The First Meeting

Adam was slow to get up in the morning this time around. He didn't have any specific rituals outside the meetings with the various department heads and visiting the grave site of his parents on this particular day. Nonetheless he dreaded walking down the hallways as various people would look at him with pity and almost complete strangers would pat him in the back or try to talk to him. While he liked the company he preferred to keep it with those he knew.

The first meeting of the day was with Selena. There was little business to discuss at hand but these meetings on this day were rarely ever about business. He notified her secretary and proceeded to wait outside her office door before being called in.

It took a moment for the call to come, after some scuffling sounds inside the office. A rather excited woofing sounded, low and polite but knowing someone was out there. "Come in! CC, calm down. Its just Mr Dumont."

Her usually strict voice was soft today, though the secretary and those who worked under her were turning a blind eye to it at the moment. As well as happy eyes to the rather bearsized, whiteish golden retreiver that was following her today. Selena was sitting at a small couch in one part of her large office, a cup of coffee in her hands as she held the collar of the huge dog who's tail was wagging up a storm.

Selena's face was withdrawn and tense, but she could smile softly at the dog. Which...was probably why no one said anything about the beardog. It was odd to see the usually rather formal and strict young woman so obviously upset, and CC was rather well behaved.

Adam walks in and gives a light yawn. "So how are you doing today?" Adam asks making light conversation not really thinking about what he had just asked

"As well as can be expected. So everyone tells me at least." Selena took a sip of tea, letting go of CC's collar now that Adam was inside fully and the door was shut. The dog mobbed the man, hopping up and down slightly and woofing for attention.

"It never gets better, does it Sire?"

Adam smiled and knelt down to pet the dog some as it tried to jump on his face... or at least that is what it seemed like to Adam. "I was 9 when my parents were taken from me. For most of my childhood all I knew was war and spent most of my days training and moving from one safe house to the next. As I got older I spiraled into depression and took it out on my enemies. For a time there was not a night that went by I didn't search for someone to fight. I practically drowned myself in alchohol and the blood of those I killed. I thought that if I could kill enough then I could forget my worries and to a certain extent that was the case. While I was fighting all my problems disappeared because there was only you and your enemy and all other matters faded."

He stopped and stood up. He looked at her and smiled the kind of smile that only a man who has seen some kind of hell could give. "This was all by the time I was 18. At the end of it all I nearly died to fufill my bloodlust and when I recovered I resolved myself to be a good king. Too many people had died on my account while I was foolishly putting my life on the line for just the chance to forget it all for a brief moment. I remembered that my father once told me that a King does not belong to himself and somewhere along the lines I had forgotten those words. It's funny really I changed almost overnight to such an extent that it had Kostya doing double takes."

He laughed at the last point and began lightly tapping on his chest where a large scar was if she could actually see his chest "The point being is that while the pain of an old wound never really goes away, it will not always fester"

"I never heard it from you before, but I had heard the stories Sire. It sounds so much less glorious and soft as what they said. It reminds me of Kostya's way of telling things... I prefer it I think. Thank you." Selena looked over at Adam, a very tiny smile on her face as she patted the couch. CC came running back, having properly greeted the guest and leaning against her master with a happy puppy panting grin.

Petting the dog's ears softly, she waved a seat for Adam to take or the carafe of coffee she had stolen. "I have coffee made if you want some... I'm afraid you'll have to serve yourself at the moment though."

"I get told I am lucky a lot. Because I wasn't there when it happened. Because he took the revenge everyone iss sure I would have sought when older. It is just sad though. I had a happy life after, but... I always wonder why they did it. Why did they decide to just kill them all? The war was winding down. Was it just some sort of angry lashing out? My parents were young. Every year I get older to their age and... I wonder, what would they think of me now? It just seems to get worse the older I get and the more I understand." Selena's voice was low and she shook her head. "If it wasn't for my adopted family and Uncle Kostya... Everyone protects me and hovers over me. If the only way I can get my hands as dirty and repay them, is to do this."

A small smirk appeared on her face though. "I see I am better at working then you were at my age then. Has it been only a year? It feels like a lot longer than that. I feel a lot older than nineteen for sure."

"There is no need to thank me, I'm trying to ease my own burden as much as trying to help you with yours. Talking is cathartic and it was one of the hardest things to learn." Adam admitted as walked himself to the nearby wall and began to lean on it.

