"The Persuaders - Chapter 4" by Laura de Lange

4. The Way Things Are

“Natalie Janice Drayton, you are expected in the blue study in 10 minutes. Don’t be late.”

Nat stared at the message blankly for a few seconds before realising that action was required. She stood quickly, checking her appearance in the mirror and fixing her hair, putting on a clean shirt and pulling her plain grey skirt straight. Then she walked briskly to the study, knowing that she was expected promptly.

The blue study was, as its name suggested, done in shades of blue. The floor was a soft baby blue and the walls slightly darker. The two imposing wingback chairs and the sofa were dark blue with the Drayton coat of arms appearing in a lighter hue. Nat always shivered when she entered this room, not because its décor was gloomy, but because all the bad news she had ever heard at home was broken to her in this room.

She sat down nervously, perched on the edge of her chair and facing her father who had been watching her over his steepled fingers since she had entered.

“Morning, Father,” she greeted.

He nodded in return.

She fidgeted for a few seconds more while her father just watched her. Finally, he said,

“We have found a husband for you.”

Abruptly all fidgeting stopped as she stared at him. She felt frozen in her seat.

“A … a husband?”

“Yes, a suitable Draygon heir. You will meet him at dinner tonight.”

“B-but I don’t want to get married!” she exclaimed.

Her father stayed calm, but she could see a muscle twitch in his cheek. He was annoyed by her tone.

“That is my choice to make. You will marry him,” he stated.

To her shame Nat felt tears welling up in her eyes.

“May … may I be excused, sir?” she asked quietly.

Her father had already returned to the papers on his desk and only nodded, not even looking up when his daughter fled the room and the house.

Stanley heard a soft knocking at the back door and frowned slightly. He approached softly and cautiously opened the door. His eyes widened slightly when he saw a distraught looking Natalie on his doorstep. Looking around for spectators out of the corner of his eye, he said coldly,

“What do you want, you dirty Draygon?”

Seeing that no one was watching, he turned his full attention to Nat, horrified when her eyes filled with tears and she started turning away from him.

Grabbing her arm he tugged her into the house. As soon as the door was closed he pulled her close and held her in a warm hug, murmuring words of comfort to her.

“How could you think I was serious, you silly child. I was just checking for eavesdroppers. Oh, my dear Nat, what’s wrong? What did they do to you?”

Finding herself in strong, caring arms Natalie broke down. She was no longer Nightshade, respected and feared leader of the Persuaders, she was just a hurt sixteen year old looking for comfort from her older brother.

Stan just let her cry, cradling her and stoking her hair. It was times like these that he was glad his mother worked all day, every day.

Once Nat started calming down, Stan asked her once more,

“What’s wrong, Nat?”

She spilled the whole thing out into his chest, feeling dirty just talking about it. Stan was quiet for a long moment and then softly inquired,

“Who is it?”

“He didn’t say. I think it’ll be Josh Raymore. He’s had his eye on him since I was five,”

Stan nodded. “When do you have to meet him?”

Nat looked panicked and glanced at her wristwatch. “In an hour,”

“Okay, that’s more than enough time. Here, have a cup of tea.”

She sat down at the kitchen table thankfully, quickly relaxing and laughing at the jokes Stan cracked to make her feel better. Once she sat with a hot cup of sweet tea, he returned to serious matters.

“You’ll go back now, and you’ll be your normal charming self. You’ll show them that whatever they do to you, they’ll never break you. Bring out Belladonna if you must,” he said. Nat nodded, getting the reference to Nightshade and the respect and strength she held within herself.

“I know Josh. He’s sympathetic to the cause, but doesn’t have the guts to do anything about it. He thinks that some control over us is a good thing, but disapproves of the methods. I’ll just tell him that you are under our protection. He’ll understand.”

Stan paused, wanting to ask the question he had been wondering about her whole stay.

Nat noticed his silence and quietly said, “You want to know why I didn’t go to Robbie.” It wasn’t really a question, more of a weary statement.

Stan nodded.

“You were closer. And I need a brother now. I don’t want to worry about what he’ll think of me or what he’ll do if I get his shirt wet with my tears. You were just a better choice.”

Stan nodded again. He could understand that.

“You should get going. It’s almost dinner time.”

Nat sighed and stood up. She still looked so vulnerable that Stan gave her another hug. She clung to him tightly before letting go and giving him a weak smile.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

And he understood.

At dinner Nat enchanted the visitors, her future husband and is parents, seemingly the perfect picture of a wealth, happy Draygon wife.