#wiebke.

[ziclovs]

❛   you have feelers in furtwangen don’t you ? would only take a call ?  ❜   /.  @wicbkc​

[ziclovs]

❛   it’s me,  ❜   he clarifies when he approaches her and offers the spare drink in his hands.  ❛   i like your dress. very clever.  there is an afterparty happening later.  are you aware ?    ❜    //.  @wicbkc​

[ziclovs]

2nd jan

❛   you will sit this meeting out.  ❜   aurel’s role in it had just been to watch, absorb and understand. a fly on the wall, but even this would prove distracting if he would cause accidents, or worse, if gossip reached younghoon’s ears. the south koreans are not exactly discreet, if mimi’s friend is anything to set store by. his eyes travel to meet wiebke’s, significantly. she will read his disappointment mingled with irritation that he doesn’t allow into the tone of his voice.  ❛   you were requested to be removed, you should work on earning the stakeholders’ confidence back, there are consequences for these things. you will read the minutes instead, see what you understand from them afterwards.  ❜ he and wiebke might have agreed to pull aurel along on training wheels, but others are under no such obligation.  /.   @aurcls​ ,  @wicbkc​

[ziclovs]

❛  i’m not sure if this is a stupid question or not,  ❜   he begins, pre-cursorily with a thoughtful press to his lips and flattened brows on his forehead. it isn’t a light statement, he has been thinking quite deeply about whether or not this latest calculation is in error; if there is something glaringly simple that his own healthy sense of precaution is preventing him from seeing that would inevitably be classified as, stupid.  better to ask for a bit of her grace beforehand, she can be prepared for potential stupidity.   ❛  but is his highness even capable of convincing his father of anything ?  and let’s say he does, what’s to say his majesty, hesse and thuringia even keep their word ? there’s nothing keeping them from pulling out like we did. we cannot exactly withdraw whatever the prince learns from his head. even if his burgeoning intellect is in our best interest.  ❜   the cost would be a devastating loss. faith in the crown’s principles would be what they have to rely on, and that is something kaspar does not have much of. wiebke has somewhat begun her part with the prince it will be his turn next and he doesn’t know what to do with him, all of his mentees in the past have arrived to him beautifully wrapped in accolades, a shrewd eye and an excellent attitude with a bow on top. /. @wicbkc​

[ziclovs]

❛   i hate journalists.   ❜   it is a disgruntled statement, she’ll know it expends frustration more than holds any real value towards his opinions.   ❛   i suppose on one hand it is a good thing michelle doesn’t want to drop zielcke from her name for sentimental reasons.  ❜  it would be of use later,    ❛   but now tara is fielding them in batches asking for comment. she has issued the same response so many times it’s starting to feel made up.   ❜   trust them to focus on the smallest things, it is getting dangerously close to them accidentally happening upon their plans. what’s in a name ? either she drops the fucking name to lead or she doesn’t — the ability doesn’t change.  /.  @wicbkc​

[ziclovs]

❛   it’s working.  ❜   he keeps the measure of elation in his chest out of his voice.  lobbyists !  he could leap to his feet and squeeze wiebke. he won’t. but he could.   ❛   she has finally agreed to meet with me. strasbourg.  ❜   not long after the news of the plane. interesting timing. but he’ll take it.   ❛   i have no idea what’s on her mind. i’m going to try to find out.  ❜   /.  @wicbkc​

[ziclovs]

❛  it’s not even me, but it feels like my first day of school. i knew nika would go far, but when i promoted her upward from my team i didn’t think she’d rule her own duchy one day.  ❜   letting kannika go from his inner circles to develop herself had been the right decision, but it had been a difficult one. she had served exceptionally well at his flank for the few years she had managed his affairs and scheduled his life for him.  ❛  i’ll spend my birthday hoping she doesn’t say anything terrible in that first speech. do you want champagne ? friends sent the hampers from home early.  ❜     /.  @wicbkc​

[ziclovs]

❛  we should have moved earlier.  ❜  it isn’t criticism, he respects wiebke’s conservative and careful planning, and defers to it often, but he can see a little more clearly now. reflecting on the outcome after the fact helps him map out the rest to be done.  ❛  i’m pleased for belgium, of course, but we might have covered more ground. what are the odds belgium prevails quicker than we expect ?  ❜     /.  @wicbkc​