[As overlong as his elven ears are, and as used to Lucius abruptly appearing as he is, Eridanus still starts when he turns to see those eyes looking up at him intently. A short gasp leaves him, and those same ears fold backwards as his brow furrows.]

Must you sneak up on me? [A rhetorical question, of course, as Lucius will always do as he pleases.

Eridanus leads the way back from the kitchen to the table, setting a glass at either end of it before giving each a generous pour of the clear drink. The stench of it is sterile, with an afterthought of sweetness that easily pulls a grimace across Eridanus' face. Still, he takes a sip and lets it burn its way through his gullet, until settling like fire in his belly.]

So, I commissioned a fethesi board. [He starts as he pushes the large wooden box to sit in the middle of the small table. On one side of it are golden clasps, and when he undoes them with one hand to reveal its contents, Lucius would see the slotting rows sit disassembled in one half of the box, with the eighty artfully made pieces sitting in the sectioned second half.]

I figured you would indulge me in a game, seeing as how you are familiar with conquest, and also that is it my birthday. [He smiles over the rim of his glass at Lucius, before taking another sip of his drink.]