Invisible Is As Invisible Does [Trebias]

[Trebias]

“I think you know as well as I do that with as busy as you are, you’re not going to be able to search the known world for someone like that, Whip. You’re too busy taking care of paperwork and filing that nobody else can. Who could possibly do that? You’re a saint,” El finished mockingly.

“What you need most is someone who can do the job. Second is someone that won’t wreak havoc on the Court. It’s not your responsibility if they do something to get themselves killed, it’s your inconvenience. You don’t let a lot of people inside your nice little barriers, so I can’t help you with the being able to work with or see them. But if you find someone who can do the job and has a brain that won’t get them killed, you’ll be well on your way to being able to work with them.

“What you need, Whip, is to do what I’ve been saying all along. Delegate all this piddly everyday *&% to other people, so that you can spend your time being a ruler. This isn’t our company, you don’t need to run it like it is.

“So here’s what you do. Appoint a committee to take care of this. You don’t need to create the budget, just approve it. You don’t need to come up with a curriculum for every teacher, just make sure they’re not teaching the wrong things, or nothing. Are you getting my drift? Put together committees for these things, and have them brief you on their findings.

“Even better is if we get my plan off the ground. That way, all the piddly little stuff can be spread out evenly among the Courts, as well as the lower level court cases. Do you know what the result of the last census was? Doesn’t matter. The point is, if you just try and give fair time to ALL the Hearts, you’ll die before seeing them all, and that’s assuming you die of old age. It. Can’t. Be. Done.”

El heaved a slightly frustrated sigh. He’d waited too long before lecturing Whip, he’d have to do it more often. “Queen Serafino worked with most of the same people you work with, and I doubt he had much more reason to trust them to do the job than you do. Make those committees. And on to the seeds I’ve been sowing.

“We know that Queen Aderlass would be willing to work with you. I can visit with people that work with or for the Queen of Spades to feel her out. We’ve known Queen Theo for longer than Queen Ader, and he seems mostly reasonable. Plus, that King I talked about before said that as far as she knows, he’d be willing to work together to face the Lowlander threat to the Courts. Of course, we both know what we’re really working towards with this, so I can assume you’re on board. I’ve been running around, ‘investigating’ rumors of infiltration in the Courts by the Lowlanders. Of course, that will make anyone suspicious of any high-ranking Lowlanders. Now I just need to find some.

“So, we might have the workings of a coalition of the Courts working for the mutual benefit and protection of each other. Part of that can be assisting with some of the every day things. Things that used to require a Heart go to the Court of Hearts to take care of, but that really be handled by anyone with the clout or money. Artists seeking patrons, for example. So, this committee convenes to see to whatever we tell them to. The little things that needn’t concern you or any of the other rulers. High up on my list is the policing of minor offenses, low level thievery and the like. Each ruler can reserve the right to try criminals within the Court on a case by case basis. Work out the by-laws of the alliance, and we can get things running pretty smoothly.”

“Speaking of that King, King Kelasia, to be precise, I think if I mention that SHE is a skunk from the Range, it will clear things up. Did you just attack the first Ranger you found, or did you wait until you found a skunk, too? How about you find the RIGHT Card before seeking revenge on them?!” El had raised his voice slightly, but hopefully not enough that the guards would come storming in.

[seraaches]

Rai leaned back again in his chair as Elias stepped right up on the soapbox he seemed to carry with him everywhere he went. Not that he didn't agree with most of it-- at this point, he really did just want out from under the loads of paperwork and whatnot that threatened to bury him, as well as the small complaints and things that didn't actually need The Queen of Hearts to hear-- but for now there really wasn't anyone else to do the work, despite El's insistence that there was.

"We've covered this before," Rai began, but even to his own ears he sounded worn down; tired. Blast it all, he sounded old. The realization surprised him and he let El finish his rant in peace.

