Approximately 50 years ago...
"Rochelle, clearly it's time for us to come clean. This is going too far now."€ Julius leveled a gaze at his dark-haired wife. "€œWe can't continue this sham any longer."
The well dressed noblewoman stared daggers at her husband. "€œHave you even met your mother, Julius? Veronica is extremely protective of her family, especially of you. You'€™ve only recently discovered what she'€™s done to some of your past lovers who didn't pass her judgment. Are you not at all concerned about what she'€™ll do to me if she finds out?"
Julius scoffed at his wife, running a hand through this blond hair momentarily. "€œI love you deeply. And I can handle my mother!"
"€œNo you can'€™t!"€ Rochelle was shouting at the top of her lungs now. "€œShe's Veronica Mavanix, damn it! Nobody in this family can 'handle'€™ her! She wants us to have another child immediately and she always gets what she wants. The pressure has been mounting more and more."
"So lying to her about being pregnant was your solution?"€ Julius gazed at his frantic wife in deep thought.
"€œTelling her I was incapable of having any more children would have /certainly/ gone over better. She is beyond ruthless, and she has the sheer power to back that quality up. It'€™s hard not to panic in her presence. But if she finds out I lied, do you know what she'€™ll do to me? The same thing she did to Gabrielle no doubt."
"If you wish to proceed with this plan, so be it," Julius said with a faint sigh. "But it will not be easy to fool my mother. We'€™ll need to go about this carefully and execute it flawlessly. So just follow my lead."€  The patriarch-to-be turned to the butler who was standing quietly in the corner the entire time. "Gerald, I need you to fetch some things without my mother's knowledge..."
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Several months later...
Veronica gazed in deep thought at the portrait of Joachim Mavanix. Age had set in on the old woman, but she remained more lively than any other woman her age. Her red hair remained fiery and snake-like. She wore an elegant and tight, but not too revealing, yellow dress. A hyur servant entered the large chamber, draped in black leather that revealed his sinewy yet well-shaped body. "You wished to see me, M'€™lady?"
"Yes, Eldrav. Come in. I have a task for you. I have seen what Joachim once saw, and so much more. I know the enemy who intends to bring our family to ruin. And that is why we must strike first."€Â
"What will you have of me?"€Â
Veronica gazed at the portrait for another long moment before answering. "Several moons from now, a child will be born. You will ensure its demise."
Eldrav raised an eyebrow. "Anything for you, Madame. But...would it not be easier if I just killed the mother now?"
"Nay," Veronica stated matter-of-factly. "€œShe is a prominent noble so we must thus cover our tracks and make this as low profile as possible. Nobody would expect us to assassinate an infant, after all."
"Who is my target then, Madame?"
"The Felstar child. It must die once it enters this world. I'€™m counting on you. Do not fail me."
"€œWhen have I ever let you down, Madame? Consider the job done. The Felstar child will perish in a tragic accident and none will be the wiser."
Veronica smiled wickedly to the portrait of Joachim. "You see grandfather. I'€™ll handle everything. And even should I somehow fail, I have prepared a contingency plan..."€ The matriarch'€™s gaze shifted to another nearby portrait of Darian Mavanix. The man's lips in the portrait began to slowly curl up into a confident smile.
"Rochelle, clearly it's time for us to come clean. This is going too far now."€ Julius leveled a gaze at his dark-haired wife. "€œWe can't continue this sham any longer."
The well dressed noblewoman stared daggers at her husband. "€œHave you even met your mother, Julius? Veronica is extremely protective of her family, especially of you. You'€™ve only recently discovered what she'€™s done to some of your past lovers who didn't pass her judgment. Are you not at all concerned about what she'€™ll do to me if she finds out?"
Julius scoffed at his wife, running a hand through this blond hair momentarily. "€œI love you deeply. And I can handle my mother!"
"€œNo you can'€™t!"€ Rochelle was shouting at the top of her lungs now. "€œShe's Veronica Mavanix, damn it! Nobody in this family can 'handle'€™ her! She wants us to have another child immediately and she always gets what she wants. The pressure has been mounting more and more."
"So lying to her about being pregnant was your solution?"€ Julius gazed at his frantic wife in deep thought.
"€œTelling her I was incapable of having any more children would have /certainly/ gone over better. She is beyond ruthless, and she has the sheer power to back that quality up. It'€™s hard not to panic in her presence. But if she finds out I lied, do you know what she'€™ll do to me? The same thing she did to Gabrielle no doubt."
"If you wish to proceed with this plan, so be it," Julius said with a faint sigh. "But it will not be easy to fool my mother. We'€™ll need to go about this carefully and execute it flawlessly. So just follow my lead."€  The patriarch-to-be turned to the butler who was standing quietly in the corner the entire time. "Gerald, I need you to fetch some things without my mother's knowledge..."
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Several months later...
Veronica gazed in deep thought at the portrait of Joachim Mavanix. Age had set in on the old woman, but she remained more lively than any other woman her age. Her red hair remained fiery and snake-like. She wore an elegant and tight, but not too revealing, yellow dress. A hyur servant entered the large chamber, draped in black leather that revealed his sinewy yet well-shaped body. "You wished to see me, M'€™lady?"
"Yes, Eldrav. Come in. I have a task for you. I have seen what Joachim once saw, and so much more. I know the enemy who intends to bring our family to ruin. And that is why we must strike first."€Â
"What will you have of me?"€Â
Veronica gazed at the portrait for another long moment before answering. "Several moons from now, a child will be born. You will ensure its demise."
Eldrav raised an eyebrow. "Anything for you, Madame. But...would it not be easier if I just killed the mother now?"
"Nay," Veronica stated matter-of-factly. "€œShe is a prominent noble so we must thus cover our tracks and make this as low profile as possible. Nobody would expect us to assassinate an infant, after all."
"Who is my target then, Madame?"
"The Felstar child. It must die once it enters this world. I'€™m counting on you. Do not fail me."
"€œWhen have I ever let you down, Madame? Consider the job done. The Felstar child will perish in a tragic accident and none will be the wiser."
Veronica smiled wickedly to the portrait of Joachim. "You see grandfather. I'€™ll handle everything. And even should I somehow fail, I have prepared a contingency plan..."€ The matriarch'€™s gaze shifted to another nearby portrait of Darian Mavanix. The man's lips in the portrait began to slowly curl up into a confident smile.