Fantasy Susan Takes Charge by TMaskedWriter

[Ramesh_Rocky]

I'd still been in the clothes that I'd apparently decided weren't worth waiting until we got into Colleen's place to remove the night before. The first time I stayed at the castle was completely unexpected, and I didn't have time to pack any clothes. Now that we come often enough that the guest room closest to Helen's is designated as mine, Troy's, and Julie's room; we have some clothes here. I didn't do a lot of business in San Finzione; so, I was covered for something formal to wear that evening; but nothing for blending into an office environment. I tried to pick something that looked at least business-casual and began my voyage to the Business Wing. (Castle Finzione is a big place. I've thought of picking up one of those fancy kids' scooters to get around but realized that it would lead to one of two bad outcomes: I'd be a 28-year-old woman pushing a scooter around a working castle with my foot; where people are trying to go about their busy day all around me, and I'd look like an idiot. Or worse, they'd see me, think "Damn, why didn't I think to get one of those," and everyone starts doing it; soon there are Scooter Collisions in the Throne Room, and Helen and the entire government look like idiots.)

Going over to that side of the castle means passing through the Great Hall, where giant portraits of San Finzione's Reigning Monarchs past and present look down upon visitors. There can be a Count and a Contessa at the same time, but ultimately, one of them must be the final authority in all matters, and that one is the Reigning Monarch. Helen is the only one with two portraits, at least until it's time for Maria's second one to go up. Because Maria had served long enough to merit a portrait, and theirs had been the only peaceful reclamation of transferred power in San Finzione's history, the People decided to commemorate the event by giving the two Contessas a second portrait for "Contessa Maria's first and Contessa Helena's second reigns." (It's just going to be a cute little footnote by their names in the history books. As far as the calendar-makers are concerned, this is still Year Seven of Contessa Helena's reign.)

The Reigning Monarch also carries the title of CEO Emeritus of Società Finzione. What this means is that there's someone else Helen has appointed; not a member of La Familia, who does the actual day-to-day CEO-ing. Helen's job is to randomly drop in, look over what they're doing, and rubber-stamp it either "OK," "Try Again in a Way That Benefits the People MORE Than What YOU Get to Steal," or "FUCK YOU! We are NOT doing this!" (Seriously, Helen has had those last two made and they're in her desk in her office in the Business Wing.)

I stepped out of the central castle and into what I'd imagine the fifteenth floor of any given office building when everyone's heading to lunch would look like: people in suits, some with briefcases or papers or folders in their hands, going back and forth, others working through the break and sitting in offices and cubicles; talking on desk phones about things that I would have had to stop and take the time to listen to find out more about. I hadn't been here except for a few times when Helen was pregnant, and then I stayed close to her. I tend to picture the downtown office where the dad on a sitcom works for a company that just makes "business" and always has clients that need to be impressed by dinner at HIS family's house TONIGHT, which is also the night of the younger kids' big slumber party and the oldest boy's first date.

It seemed like an apt comparison, especially once I realized that I was here to snoop on Maria's cousin and try to find out what her crazy scheme for this evening's reception might be.