Tanique smiled broadly
"That's wonderful to hear, sir.  Would you like a cabin set up in our woods for your use?  The woods of the Crech aren't quite as primordial as the Arden, but they're quite lovely and homey"

"Yes, that would be good, I would like to get used to the area." He renewed playing the chess game with focus.  "So, when will this take place ?"

He leans back after making his move and looks across at her.

"What will you be doing during this time ?"

Moving her piece, Tanique nodded
"The party we're hosting, where he's invited, should take place in a week.  If you want to give me three or four days to prepare, I'll have a quaint bungalow ready for you.  I'd hoped to watch my father in action, to be honest. "

"A week? I had better go see this place sooner than a few days. I can afford to rough it." He pats his stomach which does not seem flabby at all.

"How about after this game, you take me to see the place hmmm ?"

The tea kettle starts whistling and he totters off to get it. Coming back to refresh their cups.

The game comes down to the line and it seems like Ashton might win as he has twice had your King in check though you have gotten out of it.

Hoping to make a good impression, Tanique goes for the win

Try as she might the game ends with Ashton getting her in a checkmate she can't get out of.
He looks at her expression almost ready to defend himself it looks like.

Tanique saw her fate and laughed lightly
"A fine game, my friend.   It was a pleasure "
She held out her hand

Ashton smiles back and shakes her hand.

"I have gotten a little rusty, friends don't come by as often as they used to, to challenge me. You gave me a good game, Lady Tanique of the Storms. I hope we get to play again some day. I do so enjoy a game of chess, before I moved here living out in the wilds you have plenty of time on your hands so me and the other members of my band became really good at this game."

"Your father as I remember was keen at it and had me play a real slow game with him, I suspect he was playing against someone else and wanted to see how I would play my pieces." he chuckles.

"I have no need to pack, I should be good as long as it is not a long trip to get where we are going, though I should pack a lunch."

"Let's head out, then"
She grinned

He packs a lunch and fills a canteen. He also seems to have a folded-up travel size chess set.
He puts the tea pot away after cleaning it and the cups up and setting them to dry.

Ashton then opens the door for her.

She notices for a big guy he makes no or very little sound.

Tanique smiled at her host and headed out to return the favor.   She headed back towards home, trying to keep the storms mild for her new guest

"This is how you travel? Now I know why you call yourself, Lady Tanique of the Storms."

He watches and catches a leaf caught in the wind and laughs.
"Ha, now this is a nice trick !"

Tanique smiled at him
"Thank you,  i find it invigorating to travel this way.  Tell me more about your home, though.   What is it like there?"

"Well where you found me isn't really home, though it is a nice place where I am in semi-retirement. I am not quite the creature I used to be in my youth." He laughs.

"My real home is in the primordial wilderness around Ygg. There Me and my band roamed and went out from for years. It was a good life too. Then storms came much, much worse storms then this." he motions all around him.

"They swept through everything and we all tried to make it back to Ygg. Not all succeeded." He looks down for several moments in silence.

"Ygg was not bowed by those storms, no the great tree held and we with it. It took time before we felt safe enough to travel again. Though our love for the woods is always with us. All kinds of wild lands though we prefer places with trees."

Tanique nodded with sympathy
"I love a good storm, but I understand how bad it can be when a particularly bad storm causes damage,  especially to the Shadows.  I wonder of that was one of the great storms caused by the kerfuffle between Amber and Chaos?  I'm glad Ygg was still there.  I always liked that old tree"

"Oh it is a beautiful tree. I am glad you have seen it and know about it. It's a wise old tree too if one is willing to spend time with it. Though since you know of Amber's royal woods then you have an understanding of what my home was like, much the same really. Though perhaps those royal woods are a tad more majestic in scope from what I recall." He nods silently.

Tanique nodded, smiling almost shyly
"the wokds around the Crech aren't quite up to the grandeur of the Arden, but i think you'll enjoy them well enough "

"Are there storms there a lot, this Crech you speak of ? Mild like this is no problem but big storms could be problematic to both hunter and huntee." He tugs at his lower jaw again.

Tanique shrugged
"The storms are usually somewhat mild, though much is dependent upon the mood of our queen.  If the gathering she has planned is displeasing to her, there might be some severe weather.    Would you like me to arrange for a possible shelter for you, or would that just make things more interesting?"

"A shelter might be nice, though that would certainly draw your fathers attention. He was good even in his youth. He had falcons and they were special. He probably doesn't know I realized that but yes, they were probably tattle tales. So I will go without and make do though if there is an extended bad storm, I would rather like you to come get me rather then flooding or some winds to carry me off."

Tanique laughed lightly
"Don't worry,  my friend.   If there are any particularly bad storms that seem too much for company, I'll come get you."

"Good to know. I Am glad that you think about the people you hire. Some employers don't care one bit about that kind of thing. So this is another kingdom hmmm ? You mentioned your Queen. Is this another royal wood?"

Tanique smiled
"Yes, I suppose so, though my queen cares m.k ore about the skies than the trees.  But we take good care of the land as well"

Ashton licks his palm and slicks back the hair on his head.

"So this queen, is she single?  I am an eligible bachelor." He waggles his eyebrow ridge. His wide smile sat upon his face and it was hard to tell if he was joking.

Tanique grinned at the playful primate.

"Since your game with my father is involved with her diplomatic gathering, i suppose she would want to meet you, to sort of get final approval of the festivities.   I wouldn't dare presume to know her taste in consorts, but i suspect she's too busy with the realm to socialize "