For a while, Ari wasn't certain Darrow was going to say anything at all. As the awkward pause lingered, Ari let his gaze drift innocently to his youngest sister, who was perhaps the only person in the room who might have some idea of what was going on. Zelda twitched her eyebrow at him. Ari pretended not to see it.
And then Darrow came out with it, what he wanted to say. No niceties, no bluster, straight to their father, never mind the audience, just - he wanted to court her.
He was almost happy for Zelda, for a moment. Almost impressed at Darrow, evidently trying to do things right. And not that Brannon Fisk was so desperate for his daughters to marry that he would say yes to the first scruffy stranger who inexplicably waltzed in to offer their hand anyway, but... oh, their father didn't know the half of it.
He almost expected their father to laugh Darrow right out of the room, but amidst the stunned silence of the room (how many of them presumed this an elaborate joke?), Ari cleared his throat, supposed he ought to lay things out a little. Civilly. "Everyone, this is Captain Darrow," he said, every cell he possessed concentrated on keeping a straight face, and trying to resist shooting his father a look to see Brannon's reaction to Captain. "The explorer," he added helpfully. To give the family enough time to digest this insanity, Ari turned briefly to their guest again and offered a conversational aside, as though he wasn't waiting on some response to could he court Zelda. "Did you ever discover if that island of yours was Avalon?" (Avalon! Brannon would love that.)
And then Darrow came out with it, what he wanted to say. No niceties, no bluster, straight to their father, never mind the audience, just - he wanted to court her.
He was almost happy for Zelda, for a moment. Almost impressed at Darrow, evidently trying to do things right. And not that Brannon Fisk was so desperate for his daughters to marry that he would say yes to the first scruffy stranger who inexplicably waltzed in to offer their hand anyway, but... oh, their father didn't know the half of it.
He almost expected their father to laugh Darrow right out of the room, but amidst the stunned silence of the room (how many of them presumed this an elaborate joke?), Ari cleared his throat, supposed he ought to lay things out a little. Civilly. "Everyone, this is Captain Darrow," he said, every cell he possessed concentrated on keeping a straight face, and trying to resist shooting his father a look to see Brannon's reaction to Captain. "The explorer," he added helpfully. To give the family enough time to digest this insanity, Ari turned briefly to their guest again and offered a conversational aside, as though he wasn't waiting on some response to could he court Zelda. "Did you ever discover if that island of yours was Avalon?" (Avalon! Brannon would love that.)
