A sunny Autumn midday in Tennessee was a thing of beauty, Blessed by the River, with the foliage shading from vibrant green to elegant red, and clear skies of shining blue, it was the ideal time to be outside to enjoy the vestige of summer heat and the blessing of the sun. It was during this beautiful day that the Peter and Catherine Frigg foundation performed its annual gala to thank employees and donors alike. The event was held, as it had been for nearly 70 years, at the Former Frigg Estate turned charity headquarters and museum of American Charity Work, a palatial estate dominated by a larger main building reminiscent of European Victorian Manors, with a large greenhouse. This house was once the first main house built by the Frigg family over a century ago to display its fortune to the world, for the Friggs were old American money: Prussian Aristocrats who saw the potential of the new world and took their chances, now their family was a dynasty worth billions, yet cleverly hidden from the predatory eyes of the press, or other big fishes, the Frigg had survived as a family by being proactive and conscious; not soon the place was finished it turned opened its doors to help people stuck by floods and disasters, became a makeshift hospital during the Spanish Flu, and a place for soldiers to recover during both World Wars, the Korean and Vietnam War, and now was the headquarters of one of America's, and maybe the world's most comprehensive and efficient charities when it came with helping those in need.
Standing in the beautiful gardens a selection of Tennessee's and surrounding estates most prominent businessmen, and many more hard-working leaders and members of the various charity branches of the extending across all US territories listened with patience from the former and pride from the latter as the leader of the organization finished her speech. Dawn Frigg cut a regal appearance as she spoke with authority, and passion at the crowd, she was a woman in her early seventies with her hair fixed into a short and elegant do, accompanied by an elegant dark green dress and a jacket to keep the breeze from affecting her health.
"…as we look into the future, I hope we can keep counting on the hard work of each of our labourers, dedicated far and wide to provide support for those in need and the logistical needs of each and every person that seeks a better future, as it is our donors, who have given resources and their valuable time to make sure this foundation reaches many more people as our future looks brighter than ever. Thank you."
Thunderous applauses broke as the Grand Dame Dawn Frigg took off the stage and walked down to the crowd of admiring workers and interested donors whiles the live orchestra came back on stage to provide ambience.
"Extraordinary. Beautiful, Inspiring" were the words tossed around as hands gently held and shook the hand of the elegant and eloquent septuagenarian. As the crowd of supporters and favour seeking people worked around the elderly woman. AuroraFrigg looked at the scene with a serene smile, she was so proud of what was being accomplished today by decades of work, she had seen her grandmother lead for twenty years, and even though this was an annual tradition, she had felt the same feeling every year on the dot.
"Mother is an amazing woman, isn't she?" the comment was meant like a compliment, but it came out flat, devoid of humanity, rehearsed by a speaker who managed to hide his disdain for the recipient of his flattery from most, but not for those who could pick on it, like Aurora did.
Blu Frigg was the youngest son of Dawn Frigg, and the Uncle of Aurora Frigg, a man cut with a dashing suave look, much like his late father, and Charisma to spear, but lacked in brains enough to be foolish in spite of his smarts, a man that could follow the letter of the law yet too arrogant to see how his actions could diminish him, a man of overflowing pride, believer that he was the chosen one. Today Blu was over dressed in his elegant Three Piece Suit and sporting a watch worth more than the monthly income of most of the charity workers attending the place, a gold signet ring adorned his pinky finger with the rune for B on it. Blu stood apart from the crowd, even from the wealthy businessmen, businesswomen and wealthy socialites attending the scene, who all whore elegant yet tasteful outfits that distinguish them yet did not make them stand out; Aurora was there with a simple and sober grey suit and skirt that complimented her figure and not to out-stage the main event that was her grandmother. Everyone in the scene wore their best, proud of the event they attended, and those they were celebrating, making Blu Frigg stand out too much, like a wedding attendant trying to outshine the bride, it was not in great taste and Blu could not see it.
"Grandmother in indeed amazing uncle, she has achieved so much in her life, and helped so many, we are fortunate to be part of her family" Aurora spoke calm and orderly, her thankfulness overlapping with a verbal jab to her uncle that implied: "You wish it was you old man, well you ain't."
Suavely Blu lifted an eyebrow towards his clever niece and with a smile that charmed more vapid men are woman he retorted at the verbal jab. "Of course you know most of this has been achieved with my late father's money, built over generations, it is not the work of one woman, she stands over the shoulders of so many faceless workers is easy to forget she is fortunate for having the people besides and under her, very fortunate. Who knows what would she have achieved without all of this?"
