A Weekend Affair # 2 - The Black Breakfast

[Wallflower]

Hellfire - Great Hall

Amanda was a bit silent at breakfast, if only because everybody seemed to be wearing their talking pants this morning, especially Archer Fairchild. She was feeling a bit remorseful for shirking her duties in pursuit of passion, and John wasn't helping matters with his logic and necessary concern. More than that, she found it hard to stomach Cassandra, who was in rare form. Maybe she was hungover, or a bit angry at herself for allowing anybody to find a flaw in the way that she conducted herself, but she felt a bit of gloom. Still, her gaze remained piercing and a small smile remained planted on her lips. The dramatics of the courts usually entertained her, but right now, they were annoying her.

The sheer volume of people in The Great Hall was thrilling. Everybody was doing their best to maneuver with whatever cards they had, in whatever ways they were strongest, and The Black Knight could see right through them. She had been trained to do so. It was clear that Archer was into Ava, Daniel was itching to find an American Court position, Cassandra was clinging at whatever she could to stay in tact on the Black Court, AJ had sufficiently made up for whatever perceived slight it might have been for him and Amanda to have slept together, and Ben was obviously feelings his oats, which was amusing but perplexing as well. Her surveillance sweep didn't pick up anything interesting happening in Ben's bedroom last night or this morning, outside of Cassandra being there, and that didn't look as if it had ended well. The importance of the weekend was causing everybody to act a bit out of sorts and Amanda was envisioning ordering some pasta bolognese and a bottle of fine red wine and relaxing in her room for the remainder of the afternoon, but that was not an option. And then, The Black Queen began to clink metal against her champagne flute, calling them all to attention.

"But with hosting this event I do have the honor of making a very important announcement. As many of you know, after the uprising within these walls over a year ago, I have been the only Queen ruling without a King. [she paused for a moment] That ends today. I would like to officially present to you, the newly appointed Black King of the American Hellfire Club..."

Ava looked down at John with a smile, gesturing to him as she announced his name.

"Johnathan Steel."

Ava and everyone else began to clap at the announcement as John stood from his seat. It was now official and the looming stress of keeping up appearances was over. John was the new Black King, and Ava stood shoulder to shoulder with him as his Queen. She wrapped her arm around his waist and leaned into him so he could hear her over the applause.

"Congratulations."

Amanda was a bite awestruck, both happy and surprisingly a bit bitter. A bitterness that turned to rage as she saw The Black Princess make her way over and give her congratulations as if she wasn't the biggest fucking failure in the entire world.

"This is just unacceptable...all of it."

She was happy for John. She really was. But not that he had just become King as if it were simply as easy as announcing it. It was clear that Ava and John had jumped the hurdle that once was in their way. They looked to be in love, and she hadn't seen Maxim around this morning, which was a good thing. But Amanda had more than put in the work when it came to The Black Court. Her record was impeccable. She realized that she had made a mistake, she had been settling for princess..when she should have had her eyes on KING. There were no rules that The Black King couldn't have been female, she was a historian of the records of Hellfire..and it HAD happened before. It was simply a title of leadership, one that performed similar but different functions than the Queen. Amanda had deserved a promotion over the others in her court, and now she had been duped a second time. John was a good man. One of the best, but she didn't sign up for him to be her King. There was now just yet another person above her in the heirarchy of the black court while she remained good ole' reliable Amanda Soto, perpetual Black Knight. He had expressed dissappointment in her actions. Had she known he was to be announced the king, she would have been more careful with her words. More respectful. Ava had let her speak freely knowing that Amanda's new BOSS was sitting right next to her.

"The more things change...the more they stay the same."

Ava SHOULD have told her. She may not have been required to, but she SHOULD have said something. They were friends. Her mind went reeling to all sorts of different places. If she would have had a dick would she be a leader sooner? Did she have 'idiot' written on her forehead? What exactly was she even working towards anymore? She hated these thoughts, more than just for how they made her feel, but also because she never saw them coming. Cobra was angry, and Cameron's speech only made her feel worse. And as the crowd roared and stood in applause, Amanda rose too..and promptly made her exit. She sent a text to Alek, feeling a bit risky, and pissed. He had been a good friend to her when they both served as Knight's, and outside of her court, he was one of the only people she could speak freely too.

>> To Alek: "I'm fuckin' pissed. Meet me in the armory?"

She knew she would be reprimanded, but she also realized that it didn't particularly matter. None of her hard work had mattered, so she figured if she was going to be overlooked time and time again, she was at least going to enjoy herself while she suffocated underneath the armor of her mantle.

>> To Alek: "Bring whiskey."

 

[Berserker]

Breakfast

He knew Ashley thought she was going to make him jealous with this whole 'threesome in his bed' thing, but in actuality, she had done exactly what she was supposed to: make an alliance with the European White Court by any means necessary. And threesomes were Ashley's specialty. Add that to his very positive night with Brienne and his friendship with Archer, and the Red Court had come out very well-positioned from yesterday's event, which pleased him. What did not please him was the way Ashley was monopolizing his Knight, and manhandling Savage in front of everyone. Again. Savage served both of them, and he was a Knight, not a King. It was an annoyance, but one that he knew would eventually work out: Savage was not a man to share his woman, and Ashley was not a woman who could be satisfied with one man. Other than Alek, of course. Still, if he had to take action, he would. Appearances must be kept up.

He took his seat next to Archer, who was busy being pursued by more than one female. Good for him, things were looking up. When he returned to his seat, Alek leaned towards him.

"Where's your queen this morning, Arch? I wanted to thank her for a night of riveting discussion."

He smirked, and signaled for a screwdriver. He needed the nutrients after the previous night. And what he hoped would be a productive morning. He saw Jack come in with Haleigh and nodded to him. Now that was a guy that knew his place, and could be depended on. But then Alek's attention was distracted by Haleigh, looking every bit the Queen she was. He licked his lips, wondering if he could get her alone this morning. But then Ashley's voice brought his attention back to what was happening next to him.

“Archer, are you mocking my Court with that jacket? Because we will not take it kindly if you are.”

"Oh, leave him alone, Ash. Red looks good on him. And I'm sure it's a sign of respect."

He clinked his glass against Archer's. Maybe they really could switch queens....

"Before the food is presented, I'd like to thank everyone for attending this early morning Black Court event. With how tight our schedule is this weekend, I have the unfortunate luck of hosting breakfast....because lets be realistic, i'm sure everyone would much rather be in bed right about now."

"Amen."

He found Brienne's eyes, and grinned. He didn't like Ava, and didn't care much about what she had to say, unless it was to tell him how much she loved his cock.

"But with hosting this event I do have the honor of making a very important announcement. As many of you know, after the uprising within these walls over a year ago, I have been the only Queen ruling without a King. [she paused for a moment] That ends today. I would like to officially present to you, the newly appointed Black King of the American Hellfire Club...Johnathan Steel."

Alek's eyebrows raised. So the old battleaxe was actually willing to share power? That was a surprise and a half. Her Rook must have cleaned out the cobwebs but good. But he liked John, and he was a good choice, so Alek stood and extended his hand across the table.

"Congratulations, John."

They shook hands, and as Alek went to sit back down he saw Ashley's face, which looked like someone had slapped her hard. Well if someone slapped Ashley she'd just be pissed, so maybe it was more like she'd been punched in the gut. What was that about? Surely she wasn't interested in Steel. He didn't think she'd ever even tried to fuck the guy, and unlike everyone else at Hellfire John kept it in his pants, preferring to sit outside Ava's door and pine for her like a pussy. She was calling for shots now. Yes, she was definitely upset about something. He'd have to find out later - the curiosity was killing him.

Cameron stood up and made some bullshit speech, of course feeling the need to remind everyone how he and Ava were legacy, as if that mattered. Being pampered didn't make you strong. His phone buzzed.

>> To Alek: "I'm fuckin' pissed. Meet me in the armory?"
>> To Alek: "Bring whiskey."

A small smile came across Alek's lips. Did the snake want to come out and play? He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, then stood, buttoning his jacket as he excused himself for urgent business. Was the snake harboring secret feelings for her Queen? Almost assuredly. He had reached the bar and grabbed a bottle of Jameson on his way to the door.

 

[Goliath]

Hellfire Mansion - Great Hall

The conversation was certainly lively at the black court's section of the table, and for the first time in a great while Ben was enjoying it. He no longer felt like he needed to keep his mouth shut and right now there was a piece of Hackney trash oogling his Queen like she was being served for breakfast. He was ready to brawl if necessary, but as usual, Ava Cassadine knew how to handle a slimy piece of trash.

"Well...not to point out your bold fashion choices yet again, but the Red Queen should be here soon, ready to slaughter you for dawning her colors. That should be sufficiently exciting, right?"

Ava: "Oh I'm sure she'll have a few choice words that will be quite entertaining. There are a number of women here I'm sure will quench your thirst for excitement, Archer. Perhaps if you peeled your eyes off me for a moment you would see that?"

Archer: "But the view is so nice..."

Ava: "Then again, you were always drawn to things you can't have. Excuse me."

It was an interesting weekend for sure. Had this been just a night out, she would have slit his throat and drank his blood before preparing glasses of it for the rest of her court. She was being subdued, which was smart, but a lot less fun, and after the night Ben had just experienced, he was looking for a bit of trouble. And it looked like John was too as they both shared an expression that seemed to say they were ready to beat the shit out of Archer Fairchild, and surprisingly, it was The Black Princess who had stepped in and whisked him away at the last minute. She was full of surprises this morning.

"Goddammit that guy's a bastard."

Soon The Red Court finally made their debut as they were sat across from The Black Court. Ashley seemed as if she were in a particularly good mood which normally meant she got laid. So much so that her reaction to Archer's jacket was again, a little less violent than what he was hoping for. Alek even defended it.

Valkyrie: "So, what's on the menu this morning?"

John: "Whatever you desire, Red Queen. I recommend the lobster frittata."

"I've decided on a liquid diet this morning."

He raised his Bloody Mary towards the red court, a fitting color for their arrival.

AJ: "I brought in an Elk last night, if you're in the mood for venison, My Queen."

Ben eyed AJ like the alien that he was. The Black Bishop had been raised in Hellfire, whereas The Red Knight seemed to have been raised in the wild. And Ben was just a bit snooty enough to know that venison was not a delicacy that would ever be seen on a menu at Hellfire, but it intrigued him.

Ashley: "Yes, have the chef make me something good with that. He knows what I like. And I also want some home fries, and toast. And some eggs. And orangce juice. And another bloody mary."

"Well..as long as it's not Queen exclusive, I'd love the exact same thing. Start the day with an adventure, right?"

Soon, Ava was back and clinking her silverware on her glass, gathering the attention of the room. She was not one for public speaking, normally reserving those moments for important business. She liked to be mysterious, and she already had every single goddamn person in the mansion pawing at her, so he was a bit confused.

And definitely not sleeping. Ava smiled, trying to keep the mood upbeat considering most people within the walls of Hellfire rarely woke before 10am. Hell, she would rather be in bed fucking John than hosting this breakfast, but all in due time. Now, it was time to get down to business.

"But with hosting this event I do have the honor of making a very important announcement. As many of you know, after the uprising within these walls over a year ago, I have been the only Queen ruling without a King. [she paused for a moment] That ends today. I would like to officially present to you, the newly appointed Black King of the American Hellfire Club..."

Ava looked down at John with a smile, gesturing to him as she announced his name.

"Johnathan Steel."

Ava and everyone else began to clap at the announcement as John stood from his seat. It was now official and the looming stress of keeping up appearances was over. John was the new Black King, and Ava stood shoulder to shoulder with him as his Queen. She wrapped her arm around his waist and leaned into him so he could hear her over the applause.

"Congratulations."

Ben was the first to his feet applausing, as The Black Princess made a bee line towards them giving a heartfelt, if not odd congratulations before sitting down, but Ben couldn't be bothered. He was happy, but not happy enough to make a speech. He walked over towards both Steel and Persephone and gave them big strong hugs, Steel one of the only men in Hellfire who had a similar body type.

[to John]: "You cheeky bastard! You finally closed the deal!"

He laughed for a moment before shaking his head and bowing dramatically.

"I apologize..I mean, My king. You finally closed the deal!"

Ben turned to Ava. There was a part of him, the sullen and brooding teenager that still had feelings for Ava. In secret, part of this revival he was experiencing had almost given him the courage to ask her out, but fate had gotten in the way, and for now. He was okay with that. And besides, he was pretty sure she looked at him like a brother. A very muscle bound, very sweet, very FIRM brother, but still.

"Congratulations, My Queen. I didn't think you had it in you."

 

[Avalanche]

Hellfire - Great Hall

Ben: "Well...not to point out your bold fashion choices yet again, but the Red Queen should be here soon, ready to slaughter you for dawning her colors. That should be sufficiently exciting, right?"

Ava: "Oh I'm sure she'll have a few choice words that will be quite entertaining."

"Oh for Christ's sake, I thought this was The Black Court, not the Fashion Police. It's symbolic, you dullards."

The entire American Black Court had their panties in a bunch which was dissappointing, and Ava seemed to be even icier than she was the night before. He couldn't understand it. He was an attractive and powerful, international man of mystery for crying out loud, she should have been fawning after him. But it was clear that she had enough gentlemen fighting to get underneath her skirt, and they all apparently came or her own court.

Ava: "There are a number of women here I'm sure will quench your thirst for excitement, Archer. Perhaps if you peeled your eyes off me for a moment you would see that?"

"But I like the view...and don't flatter for yourself, My Queen. I enjoy gazing upon beauty...but I'm not that into group play."

He said, shooting a look at both John and Ben who seemed to be chomping at the bit to bash his face in. Despite living in America for years, it was clear that these two guys kept their stiff upper lips in tact.

Ava: "Then again, you were always drawn to things you can't have. Excuse me."

"You can't be drawn to a concept that doesn't exist, Ava."

And she was gone, and just like the cheshire cat that he was, Daniel Reed made his way over to seize an opportunity, to which Archer rolled his eyes.

Cassandra: "Mr. Fairchild! You need another drink!"

"My fucking GOD with these people."

He was beginning to resent the treatment he was receiving from his sister court. Everyone felt the need to placate him, or pull him away before things actually got interesting, as if there were any number of giant thunder cunts and raging assholes walking around saying the same thing with more pretense. It was annoying. He didn't need to be coddled and he could brawl with the best of them.

Cassandra: "Now what would possess a Black King to wear a red suit to breakfast this morning?"

"This again with the bloody suit? I'm sorry my Princess, but I just don't CARE to discuss it any further."

He would have worn red the entire weekend if he knew it would have gotten such a reaction. Didn't these people supposedly run empires? Were they really so offended?

Cassandra: "To tell you the truth, ARcher, I only brought you over for purely selfish reasons. Wouldn't you like to know?"

His eyes widened as The Black Princess moved forward, blatanly hitting on him.

Cassandra: "Could it be because I'm just doing my duty in keeping away unwanted attention from my Queen? Or maybe it's because I'm trying to get on my Queen's good side for a change? or maybe..Could it be that the Princess is interested in the King?"

"Uh..."

Cassandra: "Guess we, or rather, you, will never know for certain."

