A Queen and Her Kings

The Patriarch and The Rivalry of the Spade and the Ace

Thankfully, Eiji didn't come to stand beside him, but he did stop to let him and the others catch up so he was just close enough that they all could hear him without issue.

"-Because it's a Miracle we made it this far.", the innocent looking young man said, sarcasm ringing clear in his voice.

Ash snorted, "Amen to that."

Deuce jumped again, this time deciding to voice his startlement.

"How did you do that?", he asked the latest addition to the conversation.

Eiji blinked innocently and tilted his head, "Do what?", he asked in an equally guiltless tone. Deuce shook his head, maybe he was just really out of it today due to meeting Cassandra (AKA The Most Gorgeous Girl he had ever seen, not that he would say that outloud and risk dying of embarrassment) and wasn't paying attention to his surroundings as much.

Deuce was about to ask Eiji his question again when said young man decided to change the topic.

"We also resemble a Court because we have roles within our group, like the aristocracy does within a country, or a royal entourage within a castle. Ash is Cassandra's right hand man, if she gives an order, he makes sure it's followed. He's also in charge when Cassandra isn't around, and only her orders can override his. Shorter is her attendant, he has to carry out her orders and 'do her bidding', so to speak. Griffin is her bodyguard, a position that is more of precaution if anything. He mostly helps her in fights when no one else is there to do so and serves as the muscle of the operation. Yue is her personal assistant. He plans things, keeps us on schedule when we have one, and makes sure everyone is doing what they're supposed to do. Skip is her courier, he delivers packages and letters and scouts out new places for us, though his position is less of an official appointed role and more an informal title. Skips still a kid, ya know? He shouldn't have to work too hard just yet. Cassandra mostly gave him the position to save Shorter and Yue the pain of having to run all over the place on top of everything else they do.", the boy explained, laughing a bit at the end, seeming to recall the last bit from a time a while since passed.

Deuce took a while to process all that information before he asked, "What do you do, Eiji?"

Eiji smiled that disarming grin of his, "I'm her publicist. I make sure her privacy isn't violated by the media and make sure her image, what little of one she has, at least, isn't tarnished by rumors, libel or slander."

Deuce looked at him strangely. He knew what a publicist was, but he didn't know why Cassandra needed one. She wasn't unknown here per say, what with the 'Orientation Ceremony Incident' as people in his dorm had started to call it, but she wasn't a celebrity either like he heard the Pomefiore dorm head was. So what was all this 'role' and 'position' stuff for?

As if he had read his mind, Ash answered his question, likely due to the visible confusion on the blue eyed boy's face.

"We were involved in a lot of things in our community back in our world. Charities, events, we even helped Cassandra run a multi purpose business she built from the ground up and worked with the police of our city on multiple occasions to solve cases of more... paranormal persuasion. Magic isn't widely known in our world, in fact, most people believe it to be nothing but fiction. So our help on those cases is highly valued. And that's to say nothing of the dinner parties and events her family did. They are rather wealthy and well known as a whole, so we help out a lot with those."'

Ash then turned away from Deuce to look directly at the topic of their conversation. She had yet to let go of Yue's hand and chuckled a bit when Skip, who had been walking in time with the red head, wrapped his arms around her waist from behind in an impromptu hug. That startled Grim, who was still on her left shoulder, which caused him to shout something Skip. This did not deter the boy, however, and only made him grin brighter and jump up to grab the familiar off the shoulder of his master. He squirmed and squawked, but seemed to start melting when Skip rubbed behind his ears. Yue then commented snarkily on something the others couldn't make out, causing Skip and Cassandra to laugh and Grim to make a weak protest before he returned to his incapacitated state.