Balthus follows, checking to make sure his magick still flows normally.
Balthus' magic seems to be fine, and he follows Angelfish into the room. Inside is a table with several scarred and tough-looking sea elves. Angelfish murmurs to Balthus.
Stay quiet and keep an eye on them for me
Angelfish bows slightly to a large man at the head.
Lord Morkoth, the Black Pearl greets you
The large man nods
What does the Black Pearl want with the Black Mantas?
Angelfish gestures
We bring an offer of merger, allowing you to join us in our endeavors
The large man laughs
Tell that bloated abortion that runs your clan to mind his own territory and I will run mine ...
The others start fingering their weapons
|
The others start fingering their weapons
Noticing the men start to reach for their weapons, Balthus causes the water around both Angelfish and himself to swirl unnoticed. He then starts to charm the water around the feet of the enemy in place, knowing they won't realize he did anything until they try to attack and the water around them stiffens...
"My King. The Tempest has been summoned. Shall I withdraw the troops?"
Mirathan takes on a resigned look and sighs. Looking at Telestial and General Orseidon he shakes his head.
"No. But have them keep their distance. Even the female troops."
"Have they withdrawn form our borders as well?"
The General enters the throne room
"My King! The nomad forces have withdrawn from Sandreef. Their leader was thrown down by Tempest in single combat."
to himself "but at what cost?"
In his chambers Telestial opens his eyes. His hand trembles.
"Too slow. How? May the Lords of Law watch over us."
later in the day
"Telestial? You look distracted. Is something on your mind?"
"Nothing my King. My apologies."
About mid-morning the next day.
She sat beside the window, looking out at the city. She pulled out her comm crystal.
"Mirathan? Can you hear me? If now isn't a good time, I can talk to you later."
About mid-morning the next day.
She sat beside the window, looking out at the city. She pulled out her comm crystal.
"Mirathan? Can you hear me? If now isn't a good time, I can talk to you later."
Mirathan fumbles with the crystal, dropping it then picking it up quickly.
"Nimora? I'm here."
About mid-morning the next day.
She sat beside the window, looking out at the city. She pulled out her comm crystal.
"Mirathan? Can you hear me? If now isn't a good time, I can talk to you later."
Mirathan fumbles with the crystal, dropping it then picking it up quickly.
"Nimora? I'm here."
"Hi. I...I'm not really sure where to start. I was planning to come back to Pearl today, and then I realized that I should probably make sure it was okay first. I mean, I don't want to show up at some politically inconvenient moment and make things difficult for you...." her voice trails off.
"I'm so glad you're safe. hurriedly And your city too."
"Things seem to be calm at the moment. The nomads have withdrawn. You are always welcome here."
"We might even be able to talk for more than a few minutes."
"If you want to...you know..."
"I'm so glad you're safe. hurriedly And your city too."
"Things seem to be calm at the moment. The nomads have withdrawn. You are always welcome here."
"We might even be able to talk for more than a few minutes."
"If you want to...you know..."
"I would love a chance to talk. I...I've missed you. I have to talk to my family before I go. I don't want them to think that I'm running away this time. I should arrive in Pearl in an hour or two."
"I would love a chance to talk. I...I've missed you. I have to talk to my family before I go. I don't want them to think that I'm running away this time. I should arrive in Pearl in an hour or two.""I'm so glad you're safe. hurriedly And your city too."
"Things seem to be calm at the moment. The nomads have withdrawn. You are always welcome here."
"We might even be able to talk for more than a few minutes."
"If you want to...you know..."
"I'll meet you at the omniportal. 'Til then."
Despite objections about decorum and security Mirathan heads to the omniportal, Telestial close behind.
Nimora swims through the omniportal into Pearl.
Nimora swims through the omniportal into Pearl.
"General Olbereth...Nimora...aw,
screw it." Mirathan grabs Nimora and kisses her hard. For a long time.The guards around the portal look studiously away.
Nimora swims through the omniportal into Pearl."General Olbereth...Nimora...aw,
screw it." Mirathan grabs Nimora and kisses her hard. For a long time.The guards around the portal look studiously away.
When the kiss does end, (soon? a long time? She's not really sure since she can't seem to think straight.) she looks up at him, perfectly content.
