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The Cohen Clover

Caroline & The Chancellor B

copyright comidacomida 2024

Early the following morning presented Caroline a chance to talk with Dr Loris; her impression of Kalsur had been accurate. Not only had Caroline's mentor also worked her magic on the young Oolou, but she'd made great strides in helping him overcome a triple hit to his capacity to keep up with other students: dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia resulted in him falling far behind when it came to learning. She had not only spent time tutoring him, but she provided the young Oolou with a tablet which helped his symbol recognition and writing greatly.

Their conversation ended with some of Dr Loris' seemingly never-ending suggestions. "He'll come around, Ash. He's a good kid and what he really needs is someone to believe in him."

Dr Ashley smirked. "Emmy, you call EVERYONE under 25 a kid."

Her metor smiled back. "Careful-- you still have another year of being a 'kid' in that case. Besides... I knew him back when he was barely past being a pup. He'll always be my sweet little boy."

Caroline felt herself blush when she saw Dr Loris do the same. "You really DO care about him... don't you?"

Emilia nodded. "He and Calther were a large part of my life for the past several years... I may not be there now, but they're still family, Ash."

Smiling, Caroline realized that her window for the message was coming to a close. "I'll take good care of them while you're gone, Emmy. Do you want me to see about finding a time during the next Gateway opening so I can connect them with you?"

The signal fizzled, making it difficult for Caroline to get the response, but she saw a smile and a nod of her head. Based on the Gateway schedule it would be a few weeks, but she promised herself she'd make it work. Not sure if Emilia could still hear ner, the young woman nevertheless spoke. "I'll try and get them together for the second round of transmissions, Emmy. I--" and the transmission went dead.

Gathering herself up, Caroline slid on her daytime gloves and her soft leather shoes, using Human equivalent clothing that allowed her to match the aesthetic of the Seekers, and headed out of her room. The trip was from one side of the house to the other, heading down the stairs to join the Chancellor for breakfast. She was only mildly surprised to see that his ex's son was also present, and they were chatting cordially, if a bit curtly; Caroline also noticed that they sat angled away from one another as they conversed. The entire scene looked a little stiff and cold so she hoped to remedy that. "Good morning, gentlemen. Thank you for your patience."

Kalsur's ears raised and he looked her direction, his eyes gleaming ever-so-faintly and she was surprised that he took such interest. A moment later, when he spoke, it became clear. "Dr Ashley... Father said that you would be speaking with Emm--"

The Chancellor cleared his throat, shooting a glance at the youth. "Kalsur...?"

The younger Akita shot a defiant glance toward his father, but revised his statement regardless. "I understand that you were speaking with DR LORIS this morning... is that correct?"

Caroline nodded. "We managed to chat for the final few minutes of the transmission period before the Gateway closed. She sends her love."

It was a small, white lie; Emilia specifically didn't because she said she thought it was critical for Calther and Kalsur to move on and form bonds with one another and Caroline, but the young woman saw how important his adopted mother was to Kalsur-- the fact that his tail picked up pace slightly confirmed it. The Chancellor, however, simply nodded his head. "Thank you for remaining in contact with Dr. Loris, Dr. Ashley. As you know, Kalsur and I think fondly of her."

Whatever discussion had been going on between father and son came to an end when Caroline entered the room and she sat down to silence. The second ticked by as silence prevailed, interrupted only when the door to the kitchen opened and serving staff came out to present breakfast. A tray was set down in front of each of the three of them; Caroline saw that she had an egg dish similar to an inside-out Land Earth omelette, complete with a pile of scrambled eggs combined with green onions, and seasoned meat. There were also a few collections of different Shattered Earth fruits and an Oolou breakfast roll.

Glancing across the table she saw that Kalsur was similarly served while Calther had an almost entirely different meal. The Chancellor had a larger collection of fruit but, rather than a large egg dish, he had a much smaller one without meat, plus extra bread and a small bowl of what Caroline had come to know to be a kind of rice porridge common among the lower class of Ka Hoda. In the time she'd known him, it seemed to mesh with her expectations; unlike most of the upper class, Calther ate meat and animal products sparingly.

During the time Caroline had spent with the counselors she noticed that most of them favored meat-heavy dishes; it was especially true of Chairwoman Vessery, the Civic Counselor, who seemed to eat little meat as often as possible. The young woman was uncertain as to the specifics, but she rarely let questions go unanswered. That morning, however, the conversation finally started up again before she could ask for clarification on the matter.

Chancellor Calther looked in her direction as he poured a small amount of cream into his porridge. "Tell me, Dr Ashley... would you be opposed to seeing some of Ka Hoda in the next few days? I've been meaning to do a tour, and I believe it is about time that the people see us together... especially if we are to be wed at month's end."

The Chancellor's casual reminder of their upcoming wedding gave Caroline a moment's pause; while she was expecting it, and knew it would happen, something about it being brought up suddenly and with a specific time frame in mind made it feel that much more real. Swallowing a little bit of her hesitation, she nodded. "I WOULD very much enjoy spending some time around the city with you, Chancellor... I've had the joy of traveling with most of your Counselors, but, now that your period of mourning has ended, I hope to make a good showing as your new Unity Programme partner."

The older Akita offered a genuine smile, and the hint of a good natured wink. "You mean to say, my wife?"

It was the first time Caroline had recalled him being so informal, and the thought made her smile. She'd heard so much about his warm, personable nature but, whenever she was with him in a crowd he had the mask of Chancellor on and it was flawlessly perfect. Not entirely sure how to respond, the Human woman was saved the trouble as Kalsur set down his utensils. "Father, may I be excused please?

The Chancellor's attention left Caroline with a silent apology in his eyes, turning to regard the younger Oolou. "Was breakfast not to your liking, my son?"

The youth offered a casual shrug. "It was fine... I am simply not hungry, and would rather spend more time on my RFT studies."

Chancellor Calther smiled warmly to Kalsur and nodded. "Of course. Let Nisra know if you would like something to snack on before tea."

The younger Akita stood, pushing his chair back, and bowed his head lightly to the Chancellor and then to Caroline. "Father. Dr Ashley." and, with that, he made his exit, leaving the servant by the entryway to move and clear his plate.

Calther raised a paw and the servant stopped. "See to it that the rest is distributed to the staff..." The Chancellor let out a sigh, covering his face with a paw. "Please excuse the lad, Dr Ashley... I've always encouraged him to not waste food but... as you can see..."

She offered an encouraging smile. "It's quite alright, Chancelor. If there were any good reason for him to skip most of a meal I suppose learning would be a solid choice."

Her host offered a pleasant smile and a warm chuckle, gesturing for the servant to proceed. "Learning IS one the premier tenants of the Unity Programme... I suppose Dr Loris taught him well."

Although Caroline had been very careful about overstepping her bounds when it came to the Chancellor's relationship with her mentor, she realized that there would not likely be a better time to ask. "I..." but she had trouble forming the words. "I... was wondering... about... you and Emilia..."

Surprisingly, ears raised, deep brown eyes focusing on her, Chancellor Calther didn't need any more of a prompt. "Ah... you're curious about my relationship with Dr Loris?"

She felt a faint flush warm her cheeks. "I... don't meet to pry, Chancellor... it's... it's just... she was my mentor for many years, and, to be honest, she never came across as the kind of woman to... well... settle down... and start a family."

The Akita's eyebrows raised to join his ears. "Truly?" He set his utensil down, bringing a napkin to his muzzle to gently clean his whiskers, clearing his throat before continuing. "Well... please do not take this the wrong way, Dr Ashley, but your impression of the woman who lived here with me is far different than mine. Then again," he chuckled softly, "I suppose most of my advisors would have stated that I was not... ah... 'emotionally available', let us say. They were likely just as surprised that I would find a woman with whom to start a life as you would be with regard to Emilia finding a man."

She appreciated both his candor, and the gentle way he approached the topic; she realized that he was willing to tell her that he believed she was wrong but didn't begrudge her the difference in opinion. Caroline was able appreciate just how tactful he could be, which certainly explained why a mid-caste Oolou was able to ascend to the elected leader of Ka Hoda. "Well... I don't know what led to it, but I can tell that you and Kalsur mean a lot to her. Based on how she talks about you and the changes I see she's made here, I would say you're both incredibly lucky to have found one another."

