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II

          Quite a selection of each Suit milled about Pier. Ace Spade watched disapproving from Woods upslope, Queen in Black embroidered gown sat with him, tending small fire at edge of Woods, peeling bark strips from various twigs. Sevens with dripping hats played in boats. Jacks waited keenly, strutting in multicolored vests. Club strummed guitar. Heart painted Bay at an easel. Far above in Observatory Four Spade in little robe watched for Nether yacht to sail bayside. Ace and Four studied winds, currents, tides, stars, and birds, long into lamp lit nights of fishing. Pier and Woods, with Cemetery a favorite place for Ace, suited most Spades. Ten was often traitorous. "I'll end that wench," thought Ace, continually plotting assassination.

          Club Ten paced Observatory with Queen Heart; Ten most resplendent in multicolored gown. Embroidered into beautiful silks and linens tough hemp emblems decorated. Ten Black Clubs sewn in patterns, four each white Spades and Red Diamonds. One purple Heart centered her breasts, long blonde hair accented great beauty, but when she turned exasperated studying horizons, Four Spade saw crease in her skull and jaw where HiJoker’s horse had reared. Queen Heart knitted busily, simply dressed in Red Heart hat, robe flowing with many Red Hearts on sweeping Black swirls, crosses, shells, and scrolls.

          Nine Six Heart watched the sea from a corner. Nine often studied Ten with want. "I shall study this surgeon," he said, "and I will learn his art. This is costing our deck much, when I see no diminished beauty in fair Ten." Ten strolled to him, fondling small Hearts on his vest, then took his hand to move along her fracture, "thou are very special." Queen watched carefully as Ten spoke wistfully, "from a very special family, and I relish visions of us together after all this.” Nine frowned, "this? This will never be over. Change your wanton ways and be mine this instant or I shall perish."

          Ten watched him deeply, beginning to speak, Four announced loudly, "a boat nears.” He and Six flashed mirrored beacons both of welcome to the boat and notification to Pier. Ace in Black and purple robe noted flashing code with silence, reading description in full: one yacht moving slowly, one Red sail, one hour from destination. Others bantering on Pier or splashing about did not notice the message. Ace stood, speaking lowly to Queen, "prepare a truth serum for the banquet gravy. Four will make the transaction." Queen nodded imperceptive. Ace strode quickly to Pier, "welcome stations within the hour. Sevens venture to Bay in welcome." Sevens scrambled to don proper hats, Ace took Spade aside, "you must dignify a diplomatic welcome for the house of Spades. After greeting the party and introducing your friends, on our behalf of course, signal me as to any immediate needs of the travelers. I will expect you to behave at Banquet also; you must remember your true allegiance lies not with Rank but Suit." When Seven took the comments with a shrug. Ace gripped his shoulder strongly. "You remember, nephew 'ere I end your life as I did your fathers."

          At Marina Ace Four Club tended a party. Many cards gathering down the steps, four Jacks escorted Tens and Queens to waters edge. Past Pier sleek Yacht with bright Red sail sporting one large Diamond and four small Hearts sailed slowly. Ace Four Spade stood waving, near identical in cone shaped Wizard Hats. On bow of Nether Yacht stood oddly costumed Jack of Diamonds. Beautiful Tens of Diamonds and Hearts, Nine of Hearts, Black Sevens and Black Threes. An Eight Spade operated the boat carefully, smoking a pipe at the wheel. All had similar vests, with various colors of curious charms spread about. Even on vests or hats of non Diamonds, Diamond symbol predominant.

          The Nether surgeon a Jack of Hearts, he stayed below some time, finishing a journal of the trip. Dockside introductions and festivities waged. Finally he emerged, fully decorated vest of Diamonds and Hearts, smiling to the crowd, introduced to his counterpart. Jack Diamond ushered Nine Heart to meet the man. "Never has a single digit achieved such prestige in this field, but if you're well trained, and ready to specialize, I see no reason to deny you methods and techniques. I would even invite you afar to study Nether patients." Jack Heart nodded strongly, "Nine is essential to our Suit, with all characteristics favorable for success, I, on the other hand," he encircled slim waist of Diamond Ten, "tend to other matters." "Indeed," said Diamond Ten dryly. Nether Jack smiled to her, "indeed, I could not improve on perfection, where is my patient Ten? I would consult with her before any banquets or welcoming parties I assume you have planned?" "Indeed," said Ace Club, "Four here will lead you across Quarters to Hospital. He will be your agent for the evening." Nether Jack Diamond gestured up the hill, "please notify Bank of our pending account. We will need sturdy Quarters as our gear is of high quality and we fear theft by less scrupulous. We have heard tales of thieving Jokers, wild as hell, that burgle deftly." King Club retorted, "we have no such problem on IsleWood," he glanced with disdain at several Sevens, "and your very Quarters are those of Hi and LoJoker’s, granted, being Jokers, easily tempted, but I shall place sentries about the locks, ‘tis a sturdy tower in the center of our four connected houses." To King Diamond Nether Jack said, "truly I am sorry to need your financial services at this late hour, but," he glanced to raucous Sevens joining newcomers for romp, "again, we travel," he spoke in low tones of conspiracy, "with quite a chest of gold, and would like a deposit box. I think Mall will enjoy quite a boost once we free our Red Tens to spend on the morrow." King Diamond escorted him graciously, others hauled luggage, Eights of Spades cared for the boat, Four Club dispatched to Hospital to tell Ten. Hi and LoJoker watched from jungle alcove at stables on far end of Casino grounds.

