The Art of Negotiation.  

"N-no." Lovell stammered quickly dropping her veil. Her heart sped up and a warm blush quickly flooded her face.

"Really?" Levi asked suspiciously.

But although he was still in doubt, the door opened interrupting his thoughts.

Aden who was still dressed in his white garments walked in. He looked slightly exhausted.

"You finally had time to see me today, Aden?" Vaiu remarked putting aside her cup. She was smiling and her eyes were squinted into a crescent

Aden glanced at Vaiu and sighed slightly.

"Behave yourself, Vaiu. Now is not the time."

Lovell glanced at Aden who spoke with an exasperated expression. Although it was somewhat inconspicuous, she noticed the corner of his eyes twitching in annoyance.

Ignoring Vaiu, the duke sat down next to Levi before speaking again.

"I am sure you read the letter I sent and understand the intent behind this meeting," Aden said to Vaiu.

Levi gestured to Robert who stood quietly in the corner.

"Bring it over."

The butler bowed again and quietly walked out of the room.

"Yes, I have." Vaiu nodded.

Robert returned with a tray in his hands.

Aden received the bottle and passed it to Vaiu.

Uncorking it she took a small sniff before corking it back.

"So what are your thoughts?"

Vaiu sighed in admiration.

"I am in awe of your methods, Marquess Levi." She spoke turning to face the young master.

"How you managed to crack the secret to one of the most guarded formulas in Udoris still eludes me."

"To be honest, when I got the news I almost didn't want to believe." Leaning closer towards Levi she inquired.

"Do tell me, Marquess, what is your secret? I am really curious."

Levi took another sip of his tea and chuckled.

"I read a lot."

"Really? Although I am not as scholarly as you I do read every once in a while, how come I haven't come across books that grant such wisdom yet?"

"I don't know, you tell me when you find out."

Levi shrugged taking another sip of his tea

Vaiu squinted at the young master.

She folded her arms underneath her bosom and turned to face Aden.

"I understand your proposal and see how it could have benefited us all." She said with a chuckle. "But what makes you think you are still of any use to me?"

Aden frowned

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Smiling, The High prophetess didn't reply.

"Aden's frown briefly got deeper for a split second before easing up altogether.

He stared into Vaiu's eyes and sighed.

"You already have the formula?"

"Yes." The woman nodded, a playful light dancing in her eyes.

"And are you sure you want to do this?" He asked again.

"What do you think?"

Levi gazed at Vaiu and suddenly smiled.

"And here I was thinking we could have been best of friends, at least for a while."

Turning to Levi leaning care freely against the windowsill Vaiu frowned again.

"What do you mean?" She asked with a voice brimming with intrigue.

"Why do you think would happen if I decide to kill you right here right now?" Levi asked instead.

The faceless man standing in the background glanced at Levi. He hadn't made a sound or moved from where he stood, but given his previous lack of presence, such actions quickly caught Levi attention.

He turned to stare the masked individual squarely in the eyes. Although no words were said Levi faintly felt a warning being sent his way.

The knights disguised in the corner also moved slightly in response.

But seemingly unmoved Levi smiled and turned to look back at Vaiu who had an amused look in her eyes.

"You won't." Vaiu leaned back into her seat and said in a confident tone.

"And why is that?" Levi chuckled.

"Killing me would only worsen things for yourself. Killing me would at most create a vacant post for another to prophetess to fill."

"Everyone knows that in the church even a High Prophetess like myself is at the end of it all nothing more than a disposable pawn that can easily be replaced by another," Vaiu spoke in a slightly self-deprecating tone.

"That's the reason why no matter how great the army or how vast the lands no power has ever succeeded in taking down the church till this day."

"Doing something so foolish would only serve to attract the church's ire, and I am sure someone as smart as you are wouldn't do something so foolish."

"Frankly, you are right." Levi nodded placing his cup on the table in front of him.

"As of now, I can't do anything to you, but how much assurance do you have that I won't be able to threaten your existence in the near future."

"You mean?" Vaiu asked understanding something.

"Yes."

Vaiu sighed.

"Is this a threat?"

"No," Levi replied expressionlessly. "It's a warning."

"I am sure you are aware that the Church has very few allies left, so why refuse when we are actively seeking you out."

"To be frank, the only reason we are having this conversation is that we still consider the church somewhat useful to us. Because of this reason I extend an olive branch now to form a basis for future cooperations."

"Useful?"

"Yes, Useful. As in like a work tool or a farm implement." Levi nodded picking up the bottle of liquor.

Vaiu's frown deepened, she turned to Aden with a questioning look in her eyes.

Even Lovell was starting to think that Levi was starting to sound a bit too arrogant for his own good.

But glancing at Aden's expressionless face as Levi spoke they both grew apprehensive.

Playing with the bottle in his hand, Levi spoke again.

"Have you ever asked yourself, how many more of these things I can pull out my hat?"

"Molotovs, cement, flintlocks, liquor, I am sure given how much your little mice scurry about our domain you should have already realized something."

Levi smiled softly, a small chuckle escaped his lips

"It's only a matter of time till we would be strong enough to decimate your ranks with wanton abandon."

Vaiu's expression was slightly solemn.

"So you are saying this under the assumption that you live long enough to even achieve any of that?" She asked narrowing her eyes.

"What if I kill before then?"

Levi glanced at her, his expression turning indifferently.

"You won't."

"Why?" Vaiu asked resting her cheek on the ball of her palm. She appeared to be enjoying the conversation.

"A hunch."

"Just a hunch?"

"Yes. Also, you seem to me like the type who enjoys having a little excitement in life, but sadly your status as the expendable pawn you are restricts you."

"Right now, I am probably the only way a pawn like you could ever achieve redemption and break free of your restraints."

"Although my words may seem vague, I am sure an astute person such as yourself understands the stakes currently at hand."

Vaiu smiled.

"And what if I insist on having your corpse."

Levi looked her in the eye, the tension in the air visibly growing thicker.

He titled his head to the side, replying with a welcoming smile.

"Give it a shot, but be rest assured that my death most probably wouldn't faze me. I am sure somewhere in your heart you are certain of this fact- The only real losers in such a situation would probably be You, Aden and maybe the Orlando's."

Mild surprise appeared in Vaiu's expression.

She smiled and squinted her eyes.

"Interesting." She muttered turning to face the duke.

"What do you think, Aden?"

Aden glanced at her and sighed.

Slowly he pulled out 'The Messenger' and pointed it at her forehead.

"I ask again, are you sure you want to do this?"

He asked in a low voice.

The faceless behind Vaiu tensed up pulling out a dagger while the knights unsheathed hidden blades, but neither moved.

Instead, their gazes jumped from Aden's stern expression to Vaiu's playful smile back to the young master's indifferent stare. They were unsure of what to do.

Lovell gazed at Levi through her white veil.

Although The young master was clearly smiling, his eyes appeared strange.

They were like two still pools of boredom and frigid apathy.

They reminded her of cold steel blades on a gloomy winter morning.

Incisive.

Indifferent.

Indissoluble.

Staring at Levi's limpid brown eyes, her heart palpitated softly underneath his bland stare.

Strangely enough, despite the danger and gloomy tension thickly permeating the air, she found his bored gaze oddly attractive.