Capítulo 122: Beginning Of The Trial
"It will be a three-hour flight, I suggest you get some sleep, there is a bed at the back of the cabin," Joseph pointed the way.
"Thank you, Sir," Changying undid her seat belt and made her way to the rear of the plane seeing two bunks prepared for them. She noted that Joseph had turned his chair to watch her but made no move to follow her.
She closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep trying to block out the plane and everything that was happening to her. The past few nights with Wang and the several glasses of wine she had at the party helped her falling into a restless sleep, and she woke to find Joseph placing a heavy padded blanket over her and clicking it into unseen restraints.
"Sleep it is just a little turbulence he murmured and left her side. When next she woke the engines sounded loud and the plane touched down jolting her within the blanket cocoon that surrounded her. She lay where she was for long moments with her eyes closed feeling the last vestiges of sleep fall away and her anxiousness return.
She heard the pilots voice announce their arrival and the temperature in Canberra. At least, she knew where she was which was a bonus she hadn't expected considering the secrecy around this family.
"Ah good, you are awake," Joseph came to speak to her and undo the restraints that held her tightly to the bed. "It is only a short ride now to the place that will be your home for two weeks. I will be close by though you will more than likely not see me for the duration of your stay. I am impressed by your commitment to Wang, and I hope you keep that firmly in your mind during the trial they ask of you here."
"Yes, Sir," Changying replied woodenly her nervousness heightened by his words rather than soothed.
"I believe you more than capable of surprising even the cynical trainers here of your commitment to becoming part of the family," he smiled, "I am proud to be the one to introduce you to the family here as my future daughter."
"You may use the bathroom to freshen up if you wish, you have some time until we alight," he indicated a door behind them.
"Thank you, Sir," Changying smiled and stood to move towards the door. Joseph watched her go considering the girl's obvious anxiousness and her use of the word Sir. He would much rather she call him Papa as all of the children did but she had not earned that right yet. He was pleased that the Battaglia had been called on to see to her trial and felt a wave of protectiveness toward the young woman. He would not have wanted to be the one to turn her away if she had failed the trial.
Changying relieved her bladder and stood to look the mirror. She looked as tired as she felt and she rubbed her fingers over patches of her face trying to blend what was left of her makeup together and present a half decent face to her hosts. She laughed then imagining it to be like Chunhua's boot camp, hosts was probably not the right word here. She fixed her hair as best she could without a brush or comb and stepped back out into the cabin.
"Let's go and meet the Battaglia, you know of their table and the current leader from your research I assume?" Joseph said keeping his voice light and engaging her in conversation as they walked down to the waiting car.
"In all honesty, I have not looked into the other tables very much except the original table of twelve. I couldn't tell you much more than the names of any except the Donati," she said nervously.
"Ah then let me enlighten you as we travel," Joseph said with a smile holding her door open for her. Climbing in beside her he took her hand in his. "The Battaglia come from a long line of warriors and even now most of the men have military careers. Whereas in our family and I would say most of the other families rank and responsibility relies on age and experience, we hold to the views of the younger son succeeding to the chair. The Battaglia leaders are determined by promotion through a military type of regime."
"That's unusual from what I have read of about the family so far," Changying couldn't help her curiosity and turned to look at Joseph as he spoke.
"They are an unusual family, but fiercely loyal and the best of the best regarding military prowess. Even the women of this family are treated differently and given some form of responsibility if they show promise," Joseph chuckled.
"Surely there are many women who show promise in a whole range of ways," Changying said before stopping to think about to whom she has just spoken.
"Yes, you are right. There are many including my beautiful girls who bring great value to our families," he agreed. "The Battaglia run a facility for those who need help with addiction or other issues or concerns the family may have. Quite often the patients there may need the kinder gentler touch of a woman to help them recover. There was a beautiful young woman that was placed in the care of the men who ran the facility many years ago. Such was her power of persuasion and duplicity that she was able to come and go as she wished and to treat the facility like her personal palace and the Battaglia men as her servants. They struggled to regain their standing within the twelve after that flaw was discovered. The presence of both sexes in the facility has seen that such a thing would not happen again."
"I understand what you meant now," Changying gave a small nervous laugh. "I assume if I had any powers of persuasion, then they wouldn't help me then during this trial."
"Perhaps not but you have other qualities that will stand you in good stead," he squeezed her hand. "It is a trial, meant to test your loyalty and commitment to our family values. In my eyes, you have already done that by agreeing to this so willingly. They will see that as well."
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder