Learning From the Best

Posted on Sun Jul 23rd, 2023 @ 10:27pm by Caeda & Crown Prince Paolo Orsini

Mission: Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location: The Pyramid
Timeline: Date 2371-08-14 at 1800
2111 words - 4.2 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

Spending time with the family was always a mixed bag for Paolo, considering there was such a diversity of characters. He had favorite cousins and, of course, the ones he had always despised. The boy didn’t hate for no reason; one had to be very unpleasant. Pahal was such a man. He was a Grand Duke and the youngest son of his aunt, Princess Claudia and Navi, Lord of India. More relevantly, he was the meanest and most entitled boy he’d every had the misfortune of spending time with.

He was happy to return to the Secretariat Room where much of the high-profile business was taking place. Getting some work done seemed appropriate to him, so he brought out his own government box and started to read what was there at one of the ad how work tables that had been set up in the rising audience seats. He worked quietly, keeping his mind on the box and allowing the regular work of government to distract him from his more immediate worries.

He was so engrossed in a military brief that he failed to notice the approach of the Imperial Treasurer in a punch-pink suit jacket, a short mini shirt, and a rose colored silk blouse that was actually relatively modest for her. It allowed more than a suggestion of her cleavage, but only a suggestion this time. She stood in the row in front of them and smiled, slightly lower than him do to the auditorium-like rise.

“Getting some work done, your Highness?” She asked with an engaged smile full of eye-contact and brightness.

He looked up to see who was speaking with him, his eyes lingering on the paper for a few additional seconds as if he was having a hard time pulling himself away. But then he saw her, and the work disappeared. Gods, no one made the blood pump like Contessa Pennington. Her appearance, yes, but the way she looked at him activated his imagination.

“I am. I figured I should keep up to date on the normal things during the crisis.” He said, smiling and averting his gaze.

“That’s very smart. A crisis can’t make everything stop.” She said with a flash of white teeth and a slight toss of her light blonde hair. “But it does stop the markets. Did you see my report yet?”

He shook his head, looking into her eyes and willing himself to keep it to just her eyes.

“Not yet. I only just opened the box and defense was on top.” He admitted.

“I’ll have to talk to Colleen about that. I love being on top.” Contessa said, giving him a wink which he responded to with a series of nervous blinks and a smile. “One always gets more attention on top.”

“Umm…” he said, searching his mind for something, anything to say.

“I can talk to you through my report if you’d like. It wouldn’t be any trouble.”

“Oh…ummm…okay.” Paolo said, his heart thumping in his chest. The problem only got worse as he watched the woman walked far down to the end of her row, her curvaceous hips swaying in the pink mini dress, and walk into his row. As she walked toward him, her eyes just on him, his heart was beating even faster. “Alright, pull it out.”

“What?” He asked, looking at her with a frightened expression to match her grin. “Oh, right…of course.”

He pulled several reports off the top until he came to the one with the seal of the Imperial Treasury on the top. Replacing the others in the box, he pulled the report close enough to read. He was no stranger to Contessa’s presence; she, like all of the secretariat, had been asked to train him on a regular basis and she, unlike the others, had taken interest in doing it way before.

Paula read the report wordlessly for the next 60 seconds, his anxiety is subsiding somewhat now that he had something serious to think about.

“You want to stop stock trading on the imperial exchanges?” He asked, trying to keep his eyes on the paper rather than her. “Is that because You’re worried a civil war will scare the markets?”

Paulo Orsini was a quick study, but Contessa was a particularly good teacher. It helps that, for some reason, he had taken particular interest in her lessons, and was really seeming to grasp the concepts underlying economic management.

“More than worried, sir. I’m certain it will.” She said, leaning in close to point at the paper, causing her chest to brush up against his arm. One of Paolo’s hands dipped down below the table, but otherwise he gave a stoical expression. “A little game of ‘who’s the emperor’ can really destroy confidence in the economic status quo.”

“And you want to get ahead of it by shutting things down? How long can you do that?”

“A few days is all we need.” She said, smiling at him, her eyes meeting his. There was something in the smile that he’d seen from many girls and women since he’d been elevated to Crown Prince. Hers was nothing new, but much more effective. “It gives us time to sweet talk and let everyone know you and your father have things under control.”

They shared a laugh then, even though nothing was particularly funny. Though the expectation might have been that they continue to talk about that report, he understood it, so he flipped it over and put it in the red pile.

“How are you, Paolo?” She asked, lifting her arm and placing it over the back of her chair. She leaned toward him a bit and lifted her smooth legs into her seat. She looked positively girlish. She rank her finely manicured pink nails over her teeth as she asked. “With your brother escaping and everything being thrown in the air..”

“I’m fine.” He said, somewhat dismissively at first. Then, as his mind was activated on the subject, he began to consider it again. “I’m just hoping Giuseppe is stopped this time for good.”

