RP:Tipping The Scales

Part of the The End's Not Near Arc

Part of the Put Up Your Dukes Arc

Summary: Vestra returns to Jaize with news from Chartsend with 'proof' of their defenses. Siroche, Vestra's companion in the mission, calls her out as a liar but Vestra's facts hold under the Queen's scrutiny. Siroche is lead away by guards and Jaize hands the reigns of the invasion project over to Vestra.

Throne Room

Jaize sat with her impossibly long tail woven around the base of the Alithryian throne. The glossy ivory scales were so well interconnected, it looked to be it’s own wrything snake at her command. Siroche is near the corner of the room, standing on false humanoid legs and leaning against a chiseled marble column. Her cunning eyes are on the chamber entrance, knowing full well that Vestra wasn’t far behind her. It was only a matter of time. The gold she’d stolen from Chartsend was tucked away in the palace. Jaize received that and the news well. Chartsend was defenseless. It had been delicious news. Jaize is leaning against the throne’s arm, one delicate hand supporting her angular jaw line. Her blazing blue eyes are flickering like an anxious flame between the door and Siroche.

Vestra is admitted into the throne room once she is allowed too. But she is already fixing the glasses perched atop her delicate nose with a lithe index fingertip. Brown hues seek to look upon those in attendance - Siroche. She was nervous that there might actually be an audience while she has to spill forth all of this information. Remember, Vessy, she thinks to herself. You got this! The tale she had weaved together, plus pieces of enchantment to back it, should be enough to convince Jaize to look further into Chartsend before attacking. I mean really, Siroche just stormed in there - probably filed a lackluster report. Whereas Vestra spent her time piecing this all together. Hours building the lie she seeks to spin out of the facts of Chartsend. She came in with a plan. A plan to cast doubt on Siroche and her fumbling. She fixes her emerald necklace, and white and gold dress before stepping out to have words with their Queen; all hail Jaize. She isn’t even sure that she could vomit up those words. Instead she had assumed her regular bad posture and clumsy ways. Playing her nerves off on legitimate nerves for speaking before the ‘rightful’ Queen. Like always her voice is breezy, like grass swaying in the wind. “My immortal Queen,” words chosen very carefully by Vestra to help bolster Jaizes ego. She gives a formal bow, head and upper frame dipping low in a curtsy. This sign is one that prostrates her power before Jaize - Vestra is but a humble servant. “I bring news and reports from Chartsend.” She offers a bag to one of the guards nearby. The bag itself carries three items which might give pause to Jaize. For all three are heavily enchanted. This would be the first bit of her tale. “In this bag I have three different enchantments, from Chartsend that I bring for you to have studied.” She doesn’t presume to tell Jaize what enchantment is what. But, there is a piece of a stonewall, carrying fire nullification. Another piece of a statue, which seems to present a living ward spell, and finally pieces of an alchemical golem. Obviously she has no idea that the dragon that stole the horde had been Siroche. “The statue interested me in particular, because it sprang to life after a dragon attempted to assault the city.” Her lies are beginning, while she delivers partial truths as well. This made things much easier. “There were actually quite a bit more. I fear they might have been slow to react.”

Jaize let her illuminated gaze fall on Vestra as she moved into the throne room. Siroche, too, turned her head with the entrance of the Ha-Naga. Her lips were twisting in a grin, a child who had won the race. Petty and smug. “Vestra,” Jaize returned her greeting, a slight nod of her head to acknowledge her proper tilting. The Queen allows her to speak, draws invisible lines between what Siroche had said and what Vestra was now telling her. She waits then, letting a silence fill the room. “Show me?” Her boney jointed index finger gestures to the bag she holds. Siroche draws closer with disbelief and interest, arms crossed as if to survey the objects and deem them false or unworthy. What are these in comparison with a vault full of gold?

Vestra gives a nod to Jaize and indicates the guard to take them to their Queen without hesitation. She would find the entire contents to be exactly what Vestra has described. “I’m afraid there’s more my Queen.” She bows once more to indicate that not every ounce of her story has been completed. “When I arrived, alone mind you,” She looks over to Siroche and her hasty actions for a moment; disappointed that she couldn’t even follow a direct order. “The city had been in shambles. Showing signs of a previous attack.” Some of her words might allude to the reports Siroche had filed. “Anyone wandering through there might actually see this as well. Broken buildings, rumors of their patron abandoning them. It would appear that they are indeed in a very weakened state. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth.” She pauses for a moment, not even bothering to look at Siroche again - the companion who decided to run headlong into Chartsend without Vestra. “When speaking with some of the locals, I found out that their city had recently repelled an attack. From a man named.” She thinks for a moment trying to recall the name from the stories. “Kahran,” his name flops off her tongue without much grace. It is a foreign name and it suggests the reason for her difficulty in saying it. “Kahran spawned hundreds of enemies and tried to burn the entire city up. Surprisingly, Chartsend does not stand alone!” She is now speaking of a plethora of Lithrydel do-gooders who happened to show up and defend the city. “Warriors, and mages alike from all over Lithrydel, gathered to protect the city. I fear that when we attack the city, we will not only face Chartsend, but others as well.” This last report is one hundred percent accurate. And Jaize could send any plethora of spies and infiltrators to root this out herself. These were all true. “Despite the fact that their leader is missing, it seems that Chartsend is not without powerful allies.” Vestra says nothing further yet, giving the Queen ample time to view the items presented and the story that the Ha-Naga has delivered.

Siroche’s expression sours, her nose scrunched up in annoyance at this direct mark against her. “Liar -” She hisses, though she too had heard rumors of Kahran while she waded through the kiddy pool that was Chartsend’s ‘defenses’. “I snuck in there, on my -own-” Maybe not a good mark on her part with the Queen. “And was able to steal ALL the gold in the city! Not a golem or fire wall in site.” It’s clear Siroche is all spunk and no knowledge. She makes gut based decisions and rapid judgements. Jaize continues to wait, letting her eyes roll across both of them before speaking. She turns the pieces over in her hands as the guards bring them over to her. The enchantments are real and match each description...but she’s cautious and digs further. “Kahran.” She repeats with a casual air. Had her own spies not heard this name too? So far it matches up by why, oh why, would Siroche lie? “How many do-gooders lost their lives during the last attack? It’s possible...that if these threats exist…” Siroche bawks and waves her arm drastically. “They are in shambles,” She spins on her heels, desperate to lock her frantic gaze with Jaize. “Enough.” Jaize’s sharp voice echoes through the chamber, stilling all other sounds in her wake. An elongated sigh, rich with annoyance, parts her lips before she speaks again. “I do not doubt Chartsend has powerful allies...but these reports are drastically different and will require...more careful consideration.”

Vestra allows Siroche to have her outburst. Allows the buffoon to fall to her ploys. She reaches to shift her glasses once more and when Jaize speaks Vestra responds. “You are very wise my immortal Queen.” Her attention turns to look directly upon Siroche. “Slipping a thief in is rather easy. That is how one operates. That’s even how I got in! But to suggest that because you entered it alone, despite our orders, that you understand how an entire army can make their way in. A single person is easy to smuggle, but we are talking war.” Her tone carries that Ha-Naga authority and Siroche claiming things to be easy is true. If the Queen thinks that one person will win the war. Go for it. Until you wear some big girl panties, don’t suggest that you know best. Her tone is easy enough to recognize. She turns back to Jaize without further allowing herself to fall to annoyance. “My Queen, what would have me do?” She bows once more, waiting for further orders.

Jaize’s lips curl into a satisfied grin. Little Vestra is showing quite a lot of spunk in addressing Siroche, but she isn’t not wrong in the words she speaks. A thief, especially a shifter, is one thing to sneak into a town. Past enchantments or golems. Even to steal gold from the inside, it wasn’t an external attack. She didn’t test their defenses! “And what if I had mounted an small attack on this city, Siroche?” She twirls the piece of enchanted wall between her fingers like a small coin, rolling it across her knuckles. “What then? They would be -prepared-, would they not?” Siroche snarls but drops to her humanoid knee, humbly babbling about forgiveness and being rash, casting a devilish promise of vengeance in her heart. “Vestra,” Jaize doesn’t pull her eyes from Siroche’s rushed apologizing form. “Inform the army of your knowledge of Chartsend. The Layout, the defenses. We will be prepared when we go and, if we are successful...it will benefit the longevity of the naga.” In truth, her tone spoke of good things for Vestra’s obedience and assistance. There’s no promotion, no position higher than the one she currently occupies. Ha-Naga, advisor to the Queen. “And, if you would be so kind…” Jaize gestures lazily towards Siroche, still in the floor. Two naga males slither forward, each taking one of her arms to help her stand. “The gold she returned will be quite useful in the battles to come. Hire mercenaries, if we must. I trust it to you Vestra.”

Vestra does her best to not let a satisfied smirk cross her features. Siroche had fallen prey to Vestra’s scheming. That mind inside her clumsy frame. This is her first victory. He attention is quick to fall upon Jaize before she speaks. "It will be done." She bows again, "I will file reports for each expense so that you may view how, the battle plan proceeds." Poor little Ha-naga does nothing further until she is excused, that is the way of their world. She gives no thought to Siroche and her fate. Nothing further to denote that she had been foiled.