A Question of Cooperation

“Rrrghh...”

“Now, now, no need to be so grumpy~.” The Drakling lets herself smile at her precious puppy’s obvious annoyance. “This is easier than carrying it around all day.”

The Were-Beast’s brow furrows as she impotently glares at her Mate. Her plump lips pull back into scowled snarl, baring more of her carnivorous teeth along with those four little tusks of hers. Though the fact that she is effectively muzzled by the bevor now secured and in place kind of undermines that aggressive look.

After all, Krvavy can only see the Orc’s mouth due to being about a head taller than her. And the angle makes that snarl look a bit... goofy. Kind of cute, actually. Honestly... for such a ferocious and deadly beast, Khalia sure can be adorable at times. So pouty and grumpy~.

Krvavy smiles and shakes her head. “I’m wearing my armour too.” She taps the dark metal of her breastplate as if to prove that point. “So you can’t complain~.”

Khalia’s continued rumbled grumbling makes it quite clear that she disagrees. But she is a good girl and will do as her Mate tells her to. Such a good gir–

“Good morning,” the Countess’ clear and steady voice calls out from the doorway, causing both barbarian and Were-Beast to tense as the mildly playful air around them withers and dies in an instant. “Did you find your breakfast to be enjoyable?”

The ever-present albino maid follows after her Lady, softly pulling the door shut behind her. The quiet click of a lock being secured rings out through the silence. Confined together within this private bedroom are two Champions and their two companions. Were the situation different, and far far less hostile, then this might feel... intimate.

Krvavy isn’t the type to easily forgive and forget. She can’t help but hold grudges. And while she may not have been entirely honest about her own nature, she wasn’t anywhere near as... deceitful... as this noblewoman was. The barbarian didn’t hide behind a different face or a different name. She was... rather upfront about the kind of person she is. Which the Countess couldn’t even do...

“Yes. It was fine.” The barbarian curtly replies after a few long seconds. She has definitely cooled down a fair bit since last night, but... Her own feelings and emotions are... She can’t quite make sense of them. She doesn’t know what or how to feel right now. Angry...? Sad...? Hurt...?

The Countess calmly nods, her demonic features reappearing in the blink of an eye. Her heart-tipped tail slips through a slit hidden in the frilly folds at the back of her dress, swaying around in an almost mesmerizing way. She presumably picked her outfit with this in mind. Just so that she could make a show of being ‘honest’. Unless all of her dresses have what is essentially a small access port for her ass...?

“Then let us speak business.” The near supernaturally beautiful Hells-Touched woman pauses for a moment, as if waiting for some sort of disagreement that never comes. “As I had previously stated while under the guise of my Shadow, I do not wish for us to be enemies. Ideally, I would like us to be allies. In our own ambitions, if not the ‘game’ that our Patrons are playing.”

Krvavy quirks an eyebrow. “And just what ‘game’ would that be?” She tries to make her tone sound biting, but... the energy just isn’t there. Honestly, the fact that she is trying so hard to be aggressive and confrontational is... pretty petty. Acknowledging that fact isn’t going to stop her though. Being petty is easy. Especially compared to trying to figure out her feelings.

“Admittedly, I do not know.” Rina’s black painted lips twist downwards. Considering the inky hue of her hands... just what is their natural colour? A dark purple? Black? She still seems to wear lipstick all the time, so it doesn’t really matter... “Much to my displeasure, I am not privy to my Patron’s grand plans or true goals: I am merely the piece she has to play with. That is our place as their Champions. Pawns to the machinations of our Patrons.”

Almost lazily, Krvavy sits down at the edge of the bed, dragging the armoured Orc with her. The cushioned mattress squishes and sinks beneath the combined weight of both large and metal-clad warriors. Despite her mildly more relaxed position, Krvavy does put more effort into not being distracted and instead tries to actually pay attention.

Like it or not, this is important.

“Yeaahhhh...” The Drakling drags out that one word, wrapping an arm and her tail around her precious puppy. That simple touch... To feel the warmth of a woman that she loves, even dampened by their armour, is calming and reassuring. “I’m not a pawn. Like at all. And that isn’t arrogance speaking. My Patron is incredibly hands-off.”

“Really?” A tinge of disbelief fills the Countess’ voice. “Have you never been given a quest? Or had some other instructions to follow?”

“Nah. I can do whatever it is that I want to do. Whenever I want to. However I want to.” Krvavy can’t help but feel, and sound, a little smug as she admits that. As if she is lording her freedom over this self-admitted ‘pawn’. “And I get rewarded for it as well.”

