• Closed • [Krome] Set Awry

[Alistair]

5th of Cylus, Arc 717
Duchy of Krome, Rynmere

Ugh, he sounded. The day before him had been filled with stress. He'd been compelled to rash things by Syroa's influence, nearly ventilating his obscure desires on the members of this estate. His self-discipline, or lack thereof, had been shown to be incredibly faulty in the face of an Immortal's wants -- Alistair could scarcely resist the influence of Sesser when it decided to play games with his emotions. Yet, for the night, the mark on his back had silenced. Alistair had distracted himself with his journal, writing words of his own disappointment tied in with his optimism for his future.

He knew a thing for certain: the day would come where he would come to conflict with Syroa. He'd see her again, and she would be displeased with his change, as he'd made the effort to remain the man he was before her mark had been engraved. That day could be the last day of his life, or it could be the greatest of them. Like Ellasin, Alistair had already begun to research the ways in which to kill an Immortal, though he made no progress. Perhaps with Sera ba Randil, the pendant that shook off their detection, he could survive her -- though he did not know. It seemed he would have to kill Ellasin, regardless, before he could even consider surviving the wrath of an Immortal as long as she had. And despite how malevolent Sintra was... Syroa was, in all likelihood, even worse.

Of course, dealing with the fact that your days were numbered by the arbitrary whims of a red-winged, would-be God, was a sobering thing. And yet he drank nonetheless, and for the first time in his life, he was drinking solely to deal with the rise of his negative emotions. Pessimism had come to consume him, and... he could not be that way. If drinking made him less melancholy, which it did, then by all means. He'd become a drunk, whenever it got too bad. He just... needed some safety from the self-flagellation, spawned from his inability.

When he was somewhat inebriated, he decided to leave his room, and explore the estate of Xander Krome and his forebears. Well, less explore and more find a warm place of reading, where he could distract his mind with other things. Finding a reading room in the corner of the mansion, Alistair seated himself beside a blazing firepit, grabbing and opening the first book he could: The History of Agriculture in Krome.

Oh boy, he rolled his eyes, lazily turning the pages over to the index. This was a bizarre topic to get into, but... times were desperate, and the mind needed numbing. Alistair sighed and began on the first page. That was, until stopped by the chattering of feet against the floors of the home, somewhere in the near-distance.

"Xander?" he asked, his voice traveling towards the hall. It was late evening, and so he wasn't sure who the steps could have originated from -- the two men had slept quite early on the prior evening, so in all likelihood, it could have been a servant that drew near.

[Xander Andaris]

The day had gone by slowly for Xander, after Alistair had departed he had spent the time sat in his arm chair. Half the time he had been sleeping and relaxing the other half he had been contemplating his plans for Krome. This was how he spent most Cylus days, thinking about the future and what he had planned. Much of it was whether he could manage a take over peacefully, but nearly all of him doubted that. One thing he had always come back too was his parents, they would have to go and he would have to kill them. He had known this for arcs now, but it was only dawning on him properly the prospect now. He certainly did not love the people, far from it in fact. The issue was they had never really done anything to him, making justifying their deaths hard. However, he had decided he could deal with it, especially with knowing it to be for the good of Krome.

The only other things he had attended to that day was checking the ledgers of the household and eating his lunch. After his lunch he had returned to his chair. As evening had begun to to draw in, not that it made any difference to the light, he had begun to drink. His mind no longer on revolution but on Alistair. Xander had been confused by the man's earlier actions and as he sat there in his chair, sipping some whisky, he tried to understand what might have caused the man to undergo the sudden change.

Thinking on Alistair had been enough to make Xander decide to check on the Lord. He was the host after all and if there was anything he could do for the man he would. So he had left his chair, taking the whisky and an extra glass with him. He put his head into the kitchen before he headed upstairs and requested that they bring him some cheese and meats, whatever they had available would do for the simple Lord, in addition he requested some raw carrot and a cluster of cranberries.

As he had approached the stairs he heard Alistair's voice call out his name. Xander found it strange it had come from the study, he had assumed Alistair to be upstairs. After dashing to the kitchen and requesting they take the food there instead he headed in himself. Answering the call of his new friend on entrance.

"Good evening Lord Alistair." He smiled as he came in to see Alistair reading a book on agriculture. "Interesting choice of book, I did not know you had an interesting in farming." He inclined his head towards the book as he took a seat of his own adjacent to the Lord but at a slight angle so they could look at each other and the fire with ease. "I can't say I would have chosen such a book myself, but maybe it is the garden loving Venoran side of you sneaking through." he let out a short laugh as he jested with his friend.

