houseofcards_rp | [ota] all this weight on my mind, what's a little more?

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[ota] all this weight on my mind, what's a little more?

There's some worrying things Säde is finding in her finance department. Residency and IT both have been secretly leaking money for months, apparently in concert with people in other Suits. She's been working late nights tracing things back, not that it's immediately apparent in her appearance. But then, anyone wondering might be diverted by the financial news Outside. Apparently a banking company with a rather familiar name is in a bit of trouble.

Whichever the case, there's definitely something puzzling about finding the Queen of Diamonds in the gardens and shredding a poor innocent flower into small strips with an absolutely serene look on her face.

[ooc: this post is set before the dead-Spade-in-Diamond-Castle kerfuffle]

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There was something a bit off-putting about it. Avery was fairly sure the iris hadn't done anything to the Queen lately, but she supposed one could never be certain.

And she supposed Silas was important enough that she shouldn't put off the conversation just because there was floral destruction going on.

"Your Majesty," she said instead, inclining her head. "I wondered if we might speak."

She pauses in the middle of the second to last petal, looking up at Avery with a smile on her mouth. The look in her eyes says it's fragile, will collapse into her usual cold glare any second. Or perhaps a different expression altogether. "Certainly, Avery. What about?"

"His Majesty," Avery says. She realizes that the Queen is under stress - an amount of stress that she, as Ace, cannot do much to alleviate - but she also is uncertain who else she can go to. Cadogan has a closer relationship to Silas than she does, certainly, but she can't see him giving Silas the push he needs.

"I spoke to him last week, and I am...concerned." With his mental well-being.

Her smile fades a bit, even as the look in her eyes grows more focused on Avery. Her King works as hard as she does, they all know, and often even harder. She'd persuaded him to take a weekend off and see his grandchildren. It didn't seem enough at the time, but she had only wanted him to have some rest, any rest.

"I doubt you're the only one. But continue."

She sits down on the bench next to Säde and picks one of the flowers. The flower-stripping seems like it might be a good plan for this conversation. "He opened up to me a little," she begins as she strips off a pale green leaf. "Which he hasn't done in a long time, and it confirmed something I'd already suspected. I think he's...depressed, my lady. I think he has never dealt with Isaac's death, and that he needs help doing that."

She's silent for a moment. "I suggested therapy, and he said he'd look into it, but I'm not certain he will."

Isaac's death had cast a pall over most of the castle, and though it had been a while recovering, Säde had no doubt that the grieving were strong enough, had enough of a hold on each other to make it through. Apparently she was mistaken.

"I could see about getting him into a room with Nicholas." Her smile crooks slightly, sardonic. "It's not as if he's the only Face Card Nicholas sees on a regular basis."

Silas was insistent that he must stand alone, be strong for everyone. It was commendable in a way, but ultimately detrimental, Avery thinks.

The suggestion of Nicholas has her frowning slightly; she just does not like that man, and she can't put her finger on why. But since she can't, she also can't say anything against him. "That may the best option," she says neutrally. She'd suggested one of the therapists in the Hearts, but somehow she doesn't expect that would be taken well.

She catches that slight frown, of course, and cocks her head, raising her eyebrow. To her mind, Nicholas is quite a charming man, but for Avery's smile to dim even below the level Säde has become accustomed to is puzzling.

"Had you someone else in mind? I can't say I'm too familiar with what therapists we have in the Deck, or who people favour outside it."

There's just something about him that rubs her the wrong way, when they've spoken. Nothing that she can really bring up, of course, but it niggles. She lifts her shoulders in a slight shrug.

"Perhaps Milo might be a better fit for His Majesty, personality-wise," she ventures. "He's a Two of Hearts, I believe."

"Milo," Säde repeats, thoughtful. She'll have to ask around about him. "Trial sessions with both of them, perhaps? To see whom Silas is more comfortable with."

The next few strips are torn off absently, her eyes not really on her fingers. "Would you know how often he's been to Isaac's grave? I know it's unlikely you do, but..."

Avery nodded. That would probably be the best solution, and maybe Silas would prefer Nicholas. She shouldn't let her opinion color things.

"I...don't think he goes often," she said. "On milestone days, like Isaac's birthday and Father's Day, but I think beyond that, he tries to ignore that Isaac being gone affects him."

"Which brings us right back to the problem," she muses, crumpling the flower. It isn't as if they can bring Isaac's death up in normal conversation. Reminding Silas of that is not an organic process.

But they're not planning this to be easy or fun, and processing grief never is. "I'll speak to them and arrange time with both of them for him, and see to it that his schedule's cleared."

