>>5710826To the credit of Blackpine’s Baron, Brunus stood strong in the face of this. It would be a lie to say he did not flinch or recoil, but he did not forsake his seat upon the high-backed, intricately-carved, wooden throne which bore his weight. He did not cry out, and he reached for his sword-of-state, sheathed in a notch in the wood, and drew forth the ceremonial-looking weapon in legitimate defence of his wife, seated beside him in a slightly-humbler seat than that of her lord-husband.
“Isss thiss how you welcome guessstss?” you had demanded, a boastful and (you know by now) bestially menacing to mankind) grin upon your lizard lips.
It took the Baron a moment to register your words—he seemed shocked that a creature like you could even speak—and a moment longer to piece together their meaning.
“Then you are the...” the brown-bearded, broad-shouldered Huntslord of Blackpine paused, to assess your appearance. “The ‘nobleman’ who comes from faraway lands, uninvited, topples my towers, butchers my men, and demands an audience with me to discuss ‘peace and trade’? What terrible guest is this, strange MONSTER who invades my land and my home in this way and demands my hospitality as a reward?”
Outrageous! Brass-fronted impudence! His men attacked you first… Albeit, in part due to your own effort to avoid formally explaining yourself to them. Still, one of your own died, too—the North-Merchant, your much-needed and appreciated trade expert! Then, despite your attempts to save his own men and the kindness with which you escorted the survivors of the accidental attack, this furry-faced whelp dgave your no quarter, would not hear your piece, and in fact tried to clap you in irons like some common criminal! As a proud conquering dragon, you would have gladly turned this man and his laughable, flammable seat of office to cinder and smoke with a single breath…
But then Queen Ekaterine, your Beloved One, would have been cross with you.
