Lord Mark, I must reassure you, that all the faith I have in Admiral Naismith aside, I think you a better candidate for the role. I do not question your loyalty to your emperor, of course, but I find you to be more independent, more resourceful, and more cautious. And those are qualities I feel you would be quite well in bringing to such a position.
Liking and doing your job are two very different things.
Do you think you could put that dislike aside for such a thing?
[She takes a moment and a sip of tea.]
And I think you do not do yourself credit. You are no so misliked. Reason: you kidnapped me, and I have any and every reason to mistrust you, and yet here we are.
[She looks at him for a long moment, quiet and thoughtful.]
No.
This is no such thing, my lord.
I thought you would do well in this position. You are clearly so careful for your brother and for your friends. And you are clever enough to do well financially.
[ He looks up at her, studying her expression. A few months ago, he'd have assumed she was lying to him. He wouldn't have even entertained any possibility aside from the possibility that she was lying to him. Now, though...now, he three-quarters believes her. And that's pretty damn good for him. ]
The thing is - I do well financially because of my Porter ability. [ He gives a small shrug. ] I don't actually have any training as a businessman. Let alone as a leader. I know I'm technically Lord Mark, but I wasn't Lord until very recently. [ Another shrug - ] Or Mark, for that matter.
[ He gives a little gesture of his hand, indicating the room around them. ]
Come on. You're not naive. I don't believe for a second that you don't have someone you can call to help you out if I try something. You're not really alone.
[ Mark is actually cynical enough to look at Lucy and assume not-naive. ]
[ He shakes his head - but not to argue. All of that - well, yeah, it was a distraction. ]
I'm not...You've just gotten the wrong impression of me, Your Majesty. I'm not...capable. [ A breath in, and less vulnerably - ] And what's more, I think that most of the stuff the government here does is just stupid. I'm not some kind of compassionate bleeding-heart who's going to look out for the downtrodden or whatever. Honestly, I think most people are really stupid. And I don't think it's our job to bail them out of their stupidity.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2016-10-01 03:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-10-01 03:54 pm (UTC)Mine. I really - I really need to double-check that you do know that I'm Mark and not Miles.
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Date: 2016-10-01 03:57 pm (UTC)Lord Mark, I must reassure you, that all the faith I have in Admiral Naismith aside, I think you a better candidate for the role. I do not question your loyalty to your emperor, of course, but I find you to be more independent, more resourceful, and more cautious. And those are qualities I feel you would be quite well in bringing to such a position.
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Date: 2016-10-01 04:00 pm (UTC)Even if that's true - I don't like people. And people don't like me.
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Date: 2016-10-01 04:03 pm (UTC)Do you think you could put that dislike aside for such a thing?
[She takes a moment and a sip of tea.]
And I think you do not do yourself credit. You are no so misliked. Reason: you kidnapped me, and I have any and every reason to mistrust you, and yet here we are.
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Date: 2016-10-01 04:13 pm (UTC)Is this for revenge?
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Date: 2016-10-01 04:26 pm (UTC)Excuse me?
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Date: 2016-10-01 04:37 pm (UTC)[ A small shrug. ]
I throw my name in the hat, and I'm - so unsuitable that I end up humiliated. It's a pretty easy one.
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Date: 2016-10-01 04:43 pm (UTC)No.
This is no such thing, my lord.
I thought you would do well in this position. You are clearly so careful for your brother and for your friends. And you are clever enough to do well financially.
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Date: 2016-10-01 04:54 pm (UTC)The thing is - I do well financially because of my Porter ability. [ He gives a small shrug. ] I don't actually have any training as a businessman. Let alone as a leader. I know I'm technically Lord Mark, but I wasn't Lord until very recently. [ Another shrug - ] Or Mark, for that matter.
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Date: 2016-10-01 05:00 pm (UTC)[Because they're all still true.]
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Date: 2016-10-01 05:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-10-01 05:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-10-01 05:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-10-01 06:08 pm (UTC)[She doesn't lie. But she's not going to let him dissuade her, either.]
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Date: 2016-10-02 03:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-10-02 08:21 pm (UTC)[She lifts her chin a bit.]
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Date: 2016-10-02 08:31 pm (UTC)Come on. You're not naive. I don't believe for a second that you don't have someone you can call to help you out if I try something. You're not really alone.
[ Mark is actually cynical enough to look at Lucy and assume not-naive. ]
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Date: 2016-10-02 08:35 pm (UTC)[She is getting that look in her eye, the one that says she's really getting bored by this.]
My fear is not remotely the issue. Your capabilities, however, are.
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Date: 2016-10-02 08:40 pm (UTC)I'm not...You've just gotten the wrong impression of me, Your Majesty. I'm not...capable. [ A breath in, and less vulnerably - ] And what's more, I think that most of the stuff the government here does is just stupid. I'm not some kind of compassionate bleeding-heart who's going to look out for the downtrodden or whatever. Honestly, I think most people are really stupid. And I don't think it's our job to bail them out of their stupidity.
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Date: 2016-10-02 08:48 pm (UTC)[She sighs.]
If you think so, then I am sorry I have wasted your time.
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Date: 2016-10-02 08:51 pm (UTC)Yeah. Well. The tea was good. [ He rubs the back of his neck - ] And, uh, I appreciate that you said all those...nice things about me.
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Date: 2016-10-02 09:08 pm (UTC)You are much more than simply the Admiral's brother, and I should hope you to step out of his shadow.
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Date: 2016-10-02 09:28 pm (UTC)Clone. The Admiral's clone.
[ Anyway. He runs his hand over his head, smoothing back his hair. ]
Have you asked him? He'd be good at it. He's a real lord - the title isn't just honorary for him like it is for me.
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Date: 2016-10-02 09:31 pm (UTC)[She tips her head a little.]
We have considered him. And I will discuss such things with Lord Baelish, and I am confident his name will arise.
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