"So what brings you to Mait?" he asked playing ignorant as servants began to bring out the first dish.
"We are here to try to make you see reason," Hector said and not caring about the dangerous glare Mills sent, he continued, "Keres Blood is a monster that should be feared, not ignored. We need you to understand that the only chance we have of achieving victory is if we fight together for if--"
"You seem to forget, Lord Hector," Drake said with a hash tone, "that we already had this discussion!"
Hector's eyebrows met in a frown and he was about to refute the man's words when Nino spoke.
"But sir," she said, her eyes filled with nothing but kindness, "we need your help! Without Chowanoc everything can go so very wrong… Lives will be lost and… before you know it… when at last you need help, there will be no one left to lend a hand!"
Drake's eyes widened at this. That was a probability he had not foreseen.
"Do you want me to help you, Lady Nino?" he asked taking one of her hands in his.
Yet, before the girl could say anything Jaffar had taken out a knife and, without thinking, had pierced the table before him angrily.
Mills' eyes widened with something between anger and awe at the strength of the man. And such was his surprise that he did not felt when Nino's hand was rapidly retrieved.
"Do not touch her…please," Jaffar said dangerously as, letting go of the dagger, the hilt of the weapon trembled from side to side.
Mills smiled, "I see…"
Hector had feared that perhaps everything was lost after the assassin's stunt yet, to puzzle them all, Drake laughed happily.
"I will make a deal with you Jaffar," the Lord of Mait said standing up and signaling one of the servants to bring his dummy weapons, "Let's have a mock battle. If you win, I will join your cause…"
"And if he losses?" asked Hector not really liking where this was going.
"If he looses… then the girl stays with me… And she marries me," he said as his dark eyes drank the form of Nino. The man then puffed his chest out; the fact that we was 35 and she was no older then 16 apparently forgotten with the ridiculous bet.
Jaffar tensed but before he could paint a bloody smile upon the idiot's neck, Hector agreed knowing that this was their only chance and that, thankfully, Jaffar could not lose.
The battle did not take long. Ten minutes after the mock dance had begun Jaffar had successfully not only disarmed Drake but also managed to place his wooden sword on the other's neck marking his undeniable victory.
"Fine," Drake said with something between uninterested and irritation, "I will join you. You have my vote but it means nothing without the rest."
Hector clapped Jaffar on the shoulder happily and said to Mills, "Those are the most excellent news! And do not worry about the rest… we are working on them too."
The Lord of Mait shook his head as he returned to the table intent on continuing their dinner seemingly unperturbed.
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