Break Time

JP with Jaxx and Cindy

Elizabeth hadn't thought of a snack, she glanced at the time, it would be another few hours before lunch. "A snack does sound good. Please hit thar button but twice instead of once."

Once done, Jordan came back in the room alone, and Elizabeth asked the servant "How many applicants are left, at the moment?"

"Three, Lady Elizabeth and one more is expected for the pre- lunch interviews." Jordan stated.

"Let them know we are taking a short break, it will only be about ten minutes or so and offer them some refreshments. Also, have a servant bring us some tea and a quick snack." Elizabeth stated. "Thank you, Jordan. "

"Of course, Lady Elizabeth." Jordan curtseyed and went back through the side door.

Elizabeth turned to Lily, "A small break will be good."

Lily gave Lady Elizabeth a nod to confirm she understood as she replied, "Yes ma'am. She organized her notes and capped off the ink jar before cleaning her pen. She then asked, "If I may be so bold, but what is your opinion of these interviews compared to the ones for your team? Do you feel they are more similar or different?"

"To be honest, I only really interviewed Miss Ipsum. My father though chose her to be part of the team. The rest of the team came to me in other ways. Miss Lagrave was already doing work for the Order and my father picked her specifically, he spoke to her as no interview was necessary, and that was the same with Mr Dumont and Lord Andrews." Elizabeth hadn't worked with the two men for long but she did miss their presence. "Doctor Jackal was needed because he is an expert in the serum." "Cronk, like you, had nowhere to go. I took him in and basically told him he would work as a team member. Mr. Aster, I found him at the Exposition after the Visage was stolen and offered him a chance to help recover it. Perhaps it was not the most conventional way to put together a team but it seems to have worked." Elizabeth smiled slightly. "So, to answer your question not really. Mr. Sung and I tea with Miss Ipsum and her father. Then I pulled Miss Ipsum aside and spoke to her about the job privately. I did not have to ask her many questions or find out much about her, a lot of it I already knew and I knew she was highly qualified. Once I met her I knew she would be perfect for the position."

Lily listened to the explanation of how her team was form and saw a big different in the recruitment process. Lily replied, "I see. So your team was mainly gathered by circumstances and luck. That is very different compared to the interviews we are doing now. How did you know you could trust and work with your team given the odd circumstances?"

"I followed my instincts, other than that I trust Mr. Sung implicitly. His magic allows for him to sense someone's essence. If someone is not a good person - I mean truly evil he could likely tell. He would sense it and tell me." Elizabeth stopped for a moment. "And I suppose luck was partially on my side."

Lily nodded as she gave a warm smile at Lady Elizabeth as she replied, "To be honest I was expecting an answer involving magical intuition or reading the soul of the others, but experience is a long proven good choice. It makes me wonder what kind of choices I will make in the future as I learn more over time under your guidance."

"I do not have that ability, only the mind realm has that. My father and Mr. Sung have that ability. In a sense they can tell if someone is dangerous or have ill intentions. They used it in helping me create the team." Elizabeth explained thoughtfully, "I have been taught, through them and my mother, how to trust my own intuition and to know when something or someone seems - off. I did not listen to them once about someone and it turned out they were correct."

A servant came in with some tea and snacks and put them on the center table. Elizabeth thanked him, he bowed and left.

"Please join me, Miss Lavigne." Elizabeth went and sat down at the table, moving her folder to a side table as she did. Elizabeth then poured both of them some tea.

Continuing with the line of thought from earlier. "Despite me learning how to read people, this is my first team. I have never had to do it such a capacity before. It makes me wish I did have that ability."

Lily made sure her notes were secured before she stood up and made her way to where Lady Elizabeth requested she sit at. She replied, "That does make sense. My father put a lot of trust in our former butler Nigel, so even he is capable of making poor choices. To be honest I was hardly close to Nigel since he rather distant in his emotions and it got worse every time I came back from school. My former Nanny on the other hand I do miss. I never even got to say good bye to her. I know its improper of me to say this in the public eye, but it is very nerve wracking to have my life controlled by others who lack good intention." Lily accepted the tea and gently blew on it to cool it down.

