Larksong Grotto eat your kings

it begins! @Heba @Shiloh @Hosannah (i think?) sort of pp on Hosannah so let me know if you want that fixed, java!

The land was aptly named. The Teekon Wilds encompassed every bit of chaos that Daniel despised. It was a godless land, a land of pagans and savages. Of heathens and heretics. A land he would not have looked to had Hosannah not brought Raas here. That he did not regret, for the word of his lord was good and righteous and could do much to tame these wilds. Yet the faith Hosannah had brought was stained by her sins, and thus must be purified. 

It was Hosannah who led the inquisition to those she had led astrey. This was but part of her penance. She was their prisoner and their guide. The travel was long, but the warmth of Raas was inextinguishable, and the fire of his faith led Daniel ever on into the cold lands of the north.

They came upon Larksong Grotto in the golden light of the morning, not long after the sun had broken the horizon. Daniel looked grimly from Shiloh to Heba, ignoring Hosannah in favor of them. He did not know what he sought in their expressions, but he must have found it, for he turned upon the Grotto's borders and raised his rough voice up, calling for the faithful, the heathens.

in all her time within these wilds, she had never been more afraid than she was now. even when her zeal had paraded her before a horde of heartless shadows (costing her tail), she had not been filled with this much trepidation, this much worry, this much gut-churning dread. she did not know the man who led the charge; he was young for his position, but the fire burned brightly in his spirit.

to hosannah's flank there was shiloh the boy, except he was no longer a boy either - having been tutored in the ways of the priesthood during her time away from the shrine. he was a vicar, and she would have been proud had she not been so naturally vain. hosannah could not look at him - and she chose, time and again, to ignore the last of the inquisition. the bitch who had turned the whole of the shrine against her: heba.

hosannah could feel the eyes of her wretched cousin upon her; in any other moment, she would have raised her head and lorded her culture and her power over these wolves, but she was but a prisoner. it was a fact that heba no doubt relished, as it was her doing.

she kept to herself, but seethed silently beneath the weight of her penance, and when daniel called forth the wolves of the grotto, hosannah turned her head and looked away.

Indra had been wrestling with @Laurel when she heard a distinct call wind through the Grotto. She disentangled herself almost immediately, sitting upright with both batlike ears pressed forward in surprise. 

They never had visitors. Never. While last month's Indra might have sheepishly avoided the summons, this-month's Indra was a new being; her bitterness at being replaced, her resentment for being left again by Saena, these things fueled her to leave Laurel's side and make for the border. 

They were red; red like her. She approached them slowly, her amber gaze cold and posture somewhat accusative. They were not pack mates or friends, and instinctively she felt threatened by their arrival at her father's doorstep. "why are you here?" the red child asked quietly, her tone austere.

Time and time again Shiloh would wonder whether Hosannah saw the true meaning of it all, whether she knew how bad things were. But the dullness in her eyes and the fear with which she looked away from them gave him a little peace. Perhaps she felt repentance for her sins, and should that be the case there was still a way for the light of the Daystar to find it's way back to his cousin's corrupted heart. But the Vicar knew it was a long way till salvation, for Hosannah's darkness had not only spread across this land, it had stained the name of Raas as well.

Tucked between icy peaks laid the Grotto, which according to Hosannah was where her missionary journey had taken her. He got a look from Daniel, which the Vicar met with a nod. But his own glare did fall on Hosannah, getting nothing in return. There was no time to waste, they had come for a reason, and the High Inquisitor knew it just as well. His rough voice flooded the valley, and Shiloh stood behind him expectantly.

They were met by a red child -not unlike themselves- and her eyes were still bright. "We come in the name of Raas," he said, voice calm and collected as he stood one step behind the high inquisitor. "We're looking for Hiram... Could you get him for us, sweet child?" he asked. Youth gave the red child an advantage over the corrupted, she was still in time to be saved without much hassle, or so thought Shiloh.

