Judge and Jury

[Hoshi Icchihara]

Hoshi Koshiba and her siblings had to fill in for their father now. He had gone into hiding or maybe he just thought that the children could deal with matters on their own. Hoshi for one intended to keep tradition alive while putting her own spin on it. She also knew what Eden planned to do with the family if she got her hands on it. Hoshi would play her check and balance if she had to. Adjusting the strings around her stomach so that they didn't suck so much air out of here she crossed her legs. Hoshi was still as gothic as ever, something that seemed to make her be taken more seriously than if she had adopted a new more professional style. Then again one could be dark and professional at the same time.

This wasn't her council though. It was Lilith's. She had asked for a Family Council meeting meaning that this had to be something grave. Hoshi took the planner that Eden had given her and started to make notes on it so Eden would see how tight her time was. She was keeping two now. There was no reason for her sister to know everything that went on in her life. Some of the deals that she had been given possession of where her's and her's alone. Tohoru would be here too. It was about time she saw his face. With everything she said about him, she still missed her twin.

One dark boot started to tap on the floor as she waited for her siblings to show up. This was going to be quite a council. Hoshi could feel it. The only thing that that Hoshi was worried about was it becoming a spectacle as her governesses would have called it. She allowed herself a laugh. Not two years ago she would hope that it became a spectacle so that Eden would be embarrassed about it. It only showed how much a person could change.

 

[Lilith Patil]

Lilith entered the classroom in her Slytherin uniform. She had just come from Herbology and she could not be happier. Seeing her elder sister Hoshi, Lilith went to her and took a seat next to her. "Eden has been making contacts with the Russians and others but she is out of control once she and Tohoru is here I will explain." Lilith said as she smoothed her skirt down and bit her lip. She had not thought Hoshi would go for a meeting but she had thank heavens.

"There is also something else we need to discuss. I want proper marriage for me. I have no wish to fight for power like you three I want a family and love." Lilith said with a giggle. She could not believe she had said that. A Koshiba wanting love? What would Lilith want next? A fairy godmother?

 

[Tohoru Koshiba]

Tohoru glided into the room. It had been months since it had graced his sisters with his presence. But who could blame him. He had been busy breaking up with that Vanessa girl. He had better things to do. What where those things? Well everyone was about to find out. Walking over to Lilith and ruffleing her hair before flopping into the chair on Hoshi's right hand side. Lightly tossing an arm around Hoshi's shoulders Tohoru gave his older sister a soft kiss on the cheek. "Come out, come out where ever you are." Tohoru said with a laugh.

Taking out his wand he waved it around until a soft arm chair was placed in the center of the room. "So where is the little minx?" Tohoru said in a lazy voice. He could remember the very day he had met her and fallen in love. What had happened? Wait thats right they where never ment to be. He could see that now. He should have listened to the wise women but he didn't want to. He wanted her to be wrong but she had been right now to tell his sister.

 

[Hoshi Icchihara]

Tohoru never failed to entertain her. Hoshi laughed graciously as she was expected to but there was an honest sparkle in her deep brown eyes. She turned back to her sister who was asking some rather bold things. "Lilith dear you will have a proper marriage but that does not mean that we must not arrange for this. I have meeting between two very prominent sons of the Families. You will be able to choose from which one will have your had in marriage. Eden had insisted that you be forced to marry whoever had the most money but I see that as a fault. Anyway their assets are the same." She said with a sigh. It was true she had ran their numbers and they had come up somewhat the same. It gave Hoshi a most challenging headache but she bore it.

"Eden will be here soon. It is her personal life that we are here to discuss is it not Lilith?" She asked with a smile at her sister. This was the way the Family was meant to be. A collaboration of all it's members not a race to the top where one bits the others hand. The more people saw this the more control they would have over Wizarding Japan. This was what Hoshi was trying to achieve. "For now make yourself comfortable. The house elves will bring us tea in a bit." She said again smiling beautifully.

