The District of Columbia

[Bern]

Amanda

"Now don't twist my words like that Congresswoman Drosa, you know what I meant. Anything within reason regarding your latest plans I will bankroll myself, but don't presume I'm running a charity here. If I don't see any tangible results this boon will go up in smoke and I'll be very disappointed." She was quite excited at the prospect of Serra disappointing her, inffact she could hardly wait for the fallout of such an event.

As amusing as that might be it was hardly the most favorable outcome even if it would serve as great outlet. "But you're far too competent to disappoint me aren't you Lady Drossa?" Amanda was smiling brightly at her, with her charm going full throttle she'd appear as nothing less than a vision of beauty.

[Aiden]

Serra Drosa

"I'm almost inclined to tell you no out of spite, with that attitude." And yet, she smiled wider as she took in the sight of such magnificent beauty full force, up close, as though she was a sexless stone wall. Or an ivory curtain, with the amount of teeth that came with her upward curling of the lips. "Very well... now then. Were you looking for all of Pine Garden to benefit from this opening at once?"

Eruraviel finally began to pick up on it now, the faint sense of something ashen and inky black feeling at the periphery of her being in search of something that simply was not there. It lasted but a moment and then withdrew, as if dissatisfied. Maybe baffled.

[SINIB]

Serra Drosa

"I'm almost inclined to tell you no out of spite, with that attitude." And yet, she smiled wider as she took in the sight of such magnificent beauty full force, up close, as though she was a sexless stone wall. Or an ivory curtain, with the amount of teeth that came with her upward curling of the lips. "Very well... now then. Were you looking for all of Pine Garden to benefit from this opening at once?"

Eruraviel finally began to pick up on it now, the faint sense of something ashen and inky black feeling at the periphery of her being in search of something that simply was not there. It lasted but a moment and then withdrew, as if dissatisfied. Maybe baffled.

Eruraviel

As the sith lord probed at Eruraviel's mind, she found a smooth, flawless sphere, impenetrable in a manner surpassing even that of Columbia—it was quite peculiar, as if there were no way for her to penetrate her mental defenses at all. The elf cocked her head with a silken, innocent smile. However, her eyes gave off a different impression entirely. For but a moment, they flashed red, and Serra could feel herself being poked and pried at. But only for the briefest of moments. Then, it stopped, as if it had merely been a warning.

Still, even that was enough to reveal a few key details to the elven princess. It was as she'd suspected, and this was no mere politician—there was far more hidden carefully beneath the surface.

She continued to smile quietly at not only Serra, but also also the other who was hiding beneath the surface. Her ears shuddered in anticipation, and she felt her loins tightening in the presence of power.

[Bern]

Amanda

"Naturally, it's for the good of Pine Garden, my generosity will be greatly appreciated by my compatriots I'd hope. However..." She tapped her finger on the desk again only this time the very air itself vibrated and struck both the Elf and the Congresswoman like a gust of wind.

Of course the multi layered barrier she had put up earlier would ensure that no sign of this sudden miniature vortex would escape the table. And I fact besides knocking the two other women back into their chairs, it did nothing to the table itself nor to the papers Serra had placed on it.

"Will you two not have a mental squabble in my presence. It's unbecoming of any self respecting shady dealer." She sounded calm but stern, like this was something she was used to mediating.

[Aiden]

Serra Drosa

The congresswoman became very still as whatever power Amanda had imposed on the table pressed down at her, but it otherwise had no effect as she had never left her chair in the first place. Then, she pushed on by returning her gaze back to the one attempting to negotiate with her. "I will consider drafting such a proposal, then. I'm sure my colleagues will see the wisdom in finding additional sources of funding for our future endeavors."

Still visibly infuriated despite the calm and measured tone of her voice and the soft smile on her face, Serra continued. "Now, were you hoping to stick around for tea? It's quite good in the winter."

[SINIB]

Eruraviel

"We'd love to." Eruraviel interjected. Her hair billowed out into a mane at the force of the gust, and her long ears were now laying flat against her neck for protection from the gale.

She reached inside her tank and withdrew a silver container studded with small gems. From within wafted a dry earthy smell unlike any experienced in this world or another. She pushed it over to Serra's side of the table and opened it up for the congresswoman. Inside was exquisitely ground and preserved tea from the elf's personal collection.

"I have no designs on capturing or harming your citizens in any capacities whatsoever." Eruraviel finally replied to Serra's comment. "Nor will I be interfering with your goddess's affairs, nor harming their wellbeing. My goals are far more benign—I simply wish to create a place for elves of all types to congregate and live in safety, and to free any of my people currently trapped in bondage—as the leader of the Congressional Punitive Caucus and the chairwoman of the Comittee on Armed Forces, I feel we may have a common group of foes we wish to see defeated?"

Her eyebrow raised, the beautiful gem embedded in her fofehead gleamed with power.

[Bern]

Amanda

"Tea would be lovely."

The Chancellor of Pine Garden simply leaned back as she was undeterred by the annoyance shown by the Congresswoman. For now she would let Eru say what she wanted to see where that topic would take them. Besides the longer she spent time with her, the more the desire for Amanda would grow. Oh her charm was quite insidious, it wasn't blatant mind control unless you were mentally feeble, but would you truly say no to a super hot girl who's personality you'd find more and more delightful the longer you spent with them?

