man in the high castle (goyle)

[Deleted]

"Lilith, you need to settle down. You're getting old, and you need to pass on the pureblood line."
"Actually mum, I'm not even twenty five and people have children well into their forties so I think I'm fine."
"Your father was thinking of arranging something between yourself and his cousin's wife's brother. He's single and wealthy..."
"Er, and like fifty, no thanks."
"Well, if you can't find someone soon we will have to sort out something."
"What if I want to marry for love?"
"Then fall in love soon."

After this conversation, Lilith left her family home stewing. She knew she would never meet someone like Josie again, nor did she really want to. It still pained her to think of her, so she tried to keep it out of her mind as much as possible. As long as she could lose herself in her books, Lilith would be fine. But as her mother had so kindly reminded her, there were expectations laden upon her. Perhaps she hadn't joined St Mungo's or the ministry as her parents had wished. She had carved her own path in that way. But Lilith had a nasty feeling her mother wouldn't let her remain unmarried for long.

Lilith got thinking, how could she pull the wool over her mothers eyes and remain unattached? She had spent quite a long time thinking, perusing her memory and watching people from behind her books in various bars and pubs. She pegged one man in particular who was finely dressed and didn't seem as if he was too interested in any long term sort of involvement. Lilith spoke with him briefly before suggesting they meet up in Bristol. If things went well, Lilith could bring him home to meet her mother in nearby Bath. If not, well Bristol was quite a large city in itself.

At the appointed time, Lilith was waiting outside the castle. It was the most recognisable point in the city. She was a bit nervous about the upcoming proposition, but as long as it would make her mother happy, she could live in peace.

tag: renard walt goyle

[renard walt goyle]

@lilith

10.XX.2024

Renard had decided to humor himself today. The attractive blonde woman that had approached him a few days earlier had propositioned a second meeting as their initial conversation came to a close. Typically he would have said that he couldn’t make it – Renard had a plethora of excuses and better things he could be doing anyways. For whatever reason, he agreed to see her again. There had been other occasions like this over the last few years though they were rare and usually brought about nothing. He always drove them away in the end, whether it was his personality or the beliefs he had concerning the current state of the Ministry and his job. The finer details of his quest to change demi-human law, and the reactions that it elicited, was the first wall women had to get through. Changing his drive just to get locked into a committed relationship was silly. He’d much prefer being in Azkaban than do that. Most of his money was already in a constant flowing state, going from his paycheck, into his bank account, and then gambled away at the casino without a second thought. Having to worry about supporting a second person wasn’t exactly his idea of living life when he could barely keep his own money long enough to pay rent without having to dip into his trust fund.

Still, he went to Bristol as if he had actually given it serious thought. More than anything he was curious. Curious about what this one saw in him and what she wanted from him. Because that was how everyone was, wasn’t it? Renard wanted creature laws to change so that he could get more criminal activity and have some sort of action in the field. Right now it was dead. Usually he was stuck trapping ghouls or removing boggarts. That was what the job wanted out of him, unfortunately, and today he was going to find out what the blonde wanted.

She was already standing at the designated meeting point when Renard turned the final corner and began making his approach. The cigarette that he had been impatiently puffing on for the last few minutes had dwindled in size, enough so that he didn’t feel bad stamping it out. Barely smoked cigarettes were one of his biggest peeves, accompanied by unfinished drinks at the bar and losing a game of Blackjack by coming up just short. Suffice to say, he wasn’t sore that he had to put the smoke out, jamming his hands into his coat pockets as he walked up to the blonde. “Morning,” Renard greeted her, shifting his shoulders enough so that the neck of his jacket would keep his exposed neck safe from the nip of breeze floating through the air. Hopefully they wouldn’t be outside for too long.

[Deleted]

Lilith was still disconcerted over the whole conversation with her family regarding her love like. She knew that they were the sort, but she couldn't be bothered with that sort of nonsense. After all, there wasn't anyone in the world like Josie. She had been such a ray of light, and Lilith missed her dearly. Even though time had healed the worst of the wounds, if anything was going to come about of the romantic sorts, it would come naturally and not because her family had forced her. So to buy herself more time, Lilith devised what she considered to be a very clever plan.

Standing outside the Bristol castle, Lilith looked up as she was addressed. The faint smell of tobacco hung around him, a haughty look on his face. She smirked. Though Lilith didn't know Renard very well, she knew he worked for the Ministry, was a pureblood, and was rich. For her parents, he would fit the bill. For Lilith, she wondered if she would be able to tolerate him for more than an hour at a time. "Hello, Renard," said Lilith, appraising him. He was younger than him, but still handsome at the very least.

Lilith crossed, then promptly uncrossed her arms. "Shall we walk?" asked Lilith, wanting to get out of the cold. "Thank you for meeting me," she added after a moment. Though Lilith had the grand plan sorted out in her head, it was the finer details she was starting to worry about more. Like, what could she offer Renard? She wasn't fantastic company, just pretty. He would give her respite from her family. Hopefully they could come to a sort of agreement in the end.

