2412, Iclis 13, Daleth

Marin leveled her gaze at the Earth Potentate, sitting in a brightly-lit room with the rest of his court. He stared right back, his dark skin making the ire passing across his features more sullen. "I assure you, Your Majesty—the territory and our organization will profit greatly with this agreement," she said. "I just need you to agree to every clause, not only one."

"What exactly am I to lose should I refuse?" the Earth Potentate inclined his head to one side, his ocher braids spilling past his shoulders. Dressed in nothing but a casual bed sheet draped over one shoulder, he looked more of a homeless man than the homeless men in the Disfavoreds. Marin would never understand how some people chose to look like dagrine crap every second of their lives.

At her silence, the Earth Potentate continued. "If I recall correctly, you are the ones in desperate need to get Avalora in line," he said. "And if you claim you have enough forces to destabilize us—same tactic you employed in Dwanzeig—I assure you: your Heiress will not set foot in this place without a thousand spires of jasclume running through her."

"Is that a threat?" Marin asked, her tone becoming more clipped with every syllable. "Choose your next words wisely, Your Majesty."

"I will, if you choose your clauses in the same manner." The Earth Potentate leaned back against his wooden seat, eliciting a painful squeak. It might just have been Marin's internal frustration wailing. "It's reasonable for me to concede a portion of our soldiers to whatever your Heiress has to do in response to the gracious recommendation made by the Imperial office—may she rest in Pidmena's embrace—but we will not concede our control over the diamond."

Marin would have scoffed in the presence of a king. It's just a diamond—the Heiress told her as much. The earth sprites held it to such a regard it became untouchable. What's so important about it? It's not like it'd erase the entire race if they lost it. Just control. A smidge of a favor.

She had to try again. "But if you can consider—"

"No," answered the Earth Potentate. "If your tongue cannot handle more than spouting rehearsed words and empty promises, it's best for you to take your leave. You are dismissed."

Marin's teeth ground against each other, her jaw clenching so hard her temples hurt. "As you wish, Your Majesty," she said, bowing out of courtesy. This man would never get a shred of her respect. She's petty that way.

She retreated from the hall, her legs pumping to get her out of this godsforsaken hall as fast as she could. From the corner of her vision, a shadow slithered off the other exit of the room, earning her scrutiny. Was someone else listening to their negotiation? Did someone see her fail in such a spectacular show? Ugh. She'd have to hunt them down later. It'd be good fun.

The Municipal and the tacky landscaped garden flitted by her periphery, their supposed beauty lost on her. This was just another Edgerift—all hollow and full of useless cleretis. The town of Otralo bled out before her, bringing the bustle and the city noises along with it. She tamped down the growing frustration in her gut. If she didn't, a guttural scream might have lashed out.

She dug a timeteller from her pocket. Huh. A few more minutes before the meetup. She'd make it in time. At least she could salvage her reputation to her friends. Though she had never been to Otralo before, it was easy finding the tavern they agreed to meet up in. Mostly because it was impossible to miss with the queue taking place at the establishment's facade.

Her heels clacked against the uneven cobblestones, used beyond their normal lifespan so her ankles and shins didn't feel a prick of pain at all. She sauntered straight through the entrance, earning grumbled complaints from those in line. "I have a reservation," she snapped, pushing the glass-paned door. A loud ding followed in her wake as she let the door swing shut behind her.

She could have lied, but she really has a reservation, knowing Aera and Valri have too much time to waste on their hands to do the least work such as queueing for a table. Besides, cheating the working people detached from the scale of issues she's working on wasn't on her agenda list now or ever.

As agreed, her two friends sat opposite each other in the middle row of tables, already arguing about which of them had to order something next. A smoking cup sat in between them, looking alone in the midst of all the arguing.

On the table next to them, a group of earth sprites eyed her friends as if they're lowly lifeforms who should exist. A girl younger than Marin rolled her eyes and toyed with her multicolored hair. But she couldn't leave, not when an older girl with blond locks and another woman who was clad all over save for the eyes with crimson veils seemed to agree the food in this tavern was to die for. The blond girl was more animated than the shut-in, implying the other woman was older.

