The Winds of Change (Cecilia, 2nd)

"Well, I'll just have to practice as much as possible to improve." She smiles, tapping her chin with a finger as she examines the board. She moves a piece, taking one of his more prominent ones from a board above. She places it down on her side of the table.
 
Urteal purses his lips as he considers the loss of his piece, leaning sideways in his chair. His hand goes to glass, only to find both it and the bottle empty. He scowls, looking to his retainer. She returns the barest of non-committal shrugs, still spinning the kukri around in gauntleted hands. A forlorn sigh escapes the Dellebron's lips, and he slouches sullenly in the chair. Pale blue eyes flicker up to you, and Urteal suddenly flashes that jagged smile that doesn't reach his eyes, straightening up in his seat.


"So how is your research going?" he asks you, moving a piece as he does so.
 
"Slowly. I'm finding that not all research materials I have are unbiased. Books can only get you so far and many contradict themselves. So I've been trying to work on my own experiments to prove if events in magical historical texts can be debunked or proven. However, I'm restricted in doing that. My tutors are unwilling to let me experiment on my own but also not willing to let me attempt certain things while they supervise." She sighs. "I suppose they are right to be cautious but I really want to know it what I'm being told is fact or fiction."


Noting his empty bottle and glass, she offers a smile. "Would you like something else to drink? I'm sure I can having something brought up." She moves another piece in response.
 
"One of my ancestors, Dellebron Felicia, the first Grandmother after the War of the Three Dragons, she always believed that the artist should not fear the censor, the scientist should not be bound by petty morality, and the great should not be constrained by the small," mused Urteal, staring sullenly at his glass, placing it down upon the table with a clink.


"Then again, she was a sadistic sociopath who was a murderous pirate before becoming Grandmother, created and unleashed the Great Leviathan in the Sleeping Sea to strengthen Dellebron trade, and ruled both House Dellebron and the southern coast with an iron fist until the day she died,"


He looks at you with pale blue eyes, his expression unreadable in a manner oddly reminiscent of your father.


"My point is, is that depending on what angle you look at something from, depends on what the truth is. Even then, two or more truths are not always mutually exclusive. This would go especially for something such as unusual and intensely personal as magic. It's my understanding that even amongst practitioners of the same pattern, there is a myriad of ways that it can be looked at and explored,"


The Dellebron taps his chin, idly moving another piece.


"I'd suppose if you want to find out the absolute truth, you'd need to find out from the source and work your way down, though alas, magical theory and the history of the old gods is not exactly my strong suit. You'd want to talk to a Eotran monk, or a Hulbrad Chronicler, or possibly even a Rionic priest or something about that particular topic,"


His gaze lingers on the empty bottle, and he purses his lips.


"And... if you wouldn't mind, I would enjoy something else to drink. Preferably wine, but I would not say no to whatever your selection would be of choice spirits,"
 
"Hm." Cecilia muses, looking interested. "That's not a bad idea and they seem like good places for leads. Maybe once I have some breathing space..." She moves a pieces and then slips a small notebook from the pocket of her dress, noting down the three types of people possibly worth locating and asking. "Thank you, Urteal. I'll definitely keep that in mind." She smiles.


Nodding in agreement, she turns to Dell. "Dell, would you mind summoning one of the maids to bring some wine, please? Something from the best selection we have if they can."
 
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Dell bows slightly, disappearing out the door both quickly and silently.


"Much appreciated," replies Urteal, moving another piece, and continuing his relentless assault. "You know, this is probably the most I've spoken to someone who wasn't a client, servant, or family in some time," he muses idly, pursing his lips as he considers the board.
 
"I hope I'm company enough." Cecilia smiles, watching the board and then moving another piece. It seems she's been playing defensively for the last little while but she's attempting a trap ploy and isn't sure if he's spotted it yet or not. She's already taken one piece to throw him off.


"Of course, I know the feeling. Friends are hard to come by who are genuine. I'm lucky I have Dell and Helmine, even if they were both given to me."
 
He shakes his head, humor draining from his face.


