young_swimmer (young_swimmer) wrote in dc_nextgen,
@ 2011-06-12 22:53:00

Entry tags:

Mothers and Daughters
Since being back in San Francisco Cait had spent most of her free time in the bay with Hope. She had her job back at the aquarium and life with the Titans was good. Cait was happy, but she would not deny that she had an empty spot in her heart. She could never return to Atlantis and that hole in her heart would be there for as long as she was exiled.

Cait knew she would see her parents. They still loved her and she loved them and they would be by to visit. Well her mother would be. Arthur was a different story and if he did show up, it would probably be to bring her back to Atlantis. Try to. Cait would not go willingly.

Today was a day off of work and Cait was down in the bay playing with Hope.

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	young_swimmer 2011-06-13 12:58 am UTC (link)
	"So Arthur can marry her off too?" Cait said. "I apologize for my hasty words, Mother. It is good to see you." Her mother was not responsible for her problems with Arthur and it was unfair to take them out on her. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-06-13 01:08 am UTC (link)
	"So that you would have more choices now," Mera said evenly. "I understand your frustration, Cait, but he is your father. Despite your current situation with him, he has always loved and adored you from the moment you were born." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-06-13 01:23 am UTC (link)
	"I know," she said. "I have never doubted Arthur's love for me, but he has let politics guide his decisions." She heard her own words. She couldn't remember when she stopped referring to him as her father and started using Arthur. "I will not let politics dictate whom I will marry." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-06-13 01:28 am UTC (link)
	"This is where the life of a royal can be complicated," Mera said with a sigh. "Rather than arguing with each other, we need to find a solution as a family." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-06-13 01:33 am UTC (link)
	"A solution is easy. Get rid of this ridiculous notion of me marrying Cerdian or anyone else the Council wants and let me marry whomever I want. I will do my duties as the Princess of Atlantis. I will even spend one week every month in Atlantis and one month out of every year there." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-06-13 01:47 am UTC (link)
	"How very magnanimous of you," Mera said dryly. "I expected a reasonable solution, not a list of demands. Would you care to rephrase yourself in terms that will tell what you wish and how you would like to accomplish it without causing our family more pain?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

young_swimmer
2011-06-13 01:53 am UTC (link)

The difference between Arthur and her mother was that Arthur demanded things while her mother usually shamed her or guilted her into do what Mera wanted.

"I'm sorry, Mother." Cait was used to arguing with Arthur and it showed. "I want to do my duties as the Princess of Atlantis, but I would like to marry someone I love not someone the Council or Arthur says I must wed. I love Atlantis and her people and I love Ty. Why does it have to be one or the other? Is there no place in Atlantis for Ty?"

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dc_parent
2011-06-13 02:03 am UTC (link)

Mera wanted Cait to think about what she said before it left her mouth. It was a skill that would serve her daughter well if she could learn it now. There was every hope that Cait would realize that the more important a thing was to her, the more she needed to use tact and respect to ease her way.

"I would say there is a place in Atlantis for someone who loves you so much, but you have a great deal of work to do. The more you fight with your father, the more inclined he is to see Ty as an obstacle."

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young_swimmer
2011-06-13 02:24 am UTC (link)

"Arthur will always see Ty as an obstacle," Cait said factually. "He does not believe there is a place for someone from the surface in Atlantis. He says the Council will never accept Ty as a husband for their future queen or his children for rulers of Atlantis. What can I do, Mother? My heart aches to return to Atlantis and my heart loves someone of the surface. I am torn between two worlds and I feel like I am lost on land."

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	dc_parent 2011-06-13 02:31 am UTC (link)
	"Your father," Mera would say it every time she heard Arthur's name coming from her daughter, "has not had the chance to see Ty in another light." She reached for Cait's hand. "Rather than rehash what has been said between the two of you, we have a proposal for the immediate future. If you would like to hear it." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

young_swimmer
2011-06-13 02:36 am UTC (link)

"Mother, Ty saved Atlantis from Oceanus and Tethys. You died, I died and Ty was the one who saved them all yet Arthur treats him as if he were the enemy." Of course Ty also had helped kill them all during the War of the Black as it was being called in Atlantis, but they all had a hand in that.

