houseofcards_rp | [ota] it,s the end of the as we know it. and feel fine (not really)

There were few times when a formal audience was called, at least these days. Fewer still when the King of Hearts sent out request to each suit that they send someone to bear witness...without saying why. Hadyn and Jordan's presence was required, in a way to did not give them room to deny their King.

And Ceiro, for once, looked the part of a King. In the few months since his illness began, he seemed to have aged. His face was drawn, lacking the customary kindness that so many of the Deck had always known him to possess. On his eyes were hood, and his face was drawn as the crown on his head seemed to weigh him down more and more. He sat on the aged, rarely used throne as people filed in, ignoring the hushed murmurs that seemed to rush people as they entered. Instead his eyes stayed focused on some spot ahead of him, hands folded and pressed against his lips as his elbows rested on the arms of the chair.

It seemed as if hours passed (though they hadn't) before Laureline Novak was escorted into the room, a guard on each side as they held on to her arms.

"What is the meaning of this, your....Majesty." Her tone seemed to shift even in mid-sentence, and she hesitated as she looked at the scene in front of her.

"Madame Novak," Ceiro spoke after a moment, his voice an eery mix of calm and anger. "You stand before us accused of treason against your Suit and the Deck, of attempted murder, and..." He paused then, before adding one last charge. "And the murder of your husband."

"W-what?" Laureline started to gape, before she scoffed. "Murder, your highness? I hard-"

"Silence, Madame!" Ceiro said in a booming voice. "You are guilty by your own words!" He hit the button that began the record in exquisite detail, in her own words as she admitted to her crimes. Slowly Laureline's face grew hard, as she looked to her sons, to Jordan.

"How...how could you!"

But before Jordan could answer, Ceiro stepped closer to her. "A mother who loved her children would not ask how. She would never have placed them in the position they found themselves in- pitted against the love of their mother and love of their suit. To force them to choose, to make drastic decisions in order to....protect her from herself."

She started to speak but Ceiro cut her off with an uncharacteristic lack of kindness. "I have no patience for your excuses!" He snapped, be it true anger or the poison in his system talking. "I strip you of your rank, Laureline Novak, and of your suit. You will find no solace in the arms of the Hearts, these so called 'weak people'. You are banished, least some other suit might well step forward to defend you."

And then he turned to the boys, Jordan and Hadyn who stood side by side just to the right of the thrones. Hadyn was watching his mother with an expression caught between regret and attempted apathy. Ceiro knew as well as any that he'd sacrificed to do what was right. And Jordan, despite what he'd done to help Ceiro, was stony faced...even if only on the outside. The King of Hearts suspected that was not truly the case.

"This is my last act as King." He said, standing up taller as he looked at everyone gathered one by one. "Though it breaks my heart. An ill king does no better than a dead one, and I do not seek to inflict more suffering upon the Deck." Enough people had died, had they not? Death haunted too many of them, too many of the suits. "I leave to get well- so that I might live for my wife...for my son. For those that need me."

He stepped then toward Jordan and Hadyn, continuing to speak in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "And for that, I have you both to thank. Had you never spoken, there might well have been another king to set in the ground. I cannot express you to, Jordan, how much of a service you have done my family. You have earned my love and respect." He clapped the younger man on the shoulder at that, "and you deserve the love and respect from other."

When he turned to Hadyn, the newest Nine gave him an almost skeptical look, before offering a slightly humorless, weak smile. "And you, Hadyn. You too have earned my love, my respect. My thanks. And I hope that someday you kind your way life- the way you want it."

He offered them both a hug before he turned and looked at Laureline, his eyes narrowing slightly. "If any would speak for the accused- they should speak now."

[ooc: This is Ceiro's final post. After this, he will be leaving the Deck to seek advanced medical assistance. He will, eventually, make a recovery and will return at least in an NPCly fashion. As for Laureline, this too, is her last post for some time. Assuming that no one steps up to speak for her- she will be escorted from the Deck lands without- well...anything more than she has on her back. Ceiro, of course, is not entirely cruel. She has just enough money to get her started on a life outside the Deck- but that's about it.]

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He looks over at her, expression stark.

"You didn't do anything."

Which is, you know, better than pointing out that everybody's sorry but that doesn't change his sister's treason, attempted murder, and that she's banished.

Or that almost any other Suit would have seen her imprisoned and possibly executed for this crime.

"No," Avery agrees. "I didn't."

The Diamonds would have imprisoned her. Rachel has lost her taste for that kind of punishment after this year, if she ever in fact had had it. But certainly the punishment would have been much harsher. Davin knows that, however. Avery knows he does.

She curls her hand around his elbow. "Let's get some air." Some alcohol, possibly.

He glances over at Jordan and Hadyn but they both have people around them. They don't need him there now.

Besides, Davin isn't sure they'd want him, anyway.

"Okay," he says, chin dropping a little, "outside."

They will want him. From what Avery's seen, Davin has long been the real parent, the confidante. The one who listened to their troubles without judgment. And Hadyn and Jordan will need him, even if they think he won't forgive them.

But Avery just walks in silence out of the audience chamber, cognizant of the eyes on them, but ignoring them.

"Do you want to talk, or...?" Just quiet.

Davin shakes his head. Words will come later. But not even out here. Especially not here in the open air where anyone can overhear him.

"Let's find a bar."

It was a start, anyway. And it was expected, wasn't it?

"I know a place."

Not the Four Suits; it was too popular for days like this. But there were quieter places, and she leads him to one on a side street in the Diamond district.

He follows her, wordlessly, until they're seated and there are drinks in front of them. And then it's time for a long swallow and feeling it burn down his throat before he brings himself to actually say anything about what just happened.

"I can't believe it."

It's possible what he means is he can't believe Laureline was caught in one of her schemes. Or that it was her sons who betrayed her.

Certainly it's not that he can't believe she did this. Even Avery can believe it, now that it's all been laid out for her. She wouldn't have suspected, it was too neat a plan for that, but...

It's easy enough to imagine her doing it.

She's silent as she takes a sip of her vodka cranberry, watching him. "What do you want to do?"

It's a question she seems to be asking the important people in her life a lot lately.

He shrugs, seeming to draw himself inward. "In general? Or specifically about-..." Laureline. The boys. The family name. Whatever.

That's enough to get him an even look, and a slight smile. "Well, I meant about today," she says, "but if you'd rather discuss the weather, it can be done."

"Today can go to hell," he says, finally.

And, that sentiment expressed, he'll add after a moment, "I suppose there will need to be some 'putting out of fires' soon." And he can't even imagine what the family would be saying.

He didn't want to imagine it, come to that.

"It's not going to be easy for either of them." Something Avery suspected they hadn't really considered - though she did think they were right to do it.

But they were going to still need whatever family would be there for them.

"Things rarely are. For any of us."

Because this was the Deck and easy just didn't happen.

"I know." After this year, Avery more than knew all about that, but she just brushes her hair back and watches him.

"Did you know, then, what she was doing?" The question had been on her mind ever since Ceiro had made the announcement, and her tone is merely curious. She's not certain it will make any difference to her if he did, and that's an odd feeling, but then as fluffy as Davin Bernard has always seemed, he's still always been a Bernard, and that name tends to carry a certain meaning with it.

Davin shook his head. "It's not something we ever discussed, no."

But Davin knew his sister better than....well, certainly better than anyone not related to her. There were many things they didn't have to say to each other in so many words for it to be understood. He certainly had an idea she'd had something up her sleeve in regards to ~~former~~ Heart King.

Avery nods slightly at that, looking down into her drink. Ceiro is one of her friends. She grew up with him, and she certainly doesn't care for Laureline in the least. "The punishment would have been far worse in my Suit," she finally says. And Davin knows what it would have been in Spades.

"In that way, I'm glad that the Hearts are what they are."

Edited 2012-08-27 13:35 (UTC)

He wouldn't have let them take her if the punishment had been worse. He would have spoken up. Said something. Something about how treason was, perhaps, an unforgiveable sin in a Suit but that her motive had been to provide a place of security for her sons and surely that merited some sort of clemency.

Even if it had meant he'd be side-eyed forevermore, at the least, for being the man who defended Laureline Novak.

"You and I both."

She's quiet for a moment, and then she reaches out, brushing his hair away from his face. There's a difference in this gesture compared to what she would have done several months ago, a difference to both of their gestures lately, but she hasn't quite acknowledged it yet.

"You know, I know another place," she says. "Quiet, and the alcohol's free."

"You had me at free alcohol," he said with a slight smile that didn't nearly at all reach his eyes. Sad, sad joke.

But he'll be finishing his current drink before he stands to accompany her back to Diamond Castle, offering an arm and all.

Avery squeezes Davin's arm lightly before tossing down enough money to pay and leading him out.

There are a lot of things best done in private, after all, and mourning - even if it wasn't a permanent loss - was one of them.

[ota] it,s the end of the as we know it. and feel fine (not really)

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