Who: Irene Adler and Susan Pevensie What: Tea and talk When: Saturday, October 14, 2pm Where: Common Grounds Cofee shop Status: Complete/Closed Warnings: Talk of political unrest
Susan had arrived a few minutes early, and ordered a tea for herself, which she had her hands cupped around as she sat at a quiet table in a corner of the room, away from most of the other few patrons to allow for some semblance of privacy so she and Irene could talk in comfort. Her bright blue eyes gazed absently down into her mug, having opted for the real kind rather than a paper cup, and her thoughts were actually far from Irene at the moment, but instead on a certain blonde, blue-eyed man she was thinking of seeing the following day.
Irene arrived promptly at 2, first glancing around to see who was there. Of course, the usual suspects of people monitoring her actions weren’t there, given that both Sherlock and Mycroft were no longer present in Preya, and thus, as far as she knew, her actions were completely unmonitored. As for Moriarty, she didn’t think that he was concerned with her. At least not yet. Spotting her companion, she headed over, seating with a smile. “Pleasure to see you again, Susan. All is well, I take it?”
Looking up at the voice, Susan smiled bright at the older woman, straightening in her seat. “You too, Miss - Irene, I mean. It’s been too long.” Once she had sat, Su gave a nod at the question. “Indeed, things are going well for me. I’ve come to love Preya very much in my few months here, I think.” It still surprised her a little, but she had taken pretty quickly to the place. “You saw what my brother said, that all of us are here now - a feat I never thought possible. I hope you’ve been well, also?”
Irene nodded. “Indeed, it has.” Pausing only briefly to order herself a chai tea when the waiter approached, she turned her attention back to Susan. “That is good to hear. I’m still not entirely certain myself. Granted, it does have it’s advantages, though I do find myself missing certain… things.” She nodded. “I did. I wasn’t aware that everyone was here. I take it he doesn’t know about… everything?” She had of course not said anything, since such news could be quite a shock. If anything, that should be heard from someone known, rather than a stranger telling you things about yourself. “I’ll admit, I’ve been better. It’s been absolutely dreadful since Kate disappeared along with Sherlock and Mycroft. But, I shall make do, I believe.”
“..No, I haven’t told any of them about the novels or stories...I thought it best not to.” Though a part of her wondered if she should. Pursing her lips in sympathy, Su nodded at the words about Sherlock and the others disappearing. “I’m sorry they’re gone. I wonder how all that happened…” But she shook her head. “I just hope that they’re happy where they are, and that you’ll be happy here. And it’s entirely possible they’ll return some day, isn’t it?” Since the last time they had spoken, there had been a change in Susan. Her eyes now held a glimmer of hope, and the previous sadness had been dimmed by all the good that had happened since.
Irene smiled at the comforting words. “I suppose it is possible, one never knows, or if they do, they aren’t telling.” Which was slightly disconcerting, but there was nothing that could be done about that, at least not that she knew of. “We shall just have to wait and see.” Leaning forward slightly, she studied the young woman ever so briefly. She made her living by reading people, learning little things that made them reveal the much bigger things. Though she didn’t have her little phone to keep those secrets, those skills had not left her, and of course, the change was most noticeable to her. “So, do tell. What’s this person’s name?”
Susan met Irene’s eyes, then blushed a little, unable to help the smile the crossed her lips as she looked down again. She felt utterly ridiculous, but she didn’t bother to even deny the fact. “Am I so obvious?” she asked in protest, then sipped some of her tea to gather herself before looking up again.
“His name is Arthur,” she said at last, still smiling. “We’ve...grown close over the past few months.”
“To one like me, yes,” Irene replied. “I made a living from reading people, and it’s practically written upon you.” Irene thought only for a brief moment. As far as she knew, there was only one Arthur in Preya. “The Councilman?” The one that legend said was very King of the Britions? Well, now that was interesting. And not only as one looking at the full picture of what such an arrangement meant. “I suppose that really he would be the only one worthy of a Queen.” Granted, she’d enjoyed the pleasures of a Princess herself, but didn’t believe Susan quite into anything of the sort. “And it’s quite clear that you’re quite taken with him.”