She had scented Kekseph from not far off, and left Nova Rose in charge of Astik and Tapat-- she was not sure where her husband had gone off to. She came right after Indra, her posture stiff and tall. She stared down at the red wolf, amber eyes narrowed. She looked defeated-- more so than the last time she'd seen the woman. She used to be cocky and vain, strutting throughout the grotto as if she'd owned it-- but she didn't. The Vicar could rant for hours about all she'd helped do for this pack and all that Kesheph wrecked, but she wouldn't, now was not the time. 

The other wolves looked incredibly similar to the small reddish woman, and her warm gaze trailed them all. "I'm the Grand Vicar -- I serve Raas along with Hiram, he's our Cardinal. I will call him," she explained. She then tilted her head back and called for her mate, @Hiram, and when her voice quieted she lowered it and gave Indra a gentle touch with her tail. The girl seemed on edge, and though Jhala was anything but motherly, she was softer with her own litter than she had been months before. She'd addressed the man who spoke, not knowing his name, but now her attention turned to Kesheph, briefly. "You've been gone a while, Kesheph," she said quietly.

she wore her pride like she wore her pelt; with grace and with might of the darkest kind. the Seer was careful in her influence, treading lightly while enforcing it at vital points to ensure she kept the reins in which to steer them, yet, carefully detached in which she might not push boundaries she was not meant to cross. Heba felt nothing but the pure and hazardous satisfaction of imprisoning her own flesh and blood; a rot that had consumed her since the tumultuous stages of their childhood. something she was unwilling to let go of her bittersweet resentment of her cousin, was the very thing that drove her to her actions in the first place. the Seer knew Hosannah could very well feel the gaze of a thousand curses on her back given by Heba herself, only when a heathen child and it's mother meet their call did she avert her attention from the wrenched cousin of hers.

“Cardinal?,” she spoke the word as if it was an insult, and it truly was. a Cardinal under whose approval— besides Hosannah, who was now a prisoner by their own? whatever man this Hiram was, he knew not the meaning of the word for she highly speculated this heathen land would ever find the sun god’s light, had not Hosannah come and poisoned the meaning of it all. there was no true Cardinal in the land of such savage and wayward souls, who had been taught of the one true light by a savage herself. already, the vengeful woman held no regard for the respect of those who lived within the savage land, and she was not shy about making it known.

with full conscious did she step over the borderline, disregarding its existence behind her feet. fully aware that she was by definition trespassing, she seen no need to be gentle. these beings were contaminated, victims of Hosannah's misguided attempt at capturing fame. these were souls touched by the impure, the darkness, the impure. the rage instilled in her heart for not only her wayward cousin but her atrocities in the name of Raas was unfathomable. there were no boundaries in the forsaken land, and she would acknowledge no force other than Raas with the ability to put it there. where the Inquisition walked, the ground below their feet was tread upon in Raas’ will. perhaps it was her own buried selfish desires that pulled her to act high almighty, but what did she care? the woman was a crave for attention in the worst way possible and regret was one heathen word unknown to her vocabulary.

First a child came. So they had come in time to save a soul, if only it was the yet-unstained innocence of this child. She spoke, Shiloh answered. Shiloh was here to learn, and Daniel was glad to let him speak, so long as he spoke correctly. 

A woman came, near moments after the child appeared, and were he a less tempered man, he might have borne his teeth and snarled. I fear we have come too late, he muttered, an aside meant only for the ears of Shiloh. A woman as Grand Vicar? The thought-let alone the reality of it- struck him as so sideways, so perverse, that for a moment he was stunned to silence. In this time Heba's shock manifested, and thus called his attention to this Hiram's title. Cardinal. Were he a more expressive man, Daniel might have scoffed. Instead he watched this blasphemous Grand Vicar address Hosannah, and as she did he watched, eagle-eyed for every microexpression to be found. 

