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It's been made clear that I'm not the only one who enjoys a good game here. Tell me, darlings, what sorts of games do you play best?

[ What sorts of games she's even talking about is questionable. Political games? Board games? Video games? She won't specify but she will take all answers. After all, it's good to find out just what sorts of things people are up to.

What sorts of games she prefers are clearly the ones she wins, if the fact that she's dressed in a bathing suit and appears to be leaning over the edge of a.. jacuzzi... with a glass of wine set next to it... has anything to say about that... ]

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Well, then that's an offer I can't refuse. You can count on me making an appearance.

I'll see you then, darling.

[ Much to Loki's irritation, it had taken the entire morning to gain clearance to leave the hospital ward. The nurses had insisted that he was physically capable of returning to his own cell after only two days, yet the process of being discharged had been arduous and downright ridiculous.

By the time he had made himself look presentable and began his trek to the F block it was already past lunch hours. On most days this would have further soured his mood -- he did like to keep schedule, after all -- but his meeting with Anastasia was cause for exception.

Finding the ward where she resided was hardly a difficult task. He knocked on the door once before placing his hands behind his back. He assumed she would be timely enough to answer on the first knock. ]

[ Anastasia apparently has decided that she cannot be bothered to open the door herself. Instead, her voice can be heard from behind the door. After all, she's playing with a red and white chess set granted to her along with the room and a number of other items. She's playing with herself, but this is clearly more important than answering the door in person.

She's used to having someone else answer it for her, what can she say? ]

Enter!

[ Loki shook his head and quietly laughed to himself. Of course the Queen would think herself too important to answer her own door. At her affirmation he opened the door and closed it behind him in one graceful motion, his usual amused smile plastered on his face. ]

Your Majesty.

[ He braced his wound with his left hand and offered her a playful bow. A little pain was an easy price to pay for a touch of mischief. ]

[ Anastasia made one more move on the chessboard even after Loki entered and bowed before finally looking up at him. The past day or so has had quite a few events since she last spoke to him, particularly speaking with Will and Second. Her mood appears to not quite be the same as the previous day, but it could easily be misconstrued as her concentrating on the game-- especially since she smiles up at him once she does look up. ]

It's about time, darling. Trouble on the way out?

Something like that.

[ He straightened and once again placed his hands behind his back. He approached Anastasia at a leisurely pace, considering the meaning behind her actions and vaguely uncharacteristic demeanor. It was easy enough to guess why she was playing by herself; all with power were, in the end, alone. Why she appeared to be in a mood was still up in the air, though he suspected he would eventually find out.

He leaned forward, studying the chess board from over her shoulder. ]

May I ask who is winning?

[ She almost wanted to tell him to leave at the impudent question. She wasn't particularly in the mood for their usual banter, but she knew that if she didn't put up with it it would be more obvious that something was wrong than it likely already was. The problem with masks were that the eyes were still always visible. ]

Red always wins, darling.

Does red win because it is worthy, or because it stains every white thing it touches?

[ Was he aware that such a remark would likely exacerbate her mood? Yes. Did he care? No. ]

[ Her eyes turned to Loki in that moment as she moved her bishop to a new spot and took one of the white knights. Even playing herself, Anastasia always had more difficulty with white's moves than red's. She'd assumed it was preference of color. Loki's statement, however, seemed to foul her mood a bit more. ]

I do not see a reason it cannot be both.

[ That wasn't entirely true and she knew it. ]

[ Had Anastasia shared her insight on masks with him, he would have agreed. Every mask had its holes, and he could see right through hers. It was evident by the look in her eyes that there was something just below the surface she wasn't keen on letting him know about. It was similar to the vague glimpse of weakness he had seen in her the first day they had met, though this time it undoubtedly ran much deeper. ]

I think we both know that isn't the case.

[ Her lips scrunch up for a moment before she stands up and moves in front of him. Despite being much shorter, she certainly doesn't feel it. ]

Red can always taint white, swiftly and with ease, as it can with any other color. So do be kind enough to imply something about my worth once more, darling.