Nodding at the question, Su blushed again, looking back down at her tea. “I haven’t been a Queen for a long time,” she replied softly. “And he isn’t a King here.” Though essentially, they were both royals in exile - and even in Narnia, Susan had turned down the rulers of distant lands. Had any made her feel like this, she might have made a different choice.
“I like him very much,” she said, glancing back up. “We kissed, at the Harvest Festival, for the first time. It was...highly enjoyable.”
“Once a Queen, always a Queen,” Irene replied. “It matters not if one’s subjects are in another land. Or another time. And of course, given your reactions, I would venture that such… enjoyability made you feel like a Queen again. If not, the boy is clearly doing it wrong.” Oh yes, Arthur was the boy king, she felt no shame in admitting that. Besides, she was quite used to having her way with those in power.
“I am glad to hear that, actually,” she said. That she had found someone, not so much about the details of the kissing. “It’s nice to know that things still go on and people change here, despite anything they might have gone through before.”
She wished she wasn’t blushing quite so much, and Susan found herself a little grateful for the fact that no one else sat near them. “I suppose he did, yes,” she said finally, cupping both hands around the mug as she leaned into the table just a bit. “I didn’t dream of anything like this ever happening, especially here. I had actually resolved to be alone for the time being...but I suppose things change.” For the better, at least this time. And Su was determined to enjoy this happiness while it was hers.
“That, my dear, is the great mystery of love,” Irene stated. “One never can predict how or when it will strike.” Leaning back, she glanced up as her tea was set before her, picking it up and taking a sip. “It was like that with me, to be honest. I didn’t expect it, it just sort of happened. Now, I’m missing it terribly.” She glanced down ever so briefly, a slight shadow covering her features. Glancing back up, she was once again the perfect picture of composure. “Though, I think it is perhaps best that she is where she is.”
Susan wanted to deny the “love” aspect, but a part of her didn’t think she could - and didn’t really want to. “That’s true,” she said instead, and smiled a little. When she saw Irene grow a little sad, her smile faded, and she hesitated, then reached out to catch one of Irene’s hands in hers, giving it a soft squeeze. She was surprised by the ‘she’ but Su chose not to comment on that because it wasn’t her business in the slightest. “I’m sorry.”
“No need for you to be sorry, my dear,” Irene said smiling. “That is my burden to carry. You have your happiness. And your siblings. Which, I saw something about one taking a potion to grow up, I recall. What was that about?” She couldn’t imagine such a thing. Of course, such things didn’t even exist in her world. Magic was a most curious thing, and she hadn’t really ever known any until she’d arrived in Preya.
“I’m still here if you need to talk.” She let go of Irene’s hand and sat back again, then shook her head at the mention of the potion. “Indeed, Peter - and it’s still incredible that he did that. I had no idea anything like that could actually work, and I’m still waiting for some sort of negative affect from that.” Letting out a soft sigh, Susan took another sip from her tea and focused on Irene.
Irene smiled, patting the girl’s hand as she pulled it away. “I know, dear, but we’re discussing your news, not my past. This is a time of joy.” She inclined her head slightly, her own knowledge of the subject limited to the time she’d discussed it with that gilmore fellow whom had been a Council member when she’d first arrived. It had been beyond her understanding, given there was no smoke and mirrors to see past, and it definitely hadn’t been some sneaky manipulation of a stage assistant. “Whatever possessed him to do something so rash?” she asked, taking a sip of her own tea. “I mean, messing about with something so unfamiliar, not knowing what might have happened.”
“Indeed,” she replied, smiling as she took another sip from her tea. Susan was honestly glad she’d met Arthur, and hadn’t expected anything like this to occur...but she didn’t mind it so much. At the questions about Peter, her smile again disappeared and Su let out a sigh, then shook her head.