"One can never trust-" announces the Dellebron, passing a piece through several of your own. "-an honest man,"


"A dishonest one can always be trusted to be dishonest, but an honest man..." Urteal smiles at you, gathering the fallen pieces from the board.


"...is just a betrayal waiting to happen,"


It seems his assault was forcing you into a trap of his own, fully aware and relying on your own trap in order to work. With it in play, he's taken the main bulk of your forces, and left your king wide open.
 
Cecilia looks at the board, her pieces now mostly gathered on his side and her King unprotected.


"Using my play against me. I should have known." She smirks across at him, shaking her head at herself. He was very good at this.


The rest of the game seemed to be a matter of her trying to rally her last few pieces before the inevitable end. But two of her pawns had reach his side of the board while he was focused on the bulk of her forces. He now had two Queens right at the back in the center of his own pieces.


"Of course, it's easy to miss something small if you're constantly focused elsewhere." She moves one. "Check."
 
Quietly, Dell reappears, a thin bottle clasped in her cold hand. Gently, she pops open the lid, pours Urteal a glass before setting it on the table next to him. She bows silently, and returns to her place behind you.


Urteal raises his eyebrows as he examines the vintage, briefly swirling the liquid about before a perfunctory tasting. Savoring the flavor for a moment, there's a brief smile.


"Ah, much better," admits the Dellebron, expressions brightening ever so slightly. "My thanks Miss Arrington,"


"Now," he continues, placing the glass down and leaning forward in his seat. "Where were we?"


With deft hands, he begins his counter, trying to move his king away while taking advantage of your open layout. The results are suitably messy as far as casualties on his side is concerned, but he manages to take out one of your queens.
 
"Thank you, Dell." Cecilia smiles at her before returning to the game.


She grins despite the loss of one of her Queens. Between the two of them it's turned into quite an interesting game, at least for her. Neither side is giving way and both have suffered heavy loss. It's almost evenly matched, with Cecilia using her knowledge of the upper boards to her advantage, but Urteal certainly has experience on his side. "You know, I think it's been a while since I've found a game of chess so much fun." She laughs.


She surveys her remaining pieces but an assault on his King would leave her possibly wide open with only one Queen left. But retreating would put her in a corner and that would be nearly impossible to break from, upper boards or not. She drums her fingers on the table before making a decision and moving. She's going for the assault.
 
"It's been a while since I've played," admits the pale man, taking another drink. "And as I've said, I've never quite played this variant. I have once played Temporal Chess with a Chronomancer, then watched her play it with her wife, who happened to be a Seer,"


He grimaces slightly, pouring himself another glass.


"I have to admit, that while interesting in concept and description, I wouldn't recommend either. Of course, unless you enjoy migraines,"


Your Queen works through his remaining forces, leaving little behind, and the King is in sight.
 
"Not particularly, though that does sound incredibly fascinating." Cecilia laughs. She is being careful now, her Queen has done well but she is wary of any last minutes traps that might be sprung. Not seeing any immediate danger, she makes her move.


"Check." She smiles at him. "How is your wine? You seem to be enjoying it."
 
"A little sweeter than what I'm readily disposed towards, but fine nonetheless. Care to try some?" he offers, picking up another glass.


As you move your Queen further and further in, the King always just seems at the edge of your control, until you suddenly notice Urteal placing a simple pawn in range of your King.


"Check,"
 
"Thank you, I will." Cecilia smiles at the offer of trying the wine.


Watching the board, she realized when he had placed the pawn and so herself in check she had fallen for the same thing she had played before. Now she was on defense, moving to spare her King from being captured.
 
Pouring with an even hand, the Dellebron passes over a tumbler of pale golden liquor. Even as it comes close, you can smell the low tang of alcohol, accompanied by the sharper smell of fruit.


It's much harder now. With so much of you remaining forces in his territory, Urteal is forcing you back, effectively cornering your King, and leaving you with little ability to focus his own. Every turn of his is beginning to end with a "Check".
 
Cecilia took the glass of wine, taking a sip of it. It was sweet and pleasant, though she quickly found the aftertaste of the alcohol on the back of her tongue and feeling the slow burning warmth as it hit her stomach. Not unpleasant but more for those with an acquired taste. She put it aside to sip at, her predicament on the board needing more of her attention.


