Tools of Conquest [Goblin]

[Juno]

"Fallial?!" Remina stared at him in shock, teal eyes blinking as if waiting for him to name the correct place. Surely he was only teasing and he was native to one of the towns of the forest, right? The more he talked, though, the more obvious it became that he was not joking and not lying. What she could make of his thoughts seemed true and unfortunately not the elaborate prank she'd hoped.

"Yes, I know where Serendipity is," she mumbled distractedly. It was a far-flung memory since her last visit but she could not easily forget the country nor its people. Her heart secretly keened at the idea of returning.

"I don't think territories would quite be the word you're looking for, but we each have our own place to call home. Usually separate from the rest. There is no reason for us to not recognize the borders the humans have established, though, they are completely legitimate," she explained patiently, if a little regretful for what she'd gotten herself into so stubbornly. Regardless, she couldn't let him go freely without risking her own exposure.

"If Fallial is where we must go then we will go. And quickly. Because...that's an awfully long way to be traveling," she sighed in defeat. Surely this eccentric alchemist would be the death of her.

"The cat will be joining us," she announced after a moment's pause for thought. "She'd be lonely if I left her."

[GoblinFae]

Benjamin listened avidly to her explanations as he polished off the last of his meal and sit back feeling full. "How fascinating!" he declared even as his mind spun with a thousand thoughts. 'A society built not that far different from our own! And to think I'm the first to hear of it. I will definitely need to conduct more research on this matter as soon as possible. I wonder if they're only located in Adela or if they've spread globally.'

"Wait did you say the cat would be joining us? I beg your pardon madam but the cat most certainly will not be joining us because there is no us. I will not be rushed home when I clearly still have business here to attend to. I have yet to acquire the money I am owed for my product and at this rate I will need to make a new one thanks to you and your cat. I frankly do not have the time to be bouncing back and forth between countries when there is far too much work to be completed. I'm sorry but I'm afraid I cannot be your guide. You'll have to find someone else."

[Juno]

The corners of her lips twitched with the briefest fake smile as she stared at him. No, he would not be the decision-maker after all the inconvenience he'd caused, not while she was alive at least.

"I think it would be wise to forget your product and your money," she warned him. "You're a wanted criminal now. Stay away from the city if you want to even be able to return home." Of course, Remina planned on ensuring that would happen. She would leave nothing to chance when it came to the bumbling idiot before her.

"We leave at dawn," she announced firmly, ignoring the rest of his concerns. "I would cooperate if I were you. Unless you want to be dragged there the whole way."

[GoblinFae]

"I am not!" Benjamin protested in horror. "On the contrary, I am a law-abiding citizen that has been completely caught up in a massive misunderstanding which I will be fixing promptly in the morning. I will not stand for my good name to be smeared so unjustly. Now whether you will help me or not this will be remedied and properly. Now I will gladly leave your humble abode by dawn but I really do have my own business to attend to just as you are free to go about yours."

[Juno]

She heard him, she just didn't agree.

Remina raised her hand for silence and shot him a stern, cold look. "This isn't up for discussion. This is as much about me as it is about you. You can't just go back. You have information. You've seen me. I entrusted you with my family."

She heaved a heavy sigh and hung her head slightly. The demon was willing to try anything to appeal to the human emotion she knew he had somewhere in that muddled brain of his. "Do business elsewhere. Anywhere but here. Your 'good name' is already ruined so just- Just give up!" she hissed, lifting her eyes to stare him down.

"But first you're leaving. Lie low or you'll just be right back in jail." Surely the stubborn nobleman had to see reason in that. It was the truth after all and if he exposed her she'd be right there with him.

[GoblinFae]

Benjamin huffed and sputtered in indignation at her gall to order him about and tell him what to do in a matter so serious and sensitive to him. "Yes, in jail where I was supposed to be come morning and thanks to you will now have to face charges that have nothing to do with me! I do not understand why kidnapping me makes you believe I would actually agree to go anywhere with you. Frankly the only reason I've stayed thus far as traveling at night is highly ill-advised given the sort of people that lurk about in alleyways. You cannot tell me what to do and that madam is final!" he shouted, completely red in the face. The nobleman was on his feet with no idea when he had even stood up and his chest heaved with the effort to draw air back into his starving lungs.

[Juno]

Remina watched his rant with a curious glint in her eyes. Somehow he was still under the delusional impression that he'd been there for his protection rather than assumed crimes associated with her. But she actually felt a bit guilty for upsetting him, ridiculous as it was. The demon had no reason to feel anything for a random human she was saving -for selfish reasons but still saving-, and yet she did.

"Settle down," she spoke evenly, gesturing at where he'd been sitting before. "You're right. Traveling at night is not a good idea around here. Your life isn't worth getting where you're going, is it?" She tsked gently and shook her head as if scolding a small child.

