the most high

zander olympios for godscobhhq

[allxtted]

It's not professional to be pouting at work, so Leticia doesn't. She purses her lips to keep from growling.

"So you're giving him, like, busy work?" It sounds nice to be taking the red tape off Leticia's hands, but she still didn't like having someone (anyone) in the office who was taking up space and bothering her.

You have to cut out the rot sometimes, yeah?

"I'm not threatened by a little boy," Leticia did respect Zander's opinions, but that didn't mean he was always right. He was wrong about Ed, "Seems like a lot of responsibility for someone so young."

[kingoftheskiesgc]

“We were all young once, were we not?” Zander begins, amenable to her frustration yet resolute in his stance. “If the boy never receives an opportunity to prove himself, how can he ever show us what he is worth? Already he has demonstrated a willingness to be proactive and an impressive work ethic by offering to spearhead the research necessary for this project. The Pevensies have been faithful assets to my governance in the past, and a great leader utilizes all of his assets.”

There is a minute pause then, as his eyes glint with a hint of mischief.

“However, if you truly believe him to be too young and green for the responsibility — why not approach him with the wisdom of experience and mentor him yourself?”

[allxtted]

A thin smile crossed Hook's face, masking his anger in the only way he knew how. Through gritted teeth.

"Mr. Olympios, Nauticus survived storms, embargoes, and worse long before last winter. I have every faith in my employees to work with visitors," It's important he maintain the narrative that the issues and crimes were solely caused by a few trouble making teenagers, not by his own involvement.

Plus, it was expensive to rebuild after all the damages. Hook is smart with his money and wouldn't have spent a red cent he didn't think he would recoup.

"I've always held my initiative to employ the newly released parolees in town, it's a solid gig for my men who need experience quick. I won't be changing that just because of a few bad apples."

[kingoftheskiesgc]

Zander knows when he is being lied to. How can he not? The thought that anyone may actually believe that the man who has taken charge of the ports is not directly tied to the criminal underbelly of Godscobh and the illicit commerce they engage in is laughable. To believe that would be to believe that the man standing beside him now is either too idiotic to capitalize upon an easy avenue towards profit or too cowardly to do so — neither of which he believes him to be.

Simply… incompetent. Incompetent and far too ambitious for his own good. A mindset that allowed his business to be disrupted for months and for himself to be nearly caught by those who pursue him.

Were it not for the benevolent patronage of a fellow member of the Council keeping him safe, Zander may have liked to have this nuisance dealt with long ago — but as it stands, so long as James Hook learns how to toe the line, there is no need for him to become personally involved.

“Just… ensure that your bad apples do not spoil the barrel, and we will have no further problems. I would hate to see our supply lines fall into disarray again before our new routes for commerce can be established — and until that day comes, you should consider saving as much money for your continued operations as you can. You will certainly need it.”

[justedmnd]

On some level, Edmund is happy to know Zander - and probably the other council members - recognizes the precarious situation they're in, with a town built to fail at every little crisis that comes up. It makes him uneasy too, however, to know that his family has settled in such a place where something as commonplace as a police raid triggers daily life to become completely upended. If he didn't know better, he'd say the mayor sort of liked it that way.

Well, it's at least relief to know that Zander has ideas to help the town, and it's even more of a relief to get a new project to invest himself in. As Ed listens, it occurs to him this is an awful lot of responsibility. One that he'll take great pride in spearheading, if he can strategize correctly.

"Public interest in trains has gained a lot of traction over recent years, there's no reason we couldn't easily adopt the same policies here," The nearest tracks could be well outside the city's physical limits, but establishing new truck driving jobs for the in-between bits of land could also benefit the town's economy, "And public transportation is almost always a hit. That's quite a bit more of an investment, but less reliance on cars means less reliance on petrol if there was a shortage."

That doesn't exactly help with the import and sales of the actual high-demand product in town, which seems to appear out of thin air wherever it needs to be. Peter wasn't finding any of Nauticus as far as he was aware, but that didn't mean it wouldn't show up across town in a week.

"I'd be happy to take the lead on contacting some of our sister cities who have begun similar efforts, I'm sure they'd have helpful research or evidence based results for us to examine."

[kingoftheskiesgc]

The mark of any true leader is delegation. It is accepting that one cannot shoulder all the burdens of rule by themselves and surrounding themselves with only the most capable and trustworthy advisors around to ensure that all decisions made for the good of all are carried out by none but the best.

When he had taken Edmund Pevensie as an advisor, Zander had counted on the potential and promise he had seen in the young man to become someone truly great — a promise that begins to see itself fulfilled as he not only provides insightful thoughts as to what the results of the current plan may be but proposes his own expansion upon it, as well.

Yes, Zander has given thought to the possibility of establishing the infrastructure required for rail within Godscobh as well, but he had not seriously considered it until this very moment. Investing funds towards a railway system would require far more capital and public expenditure than simply establishing what is strictly necessary to open robust new avenues for ground transport — but the initial investment could pale in the face of the potential economic boom generated by what trains could mean if they created not only one line that would connect their little coastal hub to the remainder of the commercial New England railway system but another one dedicated to tourism and public transport as well.

It would mean a net benefit to their municipal economy, a net benefit in putting an end to their crippling dependency upon maritime trade and transport, and the citizens would certainly be pleased to have an investment made into local public transport.

