Caracara just grunted. It was clear Quill's answer wasn't unexpected, and perhaps preferred. He then gestured with a claw towards the two empty seats across the circular table. "We will proceed, then."
He moved quickly to his spot, pulling out one of the heavy stone chairs. It scraped against the polished floor. Caracara settled himself, his powerful body filling the seat.. Vireo shortly followed, sitting in the seat right next to him. He tried to pull out his own chair as gracefully as Caracara, but it stuck momentarily, then scraped with a louder, more awkward sound. He winced, feeling the eyes of the other diplomats on him for that clumsy moment. He finally managed to settle into the seat, his tail curling nervously on the stone floor beneath the table. He clasped his talons together on the tabletop, trying to look calm and unbothered. The crystals in the ceiling emitted a blue light, making the intricate patterns on the table glow almost. He kept his gaze fixed on the dark, smooth surface of the table, avoiding direct eye contact with anyone.
Then, Envoy Spine, the large dragon with terracotta-colored scales and gleaming fangs, cleared his throat. "Captain Caracara," he began, his gaze sweeping over their small delegation, lingering for a fraction of a second on Vireo before returning to Caracara. "We appreciate your swift arrival. However," he paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, "it is usual for trade negotiations to involve a larger group. More... dragons." His tone was polite, but Vireo knew what he was asking. Why are there only two of you, and why is one of them so young?
Vireo felt his scales tingle with discomfort. He clenched his talons tighter, preparing for Caracara's response. He knew they were under scrutiny. This was a test of Ventifact's seriousness, and perhaps even a insult, implying Ventifact didn't value these talks enough to send their best.
Caracara remained passive, his gaze met Envoy Spine's eyes. He didn't argue, didn't show any sign of offense. His voice was flat. "Envoy Spine, I understand your concern. However, the composition of our delegation and the reasons behind it, are matters decided solely by Their Majesties, King Sotol and Queen Ephedra." He paused, allowing his words to sink in. "If you require further explanation regarding the specific choices made for Ventifact's diplomatic representation, you would, of course, have to address that inquiry directly to our monarchy back home. We had nothing to do with it." He gestured to Vireo and him.
The other diplomats around the table exchanged quick glances, then slowly nodded their heads. Caracara's words had cut off any more questions. It was clear he wouldn't say anything else about why there were only two of them, and nobody was going to push it. The room settled, losing some of its tense feeling.
Spine cleared his throat again. "Very well, Captain," he said, his voice a little less firm. "Let us then move to the purpose of this meeting. The renewal of our trade agreements." He looked down at the smooth stone table. "First, the matter of camel pelts. As you know, Ventifact has traditionally imported a significant number of our prepared camel hides."
Caracara gave a short nod. "Indeed. A valuable commodity."
"Our records show," Envoy Quill, the sleek dragoness with dried mud scales, spoke up. Her voice was sharp and clear, like a pebble hitting a rock. "That your kingdom has requested a notable increase in the quantity of pelts for the coming cycle. Is this correct?"
Caracara dipped his head in agreement. "It is. By the king and queens orders, Ventifact would greatly benefit from a larger import of Inselberg's camel pelts. They are of the finest quality."
Vireo listened, trying to follow along. Camel pelts. He'd seen them used for blankets and simple clothes in Chert. He tried to remember if he'd heard anything about a shortage or a need for more. He couldn't think of anything. It just seemed like normal trade talk. He glanced between Caracara and the Inselberg diplomats, his gaze going back and forth like watching a Tail-ball match. He felt a bit lost, not knowing what he was supposed to do. He remembered his mother saying he was there to "observe" and "listen." So far, it was mostly just listening to talk about animal skins.
Beetle, the pale orange female, spoke next. Her voice was soft. "And what of the shells, Captain? The iridescent shells from your coastal regions that Inselberg has long imported for decorative purposes?"
Caracara met her gaze. "Ventifact is prepared to maintain the current export figures for the iridescent shells to Inselberg. The supply is stable."
Beetle flicked her tail. "We appreciate that. However, we had hoped for a slight increase in that particular export. The demand for such unique shells has grown in our markets."
Caracara's expression didn't change. "The current figures for shell exports are what Ventifact is prepared to offer at this time. No increase has been authorized by our monarchy."
Vireo watched, his head tilting slightly. He knew his own mother was probably much better at this. He wondered what she would do in this situation. Demand more, maybe? Threaten something? But Caracara just stuck to what he was told. It was strange, and a little boring, but it also seemed to work. The Inselberg diplomats grumbled a little amongst themselves, but they didn't push Caracara on the shells. It seemed that was that.
