What else is there? [Lucca] {Finished}

[Harpsdesire]

"I hope so as well. I remember it quite fondly, although I think one always sees one's childhood in a flattering light once it is past." Alicia's youngest years had been happy ones, filled with the companionship of her leveret sisters and her mother's haughty but loving instruction. Although distant to his children, her father was permissive, and her workload never so heavy that she didn't have time for a little play in the evenings or a lesson in reading. The little Highlander took to her work with relative ease (although she remembered crying now and then over disasters like a shamefully over-salted soup, or her father's snowy cravat tinted pink by a red sock overlooked in the laundry), and the older leverets, probably in fear of her mother's fabled temper, were patient teachers.

Her one regret in childhood, the one thing that sometimes pained her still, was the fact that she was born a leveret, and not a precious baby Doe, her father's princess. She did, as Shelby said, enjoy her work, and it was only when assigned a particularly abhorrent chore that she regretted the duties of being a leveret. No, it wasn't the hard work that bothered her, or the degradation of being ordered around even by those less capable and intelligent than herself, but the sense of being one of the many, rather than a person who was separate, special, valued in her own right. The Czar's Does were individuals, 'Miss Ashta' and 'Miss Chelan', pampered and showered in attention, but she was just 'Oy, Leveret!', a being that was part of the mob, faceless and unworthy of love.

One day that would change. She would be adored by her Jack, a woman strong, feminine and gracious, worthy of his affection. The center of his attention, prized and love at last.

She regarded Shelby with just a hint of pity in the back of her mind. The child was very plain in appearance, lacking even the feathered fur that usually gave Selkies such grace, and awkward in manner to boot. She (for Alicia assumed it was a female who served Seena so closely), would probably never become a Doe, and would spend all her life unloved and unnoticed. The most she could hope for was to become a trusted and valued servant and derive a measure of satisfaction from her work. She knew from experience that work done well was very satisfying, indeed, and from observation that it was still far less meaningful than Love.

"I do enjoy it." Alicia smiled kindly at the little leveret. "There is a certain satisfaction in taking a few good things and turning them into something even better with your own paws. I take pleasure in learning to cook new foods, and discovering which combinations of things are most healthful and pleasing to my Jack, as well." It probably her vanity which introduced the idea that her words would be instructive to the younger servant, perhaps inspiring her to new appreciation of her lot in life. "

Demure and ladylike as she was, there was a confidence about the Highlander that couldn't be denied-- the legacy of her Realm. It showed all the more clearly as she spoke to another of social status, and she did so without the hesitance that clouded her voice when she addressed Seena.

[Lucca]

Seena had never known any other state than being a Doe, but to her, it was less what you were and more who you were that made the difference. Better a smart Leveret than a dull Jack any day. She knew this wasn't a popular opinion in such a caste-based society. Luckily...Heike understood better than most Jacks, as he had once been a Leveret himself and had needed to work to get where he was. She nodded to Alicia, smiling faintly. She'd read several books that had said much the same thing, and had found it to be true herself. The longer she was away from her childhood Warren, the better it seemed in her mind. Though, she would still never forget how cruel her Father had been when he'd traded her. And all for asking just a few simple questions!

"I've found that to be the case in most instances, yes," she agreed lightly. She had tried her best to be fair to her children, letting them have time to play and run while also never letting them forget that there were other things they must do as well. She was proud of both of them, even her poor son, who would be difficult to trade off. He was plain, he was male (though he was taught to hide that) and he was also part Lowlander, though she hadn't ever had the heart to tell Shelby that. There was no reason to, unless his heritage became more pronounced or he ever took the step up to Jack and began having kits of his own.

For the most part, the Doe was content to sip her tea and watch Shelby and Alicia interact. Shelby didn't get enough chances to interact with others outside the Warren. Perhaps she should send him out a bit more? He was no longer a boy, he was on the cusp of his adulthood and didn't need to be coddled. That was not how Seena ever desired to treat children. It gave them the wrong ideas about what life was really like.

Shelby nodded, pouring himself a cup of the tea. "I can see why, I suppose. Cooking is...not something that comes naturally to me." To say the least. He stole a glance at his Mum, and then held out the teapot. "Would either of you like a little more?"

[Harpsdesire]

Alicia was pleased the Doe agreed with her. She had, in moments of boredom while ironing seemingly infinite number of linens, now and then thought on the nature of memories. What was it about time that changed the perception of the past? Why did childhood grow more rosy with time, and old slights grow more grievous the more they were thought upon? It was a frivolous line of thought, even as a pastime while while paws were busy, and she made at least a half-hearted attempt to turn her mind to more productive things. (For example, why did the vividly blue laundry additives make the sheets look whiter, and how could that same principle be applied to raise her coat to a new level of brilliance?)