“Well thought of, Mr. Pevensie. Very astute.” Zander praises, deep voice carried with an emotion that almost edges on pride. “See to it at once. No doubt they will have data on how much such an idea would cost to establish, which will give us time to formulate a plan of our own to present at the next meeting of the City Council.”

[theafterglcw]

At this point, Harriet has decided to just take what she can get out of Zander and not push too hard. She's learned from much of her professional experience that you cannot simply make someone open up if they don't want to, and she's not interested in wasting her time trying. As much as she'd like to say that Zander is special with her - more sensitive, more open, a better man - some of that may just be a pipe dream. She's certainly not feeling very special right about now.

His question is laughable. Of course anyone would care about being cheated on, even if they only retroactively found out about it. The current Harriet can confront the issue calmly, but a 17-year-old Harriet would've been burning his house down. It might not meaningfully affect things nowadays, but it's information that casts a certain shadow over the past. It's unavoidable. And justifying it with the excuse that she had moved away, so it wouldn't matter to her? Please.

"Anyone who cares about you would care about your son."

He's seeming to cage himself in on the other side of the table, so Harriet holds out her manicured hand in the interest that he'll take it. She didn't bring up the matter just to hold it over his head. In order to start anew though, transparency would be their biggest challenge. Everything needed to be out on the table to examine, and then start fresh. And maybe she does get a little revenge out of cornering him and making him squirm about it all, but she'll be willing to let that go after a period too.

"I care about you," Within their little social battle of wits, Harriet does feel that she can trump Zander in one area: vulnerability. Maybe that makes her weaker by comparison, because she can openly identify when her feelings come into play, but she considers it a strength in its own right too. She wouldn't be here at all if she didn't believe Zander's feelings were just as real as hers, "I cared about us."

[kingoftheskiesgc]

Loath as though she may be to admit it, Zander can see — in the smallest changes in her affect and expression — that the topic of their conversation has truly wounded her. He has always had a certain way with Harriet, a way to see her and at once know her better than he would like to believe any other ever could, even if they had a lifetime of experience to do so — but even in all his familiarity with her, he still cannot tell if it is only her pride he has transgressed against with the acknowledgement of past indiscretions, or if it is her heart as well.

They may not address it, but they know. Zander knows what she feels for him. Once, he had thought that surely after more than two decades of separation, there were no lingering feelings to be spoken of between them — only a closeness, a particular fondness left from the shared days of their youth — but he knew himself to be mistaken from the first time he had seen her upon her return. From how she had looked at him, then, the same way she had on the day they had parted.

As for himself and his own heart, Zander would never claim to resent her for the decisions she had made at the time. Zander would never claim to have been heartbroken at her departure or at the foiling of the plans that had been set in stone for them since the day they had been born. Harriet has done no more than he expected of her in the years since, rising to become so much more than what her parents had ever believed she could be — and the sacrifice of their juvenile romance had been a small price to pay for that, he thinks, considering the formidable woman she has become now — but he would be lying if he said that he was not not a little pleased when he had heard that her marriage had fallen apart at the seams, and even more pleased to be the one to welcome her home and provide her a safe place to land on.

To be the one she depended on in a way Harriet Pavo depends on no one else.

That is when she does something that almost surprises him — she reaches her arm across the table to offer him her hand. A silent bid for closeness, an invitation to let her in. A promise that she will forgive him if he does. An olive branch.

Zander was not a man to be cowed by any means, but no one would ever call him unreasonable. He would like to continue to be her safe place to land on — and being so means that, occasionally, concessions must be made.

He takes her hand in his own, thumb smoothing over the back of her palm.

“Then ask me what you really want to know, Harriet.”

[allxtted]

"Care to explain why dear Mr. Pevensie is all up in my business since the spring?"

Leticia always speaks with the utmost respect to Zander and the council, friendly and happy to be doing her best work for them. She does not have the speak respectfully about the the little twerp encroaching on her responsibilities, taking her leads in other cities and pushing this whole "fixing Godscobh's commerce" project that's none of his business.

"The younger one. The one who isn't even a full time employee."

@kingoftheskiesgc

[kingoftheskiesgc]

“Do not tell me you feel threatened by him, Miss Moirai?”

Zander inquires, his conciliatory tone betraying a small hint of the amusement he feels at the thought that one of the most capable and trusted individuals in his employ would feel so distressed at the presence of a perceived competitor.

“Mr. Pevensie is a promising young associate of mine, doing no more than what I have personally asked him to do, which is to investigate the political ramifications of our project. He is acting upon my request to implement the ideas you first proposed to me. The solutions you and I discussed at the beginning of the year — solutions you have and will continue to be credited for as they begin to come into effect. Your job descriptions could not be more different, so do not concern yourself with him. Your time is far too valuable to waste upon matters of bureaucracy and red tape.”

[allxtted]

The Spring had not been kind to Hook. He'd had to fire a few good employee for being caught with dust on their persons during the raid, and been stuck with closed ports and business for over 2 months.

He wouldn't stay down for long though, the summer would bring in the best business possible. Idiots who were ready to spend money.

"As you can see, we've installed better security to prevent break-ins from happening again," Hook did still have to play nice with the law, much to his chagrin, "We're quite committed to the safety of our ports as we enter the busy season."

The grumble in Hook's voice is noticeable, but not unusual. This is just how he talks to council members.

@kingoftheskiesgc

[kingoftheskiesgc]

A man of Zander Olympios’ stature does not often consort with those he believes to be beneath himself and unworthy of his notice and time — but as the plans to establish and strengthen the town’s new supply chain begins to break ground, he finds that the need to visit the ports to see for himself their current state of operation is no longer one he can delegate to someone else or ignore.

