scratchpad | Preplotting post for Kharry and Leia for VT

The Return - Locked to Leia

(Arrival. Fill this bit in when we have info on the platform specifically, and if they show up in the standard start clothes or what they wore when they left. Either way by the time Leia approaches he'll be properly dressed)

Kharry's presence was like a punch of Dark power when one first encountered it, until one got used to him. But to Leia, it would also be... almost... familiar. Oddly he was sensing something familiar as well. Or maybe not so oddly given his first words were "Okay, so... not the luggage car this time?"

He out his hands in his pockets as his eyes scanned the familiar platform. He was what looked like too many layers for the day, and none of it standard train gear, especially not the open jacket over the vest over the long sleeved shirt. Not the sapphire pendant that he wore outside of the shirt that caught and reflected light. When his hands came out of his pockets a sapphire ring would be visible, along with his wedding band.

His blue eyes scanned over the crowd on the platform, looking for familiar faces. On the surface he seemed calm, almost amused. But there was a tension in him, hidden below the surface. Viable to those who knew him well... and possibly to Leia, since she had the ability to sense things like that.

He figured Curufin would find him first. His friend always did. But then he always woke up in a trunk before. Who knew what tangles the web had for him this time. Od that he didn't see Curufin yet, though...

It was strange to feel so much dark power that wasn't accompanied by a sense of threat. Or maybe it wasn't the sort of dark power she was used to? Similar, certainly, but it didn't seem to suddenly drop the temperature in the room by 20 degrees or so, for which she was grateful. What was most intriguing though was the vague sense of the familiar about it. Like hearing a bit of a half-remembered song drifting in from somewhere.

Whatever it was, it was enough to draw Leia in to investigate further. By the time she located the source of the oddity, he'd changed out of his train uniform. Leia herself was still in the dress she'd worn to greet the new arrivals- or rather, returnees. She'd picked it up months ago on Aquifer, so it was nice to have a reason to wear it from time to time. "Hello," she greeted him. "And welcome back. Or, depending on your opinion of the situation, sorry that you're stuck here again. Either way, feel free to take advantage of the snacks in the Standard car; someone's apparently provided some rather excellent coffee to go with them."

He pulled his hands from his pockets to give her a bow. "Lady," he said in a tone that would have passed for formal if not for the amusement in his eyes. He strengthened up and ran a hand through his curls, using a bit of Craft to ensure the light caught on his wedding ring, so that it could not be missed. Not that he thought her likely to flirt with her given the seeming differences in ages. But after the whole mess with Aaron and Vaniya, one thing he always made sure of was that even if he was friendly, he was loyal to his wife and would never betray her. So as long as the other party understood and accepted that, a little harmless and friendly flirting was fine. He even enjoyed it from time to time. so long as everyone was clear upfront that it wouldn't go further than that.

Once there was no doubt in his mind that the ing had been seen he decided to cut the chase and tree the prey, as it were. He sat down as if sitting on a stool, though there was none there. "I do not know if you are as trapped in this web as I am, or part of it in some other way, but I suspect whoever is behind the web can hear me as well as you can, so I will say this to you both here and now." He still was smiling a lazy smile, his eyes still twinkled with mischief but there was a hard edge to them now.

And that cold Leia worried about? It showed itself as the floor began to subtly ice up as the air around them chilled.

"I am not safe right now," he said, still sounding calm, used to hiding his tension behind a pleasant voice and smile. Behind the twinkling of blue eyes. "This game has gone on too long, too long I have been without the anchor of Queen. And among the last things I recall was needing it. So if whoever created this little Tangled Web wants it to survive, send me back, or whatever you did in the times when I woke up in the trunks having missed things. Because right now?" His voice lost the pleasant edge, his eyes lost their sparkle but didn't - thank the darkness - glaze. His smile vanished. "Right now, I am a heartbeat away from a slaughter I am sure I will regret when I regain my senses. So, Lady, I recommend you get yourself and everyone else as far from me as possible, because I have never truly lost my temper while trapped in this particular Tangled web, and I do not know what affect it will have on the other minds once I do."

