Now that the brood had taken over the Polar Sound, Rhazien figured it was time to start perfecting his diplomatic skills. And what better way, than to teach the likeminded wolves in their group? That was his deducement, at least. Interacting with other groups, including the much larger packs, was on the horizon. And he wasn't naive enough to believe someone wouldn't come knocking on their door sooner than later. They needed to be prepared- for the art of battle, and the war of politics.

And so, the Saxe brute would release a summons for the other intellectuals in the brood. Commanding them to his side, as he took a seat upon a large boulder somewhere in the eastern part of the Polar Sound. Before him was a carcass of a young caribou- still warm to the touch, and bloodied around the neck where he had suffocated it. It was meant to act as an introduction to the lesson on politics.

Food can be used as a weapon to sway the masses.  

"Speech"

Elysia had yet to meet everyone individually that her cousin dearest had collected. She knew Aresenn, Kaino, Absinthe, the twins and of course her brother. But beyond that she had yet to establish any sort of relationship with anyone else. Something she was planning to rectify quickly. If she was going to live with, sleep with, hunt and eat with and fight beside these wolves. She’d need to know them and their strengths. Family or not, without any connections she’d grow up an outcast like her mother had.

So when a familiar summons called out, she didn’t hesitate to make her way to this lesson. Anything they could teach her was a welcomed lesson as well as a welcome familial relationship to form.

It didn’t take her long to find the older male, he was certainly older than sephrian and herself but looked younger than her mama and daddy. She wasn’t sure exactly how she was related to him just yet. Her gaze raked over his frame, he was handsome. But then it came to rest upon the young caribou just before him. Curious.

She same to a stop a mere foot away from him, intrigued to see what he had in store for her and anyone else who showed up today.

Yarra arrives quickly after the stranger, hips swaying rhythmically as she slinks over to Rhazien’s side. her uncle’s summons would not go ignored by the Saxe woman, her respect for the man too great to allow for it - and besides, she wants to be there for whatever deliciously wicked thing he’s concocted. “hello uncle,” she chirps, aiming to brush her shoulder against his in greeting. her gaze falls on the prey at his feet, and she sketches a single brow. “oh dear. poor thing.” she tuts with sardonic sympathy, poisonous eyes flitting to the woman she vaguely recognises from their reunion with Seph. “i don’t believe we’ve properly met,” she calls out, a hint of amusement in her voice. “Yarrabelle. and you are…?”

Kaino, with her intense observation and her attention to detail, was going to make the perfect ambassador for the Saxe clan. That was her aim, anyway. The woman was a viper, capable of dripping her venom into the ears of those around her. Though Kai had the capacity to be a bloodthirsty wretch like the rest of her blood, she also had a pretty good head on her shoulders. She was a woman of many masks and was capable of blending in with whatever crowd she found herself within. A howl rang out. A summons. Sweet Uncle Rhazien. Being the only child of his brother Kaiden, Kaino liked to think that she would be Rhaz's favorite niece. She'd never said it aloud nor asked it, but in her mind, that's how it should be. The silver and lavender fae made her way towards her uncle's call, not batting an eye at the dead creature bleeding out before him. Kai smiled and gave the big man a soft nod before seating herself on the opposite side of the caribou. She was ready for whatever he asked of her. "Speech"

What better way to show her distaste for someone than to actively gift them sharp expressions with her pretty little face? Sure, she’d had her punishment- but submission ? Not likely. Absinth approached the meeting with a smirk, her emeralds intensely focused on Rhazien; brewing with defiance. Though she kept a tight lid on her temper, in favor of disturbing his peace with her presence instead. You know. Keeping the peace. Hopefully her tongue would cooperate with Aresenn’s advice.

As she found a place to sit, besides the lovely and brutal Yarrabelle- to whom she shot an amorous look and a purr of her voice. “Oh I missed you. Up to anything fun lately?” The monochromatic woman would grin wickedly, taking the time to properly greet Ely and Kaino with a tip of her charcoal skull. “So many lovely ladies here.” They also received a smile, akin to that of her bloodied lips during the hunts they had shared. She did hope to have more heart racing moments with them… whatever they were doing to get the blood pumping that is.

wormwood

One by one members of the brood emerged from the treeline, providing a greeting characteristic to their relationship with him. Ely, the cousin who had appeared out of the woodwork, he didn’t know well yet- but she was a promising member of the band, with the right direction. Yarrabelle arrived next- admittedly, one of his favorite nieces. She shared a physical greeting with him. Rubbing her shoulder against his, dancing across his frame with those acidic eyes. She earned a baritone purr from him. His own eyes raking across her frame, before turning to his other favorite niece. Kaino, the daughter of Kaiden. They had been quite close living in Saffron, and during his absence, he had missed his interactions with the little viper. Cunning and conniving, always sharp-tongued. She had a remarkable amount of intelligence, and he wanted to mold her into perfection. Mirroring her nod, and widening his smile in her direction. He was ready to begin the lesson… until one more arrived. Absinth, the woman he had maimed under Sephiran’s discretion. He was surprised to see her here- though, his expression didn’t show it. Glancing in her direction to acknowledge her arrival, and offering her nothing more.  So long as she attributed to their goal, he would allow her to attend.