"He?" Adam thought deciding it was best for if he didn't ask at the moment. He then sighed and scratched his head. He sometimes forgot how young she was and how much of his own childhood had been destroyed. He looked at her with sad eyes and said "War is a terrible, and nigh pointless thing that we engage in because there is no other recourse. The bloodiest battles of all often come at the end when all hope is lost. They did not stop killing us because we did not stop killing them and there was no other option left. Try not to hate them but pity them instead because it could have been us in their place."

Adam pondered for a minute thinking about all the lives he took and all the orphans he created. No one could say that he wasn't merciful though. After the war had ended he made sure that all broken families regardless of side would be taken care of in some way. He looked up and met Selena's gaze and he turned away. There were times he still saw that little girl in her that he once knew so long ago.

He then smiled and said, "Without a doubt, they would be proud to have had a daughter like you and wish with their heart of hearts that you would grow up in a more peaceful time. I wish I got to know them better then I did. The last memory I have of them was that they asked for my ward, the previous Grandmaster, to take care of you in the event that something would happen. It was almost as if they had known but it was such a trying time that nobody thought anything of it. For that I'm sorry and I'm sorry I couldn't be around more because it was my fault that my ward met his untimely demise."

He then got quiet unable to answer her last comment feeling a little shaken about telling her what he had just said. On this day Adam wore his guilt and shame like iron shackles around him.

"I'm too young to understand that...stuff yet. It just hurts." For the first time in a while the young woman sounded her age. Her voice was too soft but it could have been pouty. It didn't last long though. Her face was a bit hard as she spoke her next words. "Its hard to pity or hate someone who is long dead. Someone I never saw or will ever. I don't even know their names... I'll be upset though. That I can do."

Selena wiped her eyes as Adam continued, grabbing a tissue and sniffling as CC whined a bit. The poor dog had no idea what was going on and her owner petted her more. "They were outspoken about the war, from what I heard. I...hope they'd be proud. It...means quite a bit to me Sire, that you think so."

Pointing, the quincy sent her dog over to Adam's side. He needed the comfort more than she did. He always was so hard on himself... though if he could stick to her schedules it would be less of her on his back. CC did as she was ordered, not that she didn't want to anyways. The dog moved to Adam's side with furiously wagging tail, before she sat on his shoe and leaned against his leg. Looking up with big puppy eyes, that practically screamed 'no sads I am here', itgot a small laugh from the woman sitting.

"We should remember the happy memories too. Not just these awful ones. Don't be sorry over that. We can't change it, and you've done a lot to make up for things... Even if you can't ever do so Adam, you can try." A small smile appeared as she said his name.

"I don't think so, I know so." Adam said with a soft smile. Selena then passed the dog back and he patted her head lightly. For the King, even the soft touch of a dog could soothe a tattered heart. He almost laughed at her last comment.

"I used to ask myself a lot what could be done. I thought about abdicating, I thought about suicide. I never really did come to a conclusion but I concluded that I would even if it took the rest of my life to do so." Adam said as he rubbed his eyes.

"It's hard to think of the happy memories when there are so many bad ones ya know?"

A very small but happy smile broke through for a moment as Selena thought about his words. If they...would have been happy she was happy. She didn't think about her siblings. That would be too much here.

"Very. I try to make many more to push them back... it works sometimes. Today not so much." Selena gave a small sigh, rubbing her forehead. "I might leave even earlier. I've cleared my schedule and everyone...can survive one day in anarchy. I hope. If the building burns down while I am gone, it is entirely on your head."

She stood and went over to Adam, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving him a half smile. "I know my opinion is nothing compared to others...but you aren't doing a bad job in my eyes at least. Could be better, if you stuck to my schedules."

The last part was said with obvious levity and CC licked her masters leg with a tail wag as Selena bent over to pet the dog.

"Eh, today is a low work day since I have made myself unavailable I usually try to plan meeting around it so that nothing important comes up. Anything on your agenda for today is easily passable." Adam said hopefully trying to relieve some tension of hers. She then puts her hand on his shoulder which nearly makes Adam back up nut her words softened him up.

"Yeah, I know." Adam said as he puts his opposite hand on her shoulder.

"Listen, I chose you for this position because I know you have very real potential. Your opinion is just as important to me as Jack and Kostyas." He then smiled and backed off a bit.

