Lance stepped forward and bowed.
"Count Kreg, leader of the diators. At your service."
"Oh, I know who you are, and I know your company as well" said King Loen, pushing the handle of his warhamr forward and letting it rock back to him, his eyes resting on Michael. "The Hero of Lataxia, Saviour of the Takers, Stent deserter, Healer of thousands. Everyone knows you. Perhaps more people than know of ."
Michael kept himself from frowning. He hadn't exactly hidden the fact that he was a taker, but he hadn't been explicit about it either. Either it was spreading quickly, or the King had mixed it in to throw him off balance.
"I doubt there's anyone unaware of the King of Swandia, the jewel of Hu," responded Michael.
"Quite smooth. Unfortunately, smoothness will not be enough to keep those snakes making their cozy burrows in my border from sinking their fangs into and mine." He gripped the handle of his warhamr loosely and lifted it as if it weighed nothing, waving it casually side to side to gesture at all of them. "Still, I suppose your n that've accomplished the impossible before, eh?"
"No such thing as impossible," replied Lance with a smile.
He gradually lowered his hamr. It wasn't so ridiculous fantasy implent of war, but was actually rather narrow, but it was still large enough that the way he held it showed imnse strength. "We will send a ssenger across the no-man's-land to let King Castor know that diation can begin tomorrow. Your people will join and my officers for dinner tonight."
Lance bowed. "We look forward to it."
They bowed and were led back to the tents they'd been loaned for the duration of the diation.
"I don't trust him," said Marcus once they were in the tent.
"You don't trust anyone, but us," said Ollie with a smile.
"Why?" asked Michael.
"He was informal and loose with us, but the n around him were dead silent and stock still. I'm not sure if they're afraid of him, but that felt off."
"I noticed that as well," said Pyotr.
Michael walked over to where the diplomats were being set up. Undred, their senior diplomat, had her own portion closed off as she was one of the few won among them and the only female diplomat. He raised his hand to knock, rembered that you can't do that with canvas, and opted for loudly clearing his throat instead.
There was so movent on the other side and Undred pulled the canvas 'door' to the side. "Count. What can I do for you?" she asked.
"King Loen, I wanted your impression of him." He should've asked before, but he'd been more focused on how to approach his son. He'd been letting Lance take the lead on managing everything else.
"I have not had any direct dealings with him, though I have t many tis with his people."
"And?"
"He is untested, but eager. He is around the sa age as Castor, but his borders are peaceful and his kingdom rich in fertile land and acts as the connection to dwarven minerals the rest of Hu must deal with. Swandia has firmly been in his family's control for hundreds of years, and from what I understand he grates against the lack of opportunity he has to prove himself. I was told once, by a man heavily in his cups, that he often wishes aloud for conflict."
"But he agreed to the diation?"
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"It gives him ti to consolidate troops and feel out his enemy. Probably the sa reason Burndan agreed to it as well."
"Do you think he'd do sothing to sabotage things?"
She shrugged. "Yes, but I believe King Castor is just as likely to, if not more so. He's wily and often disregards common standards of war and negotiation. King Loen also needs the ti more than King Castor does, so it would make less sense for him to risk the diation ending sooner."
"So I should be imnsely careful no matter what?"
"Good advice no matter the situation."
He chuckled. "True. Thank you."
She nodded and he walked back to the others to relay what he said.
"I an. I couldn't give a fuck about the diation. I'm just here for you," said Marcus with a yawn, "but if this king gets in the way of that then we'll figure sothing out."
"I appreciate it, but I'd like to avoid any additional bloodshed and trouble if we can."
"We haven't had much luck at that so far, but I'll do my part," replied Marcus with a shrug.
Michael sighed, that was the best he could hope for. He knew Marcus wouldn't needlessly provoke things, and none of the others would either, but he couldn't control kings and their people. Not to ntion the chances that other outside forces might co into play. The Empire of Chitin had already interfered in Stent, who's to say they weren't involved in dozens of other places.
They all took so ti to wash and dress in fresh clothes before dinner. It was decided that they wouldn't wear their armor, though they would be ard. Michael was dressed in a royal blue silk shirt that hung long with a golden rope at his waist over black pants. He wore a fresh pair of Stent boots he'd commandeered before he'd left. The others were dressed similarly, aside from Ollie, whose titled gear worked just as well as formalwear. If his hair went white and he grew a beard, then he'd be comfortable being a painting on the side of a van.
They arrived at the officers tent, which had been converted for dining, and sat across from a number of officers and a few diplomats. The King was seated at the head of the table, and Michael found himself directly to his left. The al passed without comnt. The royalty had the sa rules about speaking about business during a al as they did in Old Hu. They ate seared duck, seasoned peppers, so kind of starch drenched in vinegar and a few other things Michael couldn't quite discern. When they were all done eating, an additional cup of wine was prepared and conversations began flowing across the table.
"One of my ancestors was a taker," said King Loen as he sipped his wine.
"I had heard sothing along those lines," replied Michael. "Is that why takers have so much leeway here?"
He nodded. "It is indeed. My ancestors had a daughter that was a taker. They spared her, but removed her from succession. She was clever, gave us a number of inventions that supported us after the initial collapse of Hu. She was able to have a family of her own, and while she wasn't able to inherit it was decided that since her bloodline was still ours, her children could still inherit. A few deaths by disease and other quirks of the monarchy and now it's her line that rules here." He took another sip of his wine. "We've always been more supportive of takers than anyone else."
Michael didn't respond, just taking a sip of his wine.
The King took one of his own. "Would you say that Old Hu looks more favorably on Swandia, or Burndan?" he asked.
"An unwise question for a diator to answer. Besides, I'm really just here for protection and to represent Hu. Lance would be better able to answer you," responded Michael, gesturing to Lance and feeling like he was in a eting with a supervisor that really wanted him on his side for sothing.
The King laughed, a bit too hard, and had another gulp of wine. "What about individually? I know you worked here for so ti. As did your friends," he gestured to Ollie, Pyotr, and Marcus. "A man such as yourself probably made friends, lovers. You certainly left an impression on people."
"I enjoyed my ti here," responded Michael simply.
"And you fought against Burndan as a rcenary, yes? I hear they even cost you a friend of yours."
Michael let his polite smile drop."You seem to have a lot of information about ."
"It's important for one to know the goings on of their kingdom, and the people who pass through it."
Michael finished his cup of wine, his recovery keeping him from feeling a buzz for more than a few monts.
"Is there sothing specific you're building to?" he asked.
King Loen smiled, but there was a bit of agitation in his eyes.
"I'm just trying to get a asure of you. If this diation doesn't go well then things could escalate very quickly. I assu you didn't arrive with swords and armor for no reason? When blood is drawn I just want an idea of where you will stand."
"As long as all of the parties involved don't attempt sothing during the diation, then our weapons won't be necessary." Michael sighed. "I am going to be doing my best not to draw my sword on anyone while I'm here." He looked at the King, putting the full force of his gaze upon him, his eyes of judgent active. "Please, do not give reason to."
To the King's credit, he didn't flinch.
Michael nodded. "Thank you very much for the al, and the wine."
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