Shortly after they had been informed of the readiness of the council to meet Rex, the trio once again landed their precious posteriors on the now well familiar seats, as the carriage of the Heavenflame family once again departed their mansion. Their new destination- Voice of the people. A rather large building within the very heart of the city, thus they had to endure yet another almsot two hour trip. Heavenflame mansion was located rather far to the citues outskirts, the generation long tradition and skill of their scouts making such a position more advantageus for them. Xersia and in extension Mora, were outliers, an irregularity that occured ine every family with a specialized path, ingrained in their noble blood. Which meant every family had such outliers every now and then, each and every one specializing in some sort of subset of skills over any other.
"Say, but what do your families do with such irregular descendants?" Rex asked the sisters, their conversation having touched upon the subject.
"Normally, they would be married off to a family that embraces the same path the descendant does, strenghtening the path of the new family. I, and Mora in extension, are an exception to the rule, since I am the matriarch of my own branch, and Mora is my sister. With the position I occupy, as well as the ever aproaching tournament, I can blatantly refuse any such decisions of the rulling family. And with my position, Mora has had the same priviledge. There is no way I would just marry her off to some sleezy and pompous young noble dragonkin. Her generation is escecially spoiled, the parents probably compensating for because of the coming war with the tigermen in a decade."
"No doubt there will be some fools who would air their grievances towards us for your decision to be mine. How do you girls want me to deal with them?" Rex asked, he did not care one way or another, as long as the fools risking their lives did not threaten Xersia and Mora, or did not get handsy with them. No other man shall touch his girls, and that was an iron clad rule, doubly so when they have lustfull and malicious thoughts.
With the question aired, both girls went over a multitude of possible responses Rex could take, in the end settling on a rather simple one.
"Do try to not kill or cripple them too badly, if possible, though there is no problem with a solid beating, should such fools apear and challenge your honour, or ours for that matter. There is little worse than a dragonkin noble scorned. Since we dragonkin are proud people, you should show a similar attitude as well, lest more and more fools believe you are either too timid or afraid of their boisterous nature. Better to curb such possible happenings in the bud. And there is no better preventative action than a proper display of power. With what you are packing, that should not be an issue I recon."
"Roger that, Xersie, a stern beating for any fool who asks for it, and possibly some glance at us the wrong way, just for good measure. Nothing too permanent though, that about right, yes?"
"Thats about right indeed." Replied the older of the sisters, a smile blooming on her face. She was realizing more and more just how magnificent and liberating it was to have a powerfull and capable man by ones side. The fact her sister was afforded the same benefits and protection was the cherry on top.
Eventually, their ride came to and end, their carriage stopping in front of a rather well maintained fence of decorative mini trees, creating a wall around an old looking, but just as well maintained four story building. A mark with a round table with seats around it carved into it.
"The assembly chamber." Spoke Xersia as they walked through one of the openings in the live fence, revealing the building in all of its ancient splendor. Multiple collumns were placed on both sides of the walkway, each and every one carved with intricate dravings.
"Some sort of myth or a legend is depicted on each of the collumns. While we dont have the time now, I would be more than happy to tell you of any, should they arouse your interest. It is something that every dragonkin is taught and knows by heart."
Then, a few moments later they were before a large and just as decorated door, that was already open, the guards of the messanger already spread around it, standing like some sort of honour guards. One of them then spoke.
"We request you leave your storage device with us, lest you bring weapons inside, intending to harm our council."
"He, he." Rex laughed at the words. "I dont need my weapons to harm said council, should I decide to do so, and none of you here, including a combined effort, stand a chance of making me, so be a good litle bitch, shut up and stand there as you are supposed to." Then he turned his attention to the sisters, who were still by his side, smiled at them, though none could see it, his cape obscuring the sight, and spoke in a much milder tone "Girls, miind leading the way? I am sure you both know the place well enough."
Mora chuckled at the one eighty degree change in his attitude, and spoke. "Sure thing. Follow me." She then took Xersia by the hand and moved forward, Rex doing as asked and following behind them both. As they moved deeper into the building, they passed by more than just a few groups of people, nobles, judging by their single colour clothes, as well as the arrogant and haughty facial expressions they wore. Rex noticed more than one scowl and glare of jelousy that was dirrected towards him, the news of his act, and the response of the sisters, in the jewelers shop in the mornig, clearly having been spread among the nobility at the very least.