“Interesting... There may come a day when that changes, but until then... it is quite helpful.” The Countess lets herself smile, even if just faintly. That she is unbothered by the Drakling’s lack of Divine oversight is... a little frustrating. “My Patron sees yours as neither friend nor foe, and if your Patron has a similar view then we are free to make whatever deals or agreements we wish.”

Krvavy dismissively shrugs, ignoring the hostile glare that earns her from a certain maid. Vera is, frankly, too cute and bratty to truly feel threatening. Not even a knife to the throat would change that. “I take it you already have some deals in mind?”

“Yes indeed. Hence why my Oath to you last night contained a promise to never knowingly work against you nor to maliciously harm you or those you call your own. That was not simply me seeking to soothe your worries, but a preemptive attempt at setting the groundwork for our potential cooperation.”

“And you spoke like a lawyer while doing so.” The Drakling dryly points out, making her displeasure known and quite obvious.

“An unfortunate necessity.” Rina responds, sounding genuine and remorseful. Though does that word, genuine, even mean anything when it comes to her? “If I did not specify the requirement of a malicious intent when it comes to harming you or yours, then something as innocent as a swat on, say, Beryl’s perfect rear would count as breaking this Oath. Similarly, adding the word ‘knowingly’ onto my promise to not work against you is equally crucial, as otherwise I may break it without realizing how or why simply by performing my normal duties as the Countess of Raseyne.”

Krvavy can’t help but frown at that. Not because she disagrees with that justification. Quite the opposite really. All of that is... understandable. But that doesn’t mean that Krvavy has to be happy about it. She, unfortunately, can’t really expect Rina to bend over backwards just for her...

“And thus, I propose our cooperation be based upon that Oath.” The dignified noblewoman smiles warmly once more as she meets the barbarian’s gaze. Her amethyst eyes, glowing bright in pools of utter darkness, are so... beautiful... “We shall not purposefully or directly work against each other. We shall strive to be honest with each other, both to foster our mutual trust and to ensure that we do not accidentally intrude on each others’ plans. And, perhaps most important of all, we shall not maliciously harm each other or those close to each other.”

Krvavy’s lips press together into a thin line. “Mm... That all sounds fine with me, but... I’m not swearing an oath or anything like that. You can get a promise. That’s it.”

“May I ask why?”

A faint bit of anger finally flares up within the barbarian. “Frankly, you are fucking lucky that I am even willing to speak with you right now. I came rushing here worried out of my mind about you...! Only to find that you were the reason I was even worried in the first place...! That everything was a damn act!”

“Mhhwnnh!” Khalia twitches slightly, whining in discomfort as Krvavy’s armoured claws dig into her belly.

“Tsk.” The Drakling clicks her tongue and sharply exhales through her nose. “Rina. You aren’t blind. You aren’t an idiot. You know full well what kind of an effect you’ve been having on me. How you can just act like nothing happened... hhn...”

The faintest crack appears in the Countess’ otherwise impenetrable composure. Not in her face, nor how she is holding herself. But in her tail. That heart-tipped thing twitches and droops so subtly that it is almost unnoticeable.

Almost.

“Plus, let’s not pretend that you need me to make an oath.” Krvavy’s bitter and biting words cause that tail to twitch downwards again. As expect...ed...? She shakes her head. Now is not the time to be distracted by errant thoughts. “You already have a leg up on me, knowing my intentions and any lie I might tell, so no need to give you another. You want us to be allies, yeah? Then don’t expect to hold all the cards.”

The Hells-Touched woman glances down at her clasped hands, their skin tinged an inky hue. Her tail lowers down even further, its tip brushing against Vera’s maidly apron. “I understand. And can accept that. This is just the beginning of our partnership – if you agree to calling it such, of course.”

“Alright. Good.” Krvavy forces herself to slowly exhale, letting her temper simmer down. “I promise that, as long as your oath holds, I will return the favour in kind. No deceiving with ill intent, no knowingly working against you, no maliciously harming you or Vera... all that stuff.”

+10 Divine Favour, for forming a partnership with a fellow Champion.

That notification brings with it a feeling of mild annoyance. Krvavy isn’t going to complain about getting free favour, but this isn’t something she really wanted... No matter how significant it may or may not be.

“Thank you. That is all I could ask.” Rina’s amethyst eyes lift back up to meet the Drakling’s gaze, though her head remains bowed down. The smokey black makeup around those shining gems... “May I... use Inspect on you and your companion?”

Krvavy’s fluttering heart stills itself. “No.” She denies without any hesitation. “Not for any ‘ill’ reason though.” That is the honest truth. “It’d take too long and... I just want to leave your fucking city already...” And that is only part of the truth. Something which the Countess definitely knows... “Maybe next time.”

