Rex looked towards the two beautifull women before him, waiting for their answer to his invitation to talk inside, out of the eyes and ears of their soldiers around them. He was both amused and slightly worried about the simple and rather naive way the dragonkin had been assesing his existance, clearly looking at him at face value, asuming Rex had shown the full scale of his might in order to appear as impressive as he could to their hunting party.
"And should we refuse?" rather suspiciously asked Xersia, her voice quiet, stepping just slightly forward, barely shielding Mora, though both action were subtle enough not to alert the soldiers around.
"Am I supposed to use coersion now? Its entirely up to you, I just asumed you might want to hear some additional info about the accident that lead me to appear before your daugher??"
"No, Mora is my younger sister, and what do you mean?" Rex looked at her with a raised brow now, once again gesturing towards the door.
"Should you really have all that information fall in the hands of some random low rank soldiers?" His words, while just as quiet as hers, indicated that there was more behind than it seemed at face value and finally understanding that Rex was considerate for their wellbeing, she nodded.
"Very well. After you."
With the door unlocked, Rex opened it, being all gentlemely, gesturing for the duo to enter. Thankfully, they did so, though Rex could feel slight nervousness coming from them, the sisters were clearly not entirely comfortable with teh given situation. He just sighed and slightly shook his head. following after them and closing the door. For good measure, he also deployed a small barrier, preventing any sound from leaving the building. As soon as the door closed, he spoke.
"More, mind leading us to a place conductive for a discussion? I did not check out the place after you left." He recieved a furrowed brow from the ounger woman, though she nodded in the end, bringing the trio to a living room of sorts, with a table in the middle and six chairs around. Rex waited for the two ladies to sit down, then took a seat on the opposite side of the table, speaking.
"It seems you are a bit uncomfortable. So to ease that tesnsion a bit, all I san say is that I am actually interested in getting that mercenary contract, so it is in my interests to not create any hostility among myslef and the powers that be of this place.And I am quite sure that Xersia, as a matriarch of her clan, is one of those powers. So there is no reason to be so much on guard." He paused for a moment, then withdrew a few cups of tea, as well as a teapot with steaming, previously prepeared tea by Millie, perfectly preserved in the time stasis. He pured some himself, then oured for the two ladies as well.
"Tea made by one of my women. Its is quite delicious, so if you would like to try, feel free." he gestured towards the two cups, but did not expect them to partake, still, with the gesture complete he continiued.
"As for the snake incident. Let me state beforehand that, had the snake not appeared I would not have interacted with Mora and her hunter group. I would have, most likely stalked them untill I had enough information to consider further actions. And, since I have just dealt with a rather annoyingly long war, another such conflict with an intelegent species is the last thing on my mind. Still, as stated prevously, with the knowledge that the tigermen act as a horde and are quite the threat to you, O could be convinced, for the right price of course, to take part. Still, the reason for this conversation is different. Suffice to say that the snake iinitially came from this side. I mean from your settlements side. I am also aware that it had been chasing something rather persistently for quite a long time, a few days at least, was my calculation. And seeing the rather mindless way it charged after your hunters, well you can put two and two together."
"Are you implying somehow, someone dirrected the snake towards the hunter group of Mora?" Xersia's tone, chillingly cold, as she glared at Rex.
"Yes, that is exactly what I am implying. Though who could have the means to do that, your guess is better than mine. i am not familiar with this floor after all."
"Are you from the floors below?" Xersia then asked.
"No, I am not from here, entirely, thus my ability to use the gates. Speaking of, any around here somewhere?" That caused another reaction from Xersia, the older woman clearly aware of what he was talking about.
"That is odd though. While there are ancient, mostly lost tales of folk that can use the gates, there is no actual records of anyone doing so, and the oldest of our dragonkin knowledge keepers are millenias old."
"I am quite the annomaly among the people, where I come from. So much so, that any of your SS class kin, would be considered among the most powerfull entities around. Though, that is what happens when a species lives in such a dense and mana rich enviroment for millenias. The mana density is many times lesser in the air up there."
"What about the rest of your group then?" Mora asked, eyes narrowed, jsut like her sisters now.
"Ahh, that. Well, that was a small white lie, sorry for that. Thruth is, I alone took care of those hundred something tigermen, but had I said so back then, you would not have believed, and had you, I assume there would be just as much, if not more panic in my presence. Now though, there is a modicum of understanding regarding my characther, what with teh conversations we have had Mora, I believe we can look past the base fear and mistrust towards someone you cannot trully comprehend." As Rex spoke, the two women went through a whole spectrum of emotions, all perfectly displayed on their faces.