Luckaly, though much to Rex suprise, there were no incidents on their way towards the destination of their visit, with them entering into a hall on the third floor of the building. The hall resembled an amphitethre of sorts, the stage with a podium and a few standing positions deployed in the field. The elevated sides were filled with seats, all packed with people, clearly waiting for the main stars of this event to arrive. Catching the attention of most peopel seated, as well as overhearing a few whispers among the nearest people, it seems it was only their presence that was missing from getting this thing underway.
Rex also noticed that at the podium there was already a dragonkin man standing. He furrowed his brow, though once again his expressions were only for him to know about, and asked the two girls/
"Why does the place look like some sort of a courtroom, meant for judging and interogating a criminal?"
"Because thats what it is ussually used for, though with the council aware of the topic of the coming talk, the podium and the stand should have been replaced with a round table, indicating the equality of the sides looking for an agreement." Spoke Mora, her lectures still relatively frehs in her mind from the teachings she had had not too long ago.
"hmm, soo, some fools have manipulated with the set up, clearly intending to humiliate the possible saviour of countless lives. Glad the corruption and stupidity is still prevelant even among your kind."
"He, he, he." an akward laugh escaped Xersias lips "I did say there is quite the pride issue with our species. You must have felt it as so already."
"Well, thats true, but I am not above petty fights, especially when I have the absolute advantage over the enemy. Just follow me closely by." he told his two beautifull companions, a smirk forming on his face and a mischievous glint in his eyes, once again unseen by the rest of the world.
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The short conversation he had with the girls was held as they descended the stairs towards the small stadium opening at the bottom, quite a few smirks adorning more than just a couple dragonkin younger males, however, much to their confusion, Rex's group did not take the place at the podium, as the audience had expected. No, a burst of mana left his person, and a rather intricate mana construct spun around the stand in the middle, creating an ever growing platform, at the top of which three seats were forrmed.
As the construct was swirling into existance, creating a solid, stable and even surface, the trio was brough up to reach the top by the moving and shifting plates of the mana construct. Then, Rex pulled out three cusions from his inventory, placed one on the new thrones each, and sat in the middle one, slightly larger than the other two, with girls taking a seat on both his sides. Now, the trio were even higher than the podium, causing the dragonkin in said podium to fush with anger and embarasment, his clear attempt to enforce his narrative having failed miserably, their roles now reversed.
Rex and the girls sat there for a couple of minutes, quiet murmurs permeating the seats, as people whisoered among one another. He could sense even more hostile and agrieved glares sent his way, but the man at the podium still stood shocked in his place, whatever they had planned, clearly being interrupted.
"I dont have all day to waste. Get on with it already." Rex spoke, his voice, amplified with mana, reverberated throughout the room, silencing the murmurs and finally getting things in motion. "My offer had clearly been brought to you. The question now is quite simple. What can you offer me in exchange for such a service?"
What Rex, and most other spectators did not know, was the reason for the shocked state of the chosen speaker. As it just so happens, said dragonkin man was a rare mage of their kind, and seeing the vast amount of mana used for the construction, as well as the fact that it seemed to not bother the possible mercenary at all, indicating of even more reserves still in the mans tank. And that, that bevildered the speaker of the council. As dragonkin, whose ancestry lie in a higher drake, their mana capacity was rather low, making large and grand mana applications a sore spot for them. So, how could a mage with quite the limited mana pool not gawk at someone, who seemed to have no limits at all?
Still, the speaker was an experienced member of the council, and, once out of his momentary stuppor, he quickly regathered himself, the slight grimmace on his face still there. Then, with quite the displeasure, he looked up towards the trio, comfortably sitting in their throne like chairs, looking down at him. The mercenary had reclined in the cusshy chair, his arms relaxed and placed on the handrails, a relaxed expression, and probably a mocking grin on his face. Both women had a hand placed on his, indicating the supposed unity of the trio.
'Tch, the bitch has got her hands on the scout it would seem. Still, I can use that connection for my benefit.' the speaker thought, as he cleared his throat, prepearing to speak.
"I, Redicous Ironscale, on behalf of the council, shall be leading this inquiry today." He spoke, his tone elevated, just the slightest tinge of mana in fusion in the voice. He had to be carefull, should this hearing last for hours, it would not befit a noble man to not last untill the end. He then proceeded to go on, naming the rest of the council members, something Rex did not bother commiting to his memory, though he did listen to what his women had to say about, whenever they did. A couple of minutes later, with the councilmembers named, Redicous returned to his supposed interogation.
