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Post by The Jenn on Dec 8, 2008 19:23:01 GMT -5
With a fading, greenish yellow bruise still gracing her face, Donnie knew she didn't look her best. It was only to be expected. Still, it was apparently enough to intimidate a teenager. Cute.
She sighed and nodded her head. "Good day, Mikael. Exceptionally new to Court life?" A lot of people wandering through the halls lately had rarely or never been inside a palace before. She certainly hadn't been, before her arrival only two weeks ago, and so she could feel for them in a way. At the same time, all the activity left her feeling leery. They really needed to get a few guards hired, but understandably, some of their background checks had to be more in-depth than a secretary's. At this age, the boy wasn't likely to have committed any major crimes.
Still, were they so short-staffed that Vessie had to appoint a teenage male as her secretary? She knew full well that the answer was yes. Hopefully he retained the subservience and lost the tremor in his voice. "I wouldn't mind chatting with him for a few minutes to see how I can use him."
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Post by Greenie on Dec 8, 2008 19:34:45 GMT -5
Vessatha watched the exchange; the tail wagging didn't escape her notice. Poor boy was scared shitless. If only such things didn't amuse her so greatly.. What kind of staff manager would she be if she didn't enjoy torturing them once in a while? A shoddy one!
"Why don't you go in and take a seat, Mikael?" She suggested firmly, raising an eyebrow at Donnie to tell her to stay for a moment. Vessie wanted to make sure Donnie didn't think she'd hired some pathetic little boy to be her secretary; she had full confidence that once Mikael bucked up he'd do a fine job. He just needed to get to that point.. eventually.
As soon as the canine mix had passed through the doorway, Vessatha smiled in a rather sneaky fashion. "I hope you don't mind him being a boy - Since it's hard to tell I didn't think it would bother you. He comes well recommended, so I think once he learns the ropes he'll be fine."
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Post by Nako on Dec 9, 2008 14:49:54 GMT -5
"Yes, Your Majesty.. Very new to working in the Courts.." he managed to stammer out. After all, he wasn't particularly new to court -life- so much as he wasn't used to having to work in it. Of course, he didn't expect her to know that, and found it within himself not to correct her. That would probably be a very bad idea. Then again, he wasn't lying to her either.
"Uh, oh.. yes m'am." Grateful, he slinked between the two, dipping down his head submissively as he scampered inside. It would give him some time to sit down.. find his balance once again and be able to talk to the queen without falling apart. He gave one glance back at the two before sitting down in one of the seats across from the large, queenly desk.
So.. this was the Queen's study? Mikael wondered how much of it was actually the current Queen's tastes, and how much of it was from the recent matriarch's tastes. Wow. He was sitting in Donnie's study. That was pretty big. A job as a secretary wasn't necessarily a highly respected job, but to be the secretary of the -Queen-.. well, that had to mean something, didn't it? Granted, he still had to make an impression on the foreboding wolverine to really seal the deal. The canine hybrid took in a deep breath and let it out, wondering if his breathing would end up far too noisy for the woman to want to deal with. It wasn't too bad, was it? Perhaps if he just breathed -lightly-... or not too often. How often did one have to breathe? He was freaking out, gah!
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Post by The Jenn on Dec 13, 2008 15:50:36 GMT -5
Donnie caught the eyebrow flick and waited for the boy to scamper inside her quarters before taking a step closer to the ferret. That sneaky smile made her wonder just what his qualifications had been to leave him suitable for the position. "His gender doesn't bother me too greatly, since he isn't flaunting it, although I will have to be spending a lot of work time around him. Honestly, it'll be worlds better than having to do it all myself right now, so long as he's fully trainable. If he gets over his fear and reacts with any sort of machismo to my Yarrow, though, I'm throwing him back into your office and locking the door." That was the absolute worst - when they saw a Yarrow and became more masculine to either attract or repel. Eugh. "You can come or not, as you choose, but don't influence his answers if you can help it. I want to get some sort of feel for him, terrified or otherwise."
The study itself consisted of a desk and chair, two additional chairs, and a good number of shelves lining the walls for books and other objects. Its color scheme and decoration were in the standard style of the Court, giving a hint that Donnie hadn't gotten the chance to decorate anything yet, having only been in the palace for about two weeks at that point. The wolverine strolled in and sunk into the reasonably comfortable chair behind her desk, eying the mix-breed young man across from her. "So why don't you give me a brief history of your experience and skills, related to the job or otherwise? I may have alternate tasks for you, depending. As I'm sure you're quite aware, we are very under-staffed at the moment, a good opportunity for people such as yourself."
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Post by Nako on Dec 15, 2008 19:56:01 GMT -5
Spartan, Mikael finally deduced about the room. Mikael began hoping that the Queen wasn't so clean cut and... bland. Scary, and bland. The least she could be was terrifying and -interesting-. He perked up when Donnie came into the room, noticing she was alone. Whether Vessatha's company would have been good or bad wasn't really clear in Mikael's thoughts. Oh well, he'd have to adapt to the situation.
Then the Queen began asking questions. Clearing his throat, he ignored the fact that his heart was pounding, and opened his mouth to speak. "Well, Your Majesty..." His voice cracked, and he had to clear his throat once more. "I'm good with a pen. I've got a neat scribe. I'd like to think I'm organized." I.. I... me me me... It all sounded pathetic. He took a breath and actually made direct eye contact with the woman for the first time all that day. That was when he noticed the bruise for the first time. Woah, what a shiner!
"I'm good at art. Actually... I like to think I'm -great- at art. I eat, sleep and breathe it. I'll file papers and write notes just fine, but if you need anything painted.. murals, portraits.. Your Majesty, I'd be honored if you'd entrust me with it." Oh sweet suits.. he was an idiot. "First and foremost, I am here to be your secretary. I aim to do anything you ask of me with the utmost ability. I've been told my handwriting is actually quite pretty." Stop talking, good gravy, STOP TALKING. You're digging that hole deep, boy. His eyes darted down to the desk in front of him.