“Very good. Safety should be your topmost concern after what happened last winter.” The former mayor concurs, even if his praise sounds almost… disparaging.

“How much traffic are you anticipating to receive this summer? Are you certain that you and your employees are adequately equipped to handle the increase in demand after such a long period of… reconstruction?”

[spendfcrever]

Elinor listens intently, though they wonder if they've just been cornered like prey. Of course the one time they get an audience with the council is the one time they're set up to reach an impossible standard. They weren't shy about believing in radical changes, of course, but this was someone of the Olympios family listening to them and saying fine, go do your idea. Something was obviously not right here.

What if it failed?

Too slowly, Elinor's mind gets weighed down with the question of if this was Zander's plan all along. To get them working on an ambitious project, throw money at them until it fails, and then say it was a waste to ever try anything at all. As much as Elinor would like to say they won't fail, it's obviously not that simple when put to the test. And that's exactly what this is, a test. There's a command in his statement somewhere that makes Elinor's skin prickle, but the question he asks leaves an open-ended chain of thought for them to latch onto.

"As much as I appreciate your faith in my leadership, I do think that's quite ambitious for me to single-handedly put together and have ready to launch by the time school starts up again," That was always a fatal flaw in these bueracracy-adled politicians, Elinor thought. There was so much focus on who to blame or individualistic gain within a system, Zander was obviously already abandoning the idea that this is supposed to be a benefit project for the community. Oversight and accountability are all mutual when enough like-minded people believe in bettering the world through a cause. Could a project like this even produce results within one year? If students were going to go off to trade schools, learn valuable skills, and then invest money back into Godscobh, that would take at least 2 or more.

Of course, the issue was also always going to be finding all those like-minded people in Godscobh. Elinor definitely believed they were out there, but Zander was all-too ready to shove that work onto Elinor's plate, as if they could just wave their hand and make a bunch of participants appear.

"I can't realistically canvas the whole town, and we should be careful about pushing undue burden on my fellow teachers," Elinor wonders if Zander has ever even been part of a workplace like a school - a team of people who genuinely want to help each other, "If you're serious about taking me seriously, then it should be the city council or a designated office handling recruitment and incentives for mentors. Otherwise, you're just bypassing the systems your city has designed to work at scale and investing blindly into individual labor that can't realistically sustain itself."

Money talks, Elinor figures, and a man like Zander isn't going to want to encourage - god forbid - empowerment among the masses. If this is going to work at all, wouldn't he want to be the big man in charge?

[kingoftheskiesgc]

Whatever the former mayor had been expecting of Elinor Frell, it was certainly not a refusal of his very generous proposal. It stuns him, to be quite honest. Zander had thought they would have been grateful to him for his interest in their initiative, grateful for the opportunity to prove themselves and for a chance to actually do something that may materially improve their community for once rather than simply talk about doing so, and happy that someone with the power to make things happen had finally taken their grievances into account — not that they would shy away from the thought of taking any personal responsibility for a project of their own design.

A no? To a request as simple as canvassing a portion of their local population to see if their idea would even have any legs to stand on in the first place? Why would they refuse that when it is no different than what they have already done many times before with their constant petitions and protests?

If they had seen issues with his proposal, what they should have done is raise them to him. Countered his offer with one of their own, with an alternative solution rather than a mere I can’t and a shirking of any personal responsibility over the execution of a plan of their own design.

To act as though an unproven initiative such as this one, if adopted, should be made the immediate responsibility of only himself and the local government is wishful thinking. The systems that they demand be put in place for them, the creation of a designated office to provide oversight and manage the execution of this project, could be put in place, indeed, but to do so as an upfront investment when they have no guarantee that there will even be any interest in this plan on behalf of those who would need to take on mentorship roles for the local youth and said youth themselves would be a waste of public funds — and that is not to mention the damage it does to their own argument to suggest that no more undue burden should be placed upon themselves and their fellow teachers when, in their own words, they would be the ones most involved in the day-to-day execution of this idea in the first place.

Which one is it, then? Do they want to make a change in this town, a change for the better, or are they merely enamored with the idea that they are doing so? Are they willing to put in the work and to take on the responsibilities necessary to actually better the lives of their students and adequately prepare them for the realities of adult life, or do they simply expect that everyone else should step in and put in this effort for them, instead, simply because they believe it is the right thing to do?

“You came to me with a proposition of your own creation for the betterment of the education system here at Godscobh, and I listened to you because there is legitimacy to your grievances. I considered your thoughts and made the decision to grant you with the permission and funds you sought to begin establishing such a program — What more do you desire? This is your idea. Your initiative. Is it too much to ask that you be the one to stand behind it yourself? As head of the city council, I have a responsibility towards the betterment of this town — a betterment that does not include the waste of precious public funds on every untested proposal brought to my attention. I want to help you. I do. But if you wish to see this done, you cannot reasonably expect that others be the ones to take on the full responsibility of making it happen on their own.”

@spendfcrever

[thegoddessoflovegc]

It is not often that Antonia finds herself cowed. And it's not a feeling that she particularly enjoys. In fact, it chafes her. It makes her insides hot with contempt and her brain buzz with all the previous experiences of a similar vein she's had up until now. She hates this man, sometimes. Truly hates him.

