Dinner and Deals

Sirene had barely introduced Destiny before V'Azlak burst out into laughter.

"That is your daughter? She is tiny! I would crush her beneath my weight - haha!" He sounded delighted more than offended, at least.

Destiny felt her cheeks blush in embarrassment as she looked away from the barbaric man.

To most, V'Azlak would be a wet dream - he was muscular, very bulky, and tall. His red hair stood in contrast to the teals, pearl, and emerald that made up the decor of the dining room, as well as the black leather he had strapped across his pectorals like trophy ribbons instead of a suit.

"I assure you, my little Sea Gem is stronger than she looks. She survived an assassination attempt as a baby, you know. That is power if I've ever known it. I also would be a fool to not point out her beauty. Surely there is much of her you may covet?" King Sattus' tone was more of an owner who attempted to sell their last, weakest sow. A con man, one would akin it to, really.

"Is that so? That is impressive, I cannot deny. Our kind has no use for a soft Empress. Even though we would stop our war with you, it would continue elsewhere. If she cannot travel, and is too sickly - I must insist that you better start training your soldiers better. From here, she looks sickly." Prince V'Azlak noted and barely looked up from his plate of bread to acknowledge her.

She felt like an animal on display as both her father and the rudest man she had ever met bartered back and forth on her appearance and health. Sirene stood at her side until her father snapped towards the stairs where they stood.

"Sirene, go fetch my files from my desk. The ones in the bright blue folder if you would. There are things I think our friends would find interesting..."

He didn't stop his attitude and continued to project his distaste onto Destiny as well. "Well, don't just dawdle there, daughter. Come and sit at the table. We'll be having your favorite for dinner - lanced Bass and broiled Damsel."

She hated both of those things, and she was pretty sure he knew it. V'Azlak on the other hand clapped his two giant hands together once and proclaimed joy. "I did not know you had any good tastes here, good King. I am glad to see I may be wrong. Depending on how this meal goes, I think I may be warming up to your proposal. Let us continue, shall we?"

Destiny hated this. She felt invisible as the men talked about what her future would look like, and how power would be preserved for her family. To her distaste, her betrothed even mentioned how she would not be his only bride, but merely an incubator for sons if needed - that way /she/ wouldn't be a total loss.

She hesitated to sit at her place, but did so as slowly as possible as to come off as weak as she could. If he wanted strong, she would play opposite. Anything to not have to be wed off to some man who didn't even want her in the first place.

Her fingers tightened under the table as her nails pierced into her palms. It took every etiquette lesson she had ever survived through in order to keep her tears sealed behind her eyes, and her teeth only mildly clenched behind her lips.

Oh the things she longed to say....

To loosen the tension in her spine, she reached forward and took a long gulp of cold water that had been left at her seat for her, and if she had access to it - she would have drank as much wine as it appeared her suitor and father had as their red faces betrayed the amount of liquor they consumed.

"What you do with her is your business after that. She would be your bride - but I do hope you'd keep her in your top three at least. You won't find any beauty like hers anywhere in the ocean. Her scales especially are one of a kind - they have the power to mesmerize enemies if utilized correctly." Her father continued.

Once more she steeled her face. What the actual fuck was he on about? She had never even been on the battle field -- and no one had ever seen her sway in the water for the theory to even be tested. Why he felt the need to lie, she would never know - but she did note that regardless of his intent, hit hurt that he had to make up such a thing to sell her worth.

Once more, she swallowed the tears that wanted to spurt from her eyes, and instead she stayed still like a doll as her father raved about her features.

"So what do you have to say for yourself, then?" V'Azlak finally directed his attention towards Destiny and nodded to her like a signal to speak.

She raised her hands and began to reply, 'I don't have anyth-'.

The Prince barged in on her sentence, and once more turned his attention away from her and towards her father. "Wait, wait, wait --- she cannot speak?"

"Well, no - her vocal chord has been cut, but she can read and write if needed. She's not an invalid, nor is she slow - it was merely from the attack on her life." King Sattus laughed a little in what sounded like an awkward rumble from his throat.

