"Well, pretty girl, you've been rather busy-" Aurum, Queen of Mir, began, and Aurelia shook her head, unconsciously stepping an inch or two closer to Haru.
"We're here to talk business, today," She stated politely- a little too politely, Haru noticed curiously, and stepped a bit closer in kind, brushing shoulders with her co-commander and smiling.
"Interesting," Aurum nodded and gestured for the two women to sit down at her desk, smiling. "Well, let's talk business then- but first, I want to ask you how you've been settling Miss Haru," Aurum asked, not unkindly, latticing her fingers together. "It is my understanding, after all, that you've had a very busy time since arriving in our world- and found your footing quite nicely."
"I have, thanks," Haru nodded, shaking her head. "I just have this funny feeling that wherever I came from- the stakes in day to day life were probably a lot lower."
"For you, maybe- I find that in every world, someone is always playing with power behind the scenes," Aurum countered lightly, smirking. "I'm glad to hear you're adjusting well. No missing who or what you were before?"
"I can hardly remember any of it; just flashes of a normal life and a lot of humans," Haru admitted, glancing sideways at Aurelia. "You said you find that in every world… does that mean that you visit other worlds?"
"That's a story for another time," Aurum shook her head, waving a hand dismissively. "All the worlds are connected, it's… no, it's a terribly long story. You two came here because you had something nigh-gravitational to discuss with me- so please, what is it?"
"Well," Aurelia began delicately, "-The King of Starria has reached out to us. Said that he wants to come visit Wolfpack in our den with nothing but a small honor guard. Said that he wants to discuss the possibility of a treaty."
"At first," The half-succubus pressed on, "-I thought that it sounded like a trap. However, his letter was… strange," She added, tossing the envelope onto Aurum's desk. For a moment, the dog-woman looked down at it curiously, and then she took it up, slowly withdrawing the message and beginning to read. As she did, her expression remained unreadable; thoughtful, if anything. Haru watched her eyes and noticed that Aurum read it not once, or twice, but three times.
"What do you think?" Aurelia asked eventually, clearing her throat. "Does it seem like something that we might be able to trust, or a trick?"
"It could be either," Aurum admitted eventually, slowly setting the letter back down. "Personally? I would invite him, but I would be ready for a fight. Keep your footmen armed and nearby in the building; have your people on high alert, and tell him to come during the day. What do you think, though?"
"I was leaning toward welcoming him with open arms," Aurelia admitted softly, almost shamefully, glancing down.
"How about yourself, Haru?" Aurum asked lightly, raising an eyebrow, and Haru nodded.
"I wanted to ignore the message," She began, emerald eyes shining with something between anticipation and intensity. "I don't trust it, after thinking about it. His message… it's too convenient. Coming alone to us because we're to defy your lawful orders? At best, a trick or a play on our intelligence- at worst, a bad attempt to sway our loyalty."
"Loyalty," Aurum echoed, a little too fast. For a moment, there was silence, and Haru shifted in the plush leather armchair that she sat in, crossing one leg over the other and staring at the Queen. When nothing was said, she allowed her eyes to wander to the room itself; the office was pleasant, with a warm magenta wallpaper and windows overlooking the sky, so high in the air…
For a while, they all sat in a comfortable silence, each seeming to be processing something different.
"Can I ask what's on your mind, Haru?" Aurum asked, eventually. "-As well, are you truly loyal to me? You don't know me. You hardly know my politics."
"No," the badger girl replied immediately, shaking her head. "I'm not loyal to you at all," She added, immediately and honestly. "I like existing outside of your control," She added, surprising even herself. "If you want the truth though- I do respect you. And I doubt I ever have reason to rebel. You created a military force outside of your control just in case your judgment was compromised; what does that say about you?"
"So you'd turn on me?" Aurum asked softly, voice level and neutral as Aurelia stiffened in her chair- but Haru just nodded.
"Without hesitation. I doubt there'll ever be a reason to do so, but if it came down to it, yeah. I would."
There was silence, for a moment- a tense moment in which a falling knife might have sliced through the tension. Then, Aurum smiled, sagging back into her chair just a bit.
"Good. How about you, Aurelia? What's on your mind?" She asked, looking to Haru's heterochromic companion; for her part, the fairy cleared her throat and straightened a bit, eyes still appearing somewhat alarmed.
"W-Well, I guess I just, um…" Aurelia hesitated, for a moment, trying to steady herself it seemed before she pressed on. "That was a weird conversation to listen to- but I realized… permission to speak freely?"
"Always," Aurum nodded. "No need to ask."
"You always told me you were just using me for my body, and that I should try to find someone who challenges me to be better," Aurelia nodded. "I never really understood, always mistook our flings for love. I'm glad you pushed me away. Did me a favor. Thanks. Loyal to you- yeah. I think, though- think I'm- more loyal to Haru and my people though," She muttered, chest heaving, and Aurum laughed softly, nodding.
"Pray, relax, Aurelia- you're allowed to draw a boundary with me. I understand it- the very purpose of Wolfpack is just that; to take care of the things that I can't, and to challenge my judgment as needed. Invite the King, if you want my take- if you don't do it, I promise not to call it treason," She added with a lazy little smirk, winking.
"Good," Aurelia gasped, and Haru gently reached out, rubbing her tanned companion's shoulder, yawning.
