[OTA] Time to Breathe

[cipherspeak]

He'd called Carmella into his office earlier, and told her that he and Eileen had chosen her to be Queen of the Clubs, and then after dropping that news on her - it wasn't exactly a bombshell since the Nine had expressed interest - asked her to sit down and talk to him about candidates for Jack of Clubs. The list had still been long, after all;

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[elani_songbird]

It's not often that Elisha actually summons her to his office. They usually have discussions elsewhere in the Castle, in passing, along the way. But actually getting called to the King's office.

Well...that was rare. It actually has her a little nervous, since she can't imagine what, precisely, he's asking her to come see him for. Perhaps Eileen.

Jack doesn't even enter in as a possibility. Not when there are so many eligible candidates for the position and all.

But she'll show up in good time, smile politely as Pete shows her in to the office. "You wanted to see me?"

[cipherspeak]

He's almost got the damn thing solved - and he's determined to solve it, because he suspects that Victor did before he gave it to him, frankly - when Pete shows Elani in. So he sets it aside and motions her to a chair. Pete doesn't have to be reminded to close the door.

"I did, thank you, Elani. Tea?"

[elani_songbird]

Elani will glance over at the toy for a moment, bemused, before focusing back on Elisha again as she settles into the proffered chair. "Tea would be nice, thank you."

And she'll even wait for him to hand it to her and to stir in some sugar and cream before asking, "I...admit I thought the summons was a little...uhm...curious?"

[cipherspeak]

He's sure she was. He still fixes his own before he speaks. "I've chosen a new Queen," he says after a moment. "Carmella Montenegro will be crowned later this week.

"We've discussed the matter of Jack, though," he adds. "And if you'll accept the position, we would like you to take on that role, Elani."

[elani_songbird]

"Oh!" she says, "Carmella's lovely! That's great!"

And then the rest of what he says sinks in.

"....you. What? Did you-... Jack? Me?"

[cipherspeak]

He smiles a little bit as it clicks, nodding. "Yes, Elani. Carmella and I, and Eileen, all agreed you were the best candidate."

[elani_songbird]

Tea is forgotten now. "This is...wow, I don't know what to say. I never expected-..."

Never expected to be considered, never expected it was something she might work toward. But now that it's been brought up and presented, she realizes it's not an illogical next step in her service to the Suit she loves. "I'll do my best."

[cipherspeak]

He waits for her to work through it, and then he nods. "You'll do very well, Elani," he says. "Thank you."

Then he pauses. "I imagine you'll want to tell your family." Before he piles her share of work back on her desk.

[elani_songbird]

"Well...yes. Yes I would."

But she doesn't get up yet.

"Does-...will I have to stop teaching Eileen?"

[cipherspeak]

He pauses at that, and sighs. "I don't think so," he says. "Or your other students. But you may have to schedule more tightly." Focus a little more; less afternoons meandering through the gardens singing.

But there had been less of those anyway, lately.

[elani_songbird]

She nods, a relieved expression on her face. "I guess I'll have to take some scheduling lessons from Hadyn, huh?"

You know, because he was always so busy.

[cipherspeak]

"Try not to believe him," Elisha says dryly, "when he claims that you don't actually need to sleep. It's not true."

But Hadyn definitely seemed to believe it.

[elani_songbird]

"I don't think I'll go quite that far," Elani says, standing. "And...thank you, Elisha. And I'll...just...go...tell people now."

And take a look at the Jack's office.

Her office.

Still no proper words for this.

[cipherspeak]

"There'll be an announcement soon." Meaning she should get on the telling people thing before they find out via messenger.

"Here," he adds after a moment, and dangles a key. The keys to the kingdom?

Well, the office, at least.