Above All

-Eighty-

Rainfall in winter

Rain of fall dwells in the past

Flowerswave away

Layton:

           "I don't know what the hell happened back there at the dinner table, but you need to knock some sense into your brother, Lay... this isn't okay! Lesedi needs to understand her place in the family—and it's not the girlfriend!" Amani said exasperatedly as she continued pacing back and forth in my room.

            It was way after the awkward dinner when Amani and I had excused ourselves so we could privately talk with one another about what just happened. I had pretty much given her the details of all the drama surrounding my brother, Lesedi, and Nyarai; I also mentioned the intense conversation I had with Nyarai in the car as well which did not make Amani's reaction any better, if anything it angered her more.

            I nodded my head in unison with what she was saying as my eyes followed her as she walked back and forth in the space she had allocated as her "thinking area". The steady clicks of her heels meeting the ground put me in a bit of a mental trance as she continued muttering things to herself about Amory losing his mind.

            "Have you tried talking to him?" Amani stopped in her tracks to look over at me.

            I looked up a bit in surprise, "Hm? No... really haven't gotten the chance, he's been busy and so have I, but perhaps I should do so tonight." I said to her seriously. Amani's frown grew deeper, "Now the question is will he listen? Because if you already warned him of the issue of having both women under the same roof and he didn't heed your advice... I can only assume with his temper he will disregard what you will say." She stated.

            I pursed my lips. "Probably." I replied.

            She groaned, "What if we get both you and Fionn to speak with him?" She suggested.

            I sighed and shook my head, "He'll only think we were ganging up on him... he hates that." I looked away and focused my gaze lightly at window where it was clearly evening time outside. "It's late." I mentioned to her.

            Amani followed my gaze to the window and agreed with a simple nod, "I know...I should be getting back soon." She walked over to where I was sitting at the edge of my bed, walking right between my outstretched legs. She cupped my face, pulling it up so she could see my face entirely. "I need you to be proactive about this, Layton... I don't trust what's going on with Zuri and Lesedi... she's like a vermin poisoning her mind and she's listening." She stated seriously.

            I wrapped my arms around her slim waist pulling her closer towards me.

            "Tell me something I don't know." I said sarcastically.

            Amani sighed deeply and lowered her head to peck me softly, "I'm serious... when I overheard them speaking in Fhauri, it was clear they were both plotting to plant insecurities into Nyarai and Amory's mind... the closer they are to them, the more possible this becomes. Lesedi wants to take Nyarai's place because it grants security and notoriety." She said to me.

            "What does Zuri gain out of that?" I found myself asking her curiously.

            I mean it was one thing to lust after my brother because of his position... our family's position in Idizian high society and the wealth that came with it, but that didn't mean Zuri got anything out of it as well.