"Xersia Heavenflame. It has come to the attention of the council that you have been engaged with the mercenary? Your sister as well?" His tone was both questioning and accusatory.
"That is true, but I dont see how that is any business of yours, or councils, for that matter. We are all individuals, and can do as we please with our lives." Xersia responded nonchallantly, her tone almost bored, yet a slight hint of mocking was evident, eliciting a squinting of the speakers eyes.
"WHORE! COUDNT KEEP IN IN YOUR PANTS WHEN A STRONG STRANGERS APPEARS?" An angry shout resounded from the stands on the side, clearly someone had blown a fuse.
"Ha ha ha ha." Xersia laughed in a full voice at the scream dirrected her way. "Cant blame me when there are no real men around, can you?" Her calm and mocking rebuttal shut up the now crimson man, clearly enraged and filled with embarasment and resentment. The mana construct that struck him, plastering the poor bastard against the wall did not help either, returning the entire attention to Rex, who was the originator of said mana construct.
"Carefull now. I would advise to not mouth off and offend my women. My temper tends to be rather short in that regard." his voice was like a whisper, though clearly heard by everyone in the hall, a chill runing down their backs. It was both a warning and a threat at the same time.
Before the spokesman could continiue on with his planned tirade, Rex spoke again, not willing to listen to pompous and self important fools for much longer. "What does the council offer in exchange for us taking care of the tigerman horde, who has begun its movements a decade early?" Although he had spent the last couple days in this city, his cosmic ravens had been hard at work, scouting out the level he was now on, giving him more and more knowledge and insight about it. He had also found more 'scouting parties' of the tigermen, with a clear indication of the dirrection in which the true body of the horde was located. He had managed to find it just a bit before they exited the carriage, the sight before said ravens eyes quite impressive to see. Tens of thusands of tigermen, ranging grom S to SS class, moving chaotically,m yet with purpose, more groups arriving from time to time to join with the horde.
"While you say that the horde is awake and on the move, our own scouts have yet to find any traces of it. And so, it is rather hard to take your words seriously, clearly you must understand our position. We are representing our people here, thus it is in our best interests to always make informed decisions that would benefit us as a whole. Also, it is quite rude to conceal oneself during negotiations. Remove the hood." the last sentence was spoken in somewhat autorative manner, though it had less of the intended effect, what with the councilor having to look up towards Rex and his two women.
"Watch your tone little insect, lest you learn the same lesson your compatriot did, when he insulted my woman."
"Come now dear, would you please do it?" Xersia spoke in a soft manner, only heard by the spokesperson and the closest few rows of spectators.
"Only because Xersia kindly asked." Rex spoke, his voice clearly heard by the audience. Then he removed the hood, his ordinary features and unordinary eyes now laid bare in front of all. Boredom and slight irritation apparent on his face, made a few of the most experienced council members to stiffen up. Unlike what they had expected, the mercenary was not pining to get the supposed job of wiping out the tigermen horde. It seemed more like an offer made in the spur of the moment, or maybee someone else in his group.
This fact alone broke down most of their strategies prepeared for the eventual negotiation. What they though would be costly, but not overly so of a deal, revealed itself as what it was-. The man, or their groups decision making had taken a fancy to Mora when they ran ito her on her hunt, then learning of the problem the tigermen were, they offered to take care of the problem, most likely jokingly, only for her to express the likely willingness of her people to actually accept such an offer. And here the mercenary was, having achieved what he wanted and more, both Mora and Xersia in his grasp. Still, the two had likely asked him to be forth coming when the council makes their offer.
"Assuming the horde is indeed on the move, what is it that your group would ask for said services rendered?" the spokesperson then asked.
"Should you not discuss it with the other cities? Or are you planning on footing the bill for the rest of them?" Clear grumbling could be heard among the people in the stands, obviosuly none willing to to take the brunt of the cost when every city would benefit of such a deal. Rex then added.
"Obviously, its gonna cost you and arm and a leg, but trully, when compared with the countless lives you would lose, in case you to deal with the horde on your own, the price should feel like nothing but pocket change. Seeing that we have come to an impass, I will leave you people to contact your bretheren in other cities and iron it out with them. Dont bother me untill you have come to an agreement."
With those words said, Rex rose from his seat, the two ladies following shortly after. He then stored the seats, and willed the mana construct to dissipate in a manner that had them elegantly returned to the ground level. Then, the trio left the speechless crowd the same way they arrived- with heads held high and no shit taken from the onlookers.