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Teja and Urquhart are playing chess again, slowly and grimly, but with much less tension than the last time.

Urquhart's nose is still somewhat swollen and discoloured.

Teja would not pass judgement on that; he is far too dignified to smirk at the man's suffering.

Instead, he takes a knight with his bishop, calmly.

[[OOC: Please say in your tag which of them you want, or you might get both. Thanks!]]

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Dinah - who technically can play chess very well but has issues with long term strategies, is quiet for a while as she tries to work out why he played that.

Well, that and offering Urquhart a dumpling to see if he likes it.

Urquhart does like the dumpling, and he's taking his time to eat it while it's his move, letting Teja wait.

Dinah studies the table, then each of the men in turn, watching their individual tactics.

Eventually, "Do I want to know what the original quarrel was about?"

"Urquhart accused me of 'hounding' him, as he was ever close to to breaking the third rule with his 'friends'," Teja says. "If I won, he would not do it again; if he won, I would leave them alone. Neither won, so we agreed to do both. But still, we need to find out who is the better player."

Dinah gives Urquhart an oh-so-disapproving look. She can't take it too
seriously; she's been single far too long.

"That matters, huh?"

"Of course it does!" Urquhart says. "I want to be able and kiss Saffron or Alfred when I feel like it!"

"And I am sworn to uphold the rules here," Teja says, "and the way they touch and roll on the sofas by the fireplace is close to breaking the third rule."

Pause.

"Will you please make your move, Scotsman?"

Dinah grins.

"I meant, who's better at the game matters? Are you timing moves?"

"No, we don't," Teja says. "But it is his move, and he is stopping the game by not making it."

Dinah smirks and leans back in her chair, waiting to see oif Urquhart will make the move she would.

He finishes the dumpling first.

Then, he does.

Dinah smiles as she takes a bite of her own. Urquhart apparently has the same tactical approach as she does - reckless.

"Told you they were great."

Teja castles.

Then, sips his tea.

Dinah raises a single eyebrow at that kind of defensive mood, then sits back in her chair to get a long view of the board again.

In the next few moves, Urquhart makes a fierce dash for the heart of Teja's defences, suddenly knowing exactly where to strike; but then, Teja closes the trap he has been building, and massacres Urquhart's forces, even including his queen.

After striking her down, he orders more tea.

Dinah, who had seen what was happening two moves into the strike, covers her mouth thoughtfully with one hand.

It's salvagable, now, she thinks, but every move matters.

During the next moves, Urquhart starts sidling around Teja's position with his remaining pawns. He loses one, but manages to entrap a knight as well.

Dinah watches Urq's moves, but she also watches Teja's reaction. A trap like that required a lot of setting up, and she's curious to see if he planned beyond it.

At first, Teja simply keeps slaughtering Urquahrt's chessmen; but then, one of the Scot's pawns breaks through, turns into a queen, and starts wreaking havoc from behind.

Dinah grins at Urq and winks. She approves of his tactics.

It works; Teja fights back, but in the end, Urquhart mentions to checkmate him in a wild move with his new queen and one last, trusty pawn.

Teja topples his king, conceding the game.

Dinnah whistles, slowly and impressed. "That was a great game," she tells Teja.

"I lost," Teja informs her.

"I know the rules of chess," Dinah informs him with a smile. "I was impressed by the strategy anyway."

"Thank you," Teja says. "Complicated strategies for losing are my speciality."

She laughs - at him, but not unkindly. "So you underestimated your opponent. It happens."

He underestimated Urquhart. She's still more proud of her Scot.