Cabbages and KingsIndex | Time Under Chaos | Game Logs | PreGameLogs | Cabbages And Kings Continued from Chadwick Plot Begins to Thicken "Sorcha and I have already eaten, Morgan. We were looking to take some coffee on deck before engaging in a traditional chess match." Ingrey explained. "I'll be happy to join you for the pre-chess foreplay," Morgan said. "And I'm sure someone will be happy to bring me nibblies while we're out there. Onward, onward, into glory." He smiled at Sorcha, "Always a pleasure to see you, beautiful," he said. The redhead smiled. "And it is always an adventure to see you, Captain." "Adventure is a wonderful way to describe dealings with Morgan." Ingrey agreed. "Shall we all obtain coffee and, as you say, Morgan, nibblies? I should like to speak to you on your latest adventure." "The one with the countess and her twin daughter and son? I didn't think anyone knew about that. Your intelligence network is better than I thought. Lead on, lead on, I follow." Morgan took a position on the other side of Sorcha from Ingrey and linked an arm in hers. "I am yours to command, a prisoner to beauty and cunning. Lead on. I have told you once, I have told you twice, what I tell you three times..." Ingrey raised an eyebrow but said nothing as Morgan took the familiarity with Sorcha. Instead, his first words were to complete the couplet. "is true." Ingrey said. "Do you claim to be a Djinn, now, Morgan?" Ingrey said. Morgan chuckled. "Could be," he said. "There's those as say I could live in a bottle." Ingrey lead them to where all three could obtain coffee with the aid of Melanie, and once obtained, he walked with his Favorite, and with Morgan to the deck, coffee in hand. He waited for each of them to enjoy a sip before he turned to Morgan. "The adventure I wanted to ask you about is the one which has resulted in the very precious and naive son of Florimel aboard the Queen tonight." Ingrey said. "I can't see his Majesty initiating such an idea, which means that it's yours," he said to Morgan. "You might want to visit the physician in the Embassy; she's used to dealing with relapses of Logrus Madness, she might be able to help you, given that you are almost certainly mad to have brought Chadwick here." "Or" Ingrey took another sip. "you're either trying to play him, or force Flora into a play on the board. Which is it, Morgan?" "Ingrey, master of the deep game," Morgan said with amusement. "You know, one of the absolute joys in not giving a hang about politics or the consequences of my actions is watching everyone trying to figure out reasons for what I do." He slipped a flask from a back pocket, deftly opened it one handed and poured a liberal amount of a golden liquid into the coffee. He gestured towards the two of them with the open flask. "Brandy?" he asked. Ingrey shook his head, "I've already had a lovely imbibement of the wine of the Queen, and I fear your brandy would not prove to be the most pleasant of chasers in this circumstance." He took another sip of his coffee. "It has not escaped me that you've avoided my question, Morgan." Ingrey said. "Not that I don't think the boy does not deserve some diversion, and the young woman with whom he is paired will suit admirably, but his mother will be quite cross at the news of her son's deflowering." "If you are doing it merely of idle diversion, then it is a waste of a move on the game board, for you *will* cause Flora to react." Ingrey stopped, took a sip of the coffee and then continued, "And it is a lack of respect not only for Florimel," Ingrey said, "but for Chadwick himself." Morgan closed the flask as adeptly as he'd opened it and slipped it back into his pocket. He took a long sip from the cup. "Ahhhhh," he sighed. "That's good." "Lack of respect for Chaddie, huh?" he said then. "I'd think deliberately infantalizing him, keeping him emotionally and physically dependent on his mother long after he should have begun to learn more about the world, and making him the butt of jokes among the rest of his cousins is much less respectful than taking the first steps to cut those apron strings. I don't know why Auntie Flo wants him kept so woefully ignorant, but I do know that ignorance is never good for the poor fool who's being kept ignorant. Whether it's just her mothering instinct gone unwholesomely berserk, or whether she's planning a virgin sacrifice of royal blood to dark and hungry gods, I don't care." He stopped then, and takes another sip. "Sorry, got a bit carried away there. Let's just say I don't like the way she treats the boy, and leave it at that." Ingrey listened carefully as Morgan spoke, and finally broke his quiet expression with a nod as he finished. He didn't quite smile, but there was a bit of a light in Ingrey's eyes. "That is all I wished to know, Morgan," Ingrey said. "Chadwick's welfare is a reason, and by the Serpent, a damned good one, to do it. I was concerned," Ingrey took another sip of the coffee, "that you were doing it just out of an idyll, rather than for a reason. "I can't speak as to Florimel's motivations." Ingrey continued. "Certainly, there are Houses in Chaos, and shadows by the score where her behavior would only be ordinary and in keeping with tradition. Here, though, it is anomalous, and possibly dangerous for Chadwick's future. "Ignorance is the greatest weakness." Ingrey finished, nodding. Morgan shrugged and looked out over the water at the distant lights of other vessels. "We all have to grow up," he said. Ingrey shook his head slightly. "Not completely correct, Morgan Deirdreson. Not everyone has to grow up or even manages to do so, but it would be well for the boy if he finally did. "Florimel's anger, and perhaps revenge, will be full of wrath. But perhaps, with such a lovely lady on my arm, we should speak of other things." He gave a smile to Sorcha and squeezed her arm protectively, slightly possessively and definitely affectionately. "Whom do *you* favor here, Morgan?" Ingrey inquired. "Alas, she is claimed," Morgan answers with a smile at Sorcha. Sorcha laughed. "You are such a tease. The Captain is an equal opportunity visitor. Although I really believe he enjoys every opportunity to get Antonia's blood pounding." Ingrey raised an eyebrow and nodded to Morgan and didn't quite smile but he seemed amused. "I suspect that a shop that sells breakable items owes some of its business to your provocations of Antonia, then. You are aiding the economy of Amber City. I am sure that someone with Trade experience like Larissa Ericsdottir could calculate it precisely." Morgan nods complacently, taking another sip of his fortified coffee. "Yeah, she wants me, and she's fighting it. Poor girl. Eventually I shall take pity on her and give in to her desires." Sorcha coughed. "Yes," she smiled.. "I'm sure that's exactly the problem. How very astute of you, Captain." Ingrey blinked slightly at Morgan's replied. Sorcha's smile allowed him the space to incline his head respectfully. "Your self confidence, Morgan, is a dangerous combination with your charm and skills." "That's me," Morgan answered with a smile. "Morgan the Dangerous." He swigged the last of his coffee down and set the cup on the rail of the deck, perilously near the edge. "Now, ambassador, I know you and the lovely lady had some game playing to get to. So unless I'm being invited to share in your activities..." he winked at Sorcha once more, "... I should be seeking my own diversion for the evening. Unless there was something else you wanted to ask? Or say?" "No, Morgan, you've sufficiently assuaged my suspicions as to the reasons why you brought Chadwick here, and it would be poor form for myself to delay you any further in finding your own bliss here on the Queen tonight. "Until we meet again, Deirdreson," Ingrey raised his cup of coffee toward Morgan, and took another sip. "Ingrey." Morgan inclined his head to the diplomat, then stepped forward and took Sorcha's hand in his. "Sorchaaa," he breathed, bringing her hand up as he bent and lightly brushed it with his lips. He released her and smiled once more at both of them. "Pleasant games," he said, before turning and leaving. "Now, where were we...?" Ingrey was heard to enquire of Sorcha, as Morgan slipped away to his own pleasures of the night. --
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