It isn't long after Alptraum is brought here that Koldesh comes out of her private chamber dressed in a Babelite toga - a long strip of cloth wrapped loosely around her body. It's not exactly high fashion, and more along the lines of a bathrobe in practice; just something uncomplicated and comfortable. "I made sure to wash my neck first," the gray woman notes with a slight smirk.
Alptraum is a bit of a stark counter-point to Koldesh's simple toga. He's wearing a suit of sorts; tailored to be slim and form-fitting to follow the angular lines of his body. The color is of course, black, with silver-trim highlights along the cuffs, waistband, and neckline, and down the left-hand side an elegant and stylized mark of the grave. A red sash is also tied about his waist loosely, hanging from the silvery belt-loops. He even took the time to brush out his hair and braid it back in a wide-band herringbone pattern. His brow arches up a bit at Koldesh's comment about her neck. "Who said I would bite your neck?" he counter-smirks.
"Well, that way you could bend over and not spill anything on your suit," Koldesh says, and gestures to a seat next to the head of the table. "You look like a Councilman, if they were lean and fit anyway. I don't think I clean up that well."
"This is probably the second time I have actually put on something formal. I felt you deserved the respect of having me actually make an effort equal to your station," Alptraum comments as he goes to the head of the table first and pulls her chair out for her. "And I imagine you clean up much better than you give yourself credit for. You even make that toga impressive. It's probably that your muscles show off," he notes.
Kolesh is confused for just a moment at the gesture, before she sits down. "Sometimes you have be seen to flex, in order to make an impression," she notes. "Plus, I enjoy being a little intimidating to men."
Alptraum slides Koldesh's chair in, then goes to his own and settles into it. "Well, its as much attitude as it is muscles when it comes to intimidating men. I know a woman quite capable of making any man wet himself," Alptraum explains. "With just words and tone."
"Really? I she looking to become a Yodhrephath by any chance?" Koldesh asks, perhaps only half jokingly. She knocks on the top of the table with her knuckles, which summons an attendant bearing glasses and a bottle of wine. Unlike the Temple of Inala, the Yodhrephath do not get fancy gifts. The glasses are chiton, fashioned from Grok skulls of all things, and the wine bottle isn't even full when the attendant opens it to pour.
"No, she rules a country, well county that is effectively a country. Countess Rosalind Draco," Alptraum clarifies. He watches the attendant out of the corner of his eye and he actually appreciates things not being fancy; fancy makes him uncomfortable. "Stark black with eyes that feel like they can burn into your soul. The entire country of Gallis is scared of her."
"Mmmm, personal friend of yours then?" Koldesh asks after the wine has been poured. The attendant leaves the bottle as she bows and leaves. "I told them mess cook to prepare dipping steak. You can do the chew and spit thing, can't you?"
"A very close friend, yes. It was her encouragement that got me to return to this city to help settle the mess," Alptraum notes, "And yes, I can do that, though it's not particularly polite. But, I have other solutions that would alleviate the need to spit."
"I also assume you do not want any Rephath Tea," Koldesh says. "It's not really healthy for men anyway. We don't let the barrephath drink it."
"What is it? Why is it not healthy for men?" Alptraum inquires.
"It's brewed from special herbs we grow on the mountain," Koldesh explains, and has a sip of her wine. "They contain something like male sex hormones. The Yodhblakat also use something similar. It's how we maintain our size and strength. Can do funny things to men though."
Alptraum actually chuckles. "Like what? Now I'm curious what it would do to a man," he comments, then takes a sip from his wine glass as well.
"Ironically, it makes them more like women, but with too much aggression and health problems," Koldesh notes. The wine is.. nothing special, but likewise doesn't have any real kick. Safer than well water though, probably. "You're Sylvanian stock though, and actually raised there too.. so I doubt your physique could be much improved upon by tea."
"True, but my bizarre sense of curiosity would want to try it," Alptraum admits and shrugs a little. "And I'm half-Sylvanian, actually, but that's a rather dominant side, so it shows."
"So, do you think you could beat me at arm wrestling?" Koldesh asks, but then the attendant returns with a platter covered in bowls. She sets them out - two of them are filled with somewhat rare cubes of various meats, and the rest are dipping sauces. Two prong-tipped knives serve as eating utensils. And then the Yodh slips back out without a word.
