(Awwww I love that. Rotties are such sweethearts.)
Iris staggered under the weight of the hound, shooting Soren a grateful look for the help with ever-wiggly Mouse. People outside the gates were unabashedly staring at the unusual tableau, and Iris started to realize she'd probably have to put out a general warning on how to safely interact with Mouse when they came back properly so that nobody would get squished. "Yes, I sent word to Hari and set things in motion. He requested a meeting in the park from before, which I think is reasonable if you have no objections. We have a direct entrance so it's very literally no time to get there at all, not like the tunnels."
(Awwww I love that. Rotties are such sweethearts.)
Iris staggered under the weight of the hound, shooting Soren a grateful look for the help with ever-wiggly Mouse. People outside the gates were unabashedly staring at the unusual tableau, and Iris started to realize she'd probably have to put out a general warning on how to safely interact with Mouse when they came back properly so that nobody would get squished. "Yes, I sent word to Hari and set things in motion. He requested a meeting in the park from before, which I think is reasonable if you have no objections. We have a direct entrance so it's very literally no time to get there at all, not like the tunnels."
(Absolutely!)
"Perfect." Soren replied as he gently but firmly shoved Mouse back upright so she wasn't crushing Iris any further.
"Come on, Mouse, you will crush her." He muttered, and Mouse shifted her weight onto only him.
"And I would prefer to avoid being crushed as well, thank you." The detective patted the beast on the side when she finally let up. "We follow Iris now, and you will not crush her."
(Absolutely!)
"Perfect." Soren replied as he gently but firmly shoved Mouse back upright so she wasn't crushing Iris any further.
"Come on, Mouse, you will crush her." He muttered, and Mouse shifted her weight onto only him.
"And I would prefer to avoid being crushed as well, thank you." The detective patted the beast on the side when she finally let up. "We follow Iris now, and you will not crush her."
+1 FR time
Iris chuckled, leading their motley trio through the grounds' gate to the park. There were many gates to many locations- anywhere relevant to the fae was included. Through the gate, they stepped into the park. The temperature was an immediate shock, the difference between realms noticeable. Hari was already waiting, and the fae's eyes narrowed as he noted them all entering via Iris's personal gate. Risking bringing Soren Underground was paying off already. Iris did not bother with the pretense of a bow or courtesies this time, skipping straight to cold, calculating fury. "Hari," she said. "So very glad you decided to join us." The fae man scoffed. "Please. Bringing your puppet prince home now, I see?"
Iris shook her head. "Soren, Hari. Hari, Crown Prince Soren."
Iris chuckled, leading their motley trio through the grounds' gate to the park. There were many gates to many locations- anywhere relevant to the fae was included. Through the gate, they stepped into the park. The temperature was an immediate shock, the difference between realms noticeable. Hari was already waiting, and the fae's eyes narrowed as he noted them all entering via Iris's personal gate. Risking bringing Soren Underground was paying off already. Iris did not bother with the pretense of a bow or courtesies this time, skipping straight to cold, calculating fury. "Hari," she said. "So very glad you decided to join us." The fae man scoffed. "Please. Bringing your puppet prince home now, I see?"
Iris shook her head. "Soren, Hari. Hari, Crown Prince Soren."
Soren lowered his head slightly in a very shallow bow towards Hari, but nothing more of him moved.
Mouse, on the other hand, growled. The sound rumbled from deep in her fluffy chest, and the fur along her back and hackles stood up to make her appear much larger. She bared her teeth at Hari, and it quickly became apparent that the only thing stopping her from attempting to disembowel the fae man right then and there was her master, Iris.
"We are here for civil matters, Hari. Please, make a discernible effort to treat this as such." Soren said calmly.
Soren lowered his head slightly in a very shallow bow towards Hari, but nothing more of him moved.
Mouse, on the other hand, growled. The sound rumbled from deep in her fluffy chest, and the fur along her back and hackles stood up to make her appear much larger. She bared her teeth at Hari, and it quickly became apparent that the only thing stopping her from attempting to disembowel the fae man right then and there was her master, Iris.
"We are here for civil matters, Hari. Please, make a discernible effort to treat this as such." Soren said calmly.
+1 FR time
Hari's brows rose in clear contempt. "Civil matters? Are you not aware that we are all but at war, Prince?" He shot a wary look at Mouse, who Iris was currently considering just unleashing as a solution. The fae woman ran a calming hand down Mouse's shoulder, giving her an appreciative look before turning her full attention back to Hari.
"You must really be rattled," she commented evenly. "I don't think I've ever seen you so... unrestrained." She raised an imperious brow. "Given the circumstances that have brought us to this point, I would think you could be bothered to show some courtesy. I will not have you speaking in such a manner to my honored guest." Despite her genuine anger at Hari's behaviour, appearances were important, and the ruse wasn't over yet. She chose her words carefully, loaded with double meanings. "Now then. To business. I have new resources. You have a mess of a coup on your hands that you cannot hope to sustain now. I would be well within my rights to simply... crush you. Like a Beetle." She looked to Mouse. "Or I could let Mouse here do as she pleased... I think we all, excepting you of course, might well enjoy that possibility." She tilted her head. "Or maybe your soul gets devoured. Maybe a combination of any of the above! So many options these days."
Hari's brows rose in clear contempt. "Civil matters? Are you not aware that we are all but at war, Prince?" He shot a wary look at Mouse, who Iris was currently considering just unleashing as a solution. The fae woman ran a calming hand down Mouse's shoulder, giving her an appreciative look before turning her full attention back to Hari.