The Chancellor inclined his head respectfully. "Thank you for saying so, Dr Ashley-- I would have to agree with you. Be that as it may, however, I wish to reaffirm that I am committed to the Unity Programme and, despite what have may come before, I promise to be a dutiful husband to you-- respectful, understanding, patient, and accommodating. I realize that this is a relationship of necessity, but that does not mean that I will treat you as a stranger. I hope, in time, that we may become more familiar."

The grace which the Dog navigated such a possibly uncomfortable topic was not lost to Caroline and she started to feel better before she even felt reservations. Offering a friendly smile, she nodded in return. "I'd like that, Chancellor. Thank you. I would much rather my host be a friend than an employer."

The Akita let out a deep, rich laugh, standing up as he did so. "Oh, I would never propose that I was your employer, Dr Ashley... if anything, I would say you are the one with the power in this relationship. I do not stand on ceremony and have no delusions of grandeur. But let's not argue about influence or authority." He stopped in front of her and extended a gloved paw to her. "If we are to be husband and wife, then let us also be partners in this venture. I would find that much more pleasant if you would be amenable."

She found herself smiling wider, accepting his gloved paw in her gloved hand. "I would like that, Chancellor. Thank you."

The older Dog's smile deepened, his rich chocolate eyes gleaming with warmth, giving her hand a gentle shake. "Please, Dr Ashley... I will be your husband in a fortnight. Unless you presume that it be too forward, I would invite you to call me by my name."

She knew it was a Human interaction but he performed it perfectly. Caroline felt her cheeks blushing ever so faintly; he was not only charming, but he was disarming, and he put her at ease. "Alright... Calther."

His muzzle spread into a welcoming smile and he gently released her hand, moving his paw to his hip. "There... that sounds so much better."

Returning the favor, she noted "And I suppose you had better call me Caroline then."

Calther raised an ear and an eyebrow. "One thing that Dr Loris told me once was that you hate your first name."

The Human woman found her face reddening inexplicably. "My friends call me Ash."

The Akita was all smiles. "Then, unless it is too presumptive of me, my dear Caroline... even though I am required to be your husband, I hope that you may come to think of me as your friend. I shall strive to be worthy of calling you Ash." He offered her a genteel nod of his head in parting and exited through the back door, his tail wagging placidly.

* * * * *

The rest of the day at the manor passed quickly and Caroline joined the Chancellor and his ex-wife's son for dinner, but they weren't alone; the entire council came to join him, which was the first time she'd been present for a full dinner party. In addition to the council were their spouses-- Chairman Dughl was late and he was accompanied by his pregnant wife Antha; the entire assembly made such a happy fuss about it that Caroline couldn't help but smile.

Also in attendance was Chairman Lorus, the Councilman in charge of Ka Hoda's health and his wife Nann, Chairwoman Vessery of the Civic Board and her wife Rhein (who was as slight and petite as the Chairwoman was 'hefty'), and Chairwoman Keesa, who had no spouse. Chairman Olarus showed up last, which wasn't entirely unexpected since he was getting on in his years and didn't move quite as easily as he used to. Olarus had lost his wife several years prior, and so he, like Keesa, sat alone, placed at the foot of the table across from one another.

As with breakfast, Caroline found herself placed near the head of the table to the side of the Chancellor and Kalsur was directly across from her. Unlike during their last meals together, the younger Akita remained quiet, respectful, and unobtrusive. The council, on the other hand, were all lively, talkative, and verbose, spending easily half their time speaking causally and the rest griping, complaining, or condemning about things they perceived as going wrong with the city, the surrounding lands, and the Purists.

The spouses, for the most part, remained quiet and passive, only piping in when encouraged by their 'better half'. Of all of the guests, Caroline was the one most often brought into the disucssion-- an honor that was not lost to her. Dughl, as was common for him, often brought up Human input regarding points of view, prompting Caroline to weigh in. Charman Lorus, for the most part, asked for her opinion with a focus on Human medicine and technologies when discussing concerns regarding outbreaks or illnesses.

