Hearts to Spades Challenge

[headfollowheart]

Third time's the charm, hopefully?

Occurring Monday morning in gametime, I'm posting Zoe's challenge to Four of Spades now because impatience is a problem in case anyone wants to respond to it.

Comments

[falseflourish]

As could be expected, there are Hearts among the onlookers for this challenge, including their new Ace. There's some separation between members of the two Suits, but at least there's no sign of disruption. Wren will wait until those closer to Zoë have given her their own congratulations before stepping forwards, beaming people out of the way with her Ace Face smile and some kind of invisible confidence barrier.

"I knew you'd do it, honey," she says before opening her arms for a hug. Just a quick one, Zoë, she promises. "Well done."

[headfollowheart]

Hugs are perfectly fine. The Spades can live with the fact that their newest member occasionally actually displays affection, and Zoë hugs Wren back. "Thank you," she says. She was pretty sure she could do it to, but there wasn't any need to be cocky about it. "For coming, too."

She brushes back a strand of hair that had come loose during the challenging, and smiles at Wren. "You must not be completely buried anymore."

[falseflourish]

"You did us-- yourself-- proud, little lady. One point off a perfect score. Wouldn't miss it for anything." Partly because one of her personal initiatives-- something the new Queen of Spades seemed in accord with-- was attempting to straighten things out somewhat between the Hearts and the Spades, the most at-odds Suits of the Deck. But there's a part of her also here only for Zoë.

"Not completely, no. It's only about waist-high right now."

[headfollowheart]

Zoe can't help but grin at that; all the hours of practice, the last two weeks - sometimes it felt like she wasn't doing anything else, even though she'd also whipped Sieben's office into shape - had definitely paid off. "I couldn't have them thinking I'd be easy," she says, as she glances around at the assembled Spades. It'd been the entire reason for archery. Equestrian was by far her strongest suit, and there was nothing that said it was forbidden, but...she'd known, without asking, that it wasn't a challenge that would give her the start in the Suit that she needed.

"Well, that's something. You'll have it whittled down to nothing by Wednesday."

[heartbeater]

Maggie had postponed her departure until she could see Zoe safely settled. She's seen her shoot, of course, and had never doubted the outcome. Maggie had never thought of Deck life as cyclical before, but here was a Spade now a Heart seeing off a new Spade who had once been a Heart. She waits for the tide of well-wishers to thin somewhat before coming up and giving her a hug.

"Congratulations, Dearest. I remember when you were just a little thing, and look at you now. I'm proud of you."

[headfollowheart]

Zoe wrapped her arms around Maggie and squeezed - it was mostly with relief, at this point. She'd known she was an excellent shot, her father wouldn't have raised anything but an excellent shot, but the waiting had become truly nervewracking. To the point where she nearly took Wren up on her suggestion to get so drunk on Friday that she didn't wake up again until Monday morning.

Ultimately she'd decided that wasn't a good idea.

"Thank you, Aunt Maggie. I'm sorry this is when you have to go."

[heartbeater]

"Nonsense, love. You have my number if you need me. And I'll be back in six weeks if not before that, complete with a gorgeous tan." There's so much more she wants to say, but Zoe's a big girl. Instead, Maggie slips a greeting card into her hand.

"Just a little something to brighten your day." She hugs Zoe again and whispers, "Read the letter under a black light. Things have no doubt changed, but it's a complete map of the castle, including secret passages. You never know when you might need something like that."

[headfollowheart]

Zoe blinks and looks down at the card before smiling slightly and slipping it into her jacket pocket. "Thank you, Aunt Maggie. I'm sure it'll add some light."

She leans up and kisses her cheek. "The sun will do you good," she says. "I'll give you a call and let you know if anything...interesting happens before you get back."

[sevenbyright]

Emerson's uncertainty didn't go unnoticed, but Sieben dismissed it for now, pleased that the man hadn't immediately counter-challenged with something less than ideal. He waited until the first round of congratulations had been given out and offered her a hand.

"Congratulations. You earned this. Very well done. Welcome to the Spades."

[headfollowheart]

"Thank you, my lord." There was something particularly formal about this occasion, that was different from their usual occasionally bantering relationship. So Zoe takes his hand and shakes it before offering a slight bow.

As soon as the crowd dissipates, she'll be headed inside to survey the office Chives has found for her. So she can get down to business.

[sevenbyright]

The banter would return, but this moment did call for something more formal, as the Jack of Spades officially welcoming the Four to her new Suit. Sieben's answering nod was the same calculated nod he'd quickly developed to use toward lower Numbers with respect, but the quiet smile was not.

"Take your time to enjoy the victory, if you wish. There is no hurry." The paperwork could wait a few hours, and given that she'd already organized it, it was in a better state than it would have been otherwise.

[headfollowheart]

"I thought I'd unpack my office this morning," Zoe said. She had a few boxes she'd taken out of her office at Heart Castle - just the personal stuff, pictures, a photograph of she and her father, a few trinkets she'd picked up over the years that she actually cared about.

"But that should be done by lunch. We can see what needs to be done after that, if you have time?"

[takerofthings]

Archery wasn't his area, although he'd been considering taking it up in his free time, but that didn't mean Dafydd wasn't among the spectators and it didn't mean he wasn't among the loudest to cheer when her final arrow won the challenge. No formal handshake for him, though, his friend got a hug.

"You did so well, Zoë, congratulations!"

[headfollowheart]

She preferred hugs, anyway, but she and the Jack weren't there yet. She and Dafydd, though, they'd been there from the get-go, and she hugged him back with a light laugh. "Thanks," she said. "All the practicing paid off."

Five, though, would need to be something other than archery. Possibly fencing, and she might need Dafydd's help there. But that was a while from now.

"Well, we're a little closer in rank now, at least."

[takerofthings]

"Yeah, I can give you orders now," Dafydd teased as he stood back. "But not for long, I'll wager. Have you been settling in all right?"

He wouldn't lie and say he wasn't a bit worried if she asked him outright, but neither was he going to fret over her. She could take care of herself, she'd been demonstrating that for months.

[headfollowheart]

"Yeah. I won't lie and say it...hasn't been hard, occasionally. Having the challenge to focus on helped a lot." And as hard as it had sometimes been, especially saying goodbye to Aunt Maggie and having the ties cut off with her family, this was what she did want, and where she did fit, and as soon as she had everything where it belonged...well, she'd really start settling in then.

[cardstitcher]

Frankie wasn't in the habit of watching challenges. She'd seen the aftermath of enough of them not to enjoy watching the process. But Zoë's challenge was a little different. She'd been off-Deck the last time someone had challenged from the Hearts to the Spades and, she reasoned, it was an archery challenge. Not much chance of someone being injured.

So when Zoë won, Frankie was there watching it with a smile.

[headfollowheart]

It took a little while to make it to Dr. Frankie's side, with her friends and the Spades who weren't yet friends and might not become friends, but were now her Suit. But Zoe made it there eventually, calm and relaxed now that it was over. "I didn't know you were thinking of coming, Dr. Frankie."

[cardstitcher]

"Well, you've been working so hard, and I missed your last challenge. Missing two in a row didn't seem right," she said, offering a quick hug with a smile. "I'm impressed. You were very good out there." And now you're a Spade.

[headfollowheart]

And now she's a Spade. Zoe draws a breath, remembering her conversation with Frankie when the doctor had gotten back, and glanced towards the edges of range where she thought Victor was. It hadn't been for him, no matter what a lot of people thought.

"I'm glad you came," she said. "The last challenge might have been a little more exciting to watch."