The Olive Branch [Group || Lagi / Merrze]

Ironic. A few days before, he was hearing about how he was going to have to make sure that he slipped under the radar as long as he was in Reim, and here he was following the same man's orders and spinning on a Huang. As he walked up to the palace, his cloak completely covering his body, Seti just wondered how the "king" would respond to this meeting.

According to his master, the heliohapt Magister, a letter had been sent via owl to the palace of the kings a few days before he had arrived in Mantua harbor, requesting a discourse between the king and a representative of the great  Heliohaptian dynasty. The person filling that slot was, apparently, going to be him, hence the slight feeling of nervousness that was filling the base of his stomach.

He was not scared of what he was about to enter into - he had gone through many horrific things in his lifetime, to the point that nothing like this could scare him any more. Instead, it filled him with worry; if Lagi was as bad as some of his detractors said he was, then a war was inevitable no matter their actions today. However, if Lagi was as great as his supporters said he was, today might just be a beautiful day for celebration.

Still,  either way, this meant that today he was wearing something a lot more common for a court mage. A long, flowing white robe with a hood that covered his entire face, a series of gold-stricken necklaces and a ring with the eye of horus on his right ring finger, a sign of protection via the pharoah and "divine right".

He could not speak for the pharoah per se, even the Magister himself could not speak for the Pharaoh as the Pharaoh was not just on the level of a king but the level of a god. Yet, despite that,in this situation he was acting as his lord's representative. That meant that any hands laid on him by any of the "king"'s men would almost certainly trigger a war. A war that nobody wanted.

The men that stood in front of the castle bristled as they saw him. An obvious fear of the consequences of their actions filled them, and as his face was completely hidden by the shadow of his hood, it was impossible to tell his emotion. Why would the leader of a foreign nation send a man to the king's court, so soon after he took control? It probably meant bad things.

"I'm here to meet your master."

"I dont think so."

Swerve, it wasn't going to be as easy as this man named Seti thought, there were rules to be followed. "It doesn't matter who you are, every guest will be required to fill out the proper paperwork and surrender all dangerous belongings before meeting with a king, this is the proper procedure for all of who would want to meet with him. There were guards, elite guards that weren't going to take no for an answer. If Seti complied, he would be directed to the front desk, where the receptionist will give Seti a form to fill. Afterwards, she will take any weapons or wands that seti had on him and the guards would pat him down.

Two stotic guards will arrive and escort Seti to the Kings courtroom and give him one last pat down before allowing him to enter. Lagi was sitting down with his arms folded. " Greetings, fair traveler. I am the Dragon Emperor Lagi.... I'm sure you have gotten the proper respect deserving of a person with such stature?

A cocked eyebrow was the only suitable reaction to this display of rudeness. They were obstructing the way of a representative of a god... it was straight foolish. It occurred to him that he could probably just blast these fools out of the way and walk into the palace unconstrained. But, this kind of meeting required tact, so whilst other people might have taken this resistance as an insult, he simply nodded.

"Lose the tone," He said, before adding "Fine - I'll follow your request. Just, remember that you were the one that started this entire debacle off with outward hostility. I don't want to get blamed if the Pharaoh takes exception to how you treat the man acting as his representative."

Taking this as a willingness to follow procedures, the men grunted but nodded, leading him into the castle to fill out paperwork. Paperwork, for a king? He was meeting a member of royalty, not scheduling a rainy season with the water mages. It was almost ridiculous to imagine any king who would even consider this a proper way to behave, especially since a note had been dropped beforehand, but maybe this was the new Reim that they were trying to build. One blinded by its own bureaucracy.

Still, his master's training allowed him to fill it out with perfect penmanship, and within five minutes he was done with this farce. Truly, that was what this was. Gone was the day when a royal envoy was treated with even a modicum of respect, it would seem. He would have to make note of this in his next letter to the Magister.

---

After handing over everything but his staff, having convinced the guards that it was a badge of his office (albeit having to remove the focusing crystal, basically making it no better than a walking stick) he stepped into the throne room, his face still covered completely with the hood.

The man that sat on the throne was about as close to an antithesis of royalty as he could have ever thought of. That being said, the rukh around him seemed to absolutely adore the man. He was truly powerful and influential, even if he didn't look it.

"Your majesty." He bowed his head respectfully, before pulling back the hood. The tanned skin, the pure white hair, the golden eyes - he was the perfect image of a Heliohaptian. Even his accent spoke of his heritage, educated and rich in its tone.

"There were days when a man sent as a royal envoy would be welcomed at the gates with a feast and a warm embrace because it showed good relationships between two nations. I, however, was greeted by two men who smelled rather badly of body sweat and unnamed filth, and paperwork. Even now, I am treated with suspicion like a common thief."

