[center][URL=http://www.BannerFans.com][IMG]http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/4760/g5Y6Qm.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/center]
[hr]

	Nalia had refrained from going into the Hall for as long as she could, mostly because she did not want to face those that were within it. Some had indeed been loyal to her father, others she felt had only made it appear that they were and some were after her chair, which was normal. Actually, it was the main reason she and her Aunt seemed to not get along very well as she didn't seem to think it appropriate for a woman to be the Head of House. Standing from the chair in her Father's... no, no it was her's now, she had to think of it as her's otherwise everything just wouldn't seem real to her... standing from the chair in [i]her[/i] study, Nalia let out a shuddering breath and rand her fingers over her shirt and trousers. She needed to stay strong, there was no crying during this time, no tears, she could easily wait for the time when she would be alone on her ship once more. It was safe there, no one knew when she cried or when she was at her weakest, no one but her first mate and best friend.

	Letting out one last breath, she opened the door to the study and stepped out, closing and locking the door behind her before she set out to where everyone was waiting for her. As she arrived, she witnessed her brother thrusting his rapier into the table, pulling an annoyed noise out of the older woman as she shook her head. "Lucien you will take that blade out of our table and sit down," she said, her commanding tone filling the room, "Now is not the time to be acting a fool!" With a long and confident stride, Nalia went to the seat her father used to occupy with every dinner and sat down, her legs crossed at the knee. She needed to be strong, there would be no tears from this woman, not now... but she could not say that they would never come. For now, they were buried deep inside, not even christening her eyes with a watery sheen like her Aunt. "You would do father a disgrace if you even think to fight someone now, you need to learn to control your violent impulses before they get you killed next."

	Settling herself in for the long haul, she looked around the table at who was present, not as many as she would like but no less than she had expected considering the turn of events. "As you well know, to the displeasure of some, the death of my Loving Father has left me as the Head of House," she said, her words were slow, carefully chosen and her strange blue eyes scanned the room before her, "I know this means that the trips in which I used to partake will be farther apart and not nearly as long as I will have estate matters to attend to. When I am not here however, my cousin will be standing in for me as he seems to be the most level headed one out of my younger relatives." Her eyes flicked to Lucien, "I would have passed this on to my brother if I wasn't afraid he would simply run to our enemies door and challenge them to a duel. Lorenzo... you will take the vacant seat on my other side next to your mother from now on."

	The words she spoke dropped heavily from her lips, it had been a tough choice, but one she had had to make none-the-less. She hoped her dear brother would understand, and if not she would simply have to put him in his place until he did. This was not a title she had wanted, she did not like that she was putting her Aunt one step closer to the chair she felt should already be her sons seeing as Lucien was ill fit due to his temper and Nalia, well simply put, Nalia was a woman who refused to act as one should in the courtly manners. "Now, let us refrain from fighting and let us eat in my father's memory, these next few days will be rot with mourning, but let us remember him as he was, and not as he is now. His Will can wait just a little while longer..."

[hr]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/Sfn9z6K.png[/img][/center]