Well, she could honestly say that that wasn't the response she'd been expecting. Still if the man was in as dangerous a state as he claimed, why wasn't her sense of danger sounding the alarm? There was tension certainly, but not the bone-deep dread she'd come to associate with immediate and present danger. Perhaps he was dangerous, but not to her? Or perhaps it was that odd sense of familiarity at play? Whatever the case, she knew that sort of look, and knew that she couldn't afford to not to take the young man at his word just then.

Fortunately, she had an ability- more than one really- that might be able to help. Normally she was reluctant to use them on her fellow Voidtreckers, but needs must. She called upon the powers she'd acquired on the false Diagad, and when she spoke again, her voice had an odd quality to it. Not really an echo, more like an extra layer of sound, as she reached out with her voice and her mind projecting calm and trying to guide his emotions in the same direction. "Then it may be good that we ran into each other," she said. "I happen to have an ability that may be of some help, at least in the short term. But if what you say is true- and I have no reason to believe it's not- the Standard car is probably a bad idea. Would you like to go to the Quiet car to continue this conversation? There's a compartment there that can be darkened if you think a lack of outside stimulus might help. Or would you prefer somewhere more open and less confining? If so, I doubt there's anyone on the upper levels of either the music car or the stores car just now."

He took a deep breath to try and steady himself as the cold receded under her power and influence. "I am willing to discuss it, and the quiet car should b fine. But to reduce the chance that we encounter anyone that might further try and snap my temper..." Eva. He was talking about Eva. He still cared about her, but right now seeing her could end in disaster. "Would let me wrap us both in a sight shield and float us there?" He could feel the tension in himself, warring against...

There was an odd pull to her. Nowhere near the pull he felt for his wife, or for Jaenelle. But still that pull was there in a way he had wanted it to be there with Eva but hadn't been. He had never felt it so weakly, but that it was there at all... She was the only lifeline he had at the moment.

He didn't want to turn this train into a killing field. He wanted to be stopped.

"Of course," Leia said. She got the definite impression that politer was better in this case. So treat him like a diplomat that she absolutely couldn't afford to offend. Be as polite as was possible without sounding insincere or exceeding the bounds of common sense. "Whatever you think would be helpful; I'm admittedly unfamiliar with the particulars of the situation, so for now I'll defer to you. And if there's anything I can do to help in the meantime, beyond what I'm already doing, please let me know? I think we'd both like to avoid any... unpleasant incidents."

He nodded, feeling a little easier. But he also felt the scratching need to get away from other people. He put his hand on her shoulder. Well, his hand was covered in a number of skin tight invisible shields, but he suspected she wouldn't be able to tell. Once his hand closed over her however he was able to wrap a sight shield around them both, rendering them invisible. He then floated them above the ground and began to pull them through the air, around people, and to the Train.

The temptation to make the pass through the outside of the train to further avoid people was strong. But thankfully for all involved, common sense won out. He dropped them inside the door frame but resumed floating once they were aboard. So familiar and yet... different. He felt his shoulders hunching in slightly and forced them to relax. the Train hadn't felt clostropblic before, and that had never been a fear of his anyway, but right now it felt like the threads were closing in around him.

Was this how Surreal felt? He should send her a fruit basket. She'd enjoy having ammo to throw at him, anyway. Or maybe he'd send it to her by care of Rainer... He relaxed some. Thoughts like that helped. That was what the High Lord always said, and as usual, Uncle Saetan was right.

He got the to the quiet car by letting part of his mind wander to the people he missed back home and how he could pester them so they'd know he loved them. Or know he was a pain in the ***. Either way worked.

Once they were in a quiet car that had been empty he set them on the ground and closed the door. Once it was closed he let go of her and dropped the sight shield. He also regretted accepting such a closed in space. He didn't usually prowl like Yasi, but everything about being back was scratching at him.

Also, away from the other psychic scents of the platform, locked into this smaller space with her he finally got a good whiff of her psychic scent and it rocked him back slightly. Because it made no sense. It was to Caste what Twilight's Dawn was to Rank. What in ***'s name was she...?

There was a shift in the Force around them of the type she'd come to associate with Bending or magic, but she couldn't tell immediately what he'd done. Being lifted off of the ground was pretty hard to miss, though, as they were floated onto and through the train. After the brief initial surprise faded, she found herself hoping it wouldn't be a trend; she was a firm believer in the idea that having powers was no excuse for laziness, and floating because you didn't want to walk definitely fell into that category most of the time. Under the circumstances though, if it helped him feel better, she had no objections.

