OOC: Should have named my char Beatrice as an homage to Virgil. Re-reading dante's inferno.

- Kateri
"The God-Emperor protects." Kateri echoed. "Lieutenant Stahlpanzer has been an excellent guide and I wouldn't want to take up any more of your precious time. Please, should you require my service or in need of company do not hesitate to summon me. God-Emperor be with you Lord Lionheart."
Saint Kateri left with the Lieutenant to Lionheart the youngest and Lady Lionheart's location. "Tell me Lieutenant, what can you say about Lady Pythiaere Lionheart? To bare such misfortune, she must possess a strong spirit."

"I am in no need of a wife... Yet." Lucien opened and sat down on a random chair. He sighed relaxed and crossed his legs, never taking his eyes off the Kharonis born woman. "My mother and you are both strangers to the lands of the south. And we both know if the Lionhearts truly get the Lykaions to cooperate with them there stands nothing before them. Both Noctiger and Kharonis will be ripped apart like a chicken for the feast."

His voice changed to a much colder and darker voice, but he had to stop as he had to laugh. "Apologize. Such dramatic tone suits me not." Lucien smiled bright and continued on speaking normal.

"The point is. House Noctiger rules with fear and will do whatever they can to scare the others and force them into submission with dirty secrets, pushing the bonds of families, revealing dark secrets and so on. And as Garadillo, my middle name is essentially justice. The army that is going to be sent to the East and attack from the western flank of Noctiger will fail. The march is long and there are spies everywhere. Noctiger must be slain differently. Therefore, I came here to make you a proposal."

The man now sat up and looked intensively into the eyes of Lady Lionheart. "Kharonis must strike Noctiger where it hurts and march unseen. And there is only one way. The tunnels beneath the Mountains of Doom. Send an army of blood hungry Scyraxis down the way and have them march from beneath right into the lands of them before they even know. While the Lionheart army is fighting against their main force, the Barbarians of your homelands simply can destroy the little resistance that remains. As for the maze..."

He cast a scroll from beneath his robes out. "It is only a maze if one doesn't know the way. What is in for me? Glowstone takes over Garadillo territory and we can move out from our forsaken swamp. And I get to choose any woman in the land I want as wife once the Lionhearts rule over the lands of Lexarius. Any woman." A smirk crossed the lips of Lucien. Like a devils gaze, just that the horns were hiding under his perfect hair.


<Lieutenant Stahlpanzer>

"She is strong. Probably not afraid of killing a man that touches or looks at her the wrong way. Kharonis blood flows through her and you cannot just see, but also sense it. She changed a lot ever since she got married to our Lord. In a good way. One can finally understand her, she became.... Nicer. And she adapted to the southern lifestyle more than one could have hoped for. But also.... She seemed to have ever been cursed. Soon after the marriage first Lord Maximilians parents passed away. And after the two daughters were born, many children did not even survive her womb. The other four had only a short living time. Yet, both Lady and Lord Lionheart prevailed with body and mind and brought Richard to this world. He is everything to the both of them. Probably more than any other of the living children. I hope that answers your question?"

The melancholy of a soldier is rarely heard, but to be expected from a loyal and close man to the family such as himself. He was not a warrior in the armies. He was member of the Lion's Den guard. Stationed permanently in the Fort to protect his and the other families in the city guard. An every soldier desired a place here, for it meant to always come home to the own family, rather than march away, unsure if you are going to see your beloved ones ever again.

"As a Lionheart, I am afraid I must decline your offers", she said, running a hand through her long black mane, as if nervous. Directly afterward, however, her lips split into a venomous smile, only very slightly exposing well-kept teeth. "As a Kharonis, however, I want to hear more. Using my family as a mere pawn in your vile scheme? Surely you have something in mind that would benefit you and you alone, attempting to intimidate me into forgetting just what the Kharonis are capable of, and at the same time, forgetting yourself that one does not simply 'send down a few Skythex'. Do not forget their 'leadership' - Baron Khimaera that is - is blessed with Kharonis blood and brains."
Her chest swelling a little with pride at the thought of her House ruling what was almost the entire north by themselves, and even the head of the most powerful group of barbarians being of a Kharonis father. Pythiaere sat down near Lucien and stared him down.

"They are not going to do something because we tell them to do something. Every time there has been a unified Skythex-Kharonis army, there had been someone or something both hated enough to forget their hate for each other. And before that, there must be unity among the Skythex first - something only accomplished by the bearer of the Hydra banner, their Baron. And, once again, Khimaera may have been raised a Skythex but she is smarter than she lets on, and the Kharonis sorcery has not left her untouched either."

"And I am very much afraid which woman you would seek to claim as your own. Tell me beforehand, there is no reason in taking your offer if I have to wonder whether I would regret it."

"I have already told you. There is no wife I desire yet. I can of course make a clause in our agreement that Lionheart blood would be left out, if that eases your mind. And the reason the Skythex should march now, is because otherwise their chain of command gets obliterated. The rumors of the Guttenbergs kidnapping Delphi. Do you really think a lesser vassal such as them would be that foolish? I would be not surprised if that was the first step on the Noctigers path of ruining you all by driving you paranoid and mad."

The young heir chuckled soft, sinking back into his seat. "I know my homelands, even if I am bound by it only by my blood, like you to yours. Personal interest for us both is obvious. We know the Kharonis, neither Glowstone or Garadillo have the means or personality to come out on top of this war. With all due respect. The Kharonis are smart, but too arrogant with their bloodline. The Glowstones hold too much back to ever be respected. And Three quarters of Garadillo are all talkers, but no fighters."

Lucien stroke through his hair, slowly and gentle. Re-arranging it to it's perfectness as his moving back and forth moved it slightly off. "If there is a grand war and the Kharonis just lose a handful of their proper leaders, the Skythex will use the opportunity to turn against their slave lords and even slaughter the Desciels. The last thing we need is the annihilation of the two houses with the most knowledge in the blessings of the God-Emperor. It is either the purging of Noctiger, or just a matter of time before Kharonis falls. And if one of your beloved pure bloods should win Delphi, she is equally on the slaughter list as anyone else in the north."

-Delegation Breakfast-

Standing from the table Marshal Glowstone brushed himself off in hopes of leaving. "If there is no further need of my assistance I wish to take my leave inorder to prepare for the journey ahead." He retrieved his notes from the table placing them in his pocket. "I must prepare the trade convoys so we can have a continuous supply of the medicines and such for healing the wolves." In all honesty the traders could manage it all on their own, but it was better managed by his own experienced hands.

Samuel had finally reached the Delegation quarters, from the sound of it a lot of the occupants were still inside eating and talking for that matter, to go in right now and confront Glowstone would be to make a scene but considering he was on the delegation already it would not necessarily be a trespass on Samuel's part. He had yet to find out if Marshal was still inside, regardless of whether he was in the room or not would likely change the outcome drastically so it would be best Samuel thought to be prepared for both eventualities.

He moved to stand directly in front of the entrance to the quarters before opening the door with a single push of his left hand letting it creak slowly open as the momentum swung the frame on its hinges, the inside of the room had silenced as he made his entrance enough so that as he walked in his feet clumped on the floor as he walked. Examining the room Samuel saw Marshal Glowstone standing as if he looked ready to leave, it would seem that Samuel had caught him just in time, the rest of the people at the table at stopped to look at the sudden visitor although no obvious sound of protest could be heard. Without turning round Heinrich closed the door reaching back behind him to hit the door with the back of his hand so that the meeting would not be disturbed, his hand hit the door with a thud making it return back into the closed position with a clack as the door slotted back into its frame.

'Marshal Glowstone... You are a tough man to find, I am here on behalf of lady Hildegard Heinrich the lady you so very much upset yesterday, mayhap you have some time to spare before you leave considering you look so ready to leave the breakfast table early.'

"Ah the 'Younger' Heinrich brother! Yes sadly I must depart early, but if you'll walk with me we can discuss the matter." He made for the doorway that Samuel was currently blocking. "I was actually thinking about that very 'incident' from last night. Come so we can discuss it in private." He made to walk past Samuel whether he followed or not.

Samuel followed Marshal Glowstone out the door into the corridor beyond closing the door behind him as he walked outside following the ambassador of trade into the passageway beyond. As Marshal turned around to speak Samuel gripped the man by the neck and pushed him against the wall pinning him into place, keeping his free hand on the dagger on his belt in case Marshal responded violently Heinrich whispered harshly to the man.

'When Hildegard Heinrich came to me last night she was practically in tears were it not for her anger, she told me how you turned down her proposal for marriage instead saying you would prefer her to marry someone from the Lykaion because apparently you think your blood is too good for a Heinrich'

Samuel squeezed his hand around Marshals neck in his rage, not quite enough to start choking the man but enough to invoke serious discomfort. Heinrich's eyes seemed to burn with a ferocious anger almost like a berserk rage, only currently Samuel was still in control of his own emotions even if he failed to realize how tightly he was actually gripping.

'You have no idea what you are dealing with Marshal, no one messes with a Heinrich and if you dare insult my aunt Hildegard's honor again or the bloodline of the Heinrich family I will find you and make sure you participate in the next tournament in a melee to the death!'

Finishing Samuel released his grip freeing Marshal from the stranglehold, the man fell to the floor spluttering as he attempted to catch his breath after handling. Heinrich kept his hands clenched if Marshal responded incorrectly now it could mean a nasty fistfight, one that the Glowstone could not really hope to win without help.

"It is not in good taste to play with a mother's feelings for their children, Glowstone, remember this well."
For a second, the seeress narrowed her eyes and clenched her fist at this all too obvious breach of etiquette, but relaxed shortly afterwards, ignoring his tasteless remark that left a lingering worry in her head.
"So Delphi was to be abducted? I... had a feeling about it but was not sure. I will have to raise security around her. No Noctiger filth will lay his grubby paws on my daughter."
Pyth had risen again and was too pacing around like a madman. It helped her talk, even if it was not permitted to most of nobility to pace and talk - since while pacing, one would often lose proper posture, and for a woman, proper posture was one of her major selling points.
"At any rate", she continued, "I worry about you sinking your claws into one of my cousins or nieces, but that is a different problem and not for debate right now; my question would be, what would you stand to gain from continued existence of the White Raven? You tell me sweet things of my own blood that I know, but why should I not be certain that it will be the next to be eradicated? And before I tell you a yes or a no; I would talk to my grandfather of this."

Sputtering on the ground he laughed through the choking. "Foolish boy! It was never me that was too good for the Heinrich blood, it was the other way around! *cough* You are a family of warriors! I am not! Surely she would be looked down upon for marrying a non fighter!" Finally standing and dusting himself off he straightened his clothes. "I simply suggested one of the Wolves because of the delegation traveling there! It was never meant to be a slight against the proud Heinrich line."