But it passes, as it always seems to. There's no reason at all to resent him. That was simply the nature of power. Power means making others dance to your particular whims. She had dug her heel into a sore spot of his, and this was her swift just desserts. That was all. It's a mantra she repeats as she slowly releases her grip on his arm, but remains close, in his orbit. It was best to be pulled along by the gravity of those largesr than you, so long as you knew the route they took.

Yes. That's all.

She adjusts herself, switching out of that childish, petulant state of mind, and slips into something more businesslike. More appropriate for the matter at hand. She can scald and seethe over this later, while taking it out on some poor employees or unwitting clientele. Right now, there was something important to discuss.

She winces slightly, unable to stop herself from it as soon as that whole debacle is mentioned. That trouble with the docks had indeed, been bad for business. In so many ways! Of course, she can afford to take a hit like that, but it was still annoying! And having a solution presented to her on a silver platter? Well, how could she refuse? There was good reason that Zander was the big fish.

"Of course I'm interested, Zander," She responds, raising her eyebrows slightly, "You have my rapt attention. And yet another personal favor of debt I owe to you."

[kingoftheskiesgc]

As Antonia affirms her interest in his business pitch, as he had known she would, and grants him permission to carry on with his explanation of the details of this venture, he reaches for a napkin from behind the counter and a pen from his own pocket so as to better illustrate to her the steps of his plan as he carries on:

“The first step will be to invest on expanding our road infrastructure. Through select contracts with the federal government, we can receive grants and financial assistance that will allow us to establish a connection to nearby major highway systems at no cost to ourselves, although we will need to repave our own roads to support the regular movement of heavy cargo in and out of town. Then, we will need to establish the local infrastructure necessary to support this new supply chain: A freight terminal, a distribution warehouse, and an expansion of existing storage yards to account for the increase in demand.”

Each aspect of this plan he outlines comes with its own estimated price tag in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, yet he remains entirely unconcerned. Through contracts with the correct vendors and a handful of strategic phone calls to some of his professional contacts, he can reduce the actual cost of this project to a third of these estimates at least.

“It may seem costly now, we will earn more from this venture than we will spend on it. I own the lands upon which these developments will be built, after all, and you? You own the ships which carry our imports and exports. Imagine how much more you will make when you expand your influence into every major port in New England. The profits will not be immediate, no, but they will pay off. Think of it as a short-term investment of capital for far greater returns in the future — and the guarantee that neither yours or anyone else’s business will ever suffer again at the hands of the short-sighted and weak of character.”

@thegoddessoflovegc

[theafterglcw]

Of course the little bread crumbs Zander let out did not actually tell Harriet anything she didn't already know. She can do simple math, she's well aware his eldest was conceived either when they were together or extremely shortly after they parted aways - either way, it was terribly hurtful. Harriet had her pride though. Not a pride that could be hurt by new revelations about a pitiful little teen romance, even if it certainly did cast a different light on that youthfully joyous relationship.

She can't give Zander the "win" of knowing that he ever had her heart long enough to hurt her, though.

Cheating is always reprehensible, but in the grand scheme of things, Harriet supposed she wouldn't hold this transgression as harshly against Zander as she did her cheater ex-husband, remarried to his 22 year old mistress and leaving her with two kids to provide for. It's apples and oranges, really. But that didn't mean that some ravenous part of Harriet wouldn't want to devour them either way.

"Thank you for being honest with me," That's really what this is about, isn't it? Harriet does like to reward honesty, though unfortunately she doubted she could Pavlov-train Zander into partaking in the habit more frequently.

"The intentions are interesting to me though. I thought we'd agreed to stay in touch after we moved. You thought I'd never ever question it?" Harriet loves pointing out where there is an obvious inconsistency between what a person says they want paralleled with the direct consequences of their actions. Teenagers saying they don't want to argue with their parents, then doing things like sneaking out late or skipping school. Exes saying they didn't mean to hurt anyone when they are committing obviously hurtful actions.

Again, at least Zander's honest. Not as honest as he could be, though. If they're going to move forward at all, he'll need to loosen up the reigns on that tightly controlled image of his. Isn't it about time they really saw each other as they are?

[kingoftheskiesgc]

As Harriet thanks him for his honesty, Zander inclines his head towards her as though conceding that yes, his carefully calculated admission had, in fact, been a magnanimous act of vulnerability and openness in the name of deepening their relationship and not a deflection made in the name of the preservation of his reputation and pride.

This routine is a familiar one to them, by now. They have been dancing to its tune for months. Speaking to one another only in pleasantries and compliments, tip-toeing past any inconveniences and avoiding any uncomfortable truths that may actually bring this dynamic between them any real depth. Zander involves himself in her life only to the extent she allows him to, a powerful political ally and a present male figure in the lives of her children without ever pushing the boundaries of their relationship any further, and Harriet, in return, does not ask about his own life and his own children, keeping them out of sight and out of mind — until now.

When she prods him further, he raises his eyes to her own to fix her with a long, evaluating stare. Indeed, they had promised one another that they would keep in touch when they had gone their separate ways in their youth but had they, truly? Had either of them?

It had been easy, with time and distance, to permit himself to fall out of contact with her over the years and to imagine that they would never come back into one another’s lives. To imagine that Harriet Pavo and the man she had married would live out their happily ever after in the sunny golden coast, while Zander Olympios and his wife did the same in New England, at the heart of their empire — but life is rarely as simple as fantasy, and he should have known that, one day, they would always find their way back home.

