03-16-2019, 10:14 AM
Satsume's brow wrinkled. Black Fang, huh? It was a name he had only been familiar with in passing, and only very recently - overhearing the children in his village shouting it during their playground games. He assumed it was just some sort of myth. But here were two unlikely allies - the provocative Lita, and her silent titan bodyguard. It seemed ridiculous. But just ridiculous enough to be true.
Cecily's demeanor flipped like a switch. Satsume could see her fists ball up underneath the table. "What's the matter?" he asked.
Cecily paid him no heed. "You sit before me and say 'Black Fang' and 'honor' in the same breath? The same organization that has neither accountability nor respect for the laws that govern us? And you think that I would just... go along with it?"
"Milady-" he started to say.
"For what reason should I not call the guards to lock you and your companion in a dungeon?"
"Now hold on just a minute!" Satsume stepped forward and laid a hand on Cecily's shoulder. She glared at him with a gaze that could melt steel. Crap. Think fast, Satsume! He lowered his voice a bit to keep away prying ears.
"Listen - I don't know anything about any Black Fang or spies or criminals or anything. But what I do know is that Lita and Goldhardt helped us take back Shad's castle. Total strangers!" He gestured to the two of them. "Didn't need to help us! But... they threw their lives in harm's way for us anyway." He walked to the other side of the table and picked up the sword. He admired its edge for a moment, then offered it to Lita, hilt first. "...and that's good enough for me. Besides-" he turned to face Cecily again.
"Have you seen the guards around here? All their frills and decorum? Probably couldn't fight their way out of a linen closet, much less arrest Goldhardt over here."
Cecily's demeanor flipped like a switch. Satsume could see her fists ball up underneath the table. "What's the matter?" he asked.
Cecily paid him no heed. "You sit before me and say 'Black Fang' and 'honor' in the same breath? The same organization that has neither accountability nor respect for the laws that govern us? And you think that I would just... go along with it?"
"Milady-" he started to say.
"For what reason should I not call the guards to lock you and your companion in a dungeon?"
"Now hold on just a minute!" Satsume stepped forward and laid a hand on Cecily's shoulder. She glared at him with a gaze that could melt steel. Crap. Think fast, Satsume! He lowered his voice a bit to keep away prying ears.
"Listen - I don't know anything about any Black Fang or spies or criminals or anything. But what I do know is that Lita and Goldhardt helped us take back Shad's castle. Total strangers!" He gestured to the two of them. "Didn't need to help us! But... they threw their lives in harm's way for us anyway." He walked to the other side of the table and picked up the sword. He admired its edge for a moment, then offered it to Lita, hilt first. "...and that's good enough for me. Besides-" he turned to face Cecily again.
"Have you seen the guards around here? All their frills and decorum? Probably couldn't fight their way out of a linen closet, much less arrest Goldhardt over here."