Power. She never thought it was something she?d desire, never thought she?d wish to possess it in her own grasp. It was an addictive substance, something that she?d eyed and wanted to control, and when she found herself with it in her hands she found she was addicted. Normally she was a creature of the shadows, but she was addicted to the spotlight. Medusa had not encountered Newt she she?d defeated her, and although the threat was present, she was allowing herself to relax in a sense. She had a small kingdom, but one that would grow with time.
Part of her knew that she would need something to secure her position of power. Children. There thought was disgusting, but it was one that the ambitious side of her pushed for. She would not be a particularly good mother, but their mere existence would show that she was strong. Dynasties looked far more powerful than a singular ruler, after all. Medusa knew that it was only a matter of time when she came into season, and although she usually was able to control her desires, now that she knew she wanted whelps she was uncertain she would be able to. But she didn?t just want a random father; she wanted somebody strong to father her children, to give what was worthless even the slightest bit more of value.
Perhaps that might have been her reasoning behind seeking out Deteste?s pretty mate, knowing that she probably would be somewhere in the lands if he was the leader here. Medusa was not a great tracker, but she hoped that she?d find the scent. Feeling lazy, she gave up, letting out a low call for the white woman, hoping she would show herself.

a handshake

of carbon monoxide

A new home -- a new start, in a way. She knew it would not last forever, but for now, she wasn't picky, and she would have followed Deteste anywhere, so long as he remained hers. She was exploring the forest in silence, a new terrain than the thick foliage of the mangrove in which they had previously lived. With a new mindset and a new future ahead of her, the pallid bitch swept forth among the trees, rubbing herself against them in a manner to suggest possession. These lands may not belong to her, but nonetheless they were hers, and she would leave her mark upon them like the proud hellion she was. She slithered forth, claws digging into the sweet soil below her as the dame slipped forth with an air of strength, of supple pride. She paused only when the low howl rang out -- not just a summons, but a summons for her. Twisting her ears forth atop her pale skull, the harpy arched her muzzle, her tongue lapping against inky jowls as she made to respond, slipping wordlessly through the trees. She had no idea what the queen wanted with her, but Laxago felt the need to obey, if only for the sake of her mate. Flicking her tail in idle pride to align with her spine, the pale she-wolf approached the midnight queen, watching her with a question in her pale eyes -- no words necessary.

The ghostly girl arrived quickly, not bothering to linger when the Madame called for her. Medusa wondered what on earth she was going to say to her; the topic she wished to approach was not one she could ever so casually bring up. No, she would wield her words like a subtle knife, her tongue being her silver blade on her path to victory. Upon arrival she looked the woman over, admiring her in an obvious way. The serpent was nothing if not a lecher, after all. ?My dear, welcome to Amenti,? she purred. She decided she would discuss a small order of business first, one that would be seemingly foolish to summon Laxago for. ?My name is Medusa, I am the Madame here. I thought it urgent to introduce myself to you, lovely, due to your relationship with Deteste. What is your name?? she inquired. Perhaps she?d been told it once, but she hadn?t really bothered to remember it. For now she would play it cool, gauging how best it was to approach this situation.

Laxago was not particularly fond of the queen's tone -- subtle, sultry, confident and dripping with poise. She resisted the urge to curl her lips in response to the pet names bestowed upon her, for they were names she would accept willingly only from Deteste, but she knew he would have been disappointed if she showed hostility to this Madame so soon, and so the svelte she-wolf kept her temper in check. "Thank you," she said, keeping her tones even, her expression without any emotion to dawn across her features. She twisted her ears forth to catch the younger female's words, her paws flexing upon the earth as she was yet again called by an overly-sweetened name. So this queen knew Laxago's relation to her male counterpart, but not her actual name? She held back a sigh, and forced a slight smile to stretch over her lips -- visibly strained. "Laxago. A pleasure." She was not fond of formalities, but they were required, she supposed, as was her good behavior. It was what Deteste would want from her, after all, and that was the only thing that kept her restrained.

She tried to examine the woman, but she was no open book. Medusa would have to push her buttons a little to bring her out of her shell, to see what sort of creature lurked beneath the flesh and blood and veins of this wolf. The girl didn?t seem particularly cheery, but that wasn?t much to go off of. There was a smile on her lips that seemed strained, but she could not pin point why. All she knew was that something was off, and Medusa wished to find out what it was before she pushed for her own desires. That way, she would better know what approach to take to the situation. Her name was Laxago, a name the Madame would remember for now. This angel before her could potentially play an important role, and Medusa rarely forgot those of use to her. ?Laxago, dear, as you are Deteste?s mate I thought you should know you will have a rank in this pack. You will be a Consort, and your duties will be much the same as a beta,? she noted. ?Although, if you do not wish to fulfill these duties, I will not punish or remove your rank. I just thought you should know your position, lovely,? she said, further stalling the real reason she?d called forth the white-pelted woman.