As an afterthought, Daniel introduced them, and with no small amount of grandeur. We are the Inquisition of the Order of Zakah. I am High Inquisitor, Daniel. Hosannah stands guilty of pride, and serves penance for her sin. There was more, but it was not the sort of thing to discuss with a woman. He would wait for this Hiram.

when the child appeared, she saw in it her own salvation. perhaps the order would also see the innocence - the possibilities within said innocence - and be lenient with her? she had led them to a place ripe with young souls. raas would decide if the souls were worthy of him, but in the long run daniel would benefit; he was new to his position and rigid in his ways, and hosannah suspected (or perhaps vainly hoped) he would see the value in this.

the wolves each reacted to the arrival of jhala in their own narrow-minded way, which rankled hosannah's spirit further. she dared not lift her head too high as she turned to look at the vicar, keeping herself (and her rage) properly contained. with a brief glance to daniel to ascertain if she had permission to speak, she then turned her bright eyes back to jhala in time to hear daniel's introduction.

the fur of her spine prickled when she heard her precious name slip from his lips, and she resisted the urge to lift her own in warning to him; instead, hosannah caught the end of the inquisitor's explanation with a pointed comment of her own: We must see Hiram — where is he?

since there are so many folks in this thread, do y'all want to do a free-for-all loose post order?

Hiram was well on his way at the time of the first howl, but traversing the rocky territory of the grotto took time. However, once he heard the urgency in his wife's voice -- the second call for the cardinal specifically -- Hiram kicked it into gear and doubled his pace. He ascended the ridge with haste and the summoning party came fully into view. Once Hiram arrived, he positioned himself between his wife and his daughter. Then, he stepped forward toward the strangers. He need not speak his name or rank. It was carried in his stride.

A large crowd had amassed at the border. That was clear to see as Hiram's gaze passed over each face. Yet, when his eyes fell on the familiarly sharp features of Kesheph, he felt a wave of confusion rise in his gut. She appeared lowly. Burdened. For what reason had Raas brought her back to the grotto -- and why like this.

Hiram wasted no time. "Kesheph, what is this?" he spoke to address his former Seer in the hopes that she, or anyone, would explain what was going on.

indra would have answered somewhat politely, were it not for the wolf that defied every decency ever instilled in the child. as the thin woman cut through their territory and trounced their clear border indra felt the hackles along her spine rise and she cut the woman a cold, harsh stare. she lowered her head, preparing for some sort of admonishment -- but she was not going to let that infraction slide so easily.

what exactly the child wished to accomplish, being one out many and hardly the size of a full wolf, it was not clear: but what was clear was the adamant affront for heba's actions.

it was her father that quelled her rising temper, though it did not spare heba from indra's scathingly hateful glare. she fell silent for now, tight-lipped and resentful.

briefly, when hiram finally arrived, hosannah could not look at him. she remained with her gaze fixed to the earth. then, with a subservient and nervous shifting of her eyes, she looked to daniel as if to seek permission for something. she did not want to speak out of turn; and the inquisitor could have easily taken over from that point. before he could, hosannah gathered her courage and spoke up - sounding all the more like her old self, despite appearances.

this is... they are here for you, hiram, she swallowed thickly then, her ears folding back as a strong sense of dismay overcame her. hosannah leveled her eyes upon hiram as she spoke his name and then continued: raas has brought you the esteemed high inquisitor daniel, she flicked a glance to the man in question but her expression was glazed, until resuming its intense stare at the cardinal.

heba, my cousin, and her brother shiloh, more glances; a veiled sneer almost took hold of her face as she looked towards heba, yet the woman contained herself just in time. as she drank in a deep breath of the grotto's pine-filled air, she breathed it out and seemed to deflate. they are here to judge you -- us -- in the name of the lord. it is... a blessing.

it was hard to spin something as disastrous as this moment; hosannah had never anticipated this occuring, and now was left to concoct an escape plan -- or just a general survival plan -- and hoped she could survive all that was to come.