"So, I've asked you here because well... honestly my parents are driving me mad trying to marry me off to fifty year old geezers and that's just not on. So I thought maybe we could come to an agreement and you can help me and I can help you," said Lilith very quickly.

tag: renard walt goyle

[renard walt goyle]

@lilith

10.XX.2024

Renard nodded his hello back to Lilith, an additional nod agreeing that they could walk and talk. He was slightly peeved that they were going to be doing whatever this was outdoors; if this was to be considered a date of sorts, he expected they would eventually end up at a coffee shop or restaurant. That was the least Lilith could do after dragging him all the way out here. London was more his atmosphere while Bristol gave off a small town feel. “Of course,” he responded to her thanks. What else was he supposed to say? Assuming she was going to get to the point and clear up exactly what their meeting here was supposed to accomplish. He had to keep reminding himself that this was purely for his own entertainment, nothing more.

And then she had at it. A litany of words he had to listen to, about how her family was begging her to get hitched to an old codger, and that maybe she could work some sort of deal out with him to take that place. Renard stopped walking and stared at the back of her head. Either this was the worst attempt at a proposal ever or she was actually serious about trying to fool two pureblooded families into believing that they were actually a thing. His parents were definitely stupid enough to buy into it but he didn’t know about Lilith’s. Mulling it over again, Renard didn’t know what to say. She didn’t really have anything he wanted and he hated to be used like an object, which is basically what she was suggesting. “You’re going to have to come up with a more compelling reason than just helping me,” he said plainly, reaching into his pocket to retrieve his lighter and cigarettes.

Stuffing a fresh smoke between his lips and lighting it, Renard sucked in the smoke, letting it billow out of his mouth slowly. “I want to know why I should do this. It’s an interesting proposition, but I can say I’m going to marry any random girl and my parents will believe it. Any ideas?” Lilith needed to work for this. He wanted to see her squirm until she came up with something good enough for him.

[Deleted]

The reason Lilith had asked Renard here came spilling from her lips in a stream of words. She hated herself for her unrefined speech, for the slight desperate edge to her voice. She hated to sound weak, but she had put herself in exactly that position. Renard held the position of power, the ability to accept or deny her terms. Admittedly, they weren't the best terms. But he had agreed to meet her in the first place, and he must have had some sort of inkling as to what she would propose to her.

For Renard to flat out reject her proposal gave Lilith pause. She stared at him for a moment, chewing on the inside of her cheek. She didn't want to feel this way. She was not some meek, scared little girl but a trained curse breaker. She had gotten herself into and out of far worse situations than this. Lilith straightened, mulling over how she would respond. "Well, if any random girl would have done I wouldn't be standing here," she replied at last, keeping her eyes on Renard whilst the smoke from his cigarette dissipated around them. "I'm not some random girl. I'm a well respected curse breaker within the Gringotts community, from a long line of Dutch purebloods who have no more taste in consorts than they did fashion in the turn of the century," she added. "And if you decline, which you are more than welcome to do, I will find someone else much more willing to help me who will benefit from my company and my status."

It wasn't much of a rebuttal, but Lilith had already played her cards by seeking out Renard in the first place. But all that she said was true- if she was refused, she would find someone else. Renard had been her first choice as his family was well situated within the British pureblood society. She could connect him with the further world, if he so desired. She held his gaze, feeling perhaps a touch more nervous than she should have in this situation.

tag: renard walt goyle
ooc: look.... sorry I took so long to reply to this. If you want to do a quick yay or nay response you can and we can either pick up in the present or not depending how you feel

[renard walt goyle]

@lilith

10.XX.2024

Why was she making it sound like he needed her more than she needed him? The only reason Renard would follow through with this would be for his own enjoyment. He didn’t really care if there was anything in it for him, as long as it didn’t hurt any of his prospects in the future. Having another pureblood family talking behind his back because he broke it off with their daughter would be a nuisance, considering. If there happened to be something in it for him though, then that would be something else altogether. But again, that was up to Lilith. He wasn’t in the position to make demands, and from the sound of it, she wanted him to act as a sort of sugar daddy in order to put up a false front to her family.

Taking another puff on his cig, he listened to explain that she wasn’t one of the ‘random girls’ he had mentioned, but a professional (obviously in need of assistance) that could help him move up in the world. He, of course, was replaceable, which didn’t help her case in the slightest. “How far are you intending to take this? The wedding day? Three kids in? Until mummy and daddy are cozy in their coffins? Those are the sorts of answers I need to know before making a decision, because I’m not going to go waste half of my life for a sham. I have no problem acting the part, but for how long?” Because, if he were to be honest, it was still interesting, pulling the wool over people’s eyes. His stupid parents would probably be willing to forward more of his trust fund, and he wouldn’t be limited socially at all, even with Lilith supposedly attached to him. If she was telling the truth and could have him move up in the world, then there was no reason to turn it down.

[We can end this here and time jump it to present IC if you want! New thread or a time change under here works]