Vireo blinked, still not sure what he should be doing. He felt like he should probably say something, or ask a question, but he had no idea what. He just kept his talons clasped on the table, trying to look smart and like he understood everything. He kept listening.
Eventually, the soft voice of Envoy Gila broke into Vireo's thoughts. He quickly snapped his gaze up, only to find the pale, almost white-gold dragon with amber eyes looking directly at him. She had those elegant fangs that glinted when she spoke, and her tail ended in a graceful, harmless curve.
"Young Envoy," she began, her voice smooth like wind over sand. "You have been very quiet. Do you have any insights to offer on these trade matters? Perhaps a fresh perspective from your generation, eh?" She offered a small, gentle smile.
He wasn't expecting to be asked anything! He felt his face heat up, and he could almost feel the eyes of all the other diplomats on him again. He hesitated for a second, trying to find words. He glanced quickly at Caracara, who remained still and silent, giving him no help.
"Uh... yes, Envoy Gila," Vireo managed to get out, trying to make his voice sound steady. "I... I think... that everything is good. As long as the supply and demand are equal." He hated how simple and foolish that sounded. He didn't even know if it made sense in diplomatic terms. He just said the first thing that popped into his head from his old lessons about basic trade. He quickly clasped his talons tighter, hoping that was enough.
Gila's smile broadened a tiny bit, but didn't offer any judgment. "A very basic, yet fundamental truth, young Envoy," she said, nodding slowly. "Indeed, balance is key." She then turned her attention back to the table, and the conversation flowed around Vireo once more, leaving him to sink back into his silent observation.
The meeting went on like that for what felt like an eternity. They talked about grains, and minerals, and even some fancy cloths. Caracara stuck to his script, agreeing to some things, holding firm on others, always blaming the monarchy for any refusal. Vireo continued to mostly listen, feeling the dull ache in his arm and the tiredness that plagued him. Nothing crazy happened that sparked his attention. No one mentioned strange powers, or hidden artifacts, or anything that sounded even remotely like a thief or a monolith. It was just trade. Boring, normal trade. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. This wasn't helping his secret mission at all.
Finally, after what felt like half the day, Envoy Spine closed the meeting. "We thank Captain Caracara and the young Envoy for their time. We believe we have reached an agreement for both kingdoms."
Caracara gave a formal nod. "As do we, Envoy Spine. We await the formal documents for Queen Ephedra's final approval."
With polite farewells, Fennec stood up and gestured for Caracara and Vireo to follow him. Vireo leaped out of his chair, eager to stretch his stiff wings and legs. The cool air of the palace halls was a welcome change after the long meeting.
They began walking down a long, winding corridor, the soft glow of the crystals lighting their way. Caracara was slightly ahead, his footsteps silent on the polished stone. Vireo walked a little behind him with his claws clicking loudly on the polished floor. His mind was already drifting to the thought of food and maybe a short nap.
Suddenly, as they passed a slightly recessed alcove, Vireo's ear plates twitched. He heard voices. Two dragons, leaning casually against the wall, their backs to them. They were speaking somewhat quiet, but the quiet of the palace corridor carried their words clearly.
"Still can't figure out what it was," one dragon, a male with sandy-colored scales, muttered. "Scared the desert-hog right out of me. Never heard a sound like it on a trip to Ventifact."
The other dragon, a thinner female with lighter brown scales, scoffed softly. "Must have been the wind, or some strange echo in the mountains near their coast. Or maybe you just got too much sun."
"No, I swear," the male insisted, his voice a low grumble. "It was... a high pitched hum. Like something moving through the air too fast to properly hear. Made the scales on my neck stand up. Then a whine sounded. Never heard anything like it before or since. And I was in the sky when it happened so I panicked. Near their coast, mind you. Just past that big bell tower of theirs, though it felt really distant, but loud."
Vireo froze mid-step. A weird sound. Near the coast. Near the bell tower. The island was in front of the bell tower! He had no idea what that sound could mean. It wasn't the sound of an Ocean-Claw, or even a typical desert beast. A hum, a whine, like air moving fast. It sounded... powerful. And it happened near the coast, right where the island was.
Could it be? Could this be linked to the one who stole the power from the monolith? Vireo quickly glanced at Caracara, but the captain just kept walking, seemingly oblivious to the hushed conversation. Vireo took a deep breath, trying to look normal, trying to erase the sudden tension from his shoulders. He walked past the talking dragons, pretending not to listen, and caught back up with Caracara.