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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Apr 7, 2009 23:29:26 GMT -5
The girl pushed her hair back and smiled, motioning for Colin to follow her. A moment later, she'd arranged a seat for them at a lovely little outdoor table where the Bandersnatch could stay close, which she did. Once settled, Raina returned to the conversation at hand, posture radiating interest that she didn't entirely feel. All the same, it was a nicer way to spend her day.
"Oh, but it doesn't have to be exciting to be important, does it?" she interjected, but then paused when he asked his next question. A small and pleased smile flitted across her lips. "...yes, I am, in fact. I'm planning to visit our court as soon as Liadan's well-enough trained for it and offering my services to Her Majesty. I'd like to serve as her King, you see. Now that she's bringing some honor back to our name... it only seems like the right thing." It felt nice to talk about her eventual plans, as if somehow by getting them out in the open they became more permanent.
The waitress arrived, and Raina quickly ordered herself a drink and a roasted chicken breast, then waited for Colin to decide what he would have. She was curious to see what would strike him... She'd only ever known birds of the predatory variety, after all. Really, interacting with someone outside of her family was more fun than she'd expected, even though she kept telling herself that it was just practice. Colin was charming.
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Post by Lucca on Apr 8, 2009 21:35:42 GMT -5
Colin followed the girl to the table rather like a hopeful puppy looking for praise. Which was a sadly apt enough description, especially with the headband's continued hold over him, not to mention his natural tendancy to want to impress High Class Cards and be seen as worthwhile by them. So the fact that he was having lunch with someone like this, and from his own Suit, was...a dream come true, almost.
"Oh! Well then I wish you the best of luck, M'Lady. I'm sure you'll serve our Suit well," Colin said, sitting down across from her at the table. He hesitated, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "So...this may seem like an odd question...but I'm afraid to say I've been rather in the dark about the politics of our Court for most of my life." He looked suitably ashamed of this fact. "Recently I have heard the new Queen has been 'bringing honor back to the Court'...but I'm curious as to how the previous Queen neglected to honor our Suit?"
He hoped she wouldn't think that was a dumb question...though given how much the few other nobles he'd met before loved to give their opinion on their fellow Court members, he hoped Raina would have an answer. From the waitress, he ordered his normal lunch, a peanut butter and berry jam sandwich on poppy seed bread and a glass of water. He COULD eat meat, but it wasn't his preference. And he was unaware of the girl's scrutiny of his order.
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Apr 8, 2009 22:15:00 GMT -5
At the praise, Raina felt a genuine smile worm its way onto her face. She had an ego, yes, and it did so love to be stroked. She wiggled ever so slightly in her seat, an outward display of her age, and then she turned her eyes back on the bird. The corners of her mouth were still curled in a small and pleased smile as she began to speak once more.
"I do appreciate the vote of confidence. Really, you're far too kind." pausing for a moment, she took a small sip of water and then poured some onto her salad plate, setting it carefully on the ground. The bander moved to it quickly and sniffed at it for a moment before lapping it up. "And I hope that one day, you will also arrive at the court and offer your services. I'd love to be the one to help you find a position."
She probably came across as arrogant, but in her mind she had every right to be. The child of nobility, born with a human form and as a King of Spades? At Colin's next question, her expression lit up. The late Queen had been quite the topic of conversation at her home, after all.
"Her Majesty Lysaras... Really, she didn't do anything." she began once the server had left. Really, his meal reminded her of something one of her brothers would eat, since they were all part fruit-bat. The small reminder of home made her relax ever so slightly, and she took another sip of water before continuing. "Really, that was the problem. She never did a thing for the Suit, and hired drug addicts and madmen to care for the court. It was a disaster. My father... he is a Queen of Spades, and he swore to me that as long as that woman was in charge, he would never be happy with that. According to him, people respected Clubs more than us, and it was all because of her inattention."
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Post by Lucca on Apr 8, 2009 23:29:51 GMT -5
As Colin watched the girl, he felt a flutter of pleasure at her smile...but he also caught himself wondering how old she was. It was so hard to tell with humans, especially with how few of them Colin had really interacted with. Rather than looking on her offer as arrogance, Colin was actually very flattered. It might have been then that he felt the first stirrings of...interest in actually BEING part of the Court someday. Something that had never interested him before. But given that this girl seemed to have confidence in him, that he could rise above his lowly rank and be worthy of a position at the Court...it was a lovely thought. He couldn't help but think how proud of him his family would be THEN.
