Tales of the Pearly Kingdom (Pearly Tales Vol. 2)

61. Battles of Will

Cal got incredibly nervous and began poking his fingers together. "Weeellll...."

Shayley roughly pulled Cal to the floor and stood up in his place as he crashed. "I can answer that. Cal is an idiot when it comes to women. So I have taken the initiative in this case. In the tradition of the Dravenkin the females hunt males in the courtship ritual. We are even able to form hunting parties for especially troublesome quarry. I lead Cal's hunting Party and I say who joins. Selene expressed interest in joining and qualified. In simple terms, although we have not been formally married in the traditions of the common people, in the tradition of the Dravenkin I would be the first wife and Selene the second wife. Cal has consented to this arrangement."

"Doth that mean thou art in possession of an engagement ring?" Azuras asked.

Shayley crossed her arms and held up her left hand. "Cal has the Dravenkin equivalent on his chest and left hand in the form of a unique mark from myself and Selene." She kicked Cal.

Cal shook his head and used his left hand to pull down his shirt from over his chest to reveal both marks at once.

Azuras narrowed her dragoness eyes at them then at Vorn who was in front of her before looking back at Cal. "Do you plan on properly giving Selene an engagement ring?"

"Well-" Cal started until Shayley swatted him in the head.

"Lady Azuras, you have in a way 'caught us with our pants down.' The plan was to introduce the union to their parents." Shayley motioned at Cal's parents and the nobility next to them. "And then come to you and ask for your blessing. This is a world-class item known as a ring of Gaia," Shayley held up her hand again. "We were wondering if there was something you had in comparative value we might... acquire from you as a sign of your blessing." Shayley examined her ring and then looked at Azuras with a cool gaze.

Azuras straightened her back and she and Shayley shared each other down in an intense battle of will.

The moments crawled by as lightning passed between the eyes of the two women. Finally, Azuras relented by turning to Cal. "Please do something about these guards. It will be much harder to negotiate with them so close."

"Dravenkin negotiation?" Cal asked raising an amused eyebrow.

Selene looked aghast while Shayley smiled darkly.

Something about that battle-lust really just did it for Cal. The overwhelming wild power she had coupled with her sensual feral nature, and tempered by her years of office made both his heart and body yearn for her. And although she was a girl and he felt the manly desire to protect her, the truth was that the world needed to be protected from her. A fact that wasn't lost on him in this moment as his heart soared for the woman who had wished him into existence. The woman who had loved him so much she had willed him into her life.

He snapped his fingers and two things happened. The Dravenkin wraiths disappeared and the elementals shifted back into pirates and sat down to continue eating their food. Their conversations continued as if nothing had happened they even invited the enemies they just shamed to join them. There were several loud shouts calling for more alcohol.

"I'd rather have a more civ-" Azuras cleared her throat. "a less physical diplomatic discussion."

"Well if that's the case then I require only one thing before we continue, otherwise I'll evoke a compulsory Dravenkin Negotiation." Cal interrupted the dragon gods before they could step forward.

"You would make demands of the GODS!" Achilles couldn't contain herself anymore. This was a farce, their greatest enemy was treating her goddess like an upstart teenager and her mother like some second-hand mistress in front of his fiancé.

"Achilles!"

"No mother, I will abide this fool of a man no longer!" Achilles stood up reaching for her sword while glaring at Cal. But he was gone.

He appeared in front of her and flicked her forehead. Cal had used flash step to move the distance instantaneously.

"Wha-" Achilles wasn't prepared to have Cal move so fast.

Cal had flicked her so hard on the forehead so hard that her head flung fully backwards until she was staring at the ceiling.

"It's rude to interrupt. We haven't even gotten to the best part yet." Cal said and returned to his seat. "Calico, play interference."

"Why you-!" Achilles brought her head down to stare at Cal to meet the eyes of a purple haired teenager. It was the same girl with fox ears and five tails that had sent the Elite assassin flying.

Calico looked at Achilles with the reproving glare of a high school girl judging a bad haircut. "you talk too much, [Silence]"

[Silence] An ability used to prevent a person from speaking. This spell prevents Mages from uttering spell and simultaneously locks away their magic power.

Achilles made a few gestures that looked like she was trying to speak and when she couldn't she then reached for her sword. Calico swatted her hand from the pommel and used the narrow part of her hand between her thumb and point and jabbed her throat. Temporarily cutting off her oxygen supply. Then when Achilles continued to struggle, Calico made a fist with all but her pointer and middle finger. She then used her fingers to stab pressure points in Achilles arms until they fell limp at her sides.

"[Fox art: disturb chakra], I can at least do this much," Calico smirked.

[Fox Art: Disturb Chakra] A race locked ability available only to the Kitsune. The Kitsune are mutli-tailed Fox creatures that have only one remaining clan found in the hidden depths of the Pearly City of the new Kingdom of Calphian. Little is known about these mythological creatures but one rumor circulates that they are only loyal to one mighty elven hero. And even lesser known rumor is that they are the guardians of a treasure beyond price. Disturb Chakra targets one's pressure points and to disable their movements for a limited amount of time.

But Achilles leapt and tried to do a spinning kick.

Calico ducked. "Damn, you're a persistent one. [Fox Art: Disturb Chakra]." She stabbed a few more points and Achilles landed gracelessly on the ground. She made some very peculiar hand motions and several ropes of glowing symbols wrapped around Achilles body. "[Fox Art: Seal of the Cunning]" the magic floating words tightened around Achilles and locked her onto the ground.

Calico breathed a sigh of relief. "Dis girl is bonkers, are you sure she's yours my lady?" she asked Selene.

"Calico don't ask impolite questions, and I'm telling Vixie you cursed." Cal teased.

"What! No master, please, I've been a good little fox!" She about cried as tears pooled around her eyes.

Cal sat back down on the cushion next the Shayley and looked back at Azuras. "Lady Azuras, as I was saying I require one thing from you. I will look passed this breach of etiquette and reopen negotiations for a formal alliance. You know what, make it two things."

Lady Azuras straightened her back, "Very well Calloway Calphius, what art these two 'things'?"

"First, I want you to apologize to Shayley. She is a hunter without peer, not a whore." Cal demanded.

The room was still and Shayley sighed.

"You know that it doesn't bother-" Shayley was stopped by the serious chilling look in Cal's gaze.

Cal hadn't invoked the Dread Captain's Aura. His seriousness tore a rift in space without it. Shayley had been at the wrong end of this look only once before and it had devastated her. It was when she had made Ophelia cry. This time she could only back down like she had before.

Lady Azuras read the mood. But she could feel the power of Cal's stare in her spine. "Lady Dravenkin please accept my apology, my language was unnecessarily harsh as I misunderstood the situation." She bowed to Shayley.

Then Cal smiled. "The second thing is that I'd like you to eat with us, only this time without the poison. We can negotiate with words this time."