Feel free to skip me as needed! He's just watching from afar

The call that came from the borders was both foreign yet familiar, one that Phares regarded with a swivel of his head with large ears pricked forwards. He stared, alert, in the direction it came from for a few moments before a second howl sounded. It was Jhala calling for her mate and, while he knew the leaders were more than capable of tending to the matter, he could not help but be drawn to the mysterious voice that had summoned them.

He arrived after many had already gathered and so stayed a fair distance back, standing amongst the grasses and rocks that dotted the borders of their territory. From his vantage point, though, the priest could see the four other wolves who seemed to share his ancestry — or so it looked like. He studied them with interest, especially that of the largest one who stood before the others. One smaller figure, a passive, almost nervous-looking female, addressed Hiram who stood opposing them alongside his daughter and the Grand Vicar.

Phares could only just make out her words, and flicked his tail with surprise at the mention of a high inquisitor, before he glanced back at the female again with a start. Was this the woman he had yet to meet? The Seer who had disappeared just as he had been accepted into the fold she had created? He would have been honoured under different circumstances though, for now, he stood and watched, confused yet intrigued by the proceedings.

And so he arrived. The Cardinal Hiram took a form so startling and so vile that Daniel knew exactly what he was dealing with. This was an agent of the darkness given shape, a wraith of the heartless sent to corrupt. Hiram held a general air of wrongness, a kind of inherent wretchedness that twisted his body. Hate rose like bile in Daniel, but he was a priest and an inquisitor. He would not let the darkness guide him, but seek the light.

Hosannah spoke, introducing them to Hiram. Daniel spared no glance to Hosannah, nor to the child or the woman. Hosannah spoke truly, he said, eyes fixed unnerringly on Hiram, though he addressed all present. You have nothing to fear from our presence. We are here to purify you. We will set your course right where you have erred. You were sent astray by Hosannah's sins. I will save you. And he would do so by any means necessary.

She was already agitated that Kesheph had returned with more religious asshats-- more self-adoring prudes. But she'd remained level, until someone stepped over the border, and Jhala let out a low growl, stepping towards them in warning. She didn't care who they were, this was her territory and she was guarding it. But even then she refrained from murdering them all right there-- because that would probably offend a number of people-- Reek included. But then, Kesheph starting talking about how these assholes were here to judge them-- judge them? for what? She didn't take shit from anyone, these wolves wouldn't dare judge her. But still, she kept her emotions hidden behind a pair of glassy, amber orbs.

But then, someone else spoke, and that was it. As soon as the so called 'High inquisitor' began speaking, Jhala lost it. Hiram had come back, and had started to speak to Kekseph-- who had been referred to as Hosannah on multiple occasions, a red flag already. It seemed okay, at first, like newly named Hosannah had just brought back a larger God-squad and they would continue their way. But now? Now there was beef. "What the fuck do you mean Hosannah's sins?" she questioned, her voice booming over anyone else who might've tried to respond, "She brought the knowledge and the light of the Daystar to us-- how the fuck is that a sin?" She let out a heavy heath, tail lashing behind her. "We're serving Raas, we're following his rule and his glory. There's not a wrong way to worship someone." She glanced at Hiram, shoulder fur bristling, before turning back to the strangers, refraining from flat out telling them to get lost-- that was not her call.

this was the first -- and likely the only -- time that indra felt allied alongside jhala. the female that dared cross their borders was not without reproach - as jhala spoke indra shouldered next to her, a slim and gamine figure cut by indolence. who did they think they were, storming their home? they may have looked like her, but they sure as hell weren't friends. the way the leading male spoke to her father made her fur stand on end.

indra kept on her toes, watching heba with a hateful glare: one move, one more step, and the red child would hold her inhibition no longer.

pp shiloh?

the talk continued as pointed eyes glared across the row of heretics they faced. it was the child in particular she grew a quick distaste for; never had she ever concerned herself with the small beings that held little to no use whatsoever. it glared at her, and she glared back. the woman was not afraid to play dirty and the idea of plotting something against a child was no concern to her. if it had the ability to glower at her, it was old enough to despise. that one would be saved first.

