houseofcards_rp | [ota] beware, be canny and careful

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[ota] beware, be canny and careful

She doesn't regret it in the slightest. What's to regret?

Eileen is fully capable of making her own decisions. She's allowed to decide to leave Kevin behind and go visit the Spade dungeon. And someone--she's not certain who--is also fully capable of infinitely childishly telling Kevin exactly where he or she saw his theoretical charge slipping off to while he was turned around. And Kevin is not just capable but essentially required to tell her mother things like where her daughter was this past weekend.

Which means Eileen Eicheln has, for the first time in her life, seen her mother actually angry. It also means, for the first time in her life and very likely one of the first times in history, the Ace of Clubs is grounded.

Mr Kahl is allowed to bring work and keep her up to date with her studies. A student from Mr DeWitt's class is allowed to spend a bit of time letting her know what's she's missed. The King and Jack are certainly permitted to speak to their Ace at their convenience.

But everyone else? Is getting Kevin's most sympathetic smile and a firm shake of his head. "Seems house arrest is catching."

[ooc; Except probably anyone with half a reason can talk to the moodiest tween about how she done wrong. Kevin is secretly easy. Or just come shoot the shit with Kevin, I guess? o/]

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Good man. Hopefully things will ease up for him at least a little soon.

Rachel won't say anything as the door shuts behind her, the soft click of crutches against the floor surely more than enough to alert her niece to her presence. She pauses for a moment as she takes in the sight, before settling carefully into one of the chairs near the desk.

"Good reading?"

"...productive reading."

Translation, at least, is a good excuse to keep her head down. She doesn't need to let go of the dictionary, the careful scratch of the pen. Which is good--because she's absolutely not prepared to meet her aunt's eyes.

"Have to do something."

"Doing something does help."

And in the still silence that exists after she says it, she almost wishes she'd thought to bring something as well.

"...What are you working on?"

It doesn't matter. A moment earlier or a moment later, she might have come across an Eileen completely unwilling to do anything but throw herself on the bed and glower.

"Mr Caleb brought one of the journals from the new tower."

It's strange to know that Eileen likely interacts with her father more on a day-to-day basis than she has in years. Stings, a little, considering the girl's age.

"Did he?" She doesn't quite move forward to see, but it's a near thing, "Anything interesting thus far?"

"...no."

Old High German isn't easy. It also isn't actually German. There's a lot of time going into each word. Maybe, at the end of a sentence, there will be something interesting.

"But... it's good to be doing something."

"Yes, I imagine it must help."

Helps keep her mind off things, at least a little.

A little. Not entirely. Particularly not with the silence of a trusted, respected family member starting to--however unconsciously--bear down on her.

"...are you here to yell at me as well?"

"I don't particularly like yelling."

It was ill-befitting of a collected Diamond, even when angry, and besides that it brought back too many painful memories.

"I'm just here to-- talk."

The default question will have to be forgiven. Clubs yell. Even happy, cheerful, well-rounded Clubs like the McCartneys and the Eichelns yell.

It's just the way of things.

"About what I've done wrong and how I ought correct myself?"

"I expect you've heard more than enough on that subject, and I doubt much more from me will help you in that regard."

May push her away even farther from considering the words the other adults in her life have said, in fact.

"The only thing I'll say on the matter is more of-- an appeal. I know you are-- quite fond of Julien."

Which she can't help but hate the fact of, but she tries to keep that from her voice.

"But I also know from experience that it is-- very easy to let oneself get pulled into relationships with people who-- while you may care for them and perhaps they for you-- can result in... quite a deal of hurt. Either for yourself, or for them, or for others involved, and I--" There's so much she could say. So much she wants to say, but she reigns it in. "I only ask that for-- your sake and the sake of those who-- love you quite dearly, that you keep that in mind and try to act accordingly."

Another pause, as she weighs whether or not what she wants to add would be too much.

"Your mother and your King-- love you very much, Eileen, as do I. Were you ever to-- be hurt, either in that manner or in others, it would be-- rather difficult for us to come to terms with."

It's a completely different tack than the others have taken. They've been careful of mentioning Julien at all, really.

She's not certain how to feel in the face of it.

"...don't all relationships risk hurt?" She doesn't know when her voice got so little. "Isn't... that part of love?"

"There's a difference between that sort of hurt and the one I mean," she answers gently. "The ones we love may hurt us-- either with words or actions or by getting themselves severely injured or even dying. But if in loving someone you end up getting hurt physically or emotionally or are-- otherwise worse off--"

It's too close, what with her recently beginning to speak with Pierre again and all the baggage tied up in their relationship coming back to light. She has to breathe to steady herself, hands tightening against her knees unconsciously.

"That's-- loving someone means you don't let them do that to themselves, even if it means they may be angry at you for it."

A lesson learned from trying to see the past through her own loved one's eyes.

"...I don't understand."

Maybe it's blindness. Maybe it's the last piece of herself that's still genuinely a child, unable to see things with the cynical clarity with which she sees the rest of the world.

"Was... I supposed to stop him getting into this difficulty?"

She does love him. It's a simple love, just now, uncomplicated as it will likely become. It's the best she can comprehend.

"No, little one."

She won't understand, Rachel knows-- she hadn't at that age, after all. She just hopes she understands enough to trust.

"That's what your mother and Elisha and Kevin are trying to do for you."

Of course she trusts. Of course she knows they love her. Of course she knows that this punishment is out of love rather than malice.

It doesn't make her less exhausted.

Her attention falls back to the journal as she nods quietly.

The silence stings, but she tries not to let it cut too deeply. Tries to remember that despite being an Ace and despite having lived through more things in her life than any thirteen-year-old ever should, Eileen is still a teen.

She wants to get up and lay a gentle hand on her shoulder, but she isn't sure if it's welcome, and it would be too disruptive to move.

She can sit with her niece in quiet for a little while.

It wouldn't have been. Would have prolonged the tension, the displeasure, the unhappiness stuck between the girl's shoulders.

As it is, the tension eases just a little on its own.

"...Edgar spoke... German, right?"

It's something else to talk about. It's removed from the point of pain they're personally currently sitting at. They can move this way when other ways are blocked.

"He did," she answers after a moment, "He helped me learn, as a matter of fact."

"...do you still?"

It's not quite an invitation. It's not not. It might be good, just for now, to not... be alone.

That's all.

"Not well," she answers, "But I can try to help, if you like."

It would be good for the both of them, perhaps.

It takes a moment before her head bobs sharply, chair shifting to make room.

"Thank you, Auntie."

"Of course, little one."

As if she could do anything else but move closer to her, bend over the fragile documents and try to will her memory of German back to the forefront of her mind.

She'd do far more, for his daughter.

It won't be instantly comfortable. It can't be. But it's a good step toward feeling normal again.

Eileen needs that.

And, as always, anything that her little one needs, Rachel will try to provide.

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lowtohigh - 2013-03-17 17:14 (UTC) - Expand

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