“For good? What do you mean?” She asked, presenting a somewhat troubled and curious look like he had just admitted something deeply personal.

“I mean Giuseppe was allowed to escape; allowed to live even though he was a known threat.” He said, fearing at that moment that he was about to say too much but not caring to stop himself. Part of him felt like it needed to be said. “I can’t tell my father because I don’t want him to think I’m critical of his decisions. I trust him; I think he’s a great man. But..”

“Pardon me, Highness.” Came the quiet but hard to ignore voice of Colleen White. She was standing where Contessa had been just moments ago but instead of an outfit that screamed “give me all your attention”, she was the model of professionalism and modesty in her dark navy dress with its cap sleeves and just above the knee length. The short scoop neck revealed nothing, and the only decoration she was wearing was a pair of gold hoops in her ears and a modest gold and pearl pendant. Colleen had never been Contessa’s biggest fan, but she respected the other woman for the good work she could do. What she didn’t respect was this, and Contessa hadn’t been nearly as slick about it this time.

Paolo blinked twice at the sudden interruption, a hint of irritation crossing his face at being interrupted; he always hated having his thoughts interrupted. He looked forward and saw Colleen White standing there. By the time he’d noticed her, he had reminded himself silently that life was full of little interruptions and he had best get used to them. He also reason it was good he didn’t say what was on his mind next.

“Vice Chancellor.” He said with a simple genuine smile. “How are you holding up with today’s events?”

Contessa didn’t radiate the positive energy Paolo did, and rolled her eyes hard enough that they might fall out. She put on a slightly dull but neutral expression then, planning to wait out the interruption silently.

“Fine, Highness.” Colleen assured with a warm smile. She saw Contessa’s eye roll and internally she did the same. This woman truly had no shame. “I was coming to offer another helping hand in getting through your government box. On my way over here one of the secretaries was coming to tell you that your fiancé is finally on her way here at your request. I told them I would let you know.”

At the mention of Amalie, Paolo visibly moved further away from Comtessa’s seat, something that did not go unnoticed by the banker’s daughter.

“She is?” He asked, ignoring the offer of help on his box. His voice was higher in pitch and his excitement was palpable. “How far away is she? Is she coming via transporter?”

Colleen noticed it, but more than that she noticed that Contessa had too. She turned her attention back to Paolo fully. “By shuttle. She is being escorted by her mother and older brother, but from what I understand her mother has some difficulty with transporters and prefers to take shuttles unless it is absolutely necessary. They should be here in about ten minutes but they will obviously all need to be checked by security and shown to their room, so that will add time once they arrive.”

“Unless you wanted to go and greet her of course.”

“I should get ready.” He said, hoping up out of his seat, slamming his box, and walking immediately out of the row. The Crown Prince made a quick retreat up the stairs, intent for his room.

Contessa watched him leave and managed to keep her glossed lips together at his sudden exit. She wasn’t surprised. Some women might be, but she was smarter than that. He wasn’t old enough to be as stupid as a man and she couldn’t yet compete with all-conquering young love.

She looked at Colleen, her eyes hard but her face turned to a smile.

“Colleen. Always nice to see you.” She said in a mockingly sweet voice. “I love your outfit. So..reasonable.”

“That’s kind of you. Yours is certainly eye-catching, very bright.” Colleen replied, feigning warmth and friendliness like the best of them could. She reached over the rows and picked up Paolo’s box to hand off to an aide personally instead of leaving it anywhere near Contessa for her to mess with.

“Thanks.” Contessa said. Then she looked at Colleen for a long few seconds. “It was kind of rude of you to interrupt, though. I doubt the prince needs two secretaries helping him with his box. My help has always been enough in the past.”

“In the past he wasn’t the Crown Prince.” Colleen reminded pointedly but patiently. “No one’s help alone will be enough, and I’m sure you agree you would like for our prince to have the best education that can be provided to him with the people who are best suited to it.”

“I would agree. I’m not sure what you might have to teach him that he doesn’t already have occasion to learn better from others.” Contessa responded, not quite able to hold back the smile that tickled the sides of her lips at being mean. “No disrespect intended. What exactly do you do anyway? It’s never been very clear to me.”

“That’s quite alright, Contessa. I wouldn’t expect you to. I know you must be very focused on your job and some just don’t have the mental capacity to keep track of other important people and details. That certainly isn’t a fault of yours, it is just how you are.” Colleen smiled sweetly, immune to Contessa’s meanness and obviously not above returning it. “I won’t stress you with the particulars of what I do with that in mind. Now then, since the Crown Prince is otherwise engaged, I will be going. There is much to be done.”

Without letting Contessa get a word in, Colleen turned and left.

What a useful thing it was to be underestimated. Contessa watched the woman go, the anger in her breast indicated that her pride had been challenged. She didn’t know who she was messing with. She would have to be shown.

END