Aurora smiled back, restrained and elegant, as she continued engaging in a game of wits with her uncle, a spar of words and emotions, where self-control, etiquette, brains, and cunning replaced swords, knives, bombs, and blood. Aurora was no fond of her uncle for many reasons, she had grown seeing the man resent being under her late father's shadow, many a time overhearing the demeaning and disrespecting words her uncle had for her father, mother, grandparents, and her. In Aurora's eyes, her uncle Blu was a engine of resentment, short temper, and self-conceit wrapped in a charismatic shell; she had had lower thoughts about the man in question, but she had learned that those thoughts meant he was allowed to control her. Aurora also understood her uncle saw her as an obstacle for him to seize the entire family fortune, so she had to be careful, and play the delicate game of cordiality and manners whilst in public.
"Grandmother knows very well how fortunate she is, every day she thanks God for everything she has. She know every employee by name, and cares deeply about each of them. It is her tireless effort that has managed to make things work and grow how they have. I do not believe anyone else cares for the people working under them as much as she does" stated Aurora, her words showing genuine admiration for her grandmother's dedication and duty, and to show her uncle he was not near Dawn Frigg's level.
At the edge of her vision Aurora could see the charming smile of her uncle twist into an annoyed smirk for a brief moment as it returned to its back to his fake, charming, self.
"Grandfather was a truly great man, he provided so much to grandmother, I doubt there may have been all of this if he had not taken the family to new heights" stated Blu, cold and calculating, elevating a man he truly did not care for in order to diminish his own mother.
Aurora grinned back, her rows of perfect pearly white teeth soft and elegant about to take a bite out her uncle's ego: "How does the adage goes? Behind every great man there is a great woman? Or grandfather' favourite: Without the tip the spear is a staff, without the edge the blade is a club. It is the extra detail that changes things, and the special which makes the ordinary extraordinary, not the other way around. Grandmother and Grandfather both were extraordinary, as were my parents, as we should aspire to be."
Aurora could feel her uncle's ego bruising, she dared state he was not extraordinary, HIM! BLU FRIGG! His own niece dared not to see him as an extraordinary man! That little broad that is probably sleeping her way through college? That little bitch! Of course he did not felt the insult, it was a dumb broad with money taking a pot-shot against him! The only one with brains and vision! How dared the little piece of shit!
"Is everything okay sir?"
Aurora did not see her coming, she just saw the woman appear seemingly out of nowhere, yet she was there, like clockwork, every time Aurora had managed to get the best of her uncle for a couple of months now, every time he appeared to be about to lose his cool, she appeared: Brown hair, brown eyes, a plain dark blue outfit with a skirt, hair in a bun, big glasses, unassuming figure; if it were to be summarised in one word: Plain. That was the way you would describe Jennifer Nuit, Blu Frigg's new personal secretary and assistant. Nuit was the definition of a plain woman with no feature to distinguish her, and yet a woman like that was the secretary and personal assistant of Aurora's uncle, a man that always gravitated towards flashy women, had traded his latests model of secretary for Nuit, a level-headed, plain, reserved, and attentive woman who was always ready to work, never spoke out of turn, and somehow managed to keep her uncle in check.
"What is it Nuit!?" growled Blu back at the secretary with a frown now visibly in his face.
"You seem stressed sir, is everything in order?" asked Nuit who spoke like a metronome, with a tone that was swift yet monotone.
"My uncle is fine, you can see he has everything under control" Aurora jabbed the sarcasm into the man's ego. Blu's face tone changed from a light blush to incandescence ire, so much so it threatened to call the attention of nearby onlookers.
"Don't play with me you little…" Blu began his threat, but there was Nuit, she had got a grasp on glass of Vesper Martini, and offered it to her boss.
"You are in control sir, you are in command, your emotions won't get the better of you. The more you are teased the calmer you stay" the words came as the woman touched her uncle's hand whilst she made him take a hold of the glass, and so the rage that threatened to overtake the man vanished, replaced by calmness. Aurora tried to suppress amazement at the scene, but her eyes fixated on Nuit and whichever spell she had managed to use to calm her uncle like that. Nuit noticed and retreated ever so slightly so to not call attention to herself.
"Where were we dear nice?" asked Blu, sipping his Vesper Martini as if nothing had happened.
"Where you two up to something?"
