btchholdmypurse commented on shenandani's post in blueridgeschool:

"It's okay uncle Markus," Alex sighed softly, shaking her head. "You can only work with what you're given," she added, eying her cousin skeptically as she spoke. She opened her mouth to go on, but when her aunt interrupted, she quieted down and just watched the scene with her arms crossed.

"We really should get back to tea," she suggested at the first opportunity, hoping to perhaps avoid Quodpot all together if they got sidetracked enough. But as they entered the sitting room, before she had a chance to usher everyone into their seats, her father was jumping up out of his own.

"Markus!" he bellowed, crossing quickly to gather his brother into a mixture of a handshake and a one armed clap on the back. Regarding Alex just standing there, and seeing the quod nearby, Dimitrius broke out into a grin. "Pumpkin, be a dear and go and get changed! We've got to show your uncle here how Quentins really play," he suggested. He was not really a fan of tea himself.

Barely keeping herself from gritting her teeth, Alex forced her best smile. "Sure, daddy.. I'd love to."