"We'll go in the morning," she announced, purposefully vague to try and calm his sudden flash of anger.

[GoblinFae]

He exhaled sharply, the wind effectively taken from his sails as he realized how rude he had been, yelling at his hostess. Benjamin bowed his head respectfully, a quiet murmur of apology upon his lips as he once more resumed his seat and attempted to regain his composure. Only once he had accomplished that did he resume conversing with her. "Very well then. In the morning I will be off and can resume my business in town and you can do whatever it is you're wanting to do," he said with a slight dismissive wave of his head. "You're right there is no need to get all uppity about it. It is best to stay indoors at these hours anyway.

"Very good then, now if you could be so kind would you mind pointing me to my bed kind hostess as I believe I am quite ready to retire after such a day and evening. I am rather unused I must admit to such rigors and excitement. Gives one quite the shock if I do say so myself."

[Juno]

She gave a small, knowing smile to see that he'd mostly calmed down, quite pleased that it seemed his fire was both quick to spark and easy to put out.

"Bed?" she tilted her head slightly in confusion, looking to the small couch in the next room over that was really barely any wider than a chair. "You can sleep there. The only bed here is mine," she explained, feeling no shame in it. It was her house. She had no reason to trouble herself with a second bedroom for guests that would be so few and far between.

[GoblinFae]

Benjamin pursed his lips in displeasure at being told he would be made to sleep on the couch instead of a proper bed. Ever the gentleman though, he refrained from complaining when there was a lady in the room and who would be better suited for sleeping in a bed. "Perhaps then do you have any extra bedding or blankets at least? I've heard tell it gets quite cold in Adela in the evenings. If I am to start out early in the morning then it would be best to get as much sleep as possible and the best at that, no?"

[Juno]

Best sleep? She highly doubted he'd be able to get a good night's rest with such a setup but she wouldn't deny him the tools to try. "Yeah, you can borrow a blanket...and I suppose a pillow as well." She had two of each, after all, though she had half a mind to continue her comfortable norm instead of sharing. It probably wasn't worth another temper tantrum from the spoiled brat, though.

Rising to stand, she scooped up the books to put back in their places on her way to the sole bedroom of the house. It took a bit of effort for her choose which of her blankets was the least comfortable (to give to him, of course) but she emerged at last with one folded on her arm and a pillow under the other.

"Hope these will do," she muttered, padding across the living area to deposit them on the little couch. "Anything else you need?" She raised a brow at him, hoping he wouldn't make her regret asking.

[GoblinFae]

"Thank you, madam," Benjamin responded with all the courtesy had been ingrained in him since birth. His eyes though spoke volumes of his displeasure and distaste at being provided with such meager offerings. He took it all in stride though as he quietly reminded himself that he was in a rustic setting far removed from the more civilized creature-comforts he was accustomed to.

The nobleman attempted to fluff the limp pillow before setting it down in defeat. "Actually now that you mention it," he called after her, raising a finger for her attention even as he sank down to sit upon the couch. "Some hot tea to break the morning fast would be lovely. Thank you kindly and a pleasant rest for you," he bid as if his request was nothing out of the ordinary.

[Juno]

Tea. Well, it wasn't too unusual for a human to request but it wasn't something she made often for herself. Too much work and too many small, easily broken things involved in the process. She'd crushed a few tiny teacups in her time, but tea as a whole was not unpleasant. It was a small favor to ask, she decided, and one she was at least capable of meeting with what she had on hand.

"I think I can manage that," she agreed, turning to continue on her way back to the bedroom. If it would give her a bit of peace before he figured out her plans it seemed worth attempting.

"Pleasant...rest," she repeated, finding the rather formal manner of speaking a little awkward. Bowing her head slightly, she at last disappeared into the darkness to settle into her own bed for the remainder of the night.

[GoblinFae]

Benjamin smiled after her before sighing tiredly in defeat. The couch looked far from comfortable and the pillow was an even worse state as far as he was concerned. But, he attempted to reason with himself, it would be completely ungentlemanly of himself to oust a lady from her bed and force her to sleep elsewhere.

"At least there'll be tea in the morn," he muttered under his breath as he began to meticulously remove his boots and outerwear for as comfortable a sleep as he could manage. Each article of clothing was carefully folded in a most exacting manner before being placed ever so precisely on a chair beside the couch.

With a tired sigh he finally sprawled out on his back, his arms crossed loosely over his chest. His body was exhausted beyond belief but his mind was very much awake and active. Benjamin, ever the persistent researcher was cataloguing the bits of information he had already gleaned from the woman as he also began forming even more questions. His mind practically buzzing with his excitement to the point that occasionally he would utter his thoughts aloud as they bounced and rattled about loudly within his mind. It was a wonder therefore he fell asleep at all several hours later from pure exhaustion.