What she did have was the discipline to keep those stray thoughts and emotions out of the calm she was projecting through the Force even when not speaking. And it certainly seemed to be helping; some of the tension had faded by the time they reached his chosen compartment in the Quiet car. Once he'd closed the door behind them though, there was a brief spike not in tension, but in surprise. No, surprise was too mild a word; low-level shock probably fit better. But there was really no source for it that she could see. "Is something wrong?", she asked. "Other than what you've already mentioned, of course."

"This Tangled Web is messing with my mind..." he began, then barked a bit of a laugh. "Okay, fair enough, that one is on me," he admitted running a hand through his curls. "What I meant is I can't figure out your psychic scent. You read as a Queen but also not. What in the Darkness' name are you?"

He wasn't usually this blunt but right now control was a narrow fine line he was walking and he couldn't handle being extra off balance by his own ignorance this way.

"That's a more complicated question than it might have once been," Leia said. "I was born a human, and in most ways I still am. However, thanks to certain circumstances in my both my own world and the other dimensional hub I was living in before I was brought here, I'm now technically alive, dead, and functionally immortal, all at the same time. The details are a rather long story and probably best saved until you're calmer, but I've gotten used to it even if I don't entirely understand it myself."

"As for being a Queen, it doesn't seem like the word holds quite the same meaning for me as it does for you, but I would have been one had I chosen to take up my mother's title. Aside from the aforementioned complicated circumstances though, what you're picking up on is most likely my connection to an energy field known as the Force. My biological father, my twin brother, my children, and myself are all among the most powerful Force-sensitives who ever lived, if not the most powerful. Which would almost certainly affect my 'psychic scent'."

He sat back, taking that all in. "Wouldn't have guessed Guardian from your psychic scent at all," he admitted easily. Though if his theory about the web tangling things so badly that he was encountering people he knew in another person's seemings... that did narrow down who she could really be by... a lot. The problem is every person he could think of that it would be narrowed down to was male. And one thing he was getting loud and clear from her was female. Still, he would have to watch for Uncle Saetan's manerisims in her. There were somethings that no Tangled Web could hide, given time. Though the thought that this Tangled Web not only succeeded in tangling up a Black Jeweled Warlord Prince with that much experience but survived the fall out from it was frankly terrifying. Though he was starting to pity whoever was behind this. When the family got through with them... what ever left would be dumped in the High Lord's lap...

"In my world Queen is not a title that can be passed along like that. It is a Caste. You are born a Queen or you are not. Just as I was born a Warlord. Caste also has nothing to do with power, that is Rank. And I can't get a read on yours at all because somehow my senses are agreeing with strong but also saying light at the same time, which frankly makes as much sense as Karla giving people warm sunny smiles." Which would be terrifying. "As for being among the most powerful in the history of your people" he now is thinking Uncle Saetan more than ever. Unless.. possibly Draca? But no, her speech patterns would have given her away already. "I'm used to it. You basically just described some of the people I love most in my life. My uncle, his kids specifically. In fact, until Daemon was born, Uncle Saetan was the strongest male in the history of the Blood." In case whoever was behind this somehow needed a reminder of the power waiting to thunder down on their heads. He couldn't wait to watch.

Leia smiled slightly. "Again, I'm not sure 'Guardian' means quite the same thing to you as it does to me," she said. "But I like the implications of the word, so I'll take that as a compliment." There were far worse things to be compared to than someone who protected others, in whatever capacity, after all.

She was quiet through the rest of his explanation, though, expression thoughtful. "Yes, I do tend toward the light," she said once he was finished. "When people in my family turn to darkness, it seldom ends well for anyone involved. And a great many people that aren't involved as well. But both light and dark are aspects of the Force, and despite what some might claim, which way a Force-sensitive person leans has no effect on their overall strength; it just usually determines how that strength is used."

"When I say my family were among the strongest Force-sensitives though, I'm not just speaking for the humans of one world. I'm speaking of an entire galaxy, with countless worlds and over five million officially recognized sentient species. The Force can manifest in any of them, though it's rarer in some than others. It is something you're either born with or you're not, but there are no particular caste systems that are built around it as far as I'm aware."