His hand gestured to the two men flanking him, not quite with irritation but clearly with a strong distaste for this debacle.

"Tell me - did my master's letter not get received, or do you think so little of my country that you would treat me like a mere officer in your army?"

That unnamed filth is Rodrick and Standees, the men who signed up for the important job to protect the important political figures and make sure that they make it safely. Even though you stand as a political figure, there are still procedures that must be followed. We are in the middle of rebuilding our country as we speak, the hard work, sweat and tears of the men are based upon the fact that they are one of many who make up this strong foundation, all is in order for us to lead better lives. Rules have to be followed, and no one is an exception to them. All I have of you is your accountability to your ruler’s quote, nothing is born of your own personal experience as to who you are from what I know of you name….will all due respect.“

Lagi spoke firmly with conviction; he defended his guards for acting the way that he did. No one enters the palace like that, respect has to be shown, and word has passed that this man had quite the mouth on him. "Your letter was received, but you can’t help but to think that in these sensitive times of my country, that we will expect to see your presence so soon? The only details I have received is of your arrival, but not as to why you are here…good sir.”

"Well men I think there is a little hostility in your tone, hopefully what you cam here to discuss here today can be discussed in peace. That way business can go well without out anyone being at another throat for some."

Merrze walked in with a long red dress that formed around her body making her look very well dressed. She had come in her best apparel so that she could make a good impression since she would be doing some political work today.She had never done this sort of thing so she thought she might as well try her hardest if she's going to do it at all. The reason she was here for the meeting was because Lagi had invited her here. She was a neutral party so she could be there to smooth things out.

The red head had no idea why she was needed there at first, then she learned about the animosity that had existed between Reim ans Heliohapt. SInce they would probably have some sort of attitudes toward one another she could give her views as a an outsider and help come to agreements. Even thought she was invited her by Lagi she wasn't going to take sides, she was going to give fair judgements based on her opinions and knowledge of the situation, depending on what they had to discuss exactly had been far out of her knowledge.

She hadn't just walked in there though, she had filled out some papers as she was told to verify that she was invited even though the guards knew who she was, she had met them once before and that was the only reason but she was of course here for a reason and she had to make that known before the man from Heliohapt would start to interrogate her,

"Nice to meet you sir my name is Merrze, I will be here to join on what you have to tell the King as and outsider from the affairs to give my views on what's going on. In all honesty I have never done this but I can assure you I will be fair and will do my best to make sure that nothing goes wrong for either side."

She had a bright and kind smile on her face as the warrior extended her hand for a handshake to show friendliness to the visitor. She had liked fighting but not this kind and she didn't want anything big and bad going on to damage either sides in the end, hopefully they would get too rude with one another.

To be honest, Seti just blinked at the way that Lagi reacted. He had heard that the man was obscenely calm, but there was still a voice in the back of his head that had told him he would get yelled at for this kind of speech. That was probably just the slave part of his brain talking to him again - even so long after breaking out of those bonds, he was still not completely free of that voice in his head. He would need to remove it if he were to ever become truly powerful.

"No, no, I quite understand." he said, a little harried by the earnestness in the man's voice. Okay, stop, think, and remain calm Seti. His grip on the staff tightened slightly, using it as a rather stiff stress-ball. "Still, it would perhaps have been nice for your guards to not treat me with a tone of voice that implied a strong disdain. I wish your men had your civility, sir, for you are the gentleman to their thug.

Now.."

His attention shifted from the king for a moment to this new player on the stage. The amount of research that he had undertaken on the boat to get here made it obvious exactly what this woman was, even if it wasn't obvious who she was; she was a fanalis. Fanalis were beautiful men and women from his own homeland, the dark continent. They were close to his own heart as victims of slavery and discrimination. But this one was especially close to his heart due to her fairness.

A genuine smile crossed his face as he bowed his head once more, this time to the young lady. "Much appreciated, lady Merrze, but please rest assured your presence is not mandatory. It is, nevertheless, a pleasure to be in the company of a Fanalis. I have heard many wonderful things about your people, and I hope my company is to your liking."

Now, turning back to the king, he began to answer the question that he had been posed.
"Sire, do not worry. My lord, the Pharaoh, seeks nothing more than a peaceful cooperation between our two peoples. After the war all those years hence, you cannot blame him for worrying that a new leader would mean a renewal of those old grudges? Both you and he have ascended to the throne recently, and the world has yet to see how you two will react to the blessing of power."