“Several reasons, apparently, but none that are fully satisfactory. And he refuses to tell us who provide him with the potion. Ed and I fully intend on speaking with whoever it is. They shouldn’t be providing something so dangerous to sixteen year olds.”
Irene nodded. That was indeed the question, though it likely wouldn’t be that difficult to track down. People loved to talk, and it would merely be a task of seeing who was adept at such things, and then some questions. Getting information was something that she was good at, even if it did take a little time. “No worries, I’m certain we’ll be able to ascertain who the responsible party is. Have a little patience.”
“I just hope we discover who it is before they seriously harm someone,” Susan replied, then offered a small smile. “And given that you said ‘we,’ does that mean you’ll help us?” Susan still didn’t know many people in Preya - which was her fault, really - and so far she’d only considered discussing it with Arthur. In other words, they needed whatever assistance they could find.
Irene nodded. “Of course. I have nothing else to do, and ferreting out information is something that I was quite good at, if I might say so myself.” Not to mention the fact that getting out and occupying herself would be good for her. Plus, it would offer the opportunity to meet new people. “Now, the question is, should I talk to him about it to see what I can discover, or let you do the bit of detective work to get us started?”
“I know that he won’t tell Ed or Lucy, but I’m going to try to find out from him myself. I thought of maybe seeing if he spoke to anyone about it on the network. There’s also a woman he’s been speaking to - Roxy? I don’t know her myself, but she brought him soup while I was at work, and they’ve spent some time together.” Which was also a little uncomfortable for Susan, given her brother had still been a teenager at the time. “I thought that maybe I should talk to her. What do you think?”
Irene pondered for a moment, the name committed to memory as soon as she heard it. “No, not yet,” she said. “She might very well be involved, but not the one responsible. After all, young boys are quite impressionable. It could be that his motive was because of her, and someone else is the one that actually gave him the potion. I’ll keep my eye on her, and you see if you can’t discover if he has any other covert meetings with anyone.”
“I suppose that would be possible, but it isn’t very much like Peter.” Su shook her head a bit, but returned her attention to Irene. “Thank you for helping us with this. I do appreciate it, and hope I can return the favor at some point.” Knowing that she and Edmund wouldn’t be the only ones searching for answers helped quite a bit, actually, easing her mind.
“My dear, never underestimate what a young man will do for a lady. I’m well versed in that.” It was how Irene had made her living after all, even despite the fact that she made it perfectly clear that for all the services she provided, certain things were not attainable. Perhaps that is what made it so easy, they believed that they would be the one that could do the impossible. “And it’s my pleasure. We’ll get to the bottom of it, I assure you.”
Susan was somewhat aware of that in her own life - at least in Narnia, but even so she hadn’t thought her brother would do such a thing. In a way, though, it made sense with the other reasons, but she hoped he hadn’t done it purely for a woman that he hadn’t even bothered to introduce to his family yet. “I admit that I feel some relief knowing you’ll be helping as well. I appreciate it very much, Irene.”
Truth be told, it wasn’t something that Irene was certain of. But until it could be ruled out, it was to be considered a possibility. Without an exact reason, all reasons were thought of as valid, even the ones that were highly improbable. Improbable didn’t mean impossible, after all. And as for impossible, she was versed enough with that to know that it wasn’t a guarantee. “Of course, my dear,” she replied. “So, tell me, what else has been going on with you. Anything else of interest?”
“Aside from Arthur, and my siblings, I think that there hasn’t been very much else. I still work at the book shop, and I still enjoy it. I had a lovely dinner with someone recently who mentioned he’ll be bringing his horses here and offered to let Peter and I join him for a ride through Everdale, but we haven’t set that up. Otherwise I’m afraid I’m rather boring right now.” She smiled a bit. “And what of you, Irene?”
