Into the Feywild(Closed)

[Orange]

Mab's grip on her throne tightened for a moment annoyed by Ryoko's question, "I'll spell it out then. On your Earth it has been I'd say a good couple of centuries before fey creature has been killed. While we can accept the death's of our agents what we don't like is the murder of our subjects especially in such a grim manner. Do you know what happens when a creature as small as that is killed by iron?" Mab wouldn't answer the question as she paused for a moment.

"I want the head of the Vampire known as Septimus Nier and I don't particularly care how gruesome or ugly it is such a head would serve as a wonderful example of what happens when you kill a fey creature or one of my subjects. Unless you could offer me something far better than the head of a villainous vampire."

[Ryoko]

"Yeah," she turned to Bran and rubbed a shoulder with one of her hands, "That's what I figured."

She let her hand fall from his shoulder and stepped forward to speak.

"Yes, it has to do with that job. Once Bran told me what he thought... knew you were going to ask of him when you next saw him, I had to come along. Bran is a good friend of mine. But, so is Septimus. I'm fully aware that you have a noose around your warlock's neck," she glanced over at Bran, "So I have no intention of giving you any reason to pull on it. I'd just like to see if I can strike a bargain."

Bran hadn't told Ryoko much on the way there, but she'd picked up on more than a few things along the way. The idea of creating a population out of those spirited away by magic was strange... until you realized that the Fey were using them to wage a war for dominance. And when that "population" was seen as an "army", it made sense why they were bothering with deals in the first place. Mab wasn't just a queen, she was a warlord. And Bran was little more than a recruiter.

A recruiter who'd gotten one of Mab's soldier's killed before the war could even get started.

"If I may, Lady Mab, while I'm fully aware that hanging Septimus' head on your wall would ease your aching heart... It wouldn't actually help you, whatsoever in the upcoming conflict. After all, you lost a servant and, without something else that you can put to use, you'd be at a loss. Even with Septimus' head," unless she could somehow weaponize a material that repelled magic as vigoriously as her own flesh, "Now... while it's not something that you'll be able to keep for the rest of eternity, it is something that might assist you in the upcoming war and put all of us in a position where we can all leave here actually better off."

Ryoko held out her hand and a blue flame roared to life in her palm. Lady Mab, herself, might not've been repulsed by it, but everyone else in the courtroom would feel the very same instinctual pressure brought about by the dragon's flame. It didn't burn overly hot at that moment. No, this particular flame wasn't meant to just burn flesh, but the very soul and essence of whoever it consumed. Something that even the Fey couldn't replicate.

Something that only she could replicate as the only dragon who failed to move on during the rapture.

"Instead of a head that will only remind you of loss and serve you no purpose in your upcoming struggles, I offer you some of this. I'm sure you can find a way to bottle it up for when you really need it, and, well, I've got an infinite supply so I can afford to share at least a few bottles," Surely the Queen was wise and proactive enough to see how weapons would serve her people better than vengeance, "It's a once in a lifetime deal for a weapon that'll undoubtedly give your side the edge. And all you have to do is... pardon my friend."

She took a few steps back and rested a hand on Bran's shoulder.

"Well... both of my friends."

[Orange]

Lady Mab sat on her throne contemplating Ryoko’s offer for a moment. Her brief flash of anger having subsided first at the timid response of her warlock and now the offer of a deal from Ryoko. Mab's arm rested on the armchair on her throne her head held up by two fingers, "I notice you didn't say how many times it would be provided to me."

Suddenly Mab's free hand grew ten more fingers instantaneously and she held all of them up at once, "I'll be fair with you dragon. Provide me with fifteen either now or when it is asked of you. Combined with the work the Scourge will be doing and the order will be given to allow Septimus Neir to live. Under no circumstances will any of my agents including myself and Bran be allowed to exact vengeance resulting in his death." Mab would pause giving Ryoko the chance to speak her mind on the deal.

As for me? I still feared for my life a little bit but I calmed down a little bit knowing that I had some part in this deal. It meant that I was still useful to the Fey at least for now. What did help though was Ryoko placing a hand on my shoulder reminding me that I didn't come here alone. This would have been far worse alone…"So what's the next job, Lady Mab?"

"One is that I'd like your apprentice to be declared for Winter…"

My eyes narrowed, "that isn't my choice to make."

"I thought you would say that. The other jobs are far more important anyway. First I would like the library put back into play. You know of the one I speak it doesn’t have to be now or soon. Learn what you can and then report back to me. I will decide what happens next. As for the second job, I would have hoped you would have come back sooner.”

The first job sounded easy enough so far but the library she wanted back in play it was bound to only get far more complicated. But the second job? Something sounded like it had gone terribly wrong, “Time has never mattered before. Why does it now?”

