Fifty

I celebrated my first invitation to a Chaf event with my last bar of chocolate. I had half a mind to demand my exiled Admiralship send me more, but the impossibility of that deterred me. So I would have to rely on Chiss substitutes now. Not that they were bad. Not in the sense of the word. They just didn't feel like real chocolate and my self-deception in that department showed a severe lack in placebo effect.

I eyed my tea mournfully, already counting the days until I'd have to go without that, too. Not that the konot got any better. It had already turned from 'kicking you in the face with steel-enforced boots' to 'kicking you in the face with huge fuzzy slippers.' I wondered if everything I knew was slowly slipping away like that. Only less noticeable because you didn't take stock of memories or things you assumed you knew.

I made a point of recalling the names of my family and close friends. I also made a point of not trying to recall anything else. After all I was celebrating another successful step on my way to victory. Once I had a guest to a family of a House, anything could happen. Not that it would, it never did. And from what I had gathered Formbi was on the road most of the time and possibly not even back for important events.

I set my eyes on the next Unity Day reception. This time I would go. If I had to bribe a fairy godmother, blackmail her or sic Rukh on her. I didn't care. I had a glass slipper to loose. I had a prince to ensnare. Even if he was a bit too late for the whole marriage thing. I was sure, Formbi would not mind that.

"You didn't seem that pleased when you had your first invitation to Csapla," Storm observed.

"Because I do not have plans for anybody in Csapla," I said.

He looked at me as if I had said the most stupid thing ever. "You should. It is the most influential House. You need to know who they are and what they do and how they will fit into your plans."

"What plans?" I was an epitome of innocence. "I have no plans."

"Ah," he said knowingly. "That again. It makes me wonder about what you were just saying about House Chaf."

"That," I shrugged elaborately, "is personal."

"Personal how?" I could almost see the gears of his mind spinning into action.

"I'll let you know if I need your help."

"How will you know if I can help, if you don't tell me what with?"

"I know you would like to know as much about this as you can, because you like to have as much control over my life as you can but to that I say," I couldn't help but smirk, "been there, done that." I was actually still at doing that, if I was honest. And there was only so many times a woman could marry. Without being divorced again first. I guessed.

"And you think you can handle this? Against a Chaf?" He was probably truly concerned.

"We will see," I replied. "And if not, what does it matter? It is only personal."

"You realise there is no such thing on Csilla?"

"Oh." I gave him a once-over. "And what is this?"

"Call it an investment into the future," he said. "And what is the worst that can happen to me?"

He could get his best friend back. Though there was no telling if they'd still get along like a house on fire or would chose the way of arch-enemies by now. One day I would find out. "And what a future that will be?"

"A future we can shape," Storm said. "And for one of the favours you owe me, I dare you to chose a Csapla and make plans for her or him."

"You dare me?"

"I double dare you."

"I don't think that is proper." I curled my fingers in his direction mockingly.

"You, my friend, are the epitome of improper," he enlightened me. "Very popular with the young and rebellious."

"That shall certainly be a great help in finding my place in established society." Well, actually it would. Take enough time and instead of punk rock you had haute couture. I was just not sure I had that much time. Not that Storm granted me more than two weeks to find the Csapla in question.

Damn that guy. How would I ever-? Well, since I had to, I went headfirst into the news and archives and dug around anything that interested me until I realised I should rather be looking at things that would be useful to me. Why could those two not coincide for once?

To frustrate Storm, though probably myself too, I decided to make plans for Csapla'ron'deren. He was about as high up the food chain as you could get without being actually top tier. As Epitocra for House Csapla, he represented them in the Senate. He had ambitions, and good chances, to be chosen as the next Aristocra for the Council of Houses. After that, the only way up was Meritocra for all of the Ascendancy. If that wasn't useful, I didn't know what was.

So I needed a plan for him. What would I want a very influential Chiss to do for me. I discarded the obvious because it was obvious. I also discarded chocolate because it was still unknown here. I could get the substitutes without trouble. His art was sculpting, so maybe, I mean, what about a conjoint exhibition. That was a thought to scare the imagination of the hardiest Chiss.

"How long do I have?" I asked Strom over the comm.

"What do you plan?"

"The impossible," I smiled. "What else?"

"Five years," he replied.

I nodded readied a small envelope with my 'plan' in it and gave it to him at our next meeting. It had its opening date on it: 07.06.17 ABY*.

In the meantime I got ready to have a great entrance at the recital combined with music that Chaf'ris'stan had invited me to. By Chiss standards he was indeed young and rebellious. In the Chaf family that was especially difficult because all of them seemed to be deviants. The House was very good with politics, meaning all its members seemed shifty.

Since politics, if only the foreign part of them, were their department that wasn't surprising. Storm was rightfully doubting my ability to handle any of them in a way that ended up achieving what I wanted if the Chaf did not want the same thing.

"I'll just make sure he wants the same things I want," I told Threll.

He was even less convinced than Storm. "The Chaf will sell you your own department for a high price and have you beaming with getting such a great deal."

I had heard a similar description before. I smiled and immediately apologised for that. After all, pitting your strengths against the snake incarnate was no laughing matter. If only Threll knew how much of a snake I was myself.**

"I will buy and make them regret it," I told him. "Just watch me."

"With interest," he agreed. "And I promise to attend your funeral as well."

"How do you even bury people here?" I wanted to know. "The ground is frozen and there is no space to bury anybody."

He gave me a strange look. "You need to research that for yourself," he finally said. "It is most improper to be told about this by anybody not part of your inner family."

"I have been told, and lately too," I informed him, "that I am the embodiment of improper. So you can tell me. If you know."

"A heavy-handed attempt and much too obvious," he scolded.

I raised my hands letting my fingers do a little shrug at the same time. "The scenes you sent me for your new play are excellent," I changed the topic. "Have you decided on who will do the stage design yet?"

"You have ideas for that?"

"Of course!" I rattled down a few names. "Though Mitth'ken'trebor might be a little too distracting in his vehemence."

"I had assumed you had your own ideas about the set." It was half a question.

"Have you seen my art?" I asked.

"No."

It was difficult not to laugh out loud.

"But I do get to hear a great deal about it," he continued.

"How that?" The urge to laugh left me with a cold sudden.

"I keep my ears open." He looked smug. "And I know where to listen."

"So I won't have to show-"

"Don't try to get smart on me, old woman." His sarcasm markers were almost invisible. "I may be younger than you, but I have been playing this game a lot longer than you still."

"In the which case I shall make sure that you will be able to see those highly discussed pieces of art when you visit." It would not be too much of a problem, really. The exhibition closed in two days and what I did with the paintings then was anybody's guess. My plan had been to put them in the cellar with the rest of the unnecessary art. I had enough space to keep them around for a few more months, though. And maybe it would have been an insult to the art down there. Oh well.

And this is the reason I didn't update here.


*Actually, it has a Chiss date on it, but do you really want to know and convert every time I mention dates?
Thought so.

** My Chinese sign is snake.