"My father... was not a great king. I mean he was alright. He didn't screw anything up too badly but didn't really do anything great either. He drank a ton. I mean if you think my alcohol consumption is overstepping good taste, my father was a human wine cask." Adam laughed at this.

"His knowledge was always just... average but what he lacked in intelligence he made up for in his ability to scout talent. His advisers were almost always universally smarter then him but he had this knack to be able to make friends with just about anyone... that is until he didn't" Adam said sadly.

"I was only 9 when he died and I idolized him as much as everyone else. He was quite beloved even if he was only a so-so ruler. It took me many years to be able to see the faults. My ward used to tell me stories about how he would wander drunk and naked into the bed of countless women. How my mother ever put up with that..." Adam trailed off before speaking again.

"I know what the grandmaster's intentions were but at the time I hated him all the same for telling me." Adam said with a shake of his head and a small smile

"I won't bite Sire." Noticing his slightly movement, Selena hid a grin. Her hand moved to the one on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze in thanks. She grinned at the compliment, though it was still half hearted.

"I bet those two would be upset to know they are almost upstaged by a little girl. That lazy...one especially." Her heart wasn't in her insults today and she just sighed, though it quickly changed to surprise as Adam continued.

She waited till he vented a bit, frowning but... liking to hear the real truth. "I guess... I never heard most of this. It makes sense, martyrs are... glorified. Thank you for trusting me Sire, enough to tell me this."

Selena felt a bit awkward, how was she supposed to respond? She wasn't any good at this social stuff...or soothing... She gave him a half smile, a bit awkward and shy. Business was one thing, but this...was another.

"Yeah, there are some days I wonder why I promoted Jack to that position." Adam said with a light laugh at her "lazy one" comment.

"It has become a bit of a taboo subject to talk about the former king in such an ill manner huh? It was Jonathan's, the previous grandmaster, doing. He spoke with sweet words of him but it was mostly propaganda to fuel the ire of the public. After the war I didn't have the heart to correct anyone. He had become a martyr. Who was I to tell them different? The history books will remember Thomas Dumont the Fifth as a hero who was struck down in his prime by the Traitor King Anthony Myers and his conspirators." At this Adam shook his head and sighed.

"So what about you? What was your childhood like? Adam asked trying to steer away from his own thoughts for a moment.

"I wonder too. He is frustrating in the extreme to deal with and he's almost a decade my senior! How many such odd people did you need to attract." Selena ranted a bit before she caught herself, sighing and letting out the tenseness thinking about Jack brought. He...bothered her so much. Especially after Kostya's comments yesterday.

"It...isn't like it hurts anything though now. You know the truth and those you tell, so...how is it so bad? He didn't harm the Quincies and it helps your cause. Even if it is a form of lying, its not something you can stop after so long." She was thoughtful about this, and gave him her opinion without thinking.

As he mentioned her childhood, the woman sighed and backed away, moving to the couch and sitting as CC followed her. Patting the seat, she waved Adam over. "It was a normal one... if you count being an orphan. The family your Ward left me with was kind and caring. They had children, so I wasn't alone... I was odd and left alone though. Never lonely, just I didn't like being by the others."

She shivered, rubbing her arms. He was asking about other things though...and with today being today... Those memories were closer to the surface. "I still smell the blood, sometimes. When I came home they were all dead. Mother, Father... My grandparents...my brother...my twin sister. When Kostya found me, I was in my bed crying. He took me to IHOP and we had breakfast. And... I didn't know then, but I know now...that he went and slaughtered the ones who did that so I didn't have to. The blood though... it...I can't ever get rid of that smell. Why...did they kill them all? I was at a friends house, only four years old..."

"Lucky I guess..." She shivered more and pulled CC close, not liking the memories she brought up. If not for that one difference, she would have been along side them in death.

"Well I'll make you a deal, find some way to make him abdicate and you can have the position." Adam said with a light chuckle.

"Yeah, it doesn't really matter much but I feel like I have a certain moral responsibility to set the record straight. ya know?"

Her story was all to familiar to Adam, not because he had heard it but because there were just so many of those types of stories during the war. It was enough to break anyone's heart. Despite that there was something that didn't stick right with Adam and he cracked a smile and then laughed. He knew it was inappropriate but still it seemed too incredible. "He... took you... to IHOP?"