Irene arched a brow, listening. Horses weren’t exactly her thing, but that was something. Getting out at the very least. “Quite the contrary,” she said. “Boring would be sitting in all the time, trying to keep track of the new arrivals and the mysterious disappearances. Find it odd that there’s never any mention of it aside from what appears to be cryptic and paranoid thoughts of someone that is part deluded and part brilliant. I’m not certain if he’s crazy or actually knows things and isn’t telling all he knows. From what I can tell, though, he is correct in that there doesn’t seem to be any correlation between anyone who does vanish. People that have been here awhile to new arrivals, the more common to Council members. It appears to be random.”
“I saw a little of that...but I wasn’t sure what to make of it all myself, to be quite honest.” Susan tilted her head as she thought it over for a moment. “And those who arrive are random as well, correct? It could be that despite no one here being able to choose to leave, they might be sent away as random as they come, couldn’t it? Perhaps it’s not quite as much a one way journey as the leaders would like us to believe.”
Irene nodded. “To some extent, yes. There have been periods of time when arrivals seem to arrive in patterns, that is, in groups from the same… world they are from. Not always directly together, but within a close time span. But there are also others that seem to be quite spread out, Certainly enough that there can be no pattern to try and determine whom will arrive nor win.” She nodded. “That is true. If everyone got the same message, then we can not leave on our own, but there was nothing stated about randomly being sent back.” Though she was quite certain that the Leaders knew a lot more about what was going on, they just weren’t talking about anything.
“It may not be so nefarious as that fellow thought, then - though I wonder now if there’s a way to ensure that we’re not sent back if we don’t want to go.” Back there, her entire family was dead and she had nothing. Here, Susan had her brothers and sister back, and a man she was steadily falling in love with. Things honestly were much better in Preya. “Or a way for people to be signed up to leave if they wanted - that’s what the rebels are looking for, isn’t it? A way back?”
“I would perhaps most likely agree,” Irene stated. “As for there being a way to ensure staying, I couldn’t say.” From what she had learned, it was better here than going back for her. “As for the rebels, I do believe so. I suppose I can understand the choice in wanting to go back, but at the same time, it was known that such a thing, at least willingly, wasn’t an option upon coming here.” As for the disappearances being them sent back home for whatever reason, she couldn’t say. “As for myself, I do prefer being here.”
“That’s true - we were all told that we weren’t going to be able to return once we were here.” It was one reason she had struggled with her own decision, but ultimately she’d decided to close the former book on her life and start a new one. “I prefer being here, too. After all, I wouldn’t know Arthur - or you.” Susan smiled at Irene again and drank some more of her tea.
Irene had faced the same decision, and it was the only viable solution for her. Granted, she did wish that she’d taken better actions before coming here, though she at least had the opportunity to rectify that in the brief time that Kate had been here. “Quite true,” she said. “There have been a number of interesting people that I’ve had the opportunity to know that I wouldn’t have otherwise.” Taking another sip of her tea, she pondered briefly. Who knew what else was in store for her here? There was no telling, really. Perhaps even finding something of happiness like Susan had.
“I’m glad you came here,” she said sincerely, lowering her nearly-empty mug and cupping both hands around the base. “I don’t think I ever had the chance to ask, but do you work here? And if so, what do you do?” It occurred to her that she knew very little about Irene, but Susan herself had told her a great many things in return.
Irene pondered how to answer that question. It wasn’t something that she minded per se, but at the same time, it wasn’t something that one just stated to someone like Susan. She was from a different time, after all, things were quite different where she was from. “I do,” she replied at last. “I’m currently working as a Dominatrix. I provide… recreational spankings and discipline of a more… personal nature, you might say. Something I did before, only I used my talents for… acquiring privileged information. Something that I used to my advantage. Here, however, there isn’t much of an opportunity for that.”