He prayed for the inane distraction of a text message but when he opened it, his eyes widened and his face turned a shade of bright ass cheek red.

>> "I heard you know a thing or two about horns..*seven unicorn emojis* By the way, you'll need to return to your original seat. I'm having breakfast with The Red Bishop today." - Ava.

Archer's eyes shot up as he saw Ava and Daniel laughing from across the room. Of COURSE it was The Red Bishop. That twinkling little fairy had a knack for bitchcraft that was unparalleled and sneaky. If he wasn't such a useful ally, he would have SLAUGHTERED the man, but he certainly wasn't going to let it be unknown to Bretta that her Bishop had doe eyes for the American Black Queen. When he snapped back into reality, The Black Princess was attempting to date rape him with her magic powers. It did feel pretty good though. Like a few keys of coke with a percocet chaser.

Cassandra: "Feel better now?"

And then there was The White Bishop, Gia Nefaria. The Black Princess and The White Bishop exchanged barbs and Archer was DONE with this hot mess of a breakfast. She insulted Cassandra and approached him.

"So! We're in the same business, it looks like. Let's talk shop?"

"In the same business? Those Soprano wannabe assholes really think they're the shit don't they?"

He looked around the room for a few moments, before looking back at Gia.

"Yeah no."

Turning around he noticed The Red King and Queen taking their seats, and he felt VERY relieved. The Red Bishop would sit wherever ARCHER wanted him to sit, so Archer reclaimed his seat.

Archer: 'Where's your queen this morning, Arch? I wanted to thank her for a night of riveting discussion."

Archer locked eyes with Brienne before Brienne returned to staring at her phone. He laughed.

"She's online shopping. That means you did good, kid. Ya did good."

Valkyrie: "Archer, are you mocking my Court with that jacket? Because we will not take it kindly if you are."

Alek: "Oh, leave him alone, Ash. Red looks good on him. And I'm sure it's a sign of respect."

"A man pays homage, only to be criticized at every turn? How will this RIVETING topic of conversation end? We'll find out on the next episode of 'Can we please move on from my blazer?'..."

"Before the food is presented, I'd like to thank everyone for attending this early morning Black Court event. With how tight our schedule is this weekend, I have the unfortunate luck of hosting breakfast....because lets be realistic, i'm sure everyone would much rather be in bed right about now."

Alek: "Amen."

"Hallelujah!!!"

"But with hosting this event I do have the honor of making a very important announcement. As many of you know, after the uprising within these walls over a year ago, I have been the only Queen ruling without a King. [she paused for a moment] That ends today. I would like to officially present to you, the newly appointed Black King of the American Hellfire Club...Johnathan Steel."

"Aaah...so that explains it."

She was playing coy because her new King was sitting next to her. Now it made sense for her not to be tripping over her labia to have a romp in the hay with The Black King...but Archer didn't necessarily like that there was a new Black King, especially one so concerned with his fashion choices. But it meant his eyes could look elsewhere. This Breakfast had taught him one thing...The American Black Court was not his cup of tea. He gave a proper thank you and congratulations to the both of them as he noticed Ava's Black Knight leave the room, followed by Alek who got up from the table. He shook his head.

"Good GOD I need to get laid tonight..."

He listened to Cameron's speech and groaned.

"Especially if Cameron plans on making more speeches..."

 

[Steel]

Breakfast

Ava stood and got everyone’s attention - something she did naturally. He watched her more than heard her words. She was radiant, regal. And super sexy. When she joked about everyone wanting to be back in bed, that was all he could think about: having her in his arms.

"But with hosting this event I do have the honor of making a very important announcement. As many of you know, after the uprising within these walls over a year ago, I have been the only Queen ruling without a King. [she paused for a moment] That ends today. I would like to officially present to you, the newly appointed Black King of the American Hellfire Club..."

She smiled at him, looking down like a dark angel, and he returned it, just for her. To him, this wasn’t about him, it was about her.

"Johnathan Steel."

She started to clap, and he was going to get her back for it later. He stood, and nodded to those clapping. She wrapped her arm around his waist and he turned to give her a small smile.

"Congratulations."

“My Queen.”

He took her other hand in his and brought it to his lips.

And then Cassandra was hugging him, and crying, and saying how happy she was. He patted her hand and whispered to her.

“Thank you. And maybe switch to plain orange juice for a while?”

She asked to speak to them privately later, and he nodded. She might be out of favor, especially with Ava, but she was a member of their Court.

"One thing we've tried to do here in this club of ours is promote the beauty of PARTNERSHIP and DIPLOMACY in all aspects of our heirarchy, and the rewards we have reaped with this guiding principle in mind, well...They speak for themselves.”

“Hear hear.”

”No man, or woman in this case, is an island, despite how much we wish it so. The burden of the throne is a great one, one that only a handful of people in this room understand. To rule effectively, it is paramount that you have somebody next to you that you can respect. Somebody who understands you. Who's loyalty is undying and unwaivering. John is every one of those things."

John raised his glass of OJ to Cameron and mouthed thank you humbly when he praised John’ loyalty. Alek shook his hand warmly and congratulated him. He noticed that Amanda made a quick exit, something else to add to the list of things he wanted to speak to Ava about now that he was King. He would have expected Amanda and Ben to be his biggest supporters, but only Ben came over to hug them, and Steel clapped him on the back.

John sat, hoping the attention could move off of him. When Ava sat, he leaned over to whisper in her ear.

“Eat fast, we have an appointment with our bed.”

 

[Talisman]

Hellfire - Great Hall

< As Kelly made her entrance into The Great Hall, she did not immediately go over to her son and daughter and with good reason. She had already been a bit brazen in her deal with Haleigh. It was best to let all of that information soak in before she spoke with Cameron. She did however make her presence known to her daughter via the 'hearing thoughts' spell they had shared throughout the years. She crossed her silken legs one over the other as she smoothed her dress around her, grabbing a flute of hemlock and resting her arm in her elbow, holding the flute out in front of her. >

[to Erika]: "It is done, my dear. Enjoy the weekend..work starts on Monday."

< Watching the crowd move and meander around each other, engaging in all sorts of social and sexual espionage, Kelly realized that there were benefits to no longer being the Black Queen. She may have had to cow tow around her family and her daughter in law, but that was it. She was able to move as freely and openly as she wanted. She didn't need to impress anybody anymore. That torch had been to Ava Cassadine, or rather ripped from her hand and given to Ava Cassadine, but the deal she had struck with Haleigh had caused her to soften on the events of the past. MysTech was now under HER control. It's future was in her hands, as it always should have been. It seemed to be exactly what she wanted. >

"I do not miss these parties..."

< The ONLY reason she was here this morning had been her meeting with Haleigh to secure her future as well as the future of her daughter, but after gleaming through the mansion with her Omni Sight, she had "seen" with her cobalt blue eyes that Ava was about to make John Steele her King, and she wanted to watch the disaster for herself. Plus, Kelly's presence seemed to irritate Ava to no end, and that brought Kelly great pleasure. The Black Queen needed to be reminded every now and again that she was an alternate, both in her position on the court as well as her position in Cassadine Industries. >

All the servants had gathered everyone's orders and began to filter out of the Great Hall except for a select few who remained to replenish drinks. Ava looked around the table, everyone situated in their court appointed areas with the Black Court at the head of the table for this event. Picking up her mimosa and a knife, Ava gently tapped her glass to gather everyone's attention as she stood.

"Before the food is presented, I'd like to thank everyone for attending this early morning Black Court event. With how tight our schedule is this weekend, I have the unfortunate luck of hosting breakfast....because lets be realistic, i'm sure everyone would much rather be in bed right about now."

< Kelly rolled her eyes. >

"Pervert."