 

[Lilith Patil]

Lilith could not clap when Tohoru came into the room. He could always bring a smile to Hoshi's face. "Gee Tohoru I wonder who needs to come out." Lilith said with a coy voice. She knew all about Tohoru's dirty little secret and he knew about hers the question was who would come out first? "Do I get to meet them? Can I meet them or do you and Eden get to decide? If I can't pick than give me the one that is more sunshine than rain." Lilith said thoughtfully.

Thinking about what Hoshi had said Lilith took her fingers to her lips and acted as if she was zipping them. "All will be made known once sweet Eden is here." Lilith said with a giggle. Seeing a house elf come in Lilith wanted to jump up to help them but realizing that she was now a Koshiba with status Lilith kept her seat.

 

[Tohoru Koshiba]

Tohoru coughed. "How about this Lilith I will come out if you come out." Tohoru said all laughter gone from his voice. "Hoshi what do you think Lilith's chances of finding a mate if she is found out to prefer the touch of a women? With me I can just place a bag on there head and do what I have to do until there is a Koshiba male but Lilith its a bit harder." Tohoru said with a lazy smile.

Watching as the elf place tea in front of them he noticed there was only three not four. "So Eden has gone the way of father no one but her makes her tea." Sniffing his tea he looked at the other two cups. "Well if my nose does not lie than I say Eden shall be walking in that door any moment." Tohoru said as he took a drink of tea.

 

[Eden Silverback]

Eden was in fact just in fact walking in the door when Tohoru was mentioning her. "Yep I am here so whats up." Eden said as she let herself fall gracefully into the chair. Her faithful pet Judas was wrapped around her wrist. Hissing as her back hit the chair Eden would need to see the nurse that she could be patched up. "So my lovelies what did you need me for?" Eden young seer said in her dreamy voice.

Eden opened her bag and pulled out her planner. "The Russians are now paying us double than what they used to be." Eden said with a smile on her face. She had saved the life of the guys only daughter. "They would be willing to pay more if they could be part of the Koshiba family." Eden said looking at Tohoru. It was time he did his part for the family.

 

[Hoshi Icchihara]

"Now would be an interesting quarry but I'm sure that there could be a way around it. There always is. And when it comes to sexuality no one dares question a Koshiba anyway. Not if they hope to live much longer. You'd be surprised how many people have death wishes." Hoshi said looking at her brother meaningful. Tohoru wasn't deadly by any means but he could use the Koshiba name well. "Like I said Lili-chan you get to choose your husband. You have a luncheon with Kayoya Marimoto next Brightstone." She said with a graceful smile. She called up the public agenda just to make sure. It had been set up the way she had wanted it to be to she sent it away. "Good choice little sister, there's not reason for a woman of your stature to get up." She said kindly.

At the comment about Eden's choices in beverage Hosh sighed. "Paranoid, paranoid to a fault. I don't think that my servant makes it any better. Her fascination with poisons is enough to put anyone on edge. No one believes when I say I'm under complete control of her." She said but they she would understand why Eden would not want to trust a lot of the things that people put in front of her. Hoshi counted every gallion that came into the Koshiba vaults herself to make sure they hadn't been cheated. Woe to those who try. Speaking of her seemed to have summoned the very person they where talking about into the room.

Eden, as beautiful and dangerous as every, came in and took her seat. "I don't doubt it. I don't think that Tohoru-kun would want to be seen with her though. The girl is unfortunate to be kind." She said remembering their contact's daughter. She was a kind girl, brilliant but one could not call her a great beauty. No Koshiba males where known to have only the most beautiful at their arms, even if it was only to give them fashion tips. "I have reseaved reports on your other ventures and they seem to be doing well too. On the surface but I trust that our last talk had made the point I wanted to get across clear." She said putting her fingertips together in front of her. Hoshi had to wait for the charms to settle before she could drink anything herself but she more than welcomed the others to partake.

Hoshi looked at the grand female that was her sister by law and smiled. "This isn't my affair though, this is Lilith's. She asked me to call the family together in absence of our father. As she wished I have called Council. Lilith if you would so kind as to explain why we are here." She said leaning back and recrossing her legs. Her day was a busy one but she had made room for her family. She was always this way. The Family came before anything.

