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"No." Yavara sighed, withdrawing from him.
"There's always a price too great, even for whores." King Dreus sighed.
"Your Highness!" Yavara said indignantly, though she smiled as she slapped him.
King Dreus smirked at her, then turned to me. His smile fell. "This failed attempt on the queen's life has given me enough leverage to recognize your claim of sovereignty, but I cannot risk my relationship with the Highlands by creating an alliance. My protection extends to my borders, and no further."
"You sound like you have something in mind." I said.
"There's a mercenary force that operates within the city, run by a man named Drake Titus."
I snorted. "Titus? You want the queen to parlay with vampires?"
"They're beasts." King Dreus shrugged, "They may answer the call of Alkandra, who can say?"
"They're man-eaters." I spat, "You can't trust a thing that views you as lunch!"
"What they are, is the largest private army in Tenvalia." King Dreus said, "And the only way I'm going to give you a loan, is if I know it will be protected. Not by a rabble you've raised in the streets, but by a professional force."
"I'll do it." Yavara said before I could object.
He's covering his bets, Yavara! I hissed in her mind, Your death at the hands of vampires would be very convenient for him!
Sometimes you have to gamble, Prestira. Yavara smiled ruefully over the king's shoulder.
"Splendid." King Dreus grinned at Yavara. He took her arm once more, and guided her to the end of the hall, "Would you like some advice, one ruler to another?"
"Of course." Yavara replied at they made their way to the steps.
"Never let a crowd go to waste. If the cattle have herded at your doorstep, milk the morons for all they're worth." And with that, Yavara Alkandi Tiadoa and Alfred Dreus stepped through the threshold, linked their fingers, and raised their joined hands in unison. The city erupted, banners flew, and I stood silently in the hall, frowning to myself. We'd turned the world upside down today, but there would be a correction. There would be blood soon.
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