"... True," he agreed. Bradamante was far from the best in terms of keeping possessions in order, though she remained leagues better than Astolfo in terms of trustworthiness in that regard. With the two of them handy previously, Anais was most likely the savior of the journey. They would have otherwise returned with... probably nothing they left with or collected. Whatever the case, Charlemagne continued his absentminded card-shuffling. The full deck was being sent from one hand to the other, each card fluttering through the air until the full stack was collected on the opposite end. Each time that occurred, he returned it the other way and went back to shuffling for a moment. Sakura had questioned the game of Kings... or rather drinking games in general, so he took the time to explain.
"Drinking games are just fun ways to pass the time in groups. It's a social activity where individual losses throughout the game result in taking a drink, and the game goes... in this case, until there are no cards left. Kings works like this: everybody gets a normal cup to drink from. In the center, there's a large cup... which I guess would be the full grail since it's our source of alcohol anyway. That one is for the King's Cup, which will come up later. Each player takes turns to draw a card, and each card has a criteria for players to meet. The Ace is 'Waterfall', which... by a house rule I refuse to ignore, just means everyone takes a drink. Two is for you, which means the turn player makes two selections to drink, even if it's the same person twice. Three is for me ─ the turn player drinks. Four is whores ─ women drink. Five is Thumb Master, which normally means any time you put your thumb on the table, everyone has to, and the last person to do it has to drink. That rule applies until someone else becomes the 'thumb master' buuuut... since we're not at a table, we should decide another gesture to take its place. Six is dicks ─ men drink. Seventh Heaven ─ the last player to raise their hand has to drink. Eight is mate ─ friends drink, as in the player and one person they select normally. Nine is rhyme ─ The turn player starts with a word, and everyone goes in order to say a word that rhymes with it. The first to fail, drinks. Ten is... categories. Weird one. The turn player names a category, and everyone lists a thing that fits that category. Same as the previous card, but with a different topic. With new players, Never have I ever is usually attributed to the Jack card. Each player claims a thing they've never done, and anyone who has done the thing in question, has to drink. It's a good way to get to know people while playing. Queen is Questions ─ the turn player starts by asking a question. The point is to not answer, but ask someone else a question instead. Whomever fails to ask a question, drinks. Lastly, King's Cup. When you draw a King, you add to the King's Cup. Whichever player draws the fourth King has to do the same... and then drink the entire King's Cup. For fun, we could also add in King's Rule, which involves each person who draws a King creating a rule to be followed until the next King. The rule can be anything you think of."
While Charlemagne's long explanation of a social game was going on, Ailen laid claim to Anais's instrument. A few plucks of a few strings followed as he adjusted to a far smaller harp than he'd ever made use of before. With nineteen strings, it was quite different from the lyres he'd seen many bards use. He realized it could be played in a very familiar way. Ah, there was a piece he'd once composed for the high council of Sumurset. It was a piece originally played at dusk as the first star of night became visible. That very same star was a symbol of a new era ─ the end of a starless sky. Ailen dedicated his song to that very star which heralded the dawn of Sumurset. It was only fitting, given the situation of many within this carriage, that he play it once again.
"Hmm. Evenstar may not be fit for such rambunctiousness, but... I suppose that is what new eras are like," he mused to none other than himself. With that thought in mind, the elf closed his eyes and began to
play. . .
All the while, Astolfo was making progress that seemed dubious, but... he firmly believed that if it didn't fall under the umbrella of non-consentual, it was only consent in the making. Besides, Martha's words were becoming spaced while she listed things they were realistically unlikely to encounter on this arduous journey to the lower world.
"There are a lot of things that could happen, a lot of things that won't happen... a lot of things that should happen~♥" he countered during an uplifting squeeze to the saint's bosom and an opposing grind against her backside. By now, he had become the back of her chair, and his groin was well-placed for his own satisfaction. Martha thought to continue threatening him; he didn't care. Such things were beyond the realm of risk, having already become certainty. If she was going to assault him anyway, why would he not make the most of things before that came to be?
"Yeah yeah, you said that already! If you're going to kick mine anyway..." Astolfo paused there, taking the time to shift himself a bit more. Doing so landed him next to Martha's ear, where he had some choice words to whisper before his teeth sank into her helix.
"Then why don't I fuck yours first~♥"