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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How can Eileen earn back her trustworthiness if she is not allowed to give her bond and keep her word? Walk is small thing, but it is start on that road, or so she'd told Elisha.

She arches a brow at Eileen's question. "Ought I be? Your thoughts, not what others have said to you. And then I will answer."

It's also simply healthy to go outside. That's something.

"...no. I don't think so." Lacing her fingers behind her back is entirely unconscious, but thankfully more thoughtful than nervous. "Perhaps a... bit disappointed, but not... actually upset, I think."

"And you would be correct. Also, I am not disappointed as I am not your guardians. Though, perhaps--" She bends to examine a snowdrop fighting its way to freedom. "You might be inclined to offer thanks to guards who allowed you through. Julien was not to have visitors at that time."

For his own benefit. She had not wanted others taunting him.

"If you think that's best." It's easy to be agreeable to someone granting her a touch of freedom. Also easy to be agreeable to someone who--despite her actions apparently to the contrary--she did have quiet, profound respect for. "As soon as I'm given leave to travel outside the Castle again."

On more than these little probationary strolls.

"It is suggestion only. You are old enough to decide what is best in these matters. Was your mother much displeased with Kevin?"

She thinks Eileen will understand her actions affected those other than Julien and herself. She smiles and gestures at tiny flowers. "Life goes on. It always amazes me. Do you know why else I suggested walk?"

It will be weighed, of course. It will be considered and debated. She'll likely conclude that Katya's quite right.

"...a bit."

Badly. Had simply been too tired to keep screaming after exhausting herself on her daughetr.

"...I don't. Why?"

"Other than pleasure of intelligent female company," alas, rare commodity, "I thought you may have questions or opinions you wish to express. I would rather you be free to speak your mind. That cannot always be done inside castle walls."

In short, she gives Eileen leave to be rude, opinionated and shouty if it is what she is wanting.

"...my opinions?"

That's... delicate. Not something she'd expected remotely from this conversation.

"If you care to share them, yes." She smiles suddenly. "Ilyusha should worry I might corrupt you. I climbed out many windows when I was younger. It was difficult in one house. Castle must multiply task thousand-fold. I am impressed with your ingenuity."

"But do not be telling him that."

There's the ghost of a smile for that, just briefly, before her attention drops to the ground again. It's far easier to speak honestly if a person didn't haven to start with eye contact.

"Thank you, Ms Katya. And-- I do suppose I'm... curious if my actions have... genuinely offended you and Mr Clive."

"You will need to ask him yourself, but I do not believe anything you did offended him any more than it offended me." She pauses. "Julien's actions offended us, not as people, but as monarchs. It is sad truth that what Faces do will always reflect on Suit.

"And you may call me Katya if you wish. I fear I am woefully informal for Spade."

Permission granted makes the use easier. Also makes it easier to lift her head in the other woman's direction properly.

"I do-- agree, you know. That it's... probably best he be disciplined in some way. And I shouldn't... like you to think I was acting in defiance because I found your actions overly incorrect."

"Please do not be concerned. I know you were not making statement. You were concerned for friend, yes? Neither Ace nor unranked child need support and condone every decision made by every Suit. At times you will even disagree with your own Royals just as others at times may disagree with your own decisions." Her voice remains gentle. It is difficult concept for most people, harder still for someone still learning all the shades between black and white.

"And sometimes you may find yourself needing to act when you would rather not." She doubts Julien understands yet, wonders if he ever will.

"...to act when you'd rather not and to... not act when you rather would?" The first bit seems reasonable enough. The second bit follows the same logic, but...

She's not certain she can handle.

"Oh, yes! It is definite yes. You will find yourself growing annoyed or frustrated and wish to smite someone rather than smile at them. But that is diplomacy. With me, it is mainly temper. Sometimes I wish to laugh or roll eyes--also frowned upon. Dav--" she stops suddenly, then continues. She will not act as though he never existed. "David and I used to joke we were allowed half hour each day for fun.

"I am straying far afield. I meant to listen to you not other way round."

"This sort of lesson seems to come rather before a person's opinions."

She hoped so, at any rate. It made sense to her-- but then, so much of her life was about lessons.

"And I do appreciate the advice-- as well as the fact you've any interest at all in what I've to say."

She makes face. "I never cared for lessons--or lectures. And it always infuriated when I felt no one bothered to ever listen when I spoke.

"Do you think Clive and I made right decision? If not, what action would you have taken, if any?"

Ah. That's a question she'd been expecting and also rather hoping wouldn't be asked. Her head ducks again.

"I... understand why it was necessary to take action. And as-- a leader of a Suit, I understand why this seemed to be the best course of action to take. As-- As Julien's friend, Katya, it-- very much concerns me. He's not-- not been Ace in ages, and... I don't know that this will make him less likely to be easily upset. Just... less visible."

"I understand your concern. Julien is man who needs to keep busy. I will be finding him something interesting to keep him occupied when time comes. But he must learn to deal with his emotions in other ways. David and Athena did him no favors by never curbing him. Certainly, he should have been disciplined after Anastasia. It is great pity, for I have always thought him most excellent Ace otherwise.

"He is grown man. By now he should know when to walk away. Have Clubs been having many altercations due to overcrowding?"

"D'you promise?" Of course she has to ask. Of course she has to perk up slightly, nervous but eager to hear the confirmation. "That he'll-- be well utilized? Given something to do?"

Not further punished when he was such a completely competent, useful human being.

She is not one to toss aside useful tool. "It is my intent. Much also depends on Julien."

"He'll behave." It's not something Eileen should promise, or can remotely begin to guarantee. "You'll see."

But she knows Julien. She considers herself to be one of the people in the world who knows him best, even, given the general consensus opinion on him--and what she herself knew to be true of him.

He will bide time. Young Ace is of age for disappointments. One of worst is learning those you admire have feet of clay. "No doubt. He is not unintelligent man. You understand only his actions will prove he is able to do so? But he remains high Number because of skill and knowledge. I am one to...what is idiom?...play to strengths? Yes, that is correct. He will not be set to peeling potatoes.

"Do you know why we incarcerated him?"

A little disappointment concerning Julien might, in everyone else's opinion, be a good thing. It certainly wouldn't be the end of the world if she had to learn a few difficult life lessons.

"For his poor representation of the Suit, I imagine."

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[ota] beware, be canny and careful

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