[Braxiatel's eyes flicker over the face and there isn't any recognition but there is when he sees the boneblades. The inference isn't hard to make.] Would you like to come inside? [So you aren't standing outside in clothes that really, really weren't tailored for that body.]

[She raises a brow that's at least in a very Rhade way, even if her cheeky smugness is currently tempered by the fact she's immensely unhappy nothing in her closet fits her. She comes inside, putting on the slacks in there since she'd been unwilling to walk down the halls holding at the waistband. Somehow just carrying them over her arm had seemed more dignified.]

I suppose I could put in a request but I have no idea what I would do with the clothing afterwards. [There is miles of hair here. It's groomed at the moment but she's going to have to keep up with it. That's going to be daunting.]

You could set it aside as a future gift to Anisette. [Braxiatel's wardrobe is off discretely in a closer. Braxiatel disappears into it, reappearing a moment later with a belt that would do its best to salvage the outfit.]

[She takes it, sliding it through the loops and misses Una and her clothing all over again.] I could. Though if she has your genes in terms of build she may find them too large. [Unless she was misremembering Cassandra's build in comparison.

Every item that pops into her head to ask for is something that her mother would have worn. In fact, she looks a great deal like her mother at the moment- what possibly would have happened if genes had combined slightly differently.

Would she have been a soldier still? An assassin? Very probably.] Thank you. Could I trouble you for a game of chess. I don't think I'm going to get much done today.

She could have them tailored. [Incidentally, Braxiatel is courteous enough to look away as Rhade pulls the belt through the loops. Even if there isn't any reason to. Manners were hardwired into him at some point.] Why not? It will be fun.

That is an excellent point. [Well, he supposed it would be nice to have something to hand down to Anisette, even if it were acquired under circumstances she couldn't quite describe. And she felt a strangely maternal swell at the idea, not distantly watchful but wanting that infant already in the making off Barge where she could hold it.

Oh this was going to be confusing, she could tell.]

Then set up the board and I'll ask for a couple of items. Enough for two days. [And she excused herself.

It's about ten minutes later when she returns in a simple black dress which, with her translated figure, she fills out more than nicely, and a pair of black equestrian boots (because they had heels she wouldn't have to quickly learn to walk in). And she doesn't knock this time, she comes in and opens her mouth to say something.

Whatever she intends to say, isn't said immediately. She thinks it over.]

I have a request for the stakes of the chess game. [A pause.] If I win, I want you to sleep with me.

[Why not be blunt as ever.]

I'm sorry, I think I misheard you.

[Yes. That is what happened. That is the thing that occured.]

[There goes that brow again, and she tucks her hands behind her back, hiding her boneblades.] I'll only have this body for a few days and since it is mine, and it very much feels like mine at the moment, I'd like to use it. [She smooths out the dress.]

For several months I attempted to have sex with people that would be inclined to do me harm because they could do me harm. I know that you won't. But if you don't want to, a chess game shouldn't be that difficult to win.

[Braxiatel is so obviously at a loss for words.]

[Yeah, he's got nothing. He has never been propositioned this way.]


[Still nothing. He is trying very hard though.]

It's difficult to lose.

[Rhade has a seat in her usual chair. The way she usually sits, but the prim leg cross and the folding of hands on her knee do a lot more in a skirt that rides to a barely polite height, and legs that look nice in those boots.]

Depending on how you look at it, this game will result in a win either way.

[An important thing for Rhade to learn is that, for a man from a species that seems to pride itself on its displays of asexuality, Braxiatel is very attracted to everything he is doing right now.]

[Braxiatel accepts the seat opposite to Rhade.] That's quite a confident statement.

My mother wouldn't have raised an inferior child. [Man or woman. She smirks a little and makes the first move.] It's a logical choice to me as well. I have exceptional strength, stamina, and dexterity even with this body and you don't break or tire easily.

[Now he suspects Rhade is doing it on purpose.] I should hope not.

[Everything is on purpose, though not always for the same intention.] Good. Then it's agreed.

[This is not stated like it is a question. This is stated like terms have been set.]