"blasphemy!" the woman shrieked on her own accord. it was the foul tongue of the beefy, wild looking woman that made her nose wrinkle in distaste. such a beast of a lady was unheard of in their lands, much less, such a character holding such an unauthorized title. not even heba had been allowed the possibility unto becoming a grand vicar. it made heba's blood boil. such a thing would be stripped from the beastly woman, the snake of a woman vowed.

"true women of the sun god do not speak in such a foul way in the presence of their superiors, much less speak when their speech is most clearly unjust," had she had her way, the woman would have rather said "savage women do not speak, period," however, it was well in her mind that their take-over would not bode well with the rebellious souls that inhabited the savage land and somehow insulting their very outrageous female leader did not seem a well enough idea.

"hush, and we will cleanse the hate from your soul," she spoke down but a calm, sweet, clarity smile to the fire-tempered woman; the gleam behind her eyes displaying anything but patience and affection. the red woman could not simply say "shut the fuck up," in the presence of the inquisitor.

heba did not come to rescue heathens from their own wayward paths, but for the idea that hosannah might see her rule what hosannah had once converted, despite the fact she would never admit to it. heba gave no shits about the rag-tag group hosannah had so called "converted".

still a FFA right? let me know if anyone wants me to wait.

"Blasphemy!" Jhala mocked loudly, tail standing as high up as she could force it to. "You are not my superior," she snarled, taking a step closer to the so-called Heba, "You are a disrespectful stranger on my borders, threatening me and my family and my religion." The fur on her shoulders bristled, and Indra's nudge fueled both her anger and desire. Indra had tried to do something unforgivable to her sons, but this was the first time since they had arrived that the child had regarded her as anything other than a sack of fat and bones-- it was reassuring, somehow. Perhaps she'd fully forgive her for the attempted murder-- perhaps she had grown some. 

"We don't want or need to be saved, this is ridiculous," she continued, teeth bared as she glanced to Hiram, waiting for her husband to give them the final boot. The way they spoke to her? his wife? surely he wouldn't let them stay.

Though he listened in silence as the strangers spoke, Hiram could not help but stand by his wife in full. He shared her same concerns -- this inquisition and their insistence that they had been led astray was simply ridiculous. Though Jhala's speech was sullied by profanity, Hiram felt the same convictions. So, when the stranger, the woman resembling Kesheph, rebuked his wife, Hiram felt the hair on his back stand on end. He scowled.

"This is madness," spoke the Cardinal, digging his heels into the dirt resistantly. He looked to Hosannah and felt completely betrayed that she would lead such a party to him. This was no blessing, this was a curse. Even now, he knew it would be his undoing. He had a wife, children, and a church to protect. The presence of these inquisitors threatened the very existence of everything Hiram held dear.

"My church may belong to the Daystar, but this is my home," he snapped. "You have shown not only disrespect to myself, but everyone else who calls the grotto home as a place of worship." His dissapointment with Kesheph was unparalleled. He shook his head toward the old Seer. "I will not sully sacred ground with violence, but unless one of you can tell me a good reason as to why my church isn't pure, then I'd suggest you return home."

Kinda PPing here? Feel free to interrupt him/speak before he even arrives, haha

Tensions were rising, that much Phares could tell. Even from a distance, he could see the hatred spit from both of the party's lips, all their stances growing more and more agitated as the meeting continued. He shifted nervously, licking his lips, before making a decision to step in. He was not a long-standing member of his current church, but he knew enough that their leaders were pure and just. But perhaps the inquisition spoke some truth? Hiram and Jhala were after all, borne of a wild and unpredictable place despite their conversion.

Slowly but with deliberate steps, the priest made his way towards the gathering, head lowered and respectful in the presence of his superiors, though he still withheld a hint of pride. He arrived just as Hiram finished his retort.

