A new sultan?

[Corwin]

Seira laughs. She can't help her amusement at the way the deck got stacked. If it had been a sudden thing... but no, they all knew it, the previous Sultan amongst them. And still!

"I'm glad negotiations had become easier, then," she voices, finally getting her mirth under control. "My terms for the cessation of hostilities are the immediate freedom for all efreet-held slaves and the outlawing of the establishment of slavery in the Efreet Empire. We'll put the best lawyers on both sides towards covering the fine print, but one particular aspect would be that slavers or slave owners caught in the act after the ban on such things goes in place will have any protection by the Efreet Empire removed from them, being such clear and dishonorable outlaws." She directs her attention to the diplomat. "If you agree to these terms in his name, we will effectively end the war here and now. If you feel the need to deliberate with the Grand Sultan, that too is your prerogative, though I'm afraid there will be no further cease fires during such deliberations. Which is it?"

[Anastasia]

"May I have a moment to confer with the Grand Sultan on one point?" the emissary asks, "It will take less than a minute."

[Corwin]

"Certainly."

[Anastasia]

As he does so, head bowed and holding something small and metallic in hand?

'...I find myself more galled by the moment. Has all of this simply been a plot to work to Hell's advantage?' Antenora sends to Alicia. She is silent otherwise, watching with an unwavering intensity.

Cresiel's gaze is focused and intent, waiting, body growing visibly tense to Moore. He looks ready to pounce, yet moves not a muscle forward.

Valar keeps his own council, but Honeydip looks less amused as he goes on.

"For the sake of clarity," Is the reply soon after, "What is intended by effectively ending the war, and on what timeframe could we see to a formal treaty?"

[Ebiris]

'If you're going to think like that, at least content yourself with the blow Asmodeus suffered yesterday,' Alicia sends back mildly. 'The goal here was always freedom for the millions suffering under the efreet yoke. If they want to become puppets of Hell after freeing their slaves, it's tomorrow's problem.'

[Corwin]

"The timetable would be as follows," Seira specifies. "Your agreement on behalf of the Grand Sultan would immediately set in motion a ceasefire between the Cauldron and its allies and the efreets and their own. We will then proceed to negotiate an agreement here, at the Cauldron, starting an hour from now. There is no need to wait, since our positions have been laid out for a considerable time and all that's changed are the strength of our negotiating positions. The timeframe for negotiations will be twenty four hours, most of which taken by the lawyers arguing the finer details. We already know what we each want and can get out of the deal, so there's no need to drag this out. I'm sure the Sultan will appreciate the efficiency."

[Anastasia]

"That is acceptable, with two adjustments," Is the answer, "We request three hours instead of one before meeting and the time for an agreement adjusted to twenty seven hours from twenty four to adjust for this increase of time."

[Ebiris]

Alicia looks singularly unimpressed at this dull numerology theme. "Actually Sylica needs a little extra time too, why don't we make it three and a half hours?" she speaks up.

She can be petty sometimes.

[Corwin]

"The Cauldron will happily accommodate these requests," Seira responds.

[Anastasia]

"Then it is agreed," The diplomat says, bowing, "In three and one half hours time, the Grand Sultan will arrive."

[Corwin]

Seira nods, clapping her hands. "Vayley will show you to your accommodations," she says, although the gesture itself is theatrics. She'd already mentally contacted Vayley with this task. The efreet will stay in opulent guest quarters and discouraged by Vayley from venturing from them until the Sultan's arrival, and that should make everyone happy.

[Anastasia]

Once he's gone, Lady Honeydip is the first to speak. "Just like that?" she asks.

[Ebiris]

"We get to free the slaves, and the efreet become a client of Hell. Everyone wins except from the efreet, really. That's what the previous Sultan's pride has won for his people," Alicia says, crossing her arms.

[Anastasia]

"Hell used all of us," Antenora says, voice angry, hands balled into fists. "Our efforts and our shed blood is not so that they can expand, and what's worse, they give us a treat so that we swallow it down and say thank you!"

"I don't like it, either," Cresiel speaks up here, "But a triumph is a triumph and a step forward is a step forward. It is a bitter taste to triumph along with Hell, but our goal for this war has been achieved."

"It's a good outcome from a risky war," Xandra adds, "I have no doubt the rulers of Hell feel pleased with themselves, but let us not neglect the good in favor of chasing the perfect. Besides," Here Xandra turns to Seira, "What of Razalim and its curse?"

[Nephrite]

"Hell's pride will see that they make another blunder in all of this anyway." Moore says. "For right now, freeing slaves and removing them from the equation entirely is worth Asmodeus getting what he wants in the short term. Alicia is right -- the previous Sultan is the one who this should be pinned on. I wonder if he's even still alive, to be honest."

Moore looks over at Xandra's question, since this isn't something he's too familiar with.