The oh so alluring Hells-Touched woman nods her head in understanding. “May I at least ask a question regarding your companion?” An uncaring and noncommittal shrug serves as an answer to that. “Is she a mix of Orc and the Wolf Folk? I have never heard of such a union, but those peoples do interact a fair bit. Albeit not typically through friendly means...”

“She isn’t.” Krvavy plainly replies, absentmindedly trailing her fingers over her precious puppy’s buff belly, careful not to let the metal claws of her half-gauntlet even brush against that firm green skin. Not again. “Khalia was born an Orc. All of this,” she gives the good girl’s shaggy beige-brown fur an idle rub, “is the result of Beryl’s magic. A ritual. She’s a Were-Beast. Vaguely a hyena.”

Rina’s delicate brow knits together slightly. “A Were-Beast... I have heard that term before, but it is not a familiar one. It differs from lycanthropy, yes?”

“Very much so. It’s kind of a Wood Elf thing.” The barbarian returns, sounding increasingly bored and impatient. She really does want to leave Raseyne. Which is a bit unfortunate, because there are still a few things that they need to pick up and buy first... “Khalia isn’t shy about biting and we’re all fine.”

The Countess looks ever so slightly relieved to hear that.

“Rrrgh.” The Were-Beast gently growls, drawing everyone’s attention. “Maid.” Her amber-gold gaze focused on the maid in question. “She smell... off.”

Vera looks incredibly offended by that statement. Her pale pink eyes narrow into slits behind her round glasses and her lips press together into a firm line. “I will have you know that I am perfectly clean...!”

“No scent.”

“I am perfumed to my lady’s preference...!”

“Under that.” Khalia plainly grunts. “No scent.”

The maid abruptly tenses up. Within the span of a single moment, her bratty outrage shifts into a cold and emotionless mask. Her harsh gaze moves towards the Drakling, scowling as she sees the curiosity in Krvavy’s eyes. “If you wish an answer to what your hound has sensed, let my Lady scry you.”

“Vera, dear, there is no need for that. We can afford to be patient with our new ally.” The Countess almost sounds disappointed with her dutiful maid. Which the albino quite clearly picks up on, wilting ever so slightly. “Krvavy,” she directly addresses the Drakling, “I understand you may be curious, but Vera’s secrets are not mine to share. I will not **** her to say them if she does not want to. Though have no fear: they are not crucial and knowing them will likely change little for you.”

Krvavy rolls her jaw. A part of her wants to push for more info, to drag whatever secret that maid is hiding out into the light. But... Only a small part of her truly cares right now. She really just wants to go home and see her girls again... “Fine.”

Vera’s gloved hand loosely grabs onto the doorknob, holding on but not twisting it open. The bratty maid glares at both barbarian and Were-Beast as she awaits her orders.

Silence hangs in the air for a few long seconds.

“I have said what I needed, so unless you have more to add...” The pink-skinned noblewoman hesitates before turning towards her dutiful maid. “I will take my leave. Have a good day and a safe trip home.”

“Wait.” Krvavy reluctantly calls out just before Vera can open the door. “If we’re really going to be... allies... then...” her fingers grab onto one of the three Far-Speaking rings nestled on her horn, pulling it free. “You should keep this.”

Rina deftly catches the tossed ring. Quite the surprise, considering that she is facing away and that it was thrown towards her maid. “Thank you.” The Countess’ expression remains nigh unreadable – simply looking regal and dignified – as she briefly glances back over her shoulder. But her exotic heart-tipped tail betrays the sudden joy that she is feeling. It wiggles happily, lifting back up into the air and even going high enough to reach her upper back as it curves like an S. A moment later it and the rest of her demonic features retreat back into her body. As if they were never there.

The door swings open as that ring is slipped onto Rina’s right hand, fitting snugly and comfortably on the finger between her middle and pinkie. What a relief that she didn’t put it on her other hand... Thea would definitely have had some strong words to say about that...

“Rrghmmmh...” Khalia drums her clawed fingers on the metal armour that covers her Mate’s toned thigh. That gesture almost makes it feel like she is deep in thought. But she could just be impatient. “Mate...” her intense amber-gold eyes meet the barbarian’s emerald pair. “That tail cute, yes~?”

Krvavy resists the urge to bury her face into her hands, instead choosing to simply sigh out.

“That not a no~!” The Were-Beast warmly laughs, unbothered by all that her Mate is stressing over. “Angry maid cute too, yes~?”

“Hahhh... Come on.” Krvavy unceremoniously stands up, dragging her armoured Orc with her once more.