She had no reply to Seena's words, as she was not about to admit her thought on the matter. Such deep thoughts were, at least according to her mother, unbecoming in a leveret. When she became a Doe she might be permitted to cultivate a taste for deep conversations, provided her Jack enjoyed such things.

She smiled slightly, nibbling her pastry to fill the silence that has not yet become an awkward one. Although it was already clear to her that Heike's warren was run in a casual fashion, she was a little surprised when Shelby helped 'herself' to the tea. She had assumed that it was only because she was Seena's guest that she rated a cup of the delicate beverage, but now it seemed that it was permitted to all the leverets! The warren must be either very well-off, or even more lax in rules that she had thought. Probably both.

She didn't allow herself to look scandalized-- it wouldn't do to seem critical of the way her hosts did things. Instead, Alicia ignored the action as if helping oneself to a Doe's tea was quite a natural thing to do. (And perhaps here it was, since Seena didn't appear at all put out.)

When Shelby spoke, the Highlander took another sip of tea before responding. "That doesn't mean you can't become good at it. It helps to stick closely to recipes at first, until you come to know how spices blend and how long and hot things need to be cooked. Skill comes with time. I was not always a good cook," She continued, with a little giggle, "I once made a pudding so dreadful and lumpy that my father-Jack became angry and dumped the whole mess on my head. Luckily I've not cooked anything so uniquely unfortunate since..." At the time, she had cried from shame (and perhaps a little because her white coat was stained with huckleberry juice and chocolate), but now it was an amusing memory. Just another example of how time changed things.

In general, Alicia avoided stories of her own failings whenever possible, as it wasn't in her nature to readily admit to her flaws. Now, however, she felt rather sorry for Shelby, whose ruinous plainness would only be compounded with an inability to cook, and who seemed less than confident in his ability to improve. A little encouragement wouldn't hurt, and was often just the thing for someone at that confusing age just before adulthood. If her story cast her in a slightly unflattering light, well, at least it was unlikely to get back to her home warren.

She accepted his offer of more tea, holding her near-empty cup toward the leveret. At least the little Selkie had manners-- that was one thing in his favor, at least.

[Lucca]

"Yes, I would like that," Seena told Shelby, and held out her cup as well. She would have been a bit surprised to hear Alicia's thought on who could and couldn't afford to philosophize, since her Father hadn't thought it proper for Does, either. Only Jacks were thought to have the sort of time and intelligence to reflect on the deeper aspects of life, according to him. Seena thought that was a load of tosh, one of the many things she'd disagreed with her Father-Jack on. Respectfully disagreed, most of the time, but she would still get slapped for it.

She didn't think anything of Shelby pouring himself some tea. After all, once tea has gone cold it's no longer good, so whoever is around to drink it once it's already made should do so, Leverets and Does alike. If a Leveret were found brewing tea without instructions to do so, that would be another matter entirely, and they might be scolded for wasting Warren resources.

Seena sipped her refilled cup after her son obliged her, and listened as the other Leveret...actually told a rather embarrassing story. She was a bit surprised, and it flickered on her face for a moment before settling into a calm expression again. She felt she may have made too rash a judgement on Alicia, thinking her vain and a bit silly, but it seemed she had been wrong. Not about the vanity, that was there...but she didn't consider it the most important thing.

Shelby smiled, grateful for the encouragement. "Ah, well, at least it was only once for you." He carefully set the empty teapot down and folded his paws. "I...do hope I can become better at it, with time. It's an important skill for a Leveret, especially in a small Warren where everyone may need to do any task." His polite demeanor, of course, was cultivated carefully by Seena, and didn't go entirely against his nature. For though he did enjoy a good time and a few jokes...he was fairly meek and didn't like confrontation.

[Harpsdesire]

As she finished her story, a somewhat abashed smile on her face, she saw an expression of surprise briefly overtake Seena's calm demeanor. Was the Doe shocked that she told such a story, or surprised by the failure itself? It didn't appear that her recounting of a childhood misstep lowered the Selkie's opinion of Alicia too drastically, as she continued to sip her tea placidly.

"Well it's better to make mistakes and learn from them, I suppose, than just never to learn at all. I am certain that you will improve with time and practice. If nothing else, learn to make a few simple things very well. No one will complain about eating the same things often if they are perfectly prepared. Some even find it comforting." She returned Shelby's smile, finishing the danish he had previously offered her. It was a good thing the pastry was on the small side, and that she had a long run back to the Highlands-- she could taste the richness of butter in every bite, and tried not to imagine it plastering itself to her belly and hips. Still, it tasted amazing, and if it did land itself on her furry little bum, it would almost be worth it.