First came anger at being lied to, followed by shock and fear, seeing Rex in a new light, as a monster of unreasonable might, then acceptance, more so on Moras part, with Xersia following her younger sisters example. Mora was the more experienced one when it came to interracting with Rex after all. Seeing them calming down slowly, Rex smiled under the hood, and sipped from his teacup.
"Try the tea, it has a mild calming effect, should help you recoup sooner. I am glad you are both seeing past the unfounded fear that lesser people would have succumbed to."
To Rex mild suprise, Xersia streched her hand, taking one of the tow cups of tea prepeared for the duo, and carefully inhaled the steam coming from the liquid, though just barely. Waiting for a moment, and sensing nothing but a pelasant aroma, she inhaled once more, this time a rather large breath, enjoying the mild and fragnant scent of the beverage. Then, she did the same thing with the drink itself, taking an extremely small sip, then a few moments later she took a decent gulp, enjoing the calming and incredible taste of the tea.
"Hmmm." a pleased humm escapaed her lips, as she savoured the taste, swallowing a moment later.
"It is indeed exquisite, as well as calming, as stated. You should try it Mora."
With her encouraging words, much calmer than one would expect, what with their current situation, Mora did as her sister suggested. The next few ten or so minutes were mostly spent in a calming quiet, with the trio enjoying their tea, Rex only asking if they would like their cups to be refilled when they came close to being empty. As expected, both ladies happily nodded at the questions, prolonging the relaxing moment. Though both of them were also working over the knowledge that was now in their possesion. Untill eventually, Xersia spoke, her brow furrowed.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"It is much more complicated than I thought."
"Ow, have you found a possible culprit, as well as a reason for the attack?" Rex asked, quite interested in the details.
"That is a distinct possibility, though I sincerely hope i am mistaken."
"And would you be willing to share?" Rex asked, the fingers of his hands conncting in front of his face as he leaned a bit forward, clearly interested in the theory "though I will need a rather in depth explanation, if you dont mind."
"Well, the situation seems quite dire, both for me and Mora, so if this information could entice you in some way, it is much better to acquiese." Xersia responded, and seeing as Rex lightly nodded once, but other wise remained quiet, she proceeded to expain.
"There are three large cities like this one, under the rule and controll of the dragonkin, all situated on this floor. Ech city has a branch of the founding families, like us. A decade before the awakening of the tigermen horde, each family holds a competition, that decides the main branch of the family untill the next competition. The strong shall lead their weaker bretheren. The Heavenflame clan is rather famous for agility and scouting provess, so much so that there are tales of our movement being compared to flying. Though such a specialization comes at a price. Our combat prowess takes a hit. I am quite the annomaly like yourself then, my talent with the spear far surpassing anything our family has seen before. And due to the death of my parents, I have been pursuing the arts of the spear more than we normally would. That, and their absence has shaped Mora too more in my own reflection. We are less so scouts than spearmasters, but still quite agile, thus near guaranteeing my victory over my peers in the coming competition."
Rex nodded along, reading between the lines, though he did wait for Xersia to finish, just to cover any possible blindspot.
"It is also no secret that due to my parents early demise, I am overly protective of Mora, not to the point of it debilitating either of our lives, but still, you get the point. It is then reasonable to assume, should anything happen to her, my own mental condition would deteriorate. I will be the first to admit that should she perish, I doubt I would care enough about the competition to take part in it. There would be no point for me anymore." she admitted with a rather empty eyes, just imagining such a possibility sapped her of will to live.
"And where would the tamers come in then?" Rex asked, the missing link still not explained.
"Yes, I was going to explain that in just a moment. House Serpentglare. The best tamers that dragonkin have. There were a few rumors two decade ago, when I was in my teens, that they have come into possesion of the black serpent eggs- the snake that attacked Mora's group. And I have to admit, there is quite a few of the noble house men that have made claims they will be the ones to tame me. With my parents deceased, me being the matriacrh of this cities branch, and the next competition so close, the current main family cant arrange a marriage for me, since I have refused each and every would be spouse. Should Mora persih" a clear shiver of pain crossed her form, "I would all but be broken, making it easy for the next main family to marry me off, as it would be the best I could serve the family in that state." Now she gritted her teeth, anger apparent in her voice "Still, whoever I would be married off to, could still rake in quite the fortune, as there are quite a few of the nobles who have joined in on said bet."
"Should I try and join in on the bet, I wonder? Thing they would let me?" Rex spoke suddenly, a jovial tone in his voice. That cased both sisters to whip their head in his dirrection, eyes narrowing.
"He he he he." Rex chuckled as he removed his hood, revealing his ordinary looks, but more than that, his human features, his eyes excluding. "Come now, you are incredibly beautifull. There is no way I could not aim your affection and body. Only a fool would not. And with how greedy I am, it is only natural that I aim for Mora as well, since it seems that your happiness is dependant on Moras presence and hapiness."