"Two things, Miss Lavigne. You are not in the public eye when speaking to me, you may tell me things. I do promise I do not go around telling others." Elizabeth began. "Secondly, it is horrible what has happened to you. You ended up in that position due to no fault of your own. You have every right to be frazzled but you are handling things fairly well, I believe, despite everything." The Eldren sipped her tea. "Was their anything else you wanted to ask me?"

Lily sipped her hot tea then shook her head no. She swallowed and replied, "No ma'am. I am just amazed at how well you keep it together all things considered. Most the girls I went to school with acted like they had it together in the public eye, but behind closed doors they would completely loose it. I mean we could clearly hear their ranting many doors down, but when they came out they acted like nothing happened."

"Well, there is that facade all of us with money and/or titles must present to the public. I though must say I have always had people I could turn to, if necessary, that does help." Elizabeth stated. "I was also not raised the way, I believe, those girls at your boarding school were. As a body mage I had to learn to control my emotions fairly young. That means knowing what is worth getting upset over and what it is best to remain calm and steady. It then translated to learning to do that when running a team. I have been training for this job, even before I knew anything about the Order." Elizabeth paused. "With my father, as the leader, it would have made doing much with my life outside the Order difficult at best. I guess it's a good thing I do enjoy it." The Eldren then quipped. "I just wish there was less paperwork."

Lily smiled back at Lady Elizabeth as she nodded to her. She replied, "I won't lie by saying this is an easy life for anyone. If I was just a rich heiress, I am sure my life would be a lot more trivial and I would be ignorant of the dangers in life as well as the misery of an arranged marriage. Now that I am thinking about it, I think I prefer being in the Order despite the constant danger, since I am not alone anymore. I am still scared but its comforting to have others I can talk to. Granted I am still get used to everyone and I am sure everyone has their secrets and circumstances like myself, but I think that is what brought us all together in the first place. As for the paperwork being a bit much perhaps we can interview for more help in the future. You mentioned that the candidates would be from the Order correct?"

"Yes, I do have the right, as Team Leader to hire who I want for the team but that extends only so far and I believe I am putting the Baron at his limit. Besides, it just easier to have the staff, secretaries and such vetted through the Order first, it saves me a great deal of time." Elizabeth responded. "Have you met Baron Greenwood before?" The Baron was British, after all, it was possible Lily had met him, even in passing.

Lily tried to remember him but it was years ago and she had trouble remembering his face. She replied, "I believe so but my father seemed to be on bad terms with the Baron so we were never formally introduced. From what I have heard it might have been for the best all things considered. I just hope the Baron doesn't use that against me in the future, but to be on the safe side I humbly request a proper escort for when I do have to meet the Baron." Lily sipped her tea as she was enjoying her tea time with Lady Elizabeth.

"Of course. I will have to be there but also probably Mr. Sung will be there. If not I am certain something can be arranged. Captain Maseo will also have to be introduced to the Baron, though I am hoping to hold off on both of those introductions until we have at least located Lamaire's lab." Elizabeth said.

Lily nodded as she understood the intentions of Lady Elizabeth. She was trying to have proof her her success to use against the Baron. She replied, "Understood ma'am. I am hopeful your team will show some good results since they have been working hard." Lily sipped her tea as she had high hopes for Lady Elizabeth.

"Well, I suppose we should finish our tea and return to the interviews." Elizabeth said. "I do appreciate your help in this."

Lily smiled as she nodded and finished up her tea and snack. She replied, "Thank you for this experience Lady Elizabeth. I really do appreciate it. Lily then put her cup n the tray as she cleaned up. Then she made her way to the station she was working at and prepared for the next interview.