Chapter 40: Honesty; Honestly

Having just aged into a Young Adult you could say life was not much different for Zephyr Mars. She still lived alone and consequently spent most of her time by herself, and really it was just the way she liked it. But choice in this matter wasn't always left in Zephyr's hands, because although you can choose your friends, you can't choose your family...



Any guesses as to who this lovely young lady is? She definitely takes after her dad I reckons...



Yes it is indeed the Blaze/Bronx kid, otherwise known as Freya FuryRed.



So Freya here is still living with her mother Blaze and her two younger sisters. She has a bunch of traits that I've completely forgotten (sorreh!) and she enjoys busting some mean moves, just like her ma XD



When she wasn't being visited by random family members, Zephyr's main hobby was of course questing after the logic skill. Her lifetime want was to be a chess grand master and complete the logic skill, or something like that, so she began to take part in a number of chess matches.



As a Loner Zeph was pretty happy being isolated from the general community, but soon a change would be coming. By now Zephyr was employed in the medical career, and naturally this meant time spent meeting new coworkers.



This here is Ruby Weston, and she's Zephyr's boss XD



From the moment she first met Ruby, Zephyr immediately felt at ease. Relationships with others in the past had been somewhat difficult, what with her brother being a meanie and her mother getting murdered and all, but in this case it was different.



Ruby was kind and thoughtful, and she understood Zephyr in spite of her timidness. Though shy at first, through several phone calls and meetings Zephyr began to relax, and in time the two women became best friends.



It was good for Zephyr really- she was so secluded she did everything for herself, from cleaning to repairing broken items. Naturally this made me somewhat nervous, considering what happened to Crimson and Blaze in the past... But eventually Zeph was persuaded to at least hire some help.



As time went on Zephyr's career in the medical profession went well and she progressed to level 4 in a relatively short time.



Her plans for world chess domination were also progressing nicely, and she regularly took on others and beat them. One opponent was in fact her father Bronx... she kicked his assets.



When she wasn't chessing it up, evenings were spent in the company of a select few family and friends... but maybe Zephyr's choice wasn't selective enough...

Whilst having a visit from Ruby and Zenith, all of a sudden Ruby started flirting with Zeph : o



As Ruby gazed at Zephyr in admiration something strange began to happen. Zephyr had never had any romantic interaction before, none at all, but she felt certain this first flush was how it was meant to be. She felt warm, giddy, and vulnerable, but in all it was a pleasant sensation. In truth, Ruby looking at her like this just made her feel... happy.

Unfortunately for so many members of the Mars household, true happiness is often short-lived.



After Ruby was gone Zephyr, still abuzz with sweet simple joy, turned to her brother Zenith to share her thoughts. Unfortunately for Zephyr, Zen had a number of his own notions to express...
At first he was just spiteful. He laughed at her- he said she was stupid for carrying on with another woman like that, he made her feel foolish.



Not long after it turned nasty. He told her she was disgusting. He told her she should find herself a husband like normal girls do. He told her he was ashamed of her, and that he thought their dad would be too. Worst of all, he told her that it was a good thing her mother was dead so she wouldn't have to see her only daughter behave this way.



On hearing the cruel words spill from Zenith's lips like venom Zephyr felt destroyed. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have thought that the bond between her and Ruby could ever be anything more? She realised now that she was mistaken- that love should be between a man and a woman and nothing else. She realised that she was wrong; so wrong.

Poisoned by her brother's prejudice, Zephyr could not see the light.



When she next saw Ruby, Zephyr was withdrawn and subdued. It was like the past few weeks had never happened and she was back to the fragile distraught shell she had been before, and Ruby couldn't understand what had happened. What she did know though was that it would be best to ignore the questions pressing into her mind and just be there for her friend.



Ruby wrapped her arms around Zephyr and pulled her into a hug. She held her close and told her everything was going to be okay.



It wasn't okay though. Something bright in Zephyr had died, and a darkness had taken it's place. She was confused and hurt, and she had so many questions that she didn't know how to ask. Most of all, she just wanted her mother.



When the weekend arrived Zephyr tried her best to put on a brave face. Under insistence from Freya and others who wanted to see Zeph open up she decided to hold a little garden party.



At first she was nervous- being around crowds of people really wasn't Zephyr's thing- but she tried her best to relax. The situation was about to get a little more uncomfortable for Zeph though as Ruby said she had someone to introduce her to.



As Zephyr was introduced to Axel Weston she felt her whole body tense up. Ruby's brother was definitely impressive but he made Zeph feel nervous, and as she avoided his eyes she had the terrifying but compelling thought that his hands could either make her or break her.



He asked her to dance and she reluctantly agreed, and as he span her round on the dancefloor Zephyr began to lament the exposure of her bathing suit as she felt Axel's eyes on her.



As the sun began to set the party-goers gathered for some food, and Zephyr felt a bit better about spending time with others.



Maybe it could be a good thing being social, Zephyr thought as she spent her night by the fire pit. She felt the weight of the expectations of others pressing down on her, molding and shaping her actions, and she knew they wanted her to change.



Her marshmallow caught on fire, and she tried not to see it as a bad omen.



The following morning Zephyr was surprised to receive a phone call from Axel asking her out on a date. She was so startled by the fact that someone was taking an interest in her that she said yes, even though her stomach flipped at the prospect.



When the time for the date came Zephyr greeted Axel with a formal handshake, and winced at the pressure of his grasp on her.



