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Post by Kari Muffin on Feb 7, 2010 14:27:19 GMT -5
Nerissa's tail puffed up as she slowly moved into the room. With someone around her mother probably wouldn't dish out her wonderful punishments that were terribly inconvenient. The frustrating part was that the child really couldn't find ways around it. She watched with mild surprise as the man fell to one knee. And here she was hoping that he would somehow disrespect the Queen to make things more interesting. Xiven was terribly surprised by the man's display. She knew full well that she was someone to be respected, but not many people actually fell down to one knee in front of her. Most people just gave her a sweeping bow. "You may raise, Mr. McDuck," she said after savoring the moment. It was nice to be in a room with a gentlemen. "Please take a seat." She motioned to the chair that was sitting in front of her desk. Nerissa tried to move closer to the door. However Peaches food ushered her back into the room before the door closed completely. Foiled the cat deer mix hissed slightly, and took a seat with her back against the door.
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Post by Lucca on Feb 8, 2010 10:19:58 GMT -5
Graeme held the position until the Queen told him to rise, and only then did he really look at her. She was fairly young, he noted, and a Torquehelm unless he missed his guess (which made sense, considering her mother). He supposed she was pretty, though he didn't generally pay attention to things like that, especially at times like this. "Thank you, Y-your Majesty," he said, voice catching just slightly on the unfamiliar title. So far, so good, he thought, as he took the seat offered, resting his cane between his knees and keeping a pleasant smile on his face.
He really hoped either her or Peaches was going to say something, since he wasn't sure he knew exactly how to approach the subject. It was quite intimidating to be here, and though his outer demeanor was mostly relaxed, inwardly he was squirming with discomfort. If he messed up here, it could mean his life, he knew. He'd never really bothered to pay too much attention to the Courts, and the Hearts Court especially changed power so often (and so bloodily) that he wasn't sure what sort of Queen this Xiven was. Either way, offending royalty was generally a very bad idea.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Feb 8, 2010 12:12:52 GMT -5
Xiven couldn't help but smile at the man's reaction. He had every right to be nervous, but she still found it funny. She shifted in her seat to cross her legs. "Actually, Mr. McDuck I should be thanking you. My mother mentioned that you were kind enough to help my daughter out. Not many people would be willing to help a lost child out without getting something in return."
She reached out, offer the man her hand so they could shake. "However, I would be more than happy to give you a small reward for keeping my daughter out of trouble. I can't express in words how grateful I am."
Nerissa made a snorting hiss at her mother's comments. That woman really did know how to play these stupid political games to get what she wanted. She was probably being so kind to get the Highlander mix's favor. Most people were furious that there wasn't a single Highlander in the court of Hearts, and she knew full well that her mother despised most people of the region.
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Post by Lucca on Feb 8, 2010 14:33:00 GMT -5
"Oh, not at all. I could see she was an...exceptional child," he said easily, though he was actually carefully studying the Queen's expression, trying to read her. Funny she would say that, in exactly that way, if part of her didn't suspect he -had- had ulterior motives for what he'd done. What he wasn't sure about was what she thought about it.
He took her hand in his own, giving the firm, business handshake he was used to. Her next words, and he knew he had to play his game carefully...but this, this little dance of give and take, this was business, and he felt at home here (even if a little more on edge because of who he was dealing with). So he smiled, letting go of her hand and giving a slight shrug, just noticeable, as if it was a careless gesture, though it was fully intentional.
"Ach, well, I'm not sure I could possibly accept anything...not after your Court was even so kind as to bring me all the way here," the Duck said modestly, though a greedy light was in his eyes that was the only sign of his inner glee. For, of course, from playing this game many times over, he knew she would insist, and at that point it would only be polite for him accept...the small hiss Nerissa made didn't go without notice, but he payed it no mind for now.
He, after all, had no idea what the Queen's ulterior motives for all this were, though he wasn't fool enough to think she was offering what she was merely out of gratitude.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Feb 11, 2010 23:42:05 GMT -5
Xiven did a good job at keeping her expression neutral despite all of her personal amusement out of the situation. Of course she was going to give the man a bit of a reward since he was dragged all the way to the palace and had been polite, she just had to play the little game.
"Would you like some tea?" she asked suddenly as she picked up a cup that she had been drinking from. She could just grab one of the servants and they could have a nice little chat. She was terribly interested in why he was willing to help her daughter beyond the possibly thought of a reward. Nerissa was nasty to everyone, so what made him so damn special?
"Oh, yes, but you were dragged here after treating my temperamental daughter so kindly, I couldn't give you nothing for all that trouble." She smiled as she took a sip of her tea. "Speaking of my daughter, Nerissa, sweetie, why exactly did you happen to go to the Capital without telling anyone?"
"No reason," Nerissa immediately responded. "And I think tea would be a fantastic idea, Mother."
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Post by Lucca on Feb 12, 2010 8:45:46 GMT -5
Graeme was good at playing games. Of this type, at least. So given that he was slightly more at home now in this situation, feeling that despite the slight difference in Rank and -vast- difference in power between he and the Queen, he had some modicum of control over his part of this situation. But that said, tea was always lovely and helped to smooth over the rough edges of this sort of business transaction. Was that cynical of him, to view it as such? He was sure the Queen didn't see it as much else. From how formal everything was being kept, he knew it wasn't really a personal visit.