"But with hosting this event I do have the honor of making a very important announcement. As many of you know, after the uprising within these walls over a year ago, I have been the only Queen ruling without a King. [she paused for a moment] That ends today. I would like to officially present to you, the newly appointed Black King of the American Hellfire Club..."

Ava looked down at John with a smile, gesturing to him as she announced his name.

"Johnathan Steel."

< Kelly looked at her old court to see how they felt about such an appointment as her eyes narrowed when she saw Cassandra. She had heard of every single one of The Black Princess's little stunts over the past several days. Of how she bemoaned her life with Kelly, how Kelly had driven her insane. Yet she held one of the more powerful positions on her court. Cassandra had been a failed experiment, and since it was clear her allegiance to Kelly ended the second she walked out the door, Kelly cared not what happened to her. In fact, she would have liked to see the girl dead by Sunday night if at all possible. >

"Foolish little girl."

< Her gaze shifted from Cassandra to Amanda, who was visibly upset, and Kelly fought the tinge of regret she was feeling inside. Amanda had betrayed her deeply. She could have left with kelly. She chose to stay and serve under Ava and Talisman would not forget that. Kelly had made Amanda into what she was, nurtured her deadly qualities, augmented her body to operate at it's peak, even going so far as to hand pick missions that would showcase her strengths to the other members of the court. More than that, Kelly loved the girl. She was the daughter she never had, and her decision to remain at Hellfire with Ava as her Queen had broken Kelly's heart, and that was not something many people survived doing. >

"Oh what a lovely occassion, isn't it?"

< She pretended to the people around her, but there was something about watching this scene that caused her blood to boil. >

As many of you know, after the uprising within these walls over a year ago, I have been the only Queen ruling without a King.

"Try ruling without a King ALWAYS, little girl."

< Talisman had pushed for Stavros to be her King the second that The Sisterhood took over The Inner Circle, but Helena and Diana would never allow it. Kelly often thought about that moment as being the moment where she lost Stavros to Lara. And what a fool Helena and Diana had been for that decision. Had Kelly been allowed to rule with Stavros by her side, Ava Cassadine would have NEVER existed, and as such she would have never been able to give Steele the executive order to rip Helena's head off. Cameron and Haleigh would have NEVER been able to so sway the courts. Had they had just given Kelly what she wanted..that ONE time, they would still be alive, and this circus going on around her would have been more under control. >

"Look at her..So smug and self satisfied, like she isn't the daughter of a miserable flatscan. She's taken a bodyguard as her King, and they kiss the ground she walks on...ALL of them."

< Her son rose and gave the speech a King should give in this type of scenario. One that both expressed his adoration for Ava as well as moved them forward politically. United them. Her son was often smarter than she liked to give him credit for. And then she watched Amanda leave the Great Hall altogether, a rather brazen move. Half of Kelly wanted to follow her, but the other half was still sour and hurt. The loudness of the crowd and the promise of more empty speeches caused the walls to close in a bit on the retired queen. But it had brought a sudden bout of clarity. She had met with Haleigh to prove to herself that her life was hers, and that it wasn't over. That she could still maneuver with the best of them. These children could have their club, because the real power lied outside of it..and Haleigh had just given her one of the club's arms to please her husband. >

< She decided that now was a good a time as any to leave. She could have given a bitchy long winded speech that would have embarrassed Ava and pissed off her son, but she decided against it. Kelly decided that the best way to celebrate this occassion was to boil it down to something that could celebrated with a text message. As in, she couldn't be bothered to give Ava thanks in person. >

>> [To Ava]: "Your speech was dreadful, and it's clear you needed more rest this morning, but congratulations on the succession of your new King. There is a gift bag of carefully crafted under eye creams and face masks waiting in your suite to ensure you look refreshed for this evening's Black Party. As an added gift, I'd like to let you know that I give my blessing for you to murder Cassandra Johnson as you see fit. Ta ta for now, dear..I've got a yacht to catch."

< She turned down the hall out of the double doors of The Great Hall and shimmered away, off to God know's where. >

 

[Wallflower]

Hellfire Club - The Armory

Amanda made her way towards the armory with snake like speed as she closed the double doors behind her, leaning against it for a moment as she closed her eyes, exhaling deeply and pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers for a moment.

"Get a hold of yourself, Amanda."

She left. And that wouldn't look good, but The Black Knight needed to show her court that she wasn't a woman who would just sit by and let decisions be made for her anymore. And seeing Kelly at the breakfast did help matters either. She flexed her muscles as she grabbed a handful of throwing stars on one of the display cases next to her and THREW them with wild succession and deadly accuracy at the dummy in the center of the room, each star landing in a kill shot. It felt good, but it wasn't enough.

"AAH!"

Flying down the center of the room with great speed she landed a series of strikes, punches and kicks before knocking the dummy's head right off it's block and sending the whole thing flying to the other side of the room in a huddled mess. She stood there in a defensive pose as she blew a few stray hairs out of her face, her chest heaving. Again, it felt good, but it wasn't enough. There was something stirring in Amanda, something she didn't like, but decided she needed to lean into. Every slight, every betrayal, both small and large felt like it was happening all over again. Amanda was a smart woman, and she knew she was being irrational. She knew that Ava hadn't intentionally tried to hurt her. The night before she had PROMISED her the mantle of Black Princess. She KNEW this had more to do with herself than it had to do with Ava, but the whole situation was a shock, and there was no logical progression. One day John Steele was The Black Rook, and the next day he was The Black King and they were in love. Not that John didn't deserve a promotion..but damn Amanda felt she deserved one more, and it was a part of her ego she didn't like.

In short, Amanda was really upset with herself and her court and she needed to tear into something that could take her assault, in more ways than one, so when Alek appeared at the door with a bottle of Jameson, she was incredibly grateful. She spun on her heels and closed the gap between them, her hand grazing his as she reached for the bottle, unscrewing the top and taking a gulp, before wiping her face on her forearm and smiling.

"Jesus Christ that breakfast...am I right?"

She gave him back the bottle and smiled, before stretching her arms above her head for a moment as her breasts pressed together underneath her shirt, as she unbuttoned her jacket and threw it to the side. Alek was a surprisingly insightful guy when he wanted to be, but more often than not he dealt in violence and sex, and right now Amanda was open to all options.

"Your coronation was a lot more fun.."

[thinking]

"And at least it was a coronation. Apparently now we give out titles at breakfast, along with the bagels and the fucking lox..."

Her wild eyes traveled up Alek's chest before meeting his gaze.

"I'm feeling on edge....your highness. Any ideas on how I can burn off some of this rage?"

She ran her fingers through her long silky black hair as it fell just above her ass. Cobra grabbed the bottle from him once more and took a long swig. It burned, but maybe that's what Amanda needed right now. To burn.

 

[Persephone]

Ava's speech was short and sweet. She wasn't the type to make long winded declarations - that was Cameron's forte. She liked to get to the point and make her point clear, and that's exactly what she did. John had stood by her side for over 15 years, both outside the Hellfire Club and within. Since becoming Queen he was fiercely loyal to a fault and always there when she needed him, and didn't. And Ava would have made him King the moment she became Queen had it not been for her own stubbornness in denying her true feelings. She didn't want to 'rock the boat' - to risk becoming like Alek and Ashley, once having an amazing relationship only for it to fizzle and burn out. So Ava remained ruling alone, but that ended today. Everyone began to stand and clap, Ava's smile broadening at the sight of how happy at least 85% of the people were. It wasn't lost to her that Ashley looked like she had been punched in the stomach by a wrecking ball. Or that Amanda had fire in her eyes. That surprised her more than anything. Amanda was a confidant - a friend. Ava believed out of everyone within the court she would understand her motives above everyone else. But as Cassandra come over crying and hugging her and John, Ava's eyes remained on Amanda, watching her slip through the crowd and leave the Great Hall. Unbelievable...