          LoJoker urinated in lush growth on slope above Marina. "Look at those Red Tens Hi a bucket a brew says I bag one 'ear in the stables." HiJoker laughed ruefully, tuning the wheel of a unicycle meticulously. "If you bend the strings of your mandolin to emote love or party you may score. I hear they are very rich, even more so than our own Diamond house and I would rather have a Ten, or both, in my bed in our Quarters they have commandeered. Did I spy a female Seven Club imparting?" Lo studied remainders of the party, "she was a Spade, quite fair, with Club hat."

          Club Seven quite a drummer, HiJoker wheeled vicariously about the room, waxing poetic musings, LoJoker strummed from a corner, twanging guitars crazily. Jack Club hopped in place, thumping a massive bass. HiJoker sung to Nether Tens:

"I Am a shy little boy
enjoyed my mama spanky.
From far away comes new joy
first I gotta see my bankier."

          He juggled, tricked, and jested about. Lo whacked away in ferocious rhythm, the banquet milled about in seated dance:

"I will come climbing to you

when the moon perches in Cemetery Elm.

Make ready! At the window I come!

Let us ride in the night! Let us gaze to the stars in rapture!"

          At King Diamond’s table quite a commotion milled. Nether Jack smiled to a group at tables or bar stools, merchant spiel wearisome, "property, people, property..." HiJoker sang to King Diamond:

"Won't you loan me, just one weight of gold? That I might buy one finer thing?

To remember ‘ere I grow old? The brief night I wore the ring?"

          With pageantry aplomb, all Suits sported many colors. Ace Club made slowly round the room, Four infrequently following. Jack Club sung to pretty Nether Tens. Nether Nine Heart was a scribe; he and Jack Heart would confer on the morrow to transcribe minutes of the visit. They discussed roles importantly on bar stools near the band. Nether Jack Heart smiled with Ten Club. The surgery would take two days, beginning tomorrow. Spade Ace smiled inside from perch at back. Tight knit Spades disciplined, sitting formally, not often intersecting with others, except Ten flitted from area to group, pausing longest at tables of richest males. Even Nether Spades Eight and Three intrigued them little, though some level of camaraderie  established by the matching Eights (Nether Eight had rare charms amid medallions, but most knew them to be of little real value.) These two sat hunched in conversation until most of the banquet had dissipated.

          Late sat Nether Jack Diamond with Ace Diamond, Several Spades cleaning up. Four Diamond strummed guitar; Quite a variety of characters milled at the door, various late night excursions imparted(the Jokers were having a party at the stables.) Nether Jack lowered his voice in conspiracy, "progress will not be denied. You have many raw materials here to make fortunes in shipping lumber."

          Ace looked to him keenly, "Spades own the forest, and each tree is sacred to those pagans. I do not wish to divide this house publicly, 'tis better to live simply, or leverage credit to appear stronger." Jack nodded, "we had the same problem at our island, now we have a beautiful course for golf."

          "Golf?" asked Ace, "what's that?" "A wondrous game played by royalty the world over. 'Tis practiced by bankers and physicians alike, 'tis a gentlemen’s contest.“ Ace was envious, "played by royalty the world over?" "Yes." said Nether Jack, "all decks have at least one small course, many individual Suits have their own. My Suit in particular has two of the best," "Two?" said Ace, "how did you amass the property?" "Well," said Nether Jack, "it takes a many faceted attack, not all absolutely honest, you see, first we must interest your Suits in beef. Large beef animals need pasture, there the forest edges fail," "but the sea provides our needs of meat." "That is what Spade Ace wants, for you to eat his fish. I can contract large payments to you for timber such that grows in Woods."

