Zuria Kingdom

An amused chuckle left Merlyn again. She found this man's willingness to appease her rather simple whims was one which would likely keep him in her current mental position as her favorite Knight. "No, we really wouldn't. This one has to keep up her appetite. What if I need to flex?~" she stated as if this was a hilariously sarcastic thing. Of course, it was very likely she'd need to as well, but that was a matter for a different time. Cador had something to say about Kolin and the fact that he'd managed not to upset her in his time being here. She found that rather amusing, but after you'd been married to someone like that she supposed learning to keep your head down simply came with the territory. As an aside Lot's dislike of the man didn't seem to cause him any great stress, and what was more he spoke of another who was stronger than him, who Merlyn might also enjoy? "Oh? I didn't know such a person could exist. But if it's a recommendation from you… I'll definitely consider looking into it~" she said rather happily. Cador was definitely the right extra Knight to find first. He had the experience of a battle-ready warrior and the knowledge and wisdom of the world to go along with it. Much like herself he was ready for the complications that such a journey could throw at them.

They did agree about Kolin and it was indeed a shame that someone like Arthur would suffer the most from the decision he made here. A sigh left the lass as she thought it over. "To be fair, this isn't the first of this sort of adventure I would have chosen for him… but it's a tipping point. I couldn't really leave it alone. Too many potential losses would take place if we hadn't showed up here. A bit of damage to his psyche in exchange for the general happiness of several people who were going to be crucial in his life. To save someone here… to have them be a face he sees later. That is what I had to work with…" Merlyn said of this place. She knew how this would have turned out if they'd avoided it for longer. And while she could have given the lad an adventure that would have helped him be better before he arrived, doing so would have caused more mental anguish to those already present. It didn't weigh out right in Merlyn's mind, especially not when one considered the potential harm to his future Queen. She didn't know if this was any kind of consolation, but given how Arthur was, she figured he'd prefer his own suffering over those he'd come to know and trust. Even if he doesn't quite know them well enough yet.

As they moved on, the most loaded question someone could have asked left her mouth and it was met by a strangely layered answer. To be honest, she found Sir Cador's answer to be more than a bit comforting. Technically speaking, she'd done just that… she'd chosen a mix of things instead of letting one thing completely overpower another. She couldn't keep him from his sadness nor his happiness. "Oh? How very moderate of you, Sir Cador. I appreciate that really. It makes me feel a bit less bad. I thought I might be a bit over the top… like some kind of wicked puppet master." Merlyn explained of her own contemplation. But if Sir Cador would have taken the kind of guidance Merlyn would have provided, she felt less bad overall about how much stuff would happen to him.

In the meantime, Kolin found Arthur within her chamber. She didn't bother removing herself from the bath knowing the lad had something to say. She heard him removing his weaponry, stripping himself and approaching her with the general caution that those who were in her good graces came with. Very nice, Cador truly was the best Knight to have train such a person as Arthur. "You may make your oath, you have my attention…" she said with a raised brow. Though she'd indeed think she'd need to do something about Arthur, she found his current level of understanding interesting. What did he make of her position compared to his. She supposed she was about to find out.

"Well, so long as you don't put on too many pounds, I suppose flexing will be a viable possibility anyway. Given how I feel even now, I'm sure you could make a scene with Kolin's entire little harem by showing them your wrist." Cador had become a firm believer in Merlyn's abilities as a succubus. He wanted for no woman, but Merlyn managed to bring desire out of him regardless. Sure, he could resist, but that didn't stop the urge at all. Moving on, Merlyn offered a response to his mention of another's dreams, but it seemed he hadn't been clear enough in his assertion. "Oh? Sorry to disappoint, Merlyn, but I was talking about Sir Lot. He's the one whose dreams you should really go after," he quipped. "He'd probably like you, too. Wouldn't that be lovely?"

