Meeting of the Council (Thorag and Astraphel)

Astraphel was attending her second council meeting, she normally only ever attended them when her parents were unable to make the meetings and because both of them had considerable damage control to do now that these new humans were here and had killed many of their spies in the skies. They had to retrain and restock their troops with new members and pull their strategies together.

Or rather, that was her fathers job.

Her mothers job was perhaps a lot more simple to some people but not to others, she worked with the bereaved families making sure that they were comforted and taken care of in this time of distress after the loss of children and husbands and wives.

As a result she was here in the beautiful city of Avarita, Astraphel had only ever been here a few times before but had loved it while she had been here. The inventions of the Dwarves roamed the streets and altogether they were lovely beings an she hoped that she would be able to linger here after the meeting and absorb some more of the culture before she had to return home.

Entering the meeting chamber, Astraphel looked up at the marvellous glittering gold ceiling and she couldn't help the smile that appeared on her lips. It was so beautiful here, she loved it! Why couldn't their home be more like this? Looking around as she took her seat, Astraphel waited with baited breath for the arrival of the rather attractive Dwarven Leader to begin the council meeting.

Thorag the Greater.

As his name suggested, Thorag was the greatest of the Dwarven Kings in the last century. Was he the greatest because of his conquests? Of course not. By the time he came to power the dwarves had long since subdued the other races. Only the race of elves which roamed the forests eluded them and that would not be for long.

He was the greater because his empire was larger than any Dwarf king before him and there had been zero attempts at any kind of foolish rebellion, unlike in every other king's reign since the establishment of their glorious empire.

Sitting down in his throne-like seat, Thorag smirked a little bit as the feathered beauty, Astraphel, walked into the little meeting room. She was a very attractive creature it had to be said. The elvish woman standing in proxy for the mer-people was also attractive but he would be dead before he admitted to that.

"Astraphel... nice of you to join me." he told her, purposefully ignoring the very idea of acknowledging the existence of the Elf slave, "I trust you have been well since last we met."

He smiled before it became a little firmer,

"Now... what is the truth behind these rumours of demonic rebellion?"

Astraphel gently lowered her white wings into a relaxed gesture when Thorag settled down in his own seat, something about the King made her nervous, she knew that he was powerful but could that be the only reason why he was making such a reaction within her? Now was not the time to think about that though, now was the time to be thinking about the issue at hand with her people - that was what she was here for.

Not to hopelessly oogle the Dwarven King for no real reason.

Blushing softly when she heard that he thought that it was nice for her to be here, she nodded her head shyly in his direction, tucking a strand of her soft brown hair behind her ear;

"Thank you, I am happy to be here again, as you know I do so enjoy being in the Kingdom of Avarita." she stated with a gentle smile, deciding that she should indulge in the pleasantries with Thorag before the meeting began.

Now was the time to tell of everything that she had been informed of by her parents! She would ensure that she did her part well.

"The sea snakes of my masters encountered a new ship coming towards the land of the Demons, we believe that it carries a new race that have sided with the demons, after killing the Dwarven Mayor of one of their cities." the Elven representative chipped in before Astraphel could do anything and she almost pouted at that, merely shrinking back into her chair, she decided to let the Slave have her say first.

Thorag liked the Harpies, they were a race who got things done very well and were worthy of the utmost respect from him and his fellow Dwarves. But anyone with two working eyes would be able to tell that part of the reason why Thorag liked harpies so much was because he definitely like Astraphel. The young harpy was someone he went out of his way to visit when he was in the homeland of the bird-like peoples.

He smirked a little bit,

"You always did have a taste for the Dwarven things in life didn't you?" he teased her with a sly wink before chuckling a little bit, "But we'll have to make sure that you visit more often, and not just with important news either!"

Smirking, he eyed her rather obviously,

"But for personal reasons too."

When the elf spoke up, Thorag's face went blank and he listened to everything that she said without interrupting. Sighing a little bit, Thorag willed the magical metal of his armour to become something else,

"I confess myself..." he began before lashing out with the newly formed battleaxe, cutting the elf's head clean off in one strike. He growled down at the body as several guards began to drag it away, "Disappointed."

Sighing a little bit, the axe melted back into liquid metal and joined the rest of his armour under his shirt. He grinned slightly at Astraphel,

"I'm guessing your spies report much the same?"