          Ace was skeptical, "there was uproar several years ago over clearing Club portion of Woods for Track. The small horse pasture behind Casino was a hard fought gain for progress." "First you must convince the entire deck of a need for culture and income, then Condos are started near Mall. The material will come from Woods. Once Spades are weakened by beef and construction, the remainder of Woods will ripen for fellers. You must spread word of impending doom, of fearsome pirates, and consider hiring legions of Jokers or training archers. I myself am an expert in Archer defense, our Spades are assassins. With full support of your color and partial support from Clubs..." Ace nodded in wisdom, almost sad, "we have the numbers."

          The morrow dawned brightly. Joker’s party had broken up early, weary travelers and hosts alike slept deeply and awoke to Observatory Bell. Four Heart chimed once for each day of the moon yet seen. Six Spade was busy tending fires for Hospital and Banquet Hall. One wing of Banquet Hall also Hospital Kitchen, several Spades and Hearts tended breakfast prep tables or readied wares. Newcomers and locals alike wandered in, some hungry for breakfast, others eager for conversation with strange counterparts. Eight Spade and Nether counterpart quite intense, talked quietly, followed infrequently by many Black Threes clumsily playing and jesting. Hi and LoJoker slumped hungover in a corner, depressed and scheming. They each vowed to have a Nether Red Ten by the morrow.

          Nether Eight smiled as happy Threes served breakfast, "I have never seen such camaraderie. This magical Isle of Woods fairly vibrates with Karma such as written in texts of old TeriYaki. I should hope to visit frequently won't you lead me cousin into deepest Woods this morn'?" Eight Spade thoughtful, watching sweeping gestures of Red Jacks across hall. "’Tis truly a shame to never have seen such majesty, your theory as to why, the evil conspiracy of Diamonds, though threatening to turn a house asunder, begins, after a night sleep and morning smoke, to seem plausible." "Not only that, you should see our sea walls eroding. Spades quarters are undermined by the tides!" He spoke urgently, quiet, "mud slides claim Spade lives every year! Our cemetery is largely Spades! You should see the seawalls constructed for the other Suits! They play golf on our grounds for a nominal fee, we are enslaved! The only thing we have is the old gold we found constructing new Joker Dorms." Eight looked to him in interest, "that intrigues me, as I've come across a coin or two over years of scaping Hospital land. My King found many when building Mall. But we have the tax system to pay us Spades for all the menial tasks we perform." "I will take word of your system back! Revolution will air! Thank you, cousin!" "To the trees!"

          For quite some time Nether Eight stayed in Woods. Queen Spade tended potion fire nearby and cooked stew, serving lunch. Word came from Four that Ten Club had entered surgery. Ace Spade maintained anesthetics, often sampling gases himself. Nether Tens took Mall by storm, spending much token, modeling with other Tens, keeping shops lively. Jokers readied horses for a race tonight, and joust as entertainment. LoJoker dreaded the contest; HiJoker much larger, skilled at joust. His only hope was for Hi to quaff overmuch ale.

          Nether Jack Diamond escorted King Ace Diamond to back gates of Cemetery. After pausing at Diamond plots, Ace spoke dramatically, creating aura of family respect so that Nether Jack Diamond might choose his sales pitch carefully. Deep Woods bade them halt; King Diamond paced, “‘tis better not to risk flagrations. This isle, these four families, 'tis good for life, to have peace. if progress be toys and inequalities more so than already exist for us then leave us the hell out." Nether Jack plunged into argument, "Don't you see you're true allegiance must lie with colors, even if afar? Your Spades will poison or impale you at the slightest aggravation." King gestured to include Spades portion of Cemetery, "then why is there more dead Spades than any other Suit? They do our work, even if dangerous. They test our medicines, even if fatal. This Family of Suits must stick together more so than far off squanderers." Nether Jack Diamond was chagrined, "I can see my offers of fellers and builders at a nominal charge are to be rejected for now. Let us sojourn to a party and enjoy." From a dense bush nearby, hidden Four Spade fired a pipe.

          The parties indeed entertained, Hi and LoJoker on tour, drinking hard. Ten Spade latched onto Nether Jack Heart, he was thrilled with her, and agreed to perform simple breast enhancements on both Black Queens before departure. Nine Heart was to travel with them, to observe still other procedures performed afar. Jousting waged; Jack Spade, wild and untamed when he so chose, dominated the event, strong from years of forest management. He rode his horse to prance for Nether Tens who squirmed in mutual arousal.

          Ace Spade appeared, rarely so public, and Touched Ten Clubs face gingerly, nodding recognition to Ace Club, with Four made way to Nether Jack Heart sitting with King Heart. Ace Spade hugged both quickly in strange display of affection, paused to observe the entertainment with Ace Heart a moment, gestured Four Spade play at party, then was gone.

 CHAPTER 3                 REBEL WORD