The queen was sickly sweet in her words, in her buttermilk tone that suggested she wanted something -- or was simply trying to earn Laxago's good side, though for what reason, she couldn't be sure. She remained wary, suspicious but not outwardly so (that was no way to treat a queen, after all) and simply listened in silence to the woman's offering. "That's a very generous offer, thank you," she said, genuinely meaning her words that time. Jupiter had not been the sort to hand out ranks without proving worth, and Laxago was unused to special treatment from any but Deteste; perhaps she would be able to prove her worth this time around. "I was ill for many years and spent much of my time doing nothing. I think I would prefer to put in some honest labor this time." A half smile graced her lips in her attempt to be friendly -- to at least be allies with her alpha, if not close friends. Laxago was standoffish at best, but she could not be blamed for her effort to try and do better.

The rank was a courtesy; one she had considered when she thought of how ranks would go if she herself had a mate or where Deteste?s mate would fit into the pack. While Medusa knew the only way she?d have a mate by her side would be if Jupiter had needed to come to Amenti, she knew Deteste?s mate would need a rank. It also worked out that she wanted something from this woman; the Amenti Master did not seem like the sort of man to cheat unless his wife was alright with it. Morality. It was annoying when it got in the way of what one desired. She listened, trying to take note of the words. ?I am sure you will do well, my sweet,? she hummed, a compliment that she didn?t really mean but was harmless all the same. The next question was more on the course of what Medusa wished to discuss, but it was still filler, still a question thrown out there to tell what would get Medusa what she wanted. ?Do you have any children together? You two must have such beautiful children,? she said. It was bold; she could be touching a dangerous soft spot, but nothing came without risks. Nothing.

She arched a brow with the woman's response, but otherwise didn't answer. Medusa seemed less than sincere with her words and Laxago would not press it -- their formalities were simply that: formalities. She doubted that the Madame was any more interested in her than she acted to be, which led her back to the idea that Medusa wanted something. Quietly, she leaned back onto her haunches, her pale green eyes continuing to watch the ebony female -- a wolf in sheep's clothing, to be sure. She twisted forth an ear with the brazen question, and a pang throbbed in her heart at the thought; they had not had children for years, not since the early days of her sickness. "We have two sons. They are grown now." And they hate me. She left that comment out, offering only what was necessary, responding to the question with even tones and silently wondering why the woman was prying so much into her private life.

She was somewhat curious to find that they didn?t have more children; if they had been together for years (as suggested by the grown age of their children), certainly they should have more than a few children? Medusa decided this was the best way to go; she had several options at her feet, several ways of trying to get to what she wanted. Oh, she was certain that she wanted something at this point. Perhaps Laxago might even grow suspicious as to what at some point, but it mattered not if she found out prematurely. Medusa needed to figure out a way to get her to agree; she needed to find out something that would make an equal trade for the woman. ?I would?ve thought you two would have more children,? she noted, as if it were a harmless observation. ?Would you want more?? she asked, speaking the question as if she were actually interested in the answer, as if she truly wished to get to know this woman and befriend her.

The other female got nosier and nosier by the minute. Laxago was half ready to snap and remember that fury that had once boiled so frequently below the surface, but she forced herself to grit her teeth and push a sigh through her flared nostrils. "I was ill," she repeated, as though it should have been obvious why they did not have more children. She had been unable to care for herself, let alone more hungry mouths to feed, and she doubted that in the recent years Deteste had seen her in any sort of sexual manner anyway. He had been her caretaker, her husband, her mate -- but not her lover. "That's a rather personal question, don't you think?" she responded warily, her eyes narrowing upon Medusa, her cool expression suggesting that the queen best back off or any attempt at friendship between them would be quickly vanquished.

It was time to cut the bullshit; Laxago was not a stupid woman, and likely knew that Medusa wanted something now. Her speech almost confirmed it, and the serpent decided it was time to drop the fa?ade. She dipped her head, as if conceding she had no place to be asking those questions. ?I have a heavy favor to ask of you,? she noted, wondering if she might realize what is was, wondering if she might jump to conclusions and storm out. Medusa was prepared to face a raging woman; she was prepared to find herself attacked. ?Well, favor is the wrong word. I have a bargain I would like to strike with you, but before I would offer I would like to know if there is anything on this Earth that you want desperately. Anything at all that I can possibly give you, aside from the crown on my head and the life in my body,? she said. It was bold, up front, but there was little point in being subtle anymore when her intents were obvious.

Ah, and there the truth came out. She did indeed want something from the pallid woman, though what, Laxago remained unsure. She doubted it was something she would like, and remained wary, her muscles strung taut beneath her pale flesh. Still, she did not speak until the queen had let out the entirety of her long-winded question, still beating around the bush as to what she wanted from the new Consort, and a slightly sarcastic smile graced the babe's lips. "I doubt there is anything I want for that you can give me. I desire only the love of my husband -- which I already have -- and my children, though they wrote me off as a failure long ago. What do you want, Medusa?" She arched a brow, pushing right to the point. There had been enough idle chatter -- she simply wished to know what the queen wanted from her.

