Agatha

Larvae were shuffled off guided by gothels, no doubt taken to be washed up and placed in cells for cultivation. 

Agatha stood watch as the crowd dismissed, unfortunately, the amends wasn't as uplifting as she had hoped. Enjinseer Usha's actions might have been a bit excessive, but they managed to hammer what situation the larvae were in.  

Melody floated around Lotef no doubt conveying her orders, before fluttering to play with some of the other docile pixcee. Agatha had no doubt her pixcee would keep an eye out for if she was needed. Melody might have been whimsical, but she wasn't oblivious. Even If Melody somehow failed to notice when she was needed, Agatha had another contingency. She had a strand of Melody's hair to get the child's attention.

Oana, the enchanter that had been selected to pull the larvae to the center during the amends shuffled towards her weakly. Before Agatha could give her further orders she fell to the floor. "I'm sorry overseer." Enchanter Oana—enchanters were allowed their name as a reward of good behavior—stuttered out.

"Don't let it happen again."

"Thank you! Thank you! I won't I promise, overseer! I will do better next time!"

"Go with Minder Joya." With that she rushed off, honestly, she had nothing to apologize for half the minders, including the minder who was responsible for the larva that slipped her grasp. Had lost track of why they were here during Usha's demonstration and nearly let their charges slip away. But it was always good to encourage such an attitude when it came to enchanters, otherwise, they could end up like Eluketh.

"Hakumei, my schedule."

Her bead came to life, "You have a meeting with Noblesse Julius, Morric also called a meeting overseer." Two men who liked making more work for her. Taking a final look at Jyoto who made her way with her majin and Mother Ruby, she would keep Jyoto safe, Agatha was certain of it. "I'm on my way."

...

"You need a stronger curve if you want this to be made out properly." Gentry Malena said, her finger on the paper. Noblesse Julius nodded following her finger as it slide against the paper, then did his own attempt to assumingly copy the text.

Gentry Malena turned to acknowledge her with a nod, "It seems like your voice has need of you. We can continue this at a later date." Gentry Malena nodded before taking the assortments of leaflets and strolled out of the office.

"I assume you have more advice for me?"

Agatha nodded.

"I told Komari to leave that poor girl alone, the next thing I know she's trouncing around in her mind." Taking a long sigh,  he poured himself a glass, Gentry Malena disapproved of the habit so he indulged out of her sight. Agatha didn't mind, a glass was useful in moderation, and Julius was good at his cups. It was how he poured the glass that bothered her, a bottle hovering in the air by a power so similar yet so different to the one their greatest foes used.  

"I don't get it." He said, throwing back the glass, which continued to hover in the air. A soft glow of energy emitting from it like steam. "I should be able to get them to lay off a bit, but no matter what I do? They look me in the eye, nod and go; 'Yes noblesse. Whatever you say.' Not five seconds later do they go about and do it. Maybe I should be grateful they at least wait for me to turn my back. What am I doing wrong overseer?"

"I tend to find life is merely correcting what wrongs you've made."

Julius kicked back further and scoffed, "What wrongs have you made?"

/I allowed a monster to lurk around our community unbound. I stood by while a promising girl was thrown to the mob's mercy. I kept a lonely sole from her partisan./ "Today?" /Worst of all, I've put my own selfishness above what was right./

"No. I'm curious about the mistake you'll make two weeks from now."

"I forgot to unhook one of the harnesses of an enjin, nearly choking the poor creature."

Noblesse Julius sighed, no doubt disappointed with her answer. "Well I'll take what I can get, I guess."

"Now you're learning." When he shot her a bewildered look did Agatha continue. "Taking what you can get is a key tenant of leadership." He nodded, pondering that for a moment, he didn't seem convinced.

"The people beneath you are... for lack of a better word children. They either don't know what to do unless you tell them, Think they know better than you and disregard your orders, or attempt to maneuver themselves into a position of power."

"So I've noticed..."

"You're going to need to get used to them. Learn how to manage them.  Gentry Komari is not someone you can forbid anything when it comes to matters of the gentry. Not without more effort than is usually worth."

