Zakroti was taken aback with surprise when Miry threw her arms around him, nearly falling backwards with shock as she hugged up. Once the surprise subsided, he fought back a small smile from spreading across his face as he felt her press up against him and when she withdrew he fought to keep a disappointed look from crossing his face. He managed to regain his composure and listened intently to Miry as she spoke, a small and cruel smile spreading across his face, a greedy look seeping into his eyes as he heard her talk of all manner of weapons of warfare that would rival those of his own artisans. Now he had another use for her, one far more valuable than first anticipated; The more he learnt about this girl, the more everything just seemed to fall into place before him.

[b]"…b-but I d-d-don’t w-want to k-kill a-anyone b-but I’ll d-d-o i-it i-if she a-ask-ks, I j-just d-d-don’t w-want my p-people to d-die…” [/b] Miry stammered out before clamping her hands over her mouth as if to silence herself and falling to her knees before him, shaking her head. Zakroti's smile faded as he examined her for a moment, unsure what to make of her behaviour for it was so alien to him. He rose slightly and took a step in advance towards her, taking her right hand from around her mouth gently and pulling her up to her feet, a friendly smile spread across his face as he looked into her eyes.

"Believe me, I've seen many monsters and you do not fit amongst them." He told her with a reassuring yet stern tone in his voice, taking a small cloth from his pocket once more and reaching up to dry the tears from her eyes. He opened his mouth to speak against but was interrupted by a grunt from Kzaar beside him and Zakroti paused , looked back over to Kzaar again before furrowing his brow as he noticed Amaryllis state. His eyes suddenly flashed into a look of pure fury and... Perhaps betrayal. He released Miry's hand and advanced towards Kzaar, his body becoming animated as he switched back to using the same cold, harsh tongue he had used in the banquet hall.

"Kzaar, gais jusla wre ro!" He growled as he approached, looking down to the injures on Amaryllis body with a mix of annoyance and anger in his eyes "Kzaar kree! Yui roze sep Amaryllis v Miry, sancre kala o." Kzaar paused for a moment before slowly lowering Amaryllis to the floor and glancing down to his feet, grunting out in a fearful voice again 

"Kas, Zakroti." He murmured, his voice little more than a whisper "She assaulted me, I had to use force to..."

"Your excessive zeal may cost us dearly Kzaar!" Zakroti admonished as he glared at the hulking mountain of flesh before him, who slowly withdrew.

"But, these were your orders my lord..." Kzar offered pitifully in his defence onto to fall silent when his lord scoffed

"You were supposed to bring the girl, I told you all specifically not to harm them, and yet Kzaar you have managed to cause suffering to the pair of them; Tell me are you truly this incompetent or do you simply enjoy doing the exact opposite of what I told you?" Zakroti snarled, his face suddenly taking on a look of pure anger as he glared towards his minion, before it faded. With a shake of his head he let out a long and exasperated sigh "Its... Just lie her down there before you do any more damager. Gaikus, tend to the her wounds..." Zakroti shook his head slowly and turned back towards Miry, only to quickly pivot his body back towards the blackguard "And if anyone asks, I ordered you to strike her if she resisted. The girl already hates me, for a time I may as well play the role I have been so vicariously cast in."

Gaikus approached Amaryllis as Kzaar placed her down onto the floor, grunting and withdrawing slightly, raising his visor to reveal his obviously infuriated face. While he would never betray his master, he certainly wasn't above being considerably pissed off at him when the circumstances were like this. Gaikus took Amaryllis' finger and checked it, using the knowledge he had gained from his time in the surgical tents to click of back into its socket without causing any nerve damage, though it was almost certainly extremely painful for her.

"I didn't hit her hard, Zakroti, I swear it." Kzaar interjected sincerely, looking at Zakroti with a slightly more humble look on his face than he had a minute before. Zakroti gave a slow nod towards him but didn't reply, merely turning his attention back to Gaikus as he spoke up

"I can rub some ointment in for the swelling, but she may have a concussion. It would be wise for me to check as soon as she awakes." He said as he lifted his visit, revealing a pair of yellow, snake like eyes as he looked towards Zakroti for a moment before turning his attention back to Amaryllis. He reached down and opened the pouch that hung loosely from the garter of his armour, drawing out a small jaw and twisting the lid off if it, dipping a finger inside and drawing a smidge of the thick gloop from inside it before placing his finger to the swelling and slowly rubbing it into the Gems cheek.

Zakroti turned his attention back towards Miry "Well, what you have invented for the rebels will almost certainly help them but I do believe that the only way the rebels stand a chance is if they wont break and run the moment they see the Drakken. To do this, they need a strong leader, one who not only inspires the confidence to fight within them but one who they already know and trust... Astaelin Cassiel would be a prime choice for this role, though she appears to be in Edorics possession... What a pity, it would be a shame if she went missing from the feast now wouldn't it?"

Zakroti paused for a moment, a sly grin spreading across his face as he let out a knowing chuckle "A terrible shame indeed. Of course, I have my price for assisting her, we'll see whether she agrees to it." There was a somewhat ominous edge to his voice, making it quite clearly that whatever his 'price' was it would be considerable. In his mind, he didn't see that the girl really had a choice. The rebels needed their leader after all and whatever price he chose would surely be small in exchange for giving the Gems a fighting chance against the Drakken hordes

[centre] *** [/centre]

Vain watched as Edoric set his two brides loose into the hall and gave a wry grin as he tracked Astaelin across the room, casting a cautious grin back over to Edoric for all of a moment. He moved through the crowds quietly, following her through the crowds as a creature might stalk its prey through the woods, ever vigilant of who might be watching and always cautious to keep his distance and act as though he wasn't tracing her at all. Vain did a good show of it too, he had been doing this for a very long time now and had long since learnt how to read people and how to hide in plain sight. 

He watched Astaelin with a strange fascination as she drank more than he would have expected for one of her stature, before heading from the hall and into the corridors, clearly tipsy. Vain let out a weak chuckle to himself as he realised what she was going to do, knowing full well that if he got his way she would not be doing so any time soon. He slipped out after her with surprising grace for one who was clad in heavy armour and stalked her from a distance, watching as she fended off a Drakken who had some less... friendly intentions with a steak knife she had taken from the feast. 

Once he was certain they were both out of the sight and earshot of any of the other Drakken and were a considerable distance from the hall, he doubled his pace and caught up to her, accosting her in the middle of the hall. He spoke in a somewhat hushed tone as if afraid that the walls had ears, reaching up and raising his visor to display his face to her, a stern look on his face and a determination in his eyes.

"The Usurper, the new husband of your sister, requests your presence. He says that if you wish to save Gemminia , you should come with me." He urged quietly, attempting to keep his voice as quiet as possible while ensuring the girl was able to hear it over the distant sounds of the feast. "There is no time to explain here, however, it shall all be explained shortly." He beckoned her with his hand, heading towards the nearby wooden door and unlatching it, pushing it open and motioning for her to follow with a weak smile on his face. He knew where Zakroti had taken the girls, they had agreed earlier that should they need a private audience it was to the balcony that they would fall back. A straight drop on either side off the mountain edge and no alcoves near the entrance or sides to hide on, any voices would be lost on the mountain winds before they came to the ears of any down below. It was a suitable place for audiences that had to be made in private, far safer than the hallways of the Wroth where noise echoed and bounced off the walls. 

Vain was completely willing to submit Astaelin should she refuse to follow, but he had a feeling that his lord would not approve of such a course of action unless it was absolutely necessary. If possible, he would try to convince her to follow on foot rather than have to be carried there. Worse if she had to be carried screaming, likely attracting the attention of just about every lord within the Wroth and getting him brutally murdered when it was assumed he was kidnapping her.