"But in all seriousness, are you okay? I was worried about you after your turn this morning." He poured out the whisky into the two glasses. "Whisky, it will warm you up." He smiled at his friend as he offered him the glass, hoping he would join him in drinking tonight. He had been sleeping too much during the trial it would be a while before Xander needed to sleep. "If you are feeling well I was hoping we could share in another intelligent conversation?" He spoke invitingly, his tone smooth like it had been the night they met. He longed to further discuss the politics of Rynmere, he was in need of update from Alistair and he also hoped for advice.

However, he was aware of the effects of alcohol on one's mental state and so he would have to guard his tongue unless he wished to let slip more than he wished to let out. Although, if his fellow Lord also took to the drink he may slip up on some of his secrets too. If Xander truly wanted Alistair as an ally he would eventually need to tell the man of his plans anyway. Maybe while under the influence of drink would not be the right time, but there was no way to be sure that either of them would drink enough for that to be the case.

[Alistair]

The other nobleman approaching, Alistair smiled and let out a sigh of relief. He didn't very well hope for one of the servants or slaves approaching him in the study, especially not reading something so pointless and arbitrary as a book on how to sew proper crops. He knew little of agriculture, and the page he'd turned to was something quite exceptionally complex -- it was on building polders, which was something he imagined was a necessity for low-lying areas and marshlands in the Kingdom. Venora had none of those, however, and so this chapter was about as essential to him as reading up on a horse's arse.

"I do not have interest in farming, Lord Krome," the man replied, nervously shuffling and placing the book back where he'd found it. Garden loving people, the man called him again. And the same as last time, the nobleman rolled his eyes and recited of how Xander's people were far from ideal. "Whatever you want to say, wolf-plougher," he called him in retort, chuckling under his breath.

As for whether not he was okay? He didn't know. He had never felt totally ideal since the arrival of the mark of Syroa -- ironically, considering the mark had made him significantly healthier, as well as stronger and more tolerant against illnesses. He'd noticed the boon it laid towards his health, and the significance of the mark in fighting off a variety of conditions he'd been exposed to as a doctor. All of these illnesses he would have otherwise faced had merely been brushed off. Yet, there was a spiritual sickness that came with Sesser, and when it came to that... he was not alright at all. He felt everything but, as a direct result of losing control of his mental faculties, and being placed at the whim of an Immortal. How could he explain that to Xander, though? It was... more than just an odd topic to bring about, it was also unwise to speak of being marked by an evil Immortal. Men had their superstitions, and few would believe the Venora if he claimed - truthfully - that he'd been marked by force.

"I am fine," he answered. The man seemed concerned about his health more than anything, so the answer was fair and honest, as far as Alistair was concerned. Glancing at the whiskey, the man nodded, taking the sip that had been poured into his glass. More inebriation needed, it seemed. He still felt far too melancholy about the mark.

"I struggle with demons as we all do, Xander," he said, cryptically. "This morning was the manifestation of such demon. It was... a spontaneous and harsh condition that came over me. But it was not an illness." No, it was something else entirely. It was Syroa's mark giving him a command -- she was telling Alistair a single thing, without any guidance on how. She was telling the man to go on a rampage, as she often had requested of him, across these shores. She was telling him to ravage Xander, the Lord who'd trusted Alistair, who'd invited him into his home. The scary thing was, he wasn't sure what sort of ravaging she wanted him to perform. Their physical activity had gotten his adrenaline pumping, and his blood going wild. How did one ventilate that? On the prong of Fury, as she'd so often compelled, or on Lust? It was a terrifying thing to not know in the slightest what your body commanded. And that was why he'd decided to go -- before he'd made a mistake he could never make amends for, whether or not it was by his own volition.

Of course, Xander did an excellent job in calming Alistair's nerves, inviting him to a conversation with the same attractive tone he'd spoken with before. The man's face almost flushed, embarrassed by his own sulking in the face of Xander's commitments. Alistair nodded, looking the man in the eye and curving the edge of his lip upward, offering a reassuring gleam. "Sure," he said, nodding his head slightly. The man moved his chair closer to Xander's, close enough that their knees nearly made contact in their sitting. He made this conversation personal, rather than merely intellectual, as he'd found himself warming up to the Krome.

