faderift | open | with the sound of my heart

[ Athessa looks up at Byerly, no need to pretend to be surprised by his appearance. Not that she jumps or shrieks or anything, she just didn't expect him to loom like that. ]

You think so? [ There we go, channel the surprise into pretending that he's not bluffing for her. ]

[ Alexandrie, of course, had seen him coming, and had studiously avoided acknowledging him for the theatrics of welcoming him now. ]

Why, my Lord Ambassador!

[ It’s a purr of delighted reproof, just this side of appropriate for public hearing. She closes her hand as if it were a fan and rests it against her chest “protectively”, eyes warm and bright with mirth as she scolds. ]

Should you like to be dealt in, or are you well pleased by towering over ladies and looking at their cards?

Very well pleased.

[ He grins at her over Athessa's head. ]

Don't let her hustle you for your money, my lady.

Or do, ya know...If you want to.

[ It's not like they're playing for real coin anyway. Athessa leans forward to draw a new card...and plays it face down. She can't be sure that Byerly is on her side, just because he's bluffing for her. ]

I should be delighted if she managed it.

[ A little smile for Athessa as she marks the way the play is hidden. The hand comes back out, spread again into an open fan, and she makes a pretty little moue of thought at it. ]

I should recommend switching to more defensive choices one or two turns after your dubious ally appears. If the Lord Ambassador is indeed terribly charmed by me and has come to play on my behalf, you must not let him know you immediately suspect him.

[ She pulls a card, tucks it neatly into her hand, and discards something of comparatively high value with an eyelash bat for Byerly before returning her gaze to Athessa. ]

Now; tell me everything you saw me do since his arrival, and why I might have done it.

You're such an exhibitionist.

[ Byerly, still unmoving from where he's perched above Athessa's chair, grins at Alexandrie. ]

Go on, indulge her, Athessa.

Only what I saw? Or what I heard, too?

[ It's equal parts facetious and not, considering she may be expected to read body language when she can't hear what's being said, or vice versa.

The next card she draws goes into her hand, replacing one that doesn't match any of the others. Now she has two knights, at the very least. Perhaps Byerly spying over her shoulder truly is a benefit, because she's distracted enough by the sense of him looming that she doesn't make a face about the cards. ]

Ah, s'il vous plaît, pardonnez-moi my lord; I know how delicate your sensibilities are. [ Such a weight of sympathy in that smile~ ] You may cover your ears if you feel my instruction becomes too indecent.

[ She picks up another card, hums at it, and lays it face down in front of her. ]

Only what you saw, first.

[ It's how she was taught: separate things out, it becomes easier to compare them to see if they match. That and as Athessa is thinking; perhaps one can only see, perhaps one can only hear. ]

We know that whatever you heard will be impressive, with those great big ears of yours.

[ It's said with such obnoxious cheer that it'd be hard to take proper offense at it. Byerly. You know. ]

What?? [ Asked loudly enough to convey being hard of hearing.

But then back to the question at hand. ]

You lit up, which I assume is because you're besotted, tucked your cards like this — [ She uses her left hand to tap her cards into a stack within her right hand, then moves her right the mere inches necessary to press the cards to her chest. ] — even though Byerly wouldn't be able to see them from over here, because... well, if he's here to help me, you want him to be more keen to look at you and be distracted, and knowing him, the best way to do that other than causing a scandal would be to act scandalized at the idea of him seeing your hand.

[ She carefully fans her cards out again, using both hands again, and uses that moment to think further on what she saw and what the reasoning could be. ]

If you didn't know Byerly, I'd say you were acting coy to pique his interest for other reasons.

You made this face — [ She makes an attempt at replicating Lexie's moue, then shakes her head when it doesn't seem quite right. ] — which would be an indication of... strategy, I think, but then you batted your lashes at By, which I kinda feel means you've played a little joke of some kind.

[ She laughs softly for besotted, and nods along. ]

Can you think of another reason a lady with a décolletage like mine might take the opportunity to close her hand and press it to her chest?

