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"You are not thinking of going are you?" The older exiled prince asked, one sandy eye brow rising toward his thinning hair. He put his meaty hands on his hips and cocked his head looking at his young mistress. Valter might have led a doomed rebellion trying to free slaves, but, he wasn't a fool. Going to this cursed dead continent and specifically to a place that no one had been able to enter in generations just screamed stupid. The worst part of all was he knew Amahle was not stupid. He was actually pretty sure she was smarter than he was most of the time. Sure she had some bad habits and might act a little recklessly from time to time but she was at the very least smart enough not to walking head first into a damned trap. 

Her continued silence as she reclined in her plush high backed arm chair, long legs almost entirely exposed from beneath her nearly transparent robe,crossed casually before her. She swirled the dark purple wine she liked to drink and just continued to smirk at him. He shook his head, growling under his breath, "No, no, no, your excellency, you can not be thinking about going to a damned abandoned courtyard in the middle of Night Cursed Tenebra." he flung his arms forward, pleading with that self assured gaze and smirking lips. His eyes widened slightly. He finally saw it. She was enjoying this. She liked seeing him all worked up and trying to talk sense into her. He took a step back and crossed his arms, frowning and settling a glare on his mistress. "No. Don't just sit there and stare at me like that. You know how much I hate it." her only response was to bounce both of her thin an well maintained brows suggestively and then drain the rest of her wine. 

Valter ground his teeth together for a moment. Sharing the silence in the large study of the suit of rooms that Amahle occupied. He looked from her silver eyes to the glass in her hand. She was holding it out to him, expecting him to refill it. His gaze fell back on her. He felt his heart pump a little faster. Sages be damned that he wasn't two decades younger. She liked to tease him and flirt a bit but she was never serious. She knew he liked to look at her and was utterly smitten with her force of personality and intelligence. Night take her, she was still smirking at him. She knew he was going to not only refill that damned glass but he was going to agree with her about this suicidal idea she had gotten into her head. She thought that it was so obviously a trap that it couldn't be a trap, and, even if it was so obvious a trap that there was no way it could be a trap that would mean it must be a very well concealed trap. Of course, if it was such a well concealed triple bluff of a trap, then, well, it couldn't be a trap because that mean it was too obviously a trap. Her mind worked about as straightforwardly as a length of silken rope tossed onto the floor in the middle of a ballroom dance. 

Valter's sour face finally broke into a gap toothed grin and he started to shake his head slowly, "We're gon'fuckin' die y'know?" he said, the stress making his more rural Lucernan accent poke through his normally practiced noble speech. Her smirk cracked wider into an excited gleam showing all of those slightly too sharp teeth she had in her head. Her glittering silver eyes caught the candle light just so and for a moment he though he was looking into the eyes of someone possessed. He supposed it was actually true. The soon to be heir, at least that was what she liked to call herself, was possessed. There was no evil spirit in her though. No. She was possessed by power and too much damned smarts. She was single minded when it came to getting more power and this whole Sage business was like the perfect bait. She couldn't ignore it. If she did and one of her siblings didn't? She'd be a dead woman for sure and Valter would be following her shortly. He took the cup from her quickly and refilled it. "I hope you know what you are doing," he said with a chuckle. 

[color=00746b]"Valter,"[/color] her voice was like cool water, his name rolling along in her stream like a happy little boat, "You worry too much." her head her stand and take the few steps over to him. She laid one of her long fingered hands on his shoulder and looked into his eyes as he turned toward her. [color=00746b]"If something goes wrong I'll have you right there beside me." her amused face took on a devious caste, "Well, and about a company and a half of personal guards and war mages."[/color] she slid her fingertips down the center of his chest and suddenly plucked the glass from his suddenly limp fingers. She took a sip, never breaking eye contact. She pulled the glass away from her lips and snickered, "What? You thought I was going to go unprepared?" 

He grinned back at her, "Y'know, sometimes I wonder if yer half'a crazy er'so sane y'just seem crazy." he laughed shaking his head. She laughed right along with him. He had a deep sinking feeling that maybe Amahle was laughing because she wasn't sure of that herself. Either way, they needed to get prepared and move out soon. No need making a scene with her leaving, well, more of one than she intended to make. If those threats to come and collect her were serious it would be a situation out of their careful control. A situation like that would not do for the future Empress of Amanzi. 

Their trip went smooth as it could be. There were few problems with brigands or wildlife on the Great Slipstreams. They soared along on chariots made for underwater travel pulled by massive sails that collected the stream of the ocean and turning it into movement. Honestly, this kind of travel never made Valter feel safe. Not only did he need to have to have a spell on him at all times so he wouldn't die, but, it was way too damned fast. He felt like his eyes were going to be smashed through his head. The blasted Siren and Sirener of the troop were having a good ole time while he hung on for dear life. He was glad as he could be when they finally made it to the shore of the place that would surly kill them all. Much to his surprise, the air was perfectly breathable. He was happy to see that he wasn't the only one astonished by that, but, of course, Amahle never had a doubt. She strode right out of the water and took a deep breath of the supposedly poisonous air much to her guards displeasure. 

[color=00746b]"Well?"[/color] their leader, still dripping with water from her thin robes and long hair asked, [color=00746b]"Are we going to go make me a Sage or what?"[/color] she cocked her head inland and everyone joined right in. They were there in no time and not alone. Looks like it was a trap after all. Good thing he brought his trusty montante to sweep these pesky flies aside. He only hoped he'd get some play before the team of war mages and guards tore these interlopers to shreds. 

As they were readying for an aggressive move though, Amahle raised her hand, staying all of their blades. Instead, she sauntered forward gracefully. Her robes now dry swirled and danced slightly on the light wind as she stepped forward, splaying her hands out to the sides in a gesture of peace. He couldn't see her face but he knew the look she was wearing. She would have that damned self assured little crooked smile with her eyes half closed as if none of this was even important. Her long strides took her forward and she stopped, casually popping one of her hips out to the side and raising one of her hands above her head, smoothly turning her wrist in a circle in something like a wave performed in perhaps the most artistic way possible. [color=00746b]"Why hello there!"[/color] she called out putting a little music in her voice, [color=00746b]"Would you happen to be my welcoming party? We have traveled far and find ourselves in need of refreshments and quarters for rest."[/color] she snapped the fingers of her raised hand, implying that it would best if it was done quickly. He couldn't help but grin. Even if they were here to kill her she'd probably at least get them served drinks and a good nights rest before they even realized they weren't supposed to be waiting on her hand and foot.