New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

Inside the scroll were many names and numbers.

Guild names and coordinates. Coordinates to their bases.

Over fifty different guilds, and their bases, were exposed in this scroll. And under those pieces of information, were also the location of a few of their claimed dungeons, their level, and their location.

With this scroll alone, Astaroth could send so many guilds into dire straights. These were not top guilds, but they were big ones.

Using this info, he could send the small guild coalitions on a hunt, and change the power structure of New Eden's guilds effortlessly.

"You don't have the info of top guilds, right?" he asked, his eyebrow cocked.

"Little king. Even if I did, I wouldn't hand them out so easily. Some of them are my clients, and I am an honourable spy," she teased.

What Astaroth had in his hands already impressed Phoenix. But something was bothering her.

"Why are you coming to us? You always allied yourself with one of the triumvirate, in the past. Why ally to an upstart like us?"

Blue Peacock turned her gaze to Phoenix.

"Isn't it obvious? I follow power, Phoenix. And right now, you hold power. I would be a fool to go towards my usual partners. Although, I must say. You also did already grab one of them under your wing. Isn't that alone a good reason?"

Phoenix didn't like her simple explanation. Nothing was ever this simple with this woman.

"Of course, I came prepared. Here is a first draft of an alliance contract. Change it to your heart's content, and then send it back to me, so we can establish something that pleases the both of us," Blue Peacock said, throwing another scroll, this time, to Phoenix.

Phoenix caught it with her left hand but didn't open it.

"I'll look at it. If it suits me, I'll consider it further. For now, you should leave. We have people coming, and finding an intruder inside the throne room would be bad news for you," Phoenix said flatly.

"Thank you for the warning. I will be waiting to hear from you," Blue Peacock said with a grin.

She sent a friend invitation to Phoenix before stepping back into the shadows.

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out!" Astaroth shouted, glad she was leaving.

He wasn't sure how to feel about how easily a person had infiltrated into the palace. Even if it was a player that was well known for getting into the toughest of places.

With how common PKing had become, this was very bad.

What if an assassin somehow got in and got the drop on him, or Phoenix?

Yes, they would respawn.

But with their levels, this was a bad outcome, regardless. It would hurt their reputation, and their strength, and give a massive boost to the opportunist.

'We need to get some security measures in place. I don't want to get stabbed in the back while I'm taking a walk in the halls,' Astaroth mused.

Phoenix had waited a few moments, after Blue Peacock's departure, before opening the scroll, which contained the draft contract. Her eyes narrowed as she read.

"She went heavy on the quill when she drafted this. It's so skewed in her favour, it's a guaranteed loss for us. I'll have to let Brienne have a look at this…" she mumbled, mostly to herself.

But there wasn't time right now for this. It would have to wait for later.

A knock at the door brought them out of their musings and forced them to stow the scrolls into their inventories hurriedly.

The guards at the door, who had come back to their post, announced the guests.

"Councilwoman and Guild Master Singing Grove, and Adventurer Dilya Naemenor, Here to see the monarchs!"

"Let them in," Astaroth responded, rising from his throne.

He didn't want to speak to them in a heightened position, and instead magically pulled the table and chairs from the side back to the center of the throne room.

As the two women walked in, Dilya ramrod straight and sweating nervously, and Singing Grove as silent as always, Phoenix smiled and greeted them.

"Ladies. Thank you for responding to our summons so fast. Please, have a seat."

She motioned to the table, where Astaroth had already taken a seat.

He had taken a seat on the right side of the table, instead of at the tip, to signify his intentions to talk openly, instead of formally.

Phoenix sat next to him, and the two women sat on the opposite side.

Singing Grove eyed Astaroth silently, as he felt an almost imperceptible wave of mana wash through him. He said nothing, not wanting to start the meeting on an unpleasant note, but the slight frown he pulled alerted the fairy to his knowledge of her action.

She dragged her gaze away from him, eyeing Phoenix instead.

'I almost didn't feel that. How proficient does she need to be that even I can barely feel her scan?' he silently wondered.

It tempted him to scan her in return, but he abstained from it. Maybe someday, but not now.

He needed her in her best mood if she was ever to say yes to letting Dilya work under them.

Looking at the young Elven woman, Astaroth had to school his emotions, because her pale complexion and nervous fidgeting almost made him chuckle. She was so stressed, he could feel it from across the table.

Phoenix tried soothing her.

"Do you want something to drink? Tea? Wine, perhaps? Or just water?"

Singing Grove shook her head slowly, while Dilya twisted her hands on her lap.

"Maybe some tea? Something calming?" she muttered, almost too quiet.

"Of course, I'll have some brought. Please, Dilya, there is no need to be this nervous. We only wish to talk."

This didn't appease the girl's emotions in the slightest.

In her mind, she was in trouble. Why else would the king and queen call her in here, along with her guild master, if not for punishment?

Even though she had heard that the monarchs were friendly, she still was wary. It wasn't just anyone that got called into the throne room to meet their lieges.

It wasn't until the tea arrived and got served that she started calming down.

And once she had calmed down enough to entertain a conversation, Phoenix took the lead.

"Now that everyone is at ease, let us get to business, shall we?"