houseofcards_rp | [OTA] We Are Gathered Here

A few things had gone wrong, honestly. There had been some confusion in the morning when they’d arrived to decorate the church - a few bouquets on the altar, some green and blue ribbons twined around a few of the posts - and it’d been locked. She’d managed to leave Spade Castle with her dress, veil, the coin from his mother strung on a thin leather thong, the emerald silk sash and Victor’s ring - but of all things, she’d managed to leave her shoes in their box in the closet, and Chives had had to go back for that. Hadyn looked a little green from his adventure shanghaiing Victor with Ben and Elisha, her cousin Sara had in usual Sara fashion managed to break the heel on her left shoe. Nerves finally hit as Chives was braiding her hair, and by the time the veil was settled over the smooth curls, her nails had left indents in her palms.

In the end, though, it was pretty much perfect. Two of her closest friends preceded her down the aisle in soft blue dresses with forget-me-nots in their braided hair and small posies in their hands. She’d walked towards her fiance on her brother’s arm with her hands full of spring flowers, and after the words were said and Victor lifted the veil, they were married. It only felt a little different than before, Zoe thought as their brief kiss ended. But it was different; she was Zoe Fox.

Zoe Fox knew, of course, that Victor Fox would have preferred them to just slip back to their apartment - no big party, no flowing wine and hors d'oeuvres - but she’d wanted something. And he’d given her carte blanche in the end, really; she’d chosen the small reception room that opened out into the Castle gardens, she’d picked the combination of hyacinths, hydragea, and lily of the valley for the table arrangements, the Greek-flavored menu of spanakopita, wild green and strawberry salad, linguine primavera and herb-encrusted lamb. She’d pored over cake designs until she finally picked a vanilla bean cake with strawberry puree filling, decorated in vanilla buttercream. She’d pruned the list of friends, family and acquaintances who might be expected to be invited to the wedding reception until they numbered barely fifty.

Under the strict supervision of Chives, of course the reception looked perfect, she thought as they arrived, and she smiled as she slipped her hand into Victor’s arm and the full skirt of her dress swirled against both of their legs. Perfect, though perfect didn’t matter quite so much to her right now.

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"Uhn, no- of course not. I just meant that it's probably a load off Zoe's mind that you're here supporting her." Instead of her mother, whom she didn't seem to like all that much. He's heard unpleasant things about mother-daughter relationships, but he wasn't sure if this was in the same realm of issues.

"How's the... We haven't spoken since you left. I heard you were ill."

"I've known her since she was a baby. I can't have any of my own, you know." Truth yet not truth. "So we're terribly close."

She smiles. "You're allowed to say the C word, dearest. So far things look good. They think they got everything. I'm due for a check-up this summer. More importantly, I feel much better. I heard you're living in town?"

She'd do the same if faced with that or Spade Castle, horrible, dreadful place that it is. Zoe probably didn't realize it, but this was the first function she'd attended here in thirty years.

It's not a bad thing to not have kids, he would have said, considering they don't always turn out the way you hope they would.

"I wasn't sure, but that's good to hear," he said with an awkwardly hesitant smile. It was one of those things that he'd heard from someone who'd heard it from someone else.

"I don't think I could really live in here after... well, you know. Everything." He'd given it a go and Chives driving him crazy didn't make it any easier on him. But in the end he still preferred having his own space far away from the madness.

"Didn't think you'd be too keen on setting foot in here either."

She gives him a wry and understanding smile. "Spade Castle makes my shoulders twitch, but I can withstand it for Zoe's sake." Then again, Heart Castle produced similar results, albeit for a completely different reason. "I quite like having my own space. It's possible to have too much togetherness."

Fairness makes her add, "They've changed. So few of us remember how things used to be."

"It's been getting crowded lately. I would have thought we'd be doing the staff a favour by moving out, but they don't seem to see it that way." He'd probably move a little closer after the mass exodus of the Townsfolk if it could appease everyone.

"And nothing really changes. You know that." His expression changed for a half-second before his words softened and he could manage a small smile again. Bitter? Michael? Surely not.

"It does. When was the last time you saw them use a child as leverage?" A similar bitterness laces her tone. "I don't know how long it will last, if at all. But I hope it does."

She shows no worry in her expression, but her gaze strays to find Zoe in the crowd.

"The last mad king we cycled through wasn't above such tactics." And Michael didn't doubt that if the opportunity arose - if the circumstances were right - pint-sized vulnerabilities were an option they'd consider.

"You and I haven't changed much either."

They'd both fled in their own way, Maggie to the Hearts and Michael off Deck. "This is where we've lived long enough to claim to be old dogs." She laughs. "Old bitch for my part. I never was much good at tricks.

"Change comes from lower down. That's the problem people always make. I don't think Sean would have lasted so long after Domitian if he hadn't been an infinitesimal improvement." Sad she could admit that, but it was the truth. "Same can be said for David. Let's hope the new one continues the trend."

For now it seems as if things have really changed since they've got a nice boy for a king. But what Maggie said was true. It wouldn't matter so much what kind of King they had if the rest of the Suit was stuck in their old ways. It'd only be a matter of time before the nice boy-king gets himself dethroned and then all the progress they had appeared to be making would be undone.

Thankfully there seemed to be enough of these unruly, incorrigible optimists around that Clive wouldn't have to worry about anything just yet.

"I don't think you get to live this long without picking up a few tricks over the years."

"Nonsense. I'm exactly as I seem, an old Heart lady." She chuckles. "Nothing to see here. Move along." She watches Zoe and Victor dancing a moment. "Keep an eye on her, please. I doubt he'd allow anything to happen to her, but still." Zoe is not a child and definitely fair game.

She gives herself a shake. "What is it about this place that makes me morose? I blame the gargoyles. I'm sure no one would say a word if we escaped--I mean, if you chose to show me this garden you've been working on."

For two supposedly old innocent wallflowers, they've done quite well for themselves, haven't they?

"Yes, my Lady," he teased with a poorly-disguised smile. Zoe might have some Spade qualities about her, but she wasn't the same as the others.

He can't help but laugh at the mention of the gargoyles. He suspects - he knows - it's much more than the gargoyles. But today wasn't the day, and this wasn't the occasion to be digging up sad stories.

So instead he tilts his head towards the doorway.

"The garden that looks more like a landfill right now is that way."

She tucks her hand into his arm. "All the more reason to use the imagination. Have you taken photos so you can look back and remember how it all started?"

He doesn't visibly bristle, but she might feel him stiffen ever so slightly when she slips her arm against his.

"Uhmh... well I suppose it's too late now. There wasn't much 'then' anyway - just a patch of grass."

She notices the tensing, but doesn't remark upon it. They both bear scars, and they both deal with them in their own way. She'll release him once they're away from other guests. The Deck is all about symbols and stuffy manners. Normally, she thumbs her nose at them, but better to appear as two friends to watchers than the Jack and past traitor seeking a quieter place to talk. She pats his arm fondly before folding her hands behind her back.

"I'll snap some now while the ground's dug up and you think nothing good can possibly be done here." He'll need to work on that reaction. Far too many people would use it against him if they learn about it.

"You know you're more than welcome to come over and lend a hand if you like." His hands which were once very adept at creating something out of nothing were long ago rendered only useful for destroying things.

"I'm not terribly good with plants."

[OTA] We Are Gathered Here | The Fox-Kattalakis Wedding

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