"Thank you for that lovely offer! I shall keep it in mind for when my rank is more worthy of such a position," he chirped, ducking his head slightly. Making sure to word it in such a way that she didn't think he was necessarily aspiring to a position at the Court.
He was relieved that she seemed so eager to answer his question, and his eyes took on an intense, interested look as she spoke, as he took care to commit what she was saying to memory. They did widen slightly at the mention of drug addicts and madmen in the palace. Wow...he was a little confused, though. How could this be the woman Haret had so respected? Then again, she had admitted she barely knew anything about Lysarus...
"That DOES sound rather awful," Colin remarked, sipping a bit at his own water. "The very thought of those kinds of people let loose in a civilized Court..." Colin shuddered a bit, and found his opinion of the late Queen drop.
His awe and slight envy towards Raina grew, though, to learn that her father was a Queen of Spades! Though apparently not part of the Spades Court. "No wonder it took a Yarrow to get everything back in line," he added with a slight frown. Yarrows were rather...overbearing in Colin's mind, though the fact that the current Queen was also part Villa intrigued him.
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Apr 9, 2009 23:36:05 GMT -5
Feeling satisfied, Raina leaned back in her seat, absently running a hand through one of the longer sections of her hair. All the while, she nodded to herself and to Colin, in total agreement with him. With her family all used to human forms and knowing exactly how old she was, it was lovely being treated as if she was already an adult. In truth, speaking with the cardinal was only serving to make the girl feel even more confident, something which her parents were sure to (sarcastically) thank the man for, should they ever meet.
She shook her head slowly and sadly, glancing up to smile at the server as food was set down in front of them. Then she began to speak again, picking at her chicken between starements. "It's astounding, really, the lack of attention and care bestowed by her. It might be controversial, but good riddance, really." she flicked her gaze up again, raising an eyebrow as she waited to see how the bird would respond to that.
"I met Her Majesty Donalda once, actually," she said, keeping her tone light and carefree. "When she was still a King, before she'd even visited the Court. She's a lovely woman, very strong. Really, it only makes sense she's managed to clear things up as well as she has. I'm hoping she'll remember having met me. That would make things easier, don't you think?" Absently, a leg of chicken was held under the table, and Liadan settled in to gnaw on it.
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Post by Lucca on Apr 12, 2009 22:52:11 GMT -5
Truth be told, Colin WAS a bit thrown off by how casually Raina was able to speak so ill of the late Queen...whether she was a shoddy ruler or not, Colin couldn't help but feel there WAS more to the story. Not that he disbelieved the girl but...how could Lysarus have remained Queen so long if she was as apathetic about her job as all that? Surely their Suit would never have allowed...but apparently they had.
"Heh, well, I'll have to take your word for it," Colin remarked noncommitally, taking a bite of his sandwich to try and hide the awkwardness he felt at this conversation.
Luckily, the subject was soon changed to the current Queen instead, and the cardinal's eyes widened as Raina told her story. "You MET her?" he asked, quite in awe. "Oh, certainly. I think that would help a lot." Assuming she had made a good impression, of course, which Colin could only imagine she had. He sipped at his water, unable to help feeling somewhat excited. Imagine, someday when Raina had joined the Court, HE could be the one wowing someone with the fact he'd actually had lunch with her!
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Apr 14, 2009 22:19:02 GMT -5
Hmmm. It would seem that she'd gone a little bit overboard with her hate-bashing of the late Queen. Not that it bothered the girl. After all, what she'd said had been truthful in every way, she was sure. They were better off without the sniveling Torquehelm in a position of power. The woman wasn't even free like her sister's Queen, Xiven! Truely disgraceful. Raina daubed her napkin at her lip though she hadn't spilled, finding it a preferable motion to simply sitting and waiting for the man to reply. When he did, it was just as noncommital as she'd expected, and a wry smile tugged at her lips.
He'd hear it from someone else, she was certain. Then he'd feel quite guilty for having disbelieved her. That was a pleasant thought.