"So how should I have handled the situation?"

Agatha crossed her arms, looking up at the ceiling for a moment, "I would keep her verdict hidden from the public." What she did. "Process her quietly, and assign her to gothels who I were certain wouldn't talk about it." Even then, that wouldn't dissuade Gentry Komari from finding her if she was really motivated. This was why she had Gentry Buttercup point out a few problems through multiple gentry, most known to favor bringing word of issues to Gentry Komari. 

"...And I just pointed her out for her." He said, pressing his hands to his face. He was able to put things together at least.

"What's done is done, we can only move forward."

"No, it's not voice." Noblesse Julius said, a bit of edge on his tongue. "How am I meant to know this? Where does anyone get this information? How would I ever have come to that answer? Where did you learn this?"

"It's knowledge bought through years of experience." /Lives and mistakes./

"I do not have time for years." She'd figure a regal, even one as young as the noblesse, would find years no longer than months. "Mother's plans continue to unravel, she becomes more frantic and I don't know what to do! I don't know how I can help and he won't stop reminding me of that!"

Agatha kept herself composed, she knew full well the he, her noblesse was talking about, the foolish would think he referred to the unwanted son. No, he complained about the same creature that Nu was saddled with.

"Do I need to get Nu for you?" Normally she would have sent for Gentry Komari, but she was one of the reasons for this outburst.

"No! No. I'm sorry. That was improper of me." He said, genuinely bothered by his slip in decorum. It was always worth noting every time she found something that truly bothered Noblesse Julius. He usually lived so casually, the entire camp thought he was nothing more than a thrill seeker. Barely able to keep his affairs in order.

"You need not apologize. I can understand your situation is a daunting one." Besides the outbursts were useful. When Noblesse Julius began hiding his feelings was when she had a need to worry. It meant she was out of his circle as a confidant. 

"No. It is no excuse. You have my apologies."

"Maybe another example would help. Take your current situation into consideration. Gentry Malena has a distaste for your indulgence, and so you 'cut back' for lack of a better word. Why do you think that is?"

Noblesse Julius flushed, "Because I-," He stopped, licking his lips, seizing at his floating cup, "I don't know. Don't look at me like that voice. I mean I know the reason, I just can't find the right words."

"That's good."

"How is that good?" He said with exasperation she only tolerated from her noblesse. 

"It means the answer you will find is important."

"It can't be that easy." He said shaking his head.

"Growing is more finding the right questions to answer, than just knowing everything." Best let him think on that, "Did you have another question?"

"Our enchanters. Why are they saddled with minders all of a sudden?"

"Ashen Wake." Another curiosity, they were also becoming a notable thorn. Zealots to the last of them. Another reason this nonsense about the matron needed to end. A cart can only hold so much, it would only be a matter of time before that weight would snap unless something changed.

Too long had humanity suckled at the matron's teat, she had her own to look after. Now they needed to separate and stand with the matron. Not lean on her as if she was some goddess. The wake did nothing but hold everyone back. Agatha counted what little miracles she could about them, at least they didn't tolerate the Old Faith.   

"I don't think that's a sound excuse." He said, pouring himself another glass, instead of drinking anymore, he just stirred it around with the power. Allowing the liquid to lift and drop back into the glass. At least it rested on the table, Agatha counted small miracles. "They are nowhere around the camps, and so what if they are? We already have more jinn than they are already comfortable with. Why are we taking what little they had earned from them?"

"Take this as another lesson, some resources tend to be... unpleasant."

"Bah! Unpleasant is an understatement, they have my people stepping on eggshells when they should be unwinding at this important time. No, that's not good enough. I will not hinder my own to appease the violent impulses of fanatics."

"I admire your dedication, but you must think long-term if we begin making trouble with the Ashen Wake now. It will be harder to cow them when they get out of line with more eccentric demands."

"Or, it will show them we are not to be trifled with." 

