"It's all those heavy books I lift," he quipped modestly - or tried to, an edge of tension underlying his voice in spite of the brave face he tried to put on it. It had taken no small amount of courage to come to the Manor when he had half-suspected Zariah was still there, baiting a trap with rumors of her absence. Most of that had been soothed when Edy had confirmed the notice board message; she might lie to him under orders from her cousin, but he didn't think she could hide it so well if she did. Still, he wasn't used to allowing anyone to have his back after the target that had been painted on it in the past. Rory was one thing. Amalia had worked hard to earn his trust, too. Before the Tyrant claimed rulership he would have had no problem with what Edy asked of him. Now... her allegiance to her family was strong enough to make him hesitate.
But his trust in her was strong enough to hold him still as she started bouncing behind him. It was a good thing he was braced, though, and not too relaxed as her weight pulled briefly down on his shoulders as she launched herself (and her flopping extra organ) over his head. She landed cat-like, poised and elegant (and thankfully still robed).
He hadn't known what to expect, but this was beyond both his best and worst half-formed guesses about what she had intended. He blinked at her, trying to figure out what had just happened - aside from the obvious game of leapfrog. What did jumping over him have to--
Checkers.
It took him a few seconds of puzzling before he relaxed, muscles turning to water as he let out a beathless chuckle, shaking his head at her antics. "Yes, you've captured me," he agreed, a broad grin breaking out over his face. "Queen jumps pawn. Now we just have to figure out what to do about it! Will a song in your honor satisfy the fine, do you think?" Gods, he'd been an idiot. He probably owed Remi a drink... and Edy, too, come to think of it. "So do you still have to run the Rathskeller and the country?"
But his trust in her was strong enough to hold him still as she started bouncing behind him. It was a good thing he was braced, though, and not too relaxed as her weight pulled briefly down on his shoulders as she launched herself (and her flopping extra organ) over his head. She landed cat-like, poised and elegant (and thankfully still robed).
He hadn't known what to expect, but this was beyond both his best and worst half-formed guesses about what she had intended. He blinked at her, trying to figure out what had just happened - aside from the obvious game of leapfrog. What did jumping over him have to--
Checkers.
It took him a few seconds of puzzling before he relaxed, muscles turning to water as he let out a beathless chuckle, shaking his head at her antics. "Yes, you've captured me," he agreed, a broad grin breaking out over his face. "Queen jumps pawn. Now we just have to figure out what to do about it! Will a song in your honor satisfy the fine, do you think?" Gods, he'd been an idiot. He probably owed Remi a drink... and Edy, too, come to think of it. "So do you still have to run the Rathskeller and the country?"
