Book Two: The Larkspur's Longing ~ A tale of deep obsession and devotion

Chapter Forty: Lions, Lords and Poison

"I win if I devour the lunch."

"Yes! And you have to keep roaring so that I have a chance at finding you."

"And you win if you devour me...?" Callidus pretended to clarify, as if that weren't the sole reason he volunteered to be the lion.

"Yes, the lord hunts the lion while trying not to be poisoned, and the lion evades the lord while going after the lunch. The lunch..." Cressida patiently reiterated the rules, and though Callidus already knew them, he attentively listened, captivated by the sparkle in her eyes.

"So, Callidus, are you prepared to be devoured?" she teased, sending an eager shiver down his spine.

"Alright! Is everyone ready?" Jasper interjected, thankfully interrupting Callidus before he could reveal just how appealing he found that notion.

Soon, Cressida, as the Lord, stood poised at one side of the room, deftly tying the makeshift blindfold, (a thick bandage from Sakira's medical bag), around her eyes. Callidus, taking on the role of the lion, impatiently waited at the opposite side.

The rest of the players, Arden, Fenella, Illian, Mint, and Jasper, huddled in the middle of the room. The Lunch players were confined to the 'dining table,' (the large lilac rug), but the lion and the lord were free to move across the room.

"Ahem, Your Majesty?" Jasper coughed, prompting Callidus to slink down to the ground.

At Jasper's signal, the first round began. Cressida stepped forward; arms outstretched as she began to navigate the suite blindly. Following suit, Callidus forced himself to crawl, his muscles protesting the unusual movement. It had been ages since he'd crawled, and the memory wasn't a pleasant one.

As he advanced, he noticed the hesitant movements of the other players, who seemed unsure of how to react to their King Regent being on his hands and knees. Their expressions ranged from discomfort to horror, except for Jasper, who found the situation entirely amusing, and Fenella, whose nervous giggles continued unabated.

"I don't hear any roaring, Lion!" Cressida called out. "Are you trying to hide from me?"

In response, Callidus let out an awkward roar, the sound reverberating off the walls as he attempted to impress her. Cressida's delighted giggle eased some of his embarrassment, though he couldn't ignore Mint's openly gawking gaze.

He soon realized that, aside from Jasper, the other players weren't moving aside as they should, seemingly hesitant to actively defy their King Regent, even in a game. However, Callidus had no interest in hunting them.

As always, his focus was solely on Cressida.

Each time she took a step, the air nervously swirled around her, fearing she might collide with something, yet she confidently moved through the space, her assuredness surprising.

When he finally reached her, he watched in amusement as she searched for him, feeling her arms swim through the air. He moved directly in front of her and sat back on his knees, his heart pounding with expectancy.

"Roar," he softly announced.

There was a moment of silence before Cressida let out a delighted squeal, her hands reaching out eagerly. "Got you!" she exclaimed, her fingers latching onto his shoulders.

With exaggerated theatricality, Cressida 'gobbled' Callidus up as she counted down to three, her actions reminiscent of how he'd witnessed her playing with Varyan. She made ridiculous chewing noises, and despite the absurdity of the situation (or perhaps because of it), Callidus thoroughly enjoyed the attention.