He turned to the rest of the group now, to begin his lesson. “Ladies, ladies…” Wanting their attention, he called out to them. Interrupting the side conversations occurring. “I’ve gathered you here, to give you a lesson on politics... listen closely.” There was a short pause before he continued. “The caribou before you is no mere meal.” Motioning towards the fresh carcass, which now lay in a puddle of blood. Still warm to the touch, but lifeless and still. "In a social setting, it can serve many purposes." Combing through the crowd, he was examining their expressions. “Bartering may come to mind. It is a more… civil way of divvying up a kill. Especially if you're trading with a loner or another pack. Some worthy goods to exchange for could be... alcohol, drugs, treasures, weapons, armor.... anything we don't already have and would benefit our kingdom.” Another pause. “But bartering is all about exchange; you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. Manipulation on the other paw…” His smile widened into a devilishly handsome smirk. “Can achieve so much more. When you diminish the supply, and increase the demand.” Suddenly, a drawling, sorrowful call echoed from within the forest. Belonging to the mother caribou, who was calling for its child. Lost and searching for what no longer existed. “You can turn coal into gold.” His smile grew even wider. ”And those who live in poverty, will fiend for it. We all want something we can't have. Things we believe will satiate our desires.... don't we?" Becoming silent, he wanted the concept to sink into their minds. His gaze lingering on the beautiful Yarrabelle and Kaino longer than the others. Perhaps uncomfortably so.

Now, he wasn’t telling them to go out and start tormenting the commoners. It was meant to spark their critical thinking. "Food is a basic necessity- a starting point, if you will. Each of you, propose another viable source we can utilize." What else could they turn into a weapon and sway the masses?

"Speech"

Aside from casual nods of greeting, the rest of the wolves joining went mostly ignored. Kaino only had eyes for her sweet Uncle Rhazien. It seemed as thou he had eyes for her as well and she met that gaze boldly each time. The big man began to speak, discussing the importance of strategy and controlling resources. After his explanation, he questioned them all. Kaino considered the question, then considered those accompanying them in this lesson. No doubt they would say something like, "Food and water" but that was too easy. "Borders," The charcoal and lavender fae spoke up first. "One controls a great deal when they control the passage between lands. If a pack were to claim territories across major thoroughfares or points of travel such as that land bridge down south, then any price could be named for the convenience of easy travel." The land itself was beneficial enough, but having the final say on who could and could not cross to a certain area without excess trouble? That was some power. "Speech"

after Yarra comes two other women, one of them Saxe and one of them…deliciously familiar. Yarra allows her gaze to fixate on that black and white pelt, a leering grin curving across the dark satin of her lips. oh, what a wonderful surprise it’d been when Absinth had arrived at their little reunion, and what fun to learn she’d be sticking around. “hello, sweetling,” she purrs, lust dripping from her voice. as Absinth settles beside her, she presses her mouth to the fae’s ear, each word husky with promise. “nothing as interesting as our last meeting, i’m afraid. see what you’ve done to me?” her bottom lip curls into a pout, though her eyes dance with mischief.

enthralled as she is, Yarra doesn’t look over until Uncle Rhaz begins speaking, but as his lesson unfurls she grants him her full attention, her only reaction the occasional approving rumble. “medicine,” she supplies, once Kaino has had her say. “tinctures and antidotes and herbs, all of it can be used to exert influence. after all, what choice does one have when their lover or children are dying? and if they happen to contract an illness only we, coincidentally, have the cure to?” she shrugs, a mean little smirk creeping along her face even as her voice remains guileless. “it’d be a shame, really.”

Elysia sat before her uncle as others began to file in one at a time. A woman she’d only briefly seen once at the gathering began speaking to her. Ears twitched slightly as she let her gaze lazily flicker towards her. “Elysia” her tone bored, just as it had been the time she’d first actually met Sephrian. She didn’t care if it irked the woman or not to be dismissed, Ely’s focus reverted back to its original focus; Rhazien.

She made a small gesture towards the next two women she recognized better; Kaino and Absinth. And then Absinth’s voice would cause a genuine smile to form upon her lips. “None quite as lovely as you, Absinth” she cooed to the other monochromatic woman. Her attention was quickly drawn away from her and back to her uncle as he began to talk.