"You must really be rattled," she commented evenly. "I don't think I've ever seen you so... unrestrained." She raised an imperious brow. "Given the circumstances that have brought us to this point, I would think you could be bothered to show some courtesy. I will not have you speaking in such a manner to my honored guest." Despite her genuine anger at Hari's behaviour, appearances were important, and the ruse wasn't over yet. She chose her words carefully, loaded with double meanings. "Now then. To business. I have new resources. You have a mess of a coup on your hands that you cannot hope to sustain now. I would be well within my rights to simply... crush you. Like a Beetle." She looked to Mouse. "Or I could let Mouse here do as she pleased... I think we all, excepting you of course, might well enjoy that possibility." She tilted her head. "Or maybe your soul gets devoured. Maybe a combination of any of the above! So many options these days."
Mouse stopped baring her teeth at Hari at Iris's touch, but the growl continued to rumble deep in her chest. Soren had to take a step away from her, mostly to stop himself from laughing at the odd, tickling sensation that the rumbling created in his own chest. It was almost as though he were standing beside the focus of an earthquake.
"However, I believe Lady Deyanir has a proposition for you. A proposition that you would do well to consider, in full." Soren added. "I would rather not Eat your soul, as it would not be a pleasant experience for either of us, though I am sure you would taste quite delicious."
Mouse stopped baring her teeth at Hari at Iris's touch, but the growl continued to rumble deep in her chest. Soren had to take a step away from her, mostly to stop himself from laughing at the odd, tickling sensation that the rumbling created in his own chest. It was almost as though he were standing beside the focus of an earthquake.
"However, I believe Lady Deyanir has a proposition for you. A proposition that you would do well to consider, in full." Soren added. "I would rather not Eat your soul, as it would not be a pleasant experience for either of us, though I am sure you would taste quite delicious."
+1 FR time
Iris's smile was a sharp, dangerous thing- predatory in nature. "Yes... You see, you are at a crossroads where you have but one pleasant option. One. And I am offering that to you." She looked between Soren and Hari for a moment before continuing. "I would have no need of a mere court if I had a realm-kingdom's worth of interesting prospects, you see. The Prince and I here have reached a reasonable agreement that suits both of our interests quite well, but I want your unconditional support should I make a true bid for more. In return, you may give my court to the Beetles and keep your own secure, with double your power. The Prince is willing to be your guest for a time as a safety measure to assure you of fair play." Her words were careful- all technically true, but all ones that would allow her to do as she pleased behind Hari's back while keeping her word.
Hari looked between the massive hellhound, the demire prince, and the fae woman. "I see..." he stated slowly. "I must confess that I believed I must have misunderstood when I received your message."
Iris's smile was a sharp, dangerous thing- predatory in nature. "Yes... You see, you are at a crossroads where you have but one pleasant option. One. And I am offering that to you." She looked between Soren and Hari for a moment before continuing. "I would have no need of a mere court if I had a realm-kingdom's worth of interesting prospects, you see. The Prince and I here have reached a reasonable agreement that suits both of our interests quite well, but I want your unconditional support should I make a true bid for more. In return, you may give my court to the Beetles and keep your own secure, with double your power. The Prince is willing to be your guest for a time as a safety measure to assure you of fair play." Her words were careful- all technically true, but all ones that would allow her to do as she pleased behind Hari's back while keeping her word.
Hari looked between the massive hellhound, the demire prince, and the fae woman. "I see..." he stated slowly. "I must confess that I believed I must have misunderstood when I received your message."
"That was quite obvious from your hostile greeting." Soren replied, looking almost amused. "What do you think about this proposition, Hari?"
"That was quite obvious from your hostile greeting." Soren replied, looking almost amused. "What do you think about this proposition, Hari?"
+1 FR time
Hari's face showed his warring thoughts. In the end though, even he knew there was no other safe out for him, whether he trusted Iris or not. He spent a long several minutes in silence, before finally nodding. "I want a contract to ensure... fair play," he stated.
Iris actually snorted. "Fair play? You seriously believe you have a right to a contract after what you've done? Let me just remind you of the fact that you had the audacity to risk killing a member of the police force- you've lost all right to such assurances."
Hari's face showed his warring thoughts. In the end though, even he knew there was no other safe out for him, whether he trusted Iris or not. He spent a long several minutes in silence, before finally nodding. "I want a contract to ensure... fair play," he stated.
Iris actually snorted. "Fair play? You seriously believe you have a right to a contract after what you've done? Let me just remind you of the fact that you had the audacity to risk killing a member of the police force- you've lost all right to such assurances."
Soren's face grew cold at the mention of Rain, and it showed in his eyes as he stared Hari down.
"You are fortunate that Lady Deyanir has convinced me to not bring the law down on your head and your entire court. To echo her words, you have indeed lost all rights to a contract. This will be your only offer that chances towards being in your favor, as I personally wish to separate your body from your soul as recompense for killing and mutilating one of my dearest friends."
There was a long pause, and then he continued.
"Take the olive branch."
Soren's face grew cold at the mention of Rain, and it showed in his eyes as he stared Hari down.
"You are fortunate that Lady Deyanir has convinced me to not bring the law down on your head and your entire court. To echo her words, you have indeed lost all rights to a contract. This will be your only offer that chances towards being in your favor, as I personally wish to separate your body from your soul as recompense for killing and mutilating one of my dearest friends."
There was a long pause, and then he continued.
"Take the olive branch."
+1 FR time