Necessary evils were a part of all reality, and such a statement was never more accurate than here in this world. As such, he could commiserate with Merlyn when she came clean about what she'd done with Arthur. His own choice wouldn't have been much different, and in fact, he could say Merlyn made a more decisive choice than he could have. "You do what the world needs of you. What is best overall is always a better decision than what is best right here, right now. I can already count at least three heads that are grateful for you two showing up when you did. There's no telling what Kolin would have done, had I actually been the one to save Lia. . ." With that said, Cador leaned back in his chair and took another sip of ale. Merlyn's perspective had been an interesting one. What she thought of herself was far from the truth, yet oh so accurate at the same time. Of course he was going to comment on the matter as he saw it. "Merlyn, you are without a doubt some kind of wicked puppet master. You just have the benefit of being less of the wicked part. Until you take that hood off, of course. Then, I wonder how many have gone mad because of you."

Arthur had the queen's attention. Good. High and mighty as she was, Kolin remained behind her barricade as he removed his blade and armor, granting him permission to state his oath to her. In this case, his wording had to be careful... but he'd had the entire morning to think it over. Many things had to be accomplished to result in the proper conclusion, and it all began in this moment of... once again, absolute truth. "On my honor as your knight, I will state my ambition. I will rise to Camelot with my queen as my guiding force. At the Once King's downfall, I, the Future King, shall rise. I will play my role in ensuring you sit upon not the throne you desire, but the throne you deserve. If you are to be the queen to my status as king, no harm shall come to you─ the ground you walk upon will impose your lingering will on naysayers left behind your grace. I offer you this binding oath, so long as I have a place beside you." As he spoke, Arthur was enveloped by a golden light. Kolin wanted an apology, did she? Well, this was her getting one. Arthur was bound to this oath by the Nexus itself, yet... due to some specific word choice, he ensured a few loopholes for himself, provided Kolin was not one of honor in the future.

"Oi oi, that isn't even really possible. Besides, this form is medium premium. Even if I managed to gain weight, I'd only go on to look like I should." she scoffed about weight gain but all in good fun. She couldn't even continue in her playful anger when the man mentioned that she could steal the whole of Kolin's harem by use of a single exposed wrist. She laughed hysterically, it was too much, if her drink had been an actual drink it would have sprayed everywhere. "Bwahahahaha!~ Oh, no. Stop... that's too much~" she finally managed after catching her breath. She was quite sure she could keep most men from doing her any real harm. Most women too, since she oozed trustworthiness... besides all of that though, there wasn't much to be done. While she calmed herself from her laughing fit though, Cador made clear that he meant her and Lot could have gotten along. A scoff escaped the white haired young woman in the moment she couldn't help it. "Desire for upward mobility being what it is, I have no doubt that he would indeed like me. Too bad, I've already seen the worst of him and I am not impressed~" she said with an equally snarky retort. Lot was a strange topic perhaps she found something about his character that she as a person simply couldn't tolerate.

Still on the more serious part of their conversation, Cador had strange words for the lass. According to him, she did only what the world needed of her, and he claimed at least three of them were grateful that they'd shown up when they had. A small smile appeared on Merlyn's face. She had tried, though she'd been allowing Arthur to get more acclimated to the world, she'd wanted him to experience the strangeness of players in smaller doses. She'd never intended for him to run into the possible worst one, but all potentials she saw as they took the path forward said it was best. "Sir Cador, you really know how to make a girl feel better. My favorite Knight and maybe my emotional support Knight. I never had one of those before~" she teased happily. "You would have earned her ire, but it would have taken a few days. Emilia would have saved herself and slaughtered those men, but she also would have encased herself in ice in the process. Lot would have told Kolin you were trying to thaw her in the forest. She would have used it to question your loyalty, it would have been an ordeal and a half." Merlyn explained the gist of the situation passed as if it was the what-if chapter of a manga. She really enjoyed those alternate timeline things, how fitting she ended up basically able to create her own story like that here. As for her being a wicked puppet master, apparently she was one, but not necessarily too wicked. A smirk appeared on her face as she sipped from her mug holding it in both her hands. "Not many I swear. Once I realized I had such an effect on literally everyone... I decided I liked mankind enough to want them to retain their free will around me, which while boring was a lot funner in the end. The few who see me are able to do so by their own will~" Such a statement made the difference between one like Merlyn and one like Kolin.

