Exiles: Cursing the Lords

"Curse the Lords," said Zoe and Kristov in unison

"These Lords you are always cursing," Diane began, "Are they an oppressive lot?" Her words were clear, but her body language was slurred.

"Of course they are!" said Zoe, feeling the alcohol smooth out the edges of her reality, and toss her about like a cork in a bathtub full of children.

"They cut us off from our inheritance!" said Kristov, forcefully. He was trying to be angry, but there was a smile in his eyes.

"Ah," said Diane, "So this is about money."

"Oh, no, no, no," said Zoe, almost losing herself to the sound of "no" coming out of her mouth.

"Our birthright is worth more than gold, my friend named Diane," said Kristov. His stern voice was pushed through a growing grin.

"We have been cut off from our own dream realms," said Zoe becoming more subdued, "and our immortality has been stolen."

"Dream realms?" asked Diane. "Immortality?"

"We will live until we die," explained Zoe.

"But we will never be reborn," added Kristov.

"Because a silly Lord had his way with a mortal," muttered Zoe.

"Well, your father's daughter found a mortal man to fill her womb with me," said Kristov, looking at Zoe.

"Father's daughter?" asked Diane, disbelieving. "Zoe is your-"

"Of course not!" spat Zoe.

"No," said Kristov, "her sister."

"Half-sister, thank you," said Zoe. The fun in her voice was fading.

"I sense some animosity," said Diane, amused at the sudden shift in mood.

"My sister wanted me dead, and thought me so Father was killed," said Zoe.

"Zoe's half-sister was hoping to be the mother of her Father reborn," said Kristov, "But Zoe was already pregnant."

"Huh?" Diane said, "you lost me."

"Diane, darling, listen," said Kristov, almost patronizing, "if you aren't going to believe in our Fae heritage, this conversation will be rather pointless.

"I'm not doubting your heritage," said Diane, letting some resentment out, "I just don't know how all this works."

"Pardon my cousin," said Zoe, the playfulness coming returning to her demeanor, "He is young and tactless."

"So, your father was killed," said Diane, "and your sister believed that he would be reborn as her next child?"

"Right," said Kristov, still holding a sour look on his face.

"Except," said Zoe, "I was already pregnant by the time the assassins came. In fact, it was Father's energies that allowed me to survive."

"Your father, as your unborn son," clarified Diane.

"Yes," said Zoe.

"And, now that the rat bastard has been reborn, we are no longer part of his direct lineage," said Kristov, "and no longer of any real use to him."

"There is no one to look over us, and no reason to threatened us, so we are on our own," said Zoe.

"Flotsam or jetsam, still just as useless," said Kristov.