Goh's Private Chambers

[Haeo]

Red Gypsy

Shale listened attentively, even though Ilea's gentle touch was a trifle... distracting. She handled the situation far better than he had dared to hope. She truly had made great strides. But, then again, so had he. They truly were growing together.

"I will." He said simply. The guards would be ample protection for the time being, with uncompromising loyalty and untiring attention. He could count on them as he could count on her. But, he was never one to underestimate danger. Even with these elite guards, he was going to create additional defenses. If Ilea's current existence and all the progress she had made could be lost so easily then... he had little choice but to make his own death as close to impossible as he could.

His eyes took on a subtle look of distraction, even as one hand settled on Ilea's and held it gently. It was the look he had when he was planning. Now he had to prepare for every possible form of threat, including the passage of time and the intervention of the gods. He would have to prepare so well that no force in the world could surpass or slip through his defenses.

It would be a long task. All the while, he would continue to help Ilea develop and grow stronger. Eventually, he might even be able to find a way to give her the ability to persist in the event of his demise. Though, he supposed that to be the most dangerous and difficult task of all. And, added to all this, he had to keep a low profile so that his growing forces and defenses do not provoke any attacks or reprisals. This path would make him a credible threat to everyone in the world, including King Lareth and the gods themselves. It would be difficult to keep such power hidden, even too much concealment could invite disaster.

He was going to have many... many headaches in the years to come.

For a long moment, he simply held Ilea's hand and thought. But, they had challenges to face in the present as well. The most pressing was to undertake the next step in securing Darkness Abounds. While Shale's influence in the castle was unchallenged, the village might be another matter. From the reputation of the place he had gathered that it would be continuously prone to disruption and strife. Rebellion would be a constant element, either subtle or overt. A hard and subtle hand would be needed to maintain the proper appearance of order and obedience.

"So... what will convince the people here and in the village that honest service will truly be rewarded amply, even as treachery will be punished." He whispered, mostly musing to himself. It was a new thing, being confident enough to let his thoughts slip out. If Ilea hadn't been the only other person there, it certainly wouldn't have happened.  

[Red Gypsy]

Haeo

Ilea's smile took on a happier note when he simply agreed to the guards without protest, a silent thrill moving through her that was as unfamiliar to her as it was pleasing. She didn't really know how to describe the sensation, though it was similar to the way she felt when he held her hand the way he did or when he traced his fingers or lips along the back of her neck.

She noted the look on his face and knew he was thinking, but only got vague bits and pieces of what he was thinking about. It was almost enough to make her worry until he spoke out loud and distracted her rather easily from his other preoccupation.

She considered alot of things before answering him, then simply spoke her thoughts out loud, "Darkness Abounds itself influences the residents and has since it was created, influencing primarily the darker side of people. Goh regularly moved through the village and collected individuals that caught his attention, though most of them never lived to describe their experiences. He allowed rumors to work for him and was known to spread a few of his own just to see how they came back around, usually for the worse. But if he needed a more pointed demonstration, he was known to do public tortures or other public demonstrations there. Once he raised dead that no one knew had been buried there in the town and had them rip apart a man that tried to set him up for death. That's what's worked in the past," she explained to him of her memories on how to handle the population of the village.

The main thing he'd have to deal with was the influence of the realm on the population. It was something that couldn't be escaped and would be there no matter what he did, so he'd have to take that into account in the future.

Keeping that point in mind, one had to remember that Ilea hadn't been born here, she'd been created here. There was a large difference between the two. Ilea had been created, fully formed as an adult. While the 'material source' had been Gypsy, Ilea's creation couldn't escape the influence of the realm Goh had created for himself.

Another moment of thought and she tilted her head to the side slightly, "A demonstration of some kind, I would think... Something ruthless, something that cannot be questioned later, something that will linger in the mind and psyche, something a little more graphic than what you used downstairs..." she mused softly then went quiet as she tried to search her memory for something that would be effective and useful for Shale.

In the end, she shook her head slightly, "I'll think on it. If I come up with something that would be effective, I'll let you know," she finally said with a small smile of humor. After all, he'd know it when she figured something workable out, so she wouldn't likely have to say anything out loud.

She shifted her hand where he held it so that she held his instead and pulled it gently to her lips to place a light teasing kiss to his knuckles, followed by a teasingly sharp n** and another kiss. She knew it would distract him enough to let her move away from him and head for the doorway. There, she paused to look back at him with a slightly teasing smile playing with her lips, "I should get back to checking on the servants. See if anyone needs shifting around or sending back to the village. I also want to check the wine cellar. Kirsa could have brought up a better bottle of wine for you than that one," she said softly.

While she wanted to stay here and practically roll herself in his presence and his touch, she was trying to do the right thing and get back to the job of securing the castle. But she still found herself hesitating in the doorway, wanting to go back to him and bury her face in his chest.

If he wanted her to stay, all he had to do was say so. But he was going to have to encourage her in one direction or the other. Otherwise she was going to be balancing on the edge of going or staying...  

[Haeo]

Red Gypsy

Shale had not actually expected a solution to his problem to be so easily found. Still, Ilea had given him valuable information about what these people were like and how they were used to being governed. He had no intention of being another Goh, but he would need some savagery to maintain control over a population that were still inherently influenced by evil.

Indeed, Ilea herself was influenced by it.

He knew that well, though the thought was not the most pleasant. Still, he was no human with aspirations to sainthood. He was a demon who had achieved legitimacy by exterminating his own family and killing a fallen god. He was far from being "pure" in any sense. In fact, perhaps it wasn't the fact that she was influenced by "evil" that bothered him but rather that it was an influence left by Goh.

"Perhaps I should add my own... influence to this area." He said, musing.

Then he was distracted from his thoughts by Ilea's teasing antics. He knew what she was doing and why she hesitated in the doorway. He knew that he wanted her to stay by his side. But, they both had tasks to accomplish.

"Yes, it is time to return to work. Though, I presume that Kirsa's choice was... as many things here are, strongly influenced by her previous experiences. She will simply need to be... re-educated... and watched. Her example will prove useful in speeding the adjustment of the others, regardless of whether that example is positive or negative." He said calculatingly as he gathered his thoughts for the next immediate task. "We will meet this evening for dinner, however, I will leave the venue and menu to you. Simply send a servant with the message when all is prepared."

He knew well that they didn't need to use servants to communicate between them. But, if they wanted the servants to remain useful then they would need to be used, and grow accustomed to not facing the careless and wasteful cruelty of their prior master. Shale would be showing them his own cruelty soon enough, but he was never wasteful.  

[Haeo]

Red Gypsy

Shale's focus shifted through his staff to the Forge. He felt something that required a moment's attention. There was a chamber that seemed to be changing... without specific instructions. It felt like something was growing, something with power that differed from other sources. It didn't feel dangerous for now. But, it would require a closer examination... later.

For now, he refocused his attention on the world around him. Footsteps approached and he moved his eyes to the door as the servant, who had gained both Ilea's attention and his own, arrived with her new escorts.

He remained silent as she delivered her message with a bow. Her attitude seemed to have received a recent... adjustment. Ilea was indeed attentive to detail. Shale dismissed Kirsa with a movement of two fingers, his eyes never moving from her and showing no feeling at all until after she departed.

He had to maintain appearances. There were impressions to make. But, for now. It was... dinner time.

He stood and departed that room with his guards taking suitable formation around him.

((To Ilea's Suite))