Someone who protected others... while that described uncle Saetan for sure, it wasn't inherent in being a Guardian. It honestly hadn't been a complement, or an insult, more a conclusion. Well, at least he knew the Protocol for making an Offering. "Just... know that I am used to Guardians, my uncle is one. So if you need anything... just ask. I know the proper Protocols."

"As to the rest..." he shook his head and ruffled his own curls again. "The Darker the Jewel, the stronger the Blood. That's just how it is. And when I talk about how Dark they are... I am including all the realms. And yes, across all species as well. The one thing we can agree about is that you are born with it or aren't. Landens can't learn to become Blood." Something dark went through his eyes for a moment as he recalled the case recently where it almost seemed that had happened. But he had been half-Blood. If Jaenelle or any of them had met him when he was younger... could they have stopped everything that had happened? Could they have saved everyone he destroyed? He sighed a bit.

"This whole being upset and emotional thing, I would like to get past it and going back to being my usual charming self please," he said. Not specifically to her or himself, just... said it.

Leia didn't particularly need anything from him at the moment, but saying so might sound arrogant or standoffish. So instead, she opted for a more neutral and polite, "I'll keep that in mind, thank you."

She listened to his explanation, taking note of the terms. 'Landen' was clearly a general term for people without powers like his and 'Blood' for people who did have them. And the more she listened the more she was convinced that the kind of Dark he was referring to wasn't exactly the same as the kind that had dogged her family for three generations. Though she made a note to ask about whether the 'Jewels' he referred to were physical stones or something more metaphorical.

"Yes, I have a feeling that would be best for both of us. How exactly could I help you go about doing that? I can sense that you've settled a bit, but obviously not as much as you'd like."

Edited 2022-08-28 17:09 (UTC)

"I don't know," he admitted. "If I was home it would be easy. A little time fussing over my wife of Jaenellle. Or making mulch. We've all gotten very good at making mulch," he said wryly. "Especially those of us who are married." His lips twitched slightly in amusement. Th Queens in the Dark Court all had very nice gardens. Sometimes he half wondered if Karla intentionally provoked the boyos just to get much for her own garden. Probably not. Probably just an added benefit of being Karla.

He took a deep breath, feeling a bit more tension ease out of him. But it was a stopgap measure at best and he knew it.

"The problem is that no one here is used to a Warlord. Though you should all thank the Darkness that if it had to be any of us, it was me dragged here. I'm fighting my own nature to step back from the line, but a Warlord Prince....?" He shook his head. "Frankly it is a wonder I've managed this long without a Queen. Very few Warlord Princes could have done the same. Half the people on this Train would be dead. Or they would. More likely both would be true." He shook his head again, feeling the tension creep back in. He turned his wedding ring, drawing on the physical connection to it, and all it implied. He also brushed lightly against the ring he wore hidden, feeling reassured by the responding thrum of Darkness there. Jaenelle's magic was still active. When he had said that if a Warlord Prince was here he might be killed after murdering half the Train.... hadn't been about the Warlord Princes of the Dark Court. There wasn't a person here who could get through the shields Jaenelle put into their rings, if they were activated. The only way one of them could die on this Train was to fail to activate the shields or let them fall. And dying that way would be extra stupid, given that Lucivar would tear any of them apart without hesitation for being that stupid. To say nothing of what the High Lord would do to what was left of them.

Because even if someone here could kill one of the Blood? No one here could finish the kill. He would have to really work if he truly wanted to return to the Darkness. And he wouldn't do that to his family and friends.

The air flashed hot as he tried not to think about the friend they'd lost because he hadn't shielded. About wishing he could have stood on the killing field with Kaelas and the others to avenge his friend. Kharry was among the least bloodthirsty people he knew, but on edge like this... Part of him wanted to see blood run. Wanted to be the cause.

He clenched his hands, trying to recenter himself.

"Well, I could Bend up some wood for you to make into mulch if we can't come up with something better just now," Leia said. "But even with the greenhouse car, there's only so much mulch that the train needs, and storage space is rather limited, so it would likely be best to come up with another solution, if we can."

"As for thanking the Darkness, I'd rather give credit where credit is due and thank you. Having the self control to fight against your own instincts when necessary for the sake of others is never an easy thing, no matter one's species, and it's a trait I find admirable. Regardless, though, you shouldn't have to do it alone."