Her answer was not one the woman wished, but she supposed that she hadn?t done well enough to earn a straight answer. Nonetheless, she had nothing to hide. She would show her true intent to this woman, so as not to seem a coward if anything else. ?I asked you to come here so we could talk woman to woman, because there is something that I want. Something that I don?t expect for free,? she noted. ?I am a ruler, and in order to secure my throne I need children. I suppose I could just find a random man, but there is no guarantee that he wouldn?t try to claim me or do something else obnoxious when I come into season,? she said. At this point, she was certain what she would say next would be obvious. ?I wanted to ask you if you would provide your consent for Deteste to give me children. I have not spoken to him of this, you are the first to hear it,? she said. It was the most honest thing she said in her entire remembered life. At this point, she wouldn?t have been surprised if Laxago left or tried to rip her throat out. She knew women could be possessive over their mates.

?I do not like Deteste in any emotional way. I could not; I love Jupiter, and I have room for no others in my heart. I would only want children from him once, and then we would only deal with each other on a professional level,? she noted. ?I would offer you anything in return. Want a crown? I will not fight you, even if you attack an ally. Want more children? I will do my best to make sure you get them. Want me to track down your sons and see what I can do to patch up that relationship of yours? I will try my fucking hardest,? she said. ?Want a free favor or two in addition to all of that? A favor you can cash in at any time for anything? That is yours as well,? she said. Medusa did not know if Laxago would agree, but this was her attempt. This was all she could do to try and get what she wanted. If this white woman did not agree, chances were Deteste would not agree either. ?What do you say??she asked.

No shit there's something you want. Her mind screamed the words while her lips remained sealed, teeth grinding together and muscles tense, having lost all sense of her earlier calm and just barely restraining the storm that threatened to barge into the light of day. The more Medusa spoke, the more obvious her plan became, and a low growl slipped from the pallid female's chest, a lip curling momentarily -- distaste, despise. "There is no other man you trust?" she asked coldly, her ears flattening to her skull. Why must it be my husband? She fell silent once more as Medusa launched into a spiel in an attempt to sway the female in her favor, but Laxago was not tempted by her half-wit offerings or poor bargaining chips that she thought would be worth the loyalty of the Consort's husband. "I say you talk too much," she snorted, evidently unamused, though somehow she managed to keep her seated position upon the earth, despite how much she wanted to dig her teeth into Medusa's throat. "Deteste has been faithful to me for four years, and you come to me -- naught but a stranger -- and ask me to let him forget that?" Her words were accentuated at the end with a low snarl, her lips twisting in a sign of her anger -- barely contained, but contained all the same. "He is my mate, not your whore. I will agree for my loyalty to the pack as a whole and to benefit Amenti -- not for you. Once, and never again." She found herself surprised to say those words, to find herself agreeing to the blasphemy of loaning out her husband, but it said miles about her trust for Deteste -- that she knew even copulating with another woman would not tear him from her.

When she had spoken her piece she would instead listen. Perhaps if she did not want something from Laxago so badly she might have rambled on, might have pushed the woman?s buttons, but she did not. Instead she kept her mouth shut and took whatever venom the angel had to spew, for she knew she had asked very much. Instead she merely shook her head as she questioned if she trusted anyone, expecting that she would say no and then they would fight in some way. Instead, what happened surprised her, the expression on Medusa?s face evidently so. Only once Laxago had finished would she speak up, withholding any celebration for now. She cared little about why this was happening; Medusa only cared that she would get what she wanted. ?Only once, and I will never ask anything of you again,? she told her, and it was a genuine promise. She would not push her limits either; she would not flirt with Deteste, would not come close to him in any way. Perhaps her reasoning was simple; she was not a woman looking for unnecessary conflict, and with Newt on the horizon it would do her little good to provoke this woman. Perhaps it was that Jupiter had instilled some sort of diseased goodness into her veins, infecting her like a cancer, or maybe simply a flu that would pass. ?I?ll leave you now, unless you want something from me,? she said, preparing to offer her solitude and leave her well alone after this encounter.

She doubted she would ever be fond of Medusa after this particular encounter, but it was what it was. They had both made their decisions, and with the queen's promise that she would never ask a favor again of the pallid she-wolf, Laxago rose to her feet. She still wanted to tear into the bitch, but she kept her composure, growling quietly before she turned rapidly on her heel, entirely done with this whole situation. The sooner it was all done with, the better. She wanted to find Deteste before Medusa butted her nose in -- to explain her reasoning to him and make certain he knew it was his choice. She paused before she left, her cool glare saying all it needed to say: I don't want anything from you.

Exeunt Laxago.