Discuss matters.

"Guard captain?"

"I was there. And worst of all, I was helping her without even knowing it. That's no excuse. I was blind to something that was here all along."

Ramon glares at you, but then his eyes move down to the gnome. "Guards. Arrest her," he says. "We'll decide what to do later."

As men come to bind her and carry her off, Hartmut places a hand over his forehead. There's a long moment's pause as he paces forward and back, but finally, he takes a deep breath and looks directly at you. "Demon King... Kyle Warren, I'm not not sure what to say, but you've successfully completed your quest and then some."

Ramon nods. "You're a criminal. That's correct, is it not?"

"You could say that," you reply. "Though I'm still trying to figure out exactly why that is. Something about the new king doesn't sit well with--"

"I care little anyway," he interrupts. Then he smiles. "We aren't specifically of the empire anyway. You may be on the run, but you also seem to only want the best for Gobiidae, just like me. We were hesitant to trust you, but hopefully you understand. Of course I accept you and your people as our ally. I hope we can help each other prosper."

"If the king does hear of this, I wonder what he'll do," Hartmut says.

"We're far too distant for him to do anything."

"I dare say I worry now that we lack the protection of this Elder Tree which once was there. It's like a warm feeling I never knew was present now is lost. What will protect us from newfound threats? The forest is a dangerous place, and it can hold dangerous people. Even Grenmila snuck her way in."

"Isn't it obvious?" Niki suddenly speaks up.

Amara nods. "Yes. We will protect you, of course."

"That's right! Isn't that the whole point?" Eva adds.

"Indeed it is," you say. "If a town becomes a close ally of the Demon King, they better expect his full protection. Send word if anything happens. You haven't even seen half the people of Castle Phoenix. Even if the king himself shows up at your door, we'll be there."

"If anything, that'll encourage us more," says Niki. "I wouldn't mine decking that king in the face."

"Especially if it gets us closer to figuring out what happened to the queen," Eva adds. "Do you think she's all right, or..."

"I do think she's alive, and we will figure it out," you reply.

Tedrick slowly raises his hand and swallows nervously. "Uhm... Excuse me, Mr. Demon King?"

"You can call me Kyle," you respond kindly.

"Kyle, is the dryad actually naked, or is she wearing clothes that cover her whole body?"

Peony speaks up with a giggle. "What a funny question." She looks down at herself and slowly caresses her bare chest--no nipples present, yet this still come to subtle points at the tips. She pulls them up and allows them to bounce back down again. "I'm completely naked."

The little boy seems a little stunned and isn't sure how to respond to that.

"Do you have to word it like that?" you ask.

"But it's true, m'lord. Would you prefer I wear clothes?"

Eva crosses her arms. "I don't know. I can't buy it that you count as naked if you have nothing to cover up."

Niki readjusts the bag hung over her shoulder as she taps her chin. "Huh. I guess you wouldn't call your pet cat naked either, right? I kinda see where Eva is coming from."

"But she is not a pet cat," Amara says as she pats Peony on the shoulder. "I think that she does count as being in the nude. It just matters little."

"Are we really going to talk about this more than the actual ally we just gained?" you ask. "I think we have matters to discuss now. You know, trade between us, maybe creating a network of signs through the woods so people don't get lost back and forth... You know, things like that."

Niki places her hand on your head and tugs you close. "You have fun with that, oh mighty leader. Go have your political discussion."

Meanwhile, Fava flutters beside everybody, watching with interest as people speak. She isn't fleeing, however. It seems quite interesting to her. She smiles, and then she giggles quietly. You don't think you need to worry about her trying to get away.