Call and Answer (Finito!)

[carcinoGeneticist]

The trip from the Hearts Court to the Spades Court was one that Raina had waited every day for the last four years to make.

The moment word of Donnie's takeover had reached Raina's ears was the moment she realized that she needed to be there. Seth's reasons for avoiding his own court didn't hold any weight now, and if things were starting to change then Raina wanted desperately to be a part of it.

She was only fourteen but looked much older to most, her lithe human form difficult to read in more than just emotions. It had taken quite a bit of talking to convince her parents - both fathers along with her adopted mother - that she would be fine, and she was fairly sure that they still didn't believe entirely believe her. That meant that there was only one option avaliable to the young Solandrian, and that was to prove her worth to them. She would obtain a position working for the wolverine that she'd met so long ago.

The girl lowered herself from the coach, holding her bag in one hand and Líadan's leash in the other. "Come, Lía," Raina called to the gray bander, giving the leash a small tug to encourage the creature to follow. She did, of course, and the pair made their way up the stairs, Raina holding her head tall, purple eyes determined. She would do her family - but more importantly, her Suit - proud.

[The Jenn]

One of the relatively new guards escorted Raina and her bander through the halls, figuring that a human King and her expensive pet had probably scheduled an appointment before coming to visit. She presented adequate credentials, anyway.

Ahh, momentary freedom. However satisfying the work was to get done, Donnie didn't think she'd ever get appreciated temporary relaxation more. There weren't any meetings for at least three hours, Mia and Vessie were juggling the tasks and papers she'd given them an hour ago, things were running for the most part smoothly - that day - and she could sit down to enjoy her midday tea and sandwich in her study while she absently read over a few of the less pressing matters that she normally didn't have time to get to until much later. She had to sort them out and discern what they needed from her before she could actually attend to any of them, anyway.

The knock on her door was an unexpected intrusion. Had she forgotten a meeting? She hadn't thought so, but... maybe. The spill mishap on her desk three days ago had irreparably damaged several sheets of paper, and she hadn't yet had them all re-copied. It could very well be an error on her part. Damn it. She stuffed the last of her sandwich into her mouth with a chomp and chewed quickly, swallowing as she switched forms into human. It was far more 'official'. "Come in," she called after a quick sip of tea to clear the crumbs from her tongue.

[carcinoGeneticist]

As they walked through the halls, it took all of the girl's self control to keep from looking about excitedly. The halls were grand, everything she would expect of her court. She was glad for her own childhood spent roaming the halls of the Heart's court, for it kept her in line here. All the same.. there was something different about this place.

Something better, more precious, more deserving of honor. This wasn't the Court of Hearts, this was the Court of Spades, her court, her home. Her eyes lit up with an inner fierceness as she made her way down, standing just a little bit taller as she did. She felt... pride.

When they came to the Queen's room, Raina gave the man who had escorted her a small bow and a greatful smile. Then, she entered the room, giving the woman that was seated there a low bow. When she stood, there was a small smile on her lips, and her purple eyes were lit with a natural shine - her own delight at finally being here. Liadan stood obediently at her side, looking up at the older woman with a curious expression before settling and just leaning against Raina's leg.

"Your Majesty," the girl said, voice light and musical and not at all what one would expect from the average Solandrian, but then neither was the rest of her build. She'd grown quite a lot since she had last seen the Wolverine, but the woman was different too... And not just because of her human form. She was now The Queen, and that gave her a certain dignity in the girl's eyes. "...I knew you could do it." she beamed at the woman, a little bit of childhood enthusiasm showing through in that.

[The Jenn]

Donnie didn't immediately recognize the young human girl who entered her office and was momentarily panicked that she had scheduled a meeting with someone important without remembering who they were or how they were there. She hid it behind a polite, even smile, eyes looking a little stressed until the girl stood back up and really looked at her. That beaming smile and pretty voice, combined with the way her purple eyes shined, made the Queen's eyes widen slightly.