Cassandra congratulated them both and asked to speak with them in private at some point today. Ava simply nodded, being cordial enough with a polite smile and nod. Appearance was everything. Then Ben came over and hugged them both, Ava's smile becoming warmer as he congratulated them. Still, Ava's eyes were on the Great Hall doors that Amanda had walked out of, watching as Alek left as well. Her jaw tightened and eyes narrowed just slightly. It wasn't until John took her hand that Ava finally looked over at him, smiling softly as he brought it to his lips, kissing it. As expected, Cameron made a speech which Ava didn't mind in the slightest. She was the silent partner of sorts, Cameron always loving to win people over with his words. Ava smoldered and made her point in a less direct manner. It was a ying to her yang business wise, and it worked.

Finally, everyone began to take their seats once again, the breakfast continuing forward. Ava took out her phone, sending a quick text message to Amanda.

>>Use the bear [Alek] to cool off. We will speak about this later.

Ava wasn't a fool. Amanda was pissed off because in her mind she deserved a promotion above everyone else. That may have been true, but in the Black Court there was no one above AVA, no matter who thought otherwise. And if Amanda's ego was going to start to get in the way? Ava would squash it as quickly as she did Helena Quartermaine. Friend or not, Ava would not be disrespected within her court by ANYONE.

Just as she was about to put her phone done, it buzzed. Ava assumed it was Amanda, but when she looked down at the screen her eyes narrowed to see Kelly's name. She read the text, rolling her eyes before putting her phone on the table and pushing it away. Any little thing Kelly could do to get under her skin, even a fucking text message, it was infuriating. And to give her blessing to kill Cassandra? As if she didn't spend the better part of a year shoving the girl down her throat and hanging it over her head that Cassandra couldn't be touched? If her phone wasn't already on the table she would have crushed it within her hand. The only silver lining was that Kelly was going on some yacht...hopefully for a LONG WHILE.

Her blood was boiling at this point. Between Amanda leaving and Kelly's text message? Ava took a long gulp of her mimosa, finishing half the glass off before waving to the server to bring her another. It was then that she felt John lean into her, his mere presents cooling off the flames burning within her.

John: “Eat fast, we have an appointment with our bed.”

Ava finally smiled, though salacious at his words. She took his hand and brought it to the outside of her thigh, leaning into him as she guided it up and under her skirt.

"You know I eat like a bird..."

She reminded him teasingly as the servers came around and placed everyone's breakfast orders down in front of them. Everyone began to eat, the breakfast going by smoothly and casually with normal small talk and conversations between the courts. It wasn't long before people began to excuse themselves and disburse from the Great Hall for some down time before the Red Court's mid day event. Ava looked over at Cameron as she placed her cloth napkin on the table in front of her.

[to Cameron]>>"We'll talk later about Gia....I need to properly coronate my King."

She smirked before turning to John.

"I need to discuss some business with you, privately."

Ava stood looking to Ben and Cass.

"We'll see you both at the Red Court event. Until then [looking to Cassandra] stay out of trouble."

There was a lot to discuss within the Black Court. Cassandra wanted a one on one with her and John, Ava needed to speak with Amanda about her behavior, and there was still that looming situation with Erika and Ben. The entire breakfast was turning out to be more of a headache than anticipated. Slipping her hand into John's, all Ava wanted to do was be alone with him. To celebrate what she knew was the best decision for not only herself but her court despite what others may believe. Walking with John out the doors of the Great Hall, they made it a few feet down the hall before Ava pushed him into the wall, her mouth on his with urgency.

"I can't deal with any of them anymore..."

She said through heavy, heated kisses.

"I need you..."

Ava's body pressed against his, pinning him to the wall. The Black Wing was 3 floors up, and even the elevator down the hall seemed too far away.

"My King.."

She moaned, the words like honey on her tongue.

 

[Berserker]

The Armory

He was bored enough with the breakfast and intrigued enough by Amanda's reaction to it to do as she asked and meet her down in the armory. He stood in the doorway and watched her, appreciating her curves, and then she turned and came to him. He held up the whisky bottle like a prize and she took it from him, having a large drink of it while he smirked at her.

"Your girlfriend dumped you I see."

"Jesus Christ that breakfast...am I right?"

Alek lifted his shoulders in an almost imperceptible shrug.

"It was your court's event, not mine."

He took the bottle back from her and had a drink himself. She had a lot of pent up anger, he could see. Even if it was misplaced.

"Your coronation was a lot more fun. And at least it was a coronation. Apparently now we give out titles at breakfast, along with the bagels and the fucking lox..."

"I took my crown. It was hard work. I didn't get it like a trophy after so many years of service."

Which clearly Amanda thought she was owed.

"I'm feeling on edge....your highness. Any ideas on how I can burn off some of this rage?"

He chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Then he fixed her with a hard stare.

"It's your majesty, which I know you know."

She took the bottle back from him. She was playing a dangerous game for a bruised ego.

"In the interest of having a queen's bed to return to, I'll cut to the chase for you: Ava was never going to make you her King. No matter how loyal, how precise, how valuable you are to her, how good of friends you were, she was always going to give out her King for love. She's not tactical enough to see the folly in that, but of course, Ava's a bitch. No, the best you can hope for until she's dead is 'princess', and if it's by your hand, there are people who will line up to make you dead and you'll never see the crown anyway. My advice to you: get over it."

He waved off the bottle - she was going to need it.

"And the fact of the matter is, you really couldn't have lucked out more with Steel. He's got a cool head and a steady hand, so he can balance out her crazy. Plus, he's not going to make you fuck him for the privilege of being on his court. But he won't be your gal pal. He won't allow mistakes. I'm sure he didn't find your liaison with my queen's favorite dog as funny as I did."

He stepped closer to her, looking her in the eye. He liked Amanda, and truly didn't want to allow her to continue down this path of destruction. Better for her to get drunk, sleep it off, and move on.

"If you think sulking will make Ava see the error of her ways you're deluding yourself. Despite her many shortcomings, Ava will not suffer disloyalty. She will eliminate you if you become a threat."

He picked up a lock of her hair and rolled it between his fingers.

"Unless you are King or Queeen, the title you bear matters little. It's how trusted you are, how indispensable you make yourself. Look at your own court: your princess holds no power, your Rook has been Ava's trusted adviser for years and now is her King. Learn from that. There are plenty of ways to get what you want and none of them begin with a title."

 

[Savage]

The Hellfire Club - - The Great Hall

His Queen turned down lobster in favor of the Elk he'd brought in after his hunt. AJ smiled as he placed his own order.

Ash: Archer, are you mocking my Court with that jacket? Because we will not take it kindly if you are.

Savage turned his head to look at Archer. He was tall enough that he could plainly see the man over the top of his Queen's head. He fixed the European Black King with a hard glare. He was about to offer to take the jacket off the man, to please his Queen, but then the little bear stuck up for Archer, and the cold british King was emboldened.

Archer: A man pays homage, only to be criticized at every turn? How will this RIVETING topic of conversation end? We'll find out on the next episode of 'Can we please move on from my blazer?'...

Savage narrowed his gaze, infuriated by the flash of disrespect in the man's tone. He should have been apologizing to the Queen. Homage or not, offending one's hosts was a slight for which one should try to make amends. And if the Red King was so spineless as to capitulate to this stranger, instead of backing his own Queen, as Alek should have done, then someone was going to have to fill the void the Red King left. And that someone was Savage.