The slightly irked nature of his tone had long since dropped, and now he was as polite and civil as you could ever hope to hear.
"Though, I did somewhat hope we could meet in private. My pharaoh cannot leave Heliohapt so soon after his father's death, but I speak on his behalf and a meeting of two leaders rarely goes well with men threatening one ruler with swords. Besides, it's not like you couldn't crush me yourself if it came to that. I can see by the rukh the power you possess is formidable."

Everything is fine mere, just watch for now. “ Lagi would say to Merre with a charismatic smile. She was looking quite fare today, but today wasn’t the day to stare at Merrze’s amazing body. There was work to be done. “Merrze hails from Balbad, I suppose you don’t oppose of her presence? After serving in the war and fighting by Octavius’s side, she has earned quite the reputation. Her beauty is only matched b her deadly skills in combat.” After that little introduction, Lagi called on to a servant girl that brought him the letter that was sent from Heliohapt

“Sutekh Al-zahabi, you stand before me as a voice of you emperor. I have no intention of continue any kind of grudge against him and his people. In fact, please give him my condolences towards the death of his father. “Lagi knows that h would be torn if anything happened to his dad, so Lagi knew how he felt up to a degree when it came to sadness. He lost a few people in his time.” Please, don’t think of me as some tyrant who makes threats when I don’t get my way. I wouldn’t do anything of the sort, your thoughts are to your own. You are neither a slave to my thoughts, for slavery does not exist in my country. However, please bear in mind of any rumors you might have heard, the simplicity between two rulers is as good as the wine that is distributed throughout the conversation. If you are to believe in something, Reim wine has a classical taste for the ages to come. “

Other than that, Lagi had to ask some serious questions. “ From what you see of my rukh, the color should tell you what kind of man that I am. If Heliohapt seeks peace with Reim, I have no reason to decline the offerings of peace. After all, you are our neighbors. I am a man of practice, concentration, I exercise caution. However, I am man that is bold enough to hop on my dragon to see the pharaoh myself if it comes down to it. From what stirred the war in the pass, how do we rectify the wrongdoings of our past leaders to come to an agreement that does not rub the relics of yesterday in the wrong way? What can be done? “Lagi realized that he talked for a while and didn’t necessarily offer them anything.” Before we continue…Merrze, Sutekh…did you want anything?

Merrze was very surprised on why she had been asked to be here in the first place, just a couple of weeks ago she ripping heads off and killing people and now she was here talking politics. It wasn't necessarily her forte but sh would do her best nonetheless. She did think it was a good opportunity because one day she would have to do this kind of stuff al the time so it was as good a time as any to get involved in politics. She just had to keep a calm head and examine what they talked about so that she would be able to give her views and such, hopefully they wouldn't get violent but they both seemed more civil than that.

"Thank you for the hospitality Lagi but I don't need anything right now, and Sutekh I hope you enjoy my company too. And as Lagi has said I warrior, and I don't mean to brag but I consider myself very strong and smart in the art of combat. Of course I still have a lot more to learn in fighting and the ways of politics."

The fanalis was trying to be polite to the Heliohaptan and Lagi. She was kind to Sutekh so she could make a good first expression but she would speak her mind nonetheless even if it meant it could offend him but she didn't think that would happen at all. And she was polite to the King because she didn't want to bother him despite the fact that she was hungry for a snack but she was going to hide that the best she could. She might eat later but first she thought it would be best to get down to business.

"This isn't necessarily about you but about things in general but I do want to say that I believe it's best to not hold past grudges about the mistakes or the arguments of the past. With such hatred you can never move forward and believe it's best to make your judgments about the present and such and how current relations could from possibly. Maybe start up trade or try and do something in cooperation to show the people that you can start anew as friends. I have learned if you let the past rule your life then it can lead to problems, it's good to use it for advice and such but it's also advice of what not to do. As I said before I don't no much about politics but I do think that doing something that benefits both of the countries would make the people happy or at least release tensions. "

The warrior was thinking about how she had been overcoming her demons and thought the same could apply for previous relations but since there were new kings a new relation could be built on that, they might have both thought the same but she wanted to express her views. The redhead knew letting go of the past was hard but she learned that you had to live with it but not under it's control. Hopefully what she said was not foolish to the two men and they would agree.

Didn't he just accept her presence in the court room? He cocked an eyebrow at Lagi's phrasing, before shrugging it off. Probably just a misunderstanding between the two of them. Though, the fact that the girl was from balbadd was interesting enough. He had always been told Balbadd was a high-level trading country. His education had only touched on economics very distantly, considering that court mages had little stock in the economy, but he understood enough to know about the major port towns and areas of commerce, and everywhere Balbadd seemed to rear it's head.

