[ Yeah, he’s pretty sure he’d recognize that while blindfolded by now. Still, he snickers as he makes another move, supporting one of the pawns he’d moved forward early on. Setting up this new strategy, as ridiculous as he’s sure it looks to the mastermind on the other side of the board.

Maybe he’s just trying to throw him off by trying to figure out what the hell he’s up to. It’s about time he got to turn that particular table around on the man. ]

How often do you think we stop long enough to make tea when we’re on one of our ‘wintertime trips’, as you call it? [ Amusement gleams in amber eyes as he leans back and takes another sip of his tea, letting Claude make his move. ] Trust me when I say if you’re traveling through Gautier territory in the middle of winter, you’re not stopping for anything short of an emergency.