She nodded to the smaller leveret, agreeing with his words. "It is very important to be versatile. I feel quite strongly that there should be no tasks that are always undertaken by the same single leveret. In the event of an illness or a trade, that could leave a most irritating gap in service, and greatly disrupt the efficiency of the warren while a new rabbit is trained in that task."

Shelby was a pleasant sort, she thought (not like some leverets she knew, who were difficult, rude, or just plain crazy...) The outwardly plain Selkie seemed unusually earnest and good natured, and she found herself feeling rather fond of the teen. Although she had been full grown when originally traded to the Emperor, Alicia was still rather young, and she missed the companionship of her leveret sisters and the other young rabbits of her birth warren more than she would readily admit. She was enjoying the pleasant teatime with Seena and the leveret so much that the long, damp run to the warren was nearly forgotten.

[Lucca]

Though maintaining the same calm demeanor, Seena was carefully listening to her son, making sure that Shelby maintained a proper decorum in speaking, even to another Leveret. So far, he was doing well, and she felt the warmth of pride glowing in her chest again. Despite his humble beginnings and rather frustrating disinterest in his lessons, Shelby would turn out all right in the end, she was sure. Perhaps she really would send him out into the world a bit more. Not all the way to the Capital or anything, but perhaps to a more local Card village for supplies. Or even to another Warren in Avington, though that would need more of an excuse as well as Heike's permission.

She mulled over the options in her mind while sipping the fresh cup of tea, still keeping one ear carefully tilted toward the Leveret's conversation.

"Hm, yeah, I guess that's true enough," Shelby responded with a half shrug. He was actually a little amazed at how seriously Alicia took everything. He was sure it was a good trait in a Leveret and all, but sometimes it was just hard for him to muster up that amount of enthusiasm if his Mum wasn't there breathing down his neck. Maybe that was more the problem than his lack of skill? Cooking certainly took more concentration than most other tasks.

He nodded. "Yeah, it would, although I'd hope no Jack would be dumb enough to trade of his own Leveret that was good at something," Shelby said with a half laugh. He really couldn't imagine a Jack that would do something like that. And as for illness...unless it was something severe, he was usually just told to 'work through it' or 'drink some soup and nap and then get back to work'. He knew his Mum cared about him quite a bit despite his maleness, but she refused to ever coddle him.

[Harpsdesire]

((To Alicia, everything is SRS BSNS! Evvvvverything. Poor Bunny is gonna burn out like a type-A college student at finals one of these days. ))

Sweet as he seemed, Alicia thought Shelby showed a frightening lack of interest in his future as a leveret. Didn't he know that his satisfaction in life, his installation in a pleasant or dull warren, possibly even his life itself depended on pleasing those he served? She couldn't imagine being so unambitious, so unenthusiastic about bettering herself. Or... could it be? Maybe Shelby had aspirations of becoming a Doe, and thus didn't think it important to excel in the many tasks required of the well-rounded leveret.

Huh. That would certainly be a surprise to whatever Jack had her in his warren at the time.

When Shelby laughed, Alicia joined with a feminine giggle. "You have a point. Most Jacks are cleverer than that. Still, if they have a chance to get a good deal in trade, well, they're also smart enough to know that eventually a new leveret can be trained for anything they need." She shrugged, not speaking as if she really had any hard evidence on the matter, nor was she especially concerned about it. The ways of Jacks were mysterious and unpredictable, and she had seen them do utterly impractical things on a whim.

Maybe it was just that Jacks didn't bother themselves with which of their servants was responsible for some menial but crucial chore. They weren't always particularly detail-oriented or organized sorts. They had servants to keep track of the everyday matters of running a warren. It was the place of Leverets to be practical, and the nature of Jacks to be magnificent, spoiled and cunning in a way the lower classes seldom understood.

[Lucca]

Heike certainly wasn't dumb at all...he took an active interest in his Warren and he knew all of his servants, Seena thought with a measure of pride. And if he was ever going to trade away one of their more indispensable Leverets, he'd have her to answer to. After all, if the Warren wasn't running smoothly, everyone would suffer for it. But the Selkie was sure that Heike would never make a trade without careful consideration, Leveret or not. Again, perhaps it had more to do with having himself once been in that position, but Heike didn't have a lot of the negative Jack traits that were so pervasive among those born into that state.