"Well, naturally," he said, slightly offhand as Merr mentioned that she was a great warrior. ", not to work off of stereotypes, but your kind is famed for your strength and speed that far exceeds the average human. Just as Imuchakk are perfectly designed for their lifestyle in the tundra, your people are perfectly designed for combat. I know I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of you."


---

Turning his attention back towards the King, Seti nodded his head at the extended sympathies towards the loss of the Pharaoh's father. To be fair, he had never seen the two interact, so he had absolutely no idea how he had taken his father's passing. Some men had said Ramses was a great man, whilst others proclaimed him a villain, and he had no idea where his son sat on the spectrum. He would just have to take Lagi's words as that - words.

"Much appreciated, Sir. I am sure he'll be thankful to know that your thoughts are with him even slightly at this dark time." Thank god he was so good at coming up with crap. "That being said, please feel assured that I do not see you as a tyrant. In fact, as many of your guards might attest to, I was publicly defending you recently when people laid harsh claims at your feet.

You are doing a fantastic job so far, and as an ex-slave may I give you my gratitude for outlawing that most base of institutions - The slave trade. It is a shame that your country lost so much to gain someone as you as the leader, but I know many think you're worth the price."

After a while, the banal deal of sweet-talking as Lagi began to ask exactly what they could do to keep a good relationship between the two nations. Merr's idea of an economic treaty was a great idea, though he could not promise anything as of yet. After all, that kind of deal would require a great deal of paperwork.

"That is a fantastic idea, but perhaps you might consider going into long term negotiations with my master to plot out a mutually beneficial treaty? I know much, but the one to deal with this would be the vizier himself, not the magister. I would hate to make a snap decision that both country would rue for years to come."

That being said, he did have one other idea.

"Though, perhaps you might want to make some sort of military alliance? The two armies that once clashed upon the fields of the Reiman desert standing side-by-side, ensuring peaceful cooperation across the world? Kou was strong enough to invade your country, and though you have since repelled them, it is clear that something dark is bubbling under the currents of global politics, don't you agree? A united force might give any potential threats pause for thought."

“hmmm….. ok… I will be having wine then. Merrze…you aren’t doing a lot of watching like I told you to. ” Lagi waited for his wine before he given his response to the man. Even though Merrze ended up speaking when he told her not to and to watch for now, he ignored it for a minute. Merrze was eye candy, and Lagi didn’t think that she knew what the deal was between Reim and Heliohapt. After Lagi gotten his wine, he made a deep sigh.

“Tell me, are you qualified to even offer such a treat to begin with? If you aren’t, they you are simply just wasting my time Sutekh. “Lagi took a sip of his wine and made a sound with the cup by spinning his finger around the outer rim. “ I asked you a question that you didn’t answer. From what stirred the war in the pass, how do we rectify the wrongdoings of our past leaders to come to an agreement that does not rub the relics of yesterday in the wrong way? What can be done? What have you said to me that resulted in any kind of a difference making solution when your country was the one that started the war when they tried to take our land from us on seven different occasions? Is this the eight occasion? Attempt something as soon as the war between Kou is over?”

Lagi felt as if he was being a bit harsh this time around, but he didn’t like it when people patronized him with ideals. They wave these things in his face along with sweet words, but Lagi has been betrayed and lied to quite a few times. “Helio has, on numerous occasions, attempted to expand into the Western Front, a land that BELONGS TO REIM! You did not listen, and till this day, it still is not yours. You claimed a right to a land that did not belong to you, even up to the point that Heliohapt decided to be violent with us, in which we retaliated in return.”

Lagi took another sip of his wine; he needed the alcohol in his system to make all of the harsh choices from time to time. He mainly wanted Merrze to watch, simply because he was teaching her how to read between the lines, pay attention to detail, and pick up on any bullshit that pokes its ugly head. “ Sutekh, you are a magician that’s here on behalf of the magister, which has no interaction with the military. The military reports to the vizier, so you were wrong to even suggest anything to me at all. You have no right to offer trade OR military agreements. You have nothing but the magic you wield, the clothes on you back, and this letter. Nothing that matters to me, other than your presence here as a man that is a part of a country that tried to expand on mine. Which brings me back to my first question, why are you here?”

Merrze sighed listening to the King speak, she wasn't one to judge but she believed he was an absolute fool. He was being too harsh when it was not the best time in her opinion. She thought he should have been more calm and seem as if he was more understanding and nicer. It was only normal to be suspicious of people. Honestly she didn't trust either one of them all that well but if showed such stern rudeness by assuming that it was something about landing and taking the past in consideration. Sure it can't be changed but their were no leaders, he should't assume that every time the same thing would happen.

