My reasoning almost slipped in those negotiations… twice.
Falling Leaf might have tried to ignore everything Dancing Wind (the Name of the young tender) was promising, but as she already said many things, it was not possible to just ignore everything. The only problem is, Falling Leaf renounced many things. First of the Signal for a meeting. This was revoked immediately, what also means they do not have any right to talking to me. This was the easiest to stomach.
Then it came to my bottom lines. First no passage through the Woods. As we do not have anything to say, I should not travel their forest. It was a long, tedious and frustrating discussion, until I threatened with withdrawal of the creation of Mana. It was rather beneficial for the forest and help not only this place but the whole Forest by being nourished for a long time.
The whole Discussion got heated after that, first saying I was bluffing, then after showing her I can stop the release I would purposefully threaten them. Asking how I can threaten someone with something I just give for free made her shut up and gave me ten kilometers free reign. The next discussion was about what she tried to swindle in. Ten Kilometers from my tunnel in every direction would not let me go to other countries. I wanted ten Kilometers around the whole Forest for me to travel and get resources. This took us well in the Night of discussion, as she tried to hold me in for the long game, until I get tired. Sorry, I do not even know how sleep or exhaustion feels like, so we can run in circles until you are blue.
It took very long for her to realize I do not tire and this is going nowhere. She tried everything. First was trying to negotiate with her Queen, so I gave her a deadline of a week before I evaluate this Negotiation failed and I do what I want in the forest.
Threats were insinuated by telling they would retaliate, but I just told them I would just put deadly Miasma from the crater out into the woods to sterilize the area of any threat.
Suddenly I was the aggressor, for saying such a thing, but remembering her, I would do this, when my people get attacked by something, and this would be self defense.
Saying I have no power and just bluff, when I relaxed my grip onto the miasma and it started to react with the mana around to show her how close they are to a huge bubble of crater Miasma. Their gray faces getting even whiter was my favorite part.
Everything she tried failed. Playing the victim, threats, false accusations, luring me out (as if I could go to their queen, they would kill my Avatar somewhere on the way anyway), delaying and finally just bargaining to one kilometer.
The last try I showed sincerity by giving in to five kilometers. I wanted to move not too near the fungal Mountains was my reasoning that I made up, but I really wanted the freedom for hunting prey and finding plants.
And that was another giant negotiation on itself, for me to be allowed to even get one dead branch from the forest. This was the second time I wanted to just burst the bubble and mummify every single one of those damn elves. I even asked how much taxes the wild Monsters pay for being allowed to eat the plants of the forest. Falling Leaf was not amused.
…
“We stay on the terms for now. For supplying the forest with clear Mana, your people are allowed to move through and forage some plants in a five kilometer ring around the forest, but have to leave the roots intact. Your… tamed beasts, can hunt some food for their own, but have to stay near your cave. Any transgressions and the whole agreement is void.”
“I accept those terms.”
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What else can I do, but accept? The only other thing I could do is war, and I have too much to do right now to squabble with some Barkskin having Treehugger.
Although I understand, this is more of a grace to even negotiate, as Dancing Wind messed up so heavily, it would be close to another banishment. Still I do not like them. They have a superiority complex, and see themselves close to Gods in their little forest. Would my cleansed Mana not be such a great benefit against the ever encroaching Miasma, they would have not given me anything.
“For now, we need to tell our Queen and the guards about the agreement so it would be best to wait for at least one Moon Cycle to be safe.”
Lie. They have ways to fast travel through the woods and can even communicate long distances inside the forest by whispering to the trees.
“I understand and will be careful. At least be conscious about my tamed beasts, as they need food, so let the guards around here know not to kill wolves that look different than the ones living inside the forest”
I do not care about a small timeout. They definitely want to think about any way to remove me, but how can they do that, if they do not even know who or what I really am? Have fun conspiring.
“We wish you a long life. Our paths should rarely cross again.”
Yeah, ‘we never want to see you again’ can be told in flowery words, but both of us know the meaning.
“As your own roots are far from here, I wish you a peaceful travel back.”
Oh, that gave her a grimace for a fraction of a Second. She understood my meaning of ‘Go home and stay there’ very clearly.
{High Mother. Please ask.}
sigh “One last thing. Before we came, another of our elven scouts were send on a mission to seek out any anomalies in this area. Do you know about any elves traveling this path?”
Well it must come to this, but I already know my answer.
“I saw two elves. One alive and one dead. The dead was in my tunnels dried up and mummified. He must have been searching the tunnel while it was still filled with Miasma. The other one came here not long ago with a mage and two fighters, all three human except for him.”
“…It was the former one. Is the corpse still here?”
“Sadly the body was heavily decayed when found. I can give you his remains, what still exist at least.”
With this I levitate a crate with body parts from the disassembled Red right in front of the small bridge. First I saw hate for using wood and even putting him inside those dead tree constructs, but after a few breaths two guards go over to retrieve it.
Afterwards both tenders look inside. Dancing Wind looked away rather immediately after seeing the quick dried leftovers.
{No sign of any wound before he died. His parts have some bite marks from rats and mice. All shows the corpse being found later and not killed by him. At least not directly or intentionally. Do not hold a grudge on the tree, that threw its shadow over the plant to let it die of hunger Dancing Wind. There is no Murderer in this case.}
Dancing Wind does not move, but seems to understand what Falling Leaf said. After five Minutes they close the box and take it away.
“Farewell.”
The last I heard from Falling Leaf and now I have finally time to repair everything I have. I will not again be open for such a dilemma. So many bodies and no way to get them.
...
...Maybe it was lucky I did not get them, as I notice my Morals slipping further and further.
I would have killed them if they annoyed me enough, but as I am rather resilient to wasted time I did only go to the thought twice. Well, twice was already two times too much, so it makes sense to be careful, as I want not become a murder machine.
...At least not before I am back to where I want to go.