to see him...or anyone else, for that matter. His presence had managed to upset her enough that she couldn't put forth the effort to maintain her charade right now. Den had an odd way of drawing her true feelings out, and she despised him for it. No one needed to know how she was really feeling, and she was content in making herself seem happy and stupid.
Still, the knocking continued, and finally Viola decided to open it. Her assumption had been correct; Denzil was at her door.
"What do you want?" she asked him. "Had enough reliving childhood memories with strangers?"

[Max452]

Denzil narrowed his eyes at Viola's snide comment. "What's wrong with sharing stories of home?" He asked, his tone cautious, but hiding his annoyance. Honestly, what was her problem with the orphanage? He sighed, controlling his temper. "Whatever, hey look, I'm going to look around town, since, well, since you know the place I thought we could hang out." He suggested.

[Tismri]

Viola rolled her eyes at Denzil's question, almost opting to ignore it.
"Nothing," she told him, "If you want to share your whole life story with someone you just met, that's your problem." She very nearly shut the door in his face when he gave his invitation. She stopped, staring at him curiously, almost suspiciously.
"You...want to...hang out?" she asked, incredulous. Why would he want to spend time with her? She thought she was doing everything to discourage him from being seen with her. It was probably just another ploy to try to make her go back to the orphanage with him. Still...what could it hurt?
"Fine," she reluctantly agreed. After a moment's hesitation, a smile crossed her face. She could probably get him to buy something for her. After all, he was her "brother," right? She turned and grabbed a fur-lined cloak; it was rather cold and misty outside. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Very quickly she fell back into her smile and cheerful demeanor as she dragged Denzil outside with her.