Shelby would have been happy to know how well he was fooling Alicia into thinking he was female. He wouldn't have been so happy to hear of her thoughts about his potential Doe-hood. That was not something he ever wanted to think about, and not -just- because it wasn't physically possible. Sure, the tasks of a Leveret weren't exactly fun, and they never would be, but he did them as best he could. He knew he needed to please a Jack someday with his work, but that didn't mean he ever had to enjoy the work. As long as it got done, no one was going to care.

"True," Shelby agreed with a shrug. He finished the rest of his snack, and then rested his paws on the table. After a look from his Mum, he quickly put them back on the floor. Whoops. "An understaffed Warren is hardly fun, however...it means that some of the work has to be done by the Does, or even the Jack, or else get neglected entirely." He'd never exactly known a Warren -that- understaffed, but he'd heard about what Heike's Warren had been like in the beginning.

[Harpsdesire]

Alicia would have been mildly shocked to hear that Heike was once a Leveret. She had never actually met a Jack who ascended from the lowly servant ranks (or at least, not one who admitted to it). She knew such a thing was possible, of course, and probably happened far more than most rabbits knew. Secretly, she thought it was a rather romantic notion, like a 'rags-to-riches' story she had read as a youngster in a storybook bought in the Capital City by an older leveret.

She had once wondered idly if the Czar had ever been a leveret, and found herself unable to picture him in a mere quadruped form, scrubbing pots or sweeping the halls. He was just too impressive to fit himself into a leveret shape, even in her imagination. The little highlander was really very enamored with her new Jack (although she found him more majestic than actually lovable). She was even beginning to think that he might even deserve her as his Doe, despite her initial irritation at being sold into his warren in such an improper fashion.

She was thinking about the Czar, his red and gold marked fur, his ears weighted down by heavy golden bands, when Shelby finished speaking and she found herself momentarily at a loss for words. " Ah, yes. Often that means things are put off longer than they should be, I'm sure." She had never lived in such a small warren either, but she couldn't imagine any Doe or Jack she had ever known doing menial chores, no matter how much they needed to be done.

Alicia's mother was a possible exception. Her Jack indulged her whims to an almost ridiculous extent, and she sometimes helped around the warren on a lark, gardening or overseeing the fall canning only when she was in the mood, or when Alicia's father was focusing his attention on another Doe and simple sulking had become dull. Helping out with lighter, more pleasant tasks around the warren was more of a diversion to her than a job, and the proud Highland Doe would no doubt have balked if assigned chores because the warren lacked enough leverets.

The tea in her cup was cooling rapidly, and she sipped it thoughtfully. Would she miss the satisfaction of work well-done once she had made The Change? No, she assured herself, although with a sudden faint sense of foreboding, being a Doe was going to be amazing. Better than she even imagined. She would blossom in the warmth of her Jack's devoted love and affection. She would never miss anything about her current place in the world.

[Lucca]

For obvious reasons, Heike's previous lower station wasn't something Seena would ever tell anyone. For one thing, other Jacks sometimes looked down on someone who wasn't born into the noble position. For another, it wasn't her secret, even though she had met him (and fallen head over heels in love with him, though she wouldn't admit that, either) as a Leveret. It was only chance that had brought them together, and mere chance again that had brought them together a second time. Seena was too practical to believe in something as silly and romantic as fate, or else she would surely have named that as the cause of how her life had gotten so much better. That Lowlander...it hadn't been his region, exactly, though it hadn't made him very nice to look upon. It had been his dullness, his complete disinterest in most intellectual pursuits. Rhodney had been a very down-to-Earth sort of guy, and wasn't really the sort of Jack Seena felt was worthy of her companionship.

That had been the sort of attitude that had gotten her traded to him in the first place, of course, but Seena didn't care. She had no regrets. Heike was everything she'd ever dreamed of in a Jack. He did, in fact, let her help with some of the tasks of the Warren, overseeing and running and organizing things and sometimes a bit of cleaning. Whatever needed doing and wasn't out of her realm of practical knowledge. (Seena had book knowledge of pretty much all of it, but she would be the very first to admit this wasn't quite the same thing). He had the Leverets buy her new books whenever they went out, and he was almost as happy to just sit and talk with her as he was to fulfill their Needs together.

"Yeah, it does." Shelby frowned. Alicia seemed a bit distracted by something, though he couldn't be sure what. Her response to him wasn't as carefully thought out as some of her others. He, also, glanced at the cooling tea, and cleared his throat. "Well, Alicia, er...when was it that you said you had to be on your way?" Not that he wasn't enjoying her company, but he knew he had other tasks to attend to, and if she was going to be staying much longer he'd have to excuse himself to attend to them, as much as he disliked that thought.