Speaking of Kolin, she'd given Arthur the go ahead to pledge his oath... and what an oath it was. Her eyes widened at every word and she eventually shifted in the tub to get a good look at him. His words were absolutely honest, so much so that he was enveloped by the light of the Nexus. She'd not seen someone manage such an oath in quite a long time. Her eyes widened a great deal and a grin spread across her face. He swore on his honor as her Knight. He'd take Camelot and cause the fall of the Once King. He'd get her not just the throne she desired but the one she deserved. He offered such a binding oath and it was the best one she'd ever received. She'd demanded an apology she hadn't expected one of this magnitude. "My word you learn quickly, Arthur~" she chimed. She was quite unable to deny her own happiness in the moment. He'd do exactly as she wished and that was a special sort of satisfactory. "I can accept this oath from you... as the world does. And I will also take it as your apology. You really are a sweet man. It will make me happy to see the heights you'll reach at my side. You may stay. It would please me to have you around for a while," she answered the lad. How giddy she was, she laid back in the bath and had to hold back an excited utterance.

"Oh trust me, it is very possible. At least, for those who take the laziest route," Cador insisted, having seen a few select individuals plump up over time. Lot was actually one such person, prior to Kolin requiring more of him than his fattened form would allow. Perhaps Merlin would have preferred that version of the man? The thought alone was almost as funny as… well, the idea of Merlyn enjoying Lot's presence in general. After Merlyn managed to calm her hysterical laughter, she commented on the concept of Lot taking an interest in her. That much wasn't up for debate. Lot was a reasonably strong knight, but his morals were clear. There were so many reasons he would attach himself to one like Merlyn, not the least of which was her ability to make something of him. "The worst, you say? I'm almost afraid to ask, considering Kolin's earlier summons─" he said, clearing his throat thereafter.

The favored, supportive knight. That sounded about right up Cador's alley, even in the case of Queen Kolin. He could more easily accept the title from Merlyn, though; it didn't come with a side of disgust for him. Merlyn went on to explain what would have happened, had she and Arthur not arrived when they did. Cador couldn't have dealt with such a thing. Emilia getting herself out of that situation would have been far worse than Cador incriminating himself, and Lot was always going to be a hindrance if given the opportunity to gain leverage. Thinking about how everyone was in this kingdom, he couldn't wait to leave it behind. Hopefully, Arthur could prove himself worthwhile enough. "Merlyn, you speak of your attachment to mankind as if you are a goddess yourself. I suppose Clairvoyance comes with some amount of deification; you could have easily made the opposite decision and been just as satisfied. Would it be rude of me to call you the other side to Kolin's coin?"

As the Nexus' light faded, Arthur was met by the queen's direct gaze. She seemed infinitely pleased by his oath, which meant... he had succeeded thus far. With the acceptance of his oath, he crossed his right arm over his chest and lowered his head once more. "If it pleases you, I will stay. I am ever grateful for your acceptance," he said, once again in truth. If she hadn't accepted this oath of his, he would have been in quite the pickle overall. Because she did, though, he could move toward the next stage. She claimed it would please her to have him around for awhile, but what of it? "Is there something you require of me?"

"Hahahaha~" Merlyn's laughter was back once more. She couldn't help it, now she was thinking about the red haired knight known as lot being quite fat to go along with that bad attitude. That was way too funny. It almost made her earlier traumatizing experience worth while. "That laugh, was a good one. It almost makes up for that thing I had to witness earlier. And his absolute worst, is the way he treats his younger brother… who by all means deserves everything he is going to get, but it still doesn't really sit right with me for two related people to behave in such a way. Besides all that… He's really only a shallow step ahead~" Merlyn said these words with a knowing smirk and some strange emphasis. Merlyn was quite amused by the entirety of this conversation. Such randomly good moments were what she lived for at this point. There was something quite comforting in knowing what this world could bring and the happiness of such people even if only for a moment in their dreams was worth chasing.

