28-04-2019, 02:15 PM
As the two crossed the room to their chairs, Helena recalled that first night with Vincenzo, and his description of La Familia de San Finzione as "greedy and spoiled distant relations with one eye on my blood pressure and the other on the throne." She'd hoped that he'd been exaggerating, but quickly learned that he hadn't been. That he, and now Helena and Maria; were all that was holding them back from consuming themselves and the entire country in a Machiavellian power struggle, and that his decision to stick them over on the Business Side of La Familia's interests "so that their greed might, at least, be harnessed into something for the good of The People," had been a wise one.
The two of them reached their seats. Maria smiled to everyone and sat down. Helena smiled to everyone, started to sit down, and then stopped. She straightened back up again.
"About two and a half, three months ago." She said to the room in Italian, the common language of La Familia. "One or more of you met with Leonard Whyte CBE. Maybe you shared a round of golf, maybe you had a business appointment with him, perhaps he invited you to a lovely meal like this one. And maybe he had some questions for you. Questions about me, or about La Familia's business; a certain specific word, doesn't matter which. And he might have offered you something to pass along any information you had about us, or that word, or that business. You all remember what you're supposed to do if someone starts asking you personal questions about myself or Maria; or if someone comes to you offering a deal involving either of us or La Familia's business. What was it again?"
"Accept the offer, give them a little something to play along if you have to; but learn as much as you can. Then, as soon as you are able, report all of it directly to Great-Grandmama." The entire room, even Maria, answered. Maria and some of the others had never been given this as a command, it was simply a tradition to go over this rule whenever Great-Grandmama addressed La Familia like this.
Helena nodded to indicate that they'd given the correct answer.
"Someone forgot the last part, and it's caused me problems, it's caused Maria problems, and it's caused San Finzione problems the past couple months. Now, Great-Grandmama isn't mad at you, not just yet. And if you come forward without her having to MAKE you, she still won't be mad. But if you force her to make it a command..."
One of the younger men stepped forward. A look of disappointment fell upon Helen's face.
"Ricardo?" She asked him. "I was really expecting Benito or Lucinda, but ok. I am not upset at you; however, this DOES mean that you can't join us at the grown-up table tonight. The kids' table's more fun, anyway. Why do you think the staff waits until I inevitably wander over there to serve dessert? We'll talk more afterwards." She turned toward the kids' table. "Which, by the way, is Great-Grandmama's favorite tonight." The children cheered. Some of the adults whose blood sugar was a concern groaned. She turned back toward the adults. "Everyone else, don't worry. You'll see Ricardo at work in the morning; I have a feeling SOMEONE'S going to be wearing the 'I Tried to Sell Out Great-Grandmama' shirt and hat for a while, so you'll probably hear him coming before you see him, because of the bells and horns. Just keep the marshmallow cannons and Silly String loaded and ready!"
She turned to Maria and they eyed the sideboard. Servants waited to collect up whatever they pointed to and bring it, so that they could dish up before everyone else.
"That's how you keep these people in line, Dearest One. Now, what looks good to you?"
* * *
The two of them reached their seats. Maria smiled to everyone and sat down. Helena smiled to everyone, started to sit down, and then stopped. She straightened back up again.
"About two and a half, three months ago." She said to the room in Italian, the common language of La Familia. "One or more of you met with Leonard Whyte CBE. Maybe you shared a round of golf, maybe you had a business appointment with him, perhaps he invited you to a lovely meal like this one. And maybe he had some questions for you. Questions about me, or about La Familia's business; a certain specific word, doesn't matter which. And he might have offered you something to pass along any information you had about us, or that word, or that business. You all remember what you're supposed to do if someone starts asking you personal questions about myself or Maria; or if someone comes to you offering a deal involving either of us or La Familia's business. What was it again?"
"Accept the offer, give them a little something to play along if you have to; but learn as much as you can. Then, as soon as you are able, report all of it directly to Great-Grandmama." The entire room, even Maria, answered. Maria and some of the others had never been given this as a command, it was simply a tradition to go over this rule whenever Great-Grandmama addressed La Familia like this.
Helena nodded to indicate that they'd given the correct answer.
"Someone forgot the last part, and it's caused me problems, it's caused Maria problems, and it's caused San Finzione problems the past couple months. Now, Great-Grandmama isn't mad at you, not just yet. And if you come forward without her having to MAKE you, she still won't be mad. But if you force her to make it a command..."
One of the younger men stepped forward. A look of disappointment fell upon Helen's face.
"Ricardo?" She asked him. "I was really expecting Benito or Lucinda, but ok. I am not upset at you; however, this DOES mean that you can't join us at the grown-up table tonight. The kids' table's more fun, anyway. Why do you think the staff waits until I inevitably wander over there to serve dessert? We'll talk more afterwards." She turned toward the kids' table. "Which, by the way, is Great-Grandmama's favorite tonight." The children cheered. Some of the adults whose blood sugar was a concern groaned. She turned back toward the adults. "Everyone else, don't worry. You'll see Ricardo at work in the morning; I have a feeling SOMEONE'S going to be wearing the 'I Tried to Sell Out Great-Grandmama' shirt and hat for a while, so you'll probably hear him coming before you see him, because of the bells and horns. Just keep the marshmallow cannons and Silly String loaded and ready!"
She turned to Maria and they eyed the sideboard. Servants waited to collect up whatever they pointed to and bring it, so that they could dish up before everyone else.
"That's how you keep these people in line, Dearest One. Now, what looks good to you?"
* * *
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