Edited 2014-02-10 06:09 (UTC)

[ He raised his eyebrows and leaned back slightly in an effort to feign genuine discomfort at the Queen's sudden approach. Though she held a formidable presence, he was more entertained than anything else; to see people unravel like this was what Loki lived for. That he had sent her over the edge with so few words was positively fascinating. Whatever it was she was angry about went far beyond superficial banter. ]

I didn't know your personal identity was so synonymous with a board game.

[ Provoking her a bit further wouldn't hurt. Just how far would she go? ]

[ It was likely that Loki would hear the connection between the back of her hand and his face before he realized just what had happened. Before the sharp sting would set in and before he realized that despite being small physically, she had quite the arm. ]

Do not disrespect me then pretend to play yourself for an idiot!

[ Okay, it had hurt.

For just a moment, Loki's own mask had fallen off. To say that he was surprised by her strength was an understatement, and his face clearly showed it if only for a fraction of a second. He was hasty to make a recovery, and despite the sting spreading across his face he forced an amused smile. It was what he had been raised to do, after all. Smile no matter what. ]

Yet again you prove yourself. It seems my words were out of place.

[ Even if it had caused him pain to procure it, Loki was not displeased with his position; his reward had been another piece of the puzzle that was The Red Queen Anastasia. He had tested her limits on a small scale, and though he was yet to know her secret he was another step closer to figuring out just what made her tick. ]

Edited 2014-02-11 03:26 (UTC)

[ It would appear that smacking him across the face didn't do much to improve her mood, her face still contorted into a displeased grimace as she attempted to reason with herself that Loki was not, in fact, the one at fault here. Even if smacking him didn't actually make her feel much better, she did derive some pleasure from the surprised look on his face.

Anastasia clearly didn't approve of his actions, not bothering to hide it at this point. ]

That they were, darling. Do not mistake me for fool enough to believe you to little more than the village idiot or I will not hold back the next time.

[ Loki tilted his head ever so slightly, his smile only growing at her steady loss of control. Her mask was slipping, slipping. Just what would it take to make it come crashing to the ground? He moved slightly closer, his eyes carefully studying hers. ]

So what you're asking of me is honesty.

I don't expect honesty of anyone, but I do expect you not to treat me as an imbecile.

[ As lovely as the mask she wore was built, it had always been a fairly flimsy one. Easy to crack, but fall? Loki would not be the first to try. ]

As you wish. My most humble apologies.

[ He stepped back, feeling no need to be so close to her if they were not going to be engaging in threats. Really, his intentions were not as malicious as they may have seemed; he merely needed to know her strengths and limits, as he did every other person in this prison. ]

If I am pardoned, perhaps we should speak on other matters.

[ She appreciated the "if," not assuming that she would. Perhaps it was on purpose, but she would take it. The Queen calmed down considerably, that smile returning to her lips as though it had never left at all. ]

Would you care for a glass of wine?

[ Of course it had been on purpose. Loki knew how to pull people's strings just as well as any puppeteer. ]

You would have me stay even after my faux pas?

If I didn't want you here I'd walk you over to the balcony and tell the guards you had an accident.

[ That's a you're getting wine. She's going to go get it, since he only has one useful hand so he can't very well be expected to get wine on his own properly. ]

Edited 2014-02-13 04:51 (UTC)

I'll watch my step.

[ The pure absurdity of her statement made him chuckle. How the Queen thought she could ever manage to push him off the balcony was a notion laced with amusement. She may have been stronger than he had expected, but the physical advantage was undeniably his. ]

You really don't have to serve me, your Majesty. I am capable.

[ Physical advantage, sure. Anastasia wouldn't let that stop her if she really wanted someone off the balcony. Words and a well-positioned bit of leverage could take care of that. ]

Unless you're volunteering to take the role of servant, you are my guest, darling.

[ Says the woman who wouldn't answer the door for him. ]

[ While that was true, the Queen was hardly aware of Loki's full arsenal of trickery. He was a difficult man to fool, and an even more difficult one to trap. ]

I think I will have to decline your offer for the time being. I have my hands full enough with one job I'm afraid.

[ It didn't surprise him that she wanted servants. Before she became a prisoner she likely had dozens of them at her disposal. ]

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