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[Terenos]

"I of course understand your position. I was hoping that we could find some means to provide safety to the citizens of Mileth. I endeavored to cause no bloodshed upon my attack, and wished to keep things that way.

Before we go further, is there anything Ligoria wishes? You have agreed to this meeting, so clearly bloodshed is not foremost on your minds."

[Taricus]

This is where Laythe entered the negotiations.

"Sharp thinking, fox. What I am here for is Mileth, nothing more, nothing less. How I obtain it, however, is being decided here..."

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Of course not. I never leave a job half-finished," he said, moving to help her put on her armor. She had offered a willing ear, but he wasn't going to take it. Doubtless she had had to do some horrible things in her time, betraying friends and loved ones and everything that came with being a spy, and he wasn't going to further burden her with some of the things he had done, or had let been done under his command. Hell, the things he had simply turned away from and let happen in the same room... He wasn't as pristine as he sometimes thought she believed him to be. "It's all right. Don't worry about it."

He put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "I'm here to help you, remember? If things get to be too much for you, just tell me. I'm always ready to... to provide what I can for you," he said, trying to think of how best to speak his thoughts. Even leaving for your own good... your station in life demands you take the hand of a respectable nobleman. I'm just Pasha the vagabond... What you need is a man who can stay with you, give you what you want, support you in public rather than from the shadows as I do. He finished buckling a strap. "I'm not going to go away forever," he said. "I just think that my presence here is causing people to lose respect for you, and I don't want that for you."

He wasn't going to lie and say his leaving wouldn't hurt either of them. He wasn't going to tell the truth and say it was for the best. It was what it was, and although he didn't want to move on, he had to. For her sake. "I would prefer it if we didn't have to worry about such things, but your position being what it is..." Pasha sighed. The words were, again, a double-meaning. He would never sell her out willingly, but he was still a risk to her. He might say the wrong thing at the wrong time and compromise her.

[Terenos]

The Arctic Fox smiled warmly, and offered a slight bow to Queen Laythe.
"Well then. Let us..how do you storm coasters say it.. Cut a deal? I am not particularly interested in Mileth. Something else entirely.

However, I cannot give it away. And especially not here, now, to you. The other Storm Coast powers, they know of your ambition to hold an empire. And that is why only Ligorian banners sway in the wind.
I have however no doubt you can seize Mileth by force of arms, but can you keep it when the other city states demand you give them back their independence?

Or would you rather deal with me, provide me what I want and Mileth will be , for most intents and purposes, yours?"

[Taricus]

Laythe had a bit of an evil chuckle, then re-focused on the fox.

"You seem to think that the rest of the storm coast CAN oppose me. The only one with enough strength is Galam, and they're more content to go mercenary as a defense contractor, Vasir's lord is more interested in trade and moun is too busy being itself. No, no-one is able to stop me. If they were able to, they would've sent forces already.

So when you think you have bargaining power here, I'd advise you to think again. If you have an offer though, I'm open to hearing it..."

[Terenos]

The Arctic Fox just keeps smiling.
"If that is what you believe. My offer is this. Leave. 10 Ducats richer, and with the knowledge I will not interfere, and will pay a sizeable percentage of Mileth's taxes, to you while I finish my plans in the Storm Coast. I will remain in Mileth and see my plans to completion, at which point the whole of Mileth will be yours.

A secure flank is a prize you may not wish to give up."

[Taricus]

"I think you may've misunderstood me. I'm here for Mileth, and I'm not leaving until it is mine. So, here's my proposal. I get Mileth, your troops disband and you? You'll serve under Kathos here. Sound fair? I hardly think leaving someone like you with a plan is a secure flank."

[Terenos]

"Then I die to the agent of the Dragon Empire within your ranks, Queen Laythe. So if my choice is between death at your hands, in the battle to come, or death at the hands of an unknown assassin, betraying my duty, then I have made my choice. "

Bowing to each in turn, The Arctic Fox turns back to the city, and leaves.

[Taricus]

Before the fox could leave however, Laythe stepped infront of the doorway...

"You really think I'd let you leave unbound?"

Before the fox can leave, Laythe attempts to tackle the Fox and as such prevent him from leaving!

[NUKE9.13]

Before the fox can leave, Laythe attempts to tackle the Fox and as such prevent him from leaving!

