[hider=A Duel of words] The sun was setting over nyhem and the parties atmosphere was starting to calm; the more rambunctious guests had left (or rather been carried away by their relatives) and most of the entertainers had retired for the evening. Alasdair had already talked to a number of important guests from Ignocious to, rather begrudgingly, Anera Greensworth. However he still had not gotten the opportunity to talk to Eli Blackwell, as far as Alasdair could tell Eli was not present within the larger crowd and had likely gone to a quieter area of the garden. Now that the party had died down and he wasn’t being hounded by the endless hordes of guests, Alasdair had taken the opportunity to escape in a attempt to speak with the self proclaimed king of Alenius. As Alasdair walked through the gardens he was almost blinded by the sinking sun that was illuminating the already bright orange garden. However his assumption had been right, as he found Eli standing by a row of Red Maple trees looking over a small pond. It appeared he was staring at something though Alasdair couldn’t tell what. “Lord Blackwell” Alasdair said with a half smile “I looked for you during the celebration, and yet you were not there. It seems strange that you would travel so far only to be absent” Eli feigned ignorance of the fellow King, continuing to stare into the inky depths. He was perhaps the only one in the world that could get away with ignoring Alasdair now, and he knew it. A long moment passed, and just as it seemed he might not reply at all, he spoke in a soft, measured tone. “On the contrary.” He said before turning to face his fellow King. “I have seen and heard a great deal of note… Lord De Reimer.” He intentionally refused to acknowledge any of Alasdair’s greater titles - a calculated insult that matched his opponents refusal to address him with his own proper title. A slight anger swelled in Alasdair as Eli refused to call him by his true title, though Alasdair could hardly blame him, he had done the exact same thing. “Truly” Alasdair said with a raised eyebrow hiding his annoyance behind a fake smile “Anything in particular, or do I simply impress easily” Eli let a slight smirk twist his lips then. “Blackwells are not easily impressed… But I admit that you have succeeded tonight. It is a rare Emperor so eager to celebrate only half of an Empire.” “Better than I third it would seem” Alasdair replied with a sly smile, he moved on quickly so that Eli didn’t have time to respond “It would seem that house Blackwell’s borders have grown during the war. I imagine it must be difficult for you to manage it all. Afterall Glarmion isn’t exactly welcoming to outsiders” “And yet they pose no challenge to a true King.” Eli replied. He was enjoying this verbal duel far too much. “So tell me, Alasdair. How does the Empire of Formaroth feel about the Dragonslayers?” Alasdair paused for a moment as he considered what he was about to say, as he spoke he turned away from Eli and looked over the gardens “I feel that they are a group of extremely talented individuals, who have great potential” Alasdair paused for a moment as he allowed what he had just said to sink in, before adding “who’s lack of shared vision will ultimately be their own undoing. I imagine there's a reason why you are the only Blackwell who attended this gathering” Alasdair bluntly replied, his tone of voice changing drastically as he looked back at Eli. Normally Alasdair would avoid speaking in such a forward manner, but it was just he and Eli, and he imagined the Blackwell would prefer a more direct way of talking “Ever since you declared yourselves an independent nation, I have admittedly been very interested in the Blackwells. From swordmasters to shapeshifters you truly are a force to be reckoned with. However as far as I can tell there is only one of you who actually shows any interest in being a king. And that is you”. Eli listened impassively, taking in his fellow monarchs analysis of the situation. When Alasdair finished Eli smiled wryly and responded. “Then you misunderstand everything. My family is united behind me, and my people are not simple followers. I direct my Kingdom, yes, but the spirit of the Dragonslayer is bigger than Kingdoms. You will see that in time.” Eli turned away then, standing between Alasdair and the ruddy glow of the setting sun on the distant horizon. He spoke loud enough that the other King would hear, despite having his back turned. There was a note of warning in his tone. “You should know, that my Kingdom does not recognise you any more now than when you were merely a High King. I rule my lands, and I answer to no-one. As long as you do not dispute this… We may have peace...” [i]For a time…[/i] Eli added in his mind. Despite his original eagerness to meet Eli, Alasdair had quickly grown tired of the Blackwell, however he was determined to get the last word and as he turned to leave he added “For your sake let’s hope it remains that way” Alasdair replied with another sly smile, this one even more venomous than the last “I needn’t remind you what happened to the last self proclaimed king who tried to usurp me” Alasdair finished as he walked away from Eli and back to the rest of the party. [/hider] --- [hider=Summary of Eli and Lanaya’s meetings in Nyhem] Eli arrived in the city early, with plenty of days to spare. Lanaya met with him late at night, traveling to him in the form of a songbird and only shape shifting back to her natural form once they were alone together. During these meetings they initially updated each other on the recent goings on of their respective cities, sharing plans and information. Lana was initially somewhat uncomfortable, and avoided speaking of Drevala entirely, but after a few days she returned to her familiar nature with Eli, and they spent personal time together. Eli did not notice the presence of the Gem, or anything out of the ordinary regarding it. Later, during the Party, Lanaya danced with Eli, however throughout the entire event she acted as though he was only an acquaintance. She concealed her feelings well, until the very end, once she was drunk, whens he gave him several long, loving stares. Eli was professional about the entire affair, holding up the charade of formality better than even Lana could. [/hider] By [@TheDuncanMorgan] & [@Sundered Echo]