Chairwoman Vessery and Chairman Olarus got into arguments about civic expansion versus engineering and planning, often calling on her to bring in the Programme's point of view (which she avoided doing each time), and Chairwoman Keesa often asked for her perspective on the 'savages' and the damage they caused to the Unity Programme's caravans. All-in-all, she spoke more than all of the guests's 'plus ones' combined. Still, when Caroline wasn't talking, she was able to watch the exchanges and interplay between the many Oolou at the table. One thing she did take special notice of was that, for dinner, Chancelor Calther had a little greater serving of meat than she'd noticed him take at any other meal. Still, she also noticed, it didn't compare to the vastly overwhelming amount of animal products filling the rest of the plates at the table.

As dinner came to a close and the post-dinner drinks came and went, the Chancelor joined several of the faster guests on their way to the front door to wish them a good night. Councilman Dughl lingered with his wife, pausing to speak with Caroline. The black furred Husky, as usual, was well mannered and gracious. "I am pleased you were finally able to join us for a council dinner, Doctor Ashley. You handled yourself with grace and poise, as I expected."

Antha, slipping on her evening coat, was just as welcoming and wholly giggling as she spoke brightly. "I am so very pleased you made such a fine showing, my dear. You'll fit in so very well with the rest of these muzzle-wagging aristocrats."

Seeing that Dughl's wife closed in with her paws out, Caroline stepped forward and accepted the polite hug, smiling when Antha touched either of her cheeks with her cold wet nose. Drawing back, the Human woman looked down at the Husky's large belly. "I promised your husband that one of my first clinical visits would be with you, you know. Your pup may be due any day, but hopefully you'll hold out a little longer and I won't miss out on showing you Unity Programme health care."

Antha was all smiles, tail wagging gracefully against her evening gown. "Oh, my dear... I would go so far as to say that I would approve you for the delivery! It isn't every day a lady has a chance to have her puppy delivered by a Hunan doctor!"

Chuckling warmly, Dughl, ever the doting husband, took his wife's paw. "Oh my dear, you know that Dr Ashley is a busy woman... Let's not have her make any promises that would strain her already full schedule to keep."

Chairman Olarus, who'd taken longer to get ready to leave, gave the tall, lanky Husky a gentle cuff on the bicep. Though his words were dour, the tone was playful. "Come on... best not overstay our welcome. You two need to get onward... that wife of yours should have her paws up and resting."

Realizing she had held a question for most of the night she'd wanted answered, Caroline stepped up to the eldest member of the council. "Chairman Olarus... may I walk you to the door?"

The old Malamute glanced her way, raising a furry eyebrow, chuckling softly. "Ah... afraid I can't manage on my own, my dear?"

She waited for Dughl and Antha to head out before she presented him her gloved hand. He accepted it, folding it into the crook of his arm rather than allowing her to offer it for support. She matched his much slower pace, taking his cane from beside his chair and handing it to him before she asked quietly. "I am curious about something, Chairman... about the Chancellor..."

He glanced her way, his ears both raising as he smirked. "Oh? And why are you asking me, girl? Why not ask him directly?"

Caroline offered a shrug. "I will... eventually... but I don't know if it is just my imagination, so I wanted to vet my thoughts with someone first."

Olarus chuckled. "Ah... so you turn to the oldest Oolou in the room, knowing I just have a bad enough memory to forget what you asked in case it might later embarrass you... sneaky of you, little Hunan."

She found herself smirking at his self-deprecation. "Not at all... it's just good to know that I'm not reading into anything."

He waved away her concerns with mock indignation. "Huf... just ask your question, Doctor... I don't have all night."

Caroline did so. "I've noticed that Chancellor Calther has a... unique diet."

The glint in Olarus' eyes made her immediately realize that he was playing with her when he asked "Unique how? Do tell, Doctor."

She knew that he was going to make her work for an answer. Continuing along slowly toward the main hall, she elaborated. "I've noticed that most of the council eat a lot of meat and the Chancelor doesn't."

The old Malamute nodded thoughtfully, the humor slowly draining out of him as he provided a much more candid explanation. "Calther came to us from the middle caste. His is a very long story of trials and tribulations... hardships before success. The majority of the middle caste get six meat rations for their household to last all week. As the Chancelor, Calther could take his fill, but I believe he still chooses to maintain the lifestyle into which he'd been born. Very noble..." Olarus nodded thoughtfully, the edge of his thin, black lips twisting into a faint smirk. "Noble... and needlessly nostalgic... a little foolish... but, yes... still quite noble."

