[OTA] patience is finite

[lenire_feris]

There’s a woman coming up the path from Outside. You’d be hard-pressed to guess in which direction from Outside she came from, not that that anyone has ever bothered to find that out about new arrivals to the Deck. The Deck is for secrets, after all. It tends to be a last resort

Comments

\o/

[formyowngain]

"If you keep this pace up, we won't make it to the Embassy before nightfall," comes the slightly sarcastic remark from Silke's left.

Asmodai knows patience, there are times when it is a valuable, useful skill - but this wasn't one of these times. Generally, a lot of things related to the Deck didn't quite seem to go in the pace she wanted them to go - and admit it, joining into this mess seemed like the best idea.

Especially since everything has started to get good not so long ago.

/high five

[lenire_feris]

It takes little restraint for Silke to keep from telegraphing her surprise; she's had so much practice at it. It only shows in the way her head turns and her body follows as she faces Asmodai. "Do you know, I could have sworn I was alone when I left? You're getting so good at being silent. Perhaps you could practice that a little more. We want to surprise them, after all."

It's easy to accept Asmodai's presence, turn that I into a we. Silke has no idea what progress Gustave and Christophe- and now Burke- have made, after all.

Though what the Arcana does know of their ambassadors's work... is not so far pleasant.

m°.°m

[formyowngain]

She ignores the part about her being silent - next decade, maybe. "We could surprise them a little faster."

Asmodai can only agree to that. The news have been somewhat scarce, and despite relatively much time having passed, none of what she (and thus, most other Arcana) had heard had sounded like anything near a breakthrough.

[lenire_feris]

Silke rolls her eyes, her lips tugging into a small affectionate smile as she starts to match Asmodai's pace. "Oh, if you insist. Though I suspect we may be spotted before we enter anyway."

Silke knows from long experience that Asmodai probably has her own plans, her own fingers in the pie. It's best that she keep out of Asmodai's way and do what she came to.

[aedificavi]

Burke isn't overly patient. He never has been. It's only gotten worse over the years. Here, now, with more thoughts than actions (it's not enough, what he's doing, not nearly enough), it's treading toward nothingness. He needs justice. He needs an actual hand on his massive shoulders to steady him, temper him, keep hold of him.

He does not need the women coming to the Embassy and dragging him to a halt in the halls of the castle he did not build.

[lenire_feris]

No one is in the Embassy besides the servants and the Arcana themselves. This means that Silke has absolutely no reservations about popping out from around a corner and shaking her head reprovingly. "Oh, Burke. Burke, Burke, Burke. You berk."

[formyowngain]

Ah, and look who follows, though with far more approval. "Oh Burke, such chaos!"

[aedificavi]

Thank goodness he's not a jumpy man. He doesn't even jerk back; just shifts slightly as he comes to a halt, stone settling into its foundations. Sudden change so rarely suits him.

These aren't the faces he might have dearly desired to see, but... it could be worse. "And you've traveled all this way to say that?"

[threecardmonty]

If the Arcana had a dead drop someplace, Monty has yet to find it. Didn't mean he lets that stop him from keeping an eye on the place when he can. He hasn't forgotten the two men the innkeeper described to him over the Holidays either. The way he sees it, the Deck had been infiltrated long before the Magcian and Fool showed their faces.

He finishes pouring coffee from his thermos just as the two newcomers happen by. Well, well. Would you look at that? He doesn't know everyone in the Deck, but he has a sixth sense when it comes to locating attractive women, and he's fairly certain he hasn't seen this pair before. He settles back against the trunk of the big spreading oak and props one boot on his wheelbarrow.

"Morning, ladies! Nice day for a walk."

[lenire_feris]

Of course she's going to stop and smile at him. It's polite, after all, and she is curious about the people who live on the Deck now. "Good morning to you. Strange that no one else is taking advantage of this day. We've walked such a ways and seen few yet."