“I assumed you may question it, one day,” he grants, threading his fingers over his lap. “but you never asked, so I began to believe it wouldn’t matter. You had your own life to concern yourself with, as did I. You had your studies, your career — then, your own family. A husband. Two daughters. Why should I have thought you would care about my son, then?”

@theafterglcw

[thegoddessoflovegc]

If there was one person in all the world, not just Godscobh, that Antonia did not want to seriously piss off: it would be Zander. As blasé as she tended to be about most things, Antonia did in fact, have a sense of self-preservation. And one of the many things she'd learned over the years was not to truly mess with his temper. Tease at it, yes. Poke at it, sure. But never actually do anything to truly earn Zander's ire. This was a fish big enough to swallow the pond whole, and she didn't feel like being eaten today.

She raises her hands in defeat, a sign of total submission, and smiles at him in that disarming, apologetic way she always did when she took things a little too far. Part real remorse, and part performance in order to amp up the real remorse.

"Oh, Zander, you know I didn't mean it." She laughs, light and awkward and perhaps with a little tinge of fear in her voice.

"I say a lot of things," She continues, lowering her arms now to reach out and wrap her hands around his arm. Placating and deferent. "Please don't be angry with me? I promise to watch my tongue."

[kingoftheskiesgc]

Were it anyone else who reached out to touch him, his response would have been both harsh and immediate  — but he is not immune to the charms of a beautiful woman, and Antonia and himself have built up enough of a rapport and good will with one another across their many, many years of partnership that she has earned a certain degree of lenience from him that he would not otherwise afford to just any other.

Permissive, Zander allows her hands to wrap around his bicep as she clings and apologizes, showing him deference and submission in hopes that it would placate the sudden rise of his anger — and it does. The tempestuous expression that had clouded his expression clears almost as rapidly as it had first appeared. A pop-up thunderstorm, there and then gone.

“You better,” he warns, stern and serious, but that is the extent of his admonishment. They have more pressing matters to discuss than his marital status.

“As for the opportunity I had mentioned — You have seen, I am certain, just how much recent incursions by law enforcement have disrupted the flow of local commerce. In light of these… developments, a trusted advisor of mine has suggested that the city invest into establishing alternate trade routes in lieu of relying solely upon the import and export of goods by sea. A strengthened, diverse supply chain will guarantee that the well being of our communities is not wholly dependent upon the competence, or lack thereof, of whoever happens to control the ports.”

A hand comes to rest over her own as he leads her towards the bar, helping her to a seat as he leans against the counter.

“Now, I am aware of just how dependent your business and wealth are upon the maritime trade here at Godscobh, and I do not see why your profits need be hurt by the mistakes of another. Therefore, I have come here today — as a personal favor to you — to offer you a lifeline. A part in a solution that will not only ensure your head remains above water, as it were, but one that will benefit us all if implemented correctly. Interested?”

@thegoddessoflovegc

[spendfcrever]

When Elinor realizes Zander is actually listening, something shifts. Sure, they had gotten the meeting, but internally they'd still expected this to be nothing more than a charade of effort so that the council could say they at least attempted to fix something this fiscal year.

"Okay, well, I do have some ideas I've mapped out," Reaching into the depths of their teaching bag, Elinor produces a thick three ring binder to thump onto Zander's desk. They only hadn't brought it out before because they figured the meeting would be over before either of them sat down.

"The issue I began to see in lots of scholarships is in how they reward students for good academic showing. Of course, grades are a measurement of success in one sense, but Godscobh has so many students that have adult responsibilities as early as 14 or 15 years old. They don't really ever reach traditional forms of academic successes because they're too busy just plain surviving."

Knowing all this, Elinor didn't really believe in making small changes to an already broken system. Any more short-term initiatives at Cove to fix things up would only put further, harsher pressure on the teachers. You couldn't just "fix" the kind of rot that had soaked through Godscobh over the past several decades. You had to cut the rot out completely.

"Starting junior, maybe even sophomore, year, students opt in. Each student is paired with a mentor from the community, like tradespeople, small business owners, healthcare workers, city planners, you get the idea. The intention would be to show them what adulthood really looks like, and by extension would give more adult role models for the kids who don't have any. This way, it's also more milestone based, marked by how well students can employ the skills they've learned into workshops or building a portfolio by the time they graduate."

A moment passes, and Elinor realizes they've spoken quite a bit all at once. They pause, trying to remember if they'd answered all of Zander's questions. He's very right to have questions. Luckily, Elinor has answers.

"As far as safeguards go, I think a board of teachers mixed with the tradespeople volunteers is fair, to avoid misuse. But on some level, I suppose it would be an honor system. I think we could trust students to want to better themselves if we show them how much it can change things."

[kingoftheskiesgc]

The sudden appearance of a large, three-ringed binder no doubt containing the details of this clearly much thought-through proposition that thumps heavily against the lid of his solid wooden desk is one that catches him by surprise, a single eyebrow raising in mild amusement.

Despite how dismissive those in power have always been inclined to be of the teacher and all their radical ideas for change in the past, Zander almost surprises himself with how willing he is to entertain this one. For once, they have come to him with what appears to be a sound solution to a very material problem faced by their communities — and one that would be far more cost-effective than establishing a larger, academic-focused scholarship fund for local students.