“Members of our court including myself have been sending out feelers to look for new agents on your earth. Besides you and the blood contract, you’re the only ones to represent me and since the last war, no one else is doing much better. Unfortunately, Summer was able to track down one of the more interesting parties. A small pack of werewolves in Nothern California will soon be attacked and wiped out. It is far too late on your world to interfere and as such you will now be in charge of all recruitment for myself on your Earth effective immediately."

Code for it's becoming more dangerous for fey to conduct business alone, "Very well."

[Ryoko]

"Fifteen bottles of flame..."

Ryoko seemed to be in disbelief as she spoke, though the reason for her curious inflection had nothing to do with numbers. Somehow... she'd navigated the negotiation and put everyone in the room ahead. With little more than a careful ear, respect, hard logic and some mystical firepower... she did it.

She did it.

Her grip tightened on Bran's shoulder a bit and she shook him; wondering if he shared even a fraction of the... happiness? Relief? Pride? Really, there were a lot of things that come to mind when you managed to find a way to keep your own people from killing one another.

"Yeah, that's reasonable. 15 bottles. I'd prefer to go ahead and finish that deal right now, Lady Mab."

If she hadn't made it clear before, Ryoko wasn't a fan of jumping into parallel dimensions. Especially realms that held almost no simiarlity to her own. She was a guardian, not a traveller, and the thought of getting stuck in a place like this was an absolute nightmare. If she could tie up her end of the deal right at that moment and never have to step foot into this place again, then that's what she'd do.

Surely Bran could wait an extra half-hour if it meant less trips back to see his extraordinarly... demanding superiors.

[Orange]

Mab's face widened into a smile as she decided now was the time to get rid of the ten extra fingers she had grown, "Excellent. Then we shall begin immediately, " with a simple clap suddenly fifteen jars appeared on the floor in front of Ryoko, "these will be the container's for your fire, Dragon of the East. Take your time, I have an eternity."

Even as Ryoko's grip tightened on my shoulder and began to hurt it oddly made me feel better. I knew that she didn't mean to and it was meant to make me feel comfortable and remind me that she was there. I turned my head and nodded towards her thanking her, "my name... my true name is Hugo, "she had earned it. There were no stipulations in how she used it. No attempt to gain anything just an attempt to return the trust she had shown me and the friendship... no companionship she had shown me. While a mage's true name was always a closely guarded secret some would choose to share it to those they felt had gained their ultimate trust.

I turned back towards Lady Mab, "I will make my vow now for this deal."

"Very well," Mab replied. She didn't move but the air began to change. It began to feel heavier and colder as an ominous power rippled through the air.

I cleared my throat, "I co-leader of the Mageocracy of Europe, Scourge of Winter, Bran Sunderson, étudiant deux of the Conjuration school and Hugo de Paris hereby swear to seek no vengeance or lead to the direct destruction of Septimus Neir the nosferatu under penalty by the Court of Winter. Whatever punishment they deem necessary."

The ominous power in the air dissipated and Mab nodded towards me, "you've struck your vow," she turned back towards Ryoko, "I will strike mine when you are done."

I would remain beside Ryoko showing whatever support or reminder that I could as she did for me. When the time would come Mab would fulfill her part as well vowing that no harm would come to Septimus Neir after listing off an infinitely larger list of names and titles. When both Mab and Ryoko were finished that was it would be time to leave.

[Ryoko]

"Yeah," she sighed, "So do I, unfortunately"

She took a seat in front of the table, put one of the little glass bottles to her lips and let the flames flow for roughly a minute before she pulled it away and checked the contents. The Queen's sorceries kept the blue fire alight and contained but, after all that, the bottle was less than a tenth of the way full. She glanced over at Bran, presented the container to him in hopes that he could share in her tedium, then went to work.

In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't that bad of an experience.

How long had it been? Five hours? Seven? Ryoko couldn't even begin to hide her excitement after she'd completed the set and could finally make her way out of this castle, this whole nutty dimension, and go back home. Surely the Queen would have something to say before they took their leave, but she'd managed to get caught up in some of her own business during that whole agonizing process.

The dragon turned and started eyeing Bran down without the slightest attempt at concealing that fact.

"Hugo, huh? I don't blame you for taking on the new name. Even without 'magic' rules, you're not really, you know, stocky enough for a name like Hugo," she stood, chuckled, pinched a bit of fabric on the sleeve of his robes and flicked it, "I know that's supposed to be a big deal, but I don't think it's the same deal for everyone. Now that you've given me your real name, what does that mean for us?"

Despite how she was acting, Ryoko's eyes were trained on him like a hawk stalking a mouse. Bran might not have had bad intentions, but he'd lied and concealed information from her many times before. So she'd watch him intently for any nervous twitches or the break of sweat. She was well aware that she was putting him on the spot with that question, especially with some of the guards watching them, but if she wanted to properly honor his decision to grant her his name, she needed to know what that really meant to him.