Alptraum's brow arches at the rather quiet attendant. "I'm not sure if I could beat you at arm wrestling. You are much more physically active in terms of building your body than I am," he admits. "Why do you ask?" he asks as he picks up one of the two-pring knives and twirls it deftly between his fingers.
"Curious if you would take it as a challenge," Koldesh claims, and.. fashions a bib from her napkin. "Sylvanian men are rare in Babel."
"Do you want to arm wrestle me?" Alptraum inquires, curious. He decides to have a bib too, but he uses the shadow to make one ... because he can absorb things with it.
"We've already leg-wrestled," Koldesh points out, and then watches the shadow in fascination. "Are your clothes made from that as well?" she has to ask.
"Not today," Alptraum explains, "I only use it to make clothing if I think I'll need to change its appearance rapidly. I'm using it now for this as I can absorb any living, or dead, animal matter with it."
"What happens to it when it is absorbed?" the Yodh asks, spearing some meat and dipping it into a green sauce. "Do you have to wring it out like a towel later?"
"No, it's consumed and provides me a little energy," Alptraum notes, then decides to demonstrate. He spears some meat and dips it, then proceeds to suckle and lightly chew it for the taste. Once he's satisfied with that bit, he draws it back out on the 'fork' and holds it up. The shadow crawls up his hand and engulfs the fork. A moment later with it slithers back down, the fork is spotlessly clean.
"So.. it's actually a part of you, like your skin?" Koldesh asks, gesturing with her fork-knife. "I assumed it was a magic spell, from the way you used it to make your entrance before. Shadow Magic, isn't it?"
"It's part of me, yes. It's like shadow magic, but also life magic," Alptraum says, "And bound deeply to me. It was aweapon of Amenlichli, but I tore it away from her container and influence."
"And is the General her new weapon?" Koldesh asks. "I suppose it would take someone like yourself to wield a god-weapon."
"Not quite. The General tricked Amenlichli and is not controlled by her directly," Alptraum notes. "And speaking of the General, how much do you know about her?"
"Her, eh?" Koldesh notes, and chews on her meat for a moment. "The General was raised in the Tower of Babel, like the Plaguebringers. Not someone in the public eye, and with no other name. I assumed it was the armor itself, somehow. A magical construct, like the Plaguebringers themselves. A demon. She led the attack on Rephidim, and some other actions during the coalition war. The Tower served the Sabaoth."
"Surely you know some more than that? Did you ever analyse her fighting style, for example? That is if you ever saw it, of course," Alptraum notes and then selects another piece to chew on.
"The Yodh don't serve as troops," Koldesh points out. "The slakash where the exception, but they were more for shock-and-awe than real tactics. Whatever practice or training the General took part in, it was either inside the Tower or outside of Babel. It.. wasn't important for us to pay attention to. Back then, the Yodh didn't really care about the direction Babel was taking or in politics. Aside from the Yodhbarada, anyway. The Sabaoth made sure we were busy with our own goals and competitions."
"Well, I say competition but I really mean rivalry," Koldesh admits.
"Mm. That's unfortunate as I have to fight her and I am quite sure she has prepared for dealing with the likes of me," Alptraum notes with a frown. Another bit of meat is consumed by the shadow, then he takes a sip of wine. "And I suppose that shouldn't surprise me, keeping factions all fighting means they cannot rise against you."
"Well, she is still an Eeee, and should use Eeee fighting techniques," Koldesh notes, waving another piece of skewered meat about, and thus flinging drops of blood. "Mostly, anyway. That armor looked bulky the few times I saw it. Couldn't get a good look at the feet. What fighting styles do you already know?"
"Well, primarily I know how to use a crossbow and all sorts of knives," Alptraum admits. "I'm not that much of a fighter, truth be told. The shadow can also be used as a weapon, though I have no practical experience in doing so," he adds, then demonstrates by creating two hooked spikes jutting from the back of his right hand. Those are dismissed and flow back in, then his claws on that hand elongate and hook, looking rather dark and deadly.
"So you can create a sword, claws.. what about a whip and a shield?" Koldesh asks.
"I can create a full suit of armor if I put my mind to it. No idea about a whip, though; never tried," Alptraum says as he shakes his hand and dismisses the claws.
"Well, what have you been doing to prepare?" Koldesh asks.
"Mostly stripping her of her secondary weapons and minions," Alptraum admits. "And I leveled her current fortress."