[Juno]

As much as she'd intended to get some much-needed rest, her houseguest kept her very much awake without even being in the same room. She silently cursed his "loud" thoughts, the babbling nature of them practically swarming her with Benjamin being just in the other room. Worst of all, none of it made sense to her with all his sleepy, broken half-thoughts that were confusing without any context.

By the time the storm calmed enough for her to sleep it was already almost morning and she only got a few hours of rest before the sun was waking her with its blinding light. With a snarling growl the demon crawled from her bed, determined to give her human guest no reasons to complain. The quieter he stayed the easier her life would be, in the end.

Pulling on a fresh dress that still left very little to the imagination she shuffled out towards the living area, casting a curious look at the makeshift bed of her guest to make sure he was even still there. Continuing on to the kitchen, she sleepily struggled with the rather simple task of starting a fire in her hearth and heating the water for tea.

Once she managed to get it going she rummaged through her cupboards trying to find a pair of matching cups that didn't seem to want to make an appearance. Nearly every set she knew of she could only find one for so with a growl of frustration she finally settled upon the two that looked the nicest even though they weren't matching and set to dusting them out before setting them at the table, one on each side.

Realizing she didn't really keep enough human food around to offer him any real variety she settled for setting out a few slices of staling bread on a plate between cups in case he was hungry for breakfast at all. The last thing she wanted was to have to deal with a human's whining for food.

With the water heated she added leaves a few flecks at a time, quickly realizing she'd forgotten how to measure such a thing as a pot of tea. Remina stopped once it seemed she'd added enough, perhaps too much in her mind, but in reality it was far too few and would leave their drinks with very little taste besides warm water.

[GoblinFae]

The nobleman slept fitfully, yet heavily through the night. The storm bothered him none but the sounds of her moving about eventually brought him to his senses. He sat up with a groan, his neck cracking after having been dangling off the sofa for hours on end. For several moments he sat there, blinking mindlessly while he tried to slowly realize what had woken him up in the first place.

When at last Benjamin noticed Remina, he yanked the covers up to cover himself as if the thought of her seeing him in his underclothes was the same as seeing him nude. "Forgive me milady. I did not mean to oversleep. Was your sleep restful?"

[Juno]

Remina turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, a brow quirked in amusement at the sudden niceties spilling from his lips. "Not really, but thank you. Your mind races quite a lot at night," she pointed out, pouring their tea carefully.

Giving up on the table idea she scooped up the two cups and moved to take a seat beside him, holding one out in offering and thinking nothing of his state of dress. "Tea, as I promised."

[GoblinFae]

"My apologies," he murmured with an apologetic bow of his fiery head. Her comments regarding his own mind went completely over his head as he struggled to wake up beyond the act of being physically up.

Benjamin smiled genuinely though as he accepted the tea before resting it daintily on his knee. As he slowly began to fully regain his facilities he at last realized that he was not in an appropriate state of dress. Embarrassed, he attempted to drag a blanket back over top of him and upwards to hide his inappropriate though fully covering under clothes from view. He glanced out of the corner of his eye hoping that she would not notice his relative discomfort and ungentlemanly behavior.

He sipped at the tea wincing slightly as his mind registered flavorless water. "Hmm what tea might this be? It's rather...delicate in comparison to what we drink further north."

[Juno]

Remina watched him expectantly, hoping it was to his liking. At his wince she frowned and took a small sip from it. Too light, far too light. She licked the flavor from her lips, watching him closely and tensing as she waited for his true thoughts to assault her...but they didn't come. Strange when his mind had been so open the previous night.

"Let me fix it," she offered, reaching out to try to pluck the cup from his hands so she could remake it. "I didn't use enough. It's just a simple black tea, with some blackberry flavor. But I definitely made it wrong, I'm sorry. " His state of dress and hiding behind the blanket were noticed but were not her primary concern. Ensuring he had nothing to be upset over was. "Would you like some bread while you wait?"

[GoblinFae]

"Ah," Benjamin replied, flushing darkly in embarrassment. He had not meant to insult his hostess by implying that her tea was terrible. Mentally he kicked himself for his stupidity cursing his inability to understand social cues. "Bread would be delightful if you have it yes. Butter to if that isn't asking too much," he called back to her.

He waited until her back was turned before scooping up his pile of clothes and hurrying to shimmy his way back into them. The last thing he felt he needed was for her to throw him out before she had brought him back to jail where they could explain the entire unfortunate situation that had occurred thanks to her kidnapping him.

"How soon will you be willing to leave this morning after eating? I believe the sooner we go the better, don't you?"