"He has offered to return Atlantis to the ocean and would if Arthur wanted it."

Cait squeezed her mother's hand. Mera had the difficult position of being between daughter and king and Cait knew it wasn't easy for her.

"Of course I would, Mother."

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dc_parent
2011-06-13 02:47 am UTC (link)

"Sweetheart, no man would ever be good enough for you in your father's eyes, regardless of his victories. That is a universal of fatherhood."

"Atlantis needs their ruling family to be whole and united. As family, we need to be at peace. We would like you to spend more time at home in Atlantis on a regular basis. A weekend a month, one month a year. In exchange for you resuming your duties, your father will keep his own counsel about Ty. I encourage you to bring Ty as often as possible. Arthur will rule for many years to come. Many things could happen in that time."

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	young_swimmer 2011-06-13 03:08 am UTC (link)
	"Arthur agreed to this?" she asked. "He agreed to let Ty in Atlantis?" she had to ask. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

dc_parent
2011-06-13 03:39 am UTC (link)

"Your father agreed that the three of us will work for a solution to the succession issue and that he is to be your father more than he is to be your king. /I/ agreed to let Ty into Atlantis. It's clear to me that you intend for Ty to be part of your future." She gave Cait a slight smile. "As it stands now, I tend to agree with your father on one issue - what is good for our family must be good for Atlantis. The specifics are open to interpretation."

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	young_swimmer 2011-06-13 03:47 am UTC (link)
	"Fair enough," Cait said and hugged her mother. "Thank you and thank you for seeing how much Ty means to me." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-06-13 03:57 am UTC (link)
	Mera closed her eyes as she hugged her daughter. Cait and Arthur were the most important people in the world to her. It hurt when they couldn't get along. "Your father and I had a similar story once upon a time. It may take time to get through that hard head of his, but you can do it by showing him instead of yelling at him." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-06-13 04:01 am UTC (link)
	"I pray to Poseidon that you are right. My heart will love no other than Ty." She released her mother and gave her a small smile. "His head is harder than coral." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-06-13 04:12 am UTC (link)
	"And yet, coral is home to so many tiny creatures." She would teasingly check him for barnacles that very night. "He loves you so much, Cait. Please remember that." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-06-13 04:15 am UTC (link)
	"I know, Mother, and I never forget. I always love him, even when we fight. I may not like him at times, but I always love him." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-06-13 04:19 am UTC (link)
	"I have not always liked him much myself, but your father has always been my heart. We managed to work through our issues. He needs you to take up your duties and I need you at home more often." She looked to the dolphin. "She is such a pretty thing. I see how attached you are to her." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-06-13 04:24 am UTC (link)
	"Ty is my heart and always will be," she said. "Hope is Ty's work," she said. "He knew of my love of pink dolphins and how rare they are. I wish Arthur could see how much Ty loves me and how happy he makes me." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-06-13 04:32 am UTC (link)
	"He will. Your Ty will visit with you and your father will see first hand how much you love him and how happy you are. He'll see it and over time learn to believe in it." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-06-13 01:37 pm UTC (link)
	"I pray you are right, Mother. Would you like to come inside?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-06-13 01:43 pm UTC (link)
	"I would, as long as I'm not intruding. I realize this visit was unexpected." Mera beamed at Cait. This had gone better than she'd anticipated. It wouldn't be at all easy, but she had hopes her family could be kept together against whatever the future held. They'd been through so much already. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	young_swimmer 2011-06-13 01:55 pm UTC (link)
	"We're used to unexpected visitors," Cait said before saying goodbye to Hope. They started toward the Tower. "How fares Atlantis and the rebuilding?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)