Luckily, the king does not seem too fazed by her admission. Briefly she recalls his first question posed to her when she’d come to his territory under cover of darkness – “why have you decided to come to a non-mythical kingdom?” There were too many reasons then for her to lie to him and cover up her magic ability, but perhaps now that many of those issues have passed and healed a little it will be less painful to reveal herself to him. He doesn’t say anything more than an expression of appreciation, and Liberi nods curtly before also turning her attention to the leader of the herd land they were within. Indeed, perhaps it was not a topic for much discussion at the present moment, since they are here on other business.
The king speaks and offers the treaty with the kingdom in a most eloquent fashion, even though Sariel is likely speaking as he regularly speaks. The offers the king puts forth are indeed ones that Liberi would find herself willing to accept if she were in a position to do so and she regrets that Bahamut had not been able to hear them fully. Perhaps the situation in his herdland would have gone better if the black stallion had known just what the king and advisor were there to offer.
A mare soon joins their group, making them four and equal, and Liberi smiles warmly at her. “Hello, Aedue,” she replies quietly before Mime’s thoughts are made clear to her. She nods again, when he asks her a question in his mind, smirking a little at how he tries to focus all his thoughts to one thing. Sometimes horses are capable of this, as it seems he is and so her smirk is in admiration more than jest, but some horses have minds that never cease making noises. Sometimes Liberi likes the latter, but she’s found that the older she gets, the more she likes the quiet of those who can indeed focus and not overwhelm her. Mime thinks in length about the king’s proposal, finally ending with a question of their terms in Heaven’s Gates. Rather than an occasional visit, Mime would prefer the terms include a more permanent inhabitance if needed, and Liberi smiles again in agreement. I will tell him, she speaks to Mime, her voice calm and quieter than when she speaks aloud seconds later after turning to Sariel.
“My lord,” the hail comes automatically – Liberi never could fully shake the old-fashioned greetings. “Mime wishes to convey his thanks and acceptance, though he also wants to add something to our terms if he may. He claims he ‘cannot uphold such a one-sided arrangement,’” she quotes him directly as his thoughts still echo in her own head. “He would offer his skills to our kingdom with your choice on which caste he serves. He also swears his future sons’ allegiance to our home, and requests that in exchange for this loyalty that if he should ever lose possession of Willow Forest and be without a private home he and his family be allowed to join our ranks in Heaven’s Gates.” She looks back at Mime, hoping he is pleased with her presentation to the king, and at Aedue smiling kindly again.
liberi
so eden sank to grief, so dawn goes on to day;
nothing gold can stay.
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