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Post by Greenie on Jan 24, 2009 22:29:43 GMT -5
[[Starting in one thread for now? Also; deducted both sets of points in advance.]]  Vessatha paced in front of Donnie's office, indecision visible on her face. Was now a good time? Did she really want to move up? Would Donnie even want her to? Maybe she should give it more time - but she'd already given it over a month. She didn't want to work with Mia - but Mia had already mentioned plans of questing up soon. The ferret came to a halt facing the door. There was no point warring with herself when she didn't even know if it was an option. The least she could do was talk to Donnie and see if they could work something out - be it for now or the future. Who knew, maybe Donnie had plans of her own? She knocked on the door. "Donnie?" She paused, waiting for an answer. "Is this a good time?" |
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 1, 2009 20:59:01 GMT -5
 Donnie gnawed absently on the metal pen she had been using a minute ago, staring down at the piece of paper in front of her. She was going to have to bring this one up with Mia and see what he thought before she sent it along to his mother. It was a procurement order for various plants and planting supplies to continue the revitalization of the palace gardens, but she didn't know as much about gardening as she could have. Maybe she could send for a Yarrow to help with the matter, someone she knew back home? But then they'd have to work with Hadrian on his borrowed time, and they might not be willing... She looked up mid-chew at the knock on her door and slipped the pen out of her mouth, wiping it guiltily on her skirt before saying anything. Filthy habit, but damned if she didn't still do it when the writing utensil was made out of metal. "Vessie? Sure, come in. I was just looking through some proposals. Nothing too pressing. What do you need?" |
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Post by Greenie on Jun 16, 2009 11:52:59 GMT -5
Vessie jumped, then frowned at her own nerves; it wasn't as if she hadn't expected Donnie to answer. She cleared her throat as quietly as possible, wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt and slipped as discreetly through the door as possible. Donnie seemed a bit distracted - she'd been chewing on her pen again, Vessie saw - but the ferret had her attention, so forced herself to press forward through the room until she was standing a few feet in front of Donnie's chairs. She paused awkwardly, her unease in approaching the subject more visible than she would have liked, but she bowed, took a deep breath, and steadied herself.
"Sorry to interrupt," She began, then coughed slightly to clear her throat again, "but I'd like to talk about my future here, if it's a good time..?" Vessie left it open as a question, but quickly added on to her statement. "I would like to become your King. I feel I can do more for you, and for the Court, in that position than I can as a Jack." She stopped, and forced herself to meet Donnie's gaze. "If you want me, that is."
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Post by The Jenn on Jun 28, 2009 16:06:16 GMT -5
Watching the ferret enter the room, Donnie was struck by how uncertain she looked. Was something wrong? Had something happened? She sat up a bit straighter and pullet her mind into focus on the matter at hand: namely, the Kahmden woman standing in front of her.
She nearly swallowed her tongue when Vessatha started off with the phrase 'my future here'. She was terrified that the woman might leave the palace someday. She'd had nightmares about the woman quitting. Surely... surely not...
Her body visibly relaxed as soon as she continued speaking. She hadn't been able to muster up words at first, wanting to make sure that she wasn't hearing what she thought she might be hearing. She wasn't. Thank the cliffs. "A King? You're interested in becoming my King?" That was a far more attractive option. She couldn't hold in a slightly relieved laugh and had to explain why her eyes had probably bugged out for a second there. "From the way you started, I was terrified that you were going to tell me you'd had enough and you were quitting. Sorry about that. King! Yes, we can certainly talk about that. Honestly, I think you'd make an excellent King."
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Post by Greenie on Jun 28, 2009 21:17:07 GMT -5
Donnie's uneasy expression made her want to cringe. Was she not doing enough as a Jack? Worse, had she done something wrong? Was this a horrifically bad time for some unspoken reason? Several nasty trains of thought ran through her mind before Donnie seemed to breathe again, and seemed to laugh at herself. Vessatha allowed her shoulders to relax marginally, then completely when Donnie explained herself. "Leave? Suits, I could never leave. I've built my life around this place.." She trailed off, then nodded in response. "Like I said, I think I can do more. Being a Jack has been wonderful for me here, but I feel like my word doesn't hold quite enough weight for what I've been doing here lately... and I'd like to expand what I'm doing on top of it. Work outside the Court some as well as within."
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Post by The Jenn on Jun 30, 2009 20:55:29 GMT -5
Tapping her fingers on the desk in a familiar rhythm, Donnie listened to the ferret's explanation and nodded. "I have to agree with you there. You're probably the person with the most general practical experience in the entire palace right now. People come to you with questions, and you can usually provide or find the answers. I've been wondering for a while now why you never rose above the rank of Jack and just figured that you were content where you were. But if that isn't the case anymore..."
