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He had just come from the kitchens, slipping in and out of a strange rage that had enveloped him. The talk with Melisande-- more like a contest where one had to hit the other with as many heavy kitchen objects as possible-- had not gone well. He had gone to talk to her with sweet words and the intention to take her out to the market and left with bruises to show for his efforts. She had hurled accusations at him; that he'd been talking to other girls, spending too much time with Locke and the Tabula... how, Aquinas thought, could anyone be jealous of Locke and some Tabula?

He had gone straight to his chambers to sulk, and after some time had passed, he had begun to get bored. His clothes were in utter disrepair after the meeting with Melisande-- he had been unlucky that his opponent was a cook, and a good one at that-- she knew where the stickiest stuff was kept. He peeled off the dirty layers and after a quick shower, looked for a fresh change of clothes. It was laundry day at the palace, he recalled, and so he didn't have much of a choice. Whatever was left in the cabinet was what he was going to wear.

Aquinas's mood deepened as he opened the doors to the cabinet and found-- nothing. He had pulled on a billowy white shirt he'd found drying on a chair, but was wearing nothing else. Snarling and frantic, he searched the room for any semblance of pants. Finding none, he hastily wrapped the towel he'd used to dry his hair around his waist and opened the door.

His scowl was wiped off his face and replaced by an expression of surprise as the tips of his shoes hit something that was most definitely out of place on the floor as it felt distinctly like a person. He tumbled over, eyes widening in surprise and cheeks flushing as he realized the out-of-place person was not a person at all, but rather Tanee, and that he was also not wearing any pants. He realized with indignation, moments later, fumbling madly to prevent any indecent exposure, that Tanee was wearing pants. His pants.

He was now sitting, looking rather dazed, opposite Tanee on the floor, having managed to tumble over her and preserve (he hoped) some dignity. He was almost at a loss for words. "...What?" It was addressed to no one in particular.

"Ahhhh... I'm okay." Aquinas was still rather confused, and replied accordingly. He looked around the hallway; there was nothing else out of the ordinary here, and he couldn't fathom why Tanee was lying in the hall. That was, until she told him quite plainly that the reason was him.

Before he could ask her why she was looking for him, Tanee continued to speak, the subject veering towards pants and a lack thereof. Aquinas remembered his indignation.

"I am supposed to be wearing pants! However, someone took my last pair. Now, Tanee, how am I supposed to be wearing pants if you're wearing them instead?" He sniffed as if hurt by her pant snatching. As she continued on and on, he found he couldn't maintain his wounded expression and burst into laughter. He tried to speak in between laughs. "No, you're right. Gavin's a boy. Where did you--" He thought better of it. "Never mind. So why were you looking for me? And can I have my pants back? I'd rather not walk around in a towel."

Aquinas blinked a few times. Having never cared for children, he found himself rather stranded as to how to generally deal with Tanee. "...Ah."

He flushed again as Tanee continued. "No! The servant ladies have quite the right idea there! You should most definitely not undress in the hallways. Hallways are not for that sort of thing." He was reminded of that other Tabula that shed his clothes at first opportunity. Come to think of it, Aquinas mused, all the Tabula seemed rather averse to clothing. He couldn't imagine why. But he could imagine Locke's face and burst out laughing again. He almost wanted to march into Locke's study with Tanee and without pants just to see the priceless reaction he knew he would get. But Locke, surprisingly, could be vindictive. He'd have no clean clothes for months.

So Aquinas decided to pursue another course of action. "Would you like to go shopping for a skirt, Tanee?"

Aquinas considered her point. It was valid. "That is true Tanee. I do need pants to really do much of anything." He considered her outstretched hands. He'd likely just pull her down, but from what he knew of Tanee she would be offended if he refused.

He took her hands, but made sure to put his own strength into getting up, giving Tanee little to do but look ceremonial. He brushed off the towel slightly as if it were a real piece of clothing and turned to Tanee. "To your room first, then? So that I may have my pants?"

"Ah... that is true." Aquinas felt rather awkward at that moment. "Most books do not lie; and I suppose the one you read did not either." He couldn't think of anything else to say on the subject so he stayed quiet.

The weather was a better subject; Aquinas did not read much at any rate. "The sun will be back soon. Locke estimates it will be about two days; he assures me he's found a good way to tell what the weather will be like. It sounds silly to me, but we can wait and see if he's right." At her next words, Aquinas looked at Tanee quizzically. "...What? Who took away the sun?" Maybe it was something that Tanee had done with Mehndi. It sounded like it involved magic.

He was still confused (and a little bemused, truthfully, at Tanee's look) when he received his pants. "Oh. Do you mind turning around, Tanee? It is also not good for you to be watching while I'm changing. The book said that too, I hope?"

With a quick look around the hall to make sure no one else was around, Aquinas got to work. He wiggled around, trying futilely to get the pants on without dropping his towel. It wasn't that he was especially prudent (or at all prudent), and he didn't really mind if a maid happened to come upon him in a state of undress. He had to admit he would find it quite the opportunity, actually. But with Tanee he felt some sort of responsibility; he felt that he should at least try to teach her the proper way of doing things. Or as proper as he could manage, at any rate.

He listened to her as she prattled on. "I don't remember any lady with the laugh. Well, I mean, I do, but not when you were there, and certainly not when Locke was there. And how do you break a flower?" He imagined glass roses, which he had seen in the great hall once, shattering into a million tiny pieces. Likely not what the girl was talking about.

"Hey! Locke has no say over my pants and where they are allowed to be. I'll have to make sure he knows that."

And with that, he'd managed to dress himself somewhat respectably. He was wearing pants now. The towel was tossed into some room that was used for some reason unknown to Aquinas and to which the door had been left ajar. He shut it cheerfully as an offended squeal issued from within.

"You can turn around now!"