"Tea would be much appreciated, thank you, Your Majesty," the Duck replied, smile firmly fixed on his beak. He chose his next words very carefully, continuing to play the game. "Ah, well, it was no trouble, really...but your generosity is most admirable," he continued with a small, 'modest' chuckle. He let his orange eyes shift to Nerissa when her mother's did, wondering what she had done with the bag. He felt for the poor girl, a bit; it can't be very easy to grow up in a Court, surrounded by politics, and with the mind of an adult but the physical and social limitations of a child. That didn't mean he was any less wary of her, or her mother, however.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Feb 14, 2010 2:28:08 GMT -5
"Nerissa, would you be a gem and get us some tea?" Xiven said after a moment. She knew full well that the girl wasn't going to run off. That would make the punishment worse, of course. So he trusted that the little girl would come back with the tea or at least after catching one of the servants.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the girl said with a wide fanged smile. She slipped out of the room after a small frustrating struggle with the door. The deer mix wouldn't return until fifteen minutes later, a servant behind her with a tray.
In the meantime that left the Queen alone with the Spade. The woman gave him a rather curious look. It wasn't very often she ran into birds. She wasn't particularly thrilled that he was a Highlander. He was probably making silent judgments this entire time. "I've heard quite a bit about your business. You have quite the name for yourself." She smiled, "I'm rather surprised that someone like you was in the Capital and happened to run into my daughter."
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Post by Lucca on Feb 15, 2010 10:33:28 GMT -5
Graeme was a bit surprised the woman would ask her own four-year-old daughter to fetch tea, and one eyebrow crept up in surprise before he forced his expression to level out. Court politics weren't something he pretended to understand and, come to think of it, neither was parenting. So he really had no place to judge. He certainly was a fan of parents teaching their children to work hard and listen to their superiors. So he instead looked back at the Queen...and realized they were alone in the room, now.
He had no idea the Queen was worried he was judging her...though he had some Highlander pride, it wasn't to the excessive amount others did (possibly due to not being a full Highlander, though not everyone could notice this of him at first glance, as the Morganberry only showed in the bits of orange on his wings and his beak and legs), and this combined with the fact that he couldn't care less about the Courts as long as they weren't trying to control his business, well...he was more concerned with getting out of this with social grace (and his head attached to his shoulders, but he figured he'd made a good impression on Xiven so far.)
He smiled as his business was brought up. So she had heard of him! "Only through hard work and dedication, your Majesty," he said, with a slight bow of his head, though a note of pride entered his voice at this. "I'm in the Capital frequently for business; many of my associates have shop there."
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Post by Kari Muffin on Feb 16, 2010 13:35:38 GMT -5
Xiven ran her finger along the edge of her now empty teacup as the man spoke. She gave him a fascinated look. It was rare that she had a chance to go to the Capital City. Recently she had been stuck in the Highlands more and more. Perhaps she should take a small trip to the city next time she had a chance?
"You seem quite dedicated. Not many people bow on one knee for me. I couldn't help but be terribly impressed," She added with a smile. At least he seemed less nervous than before. Perhaps she could just flat out ask why he had decided to take an interest in Nerissa. But where would be the fun in that? "What do you think about the Court of Hearts? I know you haven't seen much, but is it what you were expecting?"
It would be a while before Nerissa returned with the tea. The girl was currently plotting ways on how to escape of punishment. Of course she had already had a chance of hiding the poison she had acquired, but Peaches was still hovering, preventing her from actually bolting.
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Post by Lucca on Feb 16, 2010 20:06:16 GMT -5
"Ah, well, I've always believed dedication is the natural child of a strong personality. And I only wish to give you the respect you deserve, as befits your position," Graeme said earnestly, smiling, though inwardly he felt...somewhat elated. After all, the Queen of Hearts, the most politically powerful Card anywhere...was impressed by him! This meeting was going even better than he thought. Had he been too paranoid to avoid all association with the Courts these many years? But no; surely this Xiven was just a jewel among Queens; they couldn't all be so easy to gain favor with...not that this was really -easy- for him, but it wasn't as hard as some of the things he'd managed in his life.
"I must confess to being a bit...preoccupied with a slight case of nerves as we walked to your office," the Duck admitted, shuffling one webbed foot a little. "But I must say...it hasn't been at all like what I was expecting. Not that I'm sure what I was expecting. Perhaps that the Court of Hearts would never let one from a Black Suit step foot into their halls...your pardon, Your Majesty, I can tell you're not like that, but some Hearts can be a bit...particular." He added a small bow, hoping that his frank opinion would not offend her. He really had kept himself at a polite distance from anything to do with the Courts for as long as he'd first heard what terrible tempers Queens could have.
He also knew that his jacket covered his Suit pretty well, but if she'd heard of him she probably knew his Rank. It wasn't like he ever tried to hide it. He just found it more elegant to wear clothes.
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