[indent] [/indent][h3][hr][color=Tan]Ferris Talese[/color][/h3][hr][sup][i][@Pezz570][@HokumPocus][/i][/sup][indent] [/indent]
When Malkev, the man who’d so clearly signaled his distaste for Ferris, said he’d put aside his biases for extra help, Ferris relaxed, nodding. He’d expected this at some point, yes, but he’d equally expected to be ambushed at that point, considering everything that had been said and done. With their hosts’ opinions voiced, Ferris figured the threat was now reduced to near zero since those who had individualized sets of morals had to operate on trust more than anyone. After all, they needed some sort of basis on which they could request help from others.

As Malkev continued, however, giving away his real position in respect to Kharu-Natjer’s, Ferris’ eyes darted to the center man, his ease slipping away. That Malkev wasn’t the most important person to impress meant that there was still a chance of things going south, but thankfully this too passed as the conversation progressed. As Kharu-Natjer divulged some information, Chres answering his questions with choice words Ferris barely resisted raising a brow at, the center man seemed to grow happier and happier until he finally clapped his hands together, uttering a name it took Ferris a moment to place. As soon as he did, though, he tensed, glancing between all the faces present. If Kharu-Natjer knew that much, Ferris wasn’t too keen on finding out how much more he knew. Still, he forced himself to relax again. Though the here and now wasn’t where and how he imagined giving away more information about himself, there was no ideal time he was hoping for either. Besides, it might not come to that anyway.

[hr]
Ferris adjusted his flasks under his coat restlessly as the crew regrouped outside. The unease he now felt was precisely why he preferred working alone. When he was on his own, he didn’t have to worry about politics and power plays, didn’t have to scrutinize every action, word, and minute flicker in expression for some vague takeaway. There was no one close trying to sabotage him, no ally who could devise plots and to squander and get the upper hand. 

The high-pitched voice of Chres’ familiar interrupted his thoughts, and he looked over, drawing a blank. What was he to feel about her complete lack of care?

Chres’ question about impressions brought Ferris back to his drawing board, and he listened closely to Octavio’s words, nodding as he brought up the woman. When the man suggested ‘meddling with her,’ Ferris furrowed his brows, a frown crossing his face when he realized that he found himself agreeing more with the man’s familiar than with the man himself. 

[color=Tan]“The woman seems to have some amount of respect or loyalty to Kharu-Natjer so as long as we keep him content I think we can see her as a non-threat. That said, I do agree that she seems dangerous. Her lack of care for veiled comments, of discretion one who negotiates would usually have is nonexistent, so she strikes me as someone who favors the battlefield over the discussion table. If we ever come to blows, she’s the one to watch out for.”[/color]

He paused, thinking over the next figure in the conversation. ‘The Being of Many Names’—what an inconvenient and utterly ridiculous name. As much as he was now in the debt or sway of said being, Ferris had no love for him. The Being had proven the magnitude of his powers, his weight in the playing board of the land, and though it was clear he had influence, Ferris didn’t like how close to home he’d hit.

That, though, wasn’t what Chres had asked, so Ferris took another moment to wrap up his thoughts before speaking.

[color=Tan]“The Being—he seems to hold a lot of sway with a lot of people,”[/color] Ferris said carefully. [color=Tan]“For all the power Kharu-Natjer seemed to hold, the Being seems to hold even more, or at least be out of Kharu’s grasp. It seems that one thing he’s getting from us is information on the Being, so perhaps we should continue holding that close. Who knows how valuable that is,”[/color] he said, glancing up to scan the city heights. Flying familiars did wonders for paranoia.