 

[Lilith Patil]

Lilith looked to her older sister and smile a true smile before turning to Tohoru and sticking her tongue out at him. "See Tohoru you can go and kiss your boys as long as you make boys for the Koshiba family." Lilith said with a grin. Opening up her own planner Lilith looked at it for a moment. "As long as they understand I have school and that comes first." Lilith said as she flipped pages.

Ignoring the back and forth between Hoshi and Tohoru about drinks and such Lilith took a drink from the tea and placed it to the side. "Nope still don't have a taste for it. I want a soda one of the ones from home please." Lilith told the house elf. "I don't know how you guys drink this stuff it tastes like hot water with a bit of flavor give me sugar and lots of it." Lilith said with a giggle.

Lilith watched as her Eden walked in. There was just something about her that made you stop and stare. "Ewwwie that girl is just gross if Tohoru is going to be stuck in a loveless marriage at least give him a pretty girl." Lilith tapped her fingers on the table. She was tired of playing nice. As soon as Hoshi turned the meeting over to her. Lilith snapped her planner shut and looked Eden dead in the eye.

"I will cut to the point. You are no longer a virgin. You slept with Selwin Snape the night you two became engaged. You went to a healer a day later to try and hide it. The family would have been willing to ignore it if not for what you did a few days ago." Lilith stopped talking to take a sip from her soda and get her thoughts in order. "We have information from a source that you where seen with Alexander Le'Creigh in the Silver Snake. You slept with him as well and you have bite marks on your back to prove it." Lilith said her voice going cold and heartless.

 

[Tohoru Koshiba]

Tohoru looked at his sisters. "I will marry into one of the warrior families. I can defend myself and my own but I would prefer to play around and enjoy my time. You know maybe go help mother run the shop and watch Zoom grow up." Tohoru said with a grin. "So my dear Hoshi here we are talking about a husband for Lili a wife for me. What about you? Who will claim your heart?" Tohoru asked truly wondering if anyone could capture Hoshi.

Watching as Eden walk in Tohoru felt his palms start to sweat. She still had a hold on him. Taking a long drink from his tea Tohoru had to put his cup down fast when Lilith started speaking. "No thats a lie. No one would deflower a Koshiba girl before there married." Tohoru said anger in his voice. He was going to find Selwin and murder him. That was all there was to it. "Well I think I am going to have Selwin's head on a platter anyone care to join me?" Tohoru said as he punched the table.

Looking at Eden for a moment Tohoru shook his head. "What where you thinking? That you couldn't be touched cause your the golden child? Wrong we come down on you 100 times harder. If father was to find out he would murder you." Looking at his older sister Tohoru bit his lip. "Hoshi how do we fix this? She can't stay with Selwin thats for sure. He's a no one compared to the Silverback's" Tohoru put his head in his hands. Now he knew why his father was taking a break from it all. It was all just to much.

 

[Hoshi Icchihara]

Hoshi smiled very regally now. "Well I have been betrothed to Kimihiro Icchihara since I was born and now we plan on continuing what was almost unraveled by my little rebellion. He is mine and mine alone." She said with a wide smile one her face. No one would dare cheat on her. Hoshi was kind with her words and some actions but when it came to things like sleeping around Hoshi would be most harsh about it. Not that she expected to keep Kimihiro for very long. Hoshi already had his 'accident' all planned out. Also the crocodile tears that she was going to shed at his finaral were going to be most convincing. That wouldn't be until later on though.

Hoshi looked at Lilith sternly. It was then that she knew she was born to do this kind of work. "Sources?" She asked with her hand out. It all came down to paper and this was no exception. The documents from the guards that talked to all of them came to her in an instant. Her eyes flickered across the pages then she looked up at Eden. "You have made a grave mistake my sister." She said her voice even. She heard her brother's rant about taking Selwin's head and Hoshi chuckled a bit. "Execution would be ideal, and traditional, but he is not of the Families even though he is pure. No Selwin will get a scare though. I know just the two that will do this for us too. His beating needs to send the message that the Koshiba daughters are not to be messed around with." She said thinking about it.