Agatha forced calm, he was still invigorated by the position they were in. Armed with a golem and more than enough warjin to punch a hole through nearly anything. Mistakenly, he believed he could use their force to leverage a more favorable position. That could work with the Matron's children, Final Vintage, or The Ash Flesh. But the Ashen Wake would see it as a challenge, one that she had no doubt they would take despite the odds. He had yet to learn nothing was as predictable as one expected. 

"People aren't-"

"Voice, am I, not Noblesse?"

"Of course you are."

"Then let it go, I will-"

"By all means blunder if you must, but you will not do it with my jinn."

That got his attention, Noblesse Julius flashed a bit of teeth, barely stopping himself from grinding his molars together. "My apologies, Overseer." He said leaning back, clasping his hands together. "A harsh hand is like a hammer."

"Only a fool sees it as an answer for everything." Agatha finished for him. It was the first lesson she instilled into him when she became his voice.

"Ok voice, I am ready to listen, why should I not put the Ashen Wake in their place?"

"Grand Enchanter Eluketh."

Noblesse Julius let out a prolonged sigh. "What did he do now?"

What hadn't he done? "Misuse of resources. Bar fights. Threatened an Enjinseer." He's lucky his stupidity served as a good lesson for Lotef, otherwise, Agatha would have removed him herself painfully. "Beat a genie far past his jurisdiction."

"Why is he still around..." Julius moaned, pressing his head on the table, and walking his fingers across the surface.

The sad fact was he was the best enchanter they had, "As I said, some resources will be unpleasant. Take it as another lesson, you're going to need to get used to working with people you hate."

"Is that why you keep that Morric and that dreadful noble?"

"More or less." Lucjan was a more complicated matter she refused to get into with the noblesse.

Noblesse Julius crossed his arm and nodded sharply, "Thank you, overseer, I will keep in mind your words of wisdom." With that he dismissed her.

"Overseer..." He said, before she opened the door, "I'm sorry about Nakya."

Agatha forced a smile, "It wasn't your fault Noblesse." And it wasn't, not really, no more his fault than it was Nakya's herself. It was the circumstance of the whole thing.   

...

Agatha let Enjinseer Morric continue uninterrupted, the man was really like a waterfall, violent and unending. The meeting was more of the usual, Enjinseer Morric complaining about anything and everything under the sun. Agatha took the routine as a way to relax in a way, the same way a laborer could relax in the monotony of accustomed work. 

"Honestly Morric," Enjinseer Noemi interrupted slouching on her table, "Can you just get on with it, some of us don't have an entire day to waste." Another woman Agatha found could be a headache when she wanted to. "I for one have more pressing matters after this." Agatha would put leaves on those pressing matters revolving around spending more time with that wolf of hers. At times she wondered if the woman wasn't a wolfborn somehow.     

"Oh, how should we divide Leafseer Nakya's obligations?" Enjinseer Morric said, sounding as casual as he could muster. The question pierced Agatha like an arrow to the heart.

It took Agatha a moment to answer, her first response was nothing but venom, that wouldn't be the right way to remember Nakya. That wound would take far longer than she wanted to scar, the matron's condemnation was more proof that she was not infallible, another in an extending list of evidence.

"Are you really so deficient that you need me to guide you through the established procedure, Morric?"

"Of course not overseer I merely-"

"Enjinseer Ku'mac, distribute Leafseer Nakya's obligations since the concept seems to elude Enjinseer Morric at the moment."

Enjinseer Ku'mac's eyes began to widen, nowhere near pleased at being put in the middle of another of his instructor's spats. "Yes, overseer." The lad said, nearly half afraid Enjinseer Morric would have ripped his throat out.

The rest of the meeting was expected, which jinn needed attention, which were causing problems, and what measures should be taken. Enjinseer Yohan reported there were no problems with his foci. Enjinseer Kayson brought up the need for nectar once again. Once again she reassured him, more nectar was on the way. Enjinseer Noemi remained tight-lipped as always.

Jyoto, Enjinseer Jamie, and Enjinseer Eija; did not appear. That was acceptable after all this was not a required meeting, save the overseer. The overseer missing too many open meetings could open up questions of negligence, never mind the foolish compact calling all these meetings. Agatha chose to look on the silver lining, Morric occasionally would make a good point once every few meetings. 