Well, mostly in peace. As soon as the name 'Kelasia' came up, Rai tensed back up and he sent El a very cold glance. "I didn't actually do anything to her," the stallion retorted in a quietly hard voice. "We had a brief discussion and then we went our separate ways."

His eyes shifted away as he hesitated, wondering if he should share what she had revealed. It didn't occur to him to wonder just why El was getting so worked up over the King of Diamonds.

[Trebias]

“I bet you did. Just remember that I’ve known you for longer than you’ve had to lie to survive, so I know how to spot it. I don’t even care that much, as long as you don’t blow relations with the Diamonds. And I know we’ve covered this before, so the question remains, why haven’t things changed? I can think of three Kings here off the top of my head. Four, but I don’t know that you want to give Pravus a lot of clout for now. I don’t know Jacks as much. Why should they be sitting around while their Queen does all the work. If you don’t trust them, make them do some of the administration as a test, and reserve a right to veto if they booger up too badly. Oh, four Kings, counting your own, Sekhmet. Give them something that will interest them, and then they’ll do a better job. Anyone seeking a position, put them in with a committee for a few hours as part of their interview.

“And start making those committees. The City’s full of Tens who would love a spot in the Courts here. Didn’t I hear some rumor that the Queen of Spades took in a Ten as an assistant a while back? I don’t remember right now.” Elias paused for a breath and to take a drink of water.

“I don’t know why it is that you’re dragging your feet if you can get people to do this stuff even on a trial basis, Whip. Four Kings, and as many underlings as will lick their boots, or in this case run their errands, as they can gather. It’s just too bad those natural Queens didn’t have anything they thought worth working for,” El mused as a side thought.

“I don’t know what to tell you. I’m getting what I can set up, to distribute the workload among the Courts. Then hopefully the Queens will be working together, you can brainstorm, and with their help come up with a system that will help you all out.” Elias was talked out, and a little disappointed and frustrated at Rai’s stubbornness. He could empathize with it to a point, but he guessed that he was a little more willing to trust now and rebuke or punish later.

“Either way, I think it’s time for me to seek a position at the Court of Clubs, in addition to what I have here. That will go a way toward getting the Courts to exchange members and work together.”

[seraaches]

After a long day of dealing with *#&$ Rai was just not only tired, he was $*&% tired of being made the brunt of all the world's freakin' problems. "Those Kings ARE already working on projects that interest them and many of them are almost overloaded themselves. This isn't a magic wand problem, El, and I haven't had the *$&$ing TIME to set up a whole mass of committees. You seem to think you can take care of all of the world's problems? That's bloody fine by me!"

It wasn't the best answer, but Rai just let his frustration and anger roil out and he cast a sudden spell on the canine. "Take that and shove it up your furry *##, I don't care." The Queen of Hearts stormed suddenly out of the room, leaving El to deal with his new rank all by himself.

[Trebias]

El's immediate reaction was to be angry at Rai's stubbornness, as well as the misplaced aggression. He hadn't raised Rai for so many years, and they hadn't worked so hard, for Rai to quit now. He looked down at his chest, perplexed by the K that was now there. "What in the. . ." Elias was no longer against the idea of gaining rank, but Rai knew how he's felt about that before, and his other feelings on earning rank, and El was stung by the meaning behind the "gift."

Fine, he thought, let Rai be an idiot now. Let him cool down. Maybe sleep. Things would calm down, and they could go back to being whatever sort of dysfunctional family they were.

He found some paper and a pen, and wrote a note to Whip. He put the note in an envelope and slipped it under Rai's door.

Maybe the kings should do less of what interests them and more of what helps you? I don't know. But I'm not stopping now, with or without you, Whip. I hope it's with. He didn't sign the letter.

[seraaches]

When Rai read the note later that evening, he crumpled it up in his good fist and walked over to the fireplace. He raised his hand, hesitating at the top of the stroke, eyes dark before he tossed the paper into the flames. He watched it burn and wondered if there was more symbolism behind this than he wanted to admit.

