Kat is back

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"I don’t care if you trust them what you are asking is ridiculous," Hromdir slammed his hands on the table as he spoke. Kat had never seen the butler so emotional, and he wasn’t looking pleased at all. Creshe was next to him, with a somewhat pained look on her face, but she didn’t decide to add anything just yet.

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"If this is about the fact Bodeir is still asleep, do remember, that I asked if you wanted to fix that before we had our chat," returned Kat.

"This has nothing to do with that. I don’t trust the young master not to massively complicate things. You’re asking us to walk headfirst into a diplomatic incident of such massive proportions that we’ll be lucky to come out of it unscathed! Do you understand how dangerous what you’re asking us is?" hissed Hromdir.

Kat let that question hang for a moment to think about it, "No… no I don’t think I do understand how dangerous it is. I’m sure this will cause problems… but it seemed like the best I could do at the time. I essentially neutralised Meng as a potentially enemy with remarkably little effort on my part,"

"You were attacked as soon as your left the damned vault! You took a needless risk, you should have just fought her! You have Truesight! She has no chance against you!" grumbled Hromdir as he jabbed his finger repeatedly at Kat.

"Hromdir, that’s being remarkably short-sighted," said Creshe

"You want to tell me that she couldn’t defeat the assassin?" asked Hromdir, "Is that not what she was paid for? Sure we didn’t think the sect mistress was the potential assassin, but that was Bodeir’s worry, and Kat has walked right into this mess!"

"Kat’s own abilities will be working against her here," explained Creshe "While she might not struggle to fight an illusionist, she WILL struggle to prevent collateral damage because of her struggles to see solid illusionary weapons that WE KNOW Meng is capable of. Kat was right to mitigate the risks in this case,"

"Well, what about the series of fights she participated in on Meng’s behalf," said Hromdir.

"They were attempting to kidnap Bodeir and the others, Meng’s involvement might have changed the nature of the fight somewhat, but Kat would’ve been forced to fight them anyway. I understand that you’re feeling rather emotional at the moment, and the political ramifications go over my head a bit, but I don’t see what other options Kat could’ve had," said Creshe calmly.

"It’s a bloody good thing for you that you don’t understand. This is shaping up into a sect war situation! I don’t even know what side of the alliance the Holy Icy Wind sect will fall now or if we’ll be obligated to lend assistance or not in the light of these revelations. That’s not even taking into account the risk of attack while we’re flying back to the sect! Kat is essentially asking us to take on dangerous cargo without any safety measures. Imagine she was asking us to transport a hundred thousand explosive talismans improperly secured and you might have an idea," growled Hromdir.

Creshe winced at the image, "I can see how that would be bad…"

"It’s worse, Kat doesn’t have to return with us. Her contract was just till the boat took off here. We’ll be on our own," insisted Hromdir.

Creshe shuddered at that but Kat jumped in, "I know that, but I’m willing to use what extra time I have in this realm to help with the escort back. There is a risk I’ll be forcefully removed, but I think if Bodeir gives me additional payment I’ll be fine… perhaps even if he doesn’t. Technically I could argue that I know Bodeir was in a clear and present danger as the boat took off and thus needed to remain on guard,"

Hromdir seemed genuinely surprised that Kat was willing to stick around. He let out a deepthroated hum as he thought over the implications, "Can you do that?"

"Probably?" said Kat with her own wince. "I know we demons can sort of… bend a contract a little bit towards our favour, especially if our summoner is weak… but if I’m bending it in Bodeir Sr’s favour? Then I think it should be fine… the only issue might be one of payment but well…"

"If you get something additional from Bodeir Sr, even if it is merely a token of appreciation that should negate any further repercussions," mumbled Hromdir. "I suspect… if Meng is… minimally cooperative Bodeir will even be quite glad to pay the additional price. Not for the trouble you’re dropping in his lap… but because you’ve kept his son safe from a much greater threat then he hired you for. I still don’t like this… but I can see it working out… somehow. The issue now is… hmm… I’m not sure that we can authorise this,"

Creshe nodded at that statement and continued, "Indeed, technically speaking our vessel isn’t suitable for major diplomatic figures such as the sect matriarch of the Holy Icy Wind sect. There is also the issue with the spies in Bodeir Jr’s retinue. We’ve removed plenty, and we keep watch to ensure the ones that remain don’t find out anything important as we encourage Bodeir Jr to learn to spot them… but…"

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"Indeed, with Meng obviously present even the dullest of spies that have given us no cause to remove them can create issues. Even if they were just to send a message to a friend, who tells another friend. Things like this can’t be kept quiet with spies around… and maybe not even without them. This is a major undertaking…" grumbled Hromdir.

*I can already see this getting annoying… so let’s nip all this ’protocol’ and ’spy’ worries in the bud. With a sledge hammer.* "So… I get what you’re both saying… counterpoint… do you have a choice?" said Kat innocently.

Creshe instantly seemed to pick up on Kat’s implication but Hromdir was looking a little lost, "Of course we have a choice. Why would you even suggest otherwise?"

"Well Hromdir… the person you’re thinking of is a master of illusions, and I’m friends with her daughter at this point… plus I could argue it would be safer to have her cooperation so… assuming you say no… I can just… not tell you about seeing her walk on under powerful illusions?"

"Ah… fuck," said Hromdir.

"You’ve really put us in an awkward position, haven’t you Kat," said Creshe "You’re right in that we have no choice but to accept… or suffer the consequences. This is the sort of thing we really need to report to Bodeir Sr but we have no way of contacting for something like this,"

"Really? None at all?" asked Kat.

Creshe nodded, "Indeed. The best we have is a powerful artifact capable of sending a response to Bodeir but it doesn’t receive messages, just send them, and only once. It’s more of an emergency warning system. Which we will still need to use… just likely for warning him we’re already taking aboard such troublesome passengers instead of asking for permission, or opinions like we really should,"

Kat just shrugged, "I’m not sorry,"

"I can see that," said Creshe

"I’m still not entirely convinced it will be worth it. Oh, Bodeir Sr will pay the price, as this keeps his foolish son safe, and I love the lad like he was my own grandchild… but make no mistake this is definitely going to cause us problems in the future. We will weather the storm, as all good mountains do… but it is likely to be a mighty storm indeed, if it is not stopped early,"

Kat just shrugged again, "Is there anything else you need to know?"

Hromdir just sighed, "We didn’t exactly get the full details of what happened, but realistically we can get those later. What needs to happen right now, is organising all of the servants and informing them of the change in plans, then deciding if it’s safe to wake Bodeir Jr up,"

"Why wouldn’t it be?" asked Kat.

"While I trust in your bindings by the contract… if Bodeir Jr is… his normal self instead of the polite fiction we present to others on his behalf… Meng may take offence and decide to punish him for a slight. Perhaps it would be best to just… keep him safely asleep until we reach the sect," said Hromdir with a sheepish grin.

"Meng’s an assassin, I’m pretty sure she’s seen a few idiot noble children," said Kat.

"Oh sure, but the first time he did something to one of her kids, Meng would retaliate. Even if it is a minor retaliation… Bodeir Sr will need to get involved because it’s an attack on a sect heir," explained Hromdir with a sigh and a shake of his head. It was potentially treasonous to consider, but there was no point adding more fuel to the fire.

"Ah… politics," said Kat.

"Yes, politics," agreed Hromdir.

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