A Bold Play
31th of October 2006 A.D.
"It is very unlikely those named or other instances of the infiltrators would know about the name, though they might know I and now you suspect the general shape of the plot." After considering it for a moment you ad: "You are not exactly subtle."
"It is not the nature of a queen to be so," she replies, taking a sip of her tea for the first time since you had started talking. That reminds you that you hadn't ordered anything. Hopefully Mac does not feel insulted at the fact.
As the silence grows the slowly swirling aurora lights of Mab's aura grow brighter, though nothing manifests. Not a act of magic, a sign of cold calculation. For Queen Mab to strategize is to be Winter. "
An elegant solution," the demon on your metaphorical shoulder whispers. Speaking of solutions....
"I can cure the infection, banish Nemesis from its hosts."
Until that moment you thought the expression 'her gaze drilled into mind' was metaphor, a pretty overused one. The way Mab looks at you then you can almost feel the whir of the drill in your teeth. Given the enormity of both the danger and the offer you can't really blame her. Instead you continue, tone as level as ever
"Yeah I remembered something, being in a city, or maybe being the city under the light of a green sun like you called me. I am curious about that by the way but I want to get this out of the way first." Secrets are like kindling and you the flame upon which they are thrown. For you one thing is manifest. Knowledge is power. Almost full up now.
Regain 2 Essence -> Now at 11/12
If Mab notices anything odd she does not say anything, just shakes her head a little. Not so much in denial, you realize as confussion. "Child you make it sound like an errand. That I am even considering the possibility of you could be correct speaks more than words ever could of the power and the danger you possess. It would be remiss of me to emphasize the former when I am considering making use of the latter. I would have to witness this ritual first on another subject..."
"No," you cut her off without really thinking about it. "I have only done it once before, to a spirit of Yomi, the Enemy would have had no reason to pay attention to such a thing, but if I do it again with you there they would have to be real dumb not to put two and two together and they don't sound dumb to me."
"A point, but I cannot leave the survival of my Lady to magics which have not been tested," she counters.
Two things happen then your soul starts burning like green flame all around you and you get a lot better at lying. There is not a shred of doubt in your mind that part of her worry is not for the Lady in the abstract, but for her daughter in the painfully concrete and you cannot let her know you know that.
Lost 1 Essence -> Now at 10/12
Thankfully her gaze does not seem to be on scrutinizing you for unexpected sympathy. Instead one eyebrow raises at the display.
"I am immune to mental compulsion right now, really truly all the way immune, the same way that spell works on everything. So I thought... hit me with the strongest compulsion you can. I figure that can serve as a demonstration as to the nature of my powers in lieu of casting the obvious ritual."
Mab smiles not with her lips but with her eyes. She's not laughing at you, it's almost
wistful like it reminds her of a fond memory, there, you catch the spark of silver in her aura."The powers of Faerie are most effective when they are used through bargain or consent."
Deep breath...
This is definitely not something I'm gonna talk to Harry or dad about. "I Margaret Katherine Amanda Carpenter hereby consent for the next thirty seconds to your use of enchantment to make me raise raise my hand to my nose for the purposes of demonstration if you can."
"Touch your hand to the tip of your nose." It feels like being in an avalanche, dreadful and inexorable.
Your hand does not even twitch. Mountains deal with avalanches all the time.
Mab nods her white hair flowing forward to guard a face upon which for the briefest moment a keen eyed mortal might have read her feelings, surprise yes, but most of all relief. As she looks up at you again a fierce light gleams in her gaze. "This is what we are going to do, we are going to drive to Maave's abode, once there I shall incapacitate her and you shall cast your exorcism. Upon its successful completion all transgressions you have committed against Winter up to this moment will be rendered void and you shall receive two favors of your choosing so long as they do not imperil the workings of the Winter Court or its readiness for war. Do we have a deal Miss Carpenter?"
"That is very open ended." Somehow you manage to keep your tone level.
"I am not incapable of generosity, it is simply uncommon for it to be warranted," the Queen of Winter answers simply.
Do you take the deal?
[] Yes
[] No
-[] Write in counter-offer
OOC: Yes Molly did just use 'technically true' on Mab by implying she cast IPP when her anima flared rather than having it on from the moment she walked in. 
