gladly feast on those who defy us.

                                                      Deep down, you know                                                   you weren’t built for fighting,                                                       but that doesn’t mean                                                     you’re not prepared to try.

“I like to think so.” Tom smiled faintly at the elf. “Yes, though thankfully not quite as badly as I could have been.”

“Not so badly that you can’t fight, I’d imagine. That is what I’m here for,” Arabella admitted. “You’re a pit fighter, aren’t you?” One of her eyebrows inched upward, prompting. “Are you content, or would you perhaps be interested in a promotion of sorts?”

“Lovely names.” Arabella took the girl gently, despite her near-lunge out of Robert’s arms. Just as he’d said, nearly instantly there were tiny fingers in the golden curls of hair, twisting and playing. “It’s all right.” A bit of tugging was nothing to worry about.

“Trust me, I know.” He gave a weary smile before taking a seat and pouring them both a bit of tea, offering it to her with a small plate of scones that he had yet to touch. “People expect those in positions of power and authority to be impervious to natural emotions. Though it is important to be able to keep a level-head through tragedy.” Armand recalled the days when Robert’s ability to lead was put into question as his love life hit the rocks harder than what was normal for him. 

“Thank you.” Arabella took the cup of tea gratefully, although she wasn’t quite sure that she had the appetite for a scone. It was appreciated, all the same. The she-elf took a small sip, and found that it tasted lovely.

“I can’t say I’ve ever faced an elf that’s close to a thousand years in age. That should be enough to instill fear in any sensible man. Fighter or not.”  Tom took a step back from the door frame, making an uncertain gesture of welcome.

“As smart as you are skilled with a blade, then.” Arabella stepped through the door, giving him a quick once-over. “You were injured at Roslin’s coronation, were you not?”

Armand had gotten a lot of orders for something to help the Nysan citizens sleep. It was hard times. “Of course, Councilwoman.” He smiled softly and turned to pluck one of many, many small vials filled with violet liquid. “I’ve spent weeks harvesting somnium flowers to make somnium decoction.” 

 Since the Fangs invaded, Pandosia has been opened to all vampires of Nysa if only to provide those that did not wish to fight a safe haven. Lynette Sourdeval cared only for her kind and Kailani could not fault her for it. She would have done the same for her merfolk. Rallying the vampires could be the key since, as Arabella said, the Queen of Pandosia was as dangerous to the Fangs as they were to her. “I meant no slight. If what you say is true then a Queen of her stature should merely laugh at my notions. Good day, Lady Arabella.” The mermaid bowed quietly as the once slain she-elf left, the room now plunged into a pregnant silence. The redhead sat at a table and calmly began writing a letter…

The mermaid curled her lip at the blatant insult though she knew the she-elf spoke naught but the truth. Still, a jab at her honour was still a prick much felt. “Then what do you suggest we do? You sought my counsel but it seems what I offer is not what you are looking for,” Kai said tightly. She could never control her temper whenever she spoke about werewolves but this elf…she was a wraith made flesh. That in itself stayed the siren from wagging her tongue even more. 

Much as talk of open battle made her feel uneasy, Arabella was quiet throughout Kailani’s little speech. The mermaid’s squared jaw and curled lip made her thoughts very clear, but the elf made no comment on that. Whether or not the redhead hated her when she left, that was none of Arabella’s concern. Mending the hole that the Fangs had torn in the kingdom, that was what she was worried about. And there wasn’t time to mince words or worry with kindness, because every moment wasted was another moment that the Fangs were somewhere, plotting and murdering. Another moment that she could have spent focusing on her daughter, instead of war.

“If I lack in some sort of education then please enlighten me. My kind are not thoughtless but at the same time, we do not dwell too long on plans and strategies.” She did not understand politics or government of the land dwellers as such were not the ways of the merfolk.

“I haven’t the time to give lessons in politics, and I assume you don’t have much use to learn it.” Arabella stepped closer to the mantel, the frown upon her lips weighing more thoughtful than displeased. “And a window of opportunity sounds like a very small reward for the no doubt dozens of lives it would cost us just to try. Conquering a place is always more difficult than defending it. In Calydon, they have the upper hand.”