"No, that's perfect actually. I find that the tongues of women are worthless if they're being used to speak. There is only one thing a female's tongue is good for - and that is to please her husband. She...does have a tongue, right?" V'Azlak tilted forward as if to inspect her right then and there.

"Oh, she does - yes. She just cannot speak. Simple as that." Her father answered proudly.

There was an interruption to Destiny's delight as one of the servants from V'Azlak's entourage ran in bowed to his prince many times. "Sire, the CEO and Queen of Chimora is here with the papers you requested. Shall I send her in?"

Sattus looked positively punitive as his face contorted into anger. "What is this? You invited guests to my castle?"

V'Azlak laughed at the old man and pushed his hand towards the ruler with apathy. "Oh please, old man. We both know either way, this is going to be my country. We're either going to shatter your little kingdom, or you can spare your beautiful city and its inhabitants by paying proper tribute to your soon to be Emperor. Adelaide is only here to ensure that our contracts are binding - that is all. Insurance, if you would."

Destiny's heart raced. Adelaide was here - which meant that maybe, just maybe Lanshu had accompanied her. He had to have, right? Wasn't he always at her side? He had said something about being her informant, so what better time to have her agent here amongst these dealings?

Right?

'Oh please, please let him be here. I beg of you, Poseidon...' she prayed vigilantly behind her eyes as Adelaide and presumably her top men entered the room and greeted V'Azlak instead of King Sattus - a clear sign of avid respect for the new ruler.

Two, four, and five men had come through the door behind their Queen, but none of them had been Lanshu. The aperture had yet to close, though - so perhaps he had just been held back behind the others as surveillance detail. Yes, that was it - he... he had to be just behind the last well-dressed 'suit' that wore the same attire as all the others.

She waited until her name was called loudly and her attention had to be pulled from the door.

Lanshu had still not entered, and just out of view she heard the familiar click of opportunity shut just out of reach. He wasn't there.

"Are you alright there? Are you disappointed about something?" Adelaide asked with a smug grin (well, it looked smug to her).

The poor young lady merely shook her head back and forth and turned her gaze to the table in order to avoid the lasers she wanted to drill into her eyes with her own glare.

"Did you not promise the lady a gift, V'Azlak? What a shame. I thought you had a little bit of romance in you," the Queen remarked and took a seat in a chair that one of her minions pulled out for her.

She looked right at home.

"I wasn't sure if I wanted her as a wife or not, thank you...and who has lied about me in such a fashion? A romantic? Hah. Love is for the weak and stupid. I heard Prince Vincent fled due to what his little itty bitty heart told him what to do, and now his entire kingdom is in shambles. What good did love do there?" The boastful Prince sneered and rolled his eyes before he took another swig of wine straight from the bottle.

"I cannot disagree with your point, it did not seem to do Praetoria any good, did it? At least my ward, Lanshu is keeping stability for them. Trust me, when Vincent realizes how uncomfortable it is out there in the real world, he'll come crawling back to daddy like all children eventually do who cannot accept their fates." Queen Adelaide spoke politely as she gestured to her 'top men' to pour her a glass of wine as well.

For once, King Sattus was as silent as his daughter - and Destiny could see the color drained from his face as he stared on in disbelief as two strangers used his dining room as if it were their own.

"Aha - sure, sure. When are you going to overthrow the old coot and implant your 'ward' in?" The Prince laughed and even used air quotes as he referred to Lanshu.

"Oh please," Adelaide started and waved off the assertions. "Double-crossing our oldest and biggest ally is just bad business, darling. Everyone knows that. We don't do double-crossing in our country. We have no need to. Only the weak rely on the veil of lies to keep them protected. My ward is purely there for clerical and administrative purposes. Much like the reason I am here. Now, what did you want signed?"

...So he wasn't here? It had been false hope, a girlish dream.

She was crushed, and she wasn't sure why. This was absolutely to be expected - so why did her gut feel so wrenched?