[ Thursday ]

Thursday doesn't know what possessed him to go against Saturday - well, actually, he does: it was his temper, which always seems to be simmering just beneath the surface these days. He resents Saturday and her machinations, her petty interferences in the Great Maze. It is a Denizen's nature to obey, and this is doubly true for the Army Denizens - but that does not mean he has to like it. In fact, he finds Saturday's presumptions extremely distasteful.

She has not even deigned to issue his orders in person, not since she first came to give him Sunday's letter, which authorized her as the commander of the Army in the Architect's absence. Sunday is as much responsible for Saturday's actions as the Superior herself, Thursday thinks. His neglect, his decision to allow her to do as she wishes in her capacity as his deputy-

There is no discipline; laws that ought to be enforced are broken without consequence, issues are not resolved when they arise, and the House falls closer and closer to Nothing with every day that passes.

What can Thursday do to prevent it? His Demesne is the only one that really fulfills its function anymore, but the Great Maze is hardly an essential part of the House either. He cannot even put forth his own agenda, because his opinions are superseded by Saturday's.

Perhaps it was rash, supporting the decision to raise Arthur. At that point, Thursday had been angry enough to support any course of action that Saturday opposed.

Thursday looks down at the wailing baby - who had been sleeping peacefully under Dawn's watchful eye before Thursday entered the room - and thinks that he probably did make a mistake.

"Stop crying," Thursday says, frowning. He doesn't know why Arthur starts crying as soon as he enters the boy's vicinity, but he doesn't like it. At all.

Arthur whimpers and hugs his stuffed elephant closer.

"I'm not doing anything," Thursday says. He raises his hand, with the intention of rubbing Arthur's back - the baby seems to enjoy it when his Times do so - and Arthur shrieks particularly loudly.

"Sir, perhaps I should take him," Dawn says, stepping forward quickly to place herself between them.

Thursday narrows his eyes at her. "Do you really think that I would strike a baby?" he demands.

"I do not know what you are capable of, sir," Dawn says, which is as good as an affirmative.

Thursday stiffens, fury rising within him as the Will whispers about what a failure he is: even his Times, who ought to be loyal unto death turn against him.

"Very well," he snaps. "Keep it out of my sight! I will expect you and the other Marshals to take care of it while it stays in the Great Maze. I do not want to see or hear it when it is here!"

He stalks out of the room, slamming the door behind himself; Arthur's cries rise to a crescendo, the door doing little to muffle his sobs.

"Shut up," he snarls, causing the passing officers to look at him, then quickly away again. None of them point out that they had not been speaking; which is just as well, he would have demoted them to nothing if they had, he is so furious.

The Will hisses on uninterrupted in his mind, insidious.

Thursday comes to regret his rash words; sometimes he passes one of the Marshals caring for Arthur, and the boy's gurgling laughter makes him want to... observe, at least, even if he cannot take on an active role. But the moment he stops or so much as looks at Arthur, the boy starts wailing. And Thursday's anger rises because he has done nothing to upset the child, nothing at all.

Dusk makes passing comments about Arthur's progress, which Thursday pretends to ignore. In reality he hangs on to every word, wishing that he could at least see Arthur for more than a few seconds before the baby dissolves into tears.

The other Trustees, frankly, are not to be trusted with influencing him. Who knows what sorts of ridiculous ideas they will fill his head with?

Perhaps, when Arthur is older, Thursday will be able to enter his presence without inspiring hysteria. Or at least, the boy will be able to communicate what, exactly, his problem with Thursday is.