T - Kari, Jenn, Lucca, Greenie

[Lucca]

"Yeah! That sounds good," Mirriam agreed, grinning. She was still fantasizing about the lovely garden she could have. Of course, being raised in the Court from such a young age, there would be an inevitable culture shock when she was forced to live in 'the real world' where there were no servants to attend to your every need. But, thanks in part to all her adventures and outings, she'd hopefully be able to adjust well enough to the simpler life. "I think we should plant mint," she said, almost to herself. "We could make tea out of it and it makes a good...what is that word?...garnish for fruit tarts!"

But she snapped herself out of her musings as she got an answer. "Oh, yeah! Sure, I can do that," she commented cheerfully. She even had some ideas for what charities she could donate her stuff to. Of course, one of them was actually a very small charity for Aces...and she wasn't going to mention that to her guardian. She might not even have anything useful for that group, anyway. Her head tilted, somehow reluctant to go and pack her things just yet...

[Greenie]

Elodie's gaze rested on his rank mark for a long while. A King of Spades, presumably titled if he'd just come from the Courts. She would pick up someone else's nobility. At least there wasn't a War around and she wouldn't get branded a traitor for helping a black suit or some other felony.... Hopefully. If she did, she'd just pay her way out.

"You couldn't actually get in? Then how do you know there's a problem?" Elodie replied dubiously. The entire thing sounded rather fishy, and under normal circumstances she'd brand him a crazy in a heartbeat, but after her unusual time in the Capital, she was more inclined to believe him than usual.

"There's certainly no one in the City to help, from what I saw," The cat responded with a shrug. She raised one paw and began daintily washing it and returning the fur to it's pristine condition. "I was beginning to wonder if I was the only survivor of some strange epidemic."

[Kari Muffin]

The sparrow sighed. Small talk. Of course he would be subjected to it, and of course she would be suspicious of him. He looked like hell and he was a random stranger. The sparrow brushed his feathers straight. It didn't particularly help.

"My nephew and one of the nobles were stuck in the library. When I tried to get in through the window I just ended up on my back, and they told me what was happening inside of the palace." It had been a brief encounter, but he hardly thought they would be lying on the subject. After all he woken up in the middle of the garden with no memory of how he got there.

He glanced out the window. "I'm starting to think the same thing. The city is never this quiet."

It would be a long trip, but at the speed they were going it would only take two hours or so. He would politely engage in conversation to the best of his ability, but the closer they got to the destination the worse he seemed to be feeling.

[Greenie]

Elodie's suspicions relaxed slightly when he mentioned his family. Her parents were about all she really had in this world and she trusted them beyond all else - so in turn, she believed his motives toward them better. "Sounds like a strange enchantment," She replied. Her knowledge of magic was about level with her knowledge of politics.

The feline glanced out the window. They were well past the City now thanks to her fast, state of the art carriage, but it would still be a while before they came to Diamonds. What on earth was she supposed to talk about with this strange man until then?

She stuck a paw down and rummaged underneath her seat for her box of boredom goodies. "You can rest if you'd like, I have plenty to entertain myself with." To prove her point, she pulled out a book and began shuffling through it.

[Kari Muffin]

The sparrow thanked the stars that the woman was willing to let him rest. "Thank you," he said with a strained smile before he leaned back and attempted to sleep. His attempted didn't go very well, as the more he stopped thinking about helping the courts the more he felt ill.

What the hell was going on? This was far past exhaustion, or any sort of exhaustion he had ever had the pleasure of feeling. He gave up on sleeping rather early in the trip and went to stare out of the window.

It was difficult to ignore his pain. He really wished that he could have continued his flight. It would have been faster than taking the roads, but he was grateful that the Yarrow had been kind enough and so willing to go to the Court of Diamonds.

The scenery slowly changed as they continued their journey. They were almost there. "I imagine when we arrive.... I could introduce you to my brother and he could probably get someone to show you around."

[Greenie]

Elodie dug into her book as best as she could, but it was more of a fake distraction than a real one. The cat enjoyed books about as much as she enjoyed idiots. This particular book had small illustrations at the beginning of each chapter, so that was something to look at, at least.