[4] Laythe springs forwards at the Arctic Fox. He- and everyone else, for that matter- is taken completely by surprise. [2+1] Just in time, he manages twist so that he avoids the worst of the blow. Both Laythe and the Fox fall to the ground. [6v1] Laythe is the first to recover, and manages to jump on top of the fox, delivering her full weight- and the weight of her armour- into his chest. [1] There is a crack. The Fox makes an unhealthy noise, then falls unconscious. Blood dribbles from his mouth, and the rise and fall of his chest is irregular.

Congratulations.
You have just incapacitated the enemy general.
During peaceful negotiations.
You monster.

[Taricus]

"Dammit! Kathos, help me out here! He's no good to me dead!"

Get the fox back to camp, make sure he gets into a stabilized condition.

[Dwarmin]

Tala nodded in silence, dumbstruck.

She wanted to say-I don't care about the respect. I don't care about the danger you bring to me. You give me some meaning, a rason to go on. I love you, and I never want you to leave my side. Stay with me.

But, she couldn't say that. If she did-Pasha would stay. She knew he would. But, he wouldn't be happy-not as things were, with only half a Tala-sharing her with the rest of the world, watching her do these things. His joy was her joy-his misery, was her misery...

So, why was she still here? The job, yes. It had to be seen through. If she left with Pasha now, they would begin the hunt. Matthew had been waiting for just such an opportunity. They wouldn't care how much money or time it cost-and one day, they would get lucky. He would protect her, but the end would never be in doubt...unless...

She smiled bitterly.

"Yes, I suppose. If we are to be sundered, let it be a time and place of our own choosing."

His response cut deep, and true.

They emerged from the tent at that moment-only to see Laythe and Kathos hauling the passed out (or dead) form of the man she knew as the Arctic Fox back to camp.

She turned to look at Pasha. But he wasn't looking at her anymore, not really-he was already half way gone...

[kytuzian]

The five were now walking to one of the many small hamlets and farms around the area.

"So, what is the plan here?" asked Me'gh'fa.

"We go in, convince people we actually help people. We'll need to only bring the blueleaf into town," said Oli'c, speaking in a low tone so that the peasant who was walking behind could not hear. "Depending on how many people join us, we will need to convert them. The more that come, the less we convert. Just remember to be generous with the blueleaf."

Go into the nearest hamlet, find rooms for all of us in the inn/tavern. Hide the stiffwort. Hand out blueleaf to anyone who asks, and attempt to obtain more peasants/beggars to follow us.

[Sheb]

((I'm assuming Sir Thunderblade decide not to turn on Laythe immediately and help her bring Artic Fox to our camp first. Ignore this if I'm wrong.))

Since his adventure with the supply wagon, Sheb had done his best to be a model soldier. Not like his captain would have elt him done anything else. For days, he had scouted ahead of the army, spending his spare time training his sworplay, slowly earning the goodwill and favour of his superiors.

While the Queen was busy breaking the law of war, protocol and Artic Fox's collarbone at the same time, Sheb was standing on his horse in full regalia wondering when he could sleep again: his scout company was part of the cavalry regiment that Marsal Nikephoros had withdrawn to create a parley ground and Sheb's captain had forced them to spend the whole night cleaning their parade uniform and making their weapons shine to impress the Artic Fox.

Suddenly, Sheb was awaken by the sound of a commotion ahead. The Queen could be seen dragging something with the help of Sir Thunderblade. It was a body! On the other side of the middle ground, at Mileth's gate, a group on ennemy soldier could be seen moving.

Making his horse run like hell, Sheb will rush to Sir Thunderblade and the Queen's help, offering them his horse to get back to the army quickly enough. He'll then stand ready to shoot any approaching ennemy.

[Shootandrun]

Kathos looked at the negociations quite happily. The Fox did not accept Laythe's terms, but she did not do anything stu-

"Oh, bloody hell!"

Slowly, he picked up the Fox - while the Queen could probably do that, her whole army was watching them - while making sure that he wasn't making it any worse for the general. He was a strong man, and he started to move towards the camp as quickly as he could - in this case, very slowly. Since the man probably had broken ribs, he had to make sure his wounds were not getting worse.

While he was cursing about peaceful negociations, he saw a soldier leave the lines on a horse. He was brave but quite foolish. And of course, it was Sheb.

"Sheb! You're a good man, but if this man gets on a horse, he dies. Don't stay here in the middle of nowhere - return to the camp and find a doctor. We'll be there soon."

Bring the Artic Fox to the camp, without going too quickly.