it is like the bark of trees, with all its intricacies, hiding vines and shrubs, and critters, the way they hold secrets between them. a thick wood of deceit. camouflaged between half-truths and guarantees frails as leaves, this alliance with the night court hinges on little. his bargain with the shadowsinger a testament to how cheap his word is to them. he prefers it that way. the ink of truthteller set ablaze upon his skin is almost as sharp as the memory of it pressed against his throat, and eris finds it all utterly amusing. they need his information almost as much as he needs their army, and puff and huff as everyone might, it doesn't change the simple fact of the matter: they need to work together.
the clever glint in his eyes bears its zenith here, in the space of her silence, studying the features of a figure now made corporeal before him, darkness &. mystery weaving a portrait of the lady he remembers from under the mountain. he had not known who she was then, though it would not have changed anything. he would have lifted the fire clasped around her wrists regardless, personal acrimony held between the night court &. himself set aside for that one fleeting moment.
but really, he thinks with some measure of chagrin, the shadowsinger could have done him the courtesy of a quick rundown before arrival. he hadn't expected they would be overseen, and by his mother no less. an odd angle, bringing him here. it had irked him enough to concede to holding these meetings on grounds which were less-than-neutral, though he had known it was a debate he would not be winning were he to breach it in the first place. a few glances stolen around; the architecture, the surroundings, the climate... indications they were still likely in the night court. he couldn't be sure precisely where.
before the prince can gather his wits and respond to the lady, azriel blessedly cuts in &. spares him the remainder of the conversation, and the immediate weight of her judgement. eris catches the glance and adjusts accordingly. ❛ don't be rude, az ... introduce us properly, won't you? ❜ tone honeyed around the edges, a teasing grin, hands coming to lay within the confines of his pockets now that he knows he's playing at companion as opposed to a courtier.