She may not have remembered the girl's name, but she certainly remembered the child herself. How often was it that you ran across human children, after all? The mix of blues and browns was also a dead giveaway, now that she was thinking back on it. She'd been a precious child, and now she was quite the charming young lady.

A small smile settled on her face at the girl's words. "You and I both. It has been quite some time, my dear. I'm afraid your name escapes me. Please, do sit." How old was she? Initially she'd seen the human form and assumed her to be a smaller adult, but now that she remembered, she knew the girl could still be a young teenager with that form.

Her eyebrows raised at the bander that came in after her. She hadn't had much interaction with the creatures after her last relationship and seeing one now brought up a small pang of guilt towards the species. Still, she was quite different from anything Sadie had ever bred.

[carcinoGeneticist]

There was the moment of anxiety at the searching look that the woman was giving her, but Raina's faced showed none of it. The smile that finally formed on the Queen's face brought the girl's self-assured way of thinking back in a rush.

Donnie's words were a further comfort. A part of her, however small, had worried about unforseen boundaries, limits that she might be crossing without even being aware of them. After all, she was still just a child, but... She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she didn't at least try. The question of age was one that still played through her mind, but as long as she acted with proper etiquitte, everything should go smoothly. Especially since, by the sound of it, help was not easily found and would be appreciated in any form.

"Understandable, your Majesty, it's been a very long time since we last met." she spoke easily, settling herself into the seat and smoothing out her skirts, eyes sparkling with natural delight when she looked back up at the woman. "I'm Raina, and this is Liadan." hearing her name, the Bander's ears perked up, and she looked at her mistress as if waiting for a command. When none came, the creature settled once more, letting the human girl run delicate fingers through her thick grey fur.

Raina considered her next words carefully before speaking. "My father is a Queen of Spades who, for years, had no interest in the court. He felt he was not material for ruling, and he refused to work under the, I'm very sorry to say, careless rule of the late Queen." she continued to scratch behind the Bander's ears, but looked up at Donnie again. "Since you took the throne, he's had a very different attitude towards things. A man who served Hearts rather than his own Suit now feels pride in what he is, something which I've heard his other children say they thought would be impossible. He respects you and what you've done for us. I heard that you were in need of help. It would... It would be the greatest honor if I could work alongside you to bring honor back to the name of Spades, in whatever small way I might be able to do so."

Her expression was hopeful.

[The Jenn]

The way those purple eyes shone, they could have been polished. Such unusual eyes. Donnie wondered if they were natural, what with the girl's coloration, or if they were a throwback to a bit of Torque in her heritage. Maybe a touch of dark Sorgaire? It was hard to say. They certainly made her face stand out in a crowd, though.

She listened, a touch distracted, as Raina began to explain the reason behind her visit. Obviously the girl's father had made a strong impact on his daughter's life, to serve as the beginning of her story, which served to make the wolverine flush slightly in pleasure. She wasn't often susceptible to such things. Whether the tale was embellished or told frankly, the sentiment behind it was indescribably gratifying. "People like your father are precisely the reason I decided to challenge the last Queen for her throne," she agreed with a short, decisive nod. "When I couldn't take pride in my own suit because of poor management and laughable leadership from the Courts, I couldn't stand idly by. I understand your pride and your enthusiasm, Raina."

Her next words came after a slight pause. "However, before we go any further... I am going to have to ask your age." While touching, talking about her father made Donnie wonder just how long this girl had been 'out of the nest', if she even was. That might present a problem if she gave the girl an adult's responsibility and suddenly had angry parents breathing down her neck if she bungled something.

[carcinoGeneticist]

Raina's youthful face flushed with pleasure, and she laced her fingers in front of herself. Donnie's takeover had been a delightful time for herself and for her family - her father had scooped her up and spun her around and around, laughing all the while. It was the sort of thing that she never would have believed could happen, if not for the fact that it had. She supposed it was that boundless joy that had sent her here, today. She gave the woman a small nod and a happy smile, but then, she froze.