At this point he just couldn't stop the laughter from coming. He had been in such a somber mood all morning that such a line seemed surreal. "So what, he found you in your room and went so... uh... hey your parents are dead but you wanna go get some pancakes or something?"

"...I have too much work as it is. He can keep his job." Selena groaned at the thought of taking over Jack's job and shook her head. No way in hell would she take that on top of other things. "Well, I know now so you did a good job. I'm not going to start fights over it though Sire. I don't think anyone would take kindly to me commenting in any way."

Looking at Adam, Selena blinked and nodded, though she looked slightly offended by his laughing. A small frown turned into a smile as...well she realized a bit more how ridiculous that story sounded. "Yes. That is exactly what happened, I think he was trying to soothe me in his own way. It....worked a bit. I felt better when he gave me Sasha to hold. I-I like pancakes..."

She felt like she should defend the man from the laughter and stuttered a reply, turning red.

"Please, it's just Adam today" He says correcting her.

"Trying... to... soothe?!" Adam said between fits of laughter. He calmed himself down and looked at her. His smile faded and his eyes grew grave. "When my parents were killed I was whisked off to a safe house almost immediately. I was then forced to stay there for 2 years straight, almost never allowed to leave and never allowed to go out of it. I had become a prisoner and my parents were dead."

He then scratched his head and looked at her with a sly smile. "I think I would have killed for some pancakes back then"

"S-Stop laaaaughing! It was sweet. It was very sweet!" Selena flushed beat red and grumbled a bit loudly at Adam as CC's ears perked up. Her master was making odd sounds but they didn't seem bad so the dog settled herself again.

"You were more important than I was. Still am, Adam. You are our King and needed to be protected... but...admittedly pancakes at IHOP would have been the best thing to do." A small sad smile wormed its way through her frustration. How did one react to such news? It...was bitter and awful, and she didn't know anything but... that one rather soothing memory. "Well...how about later, after all the meetings... we go to IHOP. I'll bring a large knife and be your Kostya. After all these years I can fake a russian accent rather well."

"Oh I bet it was but I'm pretty sure at 9 years old if someone had given me pancakes right after that my reaction would have been stunned silence followed by an outburst of incredible hunger before finishing it off by throwing the plate against the wall." Adam said with a smile. "I was a bit of a rowdy kid"

"A king but little more then a figure head at the time. If I had died the Sternritters would have convened and picked a new King, although granted if I had died there was a strong chance that the false king might have become the true king." He hated to admit it but had the coup worked as intended, Anthony would have had an easy time sweeping support from the rest of the Sternritters. He then looked at Selena and smiled.

"Only Kostya can be Kostya and trust me when I say that I don't want you to be him." Adam said with a surprisingly jolly laugh. "All the same, I think pancakes would make a wonderful nightcap for such a day."

"That...sounds awful. But natural. Its upsetting to...well have that happen." Selena rubbed her forehead. It really would be natural to lash out like that... She hadn't been the type to back then, a rather quiet and stoic child.

She didn't like thinking about what would have happened and shuddered at his words. Best case scenario she would have lived but under their thumb, being lied to. It...would have been natural to her at that point but... knowing what she did made her revulsion at the thought harder.

"Good, I can't pull off Kostya for long. Its set then. Later tonight we shall mourn with pancakes at IHOP." A snort, rather unladylike, came from Selena but she did have a smile on her face. "You should go meet with the others. I'm going to head home.

Adam looked at his watch and noticed it was about time to end their session. He had quite a few others to visit. He looked at Selena and nodded solmenly. "Yes, I do believe you are correct."

"So Miss Stick-Up-Her-Butt, what time can you fit me in for our pancake excursion?" Adam asked jokingly as he stood up to leave.

"IHOP is open twenty-four hours so... Ten works for me perfectly. Can you stay sober that long? It really wouldn't matter, drunk IHOP visits are also acceptable." Selena's tone said that she might also be drunk with him, or that she had done it before. "I like my stick where it is. Thank you."

"I'll see you then. I'll make sure to warn them ahead of time about the alcohol... Just in case."

"I'll probably be so drunk by night's end that it'll take 2 Sternritters to drag me back to bed." Adam said with a light but laborious laugh.

"In any event, I'll see you later." Adam then promptly walked out the door only stopping for a moment to gingerly pet the dog and left with a slightly bigger smile then when he had first entered.