"So, you've made her have to reformulate her plans," Koldesh says, and nods in approval. "She has a deadline, so the more setbacks you can cause her, the less prepared she will be - and the more she will have to depend on less reliable tactics. What do you know of her own personal abilities?"
"Very little, and that concerns me. I want to know more about her armor and what it can do, or at least what it is made of," Alptraum admits and sighs. "In fact, I suspect all that remains of her now is the armor."
"If that information exists, it will be in the Tower - assuming the Templars haven't found it already," Koldesh says, and looks thoughtful. "You are the Barsunala though. Can you summon the form of the Wraith?"
"Yes, I can. Why do you ask?" Alptraum inquires.
"Well, its armor is as good as that of Skekos according to legend," Koldesh says. "After initial training, you should practice again using it if you can. To start though you will train with traditional weapons and armor."
"Train? Are you suggesting I should train here? With you?" Alptraum asks, brow arched. He didn't even ask her yet!
"Well I can't let you train with Rizalka, can I?" Koldesh says, waving her knife around again. "The Champion of Babel can't go into battle running and screaming like a maniac! I'm sure you're getting special training from the Yodhsunala and Yodhgorphat, after all."
"You could ... say that," Alptraum says and tries to not wince about it. "And I think the Avenger is more the Champion of Babel than I am. Certainly more respectable."
"Well, it's easier than calling you the S-word yet," Koldesh says. "I know about that because I do commune with Rephath. But you have to train for that also and I don't know what will be involved. I can only train you for what I know how to."
"You do? Did she mention the restraints?" Alptraum has to ask. He wisely doesn't mention using them on Rephath and spanking her.
"The what?" Koldesh asks, with a bit more serious tone and a narrowing of her eyes. "Have you been messing with my goddess?"
"I have only been doing things she requested of me," Alptraum says diplomatically.
"I didn't know She was requesting things of you," Koldesh says, and crosses her arms over her bib. "Nothing that She should have been requesting of me I hope."
"Things outside of you ability to accomplish, and involved dealing with other forms of existence," Alptraum explains politely. "Nothing that would be more appropriate for Her daughters to do."
"I may have to ask Her about them then," Koldesh claims, and goes back to eating.. after taking a long swig of wine. "I'll want to see what you can do with a crossbow and knives. Have you tried a footbow yet?"
"It is impolite to pry about a Goddess' business with Her nephew," Alptraum claims. "And no, I have not."
"We'll have to work on that then too," Koldesh claims. "It takes a different kind of aiming than a crossbow, and has considerably farther range. How accurate are you with the crossbow, and can you use it while flying?"
"I am pretty accurate with one and yes, I can use one while flying," Alptraum confirms.
"How do you use your knives?" Koldesh asks. "Like a Yodhsunala?"
"Not likely," Alptraum admits, "I'm not a trained assassin. I'm much more sleight of hand and stealth, but more tuned for working locks, doors, and so on. I am quite accurate with a thrown knife, though."
"You make it sound like you were a thief or something," Koldesh says with a grin. "Have you used your knife to hunt, or just for stationary targets. I've seen knife-throwing performers that had an assistant on a big disk that turned."
"You do what you must to survive," Alptraum counters, "And yes, I've used them for hunting. Also performance similar to what you just described."
"So useful as a backup weapon that your opponent won't be expecting," Koldesh says. "We don't do knife training. It's an 'unwritten rule' that only the Yodhsunala are allowed to use knives. And by unwritten I mean usually written in the blood of anyone that doesn't follow it."
"That's ... interesting," Alptraum admits. "I do assume that I have an exception to that rule. Granted some of the Yoshsunala have made attempts on me anyway."
"I doubt the rules apply to you, since you're part of Sunala's family," Koldesh notes. "Even I bend the rules for certain people."
"Some people don't like that the rules don't apply to me," Alptraum points out. "But that's neither here nor there. You really want to train me? Because you want to kick my butt ...? Or more curious what I can really do?"
Koldesh grins toothily. "Oh, those are part of the reason, sure," she says. "But I want to train you because I want you to win."
"And owe you a favor?" Alptraum inquires and grins back.
"I don't really work on favors," Koldesh claims. "But.. it will probably make Rizalka a little jealous. You know how Yodhblakat can be.." she notes, still grinning.
"Ah, you're using me to tweak your sister. A goal I can approve of," Alptraum laughs. "Now, were you actually serious about your neck?"