She watched the King out of her peripheral vision, her curiosity piqued as he seemed to look worse and worse they closer they got, not better. She found her plush carriage quite restful personally, but clearly the same did not apply for everyone. Perhaps he was just stressed out?

She snapped out of her thoughts when he spoke again, and realized time had passed quicker than she'd expected, as the gates for the grounds were in sight. "Thank you, but that won't be necessary. I can escort myself." Elodie stated plainly. She had no wish to be led about by a stranger, much less some stranger's brother.

[Kari Muffin]

The sparrow gave a small shrug. He supposed it was her choice, and he imagined that someone might escort her regardless of her wishes. He refrained from sighing as he leaned heavily on the wall. Suits. At least they had arrived with little incident.

When they cake to a halt, and the driver opened the door for them he allowed the cat to exit first. She was, after all, a lady, and she had been kind enough to take him here. He carefully slipped out of the carriage after her, his balance a little off from the long ride. He really did prefer flying.

He grabbed the nearest servant he could find, though they seemed rather... lethargic, he sent them off with a message to grab a titled member of the Courts and tell them that he had an important message that needed immediate attention in the name of the Court of Spades.

When the left he turned to the Yarrow woman. "Maybe there was an epidemic back in the City. Things just don't seem right at all today."

[Greenie]

Elodie exited the car when he held back and waited outside the carriage for him to get out and lead the way. She tried not to snerk when he wobbled a little bit, but couldn't help it, and turned away briefly to gain control of her facial expressions again. Wings were obviously not always useful. She preferred her paws.

She followed him in, not particularly impressed with the Court after her many visits to Hearts - at least it was clean. She stared down the servant with as much Hearts Muster as she could manage and was miffed when the man barely even noticed her. What was the point of blatant condescending if no one noticed?

Elodie shrugged in response to him. "I have no idea. I'm not an expert on epidemics." Or politics, or magic, or much else, for that matter. The only thing she knew anything about, really, was money and how to spend it.

[The Jenn]

After the girl agreed to do her part in sorting and packing, Khushrenada let a pause hang in the air for a few moments. She didn't seem inclined to begin work on that right away, and he really couldn't blame her. Moving could be quite an ordeal of work, whether she realized it yet or not. Getting started packing was often just as difficult as the move itself.

"You know, my great-Aunt used to live in one of the areas I'm considering. I don't think I've ever told you any of her stories about the covered bridges in the realm..." Aunt Pellina had always been one for ghost stories.

The King had gotten most of three stories in, deciding that the work that afternoon could wait until his body calmed down a bit, when there came a knock at his office. His head twitched upward and a frown twitched along the edges of his beak before he pushed it away. This had been a good afternoon. He wasn't especially looking forward to an intrusion. "Enter," he called, and watched as the same attendant he'd sent to find Mirriam shuffled into the room.

Bowing her head, the woman mumbled something. When he failed to respond, staring at her blankly, she took a breath and tried again. "Messenger from Spades to see you, Your Highness. Says it's urgent and requires immediate attention."

Well yes, of course they did. They all said that. It was the only reason their messages were paid any attention.

"The messenger is a King of Spades himself, under the Queen," the woman added after a moment. "His Highness Zane. One of the sons of the former Queen."

"Ah... ah, yes, that does put a different spin on things. I wonder why he didn't ask for one of his siblings. No matter. Thank you, Petra. Please bring them to my office and I will receive them."

The woman bowed and then turned, sluggishly, to exit the office. What was with the staff lately? Petra was not a lazy woman.

[Kari Muffin]

"Aha. Of course you're not," Zane said with a forced chuckle. He didn't like anything at the moment. And he couldn't really think straight. He probably should have asked for one of his sibling, but suits only knew what they were doing right now. Ez was supposed to be looking after the girls.... Maybe he should get one of the servants?

There seemed to be something very wrong with them. His feathers ruffled slightly. This was not how the Court of Diamonds was usually run. "This.... is strange," he said to the woman, "Normally the court is more active. What's going on?"

Shortly after his statement a servant appeared to escort him to a proper authority. Though it took a few tries to understand what they were saying. He told them to wait a moment, looking to the Cat. "I think it would be safer if you came with me, Miss Elodie. I just.... something's off." He glanced back at the servant who seemed to be idly staring at the ceiling.

It was going to be a long and painful walk.