She'd been wanting a woman as her King ever since she took up the Queenship. Mia and Zane were both competent Kings, especially for their gender, but there were a few things that she would feel more comfortable discussing with another woman. She'd talked out some of them to the Kahmden and knew that Vessatha's biting wit meshed well with her thought process.
Something changed in her eyes and she smirked. "You want a King's quest? I think I have one for you. Since your expertise lies in the practical arena anyway and you aren't afraid in the slightest to get your hands dirty, how would you feel about giving another Card their Jack's quest?"
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Post by Greenie on Jun 30, 2009 21:09:23 GMT -5
Vessatha continued to relax further in the face of Donnie's acceptance. It was much easier on her nerves to know she wasn't facing opposition.. or worse, apathy. She nodded in response to the Queen's comments, not finding anything to disagree with. She knew the Court from head to toe and on the rare occasion she didn't know something, she knew all the cards in the Court, so finding the answer was never a problem.
She smiled slightly at a sudden thought. Vess hadn't really considered Donnie's heritage overmuch other than to not hire too many men in her direct service.. but the poor woman was stuck working with her son. That was hell for most people normally, but for a Yarrow it was probably like sticking a pin in her eye repeatedly. It was good to be wanted.
The ferret caught the eye change and narrowed her own. What was she planning? "You want me to--- What?" She said, closing her eyes for a moment, then pinning Donnie with a bizarre look. "A Jack quest? Am I allowed to scare them? If I can't, I want a new quest." She stated firmly, but playfully. She had little choice, obviously, and would do what she had to... but if she couldn't be mean, it wasn't going to be any fun.
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Post by The Jenn on Jul 2, 2009 11:29:46 GMT -5
Donnie couldn't not laugh at the look the ferret shot her, or at the very least chuckle, which she did. "You already scare them. When you're done, I expect them to be absolutely terrified but hopefully determined. It's Mikael."
Her efficient, artistic secretary, whose handwriting was prettier than many with their biped forms and whose odd looks were only matched by his bizarre family. She rather liked the young man. He was easy to tease and, probably thanks to his mother, an intelligent sort. "He wants to gain a title. I'd like to have another Jack in this Court, especially with your promotion, which I hadn't expected. Ideally... I want you to show him what the Jacks in this Court really do. Obviously you've got more on your plate than he would, from lack of experience if nothing else, but we're short-staffed and we all have a damn lot of work. He knows this. I just want him to know it in every hair on his body, because I cannot have titled nobles right now who don't pull their weight."
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Post by Greenie on Jul 2, 2009 11:42:00 GMT -5
"Mikael? She questioned, puzzled at first, but her grin quickly grew entertained. "Interesting. I was expecting him to hold out for a few years." She commented idly, thinking back on the time the 10 had spent with them. He was certainly an asset; he did loads of paperwork no one in the lot of them had any interest whatsoever in doing. The ferret could think of several things she'd certainly love to have him do that would require a title.. things of a tad more sensitive nature. Mikael would make an excellent author of boring and officious diplomatic documents.
Vessatha smirked in reply. "What the Jacks really do? Somehow I think if I handed control of the servants over to him he'd immediately be swamped in adoring maids. I think I have an idea of how to test him, though.." She paused, and grinned again. "Remember that letter we got from Clubs about helping with their architecture that we've not answered for days because none of us know how to politely but firmly tell them we're too busy? I think it's about time someone replied, don't you?" She tapped her fingers on her chin, happily plotting out how to torture the boy without making him pee his pants.
"I think he has a pretty good idea of how understaffed we are, or he wouldn't be questing so early. Regardless, I'll make sure he knows what he's getting into." This was said with a very, very toothy grin.
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Post by The Jenn on Jul 2, 2009 13:00:39 GMT -5
Donnie saw her grin and raised her a fanged smirk. "Oh, you'll still be in control of the servants as a King," she said with dry amusement in her voice. "They tremble too much at your passing to give that job over to anyone else. Sorry if you'd thought otherwise. You'll just get to focus on other things at the same time, and order people around even more. Multitasking! Fun. As if you don't already."
Yes, they understood one another very well. The wolverine was going to enjoy having this woman as her King. "You know, that's an excellent thought. He was raised in the Court of Hearts and has a brother with the Clubs, so if he doesn't know how to be political and polite with other suits then he probably wouldn't have lasted very long. I don't envy him the phrasing of that one, though. I hear the old King is getting more testy in her old age." She didn't know very much about the Torquehelm wolf beyond her reputation for throwing herself into her job and a cruel sense of humor, but she knew the woman had to be in her seventies by now.
"I'm going to trust him to your... tender mercies, then." she agreed, rather pleased she wouldn't have to be doing the quest herself. Not that Mikael wouldn't make a good Jack and didn't get along with her, but that it was extra time she had to spend where others could do so more easily.
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