Choose your words with care!

If it were only yourself in danger, you might refuse to give her the satisfaction of a reply... but to anger Corinne will only serve to place Trina in even more danger than she is. As long as Corinne holds the power in this situation, it is unlikely that she will harm you directly, but you would not put it past her to order her giant to **** Trina or even kill her to loosen your tongue - or **** you into other action. How does she have such power over him? you cannot help but wonder.

"I... did not expect to see you again," you say to her, trying to speak in a tone as casual as the one she herself used - but it is difficult under the circumstances not to show anger, and the rope about your neck does not help the situation!

"No, clearly you did not," Corinne says, and her eyes narrow in disgust. "It is not enough that you keep that she-demon by your side, but to find you unclothed together! To think of what might have happened had my servant found you only moments later!"

You blink away the confusion caused by her statement; all Corinne seems to know is that her giant found the two of you naked, and she seems to have assumed that you were caught BEFORE having made love, not after. Perhaps her servant, as she calls him, deliberately misled her - or, more likely, Corinne simply cannot face the idea that the man she loves and the woman she despises could have been together. There is no telling how she might react if the reality of the situation is **** upon her... it seems best to let her believe she speaks the truth.

"Corinne," you say, trying to remain calm, "this will not end well for you, you must realize this. I have already been absent long enough that the Kingsguard and the City Watch will be searching. They will come here before long, as it is known that I went to the high meadow. They will find us here. End this now, and I give you my word, you will be shown mercy."

"You have no idea what I have become, my King," Corinne says, and as she smiles the madness behind her eyes is fully revealed, if only for a moment. "I have taken men stronger that all your Kingsguard put together, and made them my slaves. The giant who brought you to me, he is mine. The swordsman from the east, he was mine! And others who you do not even know, some of whom you never will. I am not the helpless girl you knew, Xavier... and I understand now why you rejected me then. That child who I was could not be worthy of your love, could never be your Queen. I... I forgive you, Xavier. For what you did to me, I bear you no ill feelings."

"I did only what I felt had to be done," you tell her. It seems best to ignore her delusions of power for the moment, especially since there may be some truth to what she says. Claims of an ability to manipulate men are one thing, but it is undeniable that she seems to have actually done so! And if she has indeed discovered some hidden power, it seems unwise to challenge it directly, for the moment.

"I do not blame you!" she says sharply, as if scolding you for coming to such conclusions. "Your very kindness and generosity of spirit led you to trust those who feared what I might become... they convinced you to send me away, because they knew my destiny even though I did not yet understand. But I am ready now, beloved... and as you have won my heart, I will share that destiny with you. You shall be the greatest King the world has ever known, and rule all the lands of the Earth! Before, I could only offer my heart, my body, and my soul; now, I can offer you immortality!"

"A bold promise," you say, keeping your voice level. "How do you intend to fulfill it?"

Corinne looks at you with sheer incredulity, as if you were such a simpleton that you failed to notice the Sun rising in the morning. Then she says, "I am a Sorceress."