[Aiden]

Serra Drosa

It spoke to the congresswoman's fortitude that she was able to turn the bulk of her attention to Eruraviel, and her delightfully scented tea. Indeed, she did accept a cupful of it, and took a sip as she listened to the elf's brazen appeal to her interests. Her eyes widened almost as soon as the flavor of it struck her tongue, and did a double take. "This is quite good." And then another sip, just to be on the safe side.

It was the first moment the young woman had apparently put her guard down, but then she seemed to come back to herself and placed the cup down, before coughing into her hand.

"So, you wish to see those who enslave your kind punished. That is indeed common cause against these heretics. Tell me, what aid are you willing to offer in this task?"

[SINIB]

Eruraviel

Eruraviel lazily wagged her finger, and the pot of tea hovered over to Amanda and cleanly poured out a cup of her best tea, purchased directly from angelic merchants. "I wish for more than just that, Lady Drosa. I have two demands—one, I wish all of my captured brethren to be turned over to me for protection. It has become clear to me that there is no safe place for the elven race within the limits of this city. Second..."

Again, Eruraviel casually waved her hand. In a puff of shimmering smoke, a detailed map of Nexus City appeared. She then slammed her finger onto the slaver-state of Alaba."I am seeking to establish a city under my protection, a place elves and all those friendly to our race can call home." In an instant, a neat border between Columbia and the forest grew, leaving Columbia annexing the western breakaway states while a new color absorbed the far east. "Of course, I have no pretensions on this land without an official treaty, and the aid which I would be willing to offer would be–ah, how do you humans say it?-proportional."

[Aiden]

Serra Drosa

It wasn't exactly correct to call the Nexus a 'city', but to an elf who lived in those deep and foreboding woods it might seem that way. Serra spent the time it took to form that observation sliding the map closer to herself so she could look at it better without leaving her seat, or distracting her from this really nice tea. "Is that aid granted in the taking of the land, or aid commensurate with the lost economic opportunity from ceding it to you afterward?"

She was very obviously calculating the value of it while tracing her finger along the intended border. Then, she looked from the map to Amanda again. Not just because she was nice to look at either. "And what is your role in her new enclave, if any? Is it to come under Pine Garden's wing?"

[SINIB]

Eruraviel

Eruraviel's ears trembled angrily—her nostrils flared, her brow furrowed. "Goodness no! Pine garden is a degenerate wociety which enslaves my brethren as toys! I could never support such a corrupt institution!" She sat back and crossed her arms under her chest, nearly causing her breasts to pop out of her loose shirt with the intensity of her movement.

"Amanda is my wife, my partner. But I bear no love for her district." She pushed the map towards Serra. "There is no lost economic output. Right now, they are, and have been for more than a generation, been held in bondage by breakaway states. You have much to gain by allowing me to assault them personally—replacing an enemy with an ally, engaging in the free exchange of trade and ideas, as well as having the most powerful archmage in the Nexus as a contact." She leaned back into her chair, having regained her composure. "I would be in your debt, Lady Drossa. And elves have long memories. We don't forget."

[Bern]

Amanda

"Eru, I love you dearly but... you're simply not the strongest mage in the nexus, that's clearly me!" She played it off as a bit of banter to defuse the ridiculous boasting her girlfriend was giving. Claiming that was foolhardy at best when dealing with someone politically savvy, and Lady Drossa would definitely know who the true strongest mage was. It was almost as reckless as claiming to he the ultimate martial artist.

Then she turned to Drossa and smiled while pushing her own chest out so that the Congresswoman may get am even better view of her assets. It delighted her to no end that she was more of that kind of attention than her Elven companion. "Eru has some very pleasant uses for me when it comes to dealing with some particularly nasty problems. Our arrangement is not something you could just summarize as a deal." And she looks great in a maid outfit. Of course she didn't say that out loud, but getting to dominate her was such an absolute thrill and worth far more than any of the other services Eru could provide for her.

[Aiden]

Serra Drosa

This time the senator's smile wasn't full of knives, but rather a warmer sort of mirth as she took in the pair's arguments. "It must be quite nice to find in your partner someone who can make such a claim to comparability, when you are at such lofty peaks of power. Or maybe infuriating?" She took another sip of that absolutely wonderful tea, and sighed in relief at it. "Well, I appreciate that you've both brought these proposals to me. How about this - let's hammer out the specifics over say... dinner? I know a very nice place - do you eat meat?"

[SINIB]

Eruraviel

Finally, Eru leaned back into her chair and smiled. "I don't know what you've heard about the elven diet, but our vegetarian reputation is a myth. Meat would be lovely." She glanced at Amanda—she didn't know what, but her wife was fantasizing about doing lewd things with her. "We work closely together out of mutual affection and genuine rational self interest. An elvish state will not be a puppet of anyone."

Eruraviel stretched her legs and arced her back like a cat, taking a position for a moment that looked as if it would break her spine. "What sort of dress should we arrive in, Congresswoman?"

[Bern]

Amanda

"The fatter the better right? Your metabolism always manage to astound me Eruru~" Then her gaze sharpened slightly as her fantasies came to an abrupt end by the seemingly innocent question from her wife. "Seriously dear what have I told you of your dressing down habbits? You should pick one of the dresses I suggested..." She sent her wife a meaningful look to indicate her seriousness.

That totally wasn't her wanting to see her own fetish play out, no not at all. And the message it would send to the Congresswoman would be interesting indeed. It would be an incredible powerplay and display of how solid the ties were between them, which would make Lady Drossa even more certain of working with them while also discouraging some underhanded tactics against them.