aperitif

And yet, as lovely and warm and drunk as she was, of course the finer details flowed past her like the warm amber liquor she was nursing. "Kaicho? You and the Empress moved... and changed titles?" she said, her words slow and thick. The fire spat and flickered between them, making the spattered markings on his body writhe with light and shadow; it looked as if they moved along his fur with a mind of their own. "That's awfully strange," Theory added, now thinking almost completely out loud. "The rest of the Empire is on the mainland. Why would you travel so far from your allies? Your area of control?" It was true, it felt like every time she turned around there was another splinter pack from Ashen. They had become the great hydra of Boreas, each head reporting to the Empress. It would take a man of a true, singular desire to turn his back on that. To have nearly the entire continent within his grasp and turn away. "Or is the change of name because you've both retired now? Eh? A tropical retreat? Have you become snowbirds, south for the winter?" She laughed at her own not-quite-joke. Oh, it was all over her head.

"Would you like a drink?" she added, rather abruptly. Theory stood, pleased that she wasn't swaying, and stepped aside to reveal the other four decanters she'd bartered for. "I have plenty to share." He may be alone, but he was spoken for. A safe bet. It wasn't like he'd ever shown a flicker of emotion in her presence. Theory would pay something precious to see a kernel of something in his expression. It just wasn't natural to be so... flat. If he ever smiled, she'd be completely bowled over. Maybe he would loosen up with a drink or two.