Familial Relations

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August 5th, 1622.

Ic: <sub>Despite the situation arising around his feet, Benedict took everything in stride. He prayed, he held sermons, and yet he wanted to do more. He wasn't twenty five yet either, so he could do anything. Above all else he wanted to get a ranch.

Right now that wasn't on his mind. Lila was still young and he could still save up money. He was poor, after all. The church ran on donations and manpower, so Benedict spent more time dealing with that than anything else.

Right now he was across the street from Sine's residence, holding the reigns of his horse, Lila, and looking out at it. Should he tell her about Nerys? Should he wait? He had no idea when Andy usually came to Seria, and he knew he'd visit more often.

The primary concern was, though, if Sine would react well to Andy having Nerys.</sub>

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Now that he was back on his feet, Reuben had opted to make sure that Caden at the least still had a doctor to go to. It was a miracle the boy had managed that long without getting a proper checkup, but he wasn't complaining. He knew he ought to visit Julian's and take Caden with him, but he'd rather go by himself for now.

He tilted his head as he saw a rather familiar horse which almost made him back off, before noticing that her rider was there as well.

"Benedict, hello," he said, walking over close enough for the other to converse and far enough so that his hat didn't get eaten by Lila.

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<sub>Benedict glanced over to see that Reuben was here. probably to check up on Caden and all. Right now he had no idea what he was going to do, but either way, he felt that Nerys should be the one to tell Sine that she was alive, not him.

"Hey. How is it going?" He asked. Lila herself glanced over to Reuben, but she didn't do anything now that they know they're siblings. She'd just be well behaved and polite for now, though she wouldn't mind being petted or pampered a bit.

"I mean- I've been contemplating talking to Sine, but now I don't know. I mean, about Nerys and all."</sub>

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Indeed, he needed to make sure that he checked up on Caden. It wasn't easy trusting his brother over to a complete stranger to him, even if it was Lapis's father. Now that was awkward, indeed. God was likely playing jokes on them.

"Alright, I was checking up on Caden and Lapis," he said, falling in step near him. Lila still weirded Reuben out, but he did stroke the horse's mane.

"I can go with you for support if you want me to. I don't know how she'll take it knowing that Nerys lived with my parents for several years and then lives with Andy, if she doesn't know already."

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<sub>Lila shook her mane as Reuben stroked it, not minding the hands on her cause that usually means free pettings, brushings and oogling kids and girls. She'd whinny a moment, glancing over at Rosin's doctor office. Well, what was Benedict going to do? She glanced over to him.

"I'm glad they're okay, though. Do they get along?" Benedict asked. Despite the age difference, at least they could treat each other as siblings despite not being related. OR A COUPLE IN THE FUTURE.

"No she doesn't know, but part of me tells me not to tell her out of spite. After all, shouldn't Nerys check up on her?" He spoke up, a little bitterly.</sub>

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After a few moments, Reuben took his hand off of Lila, glad she wasn't trying to eat his hat or his jacket again. He patted her once more, and then looked over at the doctor's office and then back at Benedict.

"Yeah, it's cute really. Caden is happy to be a big brother to someone, and has adopted that role with Lapis so far." Caden is too young to be in love with someone, Reuben thought. Kid hadn't even hit puberty yet, and wouldn't for at least five years because back then, people didn't hit puberty at 12-13.

"It's like how I never told Sine that I'm related to Andy. Either way, I'm not too sure what Nerys did, though I think she should have checked up on Nerys. ...Which, by the way, I'm still curious about how Nerys ended up with my parents in the first place."

It did seem a big leap from him, if she was Sine's niece and suddenly ended up with an unrelated family.

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<sub>Benedict glanced over to Reuben as he spoke up, and smiled. Well, at least Caden was happy to be able to take care of Lapis like that, and he was happy to watch over Lapis and Caden if Reuben so wanted him to. Benedict knew how to care for kids anyway since he had to as a teen himself.

"Yeah, I think Sine's better off not knowing who you are unless you really want to tell her." He spoke up, quiet. he then perked up and then gave Reuben a look. "... Good question. Andy seems to skirt that issue, though, and I don't think Nerys even knows."

He then looked over to the place. Maybe, just maybe Sine knew. He then rubbed his chin, before walking Lila across the street and tying her up.

"Perhaps we can get that answered."</sub>

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Reuben smiled back at Benedict. He should check up on the kids again at some point, if only to convince Caden that he wasn't shot and dying again or something. Plus Benedict liked Caden enough to check up on him as well.