She would just listen for now but by the way things were going Merrze felt that she might have to interrupt because from the looks of things he might get out of hand and say something stupid, sure this guy might not have that much importance but if he was here he could surely tell them how the king treated their country and all. The redhead thought he should be more cautious, he was king and she couldn't tell him what to do either but he did not rule her so the fanalis wouldn't stop him from saying anything to stupid.

The redhead thought it was ironic that he the human was thinking that he came here and that his people needed to rectify their past and Merrze the Fanalis was thinking they should forget and was trying to keeps things peaceful while he was only going to infuriate him. She did wonder on why he was here exactly, she assumed it was for peace agreements or something along those lines but he could have always been there for something else that she didn't know about.

She examing both of the mens body language to get a quick scope on how they reacted to what they would say to one another. The warrior would get as much information as she could to guess about if their words were truthful or how the truly handled things. That way she would have a better idea of how to handle the when she spoke and what to say after they were done, she would probably be saying a lot if it continued like this. She sat down and folded her legs as she listened to what the two would say next in their conversation.

The king had already gotten angry, just as the Magister said he might. Seti didn't even flinch as the man began to snap at him, standing and waiting patiently for him to finish his tirade. No anger, no irritation, no spark of fury going through his body. Instead, respect and cold acceptance. He had long since accepted his death, and though he didn't want to die so early, he had accepted this mission knowing that it would likely wind up with him getting killed if Lagi was as bad as some reports had said.

That was the issue with Lagi. Very few reporters stood on the fence. People either described him as an easily irritable fool who had a wroth issue, or they called him an angelic saint that delivered presents to orphans on a regular basis. It was hard to see someone's true self when you only got biased reports, but it was how the man snapped now that showed exactly what sort of man he was.

"With all due respect your majesty, please slow down. You just asked five separate questions, each of which I want to give proper time to. If my answer doesn't please you, then feel free to send me from your sight and have the knowledge that you have little patience or stomach for diplomacy be known throughout the world. But, were you to allow me to properly come to words with you, know that your kindness and diplomatic grace will become a legend that all kings should hope to live up to."

There was something about his voice that showed an honest respect for the man. He was a slave liberator, a man who had worked his way up from nothing, and even when he snapped Seti reminded himself that people who had an entire country on their shoulders were always going to be a little stressed. How they dealt with that stress defined their character.

"First question - Am I even qualified to open a treatise with you? Yes. I am qualified to open pacts and engage proper diplomatic discourse, but any long lasting pact needs to be ironed out be the ones in charge over a series of months. Never has a pact been made in a single day that does not bring suffering to those short-sighted enough to sign so quickly. Consider me a key to the door of a vault. As long as you use me the way I am supposed to be used, and are wiling to take the steps yourself, you will get a reward on the other side."

He paused for a moment, his eyes brushing over to the silent red-head in the corner. It appeared she was as little a fan of his wroth as he was, though they were both staying completely silent about it. His face was a perfect mask however, whilst hers seemed to show obvious irritation.

"Second - You act as if there is a way to rectify what happened in the past. As powerful as my master is, he has not yet cracked the secret of time magic, and so we can not fix what happened in the past. What happened in the past was born of misunderstanding, of selfishness on both sides and an unwilingness to come to a mutually beneficial solution simply because it would benefit one side a lot more if they got everything they wanted without having to accept a compromise.

The very fact that this meeting is happening at all shows how different we are from our forefathers. Your majesty, you and I are both men who understand the benefits of peace and that war should not be made lightly. I can truly say, having seen enough pain and bloodshed in my years, that neither I nor the Pharaoh seek to inflame old rivalries. We both want peace, hence my presence here at all. Had my country wanted to start a war, wouldn't they send someone who would survive a direct confrontation with you? We might be small but it's not as if we lack in might."

It was true - he had come here alone and unarmed, other than with a staff that he willingly disarmed and a letter of introduction. What sort of a man delivering a declaration of war would even consider letting himself be unarmed?

"The last war that happened between our people happened over ten years ago. I do not know about you, my lord, but I wasn't involved with the war. The new pharaoh certainly wasn't, and my master openly spoke against it. Why should we allow ourselves to be defined by bad blood from a body that has long since passed?"

Finally, regarding the man's final question, he cracked a slight smile. Perhaps imprudent, but he couldn't help himself.
"The army does not swear fealty to the vizier, my lord. The army swears fealty to our general, just as your army swears fealty to yours. In my homeland, there is a saying: when you want to start a war, you send an officer. When you want to start a courting, you send a poet. But when you want to start understanding? You send a magus.