"I love you. And I'd just as soon not leave you again anytime in the near future if that can be managed," she blurted out, a little surprised after the fact that she had actually said that out loud. She blushed.
Nimora swims through the omniportal into Pearl."General Olbereth...Nimora...aw,
screw it." Mirathan grabs Nimora and kisses her hard. For a long time.The guards around the portal look studiously away.
When the kiss does end, (soon? a long time? She's not really sure since she can't seem to think straight.) she looks up at him, perfectly content.
"I love you. And I'd just as soon not leave you again anytime in the near future if that can be managed," she blurted out, a little surprised after the fact that she had actually said that out loud. She blushed.
he looks straight into her eyes,
"You won't have to. I love you too.""Let's head back to the castle. Unless you've gotten used to being the center of attention."
he looks straight into her eyes,
"You won't have to. I love you too.""Let's head back to the castle. Unless you've gotten used to being the center of attention."
She blushed deeply as she remembered that they were standing right in front of the omniportal in plain view of anyone.
"I think going back to the castle is probably a good idea right now," she murmured.
Mirathan holds her hand the entire way back to the castle. Perhaps fearing to lose her again.
Heading straight to his suite the young lovers find it bedecked with flowers. It's almost as if the entire garden was stripped. Not a servant is in sight. Mirathan pulls Nimora close again as he closes the doors.
...fade to black....
The servants give up trying to attend to the king and his guest, and simply leave food with the guards at the door. Appointments are canceled, excuses made. Days go by. The young couple finally emerge, blushing and apologizing furiously.
Nimora keeps catching smirks out of the corner of her eye as the maidservants help her into her coral dress. She can't seem to stop blushing. She wasn't entirely sure what she was supposed to do now, what was expected of her here. She was more likely to know visiting foreign diplomats than residents of the city. She was going to have to change that. Somehow.
distant smile on his face
hmmmm...pardon me. What were you saying, Erstlan?
distant smile on his face
hmmmm...pardon me. What were you saying, Erstlan?
*sigh*
Do you plan to court the Lady?
Court her?
No. I plan to marry her.
As soon as she says yes.
but...but...but, your Majesty...distant smile on his face
hmmmm...pardon me. What were you saying, Erstlan?
*sigh*
Do you plan to court the Lady?
Court her?
No. I plan to marry her.
As soon as she says yes.
Mirathan holds up his hand
"Nimora didn't save my life, Erstlan. She saved my soul. There isn't anyone I could love any more."
A message had arrived for her from home while she had been...otherwise occupied. It was nothing urgent, thank goodness. She appreciated her grandmother's wry tone as she read the letter. It was something she had missed while she had been estranged from her family. Hopefully sometime in the next century she'd be able to repair things with her mother, but they both needed some more time apart first. She folded the letter up and put it away. She was glad that everything was fine back in Sandreef. It let her feel free to begin settling in here now that she didn't have to worry about being responsible for there as well. She just wasn't quite sure where to begin. Well, aside from having made a public spectacle of herself and then spending several days closeted away with their king. She blushed and smiled to herself as she thought about that.
"Is there some sort of records storage around here? My father always says that the quickest way to learn about a place is to look at their ledgers. And I could use a crash course about Pearl. Histories of the city would be good too, and perhaps something that talks about the noble families and their histories. Would that be possible?"
Presuming the answer is yes, Nimora will soon be immersed in reading.
"Mother, I plan to ask Nimora for her hand."
"How do I make such an occasion truly special? Should I talk with her parents first?"
"Mirathan, follow your heart. What does Nimora love most?""Mother, I plan to ask Nimora for her hand."
"How do I make such an occasion truly special? Should I talk with her parents first?"
Mirathan mulls this over.
After several hours of poring through the ledgers, she has about a dozen of them open in front of her. She keeps checking and rechecking figures, frowning a bit at her results.
"Are there any expenses that don't get recorded in these books? Because unless there are your accountants are robbing you blind. I expect a little skimming, sure, but this is ridiculous."
"Also, could I get some more information on the city's trade agreements? Based on what I'm reading here they seem...inefficient. But I could be missing some vital pieces of information by looking only at the numbers."