It took Susan nearly a minute to fully process and understand just precisely what Irene meant, and when she finally did, she blinked. “...Oh,” she said faintly, and to her dismay her cheeks actually reddened a little as the full implications settled in. Lifting her mug again, she drained the contents to give herself a little longer to think of something better to say than “oh”, and when she finished it, the former Queen met Irene’s gaze once more. “I see. I suppose I can understand why there wouldn’t be quite as much of an opportunity for something like… that… here. Though I imagine it would ingratiate you to those in power should use use such, erm, skills to discover information for them in relation to, say, the rebels?” Susan the Gentle was ever the diplomatic one.
Irene smiled inwardly at Susan’s reaction. “Oh, it’s not like that, really,” she said. “I mean, I don’t have sex with my clients.” She paused, giving a slight shrug. “I suppose that could be useful, but there is the other side of the equation as well. The art of blackmail is playing two sides against each other. If, for instance, I did have some vital information of the rebels to give to those in charge, what is it that the Rebels would offer to keep that information secret? A secret really is only useful as long as it remains so, after all. So, I would have to have something that is both vital and sought by both parties. That way, I’m save, each side ensuring that nothing happens to whatever information it is that I possess. Rebels don’t want it to be known, The Government not wanting to see it destroyed. It’s quite the game of political balance, a rather delicate art.”
Political intrigue was certainly something Susan was more knowledgeable about, and she set down her mug as she leaned forward. “Is it something that you’re thinking of doing - finding out the secrets from both sides? Or is that too much of a secret for you to tell me?”
Straight to the point. Irene admired that, no beating about the bush. “Oh, it’s not even a consideration,” she replied.”One merely need to peruse the social network to discover the secrets of the rebels, for someone is bound to slip and mention something. Then it’s merely a matter of going back and connecting dots. As for the secrets of the rulers, well, that is a losing battle, given there is no way to find anything out about them. They do not come out, do not interact, not a word from them hardly, and even then, is more to the Council members. Mycroft was certain that something was going on, though I wasn’t able to learn fully what he had discovered before he disappeared.”
“That’s true about that network...I don’t look at it all the time, but when I do it seems that people are very open on it about themselves, and others.” Though she was certain that Irene had connected a great deal more dots in her time there than Susan could have. “I wonder why they hide themselves away. Even in...well, Narnia, we strove to be close to the people. It was how we were able to best rule. Keeping yourself away from your people doesn’t help anyone.”
Irene had managed to connect a few dots, though it was still a far cry from forming a solid picture. But indeed, people tended to be far too open, some more so than others. “True, though as good as benevolent rule is, fear and control can be ever as effective, perhaps even more so.” She pondered for a moment. “Take for instance Orwell’s 1984. That government has surveillance everywhere, yet still has it’s citizens turning on each other, giving over incriminating evidence against friend and family alike. People blindly accepted whatever they said, even if it was a contradiction from something previous. It was them that was incorrectly remembering something, not the government being wrong.”
Susan was genuinely pleased - and surprised - that Irene mentioned a book that she was familiar with. “In that world, I believe that fostering that fear and control is what led to such a harsh society. What I mean is that when a ruler and a people have a relationship with one another, an open and honest one, then both sides are happier. Having your people be afraid leads to unrest and ultimately to them overthrowing you. I’ve seen it happen in more than one land.” She’d even helped it a few times - after all, that was in essence what had occurred during her original first few days in Narnia.
Irene nodded. She had originally intended to use a movie reference, though had decided that such might not be something that she could relate to, especially something so recent. The book just made more sense, especially given the fact that she worked in a bookstore. “I would agree,” she said. “However, I’ve yet to receive an invitation to dinner at the palace. And as for what might be stopping the people from revolting? Well, that’s easy to see, recent failed attack aside. No one knows anything about those in power. Anything at all. By what power do they pull people from different realities to here? And if they can do that, what else are they capable of? Would you go into battle against a foe you know nothing of, or would you sit and bide your time, waiting for some show of force, and perhaps a glimpse at a weakness? When there is no perceived weakness, perceived power is threat enough to placate any potential resistance to the rule.”