Astraphel nodded gently, she always did love the opulence of the way that the Dwarves lived and of course the way that they had so many beautiful inventions and keen weaponry. She wished that her race would be able to make things like this but many of the lower classes and families were just uncultured however they were very useful fighters and she wouldn't say that they were bad in any way they just couldn't match up to the Dwarves.

Blushing again Astraphel's cheeks turned a soft pink and she bit her lip gently;

"I will visit as often as my parents will allow as you are right, I do enjoy basking in the culture of your people." she stated gently "Which might not be many occasions after what happened with the new arrivals, at least, until we know more about them."

Unable to stop herself from opening her mouth in shock, a rising feel of bile coming up in her throat when she saw the decapitation of the Elf right in front of her eyes, the blood almost spattered to her side of the table, almost upon herself! Her parents had always been especially overprotective and she had never truly fought in any battles, or seen many things like this.

"Uhm, yes they do." she murmured, getting herself back under control, turning her gaze to Thorag "Our spies discovered a large amount of unaccompanied Demon soldiers on their way back from the shore, when we approached their city we saw that there were two of these new creatures with them, and more were coming. There are at least 50 of these creatures now, living by the Sea of Screams, more of their ships are coming across the sea as we speak."

Thorag loved the way that she said she would be here as often as her parents would allow. Of course he would make sure that her parents were more than happy to have her visiting more often. Sometimes there were a lot of perks when it came to being not only a king but a king of kings, ruler over reigning monarchs throughout the world.

If he wanted Astraphel to, say, have a permanent position within the city limits? Well then she would have a permanent job within the city limits. His word was law and he would have his will done, one way or another,

"Well I'm sure that your parents would love for you to spend more time in the capital of our great Empire." He assured her with a grin, "All of the cultures of our world converge here, it is a melting pot of ideas and excitement I can tell you that for nothing."

He looked at the headless body of the elf and felt... nothing.

Before he had become king he had always loved the chance to punish his slaves but now he was king he spent far too much time killing large groups of them. So only one really didn't do much for him anymore it had to be said,

"Ah I thought as much." He admitted before humming and steepling his fingers as he looked at her directly, "These creatures... they have the capability to cross the sea of screams. They are a strong people. Are they trading with the demons yet? We must find out if we can separate them, bring these newcomers into our fold... would you agree? Or would you suggest a more direct approach?"

Astraphel surely did hope that her parents would want her to spend more time here because she wanted to get out and explore all of the world instead of staying in their town, she wanted to see the old ruins, the battlefields of old and there was no way in which she could do this living under her parents wing all of the time. She needed to go out and test her own.

Smiling brightly at Thorag Astraphel felt herself relaxing even more in his presence, now that she had gotten used to it once more.

"I am sure that if you were to talk to them, my King they would see how beneficial it would be for me to experience more of the cultures of the world first hand, instead of just from text books." she stated with a light tone.

The way in which he steepled his fingers and looked so...pensive made Astraphel want to blush again but she didn't, she might have looked shy but she didn't blush thankfully.

"We have reports that the demons have taken them under their wing, they trust the demons." Astraphel stated with a sad sigh to her voice "I would always say that it would be best to try the diplomatic approach before we have to shed unnecessary blood, they have probably been poisoned against us by the demons! Yet I feel that we must at least try and reach out to these new people, they could be fierce allies, and prove a tough enemy."

Thorag smirked a little bit. Of course they would see that! He would make sure that the two of them saw that it was in Astraphel's best interests to be brought closer to the seat of the monarchy. She would be of the highest class here, an achievement seldom held by anyone other than important Dwarves and the monarchs of their allies.

Smirking a little bit, he bowed to her,

"I would be very glad if they did see the light and I'm sure that the two of us can make them see that you living in the capital is the best solution."

Of course now was the time to be serious.

There was a new race of creatures they had never seen before. This in itself wasn't something to panic about at all. What he would feel the need to panic over a little bit was the fact that they seemed to be capable warriors. They had passed through the sea of Screams and to do that you had to kill at least one sea monster, usually more.

Sighing a little bit, he nodded,

"I believe we should build up an army." He told her simply, "And have them enter the region with our terms and our offer of parlay. If they accept all the better, the army can slaughter some of the demons to show them the price of rebellion. If they refuse and stand with the demons against us..."

There was a dark silence,

"Kill them all."