"My neck is pretty tough," Koldesh says. "It'll help me gauge how strong your teeth are."
Alptraum smirks. So, he gets up, then goes and sits in Koldesh's lap. "You've been warned," he notes, then dips his head down, opens his jaws, then bites her on the neck, just at its base.
She wasn't kidding about her neck being tough! Her muscles are hard. But they can't prevent Alptraum from breaking her skin at least - and then she relaxes enough for him to finish the bite.
And the bite sinks in, painful for just a few seconds before the numbing effects of his saliva actually kicks on. Then it just feels like a gentle sucking on her neck, and a pleasant sort of lightheadedness that follows.
Koldesh's blood is not like other Eeee blood he's tasted... which is to see it isn't like Mave or Rose's blood. Maybe it's because of the special steroid tea, but it has a bit of a masculine flavor.
Alptraum resists the urge to grope Koldesh while he nurses on her neck ... but he doesn't have a problem with using the shadow to so a very 'light' sort of ken, mainly just flowing it into her from where his hand rests on her back ... just so she gets the 'total experience' of being tickled from the inside.
"Are you trying to massage my back?" Koldesh asks at first, and then gasps as the effect really settles in. "What is that?"
Alptraum's mouth is full, so he can hardly answer that! So, Koldesh's answer is to get a nice squirmy sort of feeling deep inside her.
"That's not from sucking, you're using your shadow somehow," Koldesh says, and then puts her hands over her chest. "You aren't going for my heart are you? I just ate!"
Alptraum vibrates as if laughing. The sensations inside get more intense, but they're pleasant, or at least should be. He also starts humming on her neck.
"You're just messing with me now," Koldesh accuses. "I am a High Priestess you know. That means I have dignity."
Alptraum does ease up on the shadow, a bit. It still feels like something is moving under her skin, though.
"I get to make you squirm after this," Koldesh warns, and grins. "Foot wrestling."
Alptraum snorts ... then his jaws relax and fangs withdraw. The shadow does too. "It would be a disservice if I was ordinary," he claims as he slides out of her lap.
"Well, you are brave enough to sit in my lap," Koldesh concedes. "How did I taste? And have you bitten Rizzy already?"
"You taste ... male. Rizalka does too, for reference," Alptraum notes as he returns to his seat. "Probably the tea," he comments, then sips some wine.
"But I taste better, I'm sure," Koldesh claims, and sips more of her own wine. "I wash my neck after all."
"She is more gamey, true," Alptraum concedes. "I'm surprised you allowed that, I must admit. Rather trusting to let me that close."
"Why shouldn't I trust you? After all, you're trusting me to train you," Koldesh says. "Which means I trust you not to hate or fear me afterwards."
"Well ... when do you want to begin the ritualistic embarrassment ... er, training, of me?" Alptraum asks.
"We can start now," Koldesh says, and holds her hand out flat towards Alptraum. "Put your palm against mine and push. I want to get a quick idea of how strong you are."
Alptraum nods and extends his right hand, placing his palm against hers. He starts to push, light at first so Koldesh is aware he's starting to push, then he gradually ramps up how hard he is pushing.
Koldesh is able match him for the most part, with some back and forth. "That's pretty good," she notes. "Ease up, we need to do it again, but with your arm stretched out more."
Alptraum eases up and lowers his hand for a moment. He then pushes his chair back a bit so he has to reach further before lifting his hand and places his palm against hers again, then resumes pushing.
Koldesh has him repeat this with his left arm, and then somewhat awkwardly with his feet, which has to be done with his back to the wall since the chair would just go sliding otherwise. "I think I have a good idea now," the Yodh says. "I'll want to test endurance as well, but we can't do that in my meeting room. What's the furthest you've ever flown without stopping?"
"Quite a ways. I used to be a stunt flyer too, so I had lots of practice," Alptraum says as he sits back into his chair.
"What do you mean a stunt flyer?" Koldesh asks, propping her elbows on the table as she leans forward - after taking off her bib. "Just how did you grow up in Sylvania?"
"I was a gypsy and I was part of a performance group that did trick flying," Alptraum explains and shrugs a bit. "Never stayed anywhere for very long, dangerous life. Most of it was subsistence survival. Why?"
"What is a gypsy?" Koldesh asks. "And because I want to know about your upbringing and what skills it has granted you."
