What had transpired was a shock the shackled woman behind Aerith. How Alydia managed to floor Marduk with but a touch was beyond her scope of reasoning. Humbled by the elven beauty and writhing Marduk caved in his own way, and all Samantha could do was gape her mouth in awe.
Yet Aerith needed more than humbling a brute by mere touch to impress her. Not to say what the dark elf did wasn't impressive, it highly was and aerith made a mental note to add that ability to her list of concerns. However as a daughter of the Goddess of Blessed Torture, the bar was quite understandably high. She merely drank her cup down and sighed pleasurably. It was quite presumptuous of the tiefling and the shaman to demand anything from the Cult, but the party was already over. She got what she wanted out of this meeting.
The wheelchair squeaked as she rolled backwards, Samantha quickly grabbing the handles and aiding her as she made way for the exit, stopping before Alydia. "I have enjoyed our time together Ms. Ettermire, we should get together with tea and pastries when this is over and discuss a more lucrative business venture." Samantha politely nodded as she rotated the chair to address the other two in the room. She gave them a charming smile, but the vileness in her eyes couldn't be contained. True, they would no doubt care not one wit about her gave or anything about her for that matter, but it was a necessary reminder that she represented one of the strongest families in the world.
"Mr. Drak'shal I hope that my Cultists will be of use to you, and in the future you will consider us again when you are fully in control of the Red Hand. As for you Marduk," Aerith turned away allowing herself to be pushed away. "I would be mindful of the lesson Alydia taught you gratefully about barking at your betters. My sister will be there and you can see for yourself how she'll bring it the way you like it."
She left the meeting at that. Genuine parting for Alydia, a casual reminder to Aurelianas that theCult was watching, but not opposed to his plans or goals. To expect respect from the tiefling was just a simple matter of knowing it wouldn't happen. His kind grew up in a society of might makes right, or so she had been told. Which reminded her. She lifted a hand in pause, and turned her head to the demon man.
"My sister, Catherine, would like you to pass a message for her to your ally, Ms. Freebird, and her company. A simple warm greeting and the promise to shed more blood in the coming months. She has not forgotten her debt to Madison, and the Cult always pays their debts."
As the chair moved forwards once again Aerith returned to her thoughts, unsure what plans she should proceed with. There was a palpable feeling in the air as the events that took place seemed to be off. Something in the air was wrong, but she could not find the source, so she left it at that for now. When she wheeled into her room she sighed heavily dismissing Samantha with a wave of her hand.
"What a miserable waste of time. I should not have had high expectations, but thats always been my weakness. I expect far too much sometimes." Samantha said nothing as her chains rattled in the air behind the cripple. Aerith removed her boots with some strain, feeling nothing in her legs as she huffed bending over to release the ties. "Alydia was just as i expected; efficient, organized, prepared. But the other two i would have liked to see more subtly in their veiled threats. Marduk's desire to show power was a boon for me, but leaves me far less confident in his abilities than i would like."
She moved herself off the chair just a bit, angling to remove her corset when a feeling washed over her that made her jump in alarm. Fingers gripped the intricate lacing and ripped the backing off, causing pain in her chest. She looked to see a frightened Samantha looking to one in her mistress' bed chambers. She followed the trail to see her dear sister, feral mask on her face as she breathed heavily in and out, nostrils flaring. Spit collected at the side of her mouth and she looked ready to kill as she angrily tossed the laces aside.
"Hello, Cat," Aerith purred. She made no indication of the concern she felt when her sister was like this. It was a risky gamble, but she found a way to calm her sister even in the worst of moods. It wasn't a solution she minded herself either. Her fingers gently lifted up and brushed her sisters. She snatched them away, glaring daggers at the cripple. Aerith remained calm. "You are troubled, sister. What is wrong?"
"I want to murder them all," she seethed. "This plotting and posturing, it's all meaningless." Her hand went to her ax, but this time Aerith insisted her fingers lock with her sisters. There was a tense moment as the crimson angel looked to the grip, but she sagged her shoulders and gripped lightly back, a longing sigh escaping her lips.
"Patience is not your virtue, i know this, but this is how the game is played. They all showed exactly how much they were willing to show at that meeting, just as I had."
"There reputations means nothing when there is an axe in their heads!" She shouted and slammed her fist in the dresser, shattering the top shelf. She seethed looking to the blood that dripped down her knuckles. She quickly brought her hand to her mouth and licked the blood, before Aerith took it in her hand. She saw her opportunity clear as day.
"You are very wound up, Sweetheart, why is that?" Aerith said softly, rubbing her thumb against her sister's hand. Catherine looked side to side, before she lowered her head. Her heaving was replaced with deep sighs before her fingers lazily began to rub her sisters.
"I just," she started. "I wanted to ensure i could kill Astarelle, but it never came up. You let the dark elven whore have her. I want to teach that sand slut not to trifle to with Avatar of Blessed Torture!" Aerith brought her sister in for a hug, wrapping her arms around her. The woman's heart paced li,e a race horse and Aerith merely ran a finger through her hair. She soothed the beast despertely crawling out of Catherine.
"There will be time for that, dear sister. But you have to play your part for now. Will Taka Benjiro do for now?"
"It will have to," Catherine muttered with no enthusiasm. Aerith pulled back and let her fingers reach the back of her sisters head. Admittedly, her heart fluttered to be close to her sister like this. Usually she was always the instigator, but this time Aerith was surprised her sister pressed her lips against hers. They kissed for a moment, hands running up and down, before Catherine broke it off. She smiled, brokenly, to Aerith, before she moved to the window and cast it open with a flick of her wrist. "I must go, mother just summoned me," she snapped the words with wrath.
"Do NOT go see mother angry," Aerith warned. Catherine sighed, but nodded in agreeance. In a beat of wings of she was gone. Aerith looked out the window, longing for her sisters touch, but instead that feeling suddenly returned. No doubt spies of the others saw her sister fly away. Some must even known they kissed. It wasn't the end of the world knowledge, but it was an unnecessary showing of weakness.
This whole conference was starting to become bothersome. She adjusted on the chair and looked to Samantha. "When do we leave?" She asked sternly. Samantha quickly responded, her chains dragging as she raced forwards.
"Cultists are ready at a moments notice. We have one mage in the area who can teleport us back to Moth-" Samantha stopped talking the second the word slipped. Aerith's eyes widened. The child shrank looking away. Aerith wheeled her chair over quickly.
"Finish your thoughts," Aerith said lightly.
"At the mansion. They could teleport us back to the mansion." Samantha was bad at hiding things and Aerith smiled.
"Yes," she said slyly. "Let's go make haste and return to mother, shall we?" Aerith smiled as Samantha gathered their things, taking joy that it was possible this trip wasn't a waste afterall...
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