I was dispatched to your land because I stand here as a veteran of the pharaoh's court. I have been through this many times before and unless things sour between us, I expect to many times again. Yet, were you to decide you hungered for a pointless war, my death would not cripple my country, and you have already proven yourself more than ready to start wars."

It was true - the war with Kou had only just ended, they had forced one of the strongest empires in the world off their shores and Heliohapt wanted to make sure that Lagi's intentions were pure rather than bloodthirsty.

"I understand that your war against Kou was just, but it was nonetheless a war. That means that putting one of our cardinal pieces immediately on the board after an open show of hostility would be foolish.  I stand here because we hunger for peace, but you have already proven yourself to be content with wars.

Is that a sufficient answer?"

“The war between heliohapt and Reim happened 10 years ago, that’s a lot sooner than some would think. Do you think this time span offers any leeway? Lagi would fold his arms and raise his eyebrow. “You know, I would like to interject, you have quite a mouth on you. Sending you from my sight would what? What did you say again? The “knowledge that you have little patience or stomach for diplomacy be known throughout the world?”  This is what you said just now,  even though you  did offer an upside  right after it, I wonder if that’s true? My form diplomacy was  born from having the kou empire at my throat, right after  the previous emperor from this country was slain. Nothing was given to me, I made a choice to take the necessary precautions  in order to protect my country. I played the game, surrounded by enemies on every turn.  Forgive me if I don’t sound like the ideal harbinger of peace, I do prefer peace,  but I will not look you in the eye and beat around the bush.”

Lagi was a different kind of man, no simple label could describe what kind of guy  that the king was, not even the  certain exchange  with the Heliohapt. “ What relies on the other side of this vault? So many people in this world walk around with false faces. Lagi would then use Mask change in order to shape his face just like Sutekh.

---

A face like yours can be recreated, a letter like yours  can be forged with magic and the knowledge of the royal seal of the pharaoh that is used in official letters. In this day and age, so many things can be fabricated, who can we really trust?” lagi kept the face of Sutekh on, he was trying to prove a point before they could fully move on and end this game of charades.  It was simple, Lagi believed that there lies a dark resolve in every corner. “And the words of man, can such words be taken as they are?  Lagi would then use his Voice change ability to sound like Sutekh. An extensive vocabulary can  sweeten the deal on any occasion, a tongue that can be dipped in lies,  smothering the people with our words. Each lick is as sweat as honey to their ears, and yet poisonous to their livelihood. “ Lagi would then step off his throne to look at Sutekh face to face. In a way, Sutekh should feel like he was looking into a mirror.  I face you now as a ruler of this country, and I will tell you two things, and ask of you one.”

Lagi morphed back almost immediately to say these things. Lagi’s  original voice and face were once again his. “One, Reim has no intention to continue any unnecessary conflicts with Heliohapt. What happened in the past can remain in the past as long as you continue stay clear of aspirations for expanding on the western front.  A desire for the lands of others can bring about the conquering traits that you feel my country for having, as well as sounding hypocritical. ‘ Lagi would then go off to the second  thing he wanted to say. “Two, I would like you to be more mindful about what you say.  I have no hunger for starting wars. As a matter of fact,  I do desire to better the relationships that Reim has with other countries. Reim will consider your offer for peace,  your offers of trade, if what you need is a stamp of approval to say that the emperor of reim nodded his head when you said that the countries should “play nice” go ahead. But, if it was some tyrant on the throne, you would have been killed, honestly.  I am not that person, I pray to  the gods we worship that I never will be, don’t ever make such assumptions that portray to you knowing of my desires in any way.

Lagi made a number three gesture with his hands  and puts his hand down afterwards. Finally,  you and your country, they interest me. They do… and that’s because….. they send a man I never heard of…  as their vault for communication! And I will learn of you, right now. Right in this very moment! You believe in him, the pharaoh. His hunger for peace, and yet like all great men know; every desirable result is built upon the sacrifice of others. For this man, the pharaoh, what is he to you that you are willing to surrender to me?   Your body? Your freedom? Your life? If I said that my consideration for engaging in any kind of talks with Heliohapt at all  was worth a limb, your manhood chopped off by you own hands, a slave of my chambers in all the days of your life,  being sold into slavery, 1000 lashes,  or even your life, will you surrender it to me if you knew that this will lead to a bright future for your pharaoh and his country?” Lagi was quiet for a moment, but then he continued again. “DO YOU TRUST HIM?! WHAT IS YOUR LIFE TO YOUR PHARAOH THAT IF I ASK FOR IT OF YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU WILL GIVE IT TO ME? IS YOUR WILL THAT GREAT? DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE IN HIS AMBITION? Lagi would then lower his tone.” Or do you value yourself even more than your “god”?  


