RP:The Enemy of My Estranged Business Partner...
Part of the Rise of Larket Arc
Summary: Kreekitaka would treat with King Macon on matters of state and circumstance. XOXO, Frostmaw.
Larket: Red Ogre Inn
Kreekitaka hadn't ridden here on a dinosaur. After hearing about the various siege weapons being put into practice from his workers at the shop, he'd felt it better to travel up the river on a large trilobite--not even using a war scorpion. The creature crawled ashore in the usual place that Kree's people did, and Kree had even brought a load of supplies for the store with which to get through customs. Surely, at some point, he was interrogated briefly by Kingsguard, asking him if he was planning an attack on Larket, to which the response was simply, "I have been having seconDAH! HHHTHoughTAH!s abouTAH! any such action an' I wish TAH!oo speak wiHHHTH your own king abouTAH! cerTAH!ain maTAH!ers which may interesTAH! him. Io be in HHHTHe TAH!avern waiTAH!ing for him." And so, after dropping off his cargo, Kree went to the tavern, parked the trilobite outside, ordered something to drink to pass the time, and waited.
Macon has Kreekitaka waiting for a bit after the king receives word that the Uyeer is seeking an audience with him. The Rage Knight decides against wearing his armor and leaves the fort in a coat that is just regal enough for him to still be easily recognized on the streets. The Rage Axe is not left behind, instead the king carries it with him as he most often does. The marble Crown of Larket too makes the trip, the heavy thing slightly off-center on Macon’s head as he moves through the city accompanied by six kingsguard of varying armor levels, ranging from heavy to mage robes. This stroll is less jovial than his usual walks given the events of the previous day that have led to a gaping hole in the side of Fort Freedom, but he still stops to chat with a few citizens, knowing most of them by name, discussing how bravely he stood up to a dragon yesterday and how Frostmaw will pay, all that good stuff. So, he made Kreekitaka wait, because it takes Macon forever to get anywhere in Larket. When he finally does arrive the king is preceded by a pair of kingsguard, a mage and a swordsman, and tailed by another pair that are dressed more plainly, like they are under cover. Two remaining guards stay outside to watch the entrance. Macon approaches the crab and calls out his name, “Kreekitaka. ‘Ello.” He growls out the greeting, as usual, his tone insisting that they get right down to it as quickly as possible.
Kreekitaka had his arms crossed by the time the king arrives--while patient, his time is not infinite and Macon's slow approach had him a bit concerned. The appearance of the kingsguard with him was unsurprising, but the fact that Macon himself was wearing no armor did come as a bit of a surprise. "GreeTAH!ings, Macon," he said, rising and clenching his facial crushers in respect. "I mus' say, I have haDAH! a mos'... fascinaTAH!ing week." He got back down on his back legs, "seated", and gestured vaguely in the direction of the fort. "Seems you have aoso, so Io geTAH! righTAH! TAH!oo iTAH!." Kreekitaka clasped his claws together. "As I am sure you know, I have cerTAH!ain yarge creatures avaiyabo TAH!oo me. HHHTHey make wondrous war mounTAH!s an' I suspecTAH! if we were TAH!oo meeTAH! in HHHTHe... hmm..." he gestured vaguely, searching for the word, paddles slowly lifting as he gradually grew more frustrated with himself until finally, "if we were TAH!oo meeTAH! in baTAH!oh, I suspecTAH! your forces woulDAH! be aTAH! a severe DAH!isaDAH!vanTAH!age, even wiHHHTH your new TAH!oys." Now he gestured in the direction of the siege weapon placements. "Now, aTAH! one poinTAH!, I haDAH! HHHTHe inTAH!ention of chayenging you TAH!oo a game of war--we pick a pyace where our armies coulDAH! meeTAH!, where HHHTHe TAH!errain is TAH!oo no one's aDAH!vanTAH!age, an' we see who is HHHTHe greaTAH!er commanDAH!er of forces." There was a small pause to let that sink in. "However, cerTAH!ain evenTAH!s have yeDAH! me TAH!oo HHHTHe concyusion HHHTHaTAH! my aTAH!ention is besTAH! DAH!irecTAH!eDAH! esswhere. You have noHHHTHing TAH!oo fear from me, an' you may yeTAH! HHHTHe ciTAH!ee know. In facTAH!--shoulDAH! you require assisTAH!ance, you may message me, an' if you can make iTAH! worHHHTH my TAH!ime, Io assisTAH! in any way I can."
Macon smiles, still somewhat in his ‘out in the public eye’ act, and lowers himself into the offered seat after propping the rage axe up against another chair or a countertop. Distaste can be read plainly on the king’s face when the uyeer references the damage to his fort, but his expression actually becomes lighter when Kreekitaka divulges his previous plan of challenging Larket to a battle. Of course he has been made aware of that scheme by several different people loyal to him and it comes as no surprise. What is surprising is the news (or fake news, let’s see) that the plan has changed and Larket is no longer in the crab’s crosshairs. After listening to everything the designer and war crustacean has to say, Macon takes a brief moment to think about what has just been said, and also to comprehend it through the accent. “Interesting…” He smiles again and moves fingertips to his chin, brushing against stubble, “Can I ask wha’ brought about this change of ‘art?”
Kreekitaka made a vague gesture with a claw. He still had friends up in Frostmaw, regardless of his falling-out with the leadership, and he didn't want to encourage the king to try launching an attack on them -just- yet. Plus, if Macon could be stalled a little, it was possible Frostmaw would make their own move and both sides would be weakened in the ensuing conflict. "I'm having a few money issues," was the answer he gave--which was partially true, he was down an income source, mediocre though it may have been. "I wish TAH!oo geTAH! everyHHHTHing seTAH! before I move forwarDAH! wiHHHTH any campaign. BesiDAH!s," he gestured around at the city, "everyone here seems happy. My sources inform me of your abiyiTAH!ee TAH!oo enrage an' riyo up HHHTHe ciTAH!ee when you DAH!esire, an' I HHHTHoughTAH! your enTAH!ire kingship was baseDAH! on fear an' anger. WheHHHTHer your kingship is baseDAH! on mistruHHHTH or noTAH!, I cannoTAH! DAH!eny HHHTHe way HHHTHe peepo yook aTAH! you." He flared his facial crushers and rippled his paddles a little, his voice turning a shade darker. "HHHTHere are oHHHTHer ciTAH!ies which require far more aTAH!ention HHHTHan yours. Have you been TAH!oo HHHTHe ciTAH!ee by HHHTHe sea recenTAH!yee? Scum an' piraTAH!s an' DAH!ogs roam HHHTHe streeTAH!s even by DAH!ay. An' DAH!on'TAH! even sTAH!arTAH! me on Vaiohkrin." That city was beyond help, in his eyes. It was going to burn.
Macon raises a brow at the explanation given for taking the heat off of Larket and wonders to himself just how expensive dinosaur upkeep can be. It is true that The Queen of Frostmaw has personally incited him just yesterday and he is inclined to strike back against the frozen city sooner rather than later after the theft of his treasure. Indeed, an attack from either side of this war on the other seems closer to reality now than it ever has previously. Kreekitaka does very well to praise the king for his rapport with his citizens, earning a genuine smile and nod of thanks from the monarch. Where the uyeer was right up there in the top five of Macon’s most hated people just yesterday, his change of heart and well placed compliment have bumped the crab right on over to the ‘people who are really good’ list. A true friend of Larket, this guy. While he tries to stop beaming with pride (he succeeds by just thinking about the dragon sized hole in his throne room wall), Macon nods while he listens to the leader of the dino riders’ opinion on Cenril and Vailkrin. “Cenril is a mess.” He agrees, and declines to offer opinion on Vailkrin, because he isn’t quite sure what the heck is going on over there. “I mus’ focus domestically, as y’know.,” he adds. “I can see takin’ y’up on the offer of assistance if this conflict with Frostmaw goes on longer…”
Kreekitaka suddenly had a spark of an idea and had to refrain from a chuckle. He had to focus domestically--well. Certainly a little help in that regard wouldn't hurt, would it? "Speaking of which. My assisTAH!ance neeDAH! noTAH! be pureyee miyiTAH!ary. In facTAH!, my troops pysicayee cannoTAH! aTAH!ack Fros'maw--HHHTHe cyimaTAH! ayone woulDAH! syay HHHTHem. I can, however, easiyee break a siege, shoulDAH! iTAH! come TAH!oo such. Here is someHHHTHing I can DAH!oo for you righTAH! now, however--ayow me TAH!oo invesTAH! more heaviyee in Yarketian infras'ructure. In her businesses. I know how TAH!oo run a business--you cannoTAH! DAH!eny HHHTHis--an' so if you ayow me TAH!oo manage HHHTHe privaTAH! secTAH!or of HHHTHe ciTAH!ee, her imporTAH!s an' exporTAH!s, you can focus your minDAH! enTAH!ireyee on how TAH!oo fighTAH! your war." There was a slight pause, and then: "I woulDAH! be suborDAH!inaTAH! TAH!oo you, of course, aTAH! yeasTAH! wiHHHTHin your own ciTAH!ee," he added, as if an afterthought. "ConsiDAH!er iTAH! a managemenTAH! position, an aDAH!visor." Of course, investing more heavily for Kree meant outright buyouts for several businesses that Macon himself still held more stock in. It would make up for the losses in Frostmaw, as well as give him additional leverage in the city. But, as stated, it -would- allow Macon more time to focus on the war effort, and maybe even make the city more money in the process...
Macon considers this offer of Kreekitaka’s for some time, massaging his chin roughly, growling subtly, and narrowing his grey stare every now and then. While he is deliberating, one of the Kingsguard delivers to him a whiskey and a cup of tea, providing both rather than asking which he would have prefered so as not to interrupt him. Macon nods towards the young mage and finally speaks while looking back and forth between the glass, and cup and saucer. He has weighed the pros and cons, seeing the merit of a sudden influx of capital for the city, he decides that, “I mus’ decline… You ‘ave to understand tha’ while I ‘ave the city’s trus’, you, at the moment, do not. Rumors travel fast and we ‘ave been preparing for a battle on two fronts since learning of your plans t’attack the kingdom. While I would like t’ave your expertise at my disposal as a business advisor, the time is simply not righ’... The people will not stand for someone they considered a hostile enemy so recently t’begin accruing more influence in their city. Their trus’ mus’ not be bought. It cannot be.” He fixes his stone stare on Kreekitaka to gauge his reaction and takes a sip from the whiskey.
Kreekitaka made a small harrumph noise, but he did see the logic in it. While the King may be alright with him, it might take some more time to win public opinion over to his side. He'd noticed this, too--profits from his shop here had decreased somewhat in the most recent weeks. "Of course." However, public opinion would certainly be an easy thing to manipulate--here, he was meeting with the king himself, rather than dealing with cronies. "WhaTAH! if I make a pubyic procyamation of my frienDAH!ship wiHHHTH HHHTHe ciTAH!ee, an', say..." Some manner of public tribute would likely be required. If he was going to face these people later on, he didn't want to give them something they could use against him later on, and he certainly didn't want Frostmaw hearing that he was supplying Macon with war materiel like dinosaurs. However, if he dealt purely in the economic realm, surely it would simply be seen as making up for his losses in that city, yes? "...I offer proTAH!ection for any cargo convoys? You an' yours woulDAH! be free TAH!oo trayDAH! wiHHHTH any ciTAH!ee you wish, HHHTHe rumors of my creaTAH!ing an armeDAH! force TAH!oo aTAH!ack YarkeTAH! are immeDAH!iaTAH!yee DAH!isproven by a yegiTAH!imaTAH! business venture, an' eventuayee HHHTHe peepo trusTAH! me again." A bold move, to be sure. It would have to be tested by the king himself at first, most likely, before the people trusted him. But it could, in time, open people's hearts to having him around.
Macon nods twice while listening to the proposal, he takes much less time to think on this one. “I believe tha’ may work… I will do my part in making it known tha’ your sights are no longer on Larket… in hostility, at least.” He adds those last words while narrowing his slate gaze slightly. The Rage Knight came to this kingdom as a businessman himself several years ago, and so he is not oblivious to the machinations Kreekitaka is trying to position himself and his coin for. Macon is a subscriber to the notion that the best way to get rid of a salesman is not to tell him ‘no’, but to tell him ‘yes’. “I only ask tha’ you wait a few weeks for the city’s suspicion of you t’die down, before you begin providing your security. It does not make sense t’risk wha’ could be a lucrative partnership due to ‘aste” More Whiskey…
Kreekitaka nodded. That would be fine. He knew how slowly Frostmaw tended to move--politically, anyhow--and that seemed like a perfectly fair amount of time. "I can agree wiHHHTH HHHTHese TAH!erms." He extended a claw and snapped it partially open to shake Macon's hand. "TAH!oo new frien'ships, yes?" In truth, this didn't put Kree in a -much- greater position, at least not yet. But having a greater foothold and better rapport in Larket certainly wouldn't hurt him, for sure. Plus, not having to worry about potential preemptive strikes by Larketian forces would grant him the peace he needed to start doing vastly more interesting things with his dinosaurs.
Macon ’s eyes widen at the claw and reaches out to shake it, taking whatever might be the most appropriate part of it in his hand. The Kingsguard have learned, some the hard way, to not be overly cautious with their charge, and so none of them react with concern over the unconventional handshake. “Yes.” The Furious King says while standing. Two of his Kingsguard exit at this point and the remaining two will follow him out. “We will be in touch.” Macon assures the crab and takes his leave with a mild sense of a job well done. A weight, that of a looming dinosaur army, has been lifted, at least partially, off of his shoulders, and now he can focus more directly on Frostmaw and getting back what was taken from him yesterday.