[OTA] Musical Thrones

[cipherspeak]

He'd stolen Hadyn's cigarettes the morning before, when the messenger had run in breathlessly with the news of Carmella's disappearance, but Elisha hadn't had the time to light up. Not between organizing the futile search and then taking the slow walk over to Heart Castle to tell Jonathan Montenegro that his wife was gone. And then, of course, he'd spent far too long fielding panicked questions from Clubs - and anyone else who made their way to his office.

But finally he'd slipped off, going down back stairs and cutting through the kitchens before stepping into the cold, crisp February air. There was a bit of blue in the sky, breaking through the cloud cover, but it was still fucking cold and he hadn't bothered to grab his coat or his gloves, leaving him standing in the gardens in jeans, boots and a sweater. Elisha exhaled as he leaned against a stone wall, and he closed his eyes for a moment before he fished the cigarettes out of his pocket and lit one with the old zippo he hadn't used for anything but candles in months.

He was going to get a migraine from this. He was going to get a migraine anyway, though, so there wasn't any point in abstaining. He was going to have to find another new Queen, he thought. Maybe he should just go without.

Comments

[expluribus]

Having done what little he could do at the Club Castle, Lasse eventually allowed himself to leave it in order to find another someone he'd been worried about all morning without reason probably but that hadn't stopped him. The throng of people in front of his King's office had told him that the young man had not disappeared and he'd refrained from bothering him with something as minor as 'are you alright?'

And since he'd expected the Clubs' ruler to be occupied all day, he was rather surprised to find him outdoors. And smoking.

"I thought you'd quit." There were more pressing issues than Elisha's habits - bad or otherwise - but it was more considerate than badgering him with questions he likely had no answers for.

[cipherspeak]

"I did." And likely it wasn't exactly the wisest of plans to start up again, but after the last two days, no one would blame him. Probably. "It seemed like a good day to fill my lungs with smoke again. Want one?"

Probably he shouldn't be so cavalier about handing out his boyfriend's cigarettes, but he'd just buy Hadyn another pack.

[expluribus]

Today certainly merited indulging in feeding lung cancer.

"I shouldn't... but I will. Thanks." He'd already gone through too many today and last night - you could probably smoke ham or salmon in his quarters...

"How did you escape the mob in front of your office?"

[cipherspeak]

"I made Pete create a distraction." He handed over a cigarette and fished out his lighter. "I didn't ask what he was going to do, just snuck out the door when their backs were collectively turned." And hightailed it out to the garden, where it was reasonably quiet, at least.

"I should probably be sure to give him a really nice bonus this year, and possibly send him flowers."

[expluribus]

"Mmmh, he's a brave soul and as such he should be generously rewarded. The sooner the better, I reckon." Lasse lit his smoke and returned the lighter. A was a nice piece, old in all the right ways.

He didn't envy any of the Face Cards and he'd never harboured any ambitions to become one which was for the best. The Eight had a keen dislike for politics and could at times be less than diplomatic - he'd be horrible in those positions.

"I've pulled the feeds from the new system. Not sure they'll be useful but if you want to take a look let me know."

[eucre]

He won't mind if Piper approaches softly, extending a jacket that her brother had foisted on her earlier to him. It'll certainly be too small, but... it's the thought that counts? "Declan's okay," she says quietly, a little vaguely, "but others aren't.

[cipherspeak]

He smiles at her and shakes his head; she needs it more than he does. "I'm glad," he tells her, genuinely. "Dybbuk is missing too, I understand."

[eucre]

She nods, ducking her head. "And the Queenie Clubs. And the poor bitty's mumsies. And another father and brother or sister and daughter. Piper's worried."

[cipherspeak]

He couldn't say there was nothing to worry about; there was plenty to worry about, after all, and lying was pointless now. "We have to be careful just now," he finally says. "Keep close to the people who matter."

[morallydefunct]

"So hard, staying on the wagon these days." Victor remarked as he came upon Elisha with his ever present calm. "Whatever will the children think?"

Not that Elisha was being surrounded at the moment, true, but it was a standing point if one asked him.

[cipherspeak]

As Victor came upon Elisha with his ever annoying calm is what he meant, though Elisha just slanted his best friend a look before taking another drag on his cigarette.