Trained

MAsk change - 250 Words
Voice change- 250 words

330/350

Abilities used

Spoiler:

She was rather surprised about Lagis' outburst at him trying to see what he would do for his Pharaoh and his whole talk about lies and such. She believed what he was doing was testing, Sutekh's mettle so to speak. She had no idea for sure if this is what he was doing. But if so it seemed like it wold be an efficient tactic, by using his face and voice changing it could pysch the person out which could make them show their true colors, he would be able to forget that out if he was the one who wasn't being interrogated. Mind games could mess with even the strongest willed of person and such tings like what he said could show a person's worth. It would be very efficient if it worked most likely. She was wondering were this was going.

Merrze's face suddenly became stern, and was overcoming with seriousness giving off her presence as such. She wouldn't yell toge her point across but use her body language to do tat. She would speak to him in a serious tone.

"While I am middle ground and am not supposed to pick sides but he makes a fair point. Will you do anything for your leader would you be willing to through your life away for your cause and such. In this world of cruelty and and betrayal true loyalty to belies and people is rare, even if you weren't truly devoted to your king are you devoted to the well being of the people and the prosperity in peace that could come. It's ideal to fight for your beliefs and stay well alive so you can come back and protect such things the world isn't kind enough to that happen, if you had to would you throw away your freedom or your life for your beliefs."

The fanalis gave Sutekh a strong look of seriousness with a bit of kindness in it she then spoke in a sturdy but normal volume tone,

"What is your worth, how strong is your will as he said, is it strong enough we're you will do anything in your power to do what s right or is it meager to where all you care about is making it through the day. Do you have a resolve stronger than any metal that will survive any hardships?"

Merrze wasn't a fan of sacrifice and she herself will fight so she can come back home and continue to fight for her beliefs. Would he answer a yes to Lagi or would the heliohapten give a response similar to Merrze's personal beliefs. It was possible that he could give something completely different, but it would show his true character in the end.

There was a clearly growing tension between the two men, which was entirely awkward considering that Seti was more than aware that if this man wanted to, he could destroy him so quickly he wouldn't even blink before he was little more than a corpse. This talk had gone a lot worse than he had expected, but considering the relationship between the two nations, he should probably not be all that surprised. At least he wasn't dead - not dead was always a plus.

However, when the man changed his face to match Seti's own, there was a sudden silence. He tried not to grit his teeth, but it was getting to be more and more like he was purposefully being toyed with. Not like he could really do anything about that - as he had before stated, if this man wanted to kill him he could definitely do that, and Seti didn't really have a foot to stand on hypothetically. He was a lamb put before a dragon in an attempt to get peace for the chimeras, to torture a metaphor.

"Thank you. I have always preached that you are a just and understanding man, but I am certain you can understand my master's concern. After all, countries that start one war might start another. I am glad to see that your wisdom has won out in this case, and will let my master know about your decision.

Furthermore, I would like to rephrase my earlier statement. As our country knows little of your character due to your very recent ascension, we were nervous that you might perhaps turn out to be a man who enjoyed wars. However, ever since I have been on your shores, I have seen people touting your praises, speaking about how you are a wonderful man and little I have seen has led me to believe they weren't speaking the truth. That doesn't mean that our earlier concerns weren't fair, just that you have proven that we do not need to continue being concerned."

Well, he said that he had seen little that would prove that, but he was lying. He had seen a fair amount of crime, and even been a victim of it several times, and there was something about the man's nature that suggested that he was a stubborn prick. He had a good nature, and he was a just man, but he was stubborn and clearly enjoyed toying with people. It was a little disconcerting to be on the receiving end of that.

That feeling was only concentrated when the man asked him what he was wiling to give for the cause, for the pharaoh. As he described things, he obviously flinched and thoughts of the tortures that the slave masters used to make him watch began to flash behind his eyes. It was horrific, but he snapped out of it and straightened up when it was clear that Lagi wanted him to speak.

"You ask what I'm willing to give for my Pharaoh, for my master, for the people that have asked me to come here and stand in front of you, and I'm going to be honest with you, if you'll permit me taking a little longer to answer your question.

I was born in slavery - I was beaten, abused, tortured; I watched others get mutilated, I saw people get sold off as soldiers for conflicts that they had no reason to fight in, I saw people raped and murdered just because people saw it as "entertainment". My master and the Pharaoh helped me to escape that life, but even now people still rot in slavery in my nation. That's partly why I respect you so much as a ruler.

