Deception

Much like how the Harenaen was so taken in by the demons' appearances, it was difficult for the doctor to not stare at the other as the layers of clothing were removed. He had never seen any other being in his entire life other than demons. Lysander's descriptions of the royals he had encountered during their one meeting could only go so far - it was hard to imagine what an orc looked like, for examine, despite receiving a detailed description of the King; only witnessing them with his own eyes would help. Themus was determined not to like Neotoma, not until he was convinced of his innocence, but he wasn't going to pretend that he didn't find him utterly fascinating.

"Your appearance is remarkable," he noted aloud as he reached out to gently take the other's arm, tilting it lightly so the scales caught the light of the lit torches in the bedroom, a curious smile arriving on the physician's face the longer he observed Neotoma up close. "Very remarkable, actually. Beautiful, I think. I haven't seen anyone other than demons my entire life. On a purely professional level, it's remarkable to witness something else other than my own species. I suppose this is why Lysander likes you; he's as curious as I am."

The fascinated smile erased itself the moment he seemed to recognise his actions, dropping Neotoma's arm and frowning in accordance to the generally grumpy behaviour he displayed around Neotoma, refusing outright to offer him even the slightest of smiles when he had control of himself. "Wake up at 9, have breakfast, shower and be present in the King's throne room by 10. Lysander will want you there to brief you of your duties, I assume. He hasn't said so but I know he'll want to brief you properly. Just sleep. You look awful. I'm sure a little beauty sleep will do you the world of good."

With that, the doctor made a swift exit to aid the preparations for that evening's ball. He wasn't too invested in the parties, but he attended nonetheless, if only to keep an eye on Lysander to ensure he didn't get himself too drunk or hurt. Despite not being much of a party-animal, it was difficult not to get drunk when alcohol was flowing and everyone around him was enjoying themselves, hence his slightly dishevelled and hungover appearance the next morning as he arrived at Neotoma's bedroom to take him to the throne room. Rubbing his temples unsubtly, with the knock on Neotoma's door being quick and quiet, he leaned against the door frame with a tired frown.

"Come along, would you? We're already late as it is. I'm sure Lysander, however tired he is, will still find it in himself to punish our tardiness."
 
Neotoma would be lying if he said the whole experience didn't freak him out a bit. He had never been touched so firmly and stared at So intensely, though he knew that was because he almost always covered up. Last night was a mistake, he realized, as he quickly ground up some Herbs, pouring some water he had saved into the mortar and pestle until it was a paste. Rubbing it across his forehead and on his temples, he immediately felt the hangover cure do it's job. He had gotten dresssed not long after, only realizing that he looked silly with the green paste on his forehead once Themus entered.

"I-Oh, uh, good morning," he greeted quietly as he wiped off the paste quickly. "I'm sorry - I don't really know what to wear?" He admitted, having decided to wear clothes very similar to the ones he had gone to sleep in, though he did drape a shawl around his arms for a bit more coverage.

"I didn't have time to eat, so... no offense, but you look horrible." He interrupted himself, taking in the demon with a frown. Snatching up the mortar and pestle, he had to reach on his toe to place the paste on the doctor's forehead, whether he wanted to or not. "This should help. I fiddled with some stuff and found this to work wonders."
 
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Themus did make a quick step backwards to avoid being touched, especially to avoid having some strange paste placed on him, though he paused the moment he realised that Neotoma had placed it upon himself so the likelihood of it being dangerous was slim. Besides, he had been the one to examine his potions and ingredients, and he found nothing remotely dangerous about them. That didn't mean he trusted Neotoma yet, far from it, but he allowed him to do what he needed and murmured a quiet 'thank you' when he had finished.

"Is it supposed to tingle? It's... a curious sensation; it feels like I'm burning," he mumbled deeply, wiping a little paste off with his index finger to at least examine it with his own eye, his nose scrunched at the herb smell. It was unlike anything that grew in his kingdom - sure, they had herbs, but they were completely unique and completely different to the ones Neotoma had used. As wary as the doctor was, his professional curiosity took over as he wandered over to the stack of potions with a faint smile. His intrigue at least helped distract him from how groggy he felt, even if it also wasted the time they needed to manoeuvre through the winding corridors to Lysander's throne room.

"Though I know Lysander desires to keep you to himself, to teach him about the other kingdoms, I'd at least like to spend some time with you regarding your magic and potions-- and the ingredients you use. We have none of these here. I assume they're herbs, but they're so... different to the ones we manage to grow."
 