"I have a simple question for you, Xander," the man stated, "what is it that you want? You must have a reason for wanting a powerful position. Do you not have ideals, my friend? I have many." He couldn't even get started on all of them. They were things he felt ashamed to even bring forward as concepts. Few nobles agreed with Alistair's rhetoric, except for perhaps in Venora. But here, in Krome? Would they really smile upon the idea of free mages, or independence for slaves, or marriage and reproduction equality between the nobility and the common class?

He supposed if he wanted Xander's true desires to come forward, he'd have to be willing to put forward one of his. So, he decided to speak truthfully, even despite the fear of the man quickly rebutting his ideal.

"I want slaves to be free," he said. "I want them to live in the colonies, and start a civilization where they can own something. To expand Rynmere as they always have, but without being forced into labor to the point of death and malnutrition. Every man has equal potential, and yet we have an entire class of men and women who never have a chance. I find that tragic, Xander. I really do." Speaking honestly, though with the alcohol loosening his tongue, he looked to the Krome's eyes and searched for... something. Approval. Disagreement. Anything. All the meanwhile, he brought more alcohol to his lips, and sipped on the whiskey the man had poured.

[Xander Andaris]

The food arrived shortly after Xander did and he placed the platter on a small table with the whisky. He took a large sip of the whisky, the warming sensation running over him as he swallowed the drink. He had always enjoyed drinking whisky, especially during the cold seasons, it truly did give the feeling of warmth. Of course he knew the feeling was just an illusion, but it was comforting all the same. He took another sip as he listened to the other Lord explain his discomfort earlier and make fun of his noble house. In all fairness he had poked fun at the Venoras first.

Then came a question that caught Xander off guard, a question he had expected would eventually come up but he had hoped to strengthen their friendship before then. However, it appeared that now was as good of a time as any, as even Alistair revealed part of his plan. It was almost as if the Lord had sensed his apprehension when it came to answering the question. He was still a little unsure what was okay for him to say, could he truly trust the man before him. He had said how little he cared for Cassander before him, as well as admitting to wanting to take Venora for himself. All those things were convincing for the Lord.

"I too wish for the slaves to be free, as you can see I treat them already like I would another noble or employee." The two Lords were in agreement on the topic of slaves and that was comforting to the nervous Xander. Although he was nervous, he was relatively sure he was managing to keep his true emotions hidden and remain appearing confident and sure of himself. "Slaves are no less people than we are, they deserved to be treated as such. Your views on equal potential and possibilities are something I too share." He smiled in approval and took another sip of whisky.

"However, I aspire for much more than just the freedom of slaves my friend." He took a bigger gulp of the alcohol in an attempt to settle his nerves about what may soon be let out. Alistair would become the second person to know of his aims if Xander were to reveal them now. He toyed with revealing them, telling the man everything he had planned for his homeland. But something held him back, be it fear or intelligence or a mix of the two he was not sure.

"I wish to become Duke because this land has been led by the weak and foolish for too long." He was speaking the truth but this was more stalling from revealing what he truly wanted. "I would see them be returned to glory, to the greatness of old that is now withered down to nothing but a shell of the Krome legacy. The land has grown poor and the people weak, I would see this change. I would see the lands prosper and the people find their strength and will. We are more than bandits and savages and it is time for that to be seen." He stopped his speech, he was rambling and it would seem clear now that he was telling the truth but something had been left out. The key fact that put all of this together.

He took another sip of the whisky, there was no time like the present or that was what Xander was telling himself as he began to speak again. "The truth is Alistair," He leaned forward and leaned on his knees bringing himself closer to the Lord as if he wished to whisper a secret to him. "I not only wish to free the slaves. I wish to free Krome." He let it sink in briefly. "Too long has this great nation been enslaved by the overlords in Andaris, those who would call themselves kings. It has come a time for Independence, for revolution and I wish to lead that movement. To establish a free Krome." He swallowed not alcohol this time but just air. He was unsure if he had gone too far and he looked into his new friends eyes, staring into them as he searched for reassurance.

"Now the question falls to you Lord Venora, what is it you really want." He finished his glass and poured out another ready to drink, he also topped up Alistair's. "I look at you and I see a man with aims above just being Duke, or even gaining independence like myself. No something about you just burns with a passion for something more, something great." His tone was both nervous and seductive he wished to discover his friends plan, but at the same time he feared that they may be put at odds and also that the man before him did not like his own goals. So he took another sip, beginning to feel the affect of the alcohol in his confidence as his fear began to dissipate.