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Post by The Jenn on Dec 15, 2008 20:26:53 GMT -5
The cracking, quick-paced quality of the boy's speech screamed louder than his words that he was nervous, but that was only to be expected. He was, what, sixteen or seventeen and meeting the Queen of his suit? Yeah, she would have been falling over her words at that age too. If he was going to be an effective secretary, though, he would have to get over the fear, or at least tamp it down to a healthy respect and soldier on through it all. She would try very hard not to hold his maleness against him. Hopefully his demeanor would be neutral enough to make it easier.
"So long as your handwriting is neat enough to be legible and won't embarrass me when sent along to others, that should be just fine. I don't need calligraphy. I can do that on my own, should I need to. It's notes and memos and drafting letters that I'll probably need most. Can you write quickly as well as neatly?"
Her head started twinging again, the pain starting just at the base of her skull. She was going to have to take something for that later before it developed into a nasty thing. The doctor had said they would stop within another week or two, but he hadn't sounded entirely certain. She could only hope.
His other talent, though... art. Hrm. That was interesting. She sat up a bit straighter. "As a matter of fact, I may need some help painting not far down the road. Nothing like a portrait, mind... but these rooms are ridiculously dark for my taste. Black and green and silver? No. I'm going to need to repaint all the walls, change out decorations, and maybe incorporate some sort of artwork into the space. I don't want to live in something so oppressive for very long. Do you have any experience with decorating?" That was a feminine enough interest - in gender, if not in sex - that it would be heartening. The fact that he was a creative sort gave her hope as well. They might not clash as badly as she'd feared.
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Post by Nako on Dec 15, 2008 20:52:02 GMT -5
"Quickly, for a quadruped definitely. Pitted against a biped or human hand, not the fastest, but I get the work done, M'am."
Wait, what? She was actually entertaining the idea? His ears, which had been so tautly pinned against his skull, swiveled forward. At the question about the decor, his head shot around the room, evaluating it, ears perked up curiously. "Well you know, I haven't really had -experience- in it, but I'd lke to think I have a good eye for what looks good. With those colors, I see perhaps green and silver being very pretty. The black would add that.. edginess, you know? Yes, I could see that. What is most important is that it reflects -you-. I think I'd want to know more about what makes you -you- before I could really.. give a lot of input." And then he was suddenly horrified. "Uh.. w-well... not to say I want to be nosing into your personal business, your Majesty! I don't want to suggest something only to look the fool because it's something you don't like." He was going too far, he thought. Then again, Mikael wasn't sure. She was being ridiculously patient with him. It was odd... she wasn't what he expected at all.
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Post by The Jenn on Dec 15, 2008 21:10:08 GMT -5
Donnie's mood choices at that point were either patient or cranky, and she didn't want to aggravate her threatening headache, so patient was the winner. If Vessie had gone so far as to bring the boy in for a meeting, she'd probably already agreed to hire him. That meant she would be stuck with him for at least a little while, whether she liked him or not. She would rather like him, if they were going to have to get along in relatively close quarters while she worked. Besides, the ferret would probably get a kick out of the whole thing.
His comments on the colors made her wince, which didn't feel too good with the bruise on her face. Ow. Bugger. She waved off his stammered backpedaling. "Ehh. Don't verbally prostrate yourself, boy. I understand what you meant and your point is valid. For example, I'm not the biggest fan of black. It may be one of the suit's colors, but that doesn't mean I have to wear it or keep it in my personal chambers, be it my bedroom or my study. Green would be fine. I like green well enough, and silver accents it well. Considering that's what a lot of the palace accessories are, I don't feel like changing them. The walls are going to be painted either green or cream. As for what to do with the rest of it, though... I'm bad about accents. I don't 'do' accessories very well. I just appreciate the finished product."
Chatting with him about interior decorating and color choice? Yes, maybe he would be better than tolerable.
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Post by Nako on Dec 15, 2008 21:30:45 GMT -5
At the wave of her hand, he all but forced himself into a more relaxed position. It didn't keep his heart from racing, but he was quickly realizing his incessant submissiveness was getting on her nerves. He wasn't an expert on reading human faces, but there wasn't a smile on her face so he'd best tread carefully.
"Cream? Gorgeous color choices for sure, but the green with the cream makes me thing 'Avington' more than the Court of Spades. Then again.. if it's light or neutral enough a cream color then it wouldn't have that effect. He mused, tapping the side of his mask most thoughtfully. He caught her slightly discomforted look on her face. Or at least, he discerned it as such. Hopefully she wasn't upset with him for some reason.
"Your Majesty... are you feeling well?"
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Post by The Jenn on Dec 15, 2008 21:51:40 GMT -5
Mikael had a hard job ahead of him in discerning Donnie's moods. Too little submission from a male pissed her off. Too much subservience from anyone made them seem too weak to respect. It was a careful balance, and an unfortunate one, but that's just how it was for the young man caught in the middle.
"Yes, I wouldn't really want to mimic Avington too strongly. Granted, these are my chambers and I can make them look like whatever the hell I want, but I have no desire to live in a forest. I was thinking a cream pale enough to be considered off-white, like a heavy buttermilk color. Green and silver would look fine with that, and maybe one of my own colors as another accent." She indicated her hair and clothing with a vague hand gesture.
The question about how she was feeling caught her off-guard and she gave him a peculiar look. "Well? Define well. I'm fine, besides a headache after being temporarily blinded several days ago, and recovering from surgery on my back and arms." Okay, so that came out sounding pretty peevish, but meh. He would get over it.
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