Marin passed by their table, giving them an apologetic smile, before settling into the empty chair on her friends' table. "Would it kill you to be quiet?" she hissed, leaning closer to bang their heads together if they didn't shut up. Why in Hexen's name did she think bringing them all the way from Cardina was a good idea?

It's not like Marin had any other friends she could turn to other than these troublemakers. Sure, they could never hold down a paying job in the Commons, but that's because they would rather fight it out with each other rather than fight for their finances. And they're on the same boat now—orphans with no one to take care of them save for themselves.

Why seek help, then? Well, the Heiress' demands have gotten to the point where Marin couldn't keep up with them despite being hands-on for most of her waking hours. Even with the reduced time to eat, she still had to sleep, resulting in less hours to work on things that actually matter. Things that'd be fulfilling their end of the bargain rather than trying again to convince someone who wanted nothing to do with them.

That's what made Valri and Aera the perfect candidates for this job. They needn't know what Marin has been up to since fleeing the human territory. All they needed to do was what they've always done—play around and occasionally murder someone. Not that they've done the latter, but hey, there's a first time for everything. Besides, it's just one job. Marin would vanish from their lives after this.

Valri swiveled to Marin, her argument with Aera already forgotten. "We haven't seen you in forever!" she screamed, startling the neighboring tables.

Marin flashed all of them apologetic smiles and yanked her friend by the ears. "Scream one more time and I'm going to surrender you to the Unities," she hissed. "What I'm about to tell you should never make it to anyone's ears but your own. Got it?"

Valri drew away from her, a hand massaging the sore spot in her helix. Being a half-blood of nature fairy origin, her scarlet hair was enough of a beacon. She needn't add her voice to it. "You could have greeted us back with the same enthusiasm," she pouted. "It hurts, you know?"

Marin wasn't the sentimental type and her days in Cardovia trained her to be a sulky grandmother like her trainer and Magistrate, Kymalin Iaro. "I love you too. Now, let's move on," she said. "I have a job for you. It's fairly easy."

"Is it dangerous? With tons of potential to end up in explosions?" Aera asked, getting too particular about it and not disguising the excitement lacing around her tone. Despite being the quieter half, she wasn't exactly tame either.

Marin nodded. "It involved hunting down a secret organization," she said. "These are rebels who are going against the king's laws. They are causing uprisings and spreading false information. You don't want that to keep on, do you?"

"Frankly, we don't care," Valri quipped. "What's in it for us?"

Ah, straight into business. These two would make excellent Cardovic agents should they wish to. But, even Marin wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy. "See this cloth? How shiny is it?" she said, hefting the hem of her cloak and waving it against whatever light from the outside world made it inside the tavern's shut doors. "You can have one of these when you get the versallis I'm going to give you if you succeed."

The girls' eyes bulged like kalta sigrais. "Whoa, really?"

Marin stuck a lip out. "That is, if you find out who is behind this organization and dismantle them." She shook her head. "The organization, of course. Not the actual people," she added.

However it came across to the two friends was the least of Marin's concerns. If she ever needed to shed some scales when she was eventually caught, it wasn't her who ordered these two to enact whatever crime they would come up with.

"So, it's a deal?" Marin extended a hand across the table.

Valri and Aera couldn't have taken her hand faster. "Deal," they both said.

2412, Iclis 20, Reshpe

Marin played with the hilt of her dagger, relishing in the comfort it brought her. Even raltzing into a hostile territory with the hopes of making them bend under Cardovia's thumb, she had something constant with her. Something...more trustworthy.

This was the perfect day to launch their treaty with Dwanzeig, knowing Xanthy was off on her own, not even sparing a glance at these pathetic people when they asked for help. Some kind of hero the Virtakios was.

In the end, she was only a fairy.

"What more could you offer?" Marin tilted her head to one side, her senses picking up an anomalous presence loitering by the doorway. Some noble probably forgot to shut it with vines or something. She had no idea how doors worked in this wonky place. "What more could Dwanzeig offer for us to stand down?"