Additionally, Elinor Frell always seems to have a new cause to champion. Someone new to fight for or against, a new reason to feel as though they are not being listened to which — in his eyes — seems to stem more from their own perceived powerlessness in the face of a system they blame for the deteriorating condition of their day-to-day life than anything else. If he gives them a chance to prove themselves with this project, to test their mettle and their devotion to their cause, not only may they feel as though they are finally being heard by the one in charge but it would certainly leave them with far less time in their hands to dedicate themselves to other perhaps less reasonable causes, as well.

“I assume you would volunteer to spearhead this board of overseers yourself, teacher? This is your idea, after all. If I am to entertain the thought of providing you with the funding you ask for, I would trust no one else to spearhead this initiative than yourself, who is most familiar with it.”

Reaching for the binder, he draws it closer to himself, leafing through the pages as he reads through the outline of their proposal for a long, silent moment.

“Very well, then. I see no reason not to entertain this idea, at least in theory. It could not hurt us any more than we are already hurt. Ask local businesses if they would be amenable to your plan and canvas the adult population of the town. If enough people commit themselves to take in the students of the current junior class as their mentees, you will have my blessing to proceed with a trial year. If it succeeds, we can touch upon broadening the scope to include additional classes and further ongoing support — but if it fails, or there is any misuse of public funds, the project will be terminated and you will be held responsible. Are these terms agreeable to you?”

@spendfcrever

[justedmnd]

Edmund might not have had his father's medals of war or all the respect and admiration Peter commanded when he entered a room, but the youngest Pevensie boy hadn't done too shabby for himself since moving to America. He worked hard on every internship he earned, making connections to the big dogs in the room and make minute observations to assess who would be the most advantageous for himself to make nice with. It was a grueling game sometimes, to be the assistant or aide to big headed bosses, but Ed had built himself a nice support system, and he'd never be without a job.

Zander was definitely one of his preferred superiors, though he'd graduated from internships under Zander to just consulting and advising a few years ago. Ed would've loved if Zander had stayed mayor, in fact, and not only because it would've given himself a substantial boost to his social and political acclaim. Surprisingly enough, Ed did just like the man beyond the formalities of work too, even if the council did sometimes fall in that aforementioned category of "big-headed". Who wasn't, in their line of work?

"About the ports closure?" Edmund made the assumption, since it was all anyone had been chattering about for weeks, "I've been wanting to discuss a timeline for that, it's affecting practically everything supplied at stores in the area."

For obvious reasons they couldn't just stop the investigation, but couldn't they... reopen a little bit? It didn't do the town any good to have fewer resources for every little thing.

[kingoftheskiesgc]

Gesturing towards the open seat across from his own in a silent invitation for Edmund to sit, a hint of a smile crosses Zander’s expression as the young man brings up the most pressing issue currently besetting their town without any prompting from himself. For a man on the rise, there was little else in this world as important as keeping one’s finger on the pulse — especially when it comes to politics.

“Your concern about the state of our harbor is as astute as it is well placed. Your brother, Sheriff Pevensie, is doing no less than his due diligence in keeping Nauticus closed, as expected of a man in his position, but it does pose a logistical issue when our economy is so heavily reliant upon maritime trade. I have already received similar reports that we are experiencing shortages of goods and resources — Nothing critical, of course. Not yet, at least. Naturally, I happen to have a long-term solution in mind that will prevent this issue from ever arising and threatening our way of life again, but I find myself pondering what the political impact of doing so will be to our community. That, Mr. Pevensie, is where you come in.”

There is a brief pause then, to allow his words to fully sink in, before he continues:

“My grandfather built Godscobh at a very different time than we live in now. We may be a coastal town, but there is no longer a reason why we should rely solely upon our ports to supply the growing demands of our population when that is no longer our only means of connection to the world at large. How do you think our people would feel about a robust investment in our land-based transport system, connecting our local infrastructure to major highways and existing regional logistic corridors so as to diversify our supply chain?”

@justedmnd

[kingoftheskiesgc]

Godscobh Task #02 — Zander Olympios’s Style

In one word, Zander’s style is refined.

Warm Weather: While never one to dress down by any means, the warmer months of the year prove to be a rare opportunity to allow Zander to forgo his everyday formal attire for a style that is far more fresh and relaxed than what he is accustomed to: Fitted dress shirts give way to button-ups and polos. A tailored suit’s blazer and waistcoat become a warm sweater wrapped around his neck, tied by the sleeves, its matching trousers become corduroy and khaki shorts in a variety of colorful hues, and loafers are exchanged for yacht shoes. Each and every item worth a fortune, of course. Each and every one made to measure, down to his last specifications — after all, comfort has never and will never be an excuse to compromise quality. Cold Weather: Similarly, as the colder half of the year begins to approach, Zander’s sense of fashion evolves to reflect the changes in his environment. For the duration of these months, he will often choose to wear custom made leather aviator gloves over his hands and long, double-breasted overcoats of cashmere and tweed over his daily business wear, not only to the end of ensuring that he remains as warm and dry as he can be in any weather, but to protect the integrity of the suit and accessories underneath from the elements so that he is never seen in public appearing anything less than polished and elegant. Extra — Cocktail Party: When one is a member of the elite and means to mingle with those of similar standing to their own, one is always expected to dress the part — particularly so when they have a name and legacy to live up to the way Zander Olympios does. By no means a stranger to the attendance of formal events and lavish cocktail parties, his signature look for the occasion is a bespoke navy blue suit with a matching set of suspenders, a white pinstripe button-up dress shirt, a gold-woven silk tie detailed in a refined, intricate pattern, blue embossed leather oxford shoes and an ink-blue and gold watch worth more than most could dream of making in a year.

