Mornings with Queenie/OTA

[maidenthespade]

Sunrise finds Katya working through yoga asanas in what had been intended to be the children's garden. Mornings keep Katya sane and relaxed and smiling. People would not be liking her without these few minutes she manages to carve out for herself each day. In fact, one could claim Quiet Time keeps other people alive

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[headfollowheart]

Zoe doesn't do yoga. Most often, in the morning, she showers, dresses, and drinks the first cup of coffee Chives brings her so she can functionally balance all the books. But this morning there's a lot in her head. Some of it's good - and a part of her feels silly for being in the clouds over three words that weren't even in a language she knew yet - but some of it is still the encounter from a week ago. Silke and Asmodai.

Asmodai in particular, and Zoe looks thoughtful and perhaps a touch...concerned. It seems like a good morning to get up with Victor and take some coffee out to the garden where she knows Katya does her morning routine. She's already spoken to Julien already, of course. Twice. After the arrival, after the trip to the embassy.

But she'd like to get another opinion. "Your Majesty?"

[maidenthespade]

Katya finishes the Padma Mayurasana and flows into Vrikshasana. "Good morning, Lady Four." She pours water into glass and drinks deeply. She would be happy with bottles, but each morning Declan somehow manages to find her, pitcher of iced water and glass on a tray. Sometime during routine, he returns with tea. She learned long ago not to argue with butlers when they are performing duties.

She collapses into a chair. "Please, join me." Zoe is not morning person. She must consider her business important.

[headfollowheart]

Zoe doesn't quite collapse into the chair, though it's an effort. She usually wakes up enough to wave vaguely goodbye at Victor and then is back to sleep for another two hours. But this is important, so she takes another sip of coffee.

"Zoe is fine, Queen Katya," she says. "I hope I'm not interrupting you too much?"

[maidenthespade]

She would not have stopped had she been doing anything important. "I was near end. This way I am having tea sooner, so all is well. I hope day is finding you well."

She could ask why Zoe is here, but it is far more fun to see how she broaches subject she wishes to discuss. She sips her water and waits.

[headfollowheart]

"As well as it possibly can at this hour of the morning," Zoe says dryly. Never will she understand how Victor can function on three hours of sleep. Not in a million years. "I wanted to talk to you about the Arcana."

[maidenthespade]

"Ah, quite my favorite people. You paid them visit recently, did you not?"

Favorite if favorite can be interpreted as, "may a hole open up beneath them and swallow them."

[headfollowheart]

"Yes, with Blythe from the Hearts?" And Lisa. Who was not going on an embassy visit with Zoe again. "But I actually came across the new two, and that's what I wanted to mention." At the embassy they'd had Gustave and Christophe, who were relatively known quantities. Silke and Asmodai were almost entirely unknown, by contrast.

[maidenthespade]

"They're growing into quite the community," Katya observes wryly. It is too bad they could not stay where they came from instead of invading her Deck. "Tell me about them."

[headfollowheart]

Zoe turns her coffee cup in her hands. "Two women this time," she says. "Silke, who seems...polite enough, even relatively warm most of the time. But more than once I felt like she was obliquely threatening the Deck." Especially with her comments about how they'd make sure they weren't forgotten again. Thinking about it puts a displeased expression on her face.

Which only intensifies a moment later when she speaks again. "And Asmodai. I don't know Silke's designation, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Asmodai was the Devil." The psychotic creepiness also fit.

[maidenthespade]

Katya's smile thins out. "An inauspicious card if so. A devil delights in trouble, but..." Now, what is it she has read regarding Major Arcana? "...card itself is said to represent our own vices. Her name also is familiar. Why do you believe her to be the Devil?"

[headfollowheart]

"I think this devil delights in trouble, whether she's supposed to represent our own vices or not." Zoe's voice is dry and unamused. "I looked up her name once I got back to the Castle. Asmodai was the King of Demons in one of the unofficial books of the Bible. And," she starts before she pauses.

And makes a face. "She's just incredibly creepy." Zoe even has a higher tolerance for creepy than most.

[maidenthespade]

"Creepier than Tower?" She'd heard about the general unease people felt around that newcomer. "I suspect there are factions among Major Arcana just as there are factions in our Deck. Have you marked who favors whom?"

She runs her finger thoughtfully along the rim of her glass. "What did this Silke say?"

[headfollowheart]

"Burke and Gustave don't seem to get along. I got the feeling, when I met him, that Gustave didn't want him there. And maybe not Christophe, but it's hard to tell with all the constant optimism.

"She said it was a pity we'd all forgotten them, and I replied that I was sure it wouldn't happen again." Zoe looks over at Katya. "Which is when she said they'd make sure we didn't."

[maidenthespade]

"That does not seem promising. Hardly words from friend." Katya's eyes narrow. "Has Julien spoken to you about intel we have on Turis?" She will not send someone in blind.

[headfollowheart]

Zoe starts to reply, and then shakes her head. "No, my lady, he hasn't." A pause, and she tips her head to one side. Was he the one who was...but she shouldn't speculate. "What sort of intel?"

[maidenthespade]

Julien should have told her. She is only ranked Four and new to training. "We know Turis is involved in Outpost attacks on Hearts and Spades. It is likely he may have had something to do with death of Club's Jack.

"It is felt--" Katya emphasizes this because they only have Gustave's word. "--that Magician and Fool are not of same faction. This is why it is important we know which way wind blows for newcomers.

"But work may become more dangerous. I will not order you back there against your will."