The Bander could tell, and shuffled somewhat restlessly at her mistress's side, turning dark eyes from one human face to the other. Had the strange new person somehow upset Raina? It was only her good training that kept the gray from sneezing, but she did give the Queen a measured stare.

The girl tried to keep the anxious look off her face. "W-well, your Majesty..." Raina began, swallowing hard and trying to smile broadly once more. This question was one she should have anticipated... "Almost sixteen." It certainly wasn't a lie, but her wording wasn't completely honest. "But I was born in the Court of Hearts.. My other father is the King, and my adopted mother is another King. I've spent a lot of my time working with them and learning everything I could about the way the court works."

[The Jenn]

Between Raina's hesitance and the bander's expression, Donnie got the hint that her answer would be 'underage'. The critical question was 'by how much', and the answer seemed to be 'fifteen'. Huh. That was pretty young to be seeking Court work. Also, she hadn't had a bandersnatch stare at her like that since she'd been with Sadie and the pretty thing was setting her off a little just by dint of memory association.

"With family of that nature, I don't doubt that you have experience at least living in a Court situation," she agreed with a slight frown. "However, especially if you've been studying under your parents, you'll understand the difference between living in a palace and participating in the running of a Court. What makes you think that you're qualified, at 'almost sixteen', to lend yourself to these efforts? Your enthusiasm is obvious and commendable, and I think your motivation for wanting to better your suit is right along what this Court needs. Why should you become involved now, though, instead of waiting a year or two and joining after you have a bit more life experience under your belt?"

She really wanted to know what this pretty little human was going to say. How strong was her resolve? What were her reasons. And... "I'm making an assumption, but are your parents aware of your intentions?"

[carcinoGeneticist]

The Queen's reaction was what Raina had hoped it would be: calm and measured, and not ending in "now get out of here". That wouldn't have been good, because it would have been something she couldn't have recovered from. This she could work with. As it was, she listened to the woman's words very carefully, formulating her reply piece by piece. She didn't want to end up back on the road to her parents, not when she'd finally made it here.

"You bring up an excellent point. However, I feel that if I want to bring my Suit the sort of honor it deserves, and follow in your footsteps in terms of actual change for our reputation... It would serve me well to begin getting experience in my own court as early as I possibly can." her bright eyes flashed slightly with determination and she sat a little taller. "I don't think I'm ready to take on a position as a titled King here yet... But I would like to work here until you see me as prepared for such a position, if there comes a time when you think I would do you and our Suit proud. I could gain valuable life experiences as well as experience to be a valuable member of the court."

Her eyes were shining again when she finished speaking, but this time, there was a hopeful expression on her face. She knew she was young. She also knew that, given the chance, she could do a damn good job working in the Court. "And yes, my parents are aware of my intentions. With my mother's paranoia, there was no way around it... I'd have been here three years ago if I could have snuck around telling them." she smiled a little more, hoping that the Queen was also blessed with a good sense of humor.

[The Jenn]

So the girl wasn't balking at having to explain her position... good. She also wasn't whining, or demanding a title, neither of which Donnie would have taken kindly to. However much they needed the help, she could wait for prospectives to mature a little bit before shoving the responsibilities of titled nobility on their shoulders. As it was, Raina made a reasonable and level-headed argument, if a bit kiss-ass. Time would tell how much of it she really meant and how much was flattery.

The comment about parents made her smirk. "I think I can understand your position. Personally, I believe that I would have benefited by a year or two more of experiencing Court life before taking the throne, as opposed to the week I allowed myself. It might have made the transition much less painfully abrupt for everyone, myself included." She watched the girl for a moment, gauging her reaction. "I might be willing to bring you in under some sort of mentor program, if your parents allow it. I'm going to need their permission in writing before I can do anything official. Also, you're going to have to continue whatever schooling they deem appropriate while you're here, in between any responsibilities that may be assigned to you. The Court library has some of the resources you would need, I'm sure, and probably more on the suit in particular."