"I can remove your blazer, and then it will no longer be an issue--"

He growled, but then the Black Queen was interrupting to say that she had lifted her Rook to a King, on a whim and with no care for the approval of her sister Queens. Ashley's hand found his under the table, and he gave it a squeeze, leaning down to speak in Her ear during the elated applause of the others.

"Good news, My Queen..."

He said, but She didn't seem to think so, which surprised him. Or had Alek said something to Her while he was listening to Ava? Alek was the only one who ever had such a negative affect on Her. He didn't deserve to be King. His Queen deserved a King would would always be on Her side, and always make Her happiness his priority.

His Queen ordered shots, and the White King began to make a speech. AJ listened to the words, and heard what he wanted.

Cameron: To rule effectively, it is paramount that you have somebody next to you that you can respect. Somebody who understands you. Who's loyalty is undying and unwavering.

Savage nodded. Yes, his Queen needed those things. She was not getting it from Alek. This was a problem AJ meant to fix.

Cameron: This announcement comes in good timing to those around us who might require guidance. Who might question what the result of the work here they do is. THIS is it. Hard work pays off. Loyalty pays off.

Savage had an instinct that the White King would be an ally.

Waiter: The White King requests your presence. Two hours. The White King's study.

The man whispered to the Red Queen, but Savage overheard it. Cobra left before the food was even served, and Alek got up to follow her. Despite the Dead Thing in the dark corner draining the life's blood out of a man, Savage was still able to eat his breakfast. He was in too good a mood for his appetite to be suppressed, and he wolfed his food down quickly. His Queen was a fast eater too, and the sooner they were finished, the sooner they could bail on this social event and get back to doing what was important: each other. and then maybe he'd have a chance to ask Her what was bothering Her.

 

[Steel]

Breakfast

He could feel Ava tense beside him. He knew Amanda was part of it. But he also knew that Ava deserved to enjoy this time, so he whispered to her to take her mind off of it, telling her to eat fast so they could head back to bed. That made her smile.

"You know I eat like a bird..."

He smiled.

"A tiny bird."

She was guiding his hand under her skirt and if she wasn't careful, he wasn't going to be able to leave the table for a while. His fingers trailed along the inside of her thigh. Their breakfasts arrived and he ate quickly, happy to have something to focus his mind on.

"I need to discuss some business with you, privately."

He smiled.

"Of course, my Queen."

He nodded to Ben & Cass, taking Ava's hand and walking out the doors with her into the hallway. They hadn't gone far before Ava was pushing him against the wall, her mouth hungrily attacking his. Of course that meant that anyone leaving the great hall would see them.

"Ava..."

He laughed.

"Ava..."

"I can't deal with any of them anymore...I need you...My King.."

What he had been fighting all through breakfast made its presence very apparent. He lifted her and walked with her a few paces down the hall and into an alcove, his mouth never leaving her's. His hands were under her skirt again, pushing her panties out of the way and then moving to undo his pants. He pushed her up against the wall this time, deftly slipping inside her and starting to move, pressing her into the wall. His mouth dipped to the neckline of her top, fervently trying to get at her breasts. He moaned, fully hard now, and too far gone to stop.

 

[Valkyrie]

The Breakfast

They ordered breakfast. AJ had made a kill last night, so she asked the chef to make her something with it, and ordered a few other sides to go with it.

"Well..as long as it's not Queen exclusive, I'd love the exact same thing. Start the day with an adventure, right?"

"Please."

There would be plenty for all of them. And then she noticed Archer.

Alek was the one for protocol in their Court, and she normally was happy to leave him to it. But respect was a thing she did care about, and she would not let an ass like Archer Fairchild disrespect her Court. Of course, Alek chose this moment to be flippant about it.

"Oh, leave him alone, Ash. Red looks good on him. And I'm sure it's a sign of respect."

Oh, that's right, the bromance continues. She narrowed her eyes.

"I'm sure."

"I can remove your blazer, and then it will no longer be an issue--"

She put her hand on AJ's arm. Archer wasn't worth it, and he'd gotten the point. Besides, Ava was standing up to make an announcement. But she loved that he'd backed her, even when Alek didn't. The floor fell out from under Ashley then, and she quickly reached for AJ's hand. He squeezed it, which was at once comforting and also made her want to cry. He leaned close to speak in her ear, which would have been intoxicating if she hadn't known how wrong he was.

"Good news, My Queen..."

She shook her head. Ava had been her chance, and now it was gone. So while the other queens had love and partners who elevated them above all others, Ashley would be stuck with Alek, until he tried to have her killed. She raised a hand and ordered shots, and when they came, she dug into them with a purpose. She didn't begrudge Ava her happiness, but it was hard not to feel like the one who was always left out, the poor relation to Haleigh and Ava.

The waiter who brought the shots had also brought a message from Cameron. Since he didn't invade her head to deliver it, she would probably indulge him. But she would not be lectured by the man who would be king of them all. Alek was allowed to fuck anything that moved, so if she wanted to be seen in public with her Knight, what business was it of theirs? Especially now, when she so clearly had the short end of the stick?

"To rule effectively, it is paramount that you have somebody next to you that you can respect. Somebody who understands you. Who's loyalty is undying and unwavering. John is every one of those things."

She looked over at AJ. And so was Savage. What would she do if she didn't have him in this place?

Her meal came as the speeches ended, and she dug into it. She didn't have her usual appetite, but she knew AJ would be hurt if she didn't eat his elk. The chef had done a wonderful job, too, pairing the meat with wild mushrooms and a rich brown sauce. For once she didn't finish everything on her plate, though, and soon was standing from the table. There was still time before she had to meet Cameron, and more still until they had to head to Arklay. And she didn't feel like being around a crowd.

"I think I'll go back to my room to change."

 

[Persephone]

Ava's mouth was heatedly on John's, not caring that they were in the hallway. Not caring that people were starting to leave the breakfast and could easily see them. She needed him. She needed to put all the bullshit from the breakfast aside and just enjoy that he was her King. That she was happy despite others wanting to rain on her parade. John began to say her name while laughing, obviously trying to reign her in before they ended up fucking in the hall. But Ava didn't stop kissing him, telling him she needed him. That was when his arms wrapped around her and lifted her from the ground, John easily carrying her a few paces down the hall before going into a dark alcove away from sight.

John's hands slipped under her skirt as Ava's hands went to his belt buckle, expertly undoing it - their mouths never leaving one another. Ava's hands pulled up her pencil skirt, hiking it over her hips as John finished undoing his pants completely. Lifting herself up into his arms, Ava wrapped her legs around his waist as John slid inside her causing her to moan out deeply at the feel of him filling her so completely. John began to pump rapidly, Ava clutching her arms around his neck while trying to stifle her moans of pleasure. His mouth went to her chest by the start of her shirt, Ava panting out as she let her head fall back against the wall he was pushing her up against. She grabbed her shirt, pulling at it and ripping the thousand dollar material like butter, the buttons ripping apart to expose her braless chest.

"John...John...fuck.."

She could feel her body clutch around him, pulling him in deeper at the build of pleasure within her. Her breathing hitched in her throat, fingers clawing at the back of John's neck. She squeezed her legs tightly around his hips as the wave slammed over her, Ava's body shaking against his as she came. A loud moan escaped her lips before she pressed them against John's, trying to muffle the audible pleasure he was giving her. She didn't want him to stop, especially because they were in a corridor of a public hall. The winds around them both began to pick up until a tornado engulfed them both and they disappeared from the alcove and reappeared in their room with Ava hemmed up against the chamber room wall.

"Don't stop."

She panted out, the wind settling around them. She couldn't order him anymore, a slight disadvantage when she wanted him to fuck her until the Black Party. But Ava could feel how hard he was still, and knew he wouldn't stop even if he could.