Niece and Uncle turned their heads to see Dawn Frigg approach her next of kin with a warm and calm smile escorted by a woman a decade her junior, a greying her female dressed with a patterned dress, a larger frame, and eyes still full of vitality and energy.
"Uncle and I were just chatting on how great the speech was grandmother. Isn't that right Mrs. Child?" said Aurora with a gentle smile.
"I do agree little Aurora" said Monica Child with a smile as round as her face, so round in fact it became a half circle in visage of the larger woman and lieutenant of the charity organization
"It was nothing, a formality" said the elder lady with modesty.
"If I may be so bold, that is nonsense my dear madam, you are the heart and soul of this institution, we owe so much to you for valiantly bringing us into the twenty-first century, and keeping us relevant when we verged into vanishing as a force for good in this region" stated Mrs. Child with vigour and a manic energy people would call childish.
"Stop you two, you will make me blush" insisted the elder Frigg.
"I agree mother, you have done quite well, you should enjoy it while you can. Isn't that right Mrs. Child?" said Blu calm and dashing, his smile and mannerisms always winning the attention of Mrs. Child, but having no effects on his mother, who could see what her son inferred with his choice of words.
"I agree little Bluey" the words blurted out of Mrs. Child with the affection of a woman who had known and cared for him, unable to see the machinations behind the man, that was the type of woman Mrs. Child was in the end, simple and energetic, she did not plot, which made her easy target for manipulative people, yet in exchange her loving nature and child-like eagerness made her an unintended master at embarrassing people with very large egos.
"Is Blu Mrs. Child" said Blu looking around in hopes no one else had heard the pet name he had been given by elder members of the team. Blu could see her niece's eyes, and although she did not crack a smile he could read her eyes teasing "Bluey".
"I still remember when you and older brother played hide and seek in the building, and you hid in the forgotten service elevator" the elderly woman reminisced much to the vain man's concern for his reputation and image.
"Oh Child, we have more time to reminisce later, now is time for people to enjoy themselves" stated Dawn with a calm and authoritative statement that implied she wanted EVERYONE to have fun, or else.
"As you wish mother" said Blu with a wide grin and added "Why won't you join me to talk to our donors".
"I would dear, but at my age this a tad too much, I do need some rest" Dawn said with a calm voice befit to a woman with less energy than she actually had.
"Would you like to take a sit Mrs. Frigg?" asked Mrs. Child.
"You are so kind, but I need some extra time, you know, my little episodes due to my age" said the elder woman with grace and tact.
"Do you need me to call a doctor mother?" asked Blu to seem like a good son.
"Don't worry, I will be fine. Aurora, be a dear and escort me to my office to rest for a moment" Dawn extended her hand and her granddaughter obeyed swiftly, taking her grandmother from the arm and preparing to take her to her office.
"My dear Child, would you mind overseeing the last details for the picnic until I return? And my dear son, would you mind taking care of the guests in my absence?" requested Dawn with a voice that was maternal and soothing. She knew those things would sort themselves out, she just needed her son and Mrs. Child to have a reason to not focus on her, and there are few better reasons that to give people a task that demands trust and confidence to be requested. Dawn saw the effectiveness of her request as the face of Mrs. Child and Blue beamed, the former with pride and joy, the latter with greed and opportunity.
"Of course Mrs. Frigg!"
"Leave it to me mother."
Dawn smiled "Thank you, I am so lucky to have you both. I will see you at the picnic" and proceeded to walk with Aurora to her office.
Blu observed his mother walk away, slightly bending due to her tiredness. Blu thought it was completely normal for his mother to get out of shape in her old age, after all she was not invincible, nor immortal, yet he still could not believe it.
Subtlety Blu leaned and softly asked Nuit "Are you sure she is acting?"
The secretary engaged in her notepad, and did not lift her eyes to make sure not to attract attention to her self as she answered: "Definitely, look at the way she bends, how she walks, she is forcing her body to act that way."
Blu shook his head "She looks so natural, so old."
Nuit closed her pad "She is good, but I am better, that is why your associates offered me as your assistance, to look after you and not let you fall into traps."
"Cheers to that. Any updates about my little niece?" asked Blu as he finished his Vesper Martini.
"Non Sir."
"Send more sleuths after her, I want to know what she does for dear mother" ordered Blu.
"It will be done. Now, shall you engage with the guests, there is work to be done" stated Blu.
Blu straightened his tie, "You lead I charm."