As the revelry continued and the debauchery reached a fever pitch a vision of elegant beauty stepped out onto the bear skin rug beneath the iron forged throne Khal Jinn had been sitting on. In her hand a magnificent lion skin, slew by Jinn himself with his bare hands. It was one of the few things she could get him to put on when the weather was warm.
"Enjoying yourself?"
Came the melodious voice from behind Jinn. His eyebrow arched, the faintest hint of a smirk etched onto his rugged features as he felt the tender touch of the Oracle placing the lion skin around his broad shoulders. The whore dancers that had been lounging over the Khal slinked off at the disapproving glare of the Oracle. She had never cared for those who sold themselves as play things. Khal caught the look and chuckled.
"I was... you should try to do the same."
Talia came around his seat and placed herself at his side with a mock look of surprise on her face.
"Is that humor? From the bristly slayer of kings?"
She teased. Her response came not from the Khal but from the second most important man in the kingdom.
"On the contrary soothsayer, the Khal can be down right hilarious. We once fought a rebel that went around calling himself the Hound of Arkham. Guess he thought it would instill fear in his enemies or some such non sense. Went around with a pack of wolf hounds and everything. In any case when we caught him you know what our Khal did?"
The Imperial Legate Gaius Septimus asked with a bold smirk on his face. Talia just scowled at him knowing full well the sad tale of the hound.
"He starved the dogs for six days and nights before he cut off The Hounds hands and feet and fed him to his beloved pack. I laughed so hard I cried."
"You're a beast."
The Oracle shot back at Gaius in sharp return. Gaius just chuckled smugly as The Khal grunted, seemingly unperturbed by neither the bickering of his advisers nor the memory of the horrible death The Hound suffered. Talia was about to speak again when her eyelids fluttered and she took a shuddering breath. Jinn flicked his gaze up at her, knowing full well what that trance like stare meant. Even Gaius looked to the Oracle for the vision she would soon deal out.
"They're here."
She said suddenly. No more than a few minutes later the doors to the great hall were opened and led by three Legionnaires was the King of Drake City, Moloch Markus.
The Music lessened to a slow and rumbling beat as the revelers equally lessened their rambunctious festivities. All eyes were on the two most important men in the room. The King from the city built atop the bones of dragons and the slayer of Kings. The people in the room held their breath while others whispered fears and doubts to one another. They were all shocked the King of Drake City actually came himself instead of sending a court envoy. The whispering flooded the background of the rhythmic drums as the leaders of Drake made their way into the hall. The two men in question locked eyes instantly. Silently measuring one another for any sign of weakness, sizing one another up as two male lions would do over a pride of females.
They were not the only ones either. The Imperial Legate levied a harsh stare at the infamous Captain of the Kings Guard. A stare which she reciprocated fiercely. The Oracle flashed a quaint smile at the kind looking elder on the other side of the king that spoke of good her good nature. All the while King Moloch made his way through the center of the room, never once failing in his bold gaze.
Jinn barely moved. His position in his iron chair had not wavered. His elbows still rested on his thighs as he watched the king like a hungry beast to see how he'd react. What would he see? Fear, apprehension, pride, arrogance? Finally Khal Jinn spoke up, his deep rough voice cutting through the tension like a jagged blade.
"You did not send an envoy in your place..."