"Why do you let him get away with that?" Enjinseer Koket said he wore a constant scowl.

"Some would say the same about my treatment with you." He flushed at that, as much as he tried he still had that naivety associated with most leafseers.

"People tend to be idiots." Enjinseer Koket said, at times he let too much of his instructor rub off on him. At least he didn't adopt that habit of going missing all the time. When she refused to continue did he relent. "Permission to ask why you let him get away with so much, Overseer?" He asked, brushing beneath his nose, his tone much better.

"Because Enjinseer Morric is not a genie to lash into submission." Apparently, that wasn't the answer he was expecting. 

"You're just encouraging him to be more brazen." It was something she appreciated from the enjinseer, he would tell you to your face, even when he was wrong. His brashness was refreshing compared to the assortment of people trying to find what they thought she wanted to hear.

"Enjinseer Morric is brazen by nature. This way his audacity is doled out in increments."

"You are the overseer." He said his way of conceding while making it clear he vehemently disagreed. 

"You seem to have a knack for making enemies." Gentry Ne'etah said, leaning against a wall ahead, her arms crossed.

"Enjinseer Koket, take stock of our cinderbacks."

Koket nodded, stopping only to pay a salute to Gentry Ne'etah before taking his leave.    

...

"I had a talk with the coterie."

"You said you would."

"They granted permission," Of course they would, Agatha had no doubts she would be granted the right if Gentry Ne'etah requested. She'd only hoped for an interview to buy her a bit more time.

"Gloating? That's beneath you Gentry."

"Please, do not compare me to the guiles you have to deal with, this is a heads up. I feel I owe you that much for taking care of my Mora for me."

"Very kind of you. Let me offer one in return. Stay away from her."

"Threats? I thought you better than that guile."

"No threat, a bit of friendly advice. Probably something I should have trusted you with. Enjinseer Lotef is not all there mentally. A traumatic experience she's still recovering from."

"What happened?"

"Not mine to tell."

"Yet you tell me this much."

"I'm making a point. She's a hair's breadth from cracking like an egg, she must be handled delicately."

"More the reason for me to be with her! I'm her partisan I can-,"

"You were her partisan," Gentry Ne'etah took the statement as well as a slap to the face. "If you were to add that stress to her it could very well upend all the progress she has made. I promise I'll introduce you myself, I just ask for time to help her adjust."

She looked Agatha in the eyes, her complete fury threatening to spill out at any moment. "I'm doing this for Morakar, not you." She said.

"Thank you," Agatha said, and she genuinely meant it. 

"Mama!" Melody shouted, fluttering into the hallway. "You're needed urgently!"

Whatever animosity between her and the emerald knight could wait, the camp needed to be secured. Agatha followed Melody, Gentry Ne'etah trailing close behind, her hand on her blade ready to pull it free. Already a crowd was forming surrounding a person, the chaplain at the side confirming someone had been injured. The crowd was a good sign. It meant whatever was happening, it wasn't a pressing threat.

Agatha got close enough to see it was a mane, a scout-sergeant no less. She was not one of the current scouts stationed. "Who does she belong to?"

"One of Gertrud's." The chaplain responded. Agatha didn't need to hear anymore to know she was Moreen's scout, or what her being here probably meant.

"Get her a genie for-"

"No! No! No apostate!" The scout said through frantic breathing. "No more of those... things."

"It's best we keep the medicine mundane." Her chaplain said.

Agatha relented with a nod, "How is she?"

"She'll live." The chaplain said, "No major injuries, she's just worn herself out."

"Mikki, why are you here?" Rapunzel Gertrud said, making her way through the crowd, no doubt Hakumei had relayed the news to her. "Where are the others?"

Mane Mikki sat up, coughing frantically attempting to wipe the tears forming in her eyes. "I'm so sorry Lioness! I'm so sorry... They... We... Failed you."

...

"Blacklake?" Nu said, scratching a finger against his chin. "You're certain she said that name?"

