The Hardest Path

It had been a ridiculously busy twelve years for the Kagailas family. Rhiana thought back on the last decade and then some, taking a seat in her rarely used office in the Kagailas' main building. Once she'd given Liam his warning about Charity, it seemed her dear brother ahd shaped up just fine, becoming exactly the man that their father had always known he could be. Though he was long dead, Rhiana could still hear Michel's voice, giving her instructions and telling her of her place at her brother's side.

"Your brother Liam has a romantic's heart," Michel had said gently to her one quiet night, just before her twelfth birthday. "He's not like you and I. We are the ruthless ones. Heartless, when the situation calls for it. You, my daughter, must be Liam's strength. He has such potential." Michel stressed the word and paused, his gaze burning into his daughter's. This, Rhiana realized, was his passion. The family. And he wanted it to be her passion, too. Her life, as it was his. "Liam has the potential, yes," her father continued. "He can do amazing things for this family. Or, in one act of weakness, he can destroy it. Above all things, Rhiana, you must do what is right for this family. What you know is right, no matter how hard it is. Even if it hurts you. Even if it hurts him. Be willing to do anything and everything for this family, daughter, and we will succeed."

Rhiana grew up under those words, trained hard in combat and weaponry. Became the keeper of her father, mother, and brothers. Telin was content to have few responsibilities, doing what he wanted when he wanted to do it. As the youngest child, less was expected of him, and that was exactly how he wanted it. It never occured to Rhiana to ask her eldest brother if Michel had gifted him with a similar talk. From the incident twelve years ago, she guessed not. It still made her chest burn with sickening anger to think of how he'd wanted to throw the family away because of some slut he'd met on the street somewhere. Luckily for all of them, she'd put a stop to that.

The intercom in her office beeped and then crackled loudly, startling her out of her thoughts. "Hey, Rhi?" Liam's voice came from the small speaker box on her desk.

"Yeah? Do you need something?" Liam usually didn't call her, and the fact that he was now had Rhiana more nervous than she cared to admit. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong. Please come here." The machine crackled again, and Liam was gone.

Rhiana's office was only a minute away from Liam's, so in no time at all, she was slamming his door open in her usual way, a habit she'd probably never grow out of. Her brother, was seated behind the same mahogony desk he'd always used. With his fingers steepled and his eyebrow slightly raised, he looked every inch the cutthroat business man his father had hoped for. Time had treated him well, only a few stress lines in his forehead and around his mouth giving any clue of his age.

He didn't waste any time in explaining why he'd wanted to see her. "I've been reviewing the business of our aunt."

Rhiana ran through their family members in her head, sorting through the names and faces. "Aunt Laurel? The one who owns that classy brothel downtown?"

"Indeed. It has come to my attention that several of her workers are about to run out their contracts. This batch is getting a bit old, and while we should keep one or two of them, we'll need to get new workers in-" he glanced down to check the paperwork lying on his desk, "-A little over one year's time."

That left them with a year to do some light scouting, looking for talent and making various plans. "Alright, I'll look into it. I thought we weren't supposed to interfere much with Aunt Laurel's business. I mean, it's hers, and she's been running it well all these years."


"Things change. I've decided to take a more active interest in all the dealings in this city. And so much money changes hands at Laurel's establishment, I simply cannot afford to overlook it." He returned his attention to the paperwork, making it clear that she was dismissed. Ever since she'd threatened Charity, Liam had begun to treat his sister as if she was nothing better than a common employee.

Standing in awkward silence for a moment, Rhiana finally had to break it, saying the first thing that came to her mind. "How's your family, Liam?" Your family, not our family. Two days after he'd last been with Charity Tiergan, Liam had taken a wife, soon fathering twin sons. Rumor had it that after his wife had given birth to his heirs, Liam had never taken her to bed again. But what people cared about most, Rhiana included, was that Liam's marriage had given them a good amount of new territory, which they'd taken full advantage of.

"Marianne is fine, thank you. Stryker is doing well with his soccer, and Rourk made the science team." Pride shone in his eyes, and a ghost of a smile eased his face, made him look younger and somehow more alive.

"You love your sons very much, don't you?" Rhiana asked softly.

Looking down at his desk before his sister could see the lingering grief of the past in his eyes, Liam nodded. "They keep...they...they are my sons." But the unspoken part of that sentence hung heavy in the air between them. They keep me alive.

After that, the mood was even more strained and tense than before, so Rhiana felt it best to go. "I'll put in a call to Rhett and the guys, and have them be on the lookout for new workers. Call me if you need anything else." Liam nodded wordlessly, never looking up to see the concerned look in her eyes as she left.

The second the office door closed behind her, Rhiana was back in business mode, striding into her office and plopping down on the desk. If she could help it, she never sat in a chair, a fact that always bothered her all-too-proper mother. Happy now that she had something useful to do, Rhiana picked up the phone and started making calls.




A/N: There we have a little bit of insight as to what's been up with the Kagailas Peeps. I feel bad for Liam, and also for Rhiana. Michel made her the freaky family bitch she is today! Also, I'm struggling to get Telin more into this story! He'd be a fun guy, if I could get him in there. Anyway, soon we meet Rhett and the rest. I'm pretty sure any requests I take will be about them. And for the record, I'm taking requests.

Wynja! Dahling! I'm glad you're still with me on this story, bud. I'm kinda taking shots in the dark, here. Your input is valued. Uhmuhmuhm. But yeah, Charity's off the deep end. And kiddo is a prostitot. Buuuut, can you see where I'm going with this story? Tell me, can you see it? -Whistle.- >.>;