"Dont you think you are being too greedy here?" Xersia asked, a small smirk developing on her face. Rex's simple and most definately, dragonic aproach to the situation, caused the older of the two sisters even more relaxed around him than before. "That greed of yours, it most definetly smells of a dragonoid. Are you perhaps of a similar species as us?"
"Well, yes and no. I am quite sure I am of dragon bloodline, though not quite in the same manner as your species. My guess is that your ancestors blood were of drakes of some sort. No offence intended. Higher species of their variants for sure, no lesser drakes could take human form. That would explain the draconic features your pople have retained. True dragon offspring look decidedly human, when not in the dragon form, if one of the mates is human. Your form implies true drakes."
"No offense taken. Were we not aware of the nature of our ancestors, we have enough knowledge that we would have reached the same conclusion regardless. And yes, we all know that we come from True drake bloodline. Still makes us no less draconic in the end. I would asume you are not a first generation trueborn either. The eyes would be decidedly more dragonic, if that was the case, no?"
"A mutation, that one, but yes, I asume you are correct."
"You asume?"
"Never met my birth parents, though I have a sister, and she is not like me, even had to purify and strenghten her bloodline for the bloodline abilities to manifest. So I can only guess in that regard. I suppose thats where my greed for bautifull maidens as well as desire to make a hoard comes from." A wide grin spread across his face, clearly visible to the sisters.
"And you think that with those ordinary looks you stand a chance?" a smililar grin slowly spread across Xersias face "Especially when Mora is also in your sight?"
"If that was all that I had going for me, surely not. I have what every dragon with, or forming a hoard needs first and foremost- my own cave and power to ensure said hoard does not get stolen. Then, I did save her life, no doubt earning me quite a bit of goodwill from her, as well as interest, if your draconic instincts are as strong as I suspect. Same should go with you, especially with what you have told me about your love for her. Truth be told, I believe I am the perfect answer you need for each and every problem you have currently."
"Oww, and what would that be?" her grin widening even more, the personality of a warrior and a go getter shining through more and more, as well as a bit of primal lust oozing out of her.
"An extremely powerfull dragon, clearly interested in you both, with the means to solve even the aproaching problem of the tigermen. So, what problem could a couple of your noble clans pose to me? Plus, I am soft handed enough, where it counts, to not just forcefully take what I desire. Not something often experienced with dragons. One of the less desirable traits of ours, I must admit."
"Yes, a fault that true drakes do not really have, not in the same capacity at the very least, though there the human part comes to compensate." Xersia spoke back, a slight displeasure in her voice. How else the situation that had threatened Mora else come to pass?
"Human nature indeed. But blame the individual for their shortcomings, not the race. Got any ideas who the main colaborator and beneficiary from the Serpentglare clans side would be?"
"I have a few candidates, though I cant say for sure. There are four men from said clan who have made their statements about 'breaking me in', " Xersia snorted, "and a couple more that had been brutaly rejected by Mora. "
"So, a collaboration could be in the cards, even withing their own clan, yes?"
" I would not put it past them." Xersia confirmed.
"So, are you ready to become a part of this dragons hoard, alongside your sister?" Rex smirked, moving ahead with the agenda.
"Dont you think you are rushing things a bit too fast there?" Mora finally joined the conversation, her face red, as she shot her embaresed gaze between Rex and her sister.
"I was not implying to bed you both right here and now, if that is what you are thinking about. No, I wanted to stake my claim on you. you know. Like, rings are worn by human women when they have promised themselves, or already have a spouse, or the necklaces, in the case of Svergi women, made from very special beast teeth in the dungeon they reside in."
"Svergi women?" Xersia asked with interest.
"Half giant, half humans."
"Oh, are they pretty?"
"Some of them, yes. My two? Most definately. So much so, that they could compete with your beauty. I am a dragon of refined tastes after all, with endless greed as well. So, about the jewelery that indicates ones marital status?"
"Yes, we do have it here. Rings too, like the humans you mentioned."
"Any finger in particular? Humans have that." Rex lifted his left hand, with his right index finger pointing at his left ring finger. "Left hands ring finger, for humans, for example. though with males it just means that they have at least one spouse. Women tend to have only one male spouse in general, though it has to be noted that even most of the males only have a single woman as a spouse as well. Only the trully rich or powerfull have more."
"Well, yes, the same ring finger for us as well." calmly replied Xersia.
"So, two questions remain for both of you. Are you willing to become part of my hoard, with all the benefits that it affords, and if so, what kind of ring should I procure for you?"
Rex leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes, allowing the two sisters to converse, clearly weighting the pros and cons of such an offer. The sheer might of Rex was incredibly alluring for both sisters, as well the unspoken, but implied promise that they would be together forever.