She did appreciate the change in topic, and so she raised her gaze once more and smiled again, letting her eyes renew their spell. His awe at what she'd said made her straighten and glow, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. She did so like it when others appreciated her life's accomplishments, however small they seemed in the grand scale of the world. "It wasn't as grand a meeting as that, really... I was but a child then." she said it as if she wasn't now, arrogant creature that she was. "All the same, any memory of a person is advantageous, wouldn't you say?"
She winked playfully at the bird with that statement, sure that he'd understand what she was insinuating.
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Post by Lucca on Apr 17, 2009 9:19:07 GMT -5
Colin was once again distracted by that radiant smile and those sparkling eyes...and he caught himself wondering if there wasn't something magical and not entirely natural at work, to draw him so fully. Not that he'd be surprised either way, as those of higher rank often posessed amazing powers.
"I'm sure you were quite the wonderful child, though, M'Lady," Colin said graciously, though he felt the flare of jealousy mingle with his awe again. She was probably born to a high rank, probably even born as a human, which would make her even more favored than his own sister had been to his parents.
But at her words and wink, it was Colin's turn to blush, though luckily it wouldn't be too noticable beneath his purple feathers. It was almost as if she'd read his mind, and there was nothing for it but to react accordingly. "Indeed, you are most correct," he said, with a deferential tilt of his head and a small smile. Being well-connected had its perks, and it was about the only thing that could make up for a low rank when dealing with high society.
"But what of Her Majesty? Was she as intimidating in person as she is in reputation?" Colin asked, curious to know more of Donalda.
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Apr 22, 2009 1:49:00 GMT -5
As Colin spoke, Raina glowed. She did enjoy the praise that was raining down on her head, finding it to be quite refreshing and rather lovely. Granted, it wasn't as if she hadn't known herself to be an exceptional child, but it still fluffed her theoretical feathers to hear it spoken. "You're a flatterer, but... Thank you, all the same."
Her meal nearly finished, she laced her fingers together and rested her hands on the table. Yes, she would certainly remember Colin when she had obtained a position for herself. He was well-spoken and showed interest in topics that were, to Raina at least, critically important. In general, a sense of suit-pride was the most important to the Eaglet. It seemed to be a side effect of growing up in a mostly-Heart family in the Court of Hearts - learning to take pride in what you were.
At the avian's question, however, the young woman shifted, raising an eyebrow ever so slightly. "Ahhh... Well, she is a Wolverine," she said with a small smile. Her father was terrified of Wolverines, for some strange reason, but she saw them more as powerful creatures worthy of respect and awe. "So based on appearance, yes, she was quite intimidating. But she plays a harp beautifully, almost as if it were an extension of her own body, and she struck me as being understanding and very level-headed for the most part." Yes, she had snapped at her siblings... but they had all been acting out in one way or another and Raina felt they deserved it. She had been as proper as she possibly could in the face of such rambunctious energy, and the then-King had noticed it and treated her wonderfully. "It's just another reason why I feel she must have had a good reasons for doing what she did."
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Post by Lucca on Apr 22, 2009 19:41:37 GMT -5
Colin said nothing in response to the comment about him being a flatterer. It was probably true, but there were worse things to be, and he was proud to say his flattery was always truthful. Opinions could never be false, and the cardinal tended to have a very high opinion of well-spoken nobles. He smiled at her as he finished his meal as well. It was amazing to think that he was having such a...companionable time with someone that outranked him by so much, and it made Colin feel warm and giddy to think about. Especially since she seemed to be enjoying herself. Which meant his training was paying off and he was saying all the right things.
"A harp player, hm?" Colin remarked, perking up slightly at this bit of information. After all, he was a Villa, and music was as natural and necessary as breathing to him. He nodded at her words, carefully cateloguing all this information in his mind for later, when he may actually have a chance to meet Her Majesty Donalda.
"Oh, yes, I'm sure she had a good reason," Colin added. He hadn't been trying to say the killing wasn't justified...after all, it was rare for a Queen battle to end without death. And despite the fact that he wanted to get the full story, Lysarus's crimes against their Suit couldn't be entirely invented by her political foes. Without some basis in fact there wouldn't have been so many people repeating them. He hoped.
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