"If I may speak," he started softly, looking first to his Cardinal before turning to the High Inquisitor. He was quite the presence to behold, a large man for their species, with a scar that somehow just added to his regal bearing. Humbled, Phares dipped his head. "High Inquisitor, I am a priest from the shrine of Okysus, same as you. I have been among these wolves for a few moons now. I, along with a woman who had gone astray, were accepted by this man." He nodded towards Hiram. "They have been nothing but accomodating. They are faithful to our lord, dedicated to His will."

He hadn't heard the entirety of the conversation, but it was easy to see he had insulted the Cardinal and Grand Vicar. Even their red-headed child was bristling. "With all due respect, I would like to say that they have no need to be cleansed." He tensed as he spoke, expecting some sort of threat from either the man or the woman who had seemed to have taken a great disliking to them. "However, you have travelled far to be here. Further teachings and...your guidance would be of great use to our church," he added quickly with a sharp intake of breath. It was true, he himself was still a student of their faith and they would all benefit greatly from a fellow priests' presence, not to mention the fellow wolves he had brought along with him.

this entire attempt was going off the rails, and quickly. a part of hosannah was glad to watch it unfold; she knew that hiram was strong in his faith, strong as a leader, and would not have taken kindly to any of this — perhaps this was why she had not fought the inquisition, nor those of the shrine, when her penance had been announced. perhaps this was why she had so easily led them to the grotto and its church.

yet things were beginning to spiral in a way that even hosannah was not pleased with. it would not end well for her if the inquisitor could not even pass in to the lands. he was cold, but he was righteous. his insistence could not be ignored no matter how powerful the cardinal thought himself to be. it was the way of the shrine, the will of raas, and thus it had to be communicated that it was the way it had to be.

and then, phares spoke.

it was an opening. the briefest of bridges extended between the two worlds. hosannah could not let this moment pass her by.

he is right, she exclaimed, cutting through the tail-end of phares' pronouncement with her old sense of verve and confidence. she lifted her head and looked from hiram to daniel, and back. a part of her knew that pleading was necessary but she could not stoop so low as to grovel before the high inquisitor, no matter the situation. it would take time to corral heba too, but hosannah could not think that far ahead — she had to act.

we have come from the holy land. we have traveled for many days in order to reach this place, and mean no disrespect in doing so. raas has guided me back here after all my days afield — it is our way. the inquisitor is not here to do you any harm. he acts as raas intends; he is as much a voice for the daystar as your beloved cardinal, as she spoke, hosannah looked around at the faces of those gathered and tried to imagine their looks of disgust and betrayal becoming something far more kind. she did not look upon heba, nor turn her eyes upon daniel again. instead, she looked to hiram, to jhala, and gave her full focus.

coming here is as much a shock to us as it is to you. these people, my people, ours, she flicked an ear towards phares, they have a different way. an older way. they wish only to see that the work we have done in spreading the light of raas is pure and good. and i admit, i acted improperly when i invited you into my faith. listen, hiram. listen to me, please. as she took a breath, tasted the pine in the air and the thin, sour scent of fear mixing between the groups, hosannah took a few bold steps into the divide and across the threshold into her once-home, then finished her sermon: this has happened for every church, for every shrine; they are here to learn of your ways and teach you of ours.

do not be afraid. she sighed as calmly as she could, but breathed the words out with a tired breath, then sank back to her haunches and kept her eyes downcast. it was, by far, her greatest performance to date.

Control was slipping through his paws, and Daniel could not have that. The woman, this "grand vicar" was poison in this church. Though their Cardinal was dangerous, Daniel began to doubt that Hiram was the true source of evil there. The savage woman shrieked and raved, too loud and too present for Daniel's taste. In her eyes he saw the same fell light that the heartless burned with in his dreams. Here was the source of the wickedness which poisoned these savages. Already she had tainted Hiram beyond rescue, and the girl child as well. But the others? They might be saved.