As the two neared the front door, the Chancellor approached to wish Olarus a good night, smiling warmly, his tail languidly wagging. "Chairman... I trust my fiance has been a gracious hostess? Did you enjoy yourself tonight?"

The old Malamute clasped paws with the Akita. "Of course, my boy... yes on both counts. Quite a personable one you've got here on your paws, Calther... and very... inquisitive." Olarus winked at her with the eye the Chancellor couldn't see before heading out the door. "Think it's time I'll be heading home... these old bones don't much care for the night wind these days."

Once Chairman Olarus had left Calther closed the door, turning to regard the Human woman with a pleasant smile. "You conducted yourself very well tonight, Caroline."

She smiled back. "Chairman Dughl said something similar earlier."

The Akita placed a gloved paw against his chest in mock shock, though he did a fine job of not overacting it. "My fiance complimented by a boorish guest before I had the chance? Oh, what a shameful development."

His playful comment was something that she hadn't been ready for and it caught her by surprise... pleasantly so. "Well... be that as it may, it was still very nice to hear, Calther; thank you. If I am going to be your wife I want to make sure that I reflect postively on the household."

The Chancelor's tail swayed back and forth with an easy wag. "Of that, I have no doubt you shall be successful, Caroline... even if you DO feel inclined to ask after my eating habits with my guests."

She paused, frozen in place when she realized that he'd called her out; sometimes she forgot how well Oolou could hear. "I wasn't trying to make a big show of it... I was surprised because I hadn't seen--"

He held up a gloved paw, chuckling. "No, no, no... it is quite alright, I assure you-- I suppose it is a Doctor's prerogative to ask health-related questions."

Caroline blushed. "I... was just curious... really."

Calther's answer was essentially the same as Olarus' but much more direct. "The upper-caste is afforded more meat, and I grew up in the mid-caste, so I am used to more grains. Plus, it is really my preference... I enjoy grains and, if I eat less meat then that means my share can go to help others who are less fortunate."

Kalsur, who had stayed in the dining room to help reorganize things, passed by on his way to the stiarcase, pausing just long enough to chime in "That's why Father has a grain belly."

The phrase 'grain belly' in the Oolou tongue was 'hoth toth', and, while it had a catchy sound to it, Caroline could tell it was an insulting term, if for no other reason than Calthur's thin-lipped scowl as he watched the youth ascend the steps. Once Kalsur had left, the Chancelor looked back toward her, ears reddening faintly. "That is norally considered a rather crass phrase. I would exclude its use in polite company."

Caroline found herself blushing a little as well, and quickly chose a tangental topic. "Well... I... ah... heard that meat processing is done right here in Ka Hoda as... a punishment of sorts for workers there?"

Calther nodded, looking down at his abdomen, removing a glove so he could smooth out his shirt across it. "Mmm... the slaughter houses run a work release program for certain criminals as a method for them to atone for their crimes. Where did you hear about that, if I might ask, Caroline?"

She explained. "A discussion between Chairman Lorus and Chairwoman Vessery. They were arguing crime and punishment and the topic came up."

The Chancelor smirked, his ears raising. "Truly? Let me guess: Lorus was arguing the finer points of rehabilitation while Vessery was more concerned about logistics?"

Caroline smiled. "And the whole discussion ended when Olarus interrupted and said that 'folks like that oughta be speared.'."

Calther's ears lowered. "Ah... yes. That IS how we used to handle things... I believe you Humans call it 'cap-i-tul-pun-ish-mint."

The Human woman listed to the Chancelor sound it out in English and she nodded. "I had been meaning to ask you about that."

Her host's smile slowy returned, and so did his lost wag. "Oh? Truly? Well, I had planned to do a city inspection on the morrow with Kalsur. I can't think of a better reason to include you on the trip if you would care to get out of the house for a spell. We could make a day of it, and this would be the perfect opportunity for us to be seen together. It will be good for the people of Ka Hoda to meet you formally."

Caroline nodded, taking the doffed glove out of one paw, and slid it back onto his bare one. "That sounds like a good plan then, Chancellor."

Calther confirmed with a succinct nod of his own, running his now-gloved paw across his abdomen again as he looked down. Passing by the Akiata, she reached out and gave his gut a gentle pat. "And don't listen to Kalsur-- I think your 'toth' looks just fine."