Firm. Ample. The color of rich sweet cream.

[ Helping. ]

Well, if his eyes follow your hand, you could cover a glance elsewhere, maybe signal with your other hand or the tap of your foot. Or —

[ She discards a card based on how much she likes the art on it and draws another. ]

— to slip a little something in your décolleté for later.

[ Please let that be the right word. Athessa smiles at Lexie, fairly confident that she did well, even if she's not winning the card game. ]

[ The glance she bestows upon Byerly for his 'help' is that particular sort of warm exasperation that promises pleasant recompense later on in the evening. When her gaze returns to Athessa it remains warm, but shifts to approval. ]

Exactement! A lovely opportunity to see which parts of me those at the table are watching, improve my hand, perhaps lure you into believing that my attention has been captured and thus it might be a safe juncture to make some hand improvements of your own...

[ She waves her hand: and so forth. ]

And what you heard in our exchange?

Wit. Charm.

Do you want a play-by-play, or am I looking for a point?

The former; I find it a useful practice to simply set out observations before attempting to piece together the full meaning.

[ She draws, slips the new card neatly into her hand, ]

And if you speak each step aloud, it aids me in learning how and what it is you notice.

[ Another card placed face-down before her. ]

Our dear Ambassador has already said 'wit' and 'charm', so you shall have to start elsewhere.

That's right. No copying off me.

[ Athessa sighs and shifts in her seat to rest her left arm on the back of the chair — and accidentally elbows Byerly in the process. Not hard, but notable.

She clears her throat and pitches her voice up slightly, adopting a vaguely Orlesian accent. ]

Why, my Lord Ambassador! Should you like to be dealt in, or are you well pleased by towering over ladies and looking at their cards?

[ Pitched down, now, and more Fereldan. She holds one finger across her upper lip to represent a mustache. ]

Very well pleased. Don't let her hustle you out of your money, my lady.

[ Back to Orlesian-ish. ]

I should be delighted if she managed it.

[ Then, in her normal voice: ]

And then you recommended switching to defensive plays one or two turns after the appearance of a dubious ally. If he's actually here to help you, I shouldn't let him know that I suspect him from the get-go.

[ Alexandrie laughs delightedly. She'd meant more generally— tone, subtext, other such things— but opting for full recall is even better. ]

Ah, you have been playing listening games with Bastien! And I see you grow a mustache quite quickly these days.

[ She leans forward to better whisper to Athessa in loud conspiracy. ]

Alors dis moi, what do you think. Has Monsieur l'Ambassadeur come here to play on your behalf or mine?

[ It's half a facetious question, but not entirely without merit. Even if he'd only come over to join them for conversation, it hardly takes Byerly any time at all to get his elegant fingers all covered in mischief. ]

[ Byerly recovers from his grand wince at that elbow to his midriff, leaning forward to say - ]

Oh, I can't wait to hear what she says in response to this.

[ Athessa purses her lips in thought and, having leaned forward to hear Lexie's stage whisper, leans back to look up at Byerly. Assessing. ]

I think he's here because he got bored, and now that he knows we're playing, he'll play on behalf of his own entertainment.

[ In other words: pourquoi pas les deux? ]

Monsieur l’Ambassadeur?

[ She tilts her head at Byerly with a smile, obviously inquiring after confirmation. ]

[ He grins and blows two kisses, one for each of them. ]

Precisely so. Because the game is low-stakes. I am on the side of nothing but chaos, because chaos is a delight. Now, if the outcome of the game actually mattered, that might be a different story. You cannot, alas, use the information you've learned about me here and apply it to a different situation - if you're surveilling a target, you must be certain to observe him in many different circumstances. 'Tis the doom of many an amateur, drawing conclusions based on insufficient knowledge.

Then I suppose it's a good thing that I've observed the both of you under a range of circumstances.

[ She taps her fingertips against her cards, and tips her head in concession. ]

By the same token, you've both seen me in a gamut of circumstances. Does that make the odds better or worse?

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