(((Check you have read "The Mall" section at the end of last chapter!
Also, this might seem some what familiar format for anyone who's read Quest for KBLRose ch2... That starts out with 'the' Trieze, so I figure it's only fair for 'a' Godrick to get his own special kind of 'up-close & personal' intro scene. The differences tell the whole story.
This is short, cuz the end of Ch 11 is gonna be long, and some nice Mobile Suit "Action-Action" coming shortly to a screen near you... though it might suddenly take forever like 'Grim Reaper and Scythe' section from Night Grinned... for the same reason it did... get it? Action-action? ….Okay, okay...I'll go back to my corner and poke at the keyboard there...)))
Guys, Their Dolls...
...and the 13 piercings you never noticed...among other things...
Sir Godrick...
...slowly drew the straight razor, delicately balanced between his fingertips, up the length of of Alicia's leg, barely brushing against her skin. After each up-stroke he picked up a cloth lathered in lotion floating next to him and ran it back down before picking his next track back to the top. The two were taking their morning bath in the large round stone in-floor tub in the middle of the Main Master bedroom in the central wing of the castle.
"Turn." While she shifted onto her back, he paused to stretch and comb back the long, dark, wet curtain of hair that had fallen in front of his face.
"Milliardo seems to have improved a great deal in very short order." Alicia's eyes were closed, her head resting on a pillow at the tub's edge as Godrick positioned her legs apart, cradling her pale, lithe body above the water with his knees so he could continue his meticulous work; individually severing each filament exactly the way loved them to be.
"I knew the boys would benefit from some new experiences..." he gently rinsed away the trimmings; his thumb wandering to tease at her whortelberry, watching through his long lashes as the wash of heat blushed across her collarbone and her lush lips parted to release a gasp of contentment.
"Trieze however," Alicia opened her eyes and sat up to catch his hand at its play, "has not." her emerald eyes flashed dangerously framed by her dark ruby twists.
Godrick sighed heavily as he settled back, easing her back into the water; cleaning his blade and dropping it into the bowl beside the tub with the cloth,
"What more, my lady, would you seek from him? Trieze is nearly a man, some things can not be helped."
"Some things can. From this latest tale of Milliardo's it does not seem like he has caught on to those morals you claim to have imparted to him, has he?"
Godrick scoffed tossing his hair back over each of his shoulders before gliding up along side his love,
"You have not even given him a chance!" he moved in to purr along her neck, but she would have none of it dunking under the water and slipping out of his embrace to resurface on the other side, standing.
"He has had enough of a chance to inveigle his way into another young lady's..." Alicia stopped to give her husband a sour look behind her with one foot on the rim, "...I do not need to say it." she finished climbing from the water and began to dry herself with a large thick green towel that lay in wait, "This has to stop, I do not want my son treating people like play things."
Another crystal-edged glare to her husband reclining in the tub, whom returned it with his own incredulous look as she wrapped the towel about herself.
"Your son has a very healthy respect of free will, I doubt he would ever be so heartless." Sir Godrick crossed his muscular arms in defiance.
"I doubt that a lack of heart would be necessary," she stuck her nose in the air as she crossed to the massive, elaborately carved, mahogany and gold leaf wardrobe, "In fact I think a great deal of heart may just as likely be his problem. Please, you must enforce some sort of restraint on the boy, Godrick. You can not just let him do as he wants."
"I told you I would take care of it and I am." He dropped his head back to look at his wife upside-down as she started searching for something to wear.
"...Godrick..."
"Yes dear?" his tone dripped with sugar-plum icing.
"...Have you been shopping again?" She had stopped on a dazzlingly patterned slinky dress of blue, green and gold; looking back at him accusingly.
He turned over to fold his arms on the edge and rest his chin on them, his blue eyes alight with pleading innocence,
"You have not even seen the shoes yet." he finished with a hurt pout.
Alicia rolled her eyes at the impossible man, lifting the lid with her toe for a peak into the brand new box on the wardrobe floor. She could only sigh, unable to stop the smile spreading across her face – after one glance they were already her new favorites.
"I suppose you even know exactly how you want to do my hair today?" She turned to face him with a hand on her hip as he got out of the tub, loosely drying himself with his own blue towel.
"Well... I figured first I would undo your hair a little," he walked up to her, still naked, and pulled her into a close suggestive hug, "and then maybe..." out of no where he lifted up a delicate netting of golden chain affixed with tiny bells and clips with diamond accents, his elegant eyebrows raised hopefully.
Alicia shook her head in wonder succumbing to his unrelenting charm; At least her husband always had impeccable sense of style. He scooped her up in his arms and gleefully whisked her into the (also massive) bed to celebrate his victory, smothering her body with kisses as he drew the sheets around them.
...a while later in the hallway...
"Trieze! A word if you will, son."
Trieze stopped dead stifling his panic, thus far he had managed to avoid a direct confrontation with his father since the previous afternoon. Even at this early hour Sir Godrick was already dressed in his blue and white breasted formal jacket. He could only hope that luck would be on his side, and not his father's impeccable eye for detail.
"Of course father, is there anything I can do?" he gripped the strap of his backpack overstuffed with an extra change of cloths for his little 'trial' as Godrick came up and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Look, your mother and I have been talking and I think we can call the kitchen staff back to work..."
Trieze couldn't help smirking, closing his eyes,
"I see. That certainly is a relief to hear."
"Yes, it was quite a relief, but before you go," His father paused and he fought the urge to cringe at the suspense, "I was just thinking that perhaps you should invite your young lady friend to dinner? Your mother would like to meet her."
Trieze was mentally mid-sigh that his father had not caught on to anything unusual, when he realized what had just been said and gulped,
"My lady friend? Which would that be?"
"Oh you know which one... Candy Cane, wasn't it?" Sir Godrick gave him a hard, friendly pat or two before he continued off down the corridor.
"Her!" Trieze coughed, "Of course... I will be sure to inquire of her time at the earliest convenience." he ended with slight bow.
"Good, good..." Sir Godrick suddenly stopped, and turned, frowning, "Trieze..."
"Yes father?" he did his best stop his heart leaping out his throat.
"Your ears... they seem rather... flush." he took a step back down the hallway towards his son.
"Do they? I suppose its just..." his mind scrambled, "...knowing the kitchen staff isn't the only one back to work?"
His father's advance was halted by that as a grin twisted across his older face; Sir Godrick shook his finger at his boy with a sly look,
"That, is a very good one..." His laughter could be heard echoing off the stonework long after he'd disappeared around the corner.
Trieze almost dropped to the ground with relief the man hadn't noticed the holes for the 7 cartilage and 6 regular lobe piercings he'd been "forced" into the previous afternoon.