He gave a small snort and turned his back on the fire. He had to go to bed; it was doubtful he was going to get a full night's sleep one way or the other. But as he laid down in the cold, empty bed, his mind refused to settle down. Blast it all.

Stupid dog.

_____________________________

Kelasia sat at the same table as before, pretending to read a book though her attention jumped anytime the doors came open and a new patron entered the library. She mentally scolded herself for her jumpiness and tried to settle back into the literature.

Still, her mind wasn't on the Quantum Physics; it kept drifting back to the door.

[Trebias]

Elias was grousing his whole way to the library. He was sore from the confrontation with Rai and the fact that they hadn't talked since it happened. He didn't even try to blend in or fit in with his animal form. Today he wanted people to just get out of his way and be scared of him. It made him feel a little better. It also gave him an idea.

He was so focused on what Rai could do for them, he'd been planning on riding the horse to their goal, so to speak. That wasn't really fair, Elias realized, when push came to shove. If it were some shmuck El had just met, the canine would easily let them assume all the risk while he planned in the background. Rai was different. Rai was family. El had to back the horse up, but he'd have to start to consider that Rai wouldn't be able to dig himself out from under the bureaucracy left by the death of Fino and the shortage of Cards daring the Courts.

%*&. Maybe it wasn't Rai's fault after all. El could try his best to help set up the committees, though.

El was musing on the different ways he could play on his own talents. He had the ability to go completely unnoticed to most Cards, combined with the frightening presence his bipedal form presented. And this smoke thing he thought he could do but hadn't tried, how would that fit in. He was still thinking about it when he walked through the doors to the library.

[seraaches]

Kel half-rose when she finally saw Elias enter the library. She swiftly made herself sit back down, schooling her features to keep any eagerness from showing. Still, The canine didn't seem nearly as jovial as he had the day before and the skunk felt her wariness flaring throughout her body.

Had she done something to annoy him? Had he discovered something terrible? Her mind was whirling through possibilities and she finally had to swiftly shut it down. Gads, who knew, maybe h just had some gas.

The woman inspected him as he approached her, noting that he was quickly slipping on his own social mask to hide his thoughts. Or, she thought he was, at least.

"Greetings, Elias," she said softly, eyes dipping uneasily back down to her book as though checking page number. It didn't really matter which page it was, however; she didn't remember anything of what she had read thus far.

[Trebias]

Spotting the skunk, he caught her eye and made his way to her table. He paused for a second, thinking. It was one thing to be impressive and intimidating on the streets, but quite another to be both distracted and a distraction while trying to get work done in a library. Making his decision, he accidentally on purpose knocked a book off of a table. "Oh, sorry 'bout that," he said, stooping to pick it up and activating his Jack ability on the way up. He still wasn't sure if he could just blend in in the middle of a crowd while being stared at, hence the subterfuge.

Reaching the table, Elias dropped all pretenses, and smiled as much as he was feeling. He was glad to see the skunk, but he still had a lot on his mind, so the smile was a lot smaller than those of yesterday, but a good deal more genuine and real.

"Good morning, Kelasia. You can call me El, as well. How was your night?"

[seraaches]

"It was fine," the woman began to reply, noting his rather smooth way of escaping the notice of the other patrons. It was a relief to her as the other Cards' attention began to drift away; she was very uncomfortable being in even the edge of the limelight.

Perhaps, her mind suddenly squeaked gently at her. That's why you won't ask him for more attention. That's why he seems to have forgotten you. Kel roughly shoved the thoughts away, unwilling to dwell now on her difficult relationship with a certain Queen. Now was hardly the time to be worrying over it.

With less concern over what everyone was thinking, Kel found the man even more distracting than he had been the day before. She felt her colour beginning to rise and just hoped it wasn't so bad that it could yet be seen through her fur.

"Good day, El," she answered him with a faint smile, prepared to ask about his evening when she finally noticed the rank on his chest. Blinking in surprise she finally stammered out a pleased, "Oh! Congratulations!"