They went to a restaurant for dinner and Zephyr attempted to quiet her churning stomach with some food, whereas Axel just couldn't keep his eyes off of her.



Afterwards they went for a walk on the beach together.



And as the sun gradually began to lower in the background Axel walked Zephyr home. She thanked him for a pleasant evening, and he pulled her towards him.



That day, Zephyr had her very first kiss.



In the days that followed Zephyr saw Axel for another few dates, and she continued to spend her freetime with Ruby.



The girls remained as close as ever, despite trepidation on Zephyr's part over what had happened before, and Ruby often stayed over at the flat.



Axel continued to pursue Zephyr in spite of her shyness, and in time they were officially a couple.
As you can see he was given a nice new haircut too... now he really reminds me of Till from Rammstein in the Feuer Frei video >_<



Zephyr had never been comfortable with who she was, in fact she had never really known for sure, so in her relationships she found herself just trying to be what she thought others wanted her to be.



In the case of her relationship with Axel she played the part of 'the perfect girlfriend', a role she was not entirely comfortable in though she tried her best.



But as much as she could play pretend in a lot of respects, Zephyr always stopped things with Axel before they got to the hot and heavy.



All this- the yes and no- left Axel very confused, and frustrated.



Zephyr didn't know what was wrong with her. When she'd told Blaze that she had a boyfriend her reaction was one of joy. Blaze was so happy that her friend was moving on with her life, but this just made Zeph feel worse.



Zephyr only ever saw herself reflected in other people's eyes- the sum of what they made her. It wasn't healthy, in fact it was hurting, but she didn't know any different. And so Zeph turned to another for advice once again; this time it was Freya who had just aged into a Young Adult.



As she described her concerns once again Zephyr was faced with the standard reply. Freya couldn't understand what her problem was- Axel was gorgeous and Zephyr should consider herself lucky to have him.



Zephyr felt so alone. Everyone was looking for her to make a go of her life; get married, have kids. Zephyr didn't even know if she wanted all that, but in an existence built on other people's expectations what real control did she have?



At least some aspects of her life were going well though, as Zeph achieved her lifetime want in record time (definitely the easiest wish of all- if I were counting points I'd be thrilled).
Unfortunately though her final chess opponent just couldn't take the loss and promptly died : p



And therein lies the problem. Y'see, our darling Zeph here is a coward so she didn't take the sight of the Grim Reaper very well.



In fact she fainted, in the most dramatic over-the-top style I've ever seen. It was fantasmic XD



Passed out under a chair... reminds me of uni.



Ah, but that wasn't all- Zeph actually fainted three times in all, the mentalist.



Elsewhere in the house I discovered just exactly why Freya was so surprised by Zephyr's reluctance to get on Axel, as she tried to put her lips on him herself. I remember now she does have the Inappropriate trait, so maybe that's the cause. That at the hotness of Axel, of course ; )



But of course Axel refused Freya- he only had eyes for one woman, he just hoped that she could open up and reciprocate his feelings. In the end he decided that maybe a big gesture would be the thing to win her over...



Zephyr could only look on in shock as Axel got down on one knee, and gave her his heart.



If only he'd known Zephyr was going to break it.

(Even I didn't know- I was shocked! I've tried to make Sims say no before and they haven't, bloody unpredictable sods).



Poor Axel. He hadn't seen it coming and he was devastated, but he vowed not to give up on the woman he loved...



Following the proposal Zephyr turned to Ruby for help- she knew she could trust her friend to be honest.



It hurt Ruby to hear her friend was so distressed, and it made her feel worse that she couldn't really do anything to help. She only wanted Zephyr to be happy, and so that's what she said to her- you need to do what's right for you.
Zephyr loved Ruby for saying that, but it didn't change a lifetime of acting only for others.



A few days later Axel proposed again. It seemed he was determined to have Zephyr no matter what it cost to his personal pride.
Infatuation is an all-consuming thing, and as Zephyr looked at her boyfriend kneeling on the ground before her she saw the hope in his eyes, and knew she could not bear to destroy him again.



And so she said yes- not because it was right, not because it was fair, but because it was easy.






In no time at all it was the day of Axel and Zephyr's wedding, and the garden was transformed.
(Well, I tried my best, but what do you expect with no wedding arch or decorations?)



Upstairs in the flat Zephyr put on her wedding dress and prepared herself for the day to come.



As Zeph had the tendency to panic in large crowds only a few people were invited to the occasion- Ruby, Freya, Blaze, Bronx, and Zenith (though quite why she invited him I have no idea- she's probably just too nice for her own good).



Soon enough the formalities were underway as Axel and Zephyr exchanged wedding rings.



Mr and Mrs Mars had their first kiss as man as wife whilst Zenith and Bronx chatted, and Ruby ran out on the wedding o_O



After the guests had gone and the sun had set Zephyr stood in the bathroom preparing for her wedding night. It was to be her first time, and she understandably nervous. She wanted to please Axel- to make him happy- even though she knew it spited her own personal contentment.



In the end there was nothing left to do but just go with it.






And that is where we leave it now, with the happy couple... How will Zephyr adjust to married life? Will she ever be able to get over her dislike of children in order to provide Axel with an heir? Find out in the next chapter of The Mars Family Legacy, coming soon.


You can find the original on the story board here- feel free to rec that if you've enjoyed this : )