[Alistair]

He was jubilant to hear of the similar beliefs they held towards slaves. Despite owning a slave himself, Alistair firmly believed in their equality of merit, and the only reason he actually maintained ownership of Kaiserion was of his slave's own desire to remain in Alistair's service, though the nobleman treated Kaiser much as he would any magical apprentice. And if asked, he would free him in a moment, with the stipulation that they still remain friends. He could see that Xander was a man of similar values, and the aligning of these values -- which he'd noted had aligned since the moment he arrived -- was something that brought him closer to the Lord of Krome.

Even now, he found himself nodding, pleased at the man's words. He couldn't stop but wonder how he'd managed to make a connection with someone of such integrity in this falling Kingdom. As the man moved closer after revealing his desires to become Duke, the mage moved closer too, his heart beating more rapidly in his chest, anxious but excited as to what he might hear. The truth is, Alistair... he repeated in his head, mind wandering towards so many different possibilities.

I not only wish to free the slaves, I wish to free Krome.

"What?" the man replied, his brow raising. And then, Xander answered, to the fullest of his ability. He spoke of their subjugation under the Lords of Andaris, and spoke of Krome as if it were a nation. But it was not -- it was a territory, a holding, a vassal Duchy. Alistair did not... did not fully understand. Was this man the next Veljorn, but in fact, even more ambitious than that? To become the leader of an independence movement was perhaps the only thing more ambitious than that of becoming King, as it would require overcoming the whole of the Kingdom. There were few who would ally with a traitor, a rebel, an aspiring Lord of an independent state. And Krome? Krome was not nearly as powerful as Andaris or Venora. Could they ever gain independence? They did not have the men, nor the means, nor --

He stopped himself, calming his mind. Was such a reaction by him logical? And why was he afraid of an independent Krome? They had never fit all that well into the cultural mold of Rynmere. They had been insulted and debased by many of the other houses, regarded as savages or barbarians. It made sense why some of them may wish to go independent, especially after their ruling family had been so thoroughly shamed by the rebellion against Cassander.

Alistair allowed his mind to ease entirely. He controlled his inhibitions, and finally, decided to speak as honestly to Xander as he had towards him. "Xander," he said, "there is no need to speak my name so formally, any longer. You have revealed to me a great deal of trust, as such words and thoughts themselves are treasonous by nature. Call me Alistair, please. I know that you and I would both see that we become great friends." Smiling faintly, the man glanced towards the fire, eyes resting on the logs being set ablaze. "To be entirely honest, I don't see this as a meeting of rival nobles seeking an alliance of mutual benefit. It's become a reality to me that our similarities stretch beyond politics, but in a place ingrained into us. Into our souls. There is a lot in you that I, quite frankly, respect and adore - and though your words go against what I have believed as a patriot of Rynmere, I will allow them double the thought simply from the fact that they escape your lips."

He spoke fondly of Xander, despite their limited time in knowing one another. For some reason, he'd come to trust the man immensely, and the trust had been double-sided. Revealing his revolutionary ideals to Alistair was all he needed to fully understand just how far that trust went -- and so Alistair would trust him as well. It was time to be clear. To be transparent.

He knew that a part of the man's looseness of tongue came from the alcohol, but another part came from a trust he'd grown to have for Alistair. And that mattered -- a lot.

"I believe that you mean well for your people, and so I must ask you - how do you plan to bring about this rebellion, without condemning half of Krome to death? You are outnumbered by the other houses, fifteen to one. Would you even have your people fight against me, if I were to oppose your desire for independence? I want to know just how far this ideal extends, and how you plan on placing it into action."

Alistair would not give the man hyperbole, or conjecture, or an impassioned speech about keeping Rynmere together. He wanted to know the truth. What the man believed, how far he would go for his beliefs. And following that question, he decided he would answer the man's request for the truth.

"My ideals do go beyond Dukedom. That's true. I will be completely frank." He placed his hand on Xander's, signaling that he was to say something that he expected would be kept in confidence. "I want to become King of Rynmere. In fact, it's more than a want. I will become King of Rynmere, it's only a matter of how I get there." But that wasn't all.

"There's more. I want to be able to live as myself, without having to conceal my true nature for the sake of making others feel more comfortable. I want to live how I want, take what I deserve, and display myself for all of my colors. I do not want to marry a woman, because frankly, I'm not interested in them." He said this with extra emphasis, as this was a personal matter that had consumed a lot of his early life, piling onto him a sense of inferiority and regret for his inability to feel desire for the opposite sex. He would see others suffer in this way no longer, as commoners had always been allowed to bed and marry who they pleased. "I do not want to lie to the faces of millions and claim that I am a man of the Seven Gods, for I am not. I would rather see this society secular. And finally," he stopped, thinking deeply on whether or not these words deserved to be said now, and at this time. If it was healthy, or wise.