"Relax, Aurie," Haru sighed, pulling her own tail into her lap relaxedly and shifting. "We've got this. How goes the war so far, Aurum? Behind the scenes."
"Terribly," Aurum nodded. "On both counts. Hundreds of Starrian Soldiers are refusing to participate; they see the murder of innocents and are aghast. They're rounded up and thrown in old prisons, treated terribly, starved, sometimes tortured; those prisons are high on our list of targets, when we take back land."
"Take back land?" Haru asked, angling her head.
"Yes." Aurum's gaze darkened a bit, now. "They've taken several border towns; the residents have evacuated or died, but Starria currently has a foothold in Mir. We've tried asking for peace; if this talk with the Starrian King goes well, then we may breathe a little easier. If it does not… I've rallied the dragons and archangels, archdemons on my side."
-
"Alright men, you understand the plan," The King nodded, as the helicopter began to descend. "When we reach the room in which they'd speak with me, you will wait outside. Just Isabella and I will enter," He explained, gesturing toward the dark-haired woman beside him. Her hood was pulled up, her gray eyes closed, but she was awake; of this, King Myrkul was certain.
When Isabella did throw a subtle glance his way, Myrkul nodded, closing his eyes and waiting.
"Touching down in one minute!" The pilot called back, and collectively, a shudder ran among the Starrian guards; they were, in their minds, about to touch down in the very heart of enemy territory to try and broker peace.
When the helicopter landed, Myrkul took the lead, slowly stepping to the edge of the craft and hopping down. Isabella slowly wrapped herself around his arm the way a lover might, and he pushed on, following the tense Mirian soldier along the castle ramparts as his honor guard; four men carrying ceremonial pistols and otherwise unarmed, jaws set.
"W-Welcome, by the way," The footsoldier of Mir looked up nervously. "Is this your Queen? I was u-unaware,"
"It's alright," Myrkul nodded, smiling kindly as they walked inside the castle itself- and before long, cobblestones gave way to modern hardwood flooring; even the King had to admit that for a supposed military base, this was beautiful. There were only a few hallways, though, before the footsoldier nervously stopped outside a polished wooden door, clearing his throat.
"This here is a conference room; Wolfpack's leadership are assembled, and your honor guard is welcome."
"Thank you, but my men will wait in the hallway," Myrkul added with that same kind smile, nodding. "May I enter?" he added, and the soldier nodded, so Myrkul and Isabella slowly stepped into the room beyond, looking around; it was a strategy room, he could see that much. Long, wooden table, a map projector in the center of it… and Wolfpack weren't seated like executives waiting on a meeting, but casually, as if waiting for a meal. Only Lif stood with his arms crossed, scowling; the rest seemed curious, apprehensive… or even afraid. Good.
"What a surprise," Myrkul smiled, his eyes traveling slowly throughout the crowd; lingering on Haru and Fox. "You two look awfully familiar. I wonder where I might know you from."
"You summoned us," Fox answered instantly, as if the statement must have been absolutely genuine, and Myrkul found himself chuckling, nodding.
"I did- I wonder, Haru and Fox, did you come through the Court?"
"Through what?" Haru asked cautiously, raising an eyebrow.
"No matter," Myrkul steeled himself, and did the bravest thing he'd ever done in his life. "Go, Isabella."
No time for a monologue.
The next five seconds were a blur.
In the first, Isabella threw her cloak off as she and Myrkul pulled gas masks into place from their back pockets.
In the second, Isabella slammed an orb down on the table, breaking it, and black mist began to fill the room as they tightened their gas masks. Lif was halfway across the room already, Haru was flipping the table, and Fox was reeling.
In the third second, Myrkul's world went red as Lif lifted him into the air by the throat, preparing to rip his gas mask off. As well, Charlotte was grabbing Isabella by the skull, but dark smoke had begun to radiate from the broken orb, and Charlotte weakened, swaying, starting to fall unconscious. Cecil, Ica; already out.
In the fourth, Lif was coughing- dark smoke was filling the room, now- and Myrkul managed to kick himself out of the archdemons failing grip. Eileen was casting some sort of spell; Isabella was shoving the table into the elf, disrupting her.
Finally, in the fifth, Isabella ripped Myrkul into the hall as, from the orb she'd broken, black smoke began to flood the room.
"GO!!" Myrkul screamed, ripping his gas mask off as they reached the hall- his honor guard, eyes wide, hastened to rush for the helicopter with him- the Mirian soldiers had no time to recover before they hit the floor, bleeding.
It took only moments before Myrkul and his men burst onto the roof, and Isabella, playing the helpless human woman again, screamed as blood splashed her from a dead soldier; one of the honor guard had been shot, but the other three managed to sweep the landing pad, killing the guards on their way to the bird.
"Come on!!" Myrkul screamed, leaping into the vehicle, grabbing Isabella's hand and hauling her up, then reaching back for the next soldier. More Mirian soldiers were bursting onto the roof, shooting; Myrkul groaned in pain as a volley of rifle volley hit his shoulder, staggering back into the chopper, hitting the far wall.
"Take off!!" He screamed, grabbing onto a railing for dear life as the bird began to rise. His soldiers were nowhere to be seen, and for half a moment, his world narrowed to the pain, the helicopter rotors spinning, and the wind... Perfect.