[OTA] One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

[karatofquality]

Within the last several weeks, a lot had happened. People who were careful to keep their King in the loop were reporting the return of the last King of Spades, and monitoring his activities so that the Diamond Face Cards could be prepared for further upset.

Silas was less concerned with that than with the failings within his own Suit. He'd started to notice the strain between Säde and Avery even more, recently, and things weren't too much better between her and Cadogan. It was absolutely unacceptable.

But before he could talk to his Queen about it, he needed full information from his Ace and his Jack. There was enough unrest already as a direct result of Säde's uncontrolled actions, for which she had not yet truly answered.

All in due time.

He needed to talk to others, first.

Comments

[karatofquality]

There's a barely perceptible flex in his jaw as she spoke, and when she was finished, he nodded tightly. "If I wanted Rachel to be my Ace, I would have appointed her, not you, Avery. Do not let her convince you that you need to be identical to either of them."

He drew a deep breath, closing his eyes and counting back from ten. There was no sense in letting his blood pressure skyrocket, after all.

"Each of our Face Cards has a particular special quality that makes them good for their particular position. I will not stand idly by while they're undermined by my own appointment." Avery, he's angry over this. It may not show, but it's audible.

[uncutclarity]

"I don't," she says with a shrug. Honestly, she doesn't give Säde's opinion much weight just lately. "We do manage to be polite, of course. Though...not after her altercation with Julien."

There had been no acknowledgment, Avery thinks, that she could have prevented what had happened there. And if Avery had been in that situation, Säde would have ripped her to shreds over it.

She probably would have been demoted, really.

"I can handle her dislike. It doesn't matter to me," she says. "But she's always had this animosity towards Cadogan, and I will not see our Jack undermined. He's long been our best man, Your Majesty. I don't have to tell you that."

[karatofquality]

Quietly, he answered, "I refuse to allow anyone to undermine any of the Diamond Face Cards, Lady Ace. When one Face Card begins to undermine and denigrate another, or two of the other three, that one has become the liability that she accuses others of being. I refuse to stand idly by and witness it without reaction for another moment."

But the question was not in whether or not Säde's actions were wrong, but in how to deal with that wrongness.

"I'm a firm believer in the punishment fitting the crime, Avery. The problem with that is that I don't hold the power to actually administer discipline to my Queen; our ranks are equal."

[uncutclarity]

"If I may, Your Majesty, I don't think you can punish her the way you could if it were me, or Cadogan." He could censure her, of course, but that was the extent he could do.

"But there are female Tens," she adds. "Some of them are quite capable, and some are becoming frustrated."

[karatofquality]

Rubbing his forehead with one hand, Silas shifted to refill his tea, silently offering the pot for her, as well.

"You're right: I can't punish her. I don't even have the power to remove a rank from her." ...Oh. Oh, he thought he knew where that was going. Tilting his head and raising a brow, he slowly lowered the teapot.

"Perhaps you know of one of these female Tens who has the interest and ability to rise, hold the rank, and function well within it?"

[uncutclarity]

"I know everyone, Silas, you know that." The obvious answer was Rachel, but she'd seen what Queen had done to her.

Eleanor would be an excellent option if she wanted to return to Castle life. Steadying, really.

"We can cross that bridge if things don't improve."

[karatofquality]

"I do know that," he agreed, "but I wasn't asking if you know anyone; I was asking if you know of anyone who meets those criteria."

Still, she was right; getting ahead of themselves would only cause more trouble down the line. It would be better to keep it as an option, not yet rule it out, but put it on the back burner. At least for now.

"As usual, you're right. All in due time. Thanks for coming up here, Ava. I know you've been busy, but I appreciate the insight."