Preparing your speech

Sitting in your chambers, you decide the best way to figure out your speech is if you're able to relax. You have about a good four hours or so until you need to get to the Training Grounds so you want to just enjoy the next four hours, think about your speech, about your night and about the war ahead of you.

"Nothing better than relaxing in the hot spring while I let my mind wander!" you think as you slowly strip of your clothes and make your way over to the hot spring in the corner of your room, knowing that will help your body relax and hopefully allow you to not worry about many other things going on right now and just allow you to focus on the important things. You step into the hot spring, slowly but surely as your body accommodates to the temperature.

You move to the corner and slowly inch your body down, your waist under water, your stomach, pecs, you keep going down until the back of your neck is against the edge of the hot spring, your body just being completely relaxed in the tub.

"Okay okay, so, need to talk about the war, need to discuss what the game plan is, need to get my Sunriders pumped up..." you think aloud to yourself "So, tell them about Murnic, tell them about a few days there, tell them my war plans. So some stuff about destroying Rathkin and how powerful the Syndicate is..." you continuing talking to yourself "That should be good. Maybe after I get out of the hot spring I'll have to write down a few things...just to see how I like certain sentences...I suppose I'll just wing a good chunk of it a bet. If I at least have a general idea though it'll help."

You let your body float up in the Hot Spring, your mind and soul just so relaxed from all the heat warming and relaxing your body.

"The war...I'll have plenty of time to think of strategies while we ride south...considering it'll be a few days to get to Murnic, then we'll stay there for a night or two. Might just brute force our way into Rathkin. With the Sunriders and all the Syndicate warriors, we definitely will out number them. Unfortunately they will have the defensive position..." you think.

All this thinking, with your eyes closed and talking to yourself you don't hear the door of your chambers open up.

"And then there are my allies in Rathkin...some of the people in The Slums...Lady Karisi as well. I gotta make sure they are left alone. If anything would happen...or if anything already happened to Karisi I will be so upset."

"Darien?"

Your eyes shoot open as you sit up in the Hot Spring, somehow Lexie is in your room now. "Lexie! Hey, how long have you been here?"

"Just a minute or so, enjoying your alone time?" she smiles.

"Of course, just thinking about my speech...and the war ahead of us."

"Lady Karisi eh?"

"Yup, a noble women I know from Rathkin, I fought for her at Nillix, I trust her and when we attack Rathkin I will forbid anything from happening to her, her guards, or anyone in our house."

"Ohh, I get it. Your Rathkin girlfriend." she teases.

"You just wait, if you ever see her...daaaamn, she's smoking hot." you jest "I'll make sure Ashe meets her, so when we return to the Syndicate she can give you some pointers on how to be a proper lady."

Lexie just rolls her eyes "Har de har, very funny." she walks over in your direction "Anyway...who are the two guards?"

"Oh!" you move forward in the spring "You met Stumpy and Stocky?!"

"Stumpy and...Stocky? Huh?"

"Yeah, King's orders. He's keeping tabs on me, making sure I stay in line for my last night here."

"Probably a smart thing after your night last night." she lets out a laugh "who knows what...or who you'll do and what you'll destroy." her hand goes up, brushing her hair back.

"So, care to join me?" you lean back once more, patting the top of the water with your hand "Nice and cozy!" you smile.

Lexie brings her hand down to her stomach "Uhh...I probably..." she pauses "shouldn't, just in case." she lets a sigh out kind of disappointed.

"Oh yeah, probably smart..."

"Although...I could just sit on the edge, dip my legs and feet in."

"Well...if you did that..." you give her a sly look "You'd probably have to take off your pants...would hate for them to get wet."

Lexie's cheek bunch up slightly and she slowly shakes her head back and forth at you "You would like that wouldn't you?"

"Mhmm." you grin

"Although I should probably leave you alone, I know you have speeches and war plans to think of...so I don't want to distract you."

"Yeah, but...a distraction right now could be just the thing I need."

"Oh really?" her tongue pokes out slightly, her teeth lightly biting down on the tip of it, her smile still lighting up the room.

"I mean, I have a few hours til I need to get to the Training Grounds...would be nice to spend those hours with someone..." you look up into her eyes "special."

"Oh wow big guy, really trying to put the moves on eh?"

"Is it working?"

"Not really, no." she laughs

"Ya know! You are my high commander, I could just order you to stay."

"Actually, I could just say no and leave." she kneels down by the hot spring, getting closer to you.

"Nope! You have to listen to me! No matter what!" you reply.

"Well...I would hate to defy orders..." she brings her hand up to her chin, rubbing it ever so slightly.