[@Obscene Symphony][@RomanAria]

[h3][color=Sienna]Valence the Cultist[/color][/h3]
[hr]
	Valence just smiled at Sia's words, and watched her walk off. He couldn't help appreciate her form just a little- as a fellow hunter, he could appreciate. Funny, though- as far as he saw it, he was a far, far better hunter. After all, the fellow hunter that just walked off dismissed him as a nobody. That sarcasm, so snarky. It gave him thrills, to think that one of the more dangerous and ambitious of Drakken dismissed him so quickly, even as he was in disguise and such.

	He could've stuck a knife in her and she wouldn't have even realized he was a threat. The thought made him giddy with excitement. But he had work to do.

	So he strolled absently for about three seconds, until he caught one of the cruder, brutal Drakken Lords of the room start moving forward, heading towards one Gem that certainly wasn't going to be up to the challenge. So, he moved towards her- no need for an innocent to get beaten. Maybe he could beat some sense into the guy. Passively, of course. The particular specimen [i]was[/i] large, though he knew he wasn't any good at intelligence or anything other than beating something in, and keeping his men in line.

	He darted forward, as the fist came down on the poor girl, and snatched her, just far away for the fist to come down a couple inches away from her, missing entirely. The Drakken stumbled, unbalanced from not meeting resistance, and Valence moved back a little farther.

	The brute, naturally, growled at him, and demanded his Bride back. To which Valence replied that he didn't see him holding his Bride; he only saw her trying to beat up one of the candidates. He suggested- was he trying to ruin her, so that no one else would want her? The beast growled even more, but ceased when Valence's Drakken guardsman stepped up behind him, lending support to Valence. He relaxed even more when he saw the chestplate- bearing the same insignia as Valence's forehead- appear on the left side of his vision. The brute was a brute, but it did have a lick of intelligence.

	The Lord glared at Valence, as he slipped an arm around the small Gem's shoulders, claiming her. And that Lord knew- Lord Sasqet or somesuch- that he wasn't going to be taking on Valence in a good ol' one versus one battle, and the confidence that infused Valence suggested that he might be a bit more than the brute could swallow. So he stepped back, glaring, promising death and destruction.

	Valence was thrilled, personally. A little bit of dread, too, but thrilled. He just caused a feud between two different Drakken families- how this'll turn out! But he didn't know what he was going to do with the little one.

	He turned his head to look at her, smiling warmly down at her. 

	[color=sienna]"Greetings, Lienna. Let me tell you what's in store for you..."[/color]

	He leaned down, and whispered in her ear, [color=sienna]"Act surprised and horrified, or people will become suspicious. I'm part of people who wants to see you and every other Gem back with their families, but we can't really do that right now. So you either come with me, and work with me again these people, or I let you go and someone else claims you. Or the brute claims you. Or you announce me to be someone who is not a Drakken- because I am not- and I die here and now, and you'll probably die shortly afterward. Nod yes for coming with me, or shake your head no for staying. If you're coming, you'd best follow me right now."[/color]

	So he stretched back up to his full height, smiled at her, and withdrew his arm. He glanced back at his guard, and gestured for him to approach. He whispered it to him- if she follows, protect her and make sure she isn't claimed, if she stays or walks away, follow me, and then glanced at Lienna with another smile. 

	And walked away.

	He headed back towards Sia- he might have been a little obsessed, reviewing all the information the Cult had about her, before he embarked to infiltrate the Claiming.

	Appearing right on Sorrin Lucielle's other shoulder as Sia rose back up to her height, he answered her question for the Sorrin.

	[color=sienna]"This pretty one is Sorrin Lucielle. Sorrin, you don't have much of a clue as to what's going on here, do you? No, you see, Sia, Sorrin has been disoriented. Shortly after she was taken, my people found her family and got some information. She was never really exposed to the idea of the Claiming, or about the Drakkens at all."[/color] He gave Sia a little smile, and crouched next to his fellow Gem.

	[color=sienna]"How are you holding up, miss Lucielle? Terribly sorry you have to be here without any friends or family. Well, no, having your people with you would be even worse. I amend what I say- terribly sorry you're here at all. Sia here is known to a bit a little different from the rest, though."[/color] He gave her a comforting smile, and patted her on the shoulder.

	Smiling at Sia, he continued on, not allowing her any time to reply or interject, forging right on. 

	[color=sienna]"No, you see, it rather [i]is[/i] unbecoming for a Drakken to become scholarly or even obsessed with that sort of information. How ridiculous, a smart Drakken, right? I have never once heard of a single Drakken that's like me. Of course there wouldn't be one, you know?"

	His smile turned a little too conspiratorial for the occasion, hoping she caught on to his hint that he was not a Drakken. He glanced about; no one was really within earshot, or paying attention if they were. None of them nearby were any of the same ones that were standing around when he first talked to Sia; even if someone had overheard and listened, they wouldn't get anything from it. Vice versa, if someone had heard his original 'conversation' with Sia, but not this one, it still wouldn't make any sense.