Little Water fought a flinch as the predator she worked so hard to ignore made herself known.
Lou pointed a stern finger toward the purple woman. “You aren’t supposed to be saying anything.”
“Well, I could hardly let this brat play you. It’d be too embarrassing.”
“She isn’t playing anyone. It’s obvious I can brute force this but, in case you haven’t noticed, I don’t particularly like shitting all over everything, even if it is effective.”
The purple woman’s features scrunched up. “I’d appreciate it if you used better imagery. Ugh.”
“Forgive me if I’m not in a poetic mood. It has been a long couple of days.”
“That’s no excuse to lose your decorum.”
“Whose fault do you think it is that I’m so stressed?”
“That’s because you’re being too stubborn for your own good.”
“You’re calling me stubborn? Aren’t you afraid the saints will strike you down? That much irony has got to be a sin.”
The purple woman smiled. “The last thing I’m afraid of is human ghosts. If you think they, or anything else, is going to drive me away, then you’re sorely mistaken. Give up your pointless struggle. This is best for everyone.”
“Says who? Orum is alright but you’ve been nothing but a nuisance. Always popping in, demanding to study me. You’re worse than the succubi. And as for ‘tutoring’ me, you’re worse than I am.” Lou waved energetically toward Little Water. “I just leveled a city, killing and displacing thousands of innocents, and I thought to avoid threatening the poor lizard! Eh. Dammit.” Lou scratched at the back of her head. “Sorry.”
“It is fine.” It would be a lie to say Little Water was ambivalent about the comparison, but she couldn’t afford to be insulted. What good would it do? She couldn’t do anything about the uncomfortable feeling in her chest. It also wasn’t a wholly untrue statement. They were raised from common reptiles.
“Anyway!” The noblewoman’s glare returned to the purple woman. “Aren’t you supposed to be helping me be better at this? That is how you sold this to Kierra.”
“Oh? So I am your teacher?”
“You were just supposed to be a quiet observer but since you’ve already intervened, you might as well make yourself useful.”
“…you’ve changed since your union with my daughter but not much. Still insolent.” The purple woman sighed. “Since I’m not officially your teacher and we’re family, I’ll excuse your terrible attitude. I suppose you’re entitled, as I have barged into your home. As you say, I’ll make myself useful. First rule of diplomacy, the Atainna way; ruthlessly stomp out your enemies.”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Little Water wondered how long she would be a witness to their theatre, as the two more powerful creatures had easily excluded her from their conversation. She felt as if they were losing sight of why they were here, namely her human, but didn’t want to risk their ire interrupting. Ignored was better than despised.
“What does that have to do with diplomacy?”
“It defines when it’s to be used. As in, it’s never to be used on enemies. Those who make themselves into threats need to be crushed. Like your lizard.”
Little Water felt the urge to interject intensify as the purple woman elaborated. “She stumbles on a threat to your clan. Instead of bringing it straight to you and explaining, she uses it to extort benefits. At best, blackmail. At worse, she could be colluding with this threat. How do we know she isn’t compromised? Don’t think just because you have those magnificent creatures at your call, no one else holds influence over the mind. You certainly didn’t check her mind for any interference. Who knows what mind is presenting this deal? And who cares? This lizard isn’t an ally so get rid of her and investigate these claims yourself.”
Little Water’s concern peaked. “I’m not an enemy or colluding with anyone else. I simply wanted to negotiate a reward for my service—"
“A reward happens after the service and is given at the discretion of the other party. An agreed to price before a service is called payment,” the purple woman sniped. “Maybe you aren’t an enemy. At best, you might count yourself as a mercenary and those are notoriously fickle. If the safety of my clan was at stake, I wouldn’t be wasting time negotiating with one, trying to figure out which words are true, false, and calculated.”
“That’s enough.” Lou rubbed her head before turning to Little Water. “I’m not giving you Khan.”
“A conversation,” the estrazi said quickly. Part of negotiating meant sometimes one had to settle for less than their desired outcome. “I didn’t have a chance to speak with Khan after his mind was altered. I would like to examine the extent of his alterations myself.” Her biggest concern was that Great Mind had changed his personality, either making him uninterested in their shared ambition or enhancing his enthusiasm. Her father had promised that he wouldn’t be harmed but she wouldn’t put it past him to use her human as a piece for his plans.
“Hm. He’d go back to sleep after.”
If he was still her human, Little Water would do everything she could to convince Lou differently. “Understood.”
“…alright. Bring me this threat and if it’s significant, then at the next most convenient time, I’ll let you talk to Khan for, eh, a day. But if it’s nothing, you get nothing.”
Little Water bowed her head and wrapped her tail around her waist, signs of submission. “Thank you, Lou.”
The noblewoman scoffed. “You don’t need to thank me. I just don’t see the point in torturing someone who came to me in good faith. What’s wrong with wanting a little benefit? I’d much rather trust someone who wants something from me than someone who is sucking up to me out of fear.”
“You’re underestimating the power of true fear,” the purple woman said but Lou ignored her.
“Besides, if you don’t have something good, you get nothing.”
“You won’t be disappointed.” Little Water stood. “If you don’t mind, then I will retrieve it now.”
“How long will that take?”
“I don’t know. First, I will have to track down the servants if they have not returned from hiding it. Then we need to retrieve it and return, preferably without drawing attention. Depending on where they hid it, it could take hours.”
“Ugh. No rush. In fact, unless your thing is visibly rotting, I don’t want to see you until tomorrow afternoon. Thanks to a certain someone—" The violet gaze glared at the purple woman, who seemed unfazed. “—I haven’t been getting the best sleep. It’ll also be more convenient in a few ways.” Lou pushed up from her chair. “Alright?”
“As you wish.”