The Grand Royal, a person with an equal style as Marin, narrowed his eyes. "The throne. I know you're dying to get that," he said. "You will have Dwanzeig's throne and our resources for war. That includes our espionage reports. You will have complete control over military matters for as long as Dwanzeig is concerned."

Marin hummed. "That seems like a brilliant proposition." She tapped a finger on her chin. "Perhaps, a little too golden? A little enticing?"

She leaned forward, releasing the tension in her shoulders and letting her loose, blond hair spill past her shoulders. "Are you planning something? Like sending that human from that door?"

Marin snapped her fingers, and one of the trainees Kymalin sent with the treaty committee sank into a puddle of shadows before appearing on the other side. A scuffle occurred, eliciting an uneasy rustle within the Grand Monarch's court. Within seconds, another pool of ink appeared a few inches off the ground before spitting out the trainee and none other than Nyxis Helgase—the runaway prince of Cardina and unfortunately one of Xanthy's friends. What was he doing here, of all places?

Before Marin could throw another jab to quickly take control of the room, the Grand Royal stepped in front of the human. "I had hoped you would not come to witness this," he said. Why was he sad? He brought this upon himself and his people.

Nyxis squirmed but the trainee made a good restrainer. "They are evil! They would not care for your forests. They would just use you!"

The Grand Royal's face remained passive to the point of it being withdrawn from the whole thing. He turned to Marin. "Will you ensure this territory will remain untouched?" he asked, switching to Keijula.

Marin ducked her head. "I will inform the Heiress, Grand Royal," she said. "But seeing your benevolence towards you humble servants, we can assume she'll agree to your conditions."

"I need more concrete words," the Grand Royal insisted. "I wish to talk to the Heiress."

Marin shifted her weight to her other foot. "She...has other things to do," she said, training her eyes down at Nyxis who continued writhing without avail. "Other things to avenge. Things to watch out for."

Nyxis blurted out more words of reason, but the Grand Royal wouldn't hear it. The Virtakios had one chance to help them, and she didn't take it. Now, the Grand Royal turned to Marin with a resolute expression on his face. "Today, in this war, we choose our side," he said. "We choose Cardovia."

"Tell the Heiress that as long as nature stays alive and well, as long as the Liferewarder is in bloom, Cardovia will have Dwanzeig's support," the Grand Royal said. "It is only when you break your end of the bargain that we get to end ours."

"Understood, Grand Royal," Marin said. Then, she lowered her face towards Nyxis. "Run along now. April would have found her prey by now."

Realization dawned on Nyxis. It was enough, but Marin pushed it farther. "Still not running? I assume April had stabbed June through the heart now," she said, giving the Dwanzeig officials one last bow before signaling to her entourage of trainees and comrades. "That's our cue to leave," she added.

As Nyxis scrambled out of the room in a panic Marin would never understand in her lifetime, she summoned her magic and manipulated the shadowy trails around her. A pool of darkness appeared in front of her, and with a thought of the camp in the middle of Dwanzeig's lush forests, she stepped through.

When her boots hit the layer of grass and fallen, dried leaves, she exhaled all of the tension she had been holding in. Her knees threatened to throw her to the ground, but she braced the nearest trunk to keep herself upright.

Overhead, the sky lit up with plumes of smoke arising from the burning canopies—a result brought about by the initial warning shots from the Heiress' army. They did it until Acosa conceded and agreed to their terms. The smell of combusting wood and leaves wafted across the forest floor, taking with it particles of ash.

Marin's fist curled against the rough bark of the trunk. The nature fairies must have loved their territory and everything it boasted for them to give up their security and future in a heartbeat. And now, it's being taken away from them. By none other than Marin herself.

She knew what it was like to lose someone she loved, to have someone and something she valued yanked away from her grip with no assurance of ever getting it back. She should know better than anyone, having faced Pidmena and living long enough to cause it. But now...she was the one snatching people's hopes away. Her father taught her to never impede on another soul's dreams, and this was exactly what she's doing.

Just because she had something similar done to her didn't mean she had the right to do it to others. She had done worse things to get her to this point, but this was where she would draw the line.

This has to stop. But by the gods, Marin wished she knew how.