"Yes, it's suppose to tingle. It's just a side effect of one of the herbs I found in Pruina. Unsurprisingly, everything there tends to leave a bit of a cooling feeling bar one specific plant but I had to travel to the mountains to receive that and that is one journey I'd like to avoid," he admitted as he watched the other, his hands held behind his back as he watched. There was always curiosity between the different kingdom goers with what exactly he had in his arsenal but never had he experienced someone so curious. Most herbs were traded amongst other kingdoms (bar a few he had hunted down on his own through asking some locals), but the complete isolationism from Ignis left no surprise to the demons being oblivious.

"It's a hangover cure," he stated simply with an embarrassed smile. "Your alcohol is way too intense for me. Only one cup and I woke up with a pounding migraine. One night while I was in Pruina, I had gotten a bit too drunk in the local tavern and I felt so awful the next day, I fiddled with all of my things until I was certain I found the cure... and I did. It took a few tries but I think it works wonders," he admitted with a bit of pride.

"I would love to show you everything, just as I would love for you to show me some of the things that grow here as well. I would love to add more ingredients, you know? To be honest, that's what most of my luggage is. I'll have to use it sparingly since I don't intend to travel back to my home kingdom for a few herbs."
 
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"There was, however, if I'm not mistaken, mention of poison in that book of yours as well? It wasn't in a language I know, obviously, but the word bore a striking resemblance to our word for 'poison', so I made a connection. I might be wrong but... well, I'd rather you be honest about it. I didn't bring Lysander's attention to it but it explains my distrust for you, don't you think? Poison wouldn't kill us, it's why I failed to note it to the King, but I find it... strange nonetheless," he admitted as he wiped the paste from his forehead when he decided that the tiredness and nausea he had been plagued with had been adequately removed. He wouldn't admit it, but he was impressed by the hangover cure - he had failed to find something that could counter the hangover left from the strong alcohol of the kingdom as effectively as Neo's cure. It was impressive but he wasn't prepared to flatter the other's skills with such a compliment.

"You can explain the reasons for the mention of poison later. We're late and Lysander's not in a very good mood, I imagine. He's not the best at dealing with his hangovers, and last night was... particularly wild. We had a cause for celebration and Lysander tends to overdo it at such occasions. If he's miserable, I wouldn't take it too personally," he murmured as way of a warning, gesturing for the smaller man to follow as he, once again, started off ahead of him at a quick pace. He had no time to lose, after all, and he didn't want to anger Lysander when he was, he assumed, already prone to outbursts after the wild night.

He had no idea, however, just how furious the King was, though it had little to do with grogginess from a night of partying. He had woken up in a remarkably good mood after a great night, which ended with him in bed with someone he found extremely attractive. That good mood ended the moment he was handed a letter from the Queen of Pruina, politely requesting that he, now he was prepared to cooperate, hand over details of the Kingdom from the last few centuries, from understanding how they had managed to keep the kingdom prosperous to specific details of the country's army. Every kingdom shared certain details of their armies with one another for transparency and openness, but Lysander didn't find the request at all welcome. He found the tone of the letter particularly condescending and the information she asked for only enraged him.

As Themus made his way into the throne room with Neotoma beside him, Lysander was pacing back and for as his close advisers (and best friends he had known since he was a child) watched on with wary expressions, not knowing how to calm the man down from his rampage. Glass from ornaments that had been tossed in his anger lay in pieces around him as he paced, ignoring the fact he was barefoot and cutting his feet up in the process of doing so.

"She doesn't trust me. It's obvious. She wants details because she doesn't trust me when I told her that I meant her kingdom no harm. It's bullshit. That sour-faced bitch really doesn't believe a word I fucking say, does she?" He growled, the sound guttural and borderline animalistic as he finally flopped down into his throne, his fists clenched at his sides. He only paused at the sight of Neotoma, getting from the throne and walking briskly across to him without the friendly smile he usually offered him.

"You worked at her kingdom, didn't you? Themus mentioned that you worked in Pruina for a time. I want details about her; that Queen. I want to know every weakness she possess, personal information. I also need to know details of that kingdom that she won't release; details about the weaknesses of her army and the border. You can give me that information, can't you? You're really not useful to me if you can't do this for me, Neotoma."
 
Naturally, Neotoma didn't really know what he was going into. He had expected some bitterness from the hangover, sure, and brought the mortar with him in hopes of not only impressing the king but to lift his mood in general. Hell, he even offered a smile on his face... that quickly faded once spotting just how angry the demon was.

He watched quietly as the man paced, his black eyes darting up to take in Themus warily. He didn't really make friends very well but in that moment, the doctor was the closest thing to a 'friend' he had. The poison thing he could explain but he couldn't really explain his role in Pruina truthfully. He stiffened by the closeness and the anger in Lysander's voice, his face growing red in fear as he scrambled through his brain for the answers he was fed to by the Queen.

"W-Well, yes, I did work in Pruina for a time," he admitted, his hands shaky as he held the hangover cure. "Her army - they're weak at the momen, yes. This time of year, resources become particularly low because of the weather - things stop growing for a time so their food is in shortage and the soldiers can't get proper nutrients, so they're physically weaker. That also means there are less soldiers in general blocking the border, a-and... and..." he stammered, his nervousness causing his accent to slip as he murmured a few words in his kingdom's language, his teeth nibbling on his nails.

"The Queen is struggling to find an heir to the kingdom." He blurted as he held the bowl tight. "She has no children and she's getting older in age so she's desperate to find an heir. It's a big deal for everyone."
 
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"Is that all you know? You're not holding back on me, are you? You don't feel some sense of loyalty to her from your time there that means you're deliberately feeding me wrong information, or leaving out something major that'll allow me to have an upperhand in discussions? Because I will tear you limb from limb if that is the case--"

"...Leave the boy be, Ander. He's told you all he knows; it's very useful information. We can use it to our advantage should we need to. He can tell us more if we need him to, but not when he's visibly shaking because you're terrifying him. He's here serving you. As distrustful as I am by nature, he's thus far proven to be on our side," argued Themus quickly, to his own surprise. He was the first to claim that he didn't trust or like Neotoma, but he was gradually starting to believe that his distrust was misplaced. For Neotoma to reveal the weaknesses of Pruina so quickly, without hesitation, Themus had little choice but to concede that the likelihood of him being deceptive was slim. He hardly realised that these were pre-prepared answers fed to him by the Queen herself, the woman having anticipated that her servant would be interrogated like this.

Lysander's anger slowly simmered down at Themus' interjection, though the fact the doctor had reached to hold his cheeks and calm him down with some affection was what mostly helped him. Eventually, he nodded and pulled himself back, an apologetic smile appearing as he glanced back down to Neo.

"...That's helpful, Neo. Really. I'm sorry for... being fucking terrifying; kinda comes naturally when I'm pissed off. That woman sent me a letter and it reeks of distrust and-- it's annoying. I have no reason to cooperate, I could be like my father, but I'm making an effort to do things the right way, and she's suspicious of that? It irked me and I... exploded, unfairly in your case. I'm sorry," he apologised as he sat back on his throne and gestured Neo closer, smiling wide again. "You're a useful asset for me to have. I need your information more than you realise; you have no reason to fear me. I promise. Now, what's that you have in your hands there? It smells revolting-- but I'm sure it's something cool? You're a cool guy; it's bound to impress me, so come here and show me now I'm so intrigued. It'll help take my mind off the drama, anyway."
 
With deep hesitation, Neotoma warily stepped forward with hands still shaking. Having lived most of his life alone, he never really had to face being yelled at. Just like he never had to face any affection before, or really any emotion from another living creature. While watching the affectionate scene made him a bit uncomfortable, the yelling only rattled him enough for his stammer to stay, his eyes shyly avoiding the king's as he offered the potion, his mouth moving as he tried to form the words to avoid being yelled at again.

"I... know that you had a party last night and... and one glass of wine made me ill, aha... from what I understand, you had quite a bit to drink and... and I know a very effective hangover cure," he explained quietly as he held it up. Their height different was intense but not impossible, but in that moment he felt much like the nickname he was given; a mouse in the face of a cat.

"It won't hurt you, I've used it myself as did Themus. I just... wanted to help," he admitted, his black eyes hiding the welling of his tears easily. Like hell was he going to cry in front of a King. "You don't have to use it, I just thought you would benefit from it."
 
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"...Here, I'll show you. It's surprisingly effective; I'll have to get working on a hangover cure of my own before I get completely overshadowed by your new favourite servant around here. I can't be getting outdone, though I'll admit that this cure is something of a miracle," began Themus in a low whisper, so Lysander would allow the paste to be placed on his forehead without Neotoma hearing the gushing compliments he had given him. He cast the other a small glance to take in the emotional display before taking the bowl from him and proceeding to aid the King instead, deciding -wisely- that the newcomer was hardly in the right state of mind to be that close to Lysander at the moment.

The nervousness wasn't at all subtle, which only made Lysander grimace to himself. He would never feel bad about scaring an outsider he thought he was superior to, but he had already considered Neotoma part of the kingdom already. Him relaying secrets about Pruina only confirmed to the King that Neotoma could be trusted and was, in all intents and purposes, part of Ignis now; someone Lysander ought to treat as he did everyone else. Instead, he had terrified the boy and caused him to stammer and border on tears. In the company of only his closest friends, he wasn't too concerned about showing that regret, peering back down at the Harenaen with a gentle smile.

"Hey, I know what'll cheer you up. I'll take you to the gathering today. I'm required to attend again, they want me to bring details of how my kingdom has been run during our periods of isolation. They all get to bring their close advisers; I think I'll bring you along. It might be enjoyable," he began hopefully, stepping back down off the throne as he cracked his back tiredly.

"Ugh-- the party was a tad too wild. We're having another tonight, though. You'll be able to come to this one, I hope? You're obviously invited to join us. I won't have you left out. As scared as you are of me, I want nothing but the best for someone so incredibly important to me and my kingdom's success-- our kingdom, in fact."
 
"Won't that be controversial, to have a servant who isn't from Ignis attend such an important meeting?" He reminded, her nerves slowly calming down as he held his arms behind his back to calm himself even more. He had only been told briefly of what happens during the meetings from other servants in brief passing and from what he understood, it was an honor to be amongst all of the Kings and Queens respectfully. Adjusting the weight on his feet, he cringed when the glass broke under his sandals.

"I'll come if you want me to," he decided with a nervous smile, his eyes locked on the ground. "As for the hangover cure, I don't have much more and I won't until our borders are open for trade. I have a few herbs left but not enough to cure every party," he teased to the best of his ability, hoping desperately to have the joke land well.
 
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"Hey, we've coped well enough without that antidote; we can be patient if we need to be. It is marvellous, though. You're very talented. When you aren't helping me with information or generally helping me, I'd like you to examine the plants we grow here; see if you can make something useful out of them. Call it homework or an assignment or something - I'm sure you'll enjoy analysing the flora and plant life here, you seem like that'll be less of a chore and more of an honour, actually, which is cute," the demon laughed, absently eyeing his cut feet and the spots of blood left from them along the floor. The cuts wouldn't take too long to heal, of course, beginning to do so even before he looked away, but the glass and the blood wouldn't clean itself. Normally, he'd have asked Neotoma to clean it up -he was a servant, regardless of the importance placed up him- but not now he had invited him along to the meeting. It was of far more importance to make sure he was up for the long trip.

"You haven't eaten, have you? It's very obvious to me. Fortunately, I've yet to eat anything. We can dine together at my table, I think that'll be nice. It'll also serve as part of my apology to you: it's an honour to dine with me and it's usually only afforded to my closest friends, but I have a feeling we'll be good friends soon, so why not hurry things along and have you eat with me today? Themus can tidy all of this up," he nodded, directing the doctor to the mess on the floor with a deliberate smirk at the annoyance his order provoked. It wasn't in Themus' job description to clean up after anyone, which made the order all the more amusing for Lysander. After a terrible start to the morning, he needed to relieve himself of the anger he was carrying around, and while Themus wasn't so pleased, ordering him as he had at least helped with that.

"I've been to one meeting with them, Neo. I don't know the rules or traditions of the gathering, but I also don't care. Do I strike you as someone who follows traditions?" He asked as he glanced down at the other curiously, making a gesture to his own casual clothing and far from traditional piercings. "I don't really... care about it. If I want you at my side, why can't I have you? I know you'll appreciate the experience more than one of my friends would-- and I want you there. You can speak their languages. If they utter something to themselves in their native tongue, you're there to translate it for me later on. More than that, I want you because I like you. You're adorable. I warm to that. I'm not heartless."
 
"I... suppose you're right," he replied quietly as he took the mortar back, holding it close to his chest. The mention of his appearance caused him to grow red but this time he didn't have a cloth hiding his cheeks. Avoiding Lysander's gaze bashfully, he obediently nodded.

"I can do my best, if you need me to. As for food, I would be honored," he admitted quietly before offering a small smile. "I've always been a fan of adventure, obviously, so... it'll be fun to go to this meeting with you. I hope that this'll bring us closer, you know?" He insisted hopefully with a nod to Themus.
 
"Oh, you don't think we're already close? Here I was, thinking we'd bonded instantly-- in truth, though, I think we're already rather close. No other servant of mine has had shared breakfast with me; it's a privilege only afforded to close friends. The fact you've been here a day and get to experience it says something for how close I think we are-- or, indeed, how close I feel we can be--" He began, his attention diverting away towards the doctor who, with a thinly veiled scowl, proceeded to clean up the shards of glass and the drops of blood whilst mumbling -unsubtly- under his breath. The display only made Lysander grin, however, even letting out a chuckle when he had left the throne room to head towards one of the three grand dining halls in the castle.

"He's jealous, it's all rather adorable. I enjoy seeing him get like that. I don't know what he thinks is going to happen between you and I. I assume he believes I have romantic intentions; that I have an eye on you as a potential future lover, hence the jealousy. Again, it's adorable, don't you think?" He snorted as he calmly adjusted the casual sweater he had thrown on that morning, tugging the sleeves up past his elbows.

"I don't, by the way. I'm casual when it comes to who I have fun with, and you're certainly cute enough for me to potentially pursue, but... well, you don't strike me as being into that sort of thing. Correct me if I'm wrong, of course. For all I know, other kingdoms may be just as open and casual about sex as we are here."
 
"I'm not sure." He admitted simply, his face now completely beetroot as he stepped over the glass, offering an apologetic frown to Thuman. "I... I haven't really interacted with enough people to know. When I was in Pruina, I would visit a local tavern and people would, like... make out there, so it isn't void of any romance or anything. Admittedly, I tend to isolate myself most of the time - I prefer being alone, I suppose," he explained with pursed lips and a nervous smile.

"That sounds pathetic, doesn't it?" He whispered, more so to himself rather than to the king. "It's an honor to be able to spend such personal time with you, your highness. It's also an honor to be complimented so highly, right? It's... a compliment I have rarely heard in my lifetime."
 
"I suppose it's an honour, in a way. I don't want you incessantly thanking me for the opportunities I give you, though. You do me something; I return the favour. It's an incentive, in a way, for you to help me out more with information, when you know that I'll reward that loyalty. I'm very appreciative when it comes to displays of loyalty. I know I'm not the easiest King to respect, so those that choose to stay loyal and respect me... I'm grateful," he nodded thoughtfully, contemplation falling across his expression for several seconds as he trailed forward. He was aware that nobody had to respect him - his subjects could quite easily rebel against his ways of ruling and the unconventional behaviours he displayed, so the fact they had chosen against that and, instead, believed in him made him more emotional than he let on. He didn't have to force anyone to respect him, nor did he have to charm anyone in his kingdom. They seemed to see his vision and believe in it, which made things a hell of a lot easier.

He had to go out of his way to charm the outside world, knowing one day that he'd have to forcibly take over their lands. Not having to do that with his own kingdom was a relief.

"Let's talk about something else, shall we? Let's talk more of Pruina's Queen. Aloria, isn't it? Do you think it'd be terribly rude of me to ask her about her lack of heirs at the meeting? I want to see her squirm a little; embarrass her, in fact. She ridiculed me in that letter. Isn't it only fair that I retaliate a little in return? It'll be amusing, to see that cow put on the spot and lost for words. How you even lived under her reign is... beyond me. She's such a bore."
 
"Well, it was just another reason that motivated me to leave," he explained quietly as he trailed behind, his eyes taking in every detail of the large mansion with childlike curiosity. It didn't take much to get the man excited, especially when he was uncomfortable a new place. To see everything up close and personal was something he had never dreamed of - just being in the kingdom alone was enough to hence his thirst for adventure. Holding onto the mortar tightly, he couldn't hold back a gasp at the sight of the fine silverware that lined the dining room tables.

"Perhaps be subtle with it?" He recommended quietly. "Like... slip it into conversation or something- something suave. Just flat-out blurting your opinions might not be seen as particularly classy... not to say you aren't classy! Just... you know what I mean."
 
"Be subtle about it... I'm not a subtle person, Neotoma. I find it difficult to hold back and restrict myself. I'd be more happy blurting it out and watching that woman's face pale in shock-- or flame red in her inevitable anger at my rudeness. Doesn't that strike you as far more enjoying than casually slipping it into the conversation? She might not even register it if I do it that way, and I really want to fucking mess with her. It's childish and reactionary but I know I'd garner a lot of enjoyment from it," he sighed, the contemplation only hitting him again at the conflicting methods - he valued his approach, but he also wanted to show Neotoma that he valued his opinion too; that he was willing to listen and take on his thoughts and feelings.

"We'll see how I feel when I get there, I suppose. Maybe I'll have a change of heart and I won't bring it up to her at all. I am trying to cooperate with these people, after all," he continued as he took his seat at the head of the long table, resting his hands either side of the empty plate. He was lying, of course, and while he wasn't prepared to tell Neotoma about the plans he had cooking, he wanted to know how he felt about them.

"...Do you think cooperation is worthwhile for me to pursue? I don't agree with isolationism, but cooperation... I don't like these people, I'll admit that. I trust you enough to let you in on that secret; I detest every single one of those royals for various reasons. That Orc is mind-numbingly dumb, I felt like my brain was melting just talking to him. Fairies are pushovers; I can't abide weakness. Your Queen, the one from Harenae... she's alright, but I don't value her; she's selfish and I don't like selfishness. Then there's Aloria. I made my feelings on her very clear. Cooperating with people I dislike is... not sustainable, is it?"
 
"Perhaps just... work with them a little? Compromise is important in every relationship, including a business relationship... at least, that's what I've been told," he replied with a small nod, his hands folding neatly as he sat down. Taking in the ceiling one last time, he couldn't help but notice the demons depicted. After a long pause, he contemplated how to approach the topic as he absently but his thumbnail.

"So this isn't how you really look, right? Then... what's the point of this form? Is it a cultural sort of deal o-or is it just more polite...?" He awkwardly asked, his lips pursed nervously. For all he knew he could be stepping over a boundary, just like how he felt uncomfortable when attention was brought to his own appearance. Observing the scales that held a dull reflection along his arms, he was desperate to avoid any eye contact.

"... that is, if it's okay with you talking about it."
 
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"...Who told you about our other form? I don't recall mentioning it to you and I highly doubt that it's common knowledge outside of this land's borders," began Lysander as he tilted his head curiously, a smile on his face in the hope it would alleviate the clear anger in his eyes. It didn't help at all, however: his fists clenched immediately and his jaw tightened, his lips pursed as his mind raced to discover who was at fault.

Their alternative forms were the biggest weapon they, as a species, possessed: it was a form that Lysander was counting on remaining a complete secret to the outside world in order to take the other kingdoms by surprise when war was eventually upon them all. He had no doubt that he could overtake the other kingdoms even if they knew about it, but the element of surprise was invaluable nonetheless; it gave them no chance to prepare for the threat their other forms possessed. Neotoma knowing wasn't too big of a deal -at least, he naively didn't think it was- but the very fact someone had informed him was completely out of order.

"...Themus did, didn't he? And he's supposed to be smart," he tutted, a humourless laugh escaping as he slumped down in his chair, eyes locked on the intricate ceiling above them. "Our forms are... it's always been said that we only change into them when we're at war or engaging in conflict with other kingdoms. It's an offensive form; it has no purpose in our everyday life, really. It's a handy attribute if war came along, which it won't. We're not a kingdom that has ever wanted to be at war," he continued with a faint smirk at the lie.

"Themus is going to get into trouble for this, he knows not to blab about our forms. I trust you, Neotoma, but... I'd have preferred to be the one to tell you, rather than my close friend. I think it's disrespectful, as though he thinks he knows better than I fucking do. I'm furious, not gonna lie-- not at you, relax. I can't be mad at you for this."
 
"N-No, Themus has nothing to do with it. I just... saw the painting and realized that wasn't really how you look," he quickly replied, his hands up in emphasis once he set down the mortar carefully - it was his only one, after all, and he didn't really have the currency from Ignis to buy another one, that implying they even had a second one to sell. Eventually setting them back down on the table, his sharp nails absently tapped on the wooden table.

"Please, it's... there's no need to get him involved, he was nice to me and... and I don't want him to be mad at me, nor do I want you to be mad either. Please, just... this will be fine, I promise. I won't bring it up again a-and I can pretend that this never happened?" He suggested quickly, his sharp fangs biting into his lip with anxiety. "This wasn't how I planned this to go - I'm sorry." He quickly sputtered out, slipping briefly into his native tongue.
 
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