The Little Crow

Chapter Thirty Three - [Rumors]

It was early that Sunday morning and like Niall usually did on Sunday mornings, he was sitting at his piano, tapping away at the keys. He wasn't playing anything in particular, but was instead trying to distract himself from the consistent barrage of thoughts about what was to come the day after and how he was going to deal with it. His mind was full and each of his thoughts were loud and he needed to clear it all the best he could so that he could focus on what was most important.

Thea and Milo would be back in the Capital soon and with this new information that they were able to come across, he knew the two would probably head straight to work again... to get some more done before tomorrow.

Maybe they would pull another all nighter, and though Niall would have preferred for them to take a break, he certainly would understand why they would feel otherwise. But his concern wasn't really that. His concern was Thea.

What was he going to do about Thea... and Karney?

Soon he sighed, giving up on the playing seeing as it wasn't working to clear his mind, and instead grabbing a cigarette. When he placed it at his lips however, he heard someone clear their throat behind him.

Niall turned, a little startled but remembering immediately that he had a few appointments this morning. The first being with Aari. "Sorry, Sir," Aari said. "I knocked and rang the bell but there was no answer, so I let myself in."

"It's fine," Niall said, standing and waving it off before he lit his cigarette. Once the tip burned a bright orangey red, he set his lighter aside and looked at Aari, a puff of smoke escaping his lips. "I've been extremely distracted all morning... I didn't even hear you."

"The piano probably doesn't help," Aari added. "Though you were playing beautifully, as always, Sir."

"It's Sunday, Aari, you can drop the niceties," Niall said as he walked towards the kitchen to pour the two of them a cup of coffee. "But thank you."

"You must be really stressed about tomorrow?" Aari asked from the den.

Niall returned with two mugs of coffee, the cigarette still between his lips. "Yes," he handed a mug to Aari, who was now sitting at one of the couches, before taking his cigarette between his fingers. "We need Rue... and I'll be honest, I haven't even begun to think of what direction we will take if we do end up losing him."

Aari watched as Niall took his usual seat at his armchair. "That certainly isn't like you."

Niall chuckled before sipping his coffee. It really wasn't.

"Well, fine, let's stay positive," Aari added. "If all is well, we'll be one step closer to getting 'deputy' taken out of your title and when you don't have to answer to Rivier anymore... things will change."

Aari was right.

Everything would change.

He'd finally be where his adoptive father was before he passed. He could finally pick up the reins that he dropped and move forward. For all this time, being the Deputy Secretary of State had crippled him, forcing him to be unable to do what he needed to do.

But that may soon change and it would all largely be thanks to Thea... so long as whatever was bothering her didn't halt their plans in its tracks. "Yes... we're getting close."

"Does Thea know the... reality... of everything yet?"

Niall looked up at him, a little surprised that he was bringing that up. "Her focus is Rue," he said. "And I don't exactly have the authority to fill her in just yet."

Aari nodded slowly as he set his mug down. "She may not be pleased."

Niall had considered that already, but he also knew that he had a job to do and that was his priority, no matter how he may have felt about Thea. "I know, but there are ways that these things need to happen and we all have orders to follow... my hope is that she'll understand." Niall then, however, realized something. "Speaking of Thea not being pleased, you've still not attempted to reconnect with her?"