She considered a moment. "You mentioned fussing over your wife; would it have to be your wife, or would fussing over someone else be helpful as well? Or alternately, I noted that politeness seemed to help a bit; would being polite past the point of me being able to be believably sincere about it be more helpful, or would that make matters worse?"

"Bend up some wood?" He felt like he was missing something important there. Though, "Storage isn't problem, I wear the Sapphire and lots of worlds we supposedly go to could use mulch. And if you're giving credit for my self control, more of it is due to my teachers than anything inherent in me." Having to explain yourself to the Steward of the High Court was something all the boyos avoided.

"It would have to be a female that accepts the fussing. Good grace isn't necessary, generally though," he added with a hint of a quirk of his lips. "We are drawn to serve, and serving helps. But it has to be someone we trust, and someone we agreed to serve." Which was part of the issue with Eva, but just part. "But any woman who isn't an enemy asking for a favour can help as well." He took a deep breath. "When Any of us are on the edge, the wisest thing is to trust in Protocol. But no one here seems to know it, which is concerning. And dangerous. Thankfully there is a lot of overlap between Protocol and good manners. As for being polite to the point where it is clearly sarcasm... I assure you no one does that as well as Karla. Well, maybe Daemon." Again his lips twitched in amusement. *****s fire, he missed home.

"Create some," Leia clarified. "Bending is the term for the process, since it is, effectively, bending reality. It involves a combination of will, imagination, and practice, and so far as I know, is an ability that can only be acquired in the dimensional hub I was living in before I was brought here."

She wasn't sure what his choice of jewelry had to do with storage not being an issue, but as for the rest, "And it would depend on the world and their particular needs. Though I suppose if all else failed, we could give the surplus to the Ministry and let them handle distribution. It would be better to find a solution not dependent on mulch, however."

"Well I don't mind asking for favors, or occasionally being fussed over. I've had to get somewhat used to the latter with 3P0 back home; he's what's called a protocol droid, ironically enough, and serves as what amounts to a combination of butler and translator most of the time. He can be a bit annoying sometimes, but fussing is how he shows he cares. And I've been told I can occasionally use a bit of fussing."

"While I admit I'm not familiar with your world's version of Protocol, I am willing to learn at least the basics of it. So if you're willing to consider me trustworthy enough, I'm willing to take you on and accept some fussing from time to time for as long as we're both here. Would that be acceptable?"

"I'll admit I didn't understand most of what you said at the beginning there. Which could just be revenge for all I know," he said with a bit more of a grin. "But at least I understand butlers." since he was aristo through and through. Leia might be shocked how few chores he actually knew how to do when he first arrived. Not that he was much better now. But hey, at least he could cook. And had been trying to trade other work for people to do his chores.

"A bit annoying but fusses to show he cares? At stubborn and snarly and you sound like the girls describing any of us," he said with a chuckle. Then he sighed. "I would love to take you up on that, and I am happy to teach. But... we don't know each other well enough to know if we'll be able to trust each other long term. And that... us what I need..." He considered, playing with his ring again, then he blinked. "I do have one idea how we could get more of a measure of each other though.... Do you play Chess, Lady?" he asked. And yes that was undeniably mischief and amusement in his eyes now, though there was still wariness under the surface.

No sane man would test a new friendship with a woman by playing chess with her. But then, Kharry never much cared if anyone saw him as sane. He wasn't in the Twisted Kingdom, and that was enough.

Leia chuckled slightly. "Hmm. Trust me when I say that if I ever have reason to seek revenge on you, you won't have to guess whether I am or not," she said. "But I can explain in more detail later if you have any questions; there are a number of things that I'm used to that may require a bit of explanation for others." Which was also true the other way around, as their conversation was proving.

"3P0 is stubborn in his own way, though not as much as R2. Though I think the only way you could get him to snarl would be if he were speaking Shyriiwook, which isn't necessary around me, since I'm fluent in it myself. It's not really a language meant for humanoid vocal chords though, so I'll refrain from giving a demonstration for now; I don't think I'd be able to maintain this calming effect in that language."

