For one sweet, blessed day, Father had left the House, taking his disapproval, high expectations and whiny criticisms along with him. It had been a glorious day, a rare present which Gemini had taken advantage of to the highest degree, but alas, all good things come to their end, eventually. He did not greet Father as he returned home — hell, he wasn't even sure if he been in the House when he returned — but, through his own gossip grapevine, he had learned how Father had brought a guest home with him.
It's a real shame, he thought, when your information has to weave through the ears of a multitude of servants before it even bothered to reach the heir. As he sat at his vanity, his servant had told him the news, while painstakingly taking care to brush every lock of Gemini's purple hair perfectly into place. She's the heir to House Talii, is what they're saying, the servant gushed, his steady hands brushing Gemini's hair in front of his oversized mirror. All the way from Moonspear! It must've been quite a trip! They say she's here to befriend Lady Hearth.
Of course, the heir knew to take the servant's words with a grain of salt — but it would be nice to know the full story. Did he even have time to pursue it? Not really. It was quite early in the afternoon and it would be lovely if he could get out of the House before Father found him and realized how much money he had spent when he had left Fallial. He almost laughed to himself — that conversation was absolutely not going to be fun — but hopefully Father was busy with his own distractions to bother with his prodigal son today.
As he made his way through the House, that was when he noticed her — bright red eyes, bright red hair, definitely not someone on staff, by the way she dressed or looked. Ah, the guest, the other heir. He spun around, placing a hand on her shoulder — sorry, what's personal space, again? — and leaned down a little, to her level, considering he was somewhat taller than her.
"The heir of House Talii, correct?" he asked, removing his hand. He smirked a little, placing one hand on his hip.
"Or rather, the heir of House Talii who thought it would be completely acceptable not to introduce herself to the heir of House Stone. Honestly, I'm quite hurt it's taken me this long to finally see what you look like." She hadn't even been here that long, but that wasn't the point! "No matter! This wrong shall be rectified immediately." He held out his hand, meaning for her to grasp it. "Gemini Stone, my lady. It's a pleasure." He was grinning as he said it — that cocky, infallible, ceaseless grin.
The High Lord had probably warned her about him.