The room in which Nepheli, Finley, Kenneth, Sellen and Aldrich were currently meeting felt strangely cold. Somewhat surprising if we consider that a few seconds ago they were joking around, chatting business and everything was normal.
"Who are they, Nepheli?"
Keeping a smile on his handsome face, Aldrich looks them up and down with his draconics and the pigs seem to shiver instantly.
"They..."
"Hump, how dare you talk to us like that, we're the overlords of everything here!"
Slapping the air with his greasy hand, the supposed lord of everything here fills the surroundings with his saliva, causing the faces of those present to darken.
"Nepheli, oh, Nepheli. Who are they, I have asked?"
"Sir, they."
Before Kenneth could speak, a single glance from Aldrich's draconic eyes silences him. Satisfied with the silence now in the room, Aldrich rests his piercing gaze on Nepheli.
Clearly the times of play were over, now in the room is not Aldrich, but the Lord of Circle and an inveterate fetishist of total control.
Nepheli's lack of actual control of the situation translates into lack of effective control over Necrolimbo, his lack of control over Necrolimbo translates into lack of control by Aldrich... Something he clearly doesn't seem to like.
"They are the ancient nobles, my lord. They have contributed weapons, men and food to the cause, plus they keep the administration running."
"Weapons, men and food that rightfully belong to you as mistress of Necrolimbo, Nepheli Loux. You're giving them benefits in exchange for them recognizing your rights, it's like asking to please be allowed to eat in your own home... Absurd."
Reprimanding Nepheli with stunning majesty in every word, Aldrich's reptilian golden eyes gleam for a few moments, before a smile grows on his face.
"But I understand you, as I too have been forced to keep the old guard for some time.... You can't let the system fall apart, can you?"
"Yes, that's right."
Aldrich seems to be very clear that pushing Nepheli with everything is not the best solution, she is a great warrior, and as someone of such a level, she has her own level of pride. So what does he do? Simple, the carrot and stick, criticism and compliments.
"While we're on the subject, I have an idea, Nepheli. Before I left Leyndell, groups of new clerks were being trained there, young people full of vigor and desire to make a better world... How about I give you a few? That way you'll get full control over Necrolimbo."
"We appreciate your offer, but we..."
Silencing Kenneth who seems to realize the underlying plan, Aldrich again stares at Nepheli and keeps his eyes narrowed.
Aldrich's narrowed eyes were a clear synonym for danger, but instead everyone in the room felt as if he was watching out for them.
Perhaps it is the instincts of the weak to follow without questioning the strong? Perhaps they really believe he is the good guy? Although they may not have noticed the plan hidden under all the talk?
"It will be an honor to accept your envoys to help rule, so I can finally get these swine off my back."
"A wise decision, Nepheli. Then you can handle this, I'll be planning the next steps. Sellen, with me."
"... Yes"
Lifting his body from the chair that has served him faithfully for the hour or two that the meeting lasted, Aldrich is followed out by Sellen, though before leaving he shares a glance with Finley.
...Nepheli pov....
Scary, scary, scary, scary, exciting... Cof, cof, what a scary thing the angry Circle Lord is. Shaking my head up and down inside my mind, confirmed the thoughts that it was an exciting, cof, terrifying situation.
"Get a grip, woman. You're drooling even."
"Is it necessary to lie, Finley? That accusation is a complete... Wait, it's true."
Quickly wiping the saliva dripping from my lips, I watched as a straight sword flew past me and instantly heard a piercing scream.
Clearly Finley had taken action, though I can't smell the fresh blood being spilled, a very normal occurrence on battlefields.
"Take up the sword and die like men, or do nothing and let me execute you like the swine you are."
"You, you... How dare you!"
Before that swine could finish speaking, Finley's elegant figure had already appeared at his side, and his imputrescible knight's sword was piercing his heart.
"Aghh, agh... Mr. Kenneth..."
"One pig down, still two to go... Will one of them be male?"
Noticing how they tremble under Finley's gaze, I can even see the layers of body fat moving. He picked up the axe as I watched one of them grab the sword.
I have principles, I didn't attack or kill unarmed people, that's not honorable... If I did, what would make me any different than... Gideon Ofnir?.
"Ahhh, you killed him!"
Did I just kill him without even thinking? Or, well, he did raise the gun he must have been prepared to be killed... I guess there's no going back on this decision now.
"And this is the last one."
"Ah, ahgg..."
Dodging the blood flying from Finley's freshly severed head, he surveyed the mess left in the room. Blood stuck to the walls, bodies littering the floor and an iron smell fills the air... It was so hard to clean up and now it's dirty again.
"Why did you agree, Nepheli?"
"Umm, what?"
Removing the axe from the fresh skull of the newly fallen, he turned his face and spoke to Kenneth, who still remains seated in his place.
"You're a full-fledged warrior, that's why I believe in your instincts... You must have sensed that that request concealed a greater plan, Nepheli."
"Mind your words, Kenneth Haight. The one you speak of is the Lord of Circle, leader of everything and everyone that exists in the Midlands."
Ignoring the coldly sharp words Finley directs at Kenneth, I close my eyes for a few moments and think.
Kenneth is right, I certainly noticed that there was something hidden behind his words and actions... But does it really matter? I am a warrior, I desire battle, to defend the weak head on, to fight for a great cause... Not to lead from a castle.
This thing they call nobility is not for me... The false faces, the continuous conspiracies, fancy clothes and weak drinks. That's why I quit, clearly it's going to keep me as the lifetime leader of Necrolimbo.
"It mattered little in the grand scheme of things, Kenneth. You must understand that in the end he would be in control, either indirectly or as directly as he is now."
"I know, the thing is the amount of control he would have over Necrolimbo. It's total now, when it could have been much less."
"You smell like a traitor, Kenneth."
Tapping Finley's shoulder, who has become quite extreme since Aldrich showed up, I calm her down with a look and also do the same for Kenneth, thus erasing the tension in the room.
"Okay, okay, now that we're calmer, let's clean up this mess and look for Aldrich, who must have already planned something."
Accepting confirmation from both of them, I take my seat again and wait for them to come clean up the room... Was I going to clean it up or something.