“That’s true. There are too many questions and not enough answers…” Susan mused over the situation as she shifted her gaze towards the window, watching people come and go. It was several minutes before she continued. “Plus - there’s almost a sort of desperation here, isn’t there? Among people who want to stay, who want to start new lives, find new seeds of happiness.” Her bright blue gaze returned to Irene’s. “People like you, and me, who would rather not upset the situation as it is. What if someone provokes these mysterious rulers and we’re all sent back, out of spite or frustration? Everything we’ve worked towards here, everything we’ve done - it would be for naught if it was all torn from us. That’s really what this uneasy balance in Preya is all about, isn’t it?”
Irene smiled. Not that she had expected anything less from the former Queen of Narnia. “Indeed, the true crux of the matter,” she said. “Wars and battles are never measured by the people that start them, but by everything else. Property, values, lives…. Everything caught up and involved in things by those that do not consider such, merely focused on winning. Victory without counting what victory cost. Which, doesn’t seem much of a victory at all, does it?”
“That’s true, though in my experience the true cost of a victory is what’s lost. But then, I never really had the stomach for battles or war.” Though she had led troops, she had never been happy or comfortable with it. She had some skills in a sword, and certainly far more in archery, but Su was never one to actively attempt to seek out any sort of direct fighting. “I had no idea our chat over tea would turn quite so grim.”
“Sadly, such is the state of that which we find ourselves in,” Irene said, picking up her cup and finishing off her tea. “Granted, knowing the state need not be so dark, as there are bright moments in it that we might find solace. Arthur, for example.” Not that she had such a light, but she had hope, and that was something. “And at least for the moment, it remains in that precarious balance at the edge of the precipice, not yet toppling over.”
“I suppose it is,” she agreed quietly, studying Irene, and she smiled again at mention of Arthur. “It does, and I hope that it doesn’t go in the wrong direction any time soon,” Susan said. She reached out to again touch her hand lightly. “And Irene - I have no doubt that you’ll find your own bright moments here soon.”
Irene smiled,giving Susan’s hand a reassuring pat. “Thank you, my dear.” Honestly, she wasn’t certain what else to say, given that she’d always been one to look after herself, never having anyone interested in her own happiness other than Kate. Of course, there had been more to that, but… now wasn’t the time to mention that. She wasn’t certain that Susan was ready for that, given the look of surprise she’d held at the mention of her being gay.
She returned the smile and squeezed her hand in return before sitting back again. “I should probably be going,” she admitted, though she didn’t really want to just yet. She was enjoying the talk and the company, very much. “We should do this often. It’s nice to have a conversation with a friend from time to time, after all - and you really should come by the shop sometime soon.”
“Of course,” Irene replied. “And I might just do that.” Granted, she did need to go out more, and of course, finding out the matter of who was responsible for the potion was something that would require her being out some. Plus, having something regularly like this might do her some good as well. “And do not hesitate to call for anything, should you need to,” she said. “I’m quite accustomed to getting calls at all hours.”
“As long as you remember to do likewise,” Susan responded with a smile. Reluctantly, she stood and picked up her dirty mug. “Thank you for having tea with me today. I highly enjoyed this meeting.”
“As have I, my dear,” Irene replied. “And do keep me informed how things go with your… suitor, if such would be an appropriate term yet.” Not that she was the snoopy type, but never when she might need to have a word with him.
Another brief blush, but Susan’s smile brightened a tad. “I’m not sure yet, but...perhaps. And I will,” she promised. Stepping around the table, she leaned down and gave Irene a brief hug. “I’ll see you soon.” After letting go, she took her mug to the counter to return it to the barista, then left the coffee shop to walk back to her flat.
Irene smiled, watching as the young woman left. It had indeed been a good thing, and something that she was certain to ensure happened more often. She too rose, heading out, though not directly back to her place. There were a few inquiries to be made first.