Snippet #2765391

After hearing the dragon's request, Calliope, too, offered her support. The noble creature smiled. "It relieves me greatly to hear that from each of you. The Archipelago lies 600 miles westwards from here, past the very same court of the storm mother whom the sirens seek to spite." Calliope licked her lips at the thought of confrontation. "I will gift you the same ship you arrived upon to provide transport there."

Newly invigorated after her meal, Calliope sat on the edge of her seat as though she was ready to jump up and depart at any moment. Ashen probed for more information, and in return, Fakharu explained the pertinence of the island, presenting the difficulty it might pose for forming a proper plan.

She could feel Ashen's eyes on her once more. It was a good thing she was pink, because her renewed embarrassment would have been all too apparent. For a moment, Calliope's mind lingered on the gentle, albeit awkward gesture Ashen had displayed earlier. Her heart raced. She stared deeply into the table as she relived the moment. For some reason his additional glance only embarrassed and enraged her further. She wanted to violently demand an explanation for his behavior, but instead, Calliope forced herself back to the topic at hand.

Ashen Sky however caught the scent of her embarrasement and subsequent anger. He flinched slightly even if she didn't return his stare, for his magic made it clear to him that he was the source of her sudden turmoil even if he couldn't identify the cause. He was going to have to come up with an explanation for his actions later, even if he couldn't figure it out himself.

Calliope followed the same train of thought Ashen did. What was Fakharu willing to supply for the safe return of his betrothed? It seemed he was unwilling to reveal that information without a more defined road map. "I would offer the assistannce of the Gladomeenn armmy, but I regret your quanndry may nnot cause enough alarmm to warrannt the accordance of mmy King and Queenn." Calliope made eye contact with the beast.

"I am inclinned to ask, dear Fakharu." She began cooly, wiping her greasy hands off on a napkin. "How could you let your beloved escape you so? Be you nnot all mmighty inn your lannd?" Calliope knew not what effect her agnostic approach may invoke.

The dragon's face remained neutral, but his clawed hand did ball into a fist. He showed no sign of feeling insulted even as he spoke. "While I welcome the sentiment Calliope, I feel that it is probably for the better that your nation didn't get involved. The movement of an army would be neither swift or quiet and this endeavor requires both. As for how Amarel was abducted..." He paused to rub his face. Though hidden under his palm their was a mixture of anger and remorse in his face. "She had been collecting pearls along the island's beach when it happened. I have always allowed her to wander the grounds as she chose, and she never felt the need to take a guard with her. Perhaps I should have insited she keep an escort on her walks, but that is in hindsight now. I have come to suspect that the sirens may have had help in snatching her away though, for the island is normally carefully watched from the sea and the air."

Calliope could sense the injury she had induced, but given the circumstance, she felt entitled to hear his answer. She tried to be apathetic, in true Gladomeen fashion, but she recognized his pain. A pang of guilt and anguish washed over her, while she also maintained a neutral expression. She said nothing in reply, simply because she had nothing to say.

"In anny case, I suggest we seek allies on this 'Archipelago'. What is this saying you have? The friennd of mmy friennd is mmy enemmy? The ennemy of mmy friennd is mmy...? No mmatter." The clumsiness of her attempt at the phrase was amplified by her Sky accent. "Surely we can enntreaty the assisstannce of sommeone with our commonality. Knnow you any other person with contact onn this island?" She asked Fakharu.

Fakharu nodded slightly and seemed to consider the idea. "While again I must admit that I have intentionally avoided scruitiny the isles and thus have little knowledge of its inhabitants, and that Sikunare knows more than I, I can offer a few 'gifts' to sway favor for you if needed." He placed his elbows on the table and leaned in. "As I said my position allows me much power over the west and in the celestial order and a word of my command can grant someone much. I can provide letters of pardons for past crimes for those spirits hidding from the law, positions within my own court, material wealth, vauluble information..." He paused for a moment to consider something. "If possible you might even be able to negoitate with the Sirens themselves, or who ever they are working for. After all there must be other thing they would want then simply the disgrace of one storm mother. And if we are lucky the kiddnappers themselves might not all be in agreement by this point. If any of them show remorse or a willingness to aid in her return then I can promise to be... lenient towards them." Their was a small glint in his eye at this. "But above all remember that the immortal inhabitants of the isles were exiled for some treachery or another, and though that will likely make the desperate another treachry is neither too much or too little to expect from them."

