Akila's eyes were inattentive, jumping from spot to spot, sometimes on the ceiling and other times on the walls. Her mind seemed for an observer to be occupied by nothingness, yet she has closely listened to the present conversation...
In those few passing seconds of silence, for Akila's mind, they seemed endless. She took her time wandering about the farm's current situation, about the best solution she needed to take if she didn't get what she wanted at the end of this negotiation...
She needed to be patient as long as her coolness dry up; she was afraid that she was going to use her current position of power and not just threaten the Count. Maybe she would end up starting a battle and destroying this precious farm.
Isn't avoiding the distraction of the farm as much as she could be one of the biggest reasons that she started this negotiation.
And if the Count was really sincere about his request for why he was making this hard by insinuating the chaos between the Chimera...
Akila decided to not rush matters and accuse the Count of being behind this confusion on the farm. She needed to be patient and not act like her younger self.
Back then, in her youth, without much experience, she frequently fell victim to this superficial display of power. She gets paranoid and loses sight of that fine line that separates her reality, the position she holds, and the power she thinks she can master. This was always her own crucial mistake that she always worked on correcting, back then and even now.
To her surprise, when canary took the stand for the negotiation, Akila didn't expect her to follow her advice.
How shameful if she urged and advised Kanari to be discreet, polite, and humble in her interaction with others, especially with her enemies, to never precipitate and handle everything with physical or verbal force? While she herself acts contrary to her own advice.
kanari was different from Savannah. She is indecisive, full of self-doubt, and certainly very emotional in the decisions she made. But aren't most living being born like this? Only through learning and experience can they develop to be a better version of themselves...
Soft on the outside yet brutal, savage on the inside.
This is the first and most important principle that Akila worked hard to carve deep down in the soul of her dear children. How dare she call herself an excellent mother if she didn't work with her on the advice?
Slowly those seconds followed by and the pause finished when Kanari's reply finally came up: "As we have motioned before, we need you to accept all the conditions if you want to be an associate..."
" I understand that, but, how I am going to replace the other associate, I mean how you are going to get rid of him and manage the transfer smoothly, I am talking about the legal part. After all, we need his signature on the contract"
" That's why we asked you to open the barrier again for our second partner. He is the one who is tasked with handling this kind of matter. "
Francis moved his eyes between the two women. It was as he predicted, either he willfully agreed to their conditions or he will get out with nothing. He glanced at the papers in front of him, the papers he read and reread a million times, then he said:
" And the right of distribution to the human's land?"
" Since it was under Mr. Hendrickson's management, then it will be yours, according to the terms of the original contract. I believe I have sent you a copy."
Akila was listening, with narrowed- eyes, wondering where the Count wants to go with these questions.
"Truthfully, I want to redistribute the goods to Lundien. I hope that doesn't violate your terms..."
"Mmm," Kanari thought before she answered, "No, as long as you use the humans' land as a first destination the redistribution after this will be up to your preferences." after she gave her answer only then she comprehend what he sought after...
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Akila, also, for a second, the corner of her mouth twisted in displeasure, this man trying to have an assurance of what he was getting after all the humans land was always used when some unimportant conflicts between rivals must be avoided.
" There is another thing I want to add." Francis continued, pretending to be oblivious. I wish to meet the second party before I leave."
"Are you saying that sign the deal with us? The Crocotta is not enough for you?" Kanari was extremely irritated and failed to contain herself.
"I just want to make an acquaintance with him. I have heard a lot of things about his person, mostly rumors."
Francis' tone wasn't serious compared to the first remark he had made earlier. He seemed like he was enjoying this after he made the young lady furious.
Akila stole a side glimpse of her daughter as she pretended to pour some water into the glass. She barely held herself from interfering. The Count's soft attack was like a bombing on an amateur. How kanari is going to respond without revealing so much of her inner feelings.
" This is not a celebration to make an acquaintance, and don't act like you are equal, you are just going to be an operator, we are going to give you Mr. Hendrickson shared and some of his terms of reference but not his position. I can just refuse this whole contract and charge you of an illegal presence in our territories, or I can...," Finally, Kanari stopped herself from blurting the other inappropriate words.
Lady Akila was shocked into the water. She was swallowing, but she controlled her reaction to not cause a noticeable scene. While she was condoning kanari's choice of words.
This wasn't the best answer. Revealing your emotional state is just like revealing critical information.
Akila felt a flash sting in her ears as she listened to her daughter's direct words.
Revealing an emotional state during a negotiation after receiving a hidden threat is truly a grave error with two weighty compositions.
The first one was losing the slight breath of trust that holds two opposing parties to talk and sit at the same table, the second one. She confirmed the other side's doubts.
Akila decided that she finally needs to interfere.
****
Outside, the clash of sticks with the earth saturated the air with dust. The sound of metal hitting walls accompanied the song that was chanted for the sake of the departed.
Afterward, the chant became screams and shouts that condemn the responsible for those unjustified murders. They were discreetly directed to the incompetence of their lord. The Lord Whom they believed to be their protector, their savior whom they had promised their life and death…
He failed them…
He let them die...
The anger of the villagers grew to be more and more unrestrained. Despite the butler and the maids of the manor eminence efforts to control and calm them.
Savannah stood on top of one of the tallest roofs. Carefully trying not to be too far away or too close. Just choosing the optimal distance to oversee the state of affairs and the reasons behind this big commotion. After one glance, she had to admit. It was quite a sight to behold as if it was coming straight out of a history book.
It was futile in Savannah's view, meaningless, as the struggle of a small fly tangled in the adhesive web of a hungry spider. But there was something in it, something strange that made it oddly enchanting and satisfying, this tough fight for survival. It showed what a length a living being can go to give their lives meaning.
She sat on the rooftop, leaning her back on the wall of the chimney and dropping her head in her palm, thinking while enjoying this rare glorious movement of a deprived, forlorn nation in their hopeless struggle for life.
Moving her pale yellow eyes to scan the site as quickly as possible, she could. Because forming a theory about why and what was happening was her priority.
After she absorbed and assessed the present information, she retrieved from her observation; she started to sew the thread between the separated dots…
The place, the time, they were both in correlation with the unforeseen events of that night when that damn Amarok attacked the main tavern.
She couldn't think of another explanation that fit the current situation.
She bit her lower lip as her dark almond-shaped pupil narrowed while working her best to spot the kerit.
She made a deal with that man… And by all means; she was aware of the possibility of him being a card from another player. Yet she couldn’t contain herself and chose to take the risk to measure the extent of his sincerity.
The taste of blood stained the inside of her mouth when she licked the small cut on her lower lip.
The kerit wasn't hard to spot, although the fierce havoc. His enormous frame and tall stature rendered him unbelievably distinct. Every time she glimpsed his face, his words echoed in her mind:
"He is not the same person…"
What this Kerit knew about the albino to declare with such confidence…
Little by little, the chaos started to subside, and the echoes of the noise began to calm down. The right moment she was waiting for had arrived, not a complete disorder neither a total peacefulness. The perfect condition so she could advance.
Her claws scratched the wall of the chimney that she leaned on to support her weight. And before she jumped to the next roof, she put on the flying goggles that were dangling around her neck. She confirmed she can only see a blurry image of a moving corpse. She took them off while cursing “that fraudulent jerk, he sold me a defective one”
Then she looked back at her next destination with narrowed, determined eyes. Finally, she is going to find out if the kerit was keeping his side of their deal or someone saw the bloody mess the Amarok had created before they have cleaned it.
She took a deep breath and murmured to herself, complaining: “what I am going to do now, either way, this complete mess is all because of me”.