She listened intently as he spoke of supply and demand and how it could be useful when trying to control others. Kaino was the first to speak up, and her contribution was borders. To which Ely nodded in agreement. Something like that was a good power move.

And then the woman Absinth sat beside- Yarrabelle spoke up. Medicine. It was true that it was a clever idea to control. Ely held her tongue on her thoughts for that one though. And finally came up with her own suggestion.

“Children” she spoke gently. It was a unique answer. “A pack is only as strong as their next generation. If they can sustain a lineage to secure their territory it comes off as strong, but if we were to send in spies and slaughter their women, and take their children as bargaining chips we could control their population. Effectively wearing their numbers and making them think twice about retaliation or we’d slaughter the children and the last piece of their lost love” she paused, looking her uncle in  his eyes. “This would allow one to make an already lesser pack less of a problem and send a message” she shrugged a bit.

Absinth relishes in the closeness Yarrabelle claims, the other woman’s breath in her ear as she greets her with sweet nothings. Ah, she had left the woman rather wanting after their last encounter. What a crime she had committed… perhaps one that required penance. The only thing that ripped her attention away from Yarra before the shit head began to give his lesson, was the delightful coo of Ely — greeting her a smile and a tone she quite liked.

But alas. Good things had to come to an end. Rhazien began to speak.

He started off with a metaphorical speech about food. About procuring a supply and demand and establishing themselves as the only sellers. Twisting the arms of those who needed it most to their advantage. Kaino was the first to speak of her own viable  resource they could command. Borders. Dominating them and forcing travelers to pay fees for entry and departure.

Then came the lovely Yarrabelle, suggesting a devious plot for medicine and the desperate need of the masses to secure it. Such manipulation, and truly only a beautiful mind could have though up such a thing.

Finally came the response from Ely. Her idea was to use children as bargaining chips, to  make them hostages. It was uniquely straightforward, but Absinth wondered if it would bring masses of enemies to their doors instead.

Humming to herself, Absinth shot Rhazien a grin before she too offered her response to his question. ”Opinion. If we can control public opinion, we can inject our own narrative into the minds of the passive audience. Rumors can be spread, falsehoods, misinformation, all in the name of keeping ourselves shrouded. So that not one pack has a solid understanding of who we are and what we want. It’s a matter of publishing opinion.” The woman finished, emeralds locked onto the older man.

wormwood

One by one, the members of the brood spoke up, revealing their concepts of power and how to utilize it. Kaino spoke of territory. Yarra, spoke of medicine. Elysia, spoke of children and maintaining population control. And Absinth, spoke of public opinion. Nodding his head to each one, and even granting his approval to Absinth’s proposal. He couldn’t help the delighted smirk that pulled at the corner of his inky lips. These girls were so wickedly delightful. “Great suggestions and observations.” Tail flicked behind his frame, patting against the earth a few times- not to signify a happy wag, but a signal that this lesson was almost over.  “I want each of you to think more about your chosen method; specifically, how we could apply them in war.” Yes, he wanted to start morphing their concepts into action- but he also wanted them to expand their thoughts, so they could have plans to unveil in the heat of war. Because war wasn’t far off on the horizon. “When we meet again, we will discuss your proposals- you are dismissed.” Combing his gaze through the crowd, he analyzes their faces for any strange reactions, before standing and shifting his eyes to the carcass in front of the girls. “Oh, lunch is on me ladies- it may still be warm." One last smirk was cast to them, before Rhazien sauntered off into the Polar Sound.  

"Speech"

Absinth kept a neutral expression on her face, even though her lips stretched out wickedly as Rhazien praised all the women, including herself surprisingly. She supposed, maybe they could somewhat get along when it came to the betterment of the band… but she doubted it. His face alone irked her. Smug bastard. He was satisfied with their answers, issuing out homework. They were to further expand on their chosen method, and figure out an application in war. Fine. But when he dismissed they all, Absinth sat motionless, her tongue tracing each of her fangs in turn – still wishing to sink them into his flesh and tear and rend and- well. She’d have her chance in the future. She watched him saunter off, her mind refocusing on the topic of strategies. She already had an idea, and a few steps to achieve it. Now… how to put it all into words. Absinth hummed to herself, retiring back to her den to contemplate the little assignment.
[EXIT ABSINTH]
wormwood

Elysia listened to Absinth’s suggestion about public opinion. And wondered if maybe they could use that to help her own suggestion. If they could sway the general public from believing their victims she could easily get her own idea to thrive. It was something she would certainly have to talk to her about.

And it would benefit their other lesson from Aresenn. Teamwork wasn’t only suited for battle. It could be utilized in many aspects of their life. So her uncle departed, she was prepared to eat lunch as he’d offered when the frame of ivory and coal moved.

She watched Absinth leave and decided to try to catch up to her for a discussion on how their ideas could work together.

-Exit Elysia-