Aggressive Negotiations

The war in the rain forest and the conflict in the hills while possible opportunities weren't immediate threats. If a Champion did turn up on the Dwarven side they'd be too busy to look into a ruin in human territory and it was doubtful the hornets or Alkadabuki would stumble onto Delta's Dungeon, the impending visit of Leraje however was a very different matter.

The Demon King wasn't based out of anywhere near here according to Hali and Morgana had admitted to having been teleported to just beyond the fortress with a enchanted stone to signal with when she was ready to return so Leraje's arrival could be just as soon as she finished debriefing her scout leaving no time to waste. Citrinas did give me some very welcome news though in that it was highly unlikely the Court Mage would teleport directly inside a structure without a prepared site as that was very dangerous and would probably just use the same coordinates she used to transport the Vampire before. I was also quite sure Leraje would arrive with little to no retinue, she wouldn't be trying to do the work of five people if she had anyone she could trust to delegate to. I was hoping she at least brought Morgana back though. What? Vampires are sexy.

Citrinas, Shailynn and Electra got busy working on a surprise for our visitor while I tried to decide who should be showing or hidden. The Court Mage or someone working for her had heard something of my exploits so if my ruse on not being able to leave the fortress was going to fly I needed to have agents to show, I figured the Succubi flock and a couple of Mariliths would do for now. I was still thinking of where to stash the rest when Halicarnassus jumped in my lap.

"Boss you're way overthinking this. If Lera thought you were a threat she'd already have sent in whichever legion she though most expendable. There's no way she actually is looking at you for a court position but you've made waves and she probably thinks she can use you to unbalance some of the hotheads she's been trying to balance since the Demon King's father got diced by the heroes. The crazy bitch is trying to do everything herself and can't even trust her own boss not to fuck things up worse, which she does every time she opens her damn mouth. If Reala wasn't so damn scary even with a number two as competent she'd be worm food by now. Leraje has got to be running ragged at this point with no telling when she last got a good rest or a proper fuck. And even on her best day she couldn't see through one of my illusions."

"So you'll let her see what we want her to see and cloud her judgement with a double dose of horney while we're at it?"

"This isn't a real interview or inspection to her, if anything it's a vacation away from the morons at home. She won't be looking too deep, if you fit her plans you'll get vague offers at best and if not just as vague threats and then she'll be gone. Checking you out was the vamp's job, and she wouldn't have been sent if she wasn't trusted."

"You're sure you can hide the circle from her?"

"If that's what I think it is no problem, and I'll be hiding myself as well. No way she lets her guard down she sees me lounging around."

"Be sure to hide Alpha and Beta as well, and probably the bulk of the Mariliths if you can manage."

"Numbers ain't a problem boss, and it looks like your magicians are done. Speaking of, you want me hiding your butt too citrine ass or you gonna handle your own?" She asked the former Champion.

The Mage in question didn't even blink at the insult "Yes. Your illusions are superior to mine." Then she too got in my lap on the other side. My throne was getting a bit crowded.

"Girls I'm going to need to be able to get up and bow or something when she arrives."

"Nah, she won't care." Hali quipped while Citrinas replied on top of her "You are supposed to be unable to leave, unable to get up is a logical extension of that."

I could have just lifted them out of my lap but they felt pleasantly soft against me so I only half heartedly argued with them to kill time until something happened. That something didn't take much time at all. I got a warning from my imps that someone was approaching my fortress by air. My Dungeon vision showed my a single female figure standing upon a glowing disc of light flying swiftly towards the outer gates. The disc soon settled to the ground outside the entrance and I got my first good look at the Court Mage Leraje. She was quite tall around nine foot in height but severely emaciated in form. You could easily count her ribs, her breasts were barely there, and her collar bones stood out starkly. Her light blue skin looked smooth and healthy at least though her shoulder length unkempt white hair also spoke of neglect. Her eyes were pools of red and aside from a bulky black cloak wore nothing but a few leather straps. She bore an odd yellowish metallic staff and wore a dagger at her hip plus she had a goats skull somehow balanced on her head like an odd sort of hat. Her two large black horns made a better statement of power than the dingy goat skull but I doubted anyone had the courage to tell her. Before she started in a large bat swept in and Morgana shifted into her human like form before proceeding her former mistress down.

I let everyone in on our guests arrival and the bulk of the crowd faded from sight. The two now invisible girls in my arms still didn't want to get down but this wasn't time for games so I set them to either side of my throne. Morgana briskly led Leraje past my traps and the Court Mage pretended not to notice them. I really needed to reassess my traps the way people kept avoiding them.

Regardless soon Morgana was doing introductions while I pretended not to know her and then Leraje was standing before me. For not "looking too deep" her gaze seemed plenty predatory to me as she scanned the great hall and gave me a once over. Seemed like a good time to turn on my aura, let her think her ramped up arousal was natural. Of course Hali had probably let her have it full blast as soon as she entered the room...

"Greetings esteemed Court Mage" I said as I bowed as best as I could without getting up "apologies for not rising but I am currently indisposed."

She gave my girls that were within sight a once over as well before responding "Doesn't seemed to have slowed you down that much. I don't care what you're doing with the Archipelago, though I'd like to know how, but this mess with the Dwarves isn't good. The last thing we want right now is that band of fucking Light blessed bitches getting back together and looking for their next crusade. We are not ready to face them and if this conflict spills over to get the Humans involved that's just the kind of multicultural bullshit to do it."

"I understand but my girls are not involved in the fighting, it's just some Giants that wandered into Dwarven territory. There is no reason for the fighting to get anywhere near the river, no reason for Humans to get involved."

"And if the Dwarves pursue Giants over the mountain to this location?"

"Then I'll have the tunnels sealed and all they will find is an empty ruined fort."

She nodded looking pleased, I guess I passed whatever test this was. "Good. You have a good head for strategy and apparently skills in long range logistics. We can certainly find a use for you at court." She was definitely looking flushed by this point, also leaning heavily on her staff. She must be tired indeed to not have noticed how her mana was draining, or too used to her ability to abnormally replenish it as fast as she used it to care. Or maybe Hali was clouding that as well. Either way it was a bout time to end this ruse.

"I have a counter proposal for you." She looked shocked at my change in tone "I'm going to offer you a position in My court, and no is not an option."

Suddenly the circle of runes she was standing in were visible to her and she gasped recognizing a mana sink. Then Halicarnassus and Citrinas in their new nine foot glory appeared standing between her and my throne. "What is the meaning of this! Halicarnassus! You work for the Demon King, not some upstart. And you... Citrinas!?" The flush fled from Leraje's face leaving her an even more pale blue than before as she recognized the Arch-Imago that had laid waste to the armies of her former boss. More than a match for her in magic even if she still had the mana to cast. She turned to try and flee back up the entrance tunnel but found her way blocked by Alpha and beta. "What?! Angels?" She stumbled back to fall to the ground inside the circle again then looked back at me. "What are you?"

"I'm complicated. And you are going to take a nice long nap while we see about putting some meat back on your bones." She didn't even flinch as tentacles rose from the floor about her, too overcome with previous shocks to register the needle points as they dosed her. "And then you are going to go to your old boss and tell her all about the Priest of Carnachias you found, who healed and improved you, and convince her that she needs treatment as well."

She was deep asleep well before I finished all that, no one appreciated a good villain monologue these days.