She quirked an eyebrow slightly when he asked about chess. It wasn't a method she usually used to test someone either, that much was obvious, but she saw no reason to refuse. "I do, as a matter of fact. Do you have a set with you?" If not she'd give him a demonstration of Bending after all. Normally she'd just go to the Games carriage and get one, but she didn't feel it wise to leave him alone just then.

He was very much getting the feeling that she'd get along with the Coven. Perhaps well enough that he should be glad they're apart. But at the same time, he wished he had Jaenelle's read on her. No one could get the measure of a person as well as she could.

But he put that and his confusion aside in favor of the one way he had to test his own instincts. He grinned a grin that clearly meant trouble. "Lady," he said the tone as if it was meant mostly respectfully, mostly, "I never go anywhere without a chess set. Even here. I suspect however that you, like most people on this Train, play a very different version of chess than I mean." His expression was all mischief and boyish delight now. "Because you agreed to play with me. Without snarling."

And with that his chess set appeared on the table between them. And true to his guess it wasn't quite like any chess set she was likely to have ever seen. The red and black pieces looked like they were carved of gem stones and, the board was 13 by 13 instead of 8 by 8.

"Do you want to play red or black?" he asked.

Edited 2022-08-30 02:25 (UTC)

Leia couldn't help but smile slightly herself at that grin. It reminded her a bit of Han, which in this case was a good thing. "I find that snarling tends to discourage people from wanting to play games under most circumstances," she said. "Which would be counter-productive at the moment."

When she saw the chess set though the eyebrow went up a bit further. "Apparently you're right; this isn't quite like any chess set I've ever seen. Though I can see why you prefer to keep it on you; whether or not the pieces are real gemstones, it's still a beautiful set." And likely pretty expensive too, though she opted not to comment on that. "And I'll take red, thank you. Though before we play you'll need to familiarize me with the differences between this version of chess and the one I'm used to." She was confident she could adapt, but best to know the rules before she got into the game.

"It was a gift from Uncle Saetan the birthday before I made the Offering to the Darkness. And I will be happy to teach. Alright, so the five rows closest to you are your Territory, and you can place your pieces however you wish before we begin. But I'm guessing you want the explanation of the pieces before you set your territory?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

She hoped that that 'Offering to Darkness' wasn't quite as sinister as it sounded, but opted not to comment. "Yes, please," she said. "Some of them I recognize, but others are unfamiliar. The pawns are easy enough to tell at least." She held up one of the smallest pieces. "I'm assuming they move the same way I'm used to; one space forward, except on their first move when they can move two, and capture one space forward diagonally?"

He had been wondering how she would react to naming the pawns, but she already knew about them. Ah well, most people, even the women he knew used the terms pawns. He still wondered of Lady Lia's aversion to it had been part of the culture of Dene Nehele at the time or not. He might have to ask Talon some time. Kharry was one of the few people in Kaleer who had the privilege of reading Jared's adventures with Lia. But by now everyone in Cassidy's court probably had every page memorized.

"Pawn's motion is based on proximity to the Queen. If she is within her Rank's worth of spaces from the pawn it may move two, otherwise one. No diagonals unless the Queen is in range too. Given how much of chess centers around the Queen, perhaps we should start with her?"

While Leia personally shared Lia's opinion when it came to people, when it came to chess sets, the smallest and most numerous pieces still needed a name. And frankly she highly doubted they, being chess pieces, would care what they were called. Though if Kharry ever told her the story, she would ask what Lia had called them instead.

She nodded, putting the pawn down and picking up the tallest- and only unique- piece. "Right here's a significant difference from the chess that I'm familiar with," she said. "Because in that game, checkmating the king is the goal, but this set doesn't have one, which means the conditions for winning must be different."

"What is a king?" he asked, head ducked down so he was looking up at her through his curls.

"In the case of chess, a second unique piece that starts out positioned to one side of the queen," Leia said. "Like the queen, the king can be moved in any direction, but unlike the queen, it can only be moved one space at a time. The goal of the game is to achieve checkmate; that is, to create a situation in which the opponent's king has no moves available that won't result in it being taken."

"Well... that is certainly different. There is no such piece here. The goal of the game is to protect your Queen." He watched her to see if she had the very typical female reaction to that statement he would have gotten back home.

