FVN Chapter 400: Chapter XX: High Stakes Negotiations
Chapter 400: Chapter XX: High Stakes Negotiations
Chapter 400: Chapter XX: High Stakes Negotiations
By the time Vitellius had finished with his initial 'proposal' (read: blatant reaction bait), I was barely managing to keep my eyes from narrowing at the... oddly familiar audacity he held himself with.
The fat man was a very well practiced hand at this particular game, and the way he knew how to push exactly to where I set my mental limit before I simply decided they needed removing posthaste both vexed and impressed me equally.
I would obviously not give him a thing he asked for but something told me he already knew that.
With an overexaggerated sigh, I found myself leaning back into my seat and giving the man a falsely disgusted look "So let me get this straight." I spoke as if I just heard a child say something hilarious "You three" I point at them and the two younger ones turn very uncomfortable while the elder remains unshaken "Want guaranteed spots in whatever council is formed after the inheritance is complete. For an entire century." I finish with a deadpan. A full century of council rights including their inheritors, yes. The fucking audacity of these people!
Before Vitellius can interject as his jolly smile would imply I go on "But even that is apparently not enough." I lean in on the table "You demand removed tariffs on trade, greatly reduced taxes on most industries, a near exemption from raising levies during times of war and to top it all off all of you demand an heirloom worthy artifact each for nominal support on the Elder Council."
My expression did not shift even slightly as I spoke but the glow in my eyes turned from a welcoming one into one just waiting to burst into a firestorm "Please, do tell me what other outrageous demand you have, so that I may inform the Emperor of this treason and have you all stripped of land and title."
"Treason?!" The Count of Kvatch leaps up in a fury, or at least he tries as the metaphysical weight of a mountain falls upon his shoulders and nearly crushes him in an instant, leaving the young man straining to even remain seated upright.
"Yes, treason." My brightly glowing eyes move from the young man to the other two, the Countess of Blackwood flinching in fear while the fat Count of Chorrol remained mostly composed baring a bead of sweat going down the side of his head.
I slowly stand up and begin to pace around the pavilion as my troops form a wide circle around us just out of sight. My guests would never see them but there was a certain instinctual terror and foreboding engraved in every mortal being whenever they were surrounded by something. The air would turn heavy, their blood would pump harder and their heartbeats turn louder.
"You three come in here." I speak up after a good ten seconds of tense silence "Pretend to offer friendship and agreement in good faith." I round on them "And yet here I stand, having been spat in the face in my own home!"
"Please calm yourself." Vitellius' voice is just as relaxed as ever "This is a negotiation."
"One I am already regretting." I give him a sideways stare as I stop pacing "But, for the sake of expediency, I will give you another chance to make me a better offer. And if you even consider asking for something as outrageous as you just did, I will make it my job to see you ruined."
"You can't talk to us like this!" Count Julian, having managed to gather himself from my deathstare, stands up again.
This time I do permit it.
He glares at me with furious eyes "What gives you the right to dictate what we can and cannot do?! What gives you a foreigner elf the right to threaten us without consequence?!"
"Julian calm yourself!" Vitellius nearly growls at the young man.
This wasn't part of the plan then.
Even Countess Varina looks just about ready to snap at me for my bluntness.
Woe, how unfortunate.
For them that is.
"What gives me the right?" I raise an eyebrow, my voice almost comically serene "Absolutely nothing."
"What?" The poor fool's mouth falls open.
"Absolutely nothing gives me the right to threaten you, Julian Karis of Kvatch, owner of the largest assortment of illegal brothels across the entirety of Cyrodiil" I reveal his secret with the ease of speaking on the weather.
He pales and shakily takes a seat.
"Absolutely nothing permits me to place my hand around your neck." My stare moves to the Countess "Certainly not some of the largest skooma storehouses on the Black Marsh border."
She looks just about ready to either flee or attempt to stab me with a butter knife. She is too cowardly to do either.
My stare finally returns to Vitellius "I do hear the village of Char's Peak is oh so lovely in this time of year." The fat man stills "That is right, Vitellius. I know all about your hidden child and their heritage."
He goes to habitually deny my claims but I go on without a care.
"What you planned to hold as leverage over my chosen ruler shall now be leverage over you." I speak clearly, more akin to a command than an offer. I look to Julian "One wrong move and your entire holding is taken in one neat fine." My gaze wonders to Varina "One wrong word and I will force all of that sweet skooma down your disgusting little throat."
Julian's shoulders slump, a fresh determination lighting up in his eyes "I guess I should start reading up on strategy manuals again, I don't need that creature thinking me incompetent after I bought my command." He barely holds back a shiver at the thought.
Varina says nothing but also notes down hiring a tutor for the position she gained.
"Something doesn't add up though." The Countess spoke after a while "How can a noble of Morrowind, a barely recognized one at that, have such influence over our futures? You always seemed awfully insistent on getting into his good graces, or at least having him tolerate us Vitellius. Tell us, what is it that you are hiding?"
"You mean you still don't realize?" The fat Count gives the both of them looks of smug superiority. Seeing the both of them remain confused, he chuckles "We weren't talking to the Lord of House Dagoth today." He shakes his head "No, if my information is correct we were just negotiating with the future Emperor Consort." Julian's next words surmised everything perfectly "Oh."
At the other end of the Imperial City, in the hidden depths of the Market District and below a certain luxurious inn, a quintet of figures found themselves in a meeting.
A seemingly young woman bowed her head before a silver haired Imperial man, his pale
countenance and crimson eyes swiftly revealing him to be a vampire "My lord Ancient" Isabella Tor bowed her head.
"Isabella, my dear." The old man smiled amiably "I trust you have interesting news for me on
this fine evening?"
"I would not dare waste your time, sire." She simpers just enough to be respectful but not
annoying "The future Empress is already moving, and doing so rapidly. Leyawiin has already been pacified and Skingrad seems to be next on the list. Their next moves will no doubt follow just as swiftly and if we wish to extract any form of advantage we must act even faster."
"Hmmm." The old man rubs his chin for a moment before nodding slightly "Her Imperial
Highness seems to be spending most of her time posturing and winning over the glory hounds, correct?"
"It is as you say" Isabella nods.
"And most of the work behind the scenes is in the hands of Vyren's heir?" The man smiles as
he mentions the name "Like father like son I suppose."
"You wish for me to contact him?" The once Countess asks with not quite fear but it certainly
wasn't eagerness.
"I do." The elder vampire smiles lightly "You are to invite the young Lord Dagoth for a
meeting with myself and a few of my peers, so that we may negotiate our position in the
future Empire and not be swept up in the wave of progress." He chuckles at some inside joke he no doubt heard centuries ago "Her Imperial Highness must not be seen interacting with us however, so her closest ally will have to do."
"My lord" Isabella pauses but forces herself to continue "Are you... certain that is safe?"
"You have heard what happened to the Volkihar?" The old man asks simply and she nods "If
he wished us removed we would not be able to do a thing except make it expensive for him to
do so."
"I see." Isabella bows "I will follow your wisdom, Lord Hassildor."
The ancient protector of Skingrad smiled, his fangs glinting in the dim underground light.
A kingdom for a stone!
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