[formyowngain]

They will never make it to the embassy. Not in a million years. Asmodai is sure. But at least there was this stranger now, and he likely made it less bad.

"Such a ways indeed. For such a nice day, it has been awfully un-entertaining so far."

[threecardmonty]

"Reckon most folk are closer to home. I'm picking up dead wood for the bonfire." He tosses the sealed thermos into his wheelbarrow and carefully sets the metal cup beside it.

"Don't believe we've met--" he tells them, removing a leather work glove and offering to shake. "--leastaways I'm that certain I'd remember meeting you. Monty, Three of Clubs. Don't know that I'm that entertaining, but I'll try my best."

For once he's thankful for the ridiculous way the Deck introduces itself.

[headfollowheart]

Zoe isn't usually in a position to see people arriving from off-Deck. She's seen it before, of course, especially growing up at Heart Castle - people looking wild-eyed and confused, stumbling towards the Castle - but not as often as you might think. Today, though, she's taking a rare quiet hour to slip outside with a book, reading under a tree. Sense and Sensibility; she'd considered Crime and Punishment, but it was far too nice a day to ruin with Dostoyevsky.

When she does she the women walking calmly straight for the embassy, she's embroiled in the romantic travails of Elinor and Marianne, and doesn't make note of her instantly. But she does look up quickly, and she blinks. New people...they were still arriving in the ordinary way, of course, but since Arcana began showing up, she can't help but be a little wary of new faces.

Especially if they're headed in the direction these are. "Hello," Zoe says warmly enough as she sets down Austen. "A lovely day, isn't it?"

Julien's going to want a report, she suspects.

[lenire_feris]

Silke will return the smile as she comes to a halt. Yes, Asmodai's likely to grumble at her later for all these stops, but why all the fuss, Asmodai? "Oh yes. I might even call it a wonderful day. Don't you think it's a wonderful day?" Her smile at the woman beside her is warm and full of teeth. Perhaps too many teeth.

[formyowngain]

"Downright perfect, Silke." It is likely good that turning to face to the other Arcana meant turning so she doesn't face Zoe directly - the tiny change in Asmodai's features isn't quite what one would consider 'normal human appearance'. But really, it's only been a split second, anyway.

She looks absolutely normal again the moment she looks at Zoe. "No better day for a seemingly endless walk."

[headfollowheart]

Even the split second is enough to put Zoe on the slightest of edges, send a guarded expression through her eyes. But the smile never slips. "It's the season for them. In a few weeks it'll start to get hot, though."

And then she looks towards the embassy. "Visiting, then? I'm sure Christophe will be happy to see some more friends. And Andromeda, Gustave and Burke too, of course. They must get lonely for home."

[somuchheart]

It has been a long time since she practiced. Long enough that the duffel bag slung over her shoulder is a slightly unfamiliar weight. A remote area of the Hearts Grounds, right near the Spades border, would be the best place to make her mistakes, away from anyone else's eyes.

She's just setting up when she catches sight of the two women approaching the glittering Embassy. Blythe waits a few moments, initially just watching them walk by. They could be newcomers - but there's too much of a purpose to their stride. They know where they're going. They aren't confused - not like she was when she first came here.

She reties her ponytail with a couple of quick movements, and then she's walking up to them. With a cheery smile, "Good morning. I don't think we've met before - how are you? I'm Blythe Merrick, it's a pleasure."

[lenire_feris]

Silke cocks her head at the younger woman before breaking into a smile. "Oh, no, we certainly haven't. Silke Löwenstark, if you please." Too soon for pleasure, but if one of them is pleased then that's quite fine.

[formyowngain]

"Asmodai Velnias, I couldn't be more pleased, and no, we haven't met before, which is a true pity." At least one of those were a lie, but she smiles really friendly to cover that up.

[somuchheart]

"So are you new here? It's really nice to meet both of you. I'm from the Hearts Castle - over there." She points, as if she hasn't already guessed that they're familiar with the area. "A Ten of Hearts, actually. I do love meeting newcomers, though."