"It's a group of tight-knit people that travel together and depend on each other for survival. Money is made through performances, fortune telling, and yes, even stealing if needed. Life is tough; there is little in the way of structure in Sylvania, and the land is sick. You do what you must to survive. Imagine a pack of people from the Streets Below that travel together as a family, and it's somewhat like that," Alptruam tries to explain.
"But not the same as a roving gang," Koldesh says. "Scattered townships do not have much entertainment, do they? So the gypsies are as welcome as they are despised?"
"It depends on the village. One that has had many raids or problems tend to be less welcoming than those that has not. Not many towns have much entertainment at all there, true. And no, not the same as a roving gang. It's more familial and isn't driven by the strongest, the wisest tend to lead," Alptraum explains a bit further. "A few towns really did not like me, though."
"How so? I thought Eeee were common in Sylvania?" Koldesh asks.
"Yes, but some know about Babel and suspected i was connected somehow," Alptraum explains. "A particular Sheriff made it clear he wanted me gone as quickly as possible."
Koldesh raises an eyebrow at this, but says, "Babel does not have a good reputation. Nor do the Yodh, for good reason. Were there Babelite elements active in Sylvania to breed this distrust?"
"None that I really saw, so I suspect it was mostly stories," Alptraum says after some thought. "There is great distrust of most in Sylvania. The land is still severely scarred from the last great Necromancer War."
"I may be partly responsible for some of those stories," Koldesh admits. "I always went for the targets that fled Babel, trying to escape the reach of Rephath."
"It's possible," Alptraum concedes. "But I imagine it goes deeper and further back than that. Amenlichli met her last great defeat in Sylvania, then moved her focus to Babel. So, I imagine she has some anger related to her defeat and probably encouraged Babel prosecution of anyone going there."
"Interesting," Koldesh notes. "But if Amena's influence began with the Sabaoth, then she has had her claws in Babel for far longer. But.. why shouldn't she? Why limit herself to one land at a time? The Sabaoth fell.. and she had to do something else or risk losing Babel altogether."
"Is there any land on Sinai that has not felt her influence at some point?" the Yodh suggests.
"Not that I know of directly. I know it all began as a war between Aztepa and the Savanite Nation, and spread out from there after the Savanite kingdom was wiped out," Alptraum says and taps on his chin for a bit. "Several Forbidden Zones are actually old battle grounds between Amena and Nala."
"Including the Valley of the Mists?" Koldesh asks. "I don't know the origins of it.. but I wasn't aware that Forbidden Zones could have origins before now. But.. if the General has betrayed Diphath-Amena, does the Valley protect her somehow?"
"It does; she cannot be seen while inside it. Granted no living creature can go into it without being affected by it. Well, no living creature except me," Alptraum notes with a smirk. "She's not safe in there from me."
"And yes, there is high probability the Valley of the Mists was a battleground," Alptraum adds.
"Affected how?" Koldesh asks, looking grim. "She took many soldiers with her in her flight from the Tower. And if we cannot pursue her, she can use the valley as a fallback."
"They get driven insane and turned into deformed monsters," Alptraum explains in a rather grim tone.
"Insane, like berserkers? Like slakash? Or like.. diseased in the head?" Koldesh asks. "What forces does the General have that are still capable of fighting?"
"Diseased in the head," Alptraum clarifies. "As for what forces .. not many to my current knowledge. She lost most of them when I triggered her srinala-bombs early."
"Then how does she mean to attack," Koldesh wonders, rubbing her chin. "Nothing ever comes out of the Mist, save for an Exile I recall. She must have something to embolden her. What are.. srinala-bombs? That.. can't be what it sounds like, surely?"
"No, it's mostly what it sounds like. She was colecting still-born children and making them 'grow' into adults with monsters buried within them. When they 'woke' the monster would burst forth and create a miniature 'mist zone' around them and warp the minds of anyone in range," Alptraum remarks and makes a face. "I turned them all into trees."
"So.. where they meant as weapons, or as tests for expanding the Mists themselves?" Koldesh asks. "These monsters.. she has allies in there then?"
"Weapons. She forced creatures to ally to her; they have adjusted their alliance to me once I freed them from her control," Alptraum explains, "This happened while I was turned into a hog."
"Should I even ask about the hog thing?" Koldesh asks, both brows going up now. "So the monster serves you, or will serve you once it's free? This is some demon, to be bound by a spell or contract, I take it?"