The only way I might ever be able to make my country follow your footsteps is by ensuring peace and giving them the ability to turn their eyes to their own nation rather than abroad. If I could ensure that what happened to me happens to no-one else? I would willingly give anything up to and including my life, though I would rather give it through active service of my country rather than simply to prove my devotion."

Taking his hand off of his staff, he moved to pull his sleeve up and revealed what was underneath it. The skin had obviously burned and healed over and over again multiple times, and there were stab wounds punctuating it in multiple different places. This was the body of an ex-slave, and that of a devoted believer in the throne.

"I have already sacrificed my body and risked my life in active service to the throne because I believe in the man who sits in it and I desire to make a better world, I have no fear of doing so again if it calls for it. Does that sufficiently answer your question, my lord?"

“heh….” Lagi took a deep breath and started clapping for a little bit. “Good, very good, and you passed the first interview. I’m sorry, I was fully convinced that you were a nobody and that Heliohapt sent me to you as a disrespectful ruse to spite me in some way. However, after having a taste of your strong conviction, you proven it to me otherwise. There is a reason why they sent you. It’s because you have potential, isn’t it?” Lagi would say as he sat on his throne with a bright smile. “I’m glad you didn’t disappoint me, so here is what I’m going to do.” Lagi would say as he snaps his fingers and a form was brought to him, along with a quill pen.

After signing it, the forum and pen was bought to Sutekh. “I’m giving you the go ahead to meet with the council. If you accept, you could pitch your ideas to them and they will talk it over with me for a final answer. “ After that, Lagi looked over to merrze and smiled. “I’m sorry if I seemed mean; I had to pressure him if I was going to get any substantial response that I can go off on. I didn’t want Sutekh to piggyback off of your words, I wanted his own answer. So if you feel any kind of way, I’m sorry.” Lagi’s words were sincere, there was a small flashback of the kiss that he shared with her.

“Alright, that’s all for now. Find an inn and the council will send for you when they are ready. Pick up your items at the front desk of the lobby in the palace of the kings. “ If seti accepted, the form was sent tot he council members for a future meeting.

OOC: Ok its out of my hands now.

Merrze was glad that everything was handled well and it ended with out anything bad happening. She was also impressed by Seti's resolve, it was very strong and based on what he showed them he truly lived a life of hardship, it's probably what forged him an iron strong will like that, since some people crack under pressure while others get stronger under the hardships of the world.
She wanted to learn more about this man and what he thought. She was definitely interested in what he might do in the future, she would try to get to know him and become friends with him at least.

"Well, I have no reason to be here any longer, I'm going to drink at Red's inn, feel free to join me if you want Seti, we can have some friendly conversation while we're at it. That is if you can keep up with my drinking while we're out there."

The fanalis was talking jokingly as she walked out ready to head to the bar. She hadn't done much but she had learned a few things about the two men. It was an interesting conversation, while she didn't agree with Lagi's methods but it let her learn more about the conflict between the countries and how Lagi was doing his best to make the country better.

[Exit]

Good - he was almost worried that the man was going to require more proof of his devotion to his cause, but it seemed like he was going to be able to get out of this without being mutilated in anything other than his ego. 

"Thank you, your majesty. I will make sure to pass on this openness to discourse to my master." That being said, it was then proven to him that he had to deal with the council before they could advance any further. He couldn't do that alone - this meeting was establishing further negotiations, not striking up a plan itself. He had to get his master's decision on this entire thing first, so he would have to stall for time 

"Much appreciated my lord," he said, bowing his head once again.. ", but I don't think I'm quite ready to talk to the council yet. This meeting was simply supposed to be establishing the possibility of peace talks - before we go any further, I'll need my master to come up with a draft idea. After all, talks always go much smoother if you have an idea to kick things off with. 

Such ideas are pointless if they're rejected out of hand, but now that I know that the council might be open for such things, I am sure my master will come up with a draft as soon as he can."

With that, smiling at the young Balbaddian girl, he excused himself, getting escorted to the lobby to pick up his crystal. 

[EXIT]

“Well that was fucking shallow… “ Lagi would say as he sucked his teeth after they left, now in a relatively bad mood because Merrze didn’t even acknowledge his apology. Can’t a guy try to run his country without a woman catching an attitude? Sure, he invited her, but there was very few times where her comments were necessary or needed, not if the relationship between heliohapt was as tender as some would say. “Master Lagi? “ Hidan as usual, has experience with the king and knows when he’s in a foul mood. She wants to run off with the next male that presents himself? Fine, fuck her then, he always had bad luck with woman anyway. “ I going to my room, contact me if anything. "



-Exit