Agatha nodded, "She wouldn't stop going on about it. What do you know about her?" Agatha was so close. She finally knew where he had been hiding, she was going to make him pay. From what little they could get out of the scout-sergeant she was able to keep herself out of sight. But watch as the necromancer executed each and every one of her lott.

She only dared stay long enough to get a count of the necromancers, apparently pushing her grub to the limit. She kept close, keeping herself outside the sight of the lords getting as much information as she could... That was until she saw him. The moment she saw him she left with utmost haste, wearing both herself and her mount out as she rushed here as fast as she could manage. Blacklake was the only other name she brought back with her.

"Just a tad, a few of our kin have a feud... with her." 

He did have necromancers under him, powerful ones if Mane Mikki's account was to be believed. "Have you heard about any of the others?"

Nu shook his head, "Not without a name to go by, they jump from the body every generation after all. You planning to quit avoiding the main issue?"

Of course, she would avoid the main issue, only a fool rushed to a battle they could not win, and yet...

"He will pay." The Ender of Hope was the reason Mane Mikki doubled back and rushed to warn them as soon as possible. She would collar the bastard, lock him up, and make him disclose where he hid the body. She didn't know whether to go easier on him for merely storing him or harsher for taking him in the first place.

An arm pulled her off her balance onto the cushion and Nu's arms. "Stop it." She wasn't in the mood right now. She had a problem she needed to figure out and she didn't need a distraction.

Even if that distraction had a way to find the right spot with his fingers. She couldn't relax right now, not after what happened to poor Mikki.

"She's alive and will make a full recovery. Stop worrying about her." The aborted man was too good at reading her mind. "You're shoulders... You need to let everyone off them once in a while." 

/Still aiming for the monopoly?/ She wanted to say, but all she could manage was rolling her neck and a command to continue through a moan. "Stop worrying about what you can't control, and loosen up." Nu said.

It didn't take long for him to strip away at her defenses. Her tension quickly followed, meeting her clothes on the floor. Lounging in his arms, the warmth of his body was like a blanket. "Isn't that better?" Nu said, brushing his hand against her waist.

"Shut up." She said, playfully punching him in the ribs, making certain it was light as possible. Powers or no powers he was still a twig after all.

"Make certain not to lose sight, ok?" Nu said, hooking his thumb beneath her chin, turning her to look him in those violent eyes.

"You're not going to convince me-,"

"I already know the futility of swimming up a waterfall ma'am." He said, "I can only hope you keep that in mind as we stroll across the banks. Right now I don't want to talk." He said, leaning forward. 

"Agatha, I need to have words with you-" Noblesse Julius said stumbling in her room with all the grace of a bull. Stopping the moment he saw the two of them. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

"Yes." Nu said, dejectedly raising to his feet, snatching his pants from the chair.

Agatha wrapped herself with the covers left behind, "How may I help you Noblesse?"

Noblesse Julius coughed before continuing, "What's going on? I heard news of a Lioness dying."

"No, the mane survived." Nu said, fishing out a bottle of wine and pouring himself a glass. "It was the rest of her lott we lost."

Agatha relayed Mikki's report of the situation along with her current status, "We'll need to award Mane Mikki some kind of commendation for her bravery." Noblesse Julius said with a nod. "So how do we handle this Overseer? I've heard things about this Ender of Hope. Dreadful. I'm certain we could relocate with another Exodus."

"I would advise against it." Agatha avoided the pointed look from Nu.

"Why?"

"The Ashen Wake would never recant from this news, they would continue forward and mount further casualties."

Noblesse Julius merely shrugged, "If the Wake wants to run off a cliff, it's no bones to me." 

"I see those lessons are working well for you brother." Nu said, throwing back his drink. Both Agatha and Noblesse Julius fixed him a look. Agatha glared an indignant scowl on her face. Julius on the other hand, was a mask of distaste, at being talked down to no doubt, but she could see hints of preening slipping through the cracks of that mask.

"Relax," Noblesse Julius said the moment his gaze met Agatha's. "I'm not going to condemn them, I'm certain I can convince Nevatek."

