The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Bethany]

"'ori, sweetie, I've been a hot mess for years," Beth says with a weak laugh.

[Shisou]

"But, forget about Carver for now. How are you coping?"

[Bethany]

Beth lifts her hands up. "I... about- about the news? I..." She pauses to take a deep breath, stalling as she tries to think. How do I feel about what happened? "...angry. I'm furious," she finally says quietly. "How could she- her stupid note. Feel guilty, sure, she should feel guilty. Kill herself... I don't... I'd rather she have gone to jail for what she did to Carver, Marian and I. And who knows who else. But suicide? It feels... cheap. And I don't like the idea being touted as a solution to things, especially in front of Carver. Gods, I can't believe she even used poison of all things. Bitch!"

[Shisou]

Shiori hesitates. "I don't... I don't think this was about Carver? I mean... if she felt so guilty about Carver, wouldn't she... I don't know... try to fix it? Reach out to him? Anything? This is so sudden, it seems... there has to be more to the story."

[Bethany]

Beth winces, looking away. "...I... Well... she was always... weak," Beth says carefully. "She was on a lot of.... alchemical and magical potions, to make her happy. If she... stopped, even for a day or..." She wrestles with secrecy for a moment, then sighs. "You... you know the players, right? I mean, you at least know the surface stuff about my family? The standard gossip and who's who?"

[Shisou]

"I have heard you talk about your mother, your uncle, and your twin, and picked up some about your sister."

[Bethany]

Beth nods. "Good, that makes this... so Marian mentioned... that the last straw, so to speak, that got her sent away? Walking in on Leandra and her brother. Together. I think that's what... what she actually meant by... by her note. And... now everyone is going to assume that..." She peeks at Shisou, trying to get a read on her opinion.

[Shisou]

Shiori winces just a bit. "Twins is-- well, it happens, but it's a bit... I can see how it would bring shame to the family," she admits. 

[Bethany]

Beth blinks a few times. "Really?" she blurts out, then winces. "I mean, thank you for not thinking I'm disgusting, gods, thank you but I wasn't... I was really worried that..."

[Shisou]

"The-- it's--"

Shiori struggles a moment to put her thoughts into words. "In order to... Blood is very important where I come from. Maintaining the right bloodline sometimes means marrying cousins. It's not a good thing, we try not to do it too often, but it happens. My mother and step-father are, I think... second cousins, the way Nyrans reckon things? Trying to breed for an out-blood, but we're on the verge of losing our nobility anyway, and he can't seem to get her pregnant. My father was-- anyway, you don't really care about all that, I'm sure. But my point is... Some of the emperors married their sisters. But it's not a great idea. You get... insular. But, I mean... well, it's not the worst thing your mother's done?"

[Bethany]

Beth lowers her head, a knot of worry melting, though a knot of guilt remains. "I..." She bites her lip. "After he... after he got his new body, I... it was dumb and impulsive but I wanted to... I kind of... showed Carver how to, umm, masterbate," she mumbles. "We've never- never done that or anything... it was just... I just wanted to help and... Sex is something I'm good at, something I really believe in." Which has come up more than once already- Bethany is a very passionate Ciren, who is almost rabid in her belief that sex shouldn't be shameful. Rape, gods yes. Abuse, yes. But never sex.

[Shisou]

Shiori is quiet for a moment. A long moment. Her head bowed, she finally asks, "Do you... want to do that sort of thing? With him?"

[Bethany]

Beth shakes her head rapidly. "No! I'm not- I love him. He's my twin and I'd do just about anything for him. I can't... I can't change that about myself. But he doesn't want that sort of... thing between us and neither to do I. I don't really find him that attractive to be honest. He's so..." She falters. "Big? Solid? Male really.  I much prefer females. Like a lot. Zev is pretty enough to be a woman and... his cock was never a virtue. I can't say I love you. Maybe someday? But I really like being with you. Not just making out, but... talking. Reading stories together and talking about plays and songs and..."

[Shisou]

"But you..."

Shiori hesitates again, taking a deep breath. "I can't help but notice... you mostly... you mostly have sex with people with penises. Is that... you say you prefer girls but..."

[Bethany]

"What?" Beth asks, confused. "Ummm. I mean, I've only had sex with Zev, so I guess that's true but I've made out with you, Zev and Shan. So that's two female and one-" She breaks off, scowling for a second, then frowning in unease. "Shiori, I don't see you as a guy... should I? Do you..." She pushes off the door, moving slowly towards her. "Do you consider yourself female?"