Avive's return

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

Chuckling, I shook my head slightly. "I will introduce you to someone soon, I promise. Your arrival took me by surprise, or I would have been more organized and prepared."

[Avive de Rocaille]

"Fine," I said in a pretend huff. "I'll forgive you this time."

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"How very kind of you," I said with a smirk. I picked a pea out of my vegetables and flicked it across the table at her, grinning as it bounced off her hand.

[Avive de Rocaille]

I gasped in mock offense as I reached into my own plate for a carrot, tossing it at him. It his him square on the forehead and I laughed and laughed. "A hit! A very palpable hit!" I exclaimed, quoting an Alban poet I had recently read.

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"Oh, now you've done it!" I told her, grinning. Picking up a roll, I flung it across the table, laughing enthusiastically as it bounced off her head.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"Oof!" I exclaimed as the bread collided with my skull, leaving flour in my hair. "Look what you've done!" I took a spear of asparagus and thrust it at him like a javelin. It hit him in the chest and I cried out with glee.

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

Taking my spoon, I scooped up some of the mashed potatoes from my plate and with a flick of my wrist sent them across and splattering onto her cheek.

"There, now you don't notice the flour," I said practically.

[Avive de Rocaille]

I touched my hand to my cheek, feeling the gooey potato there. Squealing in disgust, I picked up a slice of beef and hurled it at him. It landed on his shoulder to rest, like a pet steak. "Ha!"

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"Thank you," I said, picking the meat off my shoulder and taking a bite of it before dropping it on my plate.

The sound of a surprised gasp in the doorway drew my attention and I looked up to see Bonne watching us, her eyes wide.

"She started it," I said, motioning to Avive.

[Avive de Rocaille]

I gasped. "I did not!" I exclaimed. I waggled my finger at him. "He started it!"

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"I am a well traveled, adult, Duc, I would never do such a thing," I said, my tone completely level and my face calm.

"I will try and control her," I told Bonne. "It is a shame to waste this wonderful meal."

Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Bonne turned and went back to the kitchen.

"Come now Avive, let's see if we can finish this meal like civilized people," I said, grinning at her now that we were alone.

[Avive de Rocaille]

My mouth moved wordlessly as I took my seat again. "I'll get you for this," I said threatentingly, wiping the rest of the potato off my face, over which was spread a huge indignant grin.

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"Uh huh," I said, my tone completely insincere. "I'm sure you will.

Chuckling, I returned to eating my food instead of using it as ammunition.

[Avive de Rocaille]

I also returned to eating, our food fight had whetted my appetite. "You should write a law," I said, "By order of the Duc de Mauvais, all families must engage in a food fight at least once a week, to promote health of body, mind and spirit."

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

I laughed and then took a drink of wine.

"My orders only hold weight in a very small arena. Which is probably a good thing, I have trouble envisioning many food fights in the palace," I told her, smiling.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"Maybe you'll start a trend," I commented, laughing. "Soon every Duc, every Baron, every Prince and Princess, will have food fights at the dinner table. Today, Mauvais Duchy, tomorrow, Terre D'Ange!"

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

Laughing again at her enthusiasm, I shook my head slightly.

"You give me too much credit, cousin." I finished my food and leaned back in my chair.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"And why not?" I said. "I have never known you to make a bad decision regarding the duchy yet."

Finishing my last bite, I asked, "Shall we adjourn? I could read to you, if you like, or we can play cards or somewhat."

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"I'm not going to be good for anything that requires focus," I told her, chuckling. "Not after all those reports and things. Why don't you go pick out something to read and I'll let you indulge your old cousin you is too far gone to read for himself."

I stood and stretched.

"I'll probably fall asleep in front of the fire, muttering to myself."

[Avive de Rocaille]

I rose. "All right. Go have a seat in the sitting room, I will be right down with my book." Exiting the kitchen, I hurried up to my room. Taking the Tanach off my desk, I headed back downstairs to the sitting room.

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

I watched her go, suddenly feeling nearly as old as I joked about. Her enthusiasm was impressive. Heading into the sitting room, I thought about how much of my times was going to work lately. I knew it would get better soon, when things weren't still so new, but it didn't help at the moment.

After making sure the fire was going well, I settled into a chair and put my feet up on the stool to wait for Avive.

[Avive de Rocaille]

I entered the sitting room, setting my book down on the empty chair near the fire. Spying a decanter on the sideboard, I asked, "Can I pour you a drink, cousin?"

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"No thank you," I said, after thinking about it for a moment. "I am fine. Help yourself though if you like."

[Avive de Rocaille]

"No thank you," I said, settling in my seat.

Opening my book, I said, "This is the story of Moishe, who is one of the Yeshuite heroes. 'Now there came a new pharaoh in Menekhet who did not know Yosef...'"

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

Closing my eyes, I leaned my head back against the chair and listened to her reading.

[Avive de Rocaille]

As I read, my eyes flicked back and forth alternately to his face and the text. He looked so tired. He needed to rest from all his work. I made it my perrogative to ease his burden, I not a guest. "'The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in the Nile, and she spied a basket in the reeds. When she opened it, she saw that it was a child..."

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

Her voice was soothing and I let myself get lost in her story, feeling my body and mind relax.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"'When Moishe had grown up, he went out to his kinsfolk and witnessed their labors. He saw a Menekhetian beating a Habiru, and struck him down...'"

I saw that Alain was almost asleep, and made up my mind to stop reading before the burning bush part. Save that for tomorrow night. I continued with the story: "When Pharaoh learned of the matter, he sought to kil Moishe, but Moishe fled...'"

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

At some point I realized I was no longer hearing the words she spoke, but the sound of her reading. Sleep was close and I hadn't the will to fight it off. I had slept in worse places and positions that this.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"'Adonai heard their moaning, and Adonai remembered his covenant with Avraham, Yitzhak and Ya'akov; He looked upon the Habiru and took notice of their plea.'"

Closing the book soundlessly, I whispered, "We'll continue tomorrow." Rising, I went to him and kissed his brow. "Good night, cousin."