"Noblesse, I have no doubt you would be able to convince your sister, but I implore you to think carefully. Why else would the Ender of Hope be sent around that area." /C'mon, make the connection, make the connection. Make the-/

"You don't think? He would know about Mother's lost child?"

"Who can say?" Agatha shrugged, keeping her relief smothered. "But I would fret to have them get their hands on such a blissful relic."

"Mother would kill me. If I convinced Nevatek, that would be her out, but me..."

"But think of how pleased the matron would be if you were not only able to obtain the golem but also bring her the man who killed her champion?"

"Is that even possible?"

"He is still only a man." Nu said she was grateful for his backup.

"We already have a considerable number of warjin, I have connections that can get us another golem." Though she would need to find a knight to keep it under control. "The Ashen Wake will also prove useful against the Ender of Hope." As a bulwark if nothing else.

"Yes, I can-, no we can overcome this monster, make your preparations overseer, I will see to getting a cell fit for such a dastardly fiend!" With that he rushed out of the room, leaving Agatha and Nu alone again.

"I'm guessing the moods gone?"

"Unfortunately." Agatha said, slipping her uniform back on. She paid his sigh no mind as she plucked her garments from the floor. Seizing the thread of Melody's hair she had left on the table. Agatha squeezed it between her thumb and index finger, calling her pixcee's attention. 

"What are you going to do?" Nu asked.

"I'm going to need to make a few meetings."

...

"Overseer." Luminous Maryam said trailing behind Agatha, was she waiting in this hallway for her? "I would like a word with you."

/You and everyone else in this camp apparently./ When did everyone become as needy as Jyoto? "Be quick." Agatha did not need this right now.

"I wanted to talk with you about the deployments."

"Take it up with the Long-braid."

"I did ma'am, She sent me to you."

Abort it Lylou. "What's the problem?"

"We are sending too many men towards the nearby towns, we've already had to ash a fourth of our current ember supply. If we keep this soft-hearted nonsense we won't be able to challenge our foes effectively." /Soft-hearted nonsense was it?/

"Are you positioning yourself as a replacement?"

"Matron no! Rapunzel Lylou is brilliant, she just happens to have a blind spot. One that should be challenged before it's allowed to grow out of control."

"Very well." Luminous Maryam lit up at that, "How would you suggest we prune this problem?"

"First we should recall our current lotts, then we can structure them to handle truly necessary situations, like the bandit attack. If we must reach out to the others, we should require a stricter requisition in return. Letting them offer what they can isn't sustainable."

"Yet we still march without a problem."

"Not through the lott, if we were to lose access to the charity, we would-"

"Work on tighter purse strings."

"Even now, the Ashen Wake is profiting off our contributions. Even now they get requisitions from those who can't tell a blossom from a flame."

"Those are merely the runoff offered to not offend."

"If we must continue this way, I would suggest we draft the Ashen Wake to pull their share."

"And how would you suggest we get them involved?" If she suggested force Agatha swore-

"I've been thinking about that ma'am, I suggest we reach out through the charity, matron willing we could convince the wryd council to thrust them into action." Agatha had considered that it ran into one problem she could never figure out.

"After setting up a routine, we can begin placing the wake in positions where they can take a pounding. The loss will make a further gap between us, giving us a firmer grasp of the situation."

Rapunzel Maryam perfectly extrapolated the problem Agatha had with the plan, except her fear was the Ashen Wake would use the strategy to winnow her forces. A shame they had to be saddled with a march that would employ such a strategy. That her newest Rapunzel had suggested the very same maneuver...

"A bit wasteful in the long run, wouldn't you agree? Crippling our overall forces."

"They would employ the same to us, ma'am." She wasn't wrong, it was the key reason Agatha was against engaging in this foolishness. With the Ender of Hope as a target, there was no way she would spend even a single lottman more than she had to, from either march.

"That is not an answer, will this not lessen our combined arms?"

"Yes." She admitted grudgingly. "But a bigger weapon is useless if it can't be aimed properly."