Lux returned to her seat after her rather emotive response to Fakharu’s request, having a little bit of difficulty doing so due to the damned corset...perhaps it’d be a little bit too impassioned, but she could not help it. And it was while she was settling herself that she listened as Astrid, Artisan and Calliope confirmed that they too would lend their abilities to Fakharu’s cause. Certainly, they had different motivations than herself, but it was still comforting for the little Dragon-Blooded to know that she wasn’t going this alone after all. She listened as the conversation continued, keeping herself quiet for its duration, doing her best to absorb everything she was hearing as Calliope spoke at length with the Lesser Dragon, and the latter revealed that he could offer up little actual information on the Archipelagos, but did mention the notion of providing materials with which the party could use to sway the favor of the islands’ inhabitants....

So, they were launching into a discussion on strategy? Lux slid down in her seat a bit—she’d been the first to volunteer herself to this cause, but that didn’t mean she was going to be the first to come up with a sound plan on how to go about rescuing Amarel. Strategy was not her strongest area of expertise—typically she tended to think on the fly and acted more on instinct. She was better at improvising, but Lux knew that it would be best to come up with some kind of plan; this was on a different level than the situations she usually delved into.

Bribery and whatnot wouldn’t be the worst way to go about things, but as Fakharu had said, the Archipelagos were full of beings that’d committed one crime or another. Lux brought her hand up to her chin as she ruminated on the information provided....

“Strategy and such things are not my forte, I won’t try to fool anyone on that matter....” she started, quietly, “But, I do not think we would be any lesser for having material we could use to persuade some with. Given that we are lacking information on the Archipelagos, we’ll likely end up having to take a mixed approach to this, though.”

Biding his time to speak, Artisan finally decided to put his two cents in on the matter. "What's done is done Lord Fakharu, my concolences on the kidnapping of your beloved, but we will have her back to you soon. As for the Archipelago... it is... complicated to say the least. We could use whatever resources you have to spare. Making allies is likely the safest way to get your beloved Amarel back to you. Other methods of rescue may have incidental damages, which I'm sure you'd prefer to avoid. As for treachery, I assure you..." He paused, pondering the exact wording of what he was about to say. Failing to find a phrase that properly conveyed what he meant, he decided upon, "Well, I'm no stranger to treachery. Whatever machinations they might have, I'm sure our little group will stay out of the spider's web, and perhaps turn their own plans against those who are keeping Amarel from you."

Turning an eye to Lux, the evangelization of the islands came to the forefront of his mind. "If the Immaculate Order had any success, perhaps Lady Lux will be able to sway some minds. With the proper resources of course." Artisan was intent on squeezing what help he could from the Censor. Though he kept reassuring Fakharu that they'd safely retrieve his lover, judging by certain temperments in the party, he was less than certain. They would definitely need all the help they could get if this was going to be an expedient and successful endeavor. Astrid suppressed a snort at the Abyssal's obvious kowtowing, if it were up to her they would simply sneak into where the girl was being held, kick open the door, and spirit her away.

However partly due to the thought of a challenge, and partly due to the drink, Astrid was in a good mood and willingly to hear the assembled group out. After all had been said and done, and once Astrid was picking her teeth with a claw she proclaimed her attack plan. "Me, I'm not one for words. I leave it up to popular decision, but in my opinion we should go in quietly, strike hard and fast." She slammed a fist into her open palm as it to emphasize the force of their assault. "We'd have Amarel in our hands before they even knew we were there."

Artisan, though not shocked at her plan, was shocked that she thought he could sneak around even half as well as her. "Um... Miss Astrid, I can't exactly move quietly in this armor." As if only just then remembering, she looked at the assembled Celestials and lone Terrestrial. "Then don't come. Though... perhaps most of us are not up to such a task." She ended the thought with a lazy shrug.

Calliope nodded thoughtfully. "While I finnd your approach ennticing, Astrid, this dismmal creature is correct," she referred to Artisan. "Diplomacy mmay be our best option."