Malleus was making good on his promise to speak to Rain later. The lioness Cannival had been given time to settle in and now Malleus was eager to have his curiosity sated. He had many questions for Rain. The chief question was this: how had he managed to befriend a lion? The Emperor was baffled by this. The questions rolled around in his mind as he made he way towards Rain's dungeon laboratory. He couldn't be certain that's where the poisoner was, but it seemed a good place to look first. The day was young but already too warm for Malleus' liking as he stepped from the sunlight into the dark of the castle. The air chilled as he made his way down to the castle's frigid belly. Reaching the entrance to the dungeons, he called, "Rain?"

Rain looked up from his work, refining the scalpel he had used on the lioness, when he heard Malleus call for him. He stepped from the alcove of one of the candle lit cells to approach him and bowed his head briefly in greeting. “Emperor Malleus, it’s good to see you.” He said, his voice soft and pleasant. “What brings you to the dungeons?” He asked suddenly acutely aware of the scattered experiments and accoutrements of his practice. He also became aware of the shrieking weasels and rats that he kept for studying his poisons and the rancor they made in the echoing dungeons and how the smell of viscera and sickness might have offended him. He had worked hard in his self made laboratory and unfortunately the evidence surrounded them. "Talk" Thought You

The scent that assailed him as he crossed the threshold would be best described as sour. It was a mix of foul odors that might have curled his nose hair had his years of wound tending not hardened him to such things. He noticed it but didn't shy away and his faint discomfort didn't show in his face. "Ah, Rain," he said warmly as the poisoner approached. "Likewise. I just wanted to see how Cannival was doing." This was false by omission. Yes, he was curious and he hoped the valuable big cat survived her illness, but he was more curious about the circumstances that led her to Risen. After a beat, he added, "And I was curious about how such a creature ended up here." The corners of his mouth lifted slyly as he ventured, "I seem to remember a conversation not that long ago about a dust that made animals susceptible to suggestion..."

He grinned, a smile that lit his whole features as Malleus mentioned the lioness. He still felt a great amount of pride for the series of events that lead to the lioness joining their ranks and he chanced a look at Malleus’s eyes as his tail began to wag behind him. “Yes but that it wasn’t any act against her will that brought her here.” He gleefully explained. “I met her following a great fire in Abaven, I treated her wounds and as a budding healer herself I advised her on a few cures for burns for the afflicted wolves.” He added, withholding the root answer if for no other reason than to watch the play of emotions that he was sure would cross the other man’s features. “Afterward I advised her to eat a…certain plant to help with her healing. I called it Petal cup, but a more skilled healer would know it as foxglove.” He sat on his haunches with a satisfied smirk, playing on Malleus’s vanity as a healer as a far more skilled healer than himself. speaking Thinking   You

As Rain explained what he had done Malleus’ smile grew. The poisoner was a crafty fellow and now more than even Malleus was glad he had decided to give him a chance. He’d thought he’d taken a leap when he accepted Rain into Risen’s ranks and Malleus had been prepared to be disappointed, but he wasn’t. Now he saw it was possible for valuable things to come in small packages.

“Brilliant,” he enthused with a dark smile. “And I suppose now that you’ve cured that malaise as well she may as well be eternally in your debt.” He shook his head not in disagreement but in what was best summed up as incredulity. “That’s very impressive, Rain. Few wolves could pull that off.”

Manipulation wasn’t Malleus’ strong suit. Though he could appreciate its application he didn’t have the desire to apply it as readily as he would warfare or diplomacy. But he knew someone who would and it gave him an idea. “I take it this sort of thing is a rather keen interest of yours? I ask because Pyrrhic has expressed an interest in exploring the...shall we say, broader topic of coercion and learning this skill and its applications might be a worthwhile pursuit until his ascension.” It would be another few years before Malleus would likely retire, so setting Pyrrhic on other things would benefit the Empire and best utilize his driven young son.

He was speechless for a moment, his heart thrumming powerfully in his chest as he swelled with pride. “I would be honored to take him under my wing.” He said breathless, a grin growing on his features yet again as his tail began to wag. Pyrric was no stranger to him, he still recalled seeing him chase after weasels in the halls as a pup and the day he found him lost in the woods. He had gifted him once with the only golden colored bell pepper on the day that he had harvested them for the empire and had grown to love him as a dutiful follower. “Tell him to meet me in my dungeons, I can certainly think of a few ways to train him in the art of manipulation.” Although he had to admit Pyrric would be somewhat handicapped by his size, his beauty could be just as disarming as Rain’s small unassuming appearance. speaking Thinking   You

Rain seemed to accept the task happily which heartened Malleus. He wasn't sure if Rain was pleased with the opportunity to teach the heir, the chance to prove himself further, the praise he had been given or perhaps a mix of those things, but he was pleased all the same. The poisoner's actions as of late convinced him Pyrrhic was in good hands. "It's settled, then," he rumbled with a smile. "I need him exclusively for the next two days, but after that I'll send him your way." Malleus glanced around Rain's work space curiously. It occurred to him that he didn't know what Rain had going at the moment and given the poisoner's success with the lioness, he was eager to find out what else was up his sleeve. "Do you have any other projects in the works?"