Very little has been either easy or fun, Avery reflects, since she rose from Nine to Ten. She could hardly expect this to be any different.

"He has to start dealing with it or it will never stop hurting," she says. "It'll fester, and that's healthy for neither him nor the Suit."

"Thank you, Avery," she says firmly, rising from her seat and dropping the thoroughly destroyed flower on the ground. "He'll listen to reason, I hope. If not, we have had experience with taking responsibility off our King. Temporarily, of course."

Her lips purse into a grimace. Lindsey's only been gone a year, yet it's odd to speak of him now, however obliquely.

He's only been gone a year, but so much has changed since, Avery thinks. It's difficult to believe that she's now the Ace, and Säde's the Queen. Not because neither of them can do their jobs, but because Rachel and Säde were such a Queen and Ace pair for so long. Hard to think of it being different, even now.

"Of course, Your Majesty," she says serenely as she stands. "Please let me know if I can be of further assistance with it."

It's not the usual sort of stress relief that she's seen the Queen partake in, but it's quite a bit less destructive than some other alternatives.

Still, it's definitely a sign that all is not well. Which has Rachel pausing a moment in her calm stroll through the gardens (and isn't it such a nice thing, to be able to stroll mostly unhindered-- albeit a little slower than she once was.)

"Lady Säde."

She looks up from the delicate strip of a petal at Rachel, fingers stilling as she settles her expression more firmly into a smile. All but her eyes, at least, but she's not bothering to do anything about that. "Good afternoon to you."

"And you, milady." She gestures to the empty seat beside her on the bench, "May I?"

"Of course." The flower drops into her lap as she motions to the empty seat. She waits for Rachel to settle herself before asking, "How was your visit to the Outposts? I've read your report, but what of your personal impressions?"

A bob of a nod, "As I said, it went well, and other than the new additions from when everything was in an upheaval, there's been nothing out of the ordinary. The Diamonds there are adjusting quite well to the new lands they've to deal with." Which is reassuring, hopefully, "As for the issue with the guards, my impression is largely that it was from boredom, but as you wished I-- suggested--" With perhaps a little bit more force than a mere suggestion, "That Liliana return to the main Castle. Although I would recommend that perhaps to decrease the chances of more occurrences, we increase the number of rotations of guards, at least for the time being."

"Draw up a rota, then. At least for the next six months seems suitable. I think that ought to work. And the root of her conflict with this Club, it was..." she gestures sharply, "purely out of boredom? That's what they all said?"

"Mostly," she says, "I believe-- though I can't confirm it-- that there may be just a little bit of bad blood between them, which likely helped set things off."

She tilts her head, considering. "How long was it since they were assigned to the Outposts that they began fighting? Bad blood never starts or stops at just one punch."

"Some of the other guards I spoke to said they'd fought before, but not while they were on duty." Which hadn't been the case in this most recent incident, "I imagine that this time when they were out on patrol, they happened to run into one another and, not having anything else to look to, exchanged words and then blows."

"Ah." Well. It's not like Liliana doesn't have an example to follow. Säde can only hope the guard doesn't try to use that in her defence. "I hope you counselled her on the consequences of repeating that."

"Of course, milady," said with a dip of a nod, "She seemed to take the message to heart."

Likely because Rachel still had a way of delivering it in a manner that would make the woman obey.

She clicks her tongue. "Then I hope Elisha's man does his part. In any case, we're not having her run errands to Club Castle. Just in case."

"That would be quite wise," she agrees, "It'd likely be best if she stayed largely in or around our own Castle for now."

She shakes her head. "If she will do that, then very well. But I've no wish to restrict her, unless you are absolutely certain she wouldn't be able to control herself if she encountered him again."

"No, I simply believed you may prefer the precaution. I believe she will handle herself much better from here on out."

"Good, good." She twirls the flower in her hands restlessly. "That's... good."

The unsettled appearance of the Queen has Rachel reaching out to hold one of Säde's wrists, lightly. She is her Queen, yes, but they were friends before she was a Face Card.

"Säde." The words are gentle, "I know there must be a lot to deal with right now. If there's anything I can do to make things easier, please don't spare me."

She twirls the flower more and more, trusting her fingers to find the right rhythm. "It isn't all mine to tell, I'm afraid. Family business. You understand."

"Of course," Rachel murmurs, her head dipping in a nod-- because she understands family matters perfectly.

"Nonetheless. If you need me, I'm here."

Both as Ten and as a friend.

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[ota] all this weight on my mind, what's a little more?

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