Killing Selwin wouldn't be ideal in the fact that hiding the death of someone that was not in the Families would be complicated to say the least. Hoshi nodded to the next part. "No she can't stay with the shopkeeper death eater that's for sure." She said with a sigh. "Alexander Le'Creigh is worthy on all accounts. Stay with him and blessings shall be granted but Selwin is to be removed from the picture one way or the other in accordance to the laws of the Families." Hoshi said putting the papers away and looking at Eden with harsh intent. There was no emotion in that proselin face. "Brake up with him or kill him is up to you but if at the end of two months he is Selwin Snape is still around you the matter will be taken out of you hands." She said then looked around. "As approved by the First Daughter." She said. She needed approval from the other two for the orders to be sealed and made to be carried out. The word of their father would dissolve it of course but he wasn't around to do it.

 

[Eden Silverback]

Eden could care less about who Hoshi or Lilith or any of them where going to marry. None of them where important to her. She loved her family but when it came down to it she was the princess of the family if she was unhappy than everyone was unhappy. Petting Judas gently Eden glared at Lilith as she spilled all of her secrets. "So I guess the cat is out of the bag than I guess." Eden said with a smirk on her face. She could not be angry at Lilith, Eden should have known better but she could not help it that night with Alex/Luxen was something that you would have to be insane to pass up.

Watching as Lilith handed over the sources. "I will be needing to see those as well. I am first born as well. You can not vote that away from me and both mother and father would have to agree to it." Eden said her arms crossed under her chest. Judas now resting on her shoulder fangs out ready to strike. Hearing Tohoru speak of taking Selwin's head made Eden want to throw up. "You will not touch him or I swear Tohtoh I will see that was a smite against me." Did Eden love Selwin? The answer was she did not know but she could not let him die.

Eden got to her feet and looked at Hoshi. "How can you tell me who I can and can not be with? How dare you? It was I who saved your life." Eden felt her hands start to shake. She couldn't stand the thought of losing Selwin. "He stays in the picture. He is Zoom's godfather. I am her protector." Eden said with a laugh. Eden started to pace how could this happen? No she was not going to go down like this. "I can have my play toys. Father has his. What makes him different?" Eden all but screamed. She hated to lose.

 

[Tohoru Koshiba]

Tohoru rolled his eyes at the words of Hoshi. "Really that nerd? Hoshi there are boys with better looks that is for sure." Tohoru said with a grin. He had found this out first hand. "What do you think of marrying a guy? You think I would be murdered where I stand? I think I would but it would be fun to try and see. Maybe give mom a few gray hairs." Tohoru said with a grin.

Tohoru looked at Eden for a moment. "You are something else my love. If we wanted we could push a vote and force you into a marriage to a family with a lot of money in the middle of no where and you would not be able to stop it." Tohoru said his voice going cold. Not really listening as Eden went on about Selwin. "Eden I would shut that pretty mouth of yours while shutting it would save your skin. You are first born and whatever other titles mother and father gave you but if they found out your sleeping around you would wish for death." Tohoru said his going low with anger. How had he dated this girl or any girl? They where all insane.

Tohoru felt his blood start to boil when Eden got to her feet. Jumping to his feet and standing closer to Eden, Tohoru started to shake as he yelled. "You will watch your tone with Hoshi if you had not saved her I would have. Don't ever doubt that. She is my other half if anything happens to her it would cut me all the more deeper than it ever would you." Tohoru realized now why father always dated women that where bred to be wifes without brains. "Now I get why father is gone he does not want to deal with you females nagging I swear I am never getting married to a girl who talks as much as you." Tohoru said as he sat back down and finished his tea.

 

[Lilith Patil]

Lilith could not believe how out of hand this was getting. "ENOUGH! Eden sit down and shut your mouth. Tohoru don't you stand up again. Hoshi just erm continue to sit there I guess." Lilith rubbed her head with her fingers. "I understand that this shopkeeper is Zoom's godfather but you do not have to be in contact with him. As a matter of fact you have until the end of next Brightstone weekend to do as Hoshi said. You will not have contact with him until you are married to someone of the family's choosing or of the choice of Lolita Silverback."