Agatha nodded, "A decent argument, but not arguments I have heard ever since I issued the order. I still don't find them convincing."

Luminous Maryam swallowed on the revelation, "They were your orders?"

"Do you still believe my choices a 'Soft hearted mistake'?"

"Yes." At least she wasn't easily cowed, "Permission to ask your reasoning Ma'am?"

"You're a rapunzel now. You need to focus more on the war than the battle. I'm merely sowing the field right now. We are making our way with a loss of resources currently, but it will pay over in our next campaign in dividends. Besides Aljazer, Ketarvey, and Marcorvos provide higher quality materials, better to use our previous kindness as a balm when we take from them is it not?"

"Isn't that a bit counting your eggs before they hatch ma'am," No more than cutting at the Wake would have been. "Anything could happen before we get there."

"We'll adapt, our field isn't about certainty, we throw the dice and pick up the pieces afterwards." Luminous Maryam looked unconvinced, "I take it you won't be relieved until I lay out a few of my contingencies?"

Luminous Maryam nodded, and Agatha explained the most expected derailments to be, weather or a bad harvest, and how she planned to handle either of them.  

...

Overall he was not what Agatha expected, lithe and pale, yet he walked with such a proud gait. "You wished for an audience overseer?" Even his speech, even and mild, making certain to pronounce every syllable.

"Yes. Have a seat." He nodded and took the chair before Agatha continued. "I happened to look up the name of your blade, Leniency. It doesn't appear to be in the record."  

"That's because it's not part of your registry," He said with a smile.

"A bit far from the Mouse clan aren't we?"

"Everything is closer with a white mare." So he was the reason for that obvious boon.

"You should be careful among the wake, they are hard to trust anything linked to the cadence."

"They are smart to be weary of such, but you do not need to worry, they already know."

"And you're still alive?"

"They are in need of everything they can muster." /Aren't we all?/ "Besides a white mare helps a lot."

"I bet. Are they aware the blade is awakened?" Agatha noticed a shift in the mage for a split second. She was certain he had considered killing her, not if it was possible, neither one of them had no doubt how a fight would end. Whether he could kill her and get away with his crime. "I'll take that as a no. You don't need to worry, they will not learn from me." At least he eased up a bit.

"What do you want from me?"

"An offer. I have some parties offering a golem. Unfortunately, it's useless without an emerald knight..."

"Or a mage with an awakened blade. And you wish for me to guide it against the Ender of Hope?" How did he know about that? "Do not worry, they will not learn from me."

"Not without a reward of course. I heard you have yet to claim a genie, take your pick from one of my jinn and they will be yours."

Once again the mage's guard was up, that no doubt soured him. "I may not agree with much of the Ashen Wake, but they are right on one thing. The enslavement of jinn is wrong." Enslavement huh?

"Then I will offer you ten jinn, to take back to Shandahar and do what you wish with them. Including unleashing them." She was relieved she was able to say that last part with a straight face. She had unleashed jinn before, usually as part of negotiations with some of the more ignorant clans, not counting the Feather clans, never the Feather clan. 

"That is not what I wish for either."

"Then what do you require."

He sat for a moment, pondering before he responded, "I'm sorry overseer I'm afraid you don't have anything I require." She knew it would have been a long shot, but she was beginning to run out of time and options.

"There has to be some way we can reach an accommodation."

"I am sorry overseer, but you can not convince me to leave the-"

"I meant for use of your White Mare."

That got his attention, "A white mare is no mere beast of burden, I can not-"

"I merely ask you put in a good word for me with it, introduce it to a rider I think it will find worthy."

"And what do you have to offer to even get me to consider this?"

"The real reason we are making this exodus, along with five jinn to be unleashed of my choosing at your leisure."

He considered for a moment before responding, "Very well."

"Before we learned of the Ender of Hope and his cronies, we stumbled upon a golem used within the old war. Reclaiming and restoring this golem is our primary mission."

"I fail to see how a single golem could be worth so much effort."

"This is a golem before the old war, if we were able to recover such a construction we'd be able to accomplish much more." /Like summoning such creatures without the necessary sacrifices./

"What little I know of your golems, the creature within must be dead by now?"

Agatha shook her head, "The fae within the golem can hibernate far longer than you can imagine."/It might require sacrificing a few jinn./

"And now with the Ender of Hope emerging? Do you still plan to awaken this golem?"

"You've gotten your information. Go and fulfill your end."

...

"In quite the pickle I hear." Lucent Maggie said, that predatory smile on her face. "Mikki is doing ok I hope?"

"She will live."

"A shame you didn't send for me, I could have... tended to her much better." /Wretched monster./

"You're not planning to cut and run are you?"

"Equilibrium forbid,  I wouldn't want to deny myself the opportunity to claim a necromancer."

"Then what do you want?"

"An hour alone with Gothel Ruby, the poor dear desperately needs consoling. But I feel that might be unadvised at the moment. Apparently, she's more guarded crestfallen." She licked her lips. "But That's an improper question, no. The real question is what do you need from me?"

"If you have a point then get to it."

"You need equipment, I have access to wolds, goblins, a few jinn, and even a couple of nymhide laying around. A few calls and I can redirect all of it to you."

"This is what you were talking to Enjinseer Morric about?"

She pulled that half-smile again, "At times I forget how observant you are overseer. Yes, I was planning to hold this ultimatum. Give me what I want, or I'd hand this to Morric. But I figured that might be a tad selfish considering our current situation." Meaning she found a better way to leverage her offer. A shame considering that the previous ultimatum would have never motivated her. Enjinseer Morric could bring all the resources he wished it would only do them good in the long run.

"Planning to give them to the Wake now?"

"What can I get out of that? No, I will hand it all to you. It's just... I might need the motivation to focus properly..."

Agatha stifled the part of herself that wanted to bury the knife she kept with her in the insolent girl's throat. Her squire would be no doubt more reasonable to work with. People were putting their lives on the line, going up against the very man who killed Joren Lightlux. And she was more preoccupied with what she could get out of this.

"What. Do. You. Want."

 "Your Witness is pleasant from what I've seen. I'd love to spend a night with her, give both of us a chance to get to know each other better. She did wonderful work with my Crescent, I'd love for a chance to thank her."

"My office."

Agatha waited for Lucent Maggie to close the door before responding. "You go anywhere near her and I will make you regret it."

Maggie's smile faded away quickly at that, and Agatha would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the sight. "You and that Mileva rehearse that together?" That would explain why she had been staying away from Jyoto.

"That sounds a bit reserve for her." Agatha hid her mirth as she flashed the fool girl a smile.

"She was far crasser with her warning, something about taking my blade and shoving it so far up my... You know, I'm honestly still trying to figure out if it was a threat or proposition."

"The former."

"Needless, I want one night-," Good, hesitation was good, if there was one thing she could count on, it was this Knight looking out for her own well-being above anything and anyone. "And then you can have all the tools at my disposal."

"You are a disgusting creature." Agatha said, but how much worse was she? Considering what she was about to do. /Lotef, Ne'etah forgive me./ Matron forgive me for the sin I'm about to commit. "I will allow you a night, but you will not force yourself-"

"Initiate."

"On her, am I clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good." Agatha said, pulling something from her desk. Lucent Maggie's eyes widen at the sight.

"You can't be serious?"

"It shouldn't be a problem for someone as charming as you, right? Besides, you were planning to keep your word anyway." Agatha said, holding the white mare's braid suspended towards her.

"I was more concerned with the waste of resources." She lied.

"I see no waste." Agatha said, tossing the braid across the table. "Make the oath or get out."

Lucent Maggie gritted her teeth, snatching the braid untangling enough to tie around her hand. "I promise I will grant you-"

"You don't need to promise that, I trust you won't disappoint on your end."

Lucent Maggie closed her eyes and kept that smile fixed on her face. "Very well." She said, the braid began to glow softly, that was a good sign. Agatha guided the knight through the oath, making certain not to allow for any hole she could wriggle out of.