"That their elders have death wishes, I imagine." It wouldn't be entirely wrong, after all.

[morallydefunct]

"The question is just why are you smoking..." Not that he'll remind Elisha that they'll kill him some day. More that he is curious if this is all because of the Queen...or if there was something more to it.

[cipherspeak]

The Queen was, in Elisha's opinion, sufficient reason. But as usual, there was more going on, and he tapped ash off his cigarette. "I figured if I was going to have a headache anyway, I might as well enjoy getting it," he said as he stepped deeper into the gardens.

"I heard you had an adorable security breach."

[a_sudden_change]

"Don't have another one, do you?"

She'd come out this way, to talk to Jack. Who she hadn't found. She'd supposedly come out all this way to run a message for someone back at Spades. Which she had, at least, done.

And she wasn't much of a smoker, but it seemed like that sort of day.

[cipherspeak]

Elisha gave Diane the same cursory, slightly suspicious look most new people got from him before he shrugged and handed over a cigarette. "Sure," he said. "What brings you over here, Miss Two?"

[a_sudden_change]

She smiles at him and fishes a lighter out of her pocket. Don't ask why she has a lighter and no cigarettes. "Had to run a message over for a Six who works in the library. Pretty sure she's carrying on a steamy secret written love affair with one of your Sevens in Accounting."

Not that she'd peeked or anything.

[cipherspeak]

He wouldn't dream of asking, though slight oddities - on top of the intrepid the Diamond Hadyn had told him about - were pretty much always noted. "We don't have a Seven in Accounting," he says, though, slightly amused. "The department's run by a Six."

[maidenthespade]

"Ah, I had heard you had made escape." Katya may have been partaking in one of her many walks about the Deck or she could perhaps have been looking for him. As usual, she showed uncanny ability to track him down. She tsks at the cigarettes. "Sex lets off same steam and will not leave you with migraine after."

But she settles against wall next to him and digs out her own smokes. One or two a day. It is all she allows herself. Rest is silence. Ilyusha will speak if he wishes. Perhaps he merely attempts to exchange known headache for the many remaining unknown.

[cipherspeak]

"My partner is being kept busy with inter-Suit communications and the flu," Elisha said around his cigarette. "And I'm going to have the headache in any case, for the next several months at the rate we're going." How Carmella had been so stupid was completely beyond him, in all honesty.

"How many of yours?"

[maidenthespade]

Ah. They are calling it inter-Suit communications now? She wisely keeps opinion to self. Instead she takes long drag on cigarette, tilts back her head and blows smoke ring.

"Three in town we are knowing of so far. Besides Carmella?"

[cipherspeak]

It's one word for it, at least. Eventually, he imagines the ambassadors will just...stop doing that on top of their other jobs. Until then, might as well use them.

"Four," he says. "The Clubs should likely tone down their intrepid natures."

[lowtohigh]

She doesn't want to bother him. He has more than enough on his plate without her bothering him.

But stock needs to be taken. Mental inventories. And while Kevin is letting her be outside the Castle, that means she can do things like hover where she might be allowed in, for a moment, against the crook in Elisha's side she knows she fits even when the world finds itself again turned upside down.

Maybe she won't bother him if she just fidgets at him rather than saying anything once she and her not-so-tall shadow have made their way over to him.

[cipherspeak]

They've both got enough on their plates, and Elani too. Already administration is adjusting, and Carmella's work is being redistributed. In a few hours, he'll be grateful for the distraction.

Not just now, though. Now he exhales and beckons Eileen closer, letting his cigarette burn down.

"How are you holding up, princess?"

[lowtohigh]

If that's not an invitation to burrow in against his side with her arms tight around his waist, then she's not completely certain what is. Probably actual words. Probably that would be best for a thirteen-year-old young woman and Ace, to wait for verbal invitation.

But she finds she's tucking in against him entirely unconsciously. No helping it, it would seem.

"I'm fine. Kevin's taking care. You don't need to worry." About her. Probably still about everything else. "And you?"

He's getting the flu from Hadyn. Half the Faces are going to be sick at this rate.

[cipherspeak]

Absolutely about everyone else. In a way, he wouldn't know what to do if he wasn't worrying - and perhaps that's why he'll still worry about her, too. "I'm fine," he tells her. "Holding up." For the most part.

"I'll need your help again, though."