But he had leverage on Xander, and mutual trust. He knew that the man would not reveal this to others, regardless of how he may personally feel.

"Finally, I would see that mages are allowed to find freedom, rather than chains by the government or hands severed from the body. Rynmere needs magic, lest we fall to the subjugation of the Immortals, or the Eternal Empire. It is time to throw away our superstitions. Magic can be controlled. Magic can be used for the greater good."

He lowered his eyes, and sighed. "Truthfully, Xander... I am a mage. And there's nothing wrong with that, but I've always thought there was. I've always hated myself for being what I am. And that's not right. That's not the world I want to live in. That's not the Kingdom I want to lead. So I will change it, from the highest pedestal given, with all of the misfits of the world behind me. And frankly, I would change it with you at my side. Even if you're a rebel. That's okay -- I'm a rebel too."

The man's hand in his, Alistair sought to lock their fingers together, looking him deeply in the eyes. Leaning forward, he gestured to kiss him on the lips, if the man would allow him to. He didn't know why, but he had a compulsion, and the man's close leaning and seductive voice wasn't helping, nor was the alcohol in Alistair's system. "You're a charming man, despite your radicalism," he spoke, a silly smile on his face. "In another life, I would have yearned for someone like you, as a young one would long for their first love. But instead, I'm a jaded man, and you're an attractive face. I apologize for my impulsiveness," he said, chuckling.

[Xander Andaris]

It was true that his words were treason and Xander had no doubt Cassander would out him to death without a second thought for what he had said. Yet, part of him no longer wished to hold such a great responsibility solely, not only that though. Xander also felt like he could trust the man before him, they had only known each other for a short time but that had been enough. The lord had captured his trust faster than any other person he had met, it was a strange feeling for Xander to trust anyone this much.

Besides Badon, Xander had little trust for anyone. Not even his own family had been allowed to see the desire for revolution that boiled within. He was happy, however, when Alistair seemed instead of judging him to only question how he planned upon succeeding in his aims. "That is a hard question, one that I do not completely know for sure. Really I had only seen a war as a choice before I met you, but in meeting you I discovered that alliances could be as effective. It may be long winded and take a long time but if I play my hand well I could find the support among other houses such as your own."

He knew how difficult it would be to achieve his goals, he was not blind to the truth, and that it may never happen even happen but he was willing to try. "I seek the support of men such as you, those inline to be head of a household, and the ones truly deserving of power. With your support and an alliance between the lands of Venora and Krome, even if it were just a guarantee of neutrality to each other, or a friendship strong enough to breach the borders of our lands. EVen that would be enough to strengthen Krome's chances of independence." It was a complicated situation and he knew that what he was proposing was ridiculous in the minds of many. However, he believed his reasoning for wishing his land and people to be free just.

"I would never wish or want to see the people of this great land be massacred, but all great things require some sacrifice. I would be willing to lose my own life if it would bring about a free Krome. A State of Krome that served itself and was returned to a glory long a go lost." He was explaining himself to the man as deep down not only was a fearful of losing the new friend but also he needed his support, he needed the man's backing. He also needed the man to trust him, neither of them could gain anything if they were not to trust each other.

A little surprised was how Xander found himself as Alistair shared his true aims. He wished to be King of Rynmere, a worrying prospect for the freedom of Krome but also one that made Xander see the true value in gaining Alistair's support. He had known the man wished for more than a Dukedom, but he had never truly expected King. To him the aims were insane. They dwarfed Xanders ambitions, and although what he had planned was insane too this was on another level.

Xander continued to listen as the man explained his situation and aspirations further. The lord could see the reasoning behind each goal and dream. He could relate to some of the ideas even, seeing them as very much similar to his own. But what Xander really saw was a man who felt trapped, a man who felt his home was a prison. He could not help but feel sorry for the man who had, like himself, to hide below a shell that was anything but his true self.

The lord was continued to be surprised as Alistair's third big secret was revealed. A secret that in other company may have gotten him killed right then and there. However, Xander was a man of reason, he did not have irrational and unproven fears of magic. He had little knowledge about magic and in fact he found it more intriguing than wrong or an abomination. Xander believed in using any skill you have to win the battle, be that physical or mental. So the only real response to Alistair's revelation was a slight sigh and a slightly ajar mouth.

"Alistair, I never would have..." His voice trailed off as his hand was taken and the Venoran leaned in to kiss him. Xander's eyes widened a little but promptly closed as their lips met. It was an awkward encounter, the lips met and Xander's were barely puckered as he had been caught off guard. It was only short, more of an elongated peck, but to the Krome it was much more. It was his first kiss, the first kiss he had ever experienced with meaning that is. He had to admit he had not expected for his first kiss to be in such a manner, but it was what it was.

Xander considered its implications, it had likely been caused by a mix of the alcohol and passionate discussion. However, it was also an expression of trust, no man of such stature would kiss a fellow lord without knowing they would keep their secret. Briefly Xander questioned himself, part of him wishing to pull the man in and kiss him more. Yet, part of him knew his preferences did not lay with men, even if part of him was open to the idea if it hadn't have been he would have avoided Alistair when he leaned in.

He swallowed hard and looked at the man who he was no longer sure what his relationship should be called. Ally, friend, lover or some other term that didn't quite encompass the odd relationship. "Alistair, I do not know what to say." He was not upset with the man, nor was he ashamed of the kiss that had just occurred. More than anything he was uncertain of himself, he was so inexperienced and under few circumstances would he have found himself kissing anyone. The fact that the person who had just kissed him was another Lord and potential ally only complicated the situation.

"Well, I am certainly flattered you find me to be attractive." He smiled again at the lord, he was extremely surprised by his actions and he was actually blushing still. The man kissing him and his words were like poison, they made him feel woozy. "No apology is necessary, much like yourself in another life I may have been one to lose himself to a man such as yourself. However, in this life I doubt our lives will cross in such a romantic sense, I shall note it down to the alcohol and passion filled conversation. Even if you are certainly not sore on the eyes." He winked at the lord and let out a short laugh. It was an interesting situation the two had found themselves into now.

[Alistair]

The man accepted his kiss. Alistair made sure not to force himself too hard, and he reacted only to the movements of the other Lord. He could tell by his nervousness that... in all likelihood, this was his first contact with another. If this had been an arc ago, it would have been Alistair's first as well, but alas a great deal had changed in the past year. Now, he was far from inexperienced, and a part of him felt a bit poor for beckoning Xander towards something so important with such little warning, or reason.

Though, he supposed that reason had no place in the romantic and sexual. That kiss did have some logical motivation, but a great deal of where it came from was the physical - Xander's attractiveness, the heat of their bodies, the alcohol, the handsome tone of his voice. Alistair lowered his eyes for a moment, and remembered something. He was done feeling ashamed. There was no reason to feel guilty for kissing the other Lord, especially as the man hadn't pulled away. He had the opportunity, but he didn't.

"You don't have to say anything," the mage replied. His eyes, lit by the flame to reveal their splash of colors, stared intently into Xander's. "I shouldn't have done that at all, truth be told. But I get these... feelings. It was never like this before, but lately, my entire system has gone awry. I find myself wanting things. I find myself feeling empty. Perhaps that's why I've become so open, so radical. If you had met me even two seasons ago, you wouldn't recognize the man you see now. It's such a different life I lead." He took a breath.

I am certainly flattered you find me to be attractive, the man said. Alistair blushed, which only mirrored Xander, who himself seemed to be red in the face. He knew this was a significant moment for the man, whether he was happy, perturbed or confused. In truth, though, it was a significant moment for Alistair too. He'd finally let himself roam free in the company of another nobleman. Among his own class, he'd always felt so ashamed. But Xander was different. Xander meant something, too. He was one of the few nobles with integrity.

"Thank you for the compliment," he said, nodding his head to the other Lord. As for whether all this was, was alcohol and passionate conversation . . . the noble shrugged his shoulders. "That's all this has to be, if that's all you want it to be. I didn't intend to press my boundaries." Lowering his eyes again, and nervously shuffling his feet, the man decided he had one more thing to ask of him in this regard.

"The thing is, that wasn't quite fair of me, stripping away something of significance without warning. So I must ask of you a request, and you can feel free to say no, or hold that it go no further." He placed one of his hands along the Lord's side, and looked up. "May I give you a proper first kiss? Not just a spontaneous peck, but something worth remembering. You said I'm not a sight for sore eyes, correct? It can't be too bad to kiss me, if that's the case," he said, gleaming, a laugh lightly escaping his lips. "And I'm not... asking to be anything more than what you want me to be. Trust me. I just..." he paused.

What did he want, and why did he press on like this? Why couldn't he leave it at the first peck? Was it really just the alcohol? The man sighed.

"I'm sorry, Xander. I'm a total mess. Forgive me," he requested, returning his hand to his own side, if Xander did not want this to go on with this context.

[Xander Andaris]

He was sure the man was right about the past. The same could be said for him, except it had been eight years since he had been changed. The unexpected and still painful loss of his sister had brought him to be the man he was now, even if that man was a radical nationalist. He would never again be how he was before her death, he could, however, live as the man he was now. "I understand, I have changed a lot from the boy I once was. No man is ever constant, we are always changing from one self to another." He shrugged as he finished the statement. He knew there was no reason to dwell on such things, they could not change the past, only the future.

As the man started to ramble, as if he felt he had to explain his actions, Xander couldn't help but watch the lips that had just met his. Something was drawing him in, something had a hold on his senses and although he was still in control there was clearly something trying to take that from him. He searched for words to respond to Alistair and stop his rambling but nothing came up.

Xander only really realised and managed to bring his whole attention back when Alistair placed his hand on his side. Part of Xander urged him to kiss the man, to lean over and just let go. He knew better though, it was most likely the alcohol and a deep buried loneliness causing the feelings, or so that was what Xander would believe. He was unaware of the mark that the other Lord possessed and so also unaware of its affects. "I am sorry, but I must regretfully decline your very enticing offer." He gently placed his hand on the knee of the other man.

"You have no need to apologise, you have done nothing wrong. You saw and felt something that was present in me too. However, if we are to be allies I would suggest we try, even though it may be difficult, to remain somewhat professional." He was using politics as his excuse, but he had to find some reason why he couldn't kiss the lord otherwise he feared he may end up spending the night with the man. He was not sure what he wanted, however, he knew that he was not homosexual. Maybe he had some homoerotic tendencies but he was not sure he wanted to be with a man in such a way, although he didn't hate the idea either, a strange place to find yourself in.

He was still unsure how to react but things seemed to be moving away from the awkward kiss they had shared. Mostly because Xander had directed the conversation in such a direction. "You are more than forgiven." He said acknowledging the mans apologies even if he thought them unnecessary. Xander sat back in his seat and considered what would come next, he took a piece of cheese and wrapped it in some of the ham present in the assorted cured meats. He ate the small bit of food and looked to the lord thinking on how to proceed.

"Now, you wish to be King, that is a big goal. It dwarfs my plans and makes me seem like nothing but a single star up in the sky and you being the sun." He chuckled at his odd analogy but it gave the idea he wished to express and so it was fine. "How do you see yourself coming into such a powerful position, much like for me I don't see that being without having to go against the other houses. You too are outnumbered like me, are you willing to sacrifice the men it would cost to take on such a goal alone." Xander was quite clearly setting this up to propose an alliance between the two men. Although together they were still outnumbered, Xander could see a significant strategic gain. By the two allying themselves not only did they increase man power. They also split Andaris off from the rest of the kingdom, leaving, potentially, only the small gap through Burhan where support could be sent.

[Alistair]

The man nodded his head. He could tell that Xander wasn't upset, or disturbed, or bothered - he simply didn't wish to let the night be enveloped by . . . whatever this path would lead towards. It was understandable. The mage nodded, allowing Xander to direct the conversation elsewhere, letting the awkward and the unfortunate moments before them slide away. Well, mostly unfortunate - he couldn't claim that kissing Xander wasn't a privilege, nor could he say that the man's expression wasn't adorable when their lips intertwined.

He nodded his head, wistfully staring into the fire as a solemn smile graced his lips. Things had become so strange, in this life of his.

"Yeah..." the man sounded, leaning back into his chair. "Let me explain myself fully, my friend," he said. "I will impart you with my plans, since I hold a great amount of trust in you." The mage looked back to Xander, scooting his chair over to sit directly next to the Krome. He did not make eye contact as he spoke, as he was almost speaking impersonally. This regarded he and his plans alone, and Xander's part in these plans had not yet been decided.

"I am not necessarily outnumbered. With your alliance, we will possess more than a fifth of the Kingdom's population between our fold. Warrick itself is another fifth of the pie, and I firmly believe that I could entice Warrick into a military alliance, especially considering my grandfather is a Warrick, and Theodore - my cousin - holds positive relations with Lazuli. It was Venora that secured Warrick's support in the civil war, and I believe we could secure their support in a second civil war, as well. The difficulty will be Andaris. Peake will most certainly oppose me, especially considering our relationship as rivals. We have always been rivals, and Andaris is the most powerful house. He will be especially . . . miffed considering I ultimately evaded the betrothal of myself and his younger sister, Celeste Andaris." The man sighed. That was a poor political decision on his part, but he'd realized back then that he would never be happy with a wife. And part of his policy was ensuring that he, too, was fulfilled. He would not lead this Kingdom while angered at the world.

"Between Warrick, Venora and Krome, we will have forty percent of Rynmere's population at our disposal, and some of the greatest warriors. Krome is known for its Riders, Venora for its Moseke Knights, and Warrick for its Skyriders. With the assistance of Endor, we could monopolize the Skyriders, which would essentially hand us the advantage from, previously, the loser's position. We only need those four houses: Endor, Krome, Warrick, Venora. And... I wouldn't be all too surprised if we could garner the support of Burhan as well, considering Venora has an outstanding history with them."

He nodded. Of course, there was one issue. "We need a casus belli, however, Xander. That is the greatest point of contention. The fact that Cassander isn't from one of the seven great families is a boon to us, but it's not enough. We need evidence of his horrors, and I think I know where to start: the murder of Freya Renault, his wife. She died mysteriously during the apex of the civil war, and there is great suspicion that he was behind it. If we can uncover true proof of this, we can launch a massive campaign to depose him from the throne. We may even be able to do so peacefully."

There was, of course, a lot more behind all of this - for example, the fact that Ali could potentially utilize mage soldiers . . . but that was for another time. For now, they needed to figure out the basics.

"Do you believe you could aid me in discovering evidence of his treachery? Krome has excellent beasts, yes? Their sense of smell could aid greatly in investigations."

[Xander Andaris]

Alistair's plans were certainly well developed, it appeared that he had been considering them, like Xander, for a long time. The difference here was that Xander had not been sure about who's support he would search for. He had planned methods for leaving the Kingdom alone and solely by force, he had also considered approaching Burhan and the other less loyal Houses. In all his planning he, however, had not expected to ever gain the support of Venora. Xander had always believed House Venora to be too loyal to the crown, obviously this was no longer the case.

"You are correct in believing that the combination of all our forces would be plenty to handle those of the King and his Andaris supporters. My only issue is sending valuable Krome men out of the land to fight against the king, it is a war that may appear against the interest of my people. I would therefore have to some how make sure that it was known that I was only taking part in the war in order to secure the true freedom of Krome." It was a complex task to make sure that he did not appear like he was being ruled by Alistair. Xander was an independent man and a leader he wished to appear as an equal to the possible future king, not as his lap dog.

He was sure that Alistair understood this as he himself must feel the same, public appearance was important. "I am have no doubt you understand my concerns. How the public views me is very important, I cannot appear to be weak or controlled. If I was to do so how could I truly claim to be wanting a free Krome, I would appear to be a fraud. That is something I cannot afford to happen." He tugged on his cuffs a little as he felt slightly worried that Alistair might not agree like he had originally thought.

"As for helping you with finding a reason to appose the king, a casus belli as you put it. I would do my utmost and give all my assistance in this area." He was unsure at first what he could really do here, it was true that he was good at gathering intelligence. However, that had only been on a small scale within his own house thus far. Although, he thought it could be possible to apply some of the small things on a larger scale. He had no doubt that the slaves of the Kings household heard things just the same as his own did. He also doubted they would be as Loyal to the King as those of the Northern Krome House were to him.

He continued to answer the other Lords questions. "It is true that Krome has some rather well trained beasts, some of which may be of use to you in your search for this evidence. However, I would be more inclined to suggest the questioning and bribery of those who work under the king, most practically slaves. Slaves hear and see a lot and I have no doubt that Cassander treats them like crap and so they will feel little connection to him." Maybe his idea was flawed and he hadn't realised but it had seemed good to him.

He was sure that finding this would not be too hard, even if it was not the murder of his wife, Cassander would be taken down at some point. "We will find something to pin on this foolish king, I am certain he has messed up in the past. Enough to warrant our loss of faith in his leadership and also enough to provide reason for killing him to our other future allies. Yet, this still relies on our success in consolidating power in our regions, that will be no easy task for me at least." HE decided to point out the fact they were skipping an important step.