[spendfcrever]

The ease with which Zander - or really, anyone in politics - speaks of money is extremely foreign to Elinor. There was a point their own father might've been the type of person to just throw money at a problem until it went away, but it had been a long time since that era of their childhood. City-wide spending was another ballpark entirely of course, and Elinor found themself a little stunned to imagine having any control over the budgets like this, even if Zander was only posing a hypothetical.

"I think you misunderstand, I'm not referring to the city's finances, it's the financial constraints that something like college tuition puts on families. Unfortunately, that's more of a personal problem for a lot of them, and each case is different," While the school could certainly use more money too, the matter Elinor was arguing was more of a social issue with helping young people believe in their own city.

Honestly, Elinor didn't think they would even get this far They're surprised Zander hasn't cut them off yet. This is good though, it's exactly what they prepared for.

"So, if the economic issues of our student's families can't be helped in the short term, I can imagine a few options helping the students we have in our senior classes going forward. For one thing, a scholarship fund is something that's hasn't been a possibility in decades and would certainly provide some financial relief. But if that's too big of an ask, I would love to think of options for reinstating hard skill classes, like home repairs or garage work. We don't even have the career skills curriculum, or frankly, the time to teach things like resume building and interview skills."

[kingoftheskiesgc]

That the issue posed is that the gravest struggle the students of Godscobh and their families are facing is that of a lack of means with which to afford their higher education is a realization that had not occurred to him immediately but one that, now that it has, appears to him to be as easily resolved as the matter of the funding, or the lack thereof, of local schools — but the solution to this is one that he wishes to hear coming from them, not from himself.

Despite his request that they be frank with him, in his eyes, it almost seems that they are still reluctant to speak in his presence. That they believe that simply because he holds all of the power and authority that he does, he will dismiss them out of hand — and they are not entirely wrong to be reticent because he might have, had they not made a compelling enough case as to why he should continue to listen to what they have to say.

A scholarship fund. Now that can be easily arranged by a man of his means, but what did they have in mind, exactly?

A more generous sum for the few in the form of a merit grant for only those select students who prove themselves gifted enough to earn the town’s support? A lesser sum for the many, in the form of a stipend for each and every student who graduates from the local high schools, so long as they commit themselves to the continued pursuit of their education or professionalization, in whatever form that takes for them? Something else entirely?

“I would like to hear more about your scholarship idea. Reiterating, once more, that this is under the assumption that money is no object of concern as to this plan of yours, how would you see that implemented? What safeguards would you put in place to ensure that the most students become successful and these funds are not misappropriated or misused?”

@spendfcrever

[theafterglcw]

In conversations like these, Harriet sometimes felt like she was a third party viewer on top of being a participant. There's an attention to detail that catches how Zander's eyes flit about, but also how her own nails dig ever so slightly into the wood grit of the table. She watches him and herself at the same time, eager to dissect it all later upon further review. The fact that he even has to think about the answer means it's not a "no", so that's evidence enough against him. She doesn't have an order of events, though, or a number of occurences. And though she does have some semblance of self-preservation internally, there's certainly also a voyeuristic part of Harriet that just revels in peeling back every possible layer of Zander's psyche and getting those raw, juicy parts of him all to herself.

Despite it all, Harriet smiles. Goddamn him.

"Because I love ruining dates so much, of course," Harriet raises her own coffee to her lips, mirroring him.

It does hurt, truly, to know his eldest was conceived ( or perhaps born? She's fuzzy on the details ) somewhere in the same timeframe a young Harriet was excitedly dating her first real boyfriend, having her first real relationship. It was an ancient history now, however time hadn't so much "healed" the wound as it had smoothed it over, like a rock that has been beaten over by waves and slowly eroded into a new shape. Technically speaking, perhaps there was no physical cheating at all depending on the exact times and places conversations, commitments, kisses, and other actions took place. But who could even remember the exact dates those took place on years after the fact?

And even if they could, Zander wouldn't be the one to own up to it all. That ambiguity brings up a more nebulous side of infidelity then, of omissions and emotions. Things that can't be tracked on an exact schedule like birth dates and first times. Moreso than knowing precisely when his first child was conceived, Harriet finds herself curious about the omission aspect of it all, the hiding and secrecy, and how much of it Zander knew it would hurt her. Well, would've hurt her, back when it mattered.

In little ways, it does matter now too, though. If he wants to have a pleasant brunch, that is. They'll have to play the honesty game a little longer.

"Fine," Her cup clicks back onto the table, "I don't know the exact answer though." And wouldn't he give her anything her heart desired?

[kingoftheskiesgc]

It pleases him greatly to see her smiling, despite herself. That smile that always softens her round, gentle features and betrays the fondness she cannot help but to hold for him. Even if Harriet does not want to smile, she can never keep herself from doing so in his presence — and he basks in that knowledge more than he probably should. 

“Naturally,” he agrees, his voice almost playful as he gently lowers his cup back onto the table, amused by her choice to try and bring a semblance of levity back to the conversation after having initially spoiled the easy atmosphere of their encounter, only for that same levity to be quickly dispelled once more as she insists upon questioning him further about his past.