"Will serve. As for the hog, I can change shape. I've been lots of different creatures, depending on the situation," Alptraum remarks and shrugs. "It's bound by oath is the best way I can describe it. An oral contract."
"So this creature must be her main.. weapon," Koldesh reasons. "Defeat the General, and it will stop. What else can you turn into then? There's nothing in the lore about the Barsunala changing shape, other than being the Wraith."
"Virtually anything, or anyone," Alptraum remarks mysteriously. "It's an ability granted by the shadow fusion."
"Any of them especially suited to combat?" Koldesh predictably asks.
"You," Alptraum remarks with a bemused grin. "Rizalka. A Grok. Hmm, those last two are about the same..."
Koldesh snorts at the joke. "We have real Groks, and pteras, so having you be one would be a bit of a waste I think. But once you've learned basic combat, we can experiment. Mainly you will need to know it to be able to predict what an opponent will do."
"Being a grok is an interesting experience. They see rather differently from us," Alptraum remarks. "I've also been a dragon; those can be nasty."
"Does something that big wear you out?" Koldesh asks. "There must be a cost for these changes. And are you then the silver dragon that's been seen in the Streets Below, the one that the Shrine Maiden rides?"
"No, that's not me. I know who it is, though," Alptraum says, "And yes, it has a real cost to do it. I have access to the Light of Nala, though, so I use that currently to provide the magic I need for it. Otherwise it would devour my body, or anything I came into contact with if I drained too far down."
"So.. probably not something to depend on in battle, unless you could decisively end things quickly," Koldesh says, tapping her cheek in thought. "The shadow can devour things though. How quickly? And do you know how far it can stretch?"
"Pretty far. If I engulf someone completely it sort of puts them to sleep," Alptraum notes, "But I really do not want to start devouring people. That's a dangerous line."
"Monsters then," Koldesh says. "It sounds as if those that followed the General are no longer people. Can you use it to stun? Something fast, fast as a struck blow?"
"I've never tried," Alptraum admits.
"We will have to see what you can do with it then," Koldesh says, and rubs her palms in anticipation. "A new martial art.."
"Done by only one person. Do please remember that the shadow powers can be very dangerous too. They are useful, but I have to be careful with them," Alptraum points out more seriously.
"The best way to be careful is to find out what hurts," Koldesh claims. "It certainly helps you learn how to deflect sword blows."
"Except I can risk damaging my soul, or others souls. I can inflict wounds that would never heal. I could turn someone into a ptera and keep them as a pet. I have in fact punished some people by turning them into a reflection of their victims," Alptraum notes.
"I just want to see if you can punch with the thing," Koldesh says. "You don't need to use is as a sword - you can use a real sword. Or a whip. But you need something that will give you an edge."
"Although really, I should train you to use a scythe," the Yodh mutters.
"You're also missing something ... I can also flow the shadow into cracks of armor, then turn it into spikes on the inside," Alptraum suggests. "And a Scythe? That's very in-character. Heh."
"Any technique will depend on how much focus it requires," Koldesh says. "The key to combat training is to make it all reflex, so that you don't have to think. We will see what your shadow can do without needing focus."
"Well, it will react if I am in serious danger to try and protect me," Alptraum notes.
"How dangerous can that be to you?" Koldesh asks. "Does it.. wait, it has a mind of its own then?"
"No. It's more like ... how you pull your hand away from something hot. Reflex," Alptraum tries to explain and shrug. "It used to have a mind, but that is long gone."
"We may need to train that reflex further then, if we can," Koldesh says, but frowns. "Except.. triggering it could be dangerous to everyone involved. You may have to do it on your own."
"It could be very dangerous to the person who triggered it," Alptraum agrees.
"Not to mention the whole 'shooting arrows at you' to see if it defends you," Koldesh says. Then she slaps the top of the table, and stands up. "You will begin in the morning, if you are available. Is that acceptable?"
Alptraum starts and abruptly stands! "Yes, I should be available. There isn't any grand crisis I need to tend to right now. I've already gotten the redirection of the Yodhblakat's .... events to something more productive underway," he concludes. "So, I can either head to the place I normally retreat to, or I could stay here in a guest room. Or a cell. I'm not picky."
"You will sleep in my chambers then," Koldesh says, turning and gesturing for Alptraum to follow her. "The perch is sturdy enough to hold us both.."
"I fear the rumors that will come from this," Alptraum thinks. What he says, though, is far more diplomatic. "Yes, ma'am," he says.