Earnest In Service Of My God|(Hamlet) FINISHED

[hamlet]

"Of course, of course, of course, of course," Harry said in exasperation, immediately following Richard's speech. "Yes. Higher authority. Little control. I know." He sighed heavily, his eyes drifting and aloof for a short moment as he reflected, once again, on his father's death. He thought about the image if his father haunting his nightmares, even his daydreams. It was as if he was alive from the grave in Harry's mind. Did he ask for this? No. He didn't. He didn't ask for any of it.

But if there was one thing the alcohol and his 'crazy' performances granted him, it was control. He could choose to numb his constant calculating thoughts, his grief, his fear. He could choose to make his household and everyone else think he was a complete nutcase. He could put on the mask and remove it whenever he'd like. At least, this is what he liked to think.

He looked at Richard and said, "You're doing everything in your power, huh?" He nodded, his lips pressed in a thin dissatisfied line. "Yeah. Well, good luck with that. You have your work cut out for you."

He turned around in the pew and stared at the front of the church for a short moment. Then, quite abruptly, he said,"You want to know something? Remember Hamlet Enterprises?" Talking about the corporation as if it was a person that died was unintentional, but it sounded right to him after saying it. "It used to be good to this city. Tried not to get involved in shady business, tried to help the smaller businesses that were struggling and working with little to nothing. And then..." He lifted his arm up, waved his hand, and let it drop to his lap in a dismissive fashion. "It's done. Just like that."

He turned back around to Richard, with a small humorless smirk. "It's a snap shot of what's going to happen when someone tries to throw some people a bone. I guess what I'm trying to say is...the day you manage to start making changes around here, give me a call. I'd like to be there to experience it."

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

"Of course, of course, of course, /of course/. Yes. Higher authority. Little control. I know."

Clearly Richard had said the wrong thing. Chandler's tone, which had before had a degree of friendliness to it, was now as cold as Richard's was prone to be, and it was clear he was exasperated. It felt to Richard as though there was something Harry wasn't letting on, but he wasn't about to pry for fear Harry might do the same to him.

"You're doing everything in your power, huh? Yeah. Well, good luck with that. You have your work cut out for you."

Richard willed himself not to say anything cutting back. It was difficult...very difficult. In truth he wanted to extend his good arm over the pew and grab Chandler by the throat...

He shook his head as Chandler turned around, gritting his teeth to stop anything untoward leaving his mouth, although he dearly wished to make a retort. Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm... But how could he, when Chandler was using that scathing tone with him, sneering almost, treating him with contempt for claiming he was doing all he could?

Richard was used to being sneered at, it was true, but he'd been thinking, at least for a moment, that he and Chandler had been getting on famously.

It was as Richard was thinking this over that Harry mentioned Hamlet Enterprises, charting its rise and untimely fall. 'A snapshot of what's going to happen...' he called it. Richard inwardly scoffed; this sort of thing wasn't going to happen on his watch.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is...the day you manage to start making changes around here, give me a call. I'd like to be there to experience it."

Richard almost laughed again but managed to stop himself just in time. How little Chandler knew. And there he sat, in his pew, thinking he was being all clever as he criticized him...but he was the one who was in for a scare. Richard was prepared for taunting but he was sure Chandler was not prepared for a change in government...at least not so soon.

The day changes would be made, Richard knew, would dawn sooner than 'the Prince' expected it to. He was looking forward to it.

In fact, Harry wasn't to know, but he would in fact experience it. He would be there. At Edward's upcoming dinner party. Richard didn't know if his lazy older brother had got round to even writing the invitations yet, but Richard had seen the guest list.

He was tempted, oh so sorely tempted, to somehow add that little piece of information to the conversation. But he knew doing so would be a big mistake. So he decided not to. Instead, he simply said, without raising his voice or even sounding at all malicious, as if to show Chandler he was the better person and the victim of the discourse:

"Oh, I assure you, Mister Chandler, that day is coming. I'll be certain to let you know when it does."

He smiled then, as warm a smile as he could muster in the circumstances, the sort of smile that made one assume he meant no ill will to anybody...especially not the man to whom he was speaking.

[hamlet]

Harry noticed that the Richard was becoming a bit uncomfortable with Harry's words. He was just spewing at the mouth, not intending to piss anyone off. But even if he did succeed in that with Richard, he didn't exactly care. Harry found it hard to care about a lot of things lately. Harry just hoped Richard got over Harry's current, slightly alcohol-induced rambling and not take it so hard. Besides, Richard was a sensible man, or so it seemed. Harry assumed he could take a little well-intentioned unfiltered honesty.

Harry let a smile slowly appear on his lips, intrigued by Richard's answer.

"You'll let me know, huh?" He tilted his head, curiously. "That sounds like a response coming from a man with a plan. I suppose that's a good thing." A man always has to have a plan, at least Harry knew that from experience. "Just make sure you cover all your bases. Because...people can be unpredictable sometimes." He said this seriously. Just thinking about his uncle and how he even had the audacity to do what he did just sent chills down Harry's spine.

