The Estate, Sidra, Glacia, Thursday (Fandom Time)

[glacial_queen]

Winsol had been going on now for several days. The family had just decamped from SaDiablo Hall in Dhemlan back home to Glacia to continue the festivities in their own home. There would be several more days of formal events, but this evening was just for family and close friends (specifically friends close enough to be family). The children were

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[future_sandworm]

Leto raised his cup too, smiling at Karla. Hania had quickly joined the other children, no doubt trying to encourage them to participate in some game, and Alice had found some relatives of Karla to talk to. Neither Christmas nor this holiday held much meaning to him, but a celebration that brought family and friends together did.

"What are the formal events like?" Leto asked Karla, out of curiosity and not because he wanted to distract her from this evening, which was no doubt more enjoyable.

[glacial_queen]

"Stuffier," Karla said with a laugh. "A bunch of aristos trying to flatter me and maneuver for positions in my Circles. A few young bucks certain they can supplant Warren as my Consort. They seem to think that if I haven't married him after bearing his children, they somehow have a chance."

She gave Warren a warm smile before turning back to Leto. "There's dancing, interminable speeches, and a lot of gift-giving, which is a fancy way of sucking up to me. Not very much different than formal events in your court, I would assume."

[future_sandworm]

"Oh, it sounds very familiar," Leto said with a laugh. "I'm very glad I was invited to this evening instead." He added teasingly: "Unless you want me to subtly insult someone..."

[glacial_queen]

"When don't I?" Karla asked, grinning up to him and offering a glass of spiced rum for him to try. "I have an entire list of people who've pissed me off recently and where on that list they rank."

And also their social rank, caste, and Jewel rank in case Leto wanted to leave subtle behind and just be insulting.

"It'll be a fun diversion to see who realizes they've been insulted and then to find a way to respond that won't require me to interfere on your behalf."

Because they'd not only be insulting Leto, but a sitting monarch in his own right (even if they didn't quite understand what an 'Emperor' was). Sometimes, Karla loved politics.

[future_sandworm]

Leto accepted the glass and took a sip of the hot drink. "Now that does sound interesting." Karla no doubt recognized that mischievous look on his face.

They both knew ways to make politics fun, it seemed.

"I'm sure Alice wouldn't mind having conversations with them." Because how could they be rude to a foreign ruler's concubine without suffer the wrath of their Queen? And Alice quite enjoyed being deliberately confusing.

[glacial_queen]

The best part was how they would start by being confused at the idea of Alice being the Consort, not Leto. Being from a matriarchy was the best.

"Especially if we let it drop that we were thinking of becoming trading partners?" Karla said, dimples deep. "Watch them dance about trying to figure out how to best profit from our association and not do anything that would jeopardize that. Well, the Warlord Princes wouldn't much care, but then, there aren't many of those in my Court, so it's less a concern."

[future_sandworm]

Cultural differences like that was so much fun.

"Karla, won't this make the holiday so much more fun for you?" And Leto was so happy to help.

[glacial_queen]

"I can honestly say it would," Karla said, nodding. And holding her drink up high as a small blonde bit of baggage went dashing past, giggling in a way that signified she was almost certainly up to no good. "It would make an excellent Winsol gift if, say, someone were of a mind to give me one."

[future_sandworm]

Hania followed, giggling too. She tried to tug at Leto's hand, the one where he held the drink, but failed, and then disappeared again. Leto was about to scold her, but since she was already gone there was no point, was there?

"Haven't I already as good as promised you that gift?" How could he resist?

"Do I get one in return?" He didn't need one, but he wanted to hear Karla's response.

[glacial_queen]

"Good as promised is not the same as actually did," Karla reminded with a husky laugh. "And of course you would! The question is, what does one get the Emperor who already has everything?"

She eyed him thoughtfully for a few moments, sipping her rum as she turned over possibilities in her mind.

"A visit," she said slowly. "A visit of my brood to Arrakis to annoy and confound your courtiers...while I teach you how to play Kaeleeran chess."

A strategy game that had convoluted rules and bore only the faintest resemblance to the Earth game of the same name? She rather thought Leto might enjoy a bit bit of entertainment.

[future_sandworm]

Leto watched Karla as she considered her options, a smile on his lips. When she told him he laughed. "I couldn't think of a better gift, and I'm sure it will please both Alice and Hania too."

He turned very serious but there was still laughter in his eyes. "And as I always keep my promises," well, most of the time, "my offer of a gift still stands."

[glacial_queen]

"Oh no," Karla said, eyes dancing. "To Hania and Alice, I'm going to teach cradle."

Several males around the room groaned in unison as they heard the dreaded word.

[future_sandworm]

"What is that?"

He sounded just a little bit worried.

[glacial_queen]

"Just a card game," Karla said with an innocence that Leto didn't need to be prescient to see through. "A card game the coven used to play as children."

"Twenty-six varieties of a card game," Warren groused from where he was filling a plate with fruit and cheese to distribute to the children. "All you need to play is a game board, colored stones, bone discs, a deck of cards, and sadistic ingenuity." He gave a long-suffering sigh. "The basic rules are easy enough to understand, so the coven spent years coming up with a whole bunch of other rules to add or subtract on a whim."

[future_sandworm]

"And you want to teach this to Alice and Hania?"

The 'What have I done to deserve this?' needn't be said aloud, did it?

[glacial_queen]

She was just keeping your life exciting, Leto!

"Don't you think they'll like it?"

Karla, nobody was believing that face. Nobody at all.