It almost certainly wasn't, as her expression didn't change much from the mildly thoughtful one of someone taking in and processing new information they'd been given. "So the goal is to capture the opponent's queen, without letting your own be captured," she summed up. "Is the queen's range of motion the same as the chess I'm used to- any number of spaces in any direction- or is there a difference depending on certain circumstances?"

Leia was fully aware that she was likely already being tested, which was fine by her; that was the reason they were playing, after all. She was curious to know his thoughts so far. Meanwhile, she was similarly observing the young man across from her, gauging his questions and reactions. Already trying to guess what his strategy might be, so that she could plan her own accordingly.

His eyes twinkled with amusement as he worked his mind around her response. Very few people would give such a balanced reply. The female aggressive answer of capturing the other Queen mixed with the male protective answer. He wondered what Uncle Saetan would make of Leia. And was starting to suspect he'd sell half his clothes to watch the two of them play chess. Or Cradle. So long as no one ever learned who it was who had taught her to play in the first place.

He shook his head. "Any single direction, yes but she is limited by her rank. After we set our pieces we each roll the dice. If we tie, we roll again until we do not. The higher the number the Darker the Queen and the more spaces she can move in a turn, and the further from her her males can gain use of her abilities. Each number corresponds with a Jewel colour, of course." He was watching her. And not just to ensure that she was keeping up so far.

For Leia, at least, it was somewhat matter-of-fact. One couldn't very well capture the other player's queen if their own was captured in this game, so both had equal priority. But she caught the twinkle in his eye and sensed the amusement behind it. There was something unusual about her reply that had pleasantly surprised him. She made note of that as they continued.

She nodded slightly, showing that she was indeed following. "So one side starts with a distinct advantage over the other," she said. "Interesting twist. And one that adds an additional layer of strategy to the game, the same way a randomizer does in sabaac." She made a mental note to ask more about those jewels he kept mentioning later; she wanted to know more, but didn't want to get off track.

"Are all the other pieces considered 'male' then?" Some of them seemed vaguely more 'masculine' to her eye, but it was a bit hard to tell with chess pieces. "And what sort of abilities does the Queen grant to the other pieces? Does it vary depending on the piece, or is it the same no matter which one is using them?"

Where as he was making a mental note to ask what sabaac was later. "Not all, but most," he said. "The castles are genderless, they're just for protection and can't move," he said, pointing to the rooks. And the sanctuary which was much the same, he explained the differences. He then began to explain the other pieces. The Queen was the strongest piece, of course. The next strongest was the Warlord Prince, male. Then the Black Widow, a female piece that probably moves as peculiarly as a Knight in a more earth-like chess set. There were priestesses and healers which were both female pieces and had some useful potential to them They were of even rank with the Prince, a male piece who was more powerful in some ways, but less versatile. Then there were the Witches and Warlords, both of which were weaker still; Witches being females and Warlords being males. There were a few Blood females and then...

"And of course the Blood males, the ones you already identified as pawns, which is another name for them, of course," he said, watching her as he had throughout the whole explanation.

Leia listened as he explained the other pieces and how they moved, taking note of it as well as which were 'male' and which were 'female', nodding slightly at appropriate points to show she was following. At the last statement that 'Blood Male' was another term for a pawn, she quirked an eyebrow though. "Which term do you prefer?" she asked. "Probably best to agree on one before we begin."

"Me? Oh I'm fine with either, I don't go hissy cat over what a pawn is called," he said with a cheeky grin, still watching her.

"We'll go with pawns then, since that's what I'm more familiar with," Leia said. She was good at retaining new information, but one less thing to remember was always helpful in cases like this.

"Now, before we set up, are there any other specific rules or conditions that I should be aware of? For example, is pawn promotion done in this version of the game? And is it required that a player announce when they're putting the opponent's Queen under direct threat of capture the way it's required that a player announce that the opponent's King is in check in the version I'm familiar with?"

"I am not sure what you mean by promotion," he said, easily enough. But it is generally considered good play to inform the other when their Queen is in mortal peril."

Preplotting post for Kharry and Leia for VT

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And here I make up the rules for this part... >.>

Re: And here I make up the rules for this part... >.>

Re: And here I make up the rules for this part... >.>

Re: And here I make up the rules for this part... >.>

Re: And here I make up the rules for this part... >.>

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