"True that, she does seem to not mind me so far." He frowned a little. "I'm genuinely curious myself, and whether it's connected in anyway to my existence."

He followed Benedict, hands in his pockets, and nodded.[/color] "Yeah."

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<sub>Benedict looked at Lila for a moment, the young female horse just watching him as he stepped up to the front porch and took a deep breath. Yeah, this place definitely brought back unpleasant memories, but he tried not to think about it.

"Well, let's find out, shall we?" Benedict then opened the door, making his way through the store to try and find out if Sine was there, and sure enough, she was. Obviously she looked surprised to see Benedict came back after their pleasant argument about Andy.

"... Hello Ben, Hello Reuben." She greeted them. Might as well be proper. "Do you need anything?"</sub>

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Reuben glanced back at Lila. Well, if it hadn't been for the horse and her nearly toppling him over, he wouldn't have found about Benedict, so he supposed he could forgive her for the time being. Either way, he nodded as Ben said that.

"And inside the snake's hole we go," he said. Sine wasn't evil, persay, but she felt like a snake person to Reuben which totally wasn't because of another Sine.

"Hello..."

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<sub>Considering Sine's background, she probably couldn't be trusted anyway despite her desire to live a normal life and succeeded. It really wasn't her fault she didn't know Andy was still around, but either way, she had given up Benedict.

"Hi." Awkwardness ensued, especially since Benedict wasn't sure how to converse with her, not was Sine really sure how to continue with this. AFter a few brief seconds, Benedict would speak up again.

"No we don't need anything." He spoke up, simply. Sine just gave her son this look. Just a curious look. She was sure neither boy trusted her even though Andy was the bad guy here...

"... Last I checked you weren't exactly fond of my decisions, so I'm assuming you're here to berate me again?" Benedict would have a retort for that, but he didn't. Really, that's what Sine assumed? She wasn't too far off.

"I forgive people, ma'am, but I never forget."</sub>

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Reuben took a deep breath as Sine and Benedict stared at each other. There was definite awkwardness between the two of them, and there would be even more awkwardness if Sine found out that she'd been treating Andy's son, who had lived with her niece and considered said niece a sister, for all of those years.

"I'm here to play mediator," He said simply. He did want to make sure that neither of them got too out of hand with whatever happened.

At the same time, whether there was a reason to reveal himself or Nerys to her, he wanted to check that.

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<sub>Benedict wrung his hands even as Sine sat there, stiff and unsure of what to do with herself. She wondered if she should offer them something nice. Or maybe something else, but then she imagined Ben or Reuben would get mad and smack it away, sos he decided against it.

"I want to ask you about a woman named Nerys Henye." He spoke up. Hell, before Benedict even spoke the last name, Sine's eyes widened. Where the hell was he learning all of this? The local family tree?!

"... Yes I know her. How did you know to ask me?" She was being very careful about this. Benedict glanced back at her, also just as careful.

"Well she's a relative of yours so it was pretty obvious."</sub>

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Reuben sat down as well, silent. Either way he didn't feel like eating or drinking anything; the conversation topic was making him a little nervous and he wasn't sure he would be able to hold anything down.

"..."

Ah, Nerys. He loved Nerys, like a sister. How in the world were Sine and Nerys related to each other? Nerys hadn't gotten it from her dad's side, and her mother was Sine's sister... what was the woman's name again? Secant? For some reason that came to his mind.

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<sub>Sine herself took a deep breath when Benedict spoke up. Okay, so he knew Nerys somehow, probably met her and... wait he met her! Sine's expression brightened up a bit. This meant she was alive and safe! She then smiled a bit, actually looking pleased for once.

"... She's alive?" She asked.

"Yes, she's alive. She's well. She's with Andy." He spoke up again. Sine held her gaze for a moment. How did Nerys manage this? She had no idea. Either way, it seems that Benedict knew her, and she smiled.

"Andy promised me that he would find her, and it seems that he actually did." Her face fell. "I tried to look for her too."

"... You did, huh?" Benedict seemed incredulous.

"I did, seriously. I did. Andy and I, we were both kids. We thought that... maybe she would be better off away from Dula, so we planned and snuck ehr out to a newlywed couple visiting. We hoped they would take care of here, give her a family that we couldn't." She explained. Benedict seemed to relax, though.</sub>