Why? What does she aim to gain from this, really? What does she expect of him? Knowledge can be a curse as much as it can be a blessing and, try as he may, he cannot think of what good could ever possibly come from her unearthing the truth of what his involvement with his wife may or may not have been more than two decades ago, before the birth of his son. All knowing about it would do would be to hurt her — to break her heart, mortify her pride and risk shattering the idealized view of what their past had been together he knows she holds, so why not simply let the sand at the bottom of the river lie rather than stirring it up and live in the blissful ignorance he had afforded her by keeping his affairs to himself?

“I know you don’t. I never intended for you to.” This admission, now, is one that comes easily to him. There is no need, he feels, to play coy around that. If he had meant for her to know any more than what she does, he would have told her so himself.

Still, he has to give her something. Zander can’t not give her something.

Crossing one leg over the other, he pretends at struggling to recall the exact timeline before continuing.

“My eldest was born in the spring of the year you and I graduated and moved away to pursue our education.”

What he leaves unsaid, of course, is that for his first son to have been born then, whatever had happened between himself and his mother had to have taken place in the year preceding that, their final year of high-school — but he trusts in her intellect enough to know she would surmise that much for herself.

It’s a concession, small as it may be so as to not further incriminate himself. Only just enough to give her a semblance of this timeline she seems so intent on determining — for the better or for the worse.

@theafterglcw

[thegoddessoflovegc]

Well, it wasn't every day the big fish himself wanted to have a word with one of the littler fish. Not that Antonia considers herself a small fish by any means, she was big herself, but there was a difference between being a nice sizable sturgeon, and being the whale everything within a 100-mile radius was in the belly of. There was a level of respect owed, there.

Which is why when Zander had shot her a text saying that there was something they needed to discuss, leaving her to decide the time and place, she was all too ready to leap in and see what he had to offer her. Because this man never met up like this for personal affairs. No, this was all business. She'd decided on one of her bars with less foot-traffic. In the early afternoon, before opening hours, in the middle of the week. Both to be kind to his schedule which ran near complete opposite to her night-life focused one, and to be kind to their need for privacy. No prying eyes or ears afoot.

They'd known one another long enough to fall into a sort of rhythm every time they met. Despite setting a time and place, he would arrive a little bit early, and she would meet him out front at his car. And they would waste time chitchatting on the street about silly trivial matters, until it came time to actually do business, during which they would walk inside, still chitchatting about trivial matters.

She shoulders her way in through the door, a laugh on her lips as she speaks, a joke where she's not actually joking, "Zander, you don't behave like a divorcee. You behave like a temporarily embarrassed married man."

Most of those trivial matters, of course, being Antonia prying into his love life at any given opportunity. And attempting to embarrass him terribly.

"Now what's this you need to talk to me about, hm?"

@kingoftheskiesgc

[kingoftheskiesgc]

A bar had not been what he had had in mind, necessarily, when he had allowed Antonia to choose for herself the location of their meeting, but he supposes that he should have seen that coming, knowing her as well as he does. At the end of the day, it makes little difference to him, truly — so long as they have room to speak freely with one another, away from curious ears and prying eyes, it would suffice.

Their routine was smooth by now, almost second nature after more than a decade working alongside each other. Practiced. No sooner had his driver opened the door for him to step out of the car than she was standing by his door, ready to welcome him inside her domain.

They speak first of pleasantries, how-do-you-dos and empty small talk, as politeness demands, but there is an ease to it. A comfortable atmosphere which is soured, at once, the second he hears her say what she does as she pushes the door open for them, his light expression darkening into a stormy and angry one.

A temporarily embarrassed married man? How dare she?

Zander Olympios is not a man to be easily embarrassed or flustered, but he is a man who is easily angered — and she of all people should know better than to test that legendary temper of his with the one topic she is well aware that he does not wish to openly discuss.

At first, he laughs as he closes the door behind them — but as any two people as well versed with one another’s company as they are should, he knows that she will detect that he is laughing only from how displeased he is.

“I had come here today to generously share with you the opportunity to invest in a new business venture and save face after that disaster at Nauticus, and this is how you repay my kindness? I have half a mind to leave you out of it entirely, now.”

@thegoddessoflovegc

[allxtted]

Though the whole of Godscobh might've been struggling for the past few weeks, Leticia was arguably thriving. These were the times when her role in crisis management was the most crucial, with the ports essentially shut down due to the investigation into Nauticus. She was busy, and she certainly liked it that way!

It was obvious to most that this was a natural course of events ever since Hades had made more allowances for his good buddy Hook. Zander wouldn't be having any of that, and Leticia was simply an extension of the power to keep the town strong in the face of strain.

Oh, this was going to be fun!

"Heeeeey, bossman," Leticia tried to keep her pep under wraps, cool as a cucumber when under immense pressure, "What do we think about getting a few contingency plans for the school lunch supplies, take a helping hand from the next city over?"

@kingoftheskiesgc

[kingoftheskiesgc]

“Good day, Miss Moirai.” Zander greets, the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he watches her attempt to restrain the twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

Leticia Moirai had been someone whose career had first started under his long tenure as the mayor — and someone whom he had been more than happy to keep by his side as she proved herself loyal, forward-thinking and capable in a crisis time and time again. Someone whom he had bolstered into the position she now holds due in no small part to that, as her achievements piled higher and higher. A deserving and just reward for a deserving and just young woman.

As always, when she comes to him, he expects that she will bring a matter worthy of his notice to his door — and he is not disappointed in the slightest, when she says her piece.

“And I take it you have thoughts as to what these contingency plans are, do you not? Enlighten me. What do you have in mind?”

@allxtted