Ah, her attachment to mankind. It was quite interesting to think about it. She was indeed an outsider and it was something she readily accepted. "I'm an outsider. A navigator tool for mankind. Wishing your journey would last forever!~" she said offering the man a wink. Strangely, Merlyn knew that she wouldn't have been as satisfied if she'd made the opposite decision, but who she was as a person, hadn't changed at all, even when becoming something other than human. She knew she wasn't really human in this form. She didn't think like a human, she didn't act like a human. But she still liked humans, someone like Kolin and even further back to her base as the evil goddess, didn't actually like people. "I would say, that it isn't necessarily rude. Objectively, it is pretty true. Beyond what we are in the here and now, the base of our existences are similar. The difference lies in the choices we make…" she said.

Kolin on the other hand couldn't have been happier. This young lad was really her type and his desire to be King Arthur Pendragon was an ambition to match her own. She really enjoyed him as an idea. He even had the right way of speaking to her down in such a short amount of time. A large smile spread across her face, she could really get used to having him around. "I currently have no requirements of you. I simply wish to look at you for a while… I find you relaxing and easy on the eyes~" she said which was a strange request indeed. Kolin's whims were really far-fetched. She truly just wanted to look at the lad. Watch him bask in her nude glory and use it as more leverage. He's sworn an oath to her, but she needed in the next few moments to make sure he'd understand exactly all he'd be missing out on if he found himself outside of her good graces again. A few moments more in the bath and she was getting out. Dripping wet atop a fur rug. She dried herself and began walking around her room in the nude. She intended for Arthur to watch her, and she intended to be seen. When she was satisfied that he understood what a privilege this was, she'd send him back to his duties.

"It's all true. He was the butt of a few jokes in the early days. 'Fat Lot of good you are,' and such," Cador quoted for reference to Lot's former physique. It really was a hoot back then, and even now. Merlyn laughed, and Cador wore a grin that constantly threatened to become its own fit of hysteria. In fact, he snorted a laugh when Merlyn implied the pitiful state of Lot beyond what he would have known. "You can't be serious? I never considered her as one to downgrade," he chimed. Being the whore that she was, one could assume Kolin only bedded bigger and better as life carried on. Well, at least he knew another reason Lot probably held such animosity toward him. What a shame that was. "Poor Lot."

Merlyn may have been an outsider, but she spoke as if she didn't belong among mankind. Cador could assume she'd been alone in this world for even longer than he initially thought. Kolin, and whatever other identities she had, did not belong. Merlyn titled herself as just what Cador would consider her. Well… almost. "A navigator, who could make mankind her tool at the drop of a hat. Chooses instead to secure mankind's future, even sparing men ─ aside from me, apparently ─ from the curse of looking at a succubus. Is this the part where I find out exactly how similar you two are? Maybe you're just taking the slow and steady approach, and you're trying to wear me down every time I look at you without that hood," he said in a tone of jest, despite such a thing being an almost legitimate concern for one like him.

Strange. Arthur hadn't expected such a simple answer as Kolin wanting to… look at him. That couldn't be right. Nothing could be so simple. No, the greater truth came to light when Kolin removed herself from the bath and sauntered around in her birthday suit. There may have been some accuracy to her claim, but… she surely wanted his eye. She could have what she desired. Still on one knee, Arthur let his gaze follow the blonde queen around, starting the moment she became visible. He could honestly appreciate the view; of this there was no doubt. Kolin boasted a figure that should have been regarded as impossible, only found in the world of fantasy. There was so much in all the right places, one could only imagine most men could approach without any idea what to do with it. So, as was the case with his oath, there was nothing short of earnestness in his appraisal of the queen... physically. "You flatter me far too much with your compliments, your Grace. If I may be so bold, your appeal is something beyond the wildest imaginings. I fully understand why you are coveted by so many."

Lot had apparently been the butt of several jokes when he was chubