24 Dreams Of You And Me

1) Family Feud

"I wish I could relate to the people I'm related to."
- Jeff Foxworthy

***

February, 1977.

Chester, England.

"Victoria! This is madness!" John Lauder cried, trying to talk his sister out.

"How would you be the right judge of that, John? Steven truly loves me, and I love him! What more is required?" Victoria frantically waved her arms in desperation.

John looked around the room. The Great Council was listening and watching the siblings argue. He felt uncomfortable.

The tribe had a few noble families. Each representative of the family constituted of the Great Council. These people worked under the family leader of the tribe, the Lauders.

"Victoria, you might be older and wiser, but this... my sister, this isn't wise!"

"Why? Because he isn't in our tribe?"

"That is absolutely correct! I can't let you marry a Lassiter. How do you think mother and father would've liked this?"

John always felt responsible for his elder sister. She was a beauty at twenty seven years of age. Tall and slender figure, brown doe eyes, sharp features, sleek black hair, captivating voice and soothingly polite... just how girls are expected to be. She was a beauty with brains. Any man would've killed to get Victoria Lauder's hand in marriage.

"Mother and father are gone, John. But such decisions are still mine to make. It's my prerogative."

Victoria knew John cared for her, especially ever since their parents passed away but she was capable of taking care of herself. Their father died a few years ago from a fatal disease and later so did their mother. John and Victoria were the only family left. The only living Lauders.

"You are a Lauder. We have a responsibility to our people and the Great Council. Marrying a Lassiter will lead to a rebellion. It will set a bad example, Victoria! Why don't you understand?"

Victoria looked up into her brother's brown eyes. "Why are you asking me to sacrifice my love for our family name?"

John walked closer to his sister and held her hands as he softly spoke, "Because it is who we are. We have many other families behind us. They're all looking up to us, we have to lead them. Our tribe has been led by Lauders since the beginning, Victoria, you know that."

Victoria snatched her hand away forcefully. "I do." She said with angry tears threatening to fall down. "The burden of a whole tribe following you isn't something you forget easily."

"Miss Lauder, I agree with your brother." Both the siblings turned to look at Mr Greene as he continued, "The Lassiters lead another tribe, it is a disrespectful act to join houses with them. Changing your name from Lauder to Lassiter will be perceived as a sin amongst our people."

"Dan, let me speak to my sister." John said, sensing that an outsider might offend his already upset sister.

"Why must we create a divide? Why not show our people that hate is purposeless. Every Walker, every single one of us on Earth serve just one purpose - helping others. We resonate so high, yet we practice such stoop practices of division and abolishing unity? Why, John?"

John again looked around the room. His sister was talking nonsense in front of other major authorities. Yet he tried to stay calm towards Victoria's absurd demands.

"It has always been this way. We were taught these values-"

"We can improve them. We should unite, John. We should take control and do our part as leaders and lead our people to a more stronger level." Victoria's eyes glistened with hope.