[ As far as worst things go, that's honestly pretty bad. Frederick grimaces as the image of a pumpkin splattering its guts all over the floorboards jumps unbidden into his bind, least of all because of all the extra cleaning effort it would entail. ]

If you're feeling unsteady on your feet still, you could just say so.

[ He's not heartless. Most of the time. Only when exercise and training regimens are involved. ]

You could lie on the floor instead. I simply need use of my hands in order to stoke a fire.