Karisi

Karisi was the Queen, she was intelligent, direct and knows her way around political issues which is pretty much exactly what this is. Karisi was somebody that you knew you could bring information to and she would tell you how it was. So, with that in your mind, you made your way towards the castle, ready to ask your Queen for some much needed advice.

It was only a handful of minutes later that you entered the castle, went through the throne room, spoke with a few guards and then was told Karisi was in her chambers.

With a soft knock followed by a "You may enter." from her sweet voice, you entered her room and promptly closed the door behind you. Karisi once again looked as gorgeous as ever in a very elegant flowing light blue dress. It hung off one shoulder and wrapped around her body. Part of the dress went all the way down to her ankle while the other part ended early at her mid thigh, causing much of her left leg to be visible while her right leg was coated behind the fabric. The gold necklace, earrings and bracelet causing her to sparkle with pure royalty.

"Dressed up, eh?" Karisi questions "What for?"

"I-I, uh.." you think of an excuse "Felt like trying it on, it's been awhile." happy with your lie.

Karisi knows you're bullshitting her by the look on her face but she goes with it "Okay, fair enough." she struts around the room, placing some odds and ends on different pieces of furniture "But because of your little stroll, you're later than usual, I'm afraid we may have to just discuss our issues tomorrow." she moves over towards a small table in her room, pulling out a chair and sitting down in it.

"Little stroll..." you think to yourself. "Yeah, yeah, no. Th-That's fine." you stutter "I actually had another issue I wanted to bring up with you. Ya know, get your opinion."

"Okay, sure, shoot." she brings her leg up and crosses them as she sits. At the same time her right hand goes up to her chin as she rests her cheek on the palm of her hand.

"So, let's just say..." you think "Hypothetically, that is, that Lord Edmin would give you something you desire the most, something you really wanted in your life."

"Go on..." Karisi mumbles out.

"So, again this is all hypothetical" Karisi nods from your statement "You could agree to this and bam, something you greatly desire is immediately yours. The issue would be that for him to do that, you would have to do something he asks of you in return."

"And what would that be?" she questions.

"That's just it, he doesn't tell you yet. He says he gets one favor from you, anyplace, anytime, anything and you have to follow his order. A tit for tat yet you don't know what the tat is yet..." you pop a few of your knuckles as you talk "Would you accept his terms? Get something you greatly desire in return for some favor which you have no clue what it would be?"

"And hypothetically, Lord Edmin could ask whatever he wanted from me?" Karisi asks.

"Yes. Anything, anyplace, anywhere." you step forward, inching closer and closer to the same table Karisi is sitting at. "Maybe he'd have you defend him, give him gold, fuck him, betray a friend, anything. And you would have to do it. No matter what."

"Ya know, Darien. I don't mind keeping enemies close and helping them out occasionally, because at that point, they begin to let their guard down and eventually when they least expect it, you snap their neck and get rid of them." she pushes herself back in her chair, looking at you with purpose "But a deal like that is not getting them close, that's getting into bed with them." her expression goes stern "Hypothetically, of course, whatever you're asking for better be something that you can't live without for you to even consider that option. Giving this person free reign over one thing, no matter what, and you have to follow that order, is ludicrous."

"Yeah, ma-maybe you're right." you pull a chair opposite of Karisi out and sit down across the small table from her.

"Buuuuut..." she drones that word on "If what you desire is truly something magnificent, something you are dreaming for, hoping for and need to know, then maybe it isn't the worst deal in the world." she talks aloud.

You slump your head down in both your hands as you look absolutely defeated "Yeah but, what should I do. I don't know..."

"Whatever this hypothetical person can give you, how badly do you want it?"

"I..." your head involuntarily nods up and down "It's exactly what I want. Exactly."

"And can you trust this person?" she questions you "Trust their word?"

"I-I don't know..." you grumble out "Honestly I don't know."

Karisi leans back in her chair, her hands folding together as her eyes look across your body "Well, it's a tough decision for you then Darien. The safe way, would be to not take the deal." she bluntly states.

"H-huh? Yeah, probably for the best..." you raise an eyebrow.

"Or take the deal." she grins back at you as her head nods up and down "Just know, when the time comes and you need to return that favor. There's no turning back, no second guessing and no delaying orders." her eyes roam up and down your body "What would you do if this person told you to kill Lexie?" she asks.

"What?! Why would you even say that?!? No way would that happen!" you rebuttal.

"You said you don't know them, that you can't trust them? What's to stop him from ordering you to do it?" she questions "And then if you don't return his favor, then what?"

"Ahhh, fuck Karisi...I don't know...." you grumble out.

"Darien, who is this person?" she straight up asks you.

You stare into the ground, your eyes darting back and forth "Uh, no one." you glare up at Karisi "Hypothetical question."

"So this has nothing to do with you leaving the city a bit earlier does it?" her facial expression changes into a fierce grin.

You just swallow back as you look at the Queen wide eyed. Was she keeping tabs on you as well? Did she have somebody following you? "Just...n-never mind then." you push yourself up from the table and give your Queen a friendly nod.

"Enjoy your night, Darien." she gives you a knowing glance as she can basically read right through you.

You can tell she knows something is bothering you and she wants to get into the issues with you but she's actually not pressing as much as she normally would.

It's at that point you could just go to bed and wake up tomorrow or you could go talk with some of your other friends...