 

[Steel]

The Hallway :garrick:

They were kissing like two teenagers at the movies. And it became apparent that they weren't going to stop any time soon, so he lifted Ava and carried her to a more secluded spot. She was his world: he didn't care about anything except in relation to Ava. And she wanted him, and he wanted her, so he was freeing himself from the confines of his suit slacks and pulling up he skirt so he could push her against the wall and have her. She tore her shirt open, and he was kissing her breasts then, all the while he was moving inside her, the most amazing feeling in the world. She was his. His Queen. His Ava.

He was super intuned to her, and he felt her tense and shudder. Pressing her mouth against his as she came, he kept thrusting, his hands moving into her hair as he pinned her against the wall with his hips. Suddenly it was like a tornado around them, and they disappeared from the hallway and reappeared in their rooms, as if they had been there the whole time.

"Don't stop."

"I couldn't...I couldn't babe..."

She made him so hard, it was like he was using his power but he wasn't. He turned them, so his back was against the wall. His hands were on her hips pulling her against him forcefully.

“Fuck, babe...”

 

[Persephone]

Ava had came hard and she knew she wanted John to make her feel that way a thousand times again before they had to go to the mid day Red Court event. She engulfed them both in a tornado of winds bringing them back to their chamber room. She was up against their bedroom wall now, Ava panting out through aftershocks as John continued to fuck her. She told him not to stop, the thought suffocating.

John: "I couldn't...I couldn't babe..."

She moaned her response, a mixture between thank you and relief. Still in his arms with her legs wrapped around his waist, John spun them around so now he was against the wall. Ava anchored herself to him, using her hips to drive down and take him deeper into her.

John: "Fuck, babe...."

She grinned against his lips before her mouth took possession of his. Ava's hand moved to the wall, knocking the painting crooked while moaning with each connection of their hips. The bookshelf was next to them and she went to grip the wood, knocking a few decorative pieces off of it as well. Finally she pulled herself back away from John, guiding him so her back was to the shelf but not pushed fully against it. She reached behind her and gripped the edge of the shelves to hold herself up upright, her legs still wrapped around John's waist. She began to roll her hips, her body like quicksilver as she fucked him. Her cries became louder, heavy with need.

"Harder, babe, harder.."

She may not have been his 'Queen' now, but she was his Queen, and she knew he wanted to make her come as badly as she wanted to make him. They were a unit - a pair now. He was the man she had denied loving in fear of looking weak for over a decade. Now, she didn't care who knew, who saw, who heard, and who judged. John was hers in body, soul, and hierarchy. And she fully intended on celebrating with him all morning long.

 

[Black Widow]

The Hellfire Club - - The Great Hall

Haleigh sat down next to her King, patiently waiting as he got caught up on her deal with Kelly. The White Queen's gaze assessed everything occurring in the Hall. There was some mingling going on, as was natural before a group meal. The ERB was definitely charming Ava, not in a sexual way, but certainly no less effective in his method. Gia was making a feeble attempt at connecting with the EBK. Haleigh managed to mask her displeasure at the way Archer brushed her Bishop off. She didn't blame Archer. Gia was plainly botching the one job she was tasked with.

We're going to have to secure that alliance ourselves. The Bishop clearly can no longer be trusted with anything.

It was a problem that would need dealing with. But for the weekend, unless Oracle came up with some hard evidence, Haleigh would simply monitor Gia closely, and wait. The Good News, though, was that Archer was a prime candidate for a hostile takeover of the Nefaria mob. He knew the inner workings of organized crime, and with Haleigh's help, and a strong alliance, he could gain a foothold in American operations. She would certainly find time to pitch this to him, if Gia couldn't seal the deal.

Everyone got settled at the table, and the servers came around to get breakfast going. Ava stood up and made an announcement that surprised some, though not Haleigh, who was just glad Ava had finally pulled the trigger on John. She gave herself a bit of the credit for having maybe pushed the right button with her comment the night before, and now all the Queens had Kings, and though there were going to be personnel changes, at least the crowns were all being worn by people who Haleigh liked and respected. It could certainly be worse.

Haleigh was pleased with the appointment of Steele, but not pleased in the least with the way the Black Knight left the breakfast. Her husband made a speech, as he liked to do, and of course it was perfectly suited for the announcement. Haleigh uncrossed her legs and shifted to rise from her seat and follow Cobra. Nobody was going to walk out of a Queen's event so blatantly. But then she stopped, because Alek was already on it, his path across the surveillance camera grid the exact same as Cobra's, straight to the Armory.

Haleigh smiled as she watched the Red King leave. She caught herself checking him out, and wondered how she was going to put a pause on their relations. It wouldn't be easy to resist him, that was for sure. Maybe it would help if she only focused on business, and not the way he moved, which was utterly distracting. His sexual prowess left out of the equation, Alek was a still a very good King, and would easily handle the Cobra situation, which afforded Haleigh the opportunity to visit with Ava and John. She left her seat to travel down the table to where they sat, and stooped between them, not at all glancing twice at who's hand was up who's skirt. She gave Steele a smile, one hand on his shoulder, and the other on Ava's.

"Well, congratulations are in order for the Black King. Well done, John. Now that you're royalty, we'll definitely have to share a bed."

She didn't wait for the awkward gentle let-down.

"Just kidding actually. You're off the hook since I'll be more exclusive with my OWN King for a while. Which reminds me--"

She turned from looking at John to finding Ava's eyes.

"You, Ashley and I will need to have a little Queen's meeting. Doesn't need to be now. Before the next event, yes? Have fun celebrating."

She said, and returned to her seat for breakfast. Her husband found her hand when she settled back into her place.

Cameron: Think of the reception they will give our son when he becomes king.

She smiled softly. She had been prepared to defend her gamble, but if he was upset at all that she hadn't stopped to check with him, it was secondary to his excitement. So Kelly hadn't overstated Cameron's wish to have a child. Haleigh found that with his enthusiasm, she had a renewed desire to give him the joy he was seeking.

It almost makes me want to fuck you right here at breakfast, if only to conceive him sooner...

Her smile was wicked, passing to triumphant.

And we will be the only King and Queen with a blood born heir....

 

[Steel]

The Black King & Queen’s Suite

He had waited for this for fifteen years. To have the right, the permission, to make love to her. He didn’t know it could feel this good. His entire body felt on fire. He never wanted it to end. Their mouths and bodies came together heatedly, and when she started to roll her hips against him, like he was getting the greatest lapdance ever created, he didn’t think life could get any better than that moment. And then with each subsequent moment, it did.

"Harder, babe, harder.."

He was afraid he might bruise her against the shelf, but he did as she asked, gripping her body tighter and moving faster and harder, deeper. Her moans spurred him on, wanting to please her - not caring about anything else.

“Ava...my love...my queen...”

And when he felt her clench around him again, he couldn’t hold back, and came, crying out loudly. He was breathing hard, and lowered her slowly down to him, his mouth finding hers tenderly and then arms slipping around her back and under her legs to carry her to bed. He laid her down gently then slipped in beside her, into the bed they would sleep in together for the rest of their lives. He stroked her hair, smiling, gazing into her eyes.

“Happy?”

 

[Wallflower]

Hellfire - Armory

Her phone vibrated, but she didn't pick it up. She knew it was Ava, and she knew she was in a bit of trouble. She was half hoping that Alek was in one of his destructive moods, but alas he was not. He approached her with his words, not his body, which she was secretly grateful for.

Alek: "In the interest of having a queen's bed to return to, I'll cut to the chase for you: Ava was never going to make you her King. No matter how loyal, how precise, how valuable you are to her, how good of friends you were, she was always going to give out her King for love. She's not tactical enough to see the folly in that, but of course, Ava's a bitch. No, the best you can hope for until she's dead in 'princess', and if it's by your hand, there are people who will line up to make you dead and you'll never see the crown anyway. My advice to you: get over it."