And Harry kept assuming that he was right about him. That his uncle did kill his father. He had to be sure before he did anything. He had to be sure.

"I'm just saying, you have to be sure...that you're doing what you need to do." He told him, seriously. Harry then began to notice a familiar fatigue coming over him. He really needed another drink to keep the buzz going.

He sighed heavily. "I should get going. You know, off to 'serve my king,' I should say," he added sarcastically. "You sticking around?"

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

"You'll let me know, huh? That sounds like a response coming from a man with a plan. I suppose that's a good thing."

Sometimes Richard hated not being able to share his schemes with others. Doubtless revealing to Harry the irony of his words would be highly amusing. Although, of course, doing so would ruin everything. Best not to give any indication that 'The Prince's' words meant more than he knew.

There was also, of course, the fact that his plan being a good thing depended on whose side you were on. His or Edward's. He hoped, after this discussion of theirs, that Harry Chandler would be on his.

"Just make sure you cover all your bases. Because...people can be unpredictable sometimes."

Not that Chandler's previous words hadn't been serious, but these were said even more so. Richard nodded at this; if he'd learnt anything in life, it was that it paid to be prepared. He didn't anticipate anything going wrong but, as Chandler said, people could be unpredictable. He would have to be very careful about how he executed his plans...pun intended, of course.

"I'm just saying, you have to be sure...that you're doing what you need to do."

Richard bit back yet another laugh. The comptroller knew it would be an incredibly tight spot to worm his way out of if Chandler realized just how much his words amused him, but he couldn't help it. The fact that Chandler was being deadly serious only served to cinch the deal.

"I am sure," he replied, with equal measures of gravity and assurance. Of course Chandler had no idea of the implication of these words; he had no idea Richard meant he was sure killing his older brother was what he needed to do...why, Chandler surely had nothing of the sort in mind!

"I should get going. You know, off to 'serve my king,' I should say. You sticking around?"

Richard let out the laughter he'd been holding back. Chandler had a better sense of humour than he gave himself credit for, no doubt.

His laughter at last having abated, he endeavoured to make his reply.

"I don't believe I shall," Richard said, although he didn't yet get to his feet. "Edward doubtless has work piled up for me that I must attend to."

He would have inquired as to Chandler's plans when his mobile phone rang in his pocket. Richard was relieved he'd put it on silent when he entered the church; although Handel's 'Zadok The Priest' wasn't entirely inappropriate he feared it might seem a bit strange considering the nature of his and Chandler's conversation.

Shooting Chandler an apologetic look he answered the call. He wasn't at all surprised to hear Edward's voice on the line; he had in fact almost been expecting it.

The phonecall didn't last long at all and was, at least to Richard, of very little importance. No need to tell Chandler about Edward's plans for Sunday lunch.

"Speaking of the devil," he said with a wry smile having terminated the call and replaced the phone in his pocket.



(ooc: Call me ridiculously slow on the uptake but it only just occurred to me...Claudius killed Hamlet Sr. (his brother!) to take his crown, as it were, and that's just what Richard's plotting to do with Edward. XD I'm going to shut up now. =P)

[hamlet]

(OOC-haha no that was a good observation )

Harry gave a wide smile when Richard laughed at his sarcasm, before Richard said, "I don't believe I shall. Edward doubtless has work piled up for me that I must attend to."

Harry nodded, understanding. Come to think of it, he probably should be doing work instead of drinking. He was well aware that if he didn't watch it, he could lose the part of the company that he was desperately holding on to after his uncle took over. Yet the more he drank, the more he thought about the horrific possibilities concerning the cause of his father's death, the more he started not to care about the company.

His attention was directed to Richard's phone going off, he wait til Richard terminated the call before he said, "Well, I don't want to keep you from your duties. It certainly has been a pleasure talking with you." He stood and said, "I trust we'll meet again?" He asked with a small smile. "See you around, Mr. Plantagenet."

Harry then exited the building, prepared to strengthen the numbness that another bottle would undoubtedly provide.

(OOC-now off to the dinner!)

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

"Well, I don't want to keep you from your duties. It certainly has been a pleasure talking with you...I trust we'll meet again?"

Richard would have said that he didn't mind Chandler's keeping him from returning to Plantagenet Manor and the idiocy of his relatives, but decided it wouldn't be entirely appropriate. Instead he simply said, with a smile to rival Chandler's own:

"The same to you, Mister Chandler. I trust we shall meet again."

Sooner than you think, he added inside his head, inwardly smirking still at the irony of Chandler's previous words.

"See you around, Mr. Plantagenet."

Richard nodded and got to his feet; he would have offered Chandler a hand to shake but it seemed the younger man needed to be somewhere. Richard wouldn't detain him any longer.

"I certainly hope so, Mister Chandler."

That could have been it, the last words Chandler heard him say for now. But the irony was too great to pass up, considering their location.

"Oh, and Mister Chandler?" he called, as the latter headed for the door. "God bless."

Exit Richard
Thank you Yols for an amazing thread; much love, hugs and muffins of brilliance to you! <3