He was cornering her King, but she hadn't been retreating in just any direction. Another check and then she didn't touch her King. She moved a Bishop across the middle board and stood it in the way, sacrificing it for a turn to move elsewhere.
 
He doesn't take the Bishop. He waits, moving his own King deeper into the remnants of his gathering forces.


"I do try and avoid the majority of the negative Dellebron stereotypes, but alas, a willingness to alcohol has never been one I've been particularly fond of divorcing myself from," he tells you, draining another glass.
 
"I was curious but it felt rude to ask. It doesn't affect you like it does humans, right?" She asks. Her Queen makes a move to go after his King now that hers is not cornered as badly.


"I mean, you don't suffer from wine sickness after?"
 
The Dellebron shakes his head.


"We of House Dellebron are intensely resistant to poisons and various toxins, though even we would have some difficulty processing things created by your ilk," he explains, beginning to fill his tumbler anew.


"Not only that, but because of the strange, divine nature of our ancestry, our bodies do not always conform to biological or physical restraints," Urteal tells you, pursing his lips as he looks over the game board, one clawed hand rubbing a shaven chin.


"I have no internal organs save those in my skull, my sister's flesh is made up of snow and her heart of crystal, and my mother bled liquor. For some of us, drinking alcohol, especially the harder varieties, is actually healthy,"


"For others of us however, do just drink for the same reasons mortals do," he finishes, ensnaring your Queen as soon as you make your attempt. Another ploy of the easy prey, one Urteal seems quite fond of.
 
Cecilia pouts when her Queen is snatched up. She got too eager to finish the game on her terms and fell for it. She picks up the wine glass and takes another mouthful as she looks at the angles left for her to play by.


Her King still isn't in check, that's good. For now.


She moves her Rook and sits back. She's not giving up yet but she's on the losing side of this now. She's still going to take as many of his pieces down as she can before the end.


"That's incredible." Cecilia admits on the subject of Dellabron differences, giving a smile. "I feel rather mundane in comparison to such descriptions of your family. I can only imagine how beautiful skin of snow must look on someone."
 
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Urteal tilts his head as he considers the movements you've been making, and the edges of his lips quirk up in the slightest of smiles.


"Some wear it better than others. My sister is definitely something to behold, but it would be far from the truth to class you and yours as mundane," he explains, drinking another few swallows of wine.


The net of the Dellebron's forces close in on you, seemingly sacrificial pawns to grind down the last of your units. He's not great off, but better off than you.


"Still, if it irks you that much, you are a rather well off spire noble," continues Urteal nonchalantly. "Altering or even reconstructing your appearance with more... fanciful phenomena in mind is well within your means, especially now that we're visiting Cree Spire,"


"Check, by the way,"
 
Cecilia laughs. "While I feel mundane next to such descriptions, that isn't to say I'm not comfortable in my own skin. Half-deafness soon to be dealt with of course." She pets Helmine affectionately. "And amid commentary on my lack of curves that has someone worried." She teases the serpent, tickling under her chin. "Maybe you should feel flattered if I'm that close to your own shape, Helmine." She jokes.


She observes the board, her King now back in check, there's little left to defend him. She moves him to get out of check but it's rapidly ending here. The last throes of desperation before the end. "I think this is the longest game I've played in a while. It's fun." The young woman grins, sipping her wine again.
 
"I don't know," murmurs Helmine contemplatively, leaning into your fingers before throwing a glance in Urteal's direction. "Do you think Cecilia is in any way full figured, or more approaching a rather thin, featureless figure?"


Urteal purses his lips, draining his glass as he regards the serpent, the board, and you.
 
Cecilia starts laughing again, a little more relaxed thanks to the wine she's been drinking. "Helmine, maybe it isn't an appropriate thing to ask of our guest. Given how soundly he is defeating me at our game, perhaps we should be answering his questions instead." She looks across at the man. "I have been terribly curious of you, Urteal, I hope I've not been rude."
 
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