Nymph interlude (Afina)

[Anastasia]

A pleasant sitting room, where drinks and snacks have already been laid out. Ilsenine sits and helps herself, "Explain the situation. Rumors abound."

[Ebiris]

Afina has a little cake just to be polite. "Recently Jaela made overtures with Queen Vlaakith of the Githyanki, asking her to act as an intermediary with Hell in recovering Muirfinn's soul. She apparently had some success as the recent fuss was caused by a Mercane intermediary offering Baator's invitation to a summit on the fate of Muirfinn's soul to be held at one of Vlaakith's holdings.

"We're waiting for Jaela to come back from her current excursion to prepare a reply giving details of who she intends to take with her." She doesn't countenance any possibility that Jaela would just refuse the invitation after going to the trouble of getting it set up.

[Anastasia]

Queen Ilsenine slowly spreads jam on a biscuit, silent for a time.

"I see," she finally says it, "It must be understood that this Court will support Aurora in anything to this end. Muirfinn deserves better." Quietly, almost under her breath but a hair too loud she says, "None of us deserve that fate."

[Ebiris]

Afina nibbles on her cake while Ilsenine digests that, waiting until she's replied before she answers. "No, but we shouldn't expect Hell to ask for anything that isn't ruinous in reply. My own opinion is that this summit will be a lot of posturing with unreasonable demands. However, it's Jaela's to manage, and she's well suited to that kind of arena."

[Anastasia]

"I will hope," Queen Ilsenine nibbles as well, "That this leads to something positive, but I fear you are right."

[Ebiris]

"That's all I've heard since I got here," Afina summarises. "The Mercane used as a messenger made a spectacle of himself on arrival and put everyone on edge, but there's no immediate threat or plans for battle."

[Anastasia]

"I see," Ilsenine closes her eyes and exhales. "Thank you."

[Ebiris]

"It's no trouble, your Majesty," Afina reassures her.

[Anastasia]

"Thank you nonetheless, Baroness," Ilsenine smiles and meets your eyes, then looks to a window. She gazes out it, "Perhaps as winter rages we can begin to see the first hints of spring. I find myself hopeful, for Hell's acknowledgement only strengthens our Crusade. Legitimizes it, rather. Another small step, but a step."

[Ebiris]

"Perhaps. I've entertained thoughts like that myself," Afina admits. "If we could capture Lixer or some other hellish luminary, their life may be enough to sway Asmodeus into ceding Lifasa back to us."

[Anastasia]

"Is it possible to do that before the negotiations?" Ilsenine asks.

[Ebiris]

"Absolutely not," Afina shakes her head. "You saw how poorly our attack on Lethe went, and Lixer spends most of his time in Nessus. If we could go there and successfully defeat and abscond with Asmodeus's son, we wouldn't even need to negotiate for Muirfinn."

[Anastasia]

"As I knew and feared," Queen Ilsenine frowns, "I hope against hope to bring the terror to them that they so freely gave us, but they are powerful."

[Ebiris]

"Perhaps so, but we are strong and growing stronger," Afina says to lift Ilsenine's spirits. "If we'd been at our current strength on the day of the attack, Lifasa would never have fallen."

Yes Abigor still would have killed every plant the moment he set foot on their world, but he would have died very swiftly thereafter.

[Anastasia]

"If only." Ilsenine sighs, her wings and shoulders drooping. "Afina, is there a plan of this diplomacy ends up being a double cross?"