Heba, Daniel snapped reproachfully. He hated and feared the Seers and was loathe to cross them, but Heba's unruliness could cost them this mission. With a quelling glance at Heba, Daniel addressed Jhala. The woman is right to protect her household and her children, as is her duty. Respect their borders. We do not enter unless we are invited to do so. The thought of it enraged him. That they should wait upon the doorstep for the permission of this pig and her slave husband revolted him. They do not know, he had to remind himself. They do not know. But they will.

A new arrival came, a priest of Okysus same as them. Were he a cursing man, he would have. This priest would make things harder, though he could be an asset. And indeed he spoke not in stark defense of the savages but in soft support of the inquisition. Hosannah followed suit shortly after, her appeal to both Daniel and Hiram surprisingly effective. 

This priest- brother, what is your name?- speaks out of love for this church. I am inclined to believe him. Do understand... Cardinal, the word tasted like bile in his mouth, but he refused to let it twist him. His words were smooth but passionless with an expression to mask.

Our dear Hosannah speaks truly. There is nothing to fear from us. We will take nothing and give much. These lands are your church and your home, they are one and the same and a blessing indeed. That you have been touched by the light of Raas is a gift as well, but it must come with a price. You do not see it yet, but the teachings that we bring will enrich your lives and grant you a unity with the worshippers of Raas. Yet if you truly wish it, we will leave you be. You will remain an island and keep your solitude. I only hope, as a brother of the church, that your solitude does not spoil to loneliness. With that he stepped back, and hoped Heba and Shiloh would follow suit.

Jhala didn't buy it. She was a true heathen, and while Hiram saw a halo atop his wife's head, these strangers saw nothing but the fire and damnation that burned in her eyes. She believed in no gods, she worshipped and followed those who she had physically contact and trust in-- currently, Hiram. Pharos had joined them, his nature and words calming the outsiders and maybe even Hiram, but Jhala could not be tamed with words, for she was a wolf of action. 

Unable to contain her emotions, and fearing she would do something to upset her husband, the Grand Vicar gave a final snarl to the outsiders, shooting Hiram a look, and began to stall off. He'd know what it meant-- or maybe he would be too blinded by the light of Raas, but she'd made up her mind regardless. This religion had tainted her entire existence. She'd lived with it for this long, under better circumstances, but this was too far.

Hiram was wary. Extremely so. Yet, his priest Phares made some important points when he stepped forward. Coming from one Hiram wholly trusted, The Cardinal's heart softened as he regarded the visitors. His rigid, stiff body language began to falter. The herd was thinning. He could not be a Cardinal without a flock to attend to. He needed all the bodies he could get -- He needed the hunters. The lives of his children depended on that. He couldn't sit by and allow them to struggle.

First, Hiram looked to his wife. "Winter is close and the kids have to be fed," he whispered. "We need bodies." He didn't like them. They were a threat. But if they came in peace as the High Inquisitor said, things would turn out fine. Reluctantly, Hiram turned back to the party and spoke. "You can stay to help me fill in the gaps in what I know." The Seer had left him with little understanding, so any extra knowledge was appreciated.

"But, if I think any harm will come to my family -- you all have to leave. Will this suffice?" He asked, hoping his stipulation would please all parties involved. Of course it would. He had everything under control... right?

Between the priest and his own words, the heathens were settled and quiet. Good. Daniel's patience was running thin. It was below him and his position to be left waiting on the doorstep like some ragged lone wolf. After some brief, whispered thing, the woman left them. Though the manner of her departure was quite unfitting for a woman, Daniel was glad to have her gone. 

Hiram seemed to accept them, and though Daniel would need to have a word with Heba about her behavior, he felt confident that things would go his way. He smiled genially, graciously. I ask nothing more, said he. It is a righteous and holy man who honors and protects his family so. We do not wish you and yours harm. Though if that's what it came to, Daniel was not above throwing his weight around.