Lilith finally took her seat once more. "Now as for the sources you will be given a copy once this matter at hand is closed. You know once it is closed you will not be allowed to go after them for this. If we find you do it will mean death to Selwin." Lilith took a drink from her soda and sat it down hard. She could not believe that Eden was becoming so out of control. "I would like to put to vote that she spends more times with the family seer's she is going the way of the other seer that walked these halls what was her name? Bazuka? Anyways we can not have her sleeping with every guy that comes her way." Lilith said as she closed her book

Bitting her lip Lilith tried to think of what she was missing. She knew it was something important. "O father has his play things because he has Tohoru and Hoshi and us. You do not have a proper husband so you can not be taking chances bringing a child into the would that will not be accepted by the other families. You are single handedly trying to start a civil war and we will not stand for it." Lilith said softly as she looked at the girl who was her older sister and someone she didn't even know anymore.

 

[Hoshi Icchihara]

Emotions where running high but Hoshi was as calm as ever. Her face remanied the cool mask of imparcial judgment that she had been told she would have to ware one day. Funny enough it fit well. "Selwen has a place in our family as Zoom's godfather as Lilith said. The terms that she has placed are there are well. It seems that the desicion has been approved by all of the menbers of Council." She said looking around. What they where saying made her believe that the course of action had to be taken. Hoshi was not taking anyone's side but the Famly's. If Eden had a child outside the vows of a wife that child would instantly earn the title Slaveborn without a care for the statuse of the mother or father. The life of a Slaveborn was not one that Eden would want for someone that came from her bloodline.

When Lilith sat down Hoshi reached over and put her hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "We must learn to take control of our emotions. When anger is hot, it is wild, when anger is cold is is a wepon." She said quoting an old saying that her nannies would tell her whenever she lost her temper. It was meant to teach her to a cold, calculating woman. "As for our sister's Seer status I think it is only natural that she start training under Oracle'a Guild which should be about six strong at this time. With the addition of Eden that should make it a perfect seven. The only problem is that the island in which the Guild is set up is remote, beyond remote and." Hoshi stoped to look at Eden now hoping to get this across. "If it is decided that you are to be sent there you will be allowed to take no clothes or or anything else that you might think you'll need. They provide you with a robe and food but nothing else. Living there will be simple. Do you understand the waight of this training?" She asked looking at her co-first with hard eyes.

Hoshi shook her head at the last part Lilith said. "No Lilith-chan, if this is allowed to go unchecked Eden will have, on her own unravaled the Four Families. Japan has had then as long as there has been governmant in Japan. The Emperor would not know what to do without it's Shadow and Wizarding Japan would fall into chaos. The Four Families keep the Underground from spiraling out of control while keeping the genaral public out of places that it not be in. Think a little everyone. This is not an attack on Eden herself. If what is said here does not go adheared to more that her dishoner is at stake." Hoshi said with her hands on her lap. "Our decition can only be desolved by Mother and Father together as the rulling power in Council I seal the matter of Salwen." She said making it sound very much like it's not up for discussion anymore. "As for what to do about your recent behavore. It is really up to you. I have made my suggestion."

 

[Eden Silverback]

Eden stayed standing. Walking along the table looking each person in the eye a long moment. Eden returned to her chair to touch the back of it. "Mark my words. I will break up with Selwin but I will it on my terms. Not on your terms and if you force my hand I will murder you all." Eden said her voice soft and cold. "You wanted me a empty on the inside you got it, but it does not come without a price."

"I will not be going to a far away island for seers that will never happen. You try and send me there you will regret it." Eden did not try and hide her tears. For the longest time she had ruled her family but they had gone to far now. She would be contacting father just as soon as she could. He would know what they had done and they would pay for hurting his princess.

"I am leaving now and you will give me space. Anyone follows will end up in the hospital wing. I will not show you mercy." Eden said as she turned on her heel and walked out of the room.