She huffed a bit as he waved off the bottle, taking another gulp herself. It was easy for Alek to say this while wearing a crown, especially considering that the current kings and queens had killed their predecessors to get them.

"It's about more than just a title, Alek. It's not as shallow as you are making it out to be."

Alek: "And the fact of the matter is, you really couldn't have lucked out more with Steel. He's got a cool head and a steady hand, so he can balance out her crazy. Plus, he's not going to make you fuck him for the privilege of being on his court. Be he won't be your gal pal. He won't allow mistakes. I'm sure he didn't find your liaison with my queen's favorite dog as funny as I did."

"Don't discredit it me like I'm some foolish woman because I'm feeling a certain type of way, Alek. I'm not hysterical, i'm just having emotion. Which I know is odd for me, but it happens. And outside of the last twelve hours, John would be hard pressed to find any mistake I've made...because I simply haven't made them. He knows that."

Her liason with The Red Knight HAD been for a purpose, despite how fun it had been. She would be able to explain herself, and Ava would have accepted her explanation. John was a variable she hadn't been planning on, and she was kicking herself at the lack of knowledge she had right now in her court. It was very embarrassing to her.

"And Ava is not crazy. Despite my anger at her, there is nobody at this weekend performing better than The Black Queen. Every Inner Circle member is eating out of her hands and ready to work with her, and all of that was before she announced John at her king. She doesn't need balance. She doesn't need a man. There are MANY things I hated about the previous incarnation of The Inner Circle, but the Queens independence was not one of them. We may operate under medieval like circumstances, but I was proud she didn't need to name a King in order to garner more power. She had that on her own. And I may be pissed at her...but she's MY bitch..so ease up on the name calling."

Alek: "If you think sulking will make Ava see the error of her ways you're deluding yourself. Despite her many shortcomings, Ava will not suffer disloyalty. She will eliminate you if you become a threat."

She took a long and deep swig. This was something she knew well about Hellfire, considering there was never an incarnation of the inner circle that wasn't murdered before another took over. It was kill or be killed. No matter how much she trusted Ava, she knew that. And just as she had survived Kelly's abducation, she would survive Ava's as well, should it come to it.

"I understand that. And I know she is mad now, but she knows my loyalty lies with her. The Black Court does not let it's pieces wander too far on the board from one another, as other courts do. Outside of that...bold as it may be, for me to walk out, Alek..I need to know where her loyalty lies. Maybe that's foolish of me, but I've seen too many changing of the guards at this point to continue business as usual. I expect the loyalty and trust that I've built with somebody to be reciprocated, be them a pawn, a bishop..a king or a queen."

Alek: "Unless you are King or Queeen, the title you bear matters little. It's how trusted you are, how indispensable you make yourself. Look at your own court: your princess holds no power, your Rook has been Ava's trusted adviser for years and now is her King. Learn from that. There are plenty of ways to get what you want and none of them begin with a title."

"I don't know how much of that is true anymore, Alek. All I have seen in my years at Hellfire has been people clammering for that title...King or Queen. And every move made, every other title held, has been for them to GET to that title..and when they found themselves roadblocked, strong armed, stagnant..unable to move up because there IS nowhere to move up after a certain point, they plotted rebellions, they plotted murders, and they TOOK it. John is the exception..not the rule."

[sighing]

"But I thank you for your words, your majesty. And for not capitalizing on my...sudden rage and desire to just fuck or kill anything around me. And please do not worry..I'm not about to plan a rebellion of my own...I am happy here, I'm just trying to figure out where I sit in the larger picture..and struggling a bit."

Amanda took a long drink of the whiskey, nearly downing the rest of the bottle before wiping her mouth and smiling before shooting a bit of a concerned look at The Red King.

"And in a quid pro quo spirit...that Red Knight of yours...he fucks like he is already The Red King. I know I don't have to warn you..but, I'm going to anyway. He may have had his way with me, but it was out of pure rage that The Red Queen was with Juliette and Liam..the way he took me..her actions gutted him. Drove him insane with jealousy, and my ass has the bruises to prove it."

[flatly]

"I've grown accustomed to your face, Alek. Please...protect yourself. And should you require assistance...I will help as I can."

She handed him the bottle one last time.

"Sure you don't want any?"

 

[Ruby]

Hellfire Club – Great Hall


:: Cass watched as Ava and John walked away. A week ago, hell, maybe even a day ago, it would’ve bothered her that Ava pointedly told her to stay out of trouble, but it didn’t faze her in the slightest. Hopefully she could redeem herself in both Ava and John’s eyes later on. ::

“I certainly will.”

:: Cass turned to Ben. She was going to visit Bear, and then she was going to do whatever tickled her fancy, but suddenly…she knew that she just had to get out of this building and away from these people. ::

“I’m going to bring this bacon to Bear and then I’m heading out for Arklay. Catch my breath; clear my head. Also, since I’m the only princess here….”

For now, anyway.

:: She had seen Kelly’s look and she knew that she was on borrowed time, as far as Kelly was concerned. ::

“…I just want to make sure that things are ready for the Red Court event. Also, I would like to get some riding in before everyone arrives.”

:: A faint smile appeared on her lips. ::

“That way, I can stay behind with Juliette while everyone else is out in the sun. Don’t worry, Ben, I’ll have my cell with me in case anybody needs to get a hold of me.”

:: She turned to walk away but then thought of something. She looked at him, expression devoid of emotion. ::

“I wrote you a letter last night.” *flatly*: “You can just burn it.”

:: And then she was off, container of bacon in hand, to go visit Bear in the animal clinic before heading out for Arklay. ::

 

[Prophet]

Hellfire - Great Hall

He had given the perfect speech, and his Queen was now giving the right amount of small talk, though he did notice her excitement in watching The Red King chase after The Black Knight during this moment of celebration. Cameron had never been worried about Amanda Soto. She had been in the woman's head for years, and when it came to loyalty, Amanda was loyal to the people who were loyal to her, and that included Cameron and Ava, which meant by extension, Haleigh and John would be included, though it would take more time.

Haleigh: "Just kidding actually. You're off the hook since I'll be more exclusive with my OWN King for awhile. Which reminds me--You, Ashley and I will need to have a little Queen's meeting. Doesn't need to be now. Before the next event, yes? Have fun celebrating."

The White King placed his hand on John's arm firmly.

"And I believe that tonight, The Kings must give you a proper coronation. I trust you'll be wearing your drinking trousers."

After pleasantries were exchanged, Haleigh and Cameron returned to their seats and enjoyed a delicious breakfast as his mind began to wander as if often did when his wife was next to him.

[to Haleigh:] "Think of the reception they will give our son when he becomes king."

Haleigh: "It almost makes me want to fuck you right here at breakfast, if only to conceive him sooner...And we will be the only King and Queen with blood born heir.."

[to Haleigh]: "Mmm...you know how blood turns me on, my Queen.."

The White King placed his hand under the table as his fingers delicately slipped into his wife's sex, nearly gasping at her warmth and wetness. It was a feeling that he craved. He looked around at the crowd around him as he wiggled his finger in intricate pattern inside her as he used his psi powers to amplify the feeling between her legs.

"I haven't had you yet this morning, My Queen. What atrocities have I committed to be punished...so.."

He went in deeper with his finger as he punctuated the word, all while drinking a mimosa with his free hand.

"There aren't many those left in the room with PSI Screens...I COULD take you right here, right now...if that's what my Queen wants..."

He leaned into her ear and whispered, a taste of his tongue lightly on her earlobe.

"Do you want me to fuck you in front of all these people, Haleigh?"