Two Rivers Isle natron

a cold look followed satsu's words, the spreading of desert nightfall across an oasis. "this would make us his vassal state." yet he was not so insulted as not to not see the immediate and skillful merit in her words: appeal to his sense of alliance, expand in his name.
"will it be truth or a lie, shabti-girl?" ramesses uttered, using for her the foolish little name he had made up some time ago. 
"is it better to ally with beasts than to be beneath them?" he asked next, words slow and voice wondering. sea-dark eyes fell to satsu's canny expression.