Negotiation

As the men exits, they shuts the doors.

Now it's just me, moved closer to the centre of this room. Surrounds me are the 5 Soldiers, with the Duchess in the middle. She, of course, is no longer under my threat.

I started the conversation first: "I am quite surprised at your men's actions, normally bodyguards would hesitate when it comes... to these types of commands."

The Duchess replies: "I too am surprised that you know of today's customs, and yes, my men are most efficient, and they need not to show such."

"Tis not because I know of your customs, but rather that even at our time such sluggish actions are common among the military. The King Rapshel paid for the dire price." Rapshel was a king who died early in the disaster, due to his "loyal" guards deception, his guards were never loyal. It was fairly documented, so it has the most chance to endure.

"King Rapshel is a well known character, of peak foolishness, he tell none of your origins. I'm afraid."

I see, so foolishness really do last doesn't it?

"Fair, I must first accommodate for my actions, it must have stirred some hostility."

"Worry not, I suppose we were both cautious." At this point, there is no point in hiding our state back. We all know of it, and on the basis of it, we all are willing to stand and negotiate.

It seems most stupendous that I am standing here, negotiating. But I must say, the Zeal does little but to make her feel at ease around me. And feel norm to have me talking to her telepathically. So I can't just order her around. Nor does the situation allows for it, here are 6 people.

Ok, now that we are more relaxed, and calm. I used the opportunity, that we are agreed wordlessly, to have our thoughts sorted.

There isn't much to speak of on the matter of my past, I know not much, but should I need to know something, they seem to surface by themselves. I know not much of my path, I know not much of myself.

So let's focus on our guest.

Harald, now with his helmet down, reveals his face. He is a middle aged man, he has a scar on his left eye, from his brow across his nose bridge. He is brown skinned, and he seems very "experienced" based on his skin, in that, he seems to have worked in the fields for long. A black hair, with slivers of white, likely preaging, again, from working in the fields likely, which is odd, for a head bodyguard. He has look that tells of vicissitudes and fortitude.

The other 4 have not much interests, they are less tanned, skin just as tough though, all around the age of mid 20s. Which tells me something. I can find these signs in my knowledge.

The Duchess is a very very young women, too young for any legitimate Duchess. Which tells me, she either inherited it from her parents, or she obtained it some other way. Or maybe the noble system is entirely different from ours.

She looks like she is around 20, lowest 18, highest 25. She has a blonde hair, she emits a mostly radiant but surprisingly determined and elegant feel. She is very tall, typical for an elf, at 6'3 around, similar to my heights, which I recall as a bit more than 6'3. She is very slim, and because this is a story posted on Chyoa, she is small on both part, though most definitely not flat. She is really slender, really slim, she seems like she would fall at the brush of an autumn wind. She is wearing an elven robe, and wearing white caster gloves.

"Excuse me if this intrudes any, but may I ask, these men have toughened their skin fairly." It is a little vague, but to simply ask for reasons.

"Oh no, they were peasants before, I took them under my wing." The Duchess speaks.

"I am surprised, though I have no issues, back then, this would have been... blasphemous." Of course it was, how would a peasant dare share the cake? Stressing 'back then' never hurts but to only convince ---- hopefully.

"It would be quite a long tale to tell the origin of this custom, though you are most right, even to us, this is one of a kind. But I hold enough power to maintain it." She spoke a bit too much of her backgrounds, but she is under my influence, so it is more like talking to a friend than a negotiation with a just risen stranger. Who is possibly power hungry, and also just almost slit her throat.

The soldiers seems slightly concerned, they are certainly not ignorant on the matters of diplomacy. They know their lord isn't acting right.

'My Lady, you have spoken too much, it concerns your men.' I can predict the effect of Call of Warmth, which makes her feel like I am a friend. So I can speak a bit more openly. She sees me still as a stranger, the contradicting part is, her brain reacts to me as if I am a friend.

'I see.'

She suddenly speaks: "Excuse me, but I suggest that now we have mustered our thoughts, perhaps we should introduce ourselves and tell of our intentions."

Ok, so we are going somewhere with this "negotiation", this seems to distract her men too.

"I am Vlain Franz Ferdinand, Vlain simply, I need not to speak much of my origin, I can prove none, I proclaim I am from before the disasters, at the time of north-western war, started by the Chief Tamenzuly and Chief Phandor against King Thallis, lasted for 37 years. I know not why my purpose here, I know not how you works, I know not even your nobilities, though it seems akin. Nor do I know much of your magic tachniques."

"I am Silvan Valentine, I have introduced myself already, Duchess of the Kingdom of Fiersha. This is my head body guard and chief general Harald." What's a chief general? "We were exploring the mountains of our surroundings when we discovered your... place. Please state your intentions of negotiation, I hear you."

"You could call this place my tomb," it is, but it is a tomb which failed "I have awaken from my tomb, and so I ask for shelter and service." Can't start too high, alongside, I am too weak to really ask for much, nor does my mind control abilities allows for it.

Usually the negotiations used to go on for much longer, but in dire times men learnt to be efficient. From what I'm observing she has not much lengthy wastes either.

"Greetings, but I must know of what you could provide."

Straight to the points, seems like good habits passes on.

"No idea, I could be a symbol, I could be a soldier, I could be a scholar. Depends on what you need." Scholar refers to people with little arcane might, but the knowledge to shy even the numbers of goblins.

"Be rest assured, I need not symbols, I request you to be a guest of both please." So both a soldier and a scholar.

She continues: "Allow me to introduce you to Harald the Tower, for he is the toughest fighter within Fiersha, and that he shall be your direct senior." I don't want to ask for much, being too high up is detrimental when I barely know anything of the world and society.

Ok, the main reason is my ability dis-allows it.

With that shockingly short conversation wraps up my first ever negotiation. It really didn't feel like a negotiation, but truth be told, negotiations during the disaster was basically this. So I say not I a alien.

I still don't know who I actually am, the ritual of my path only told me that my zeal is my name. No idea what it means, but alright. To be honest, it was that easy probably because I was probably already advanced in the path, assuming. Since most path I know of have ridiculously hard rituals.

Now that Duchess Valentine has introduced Harald, he steps forward, with his hands behind his backs. He looks at me and announces: "I am the chief general of Duchess Valentine, I am Harald, with no surname. We may discuss the matter of your placement later. But note that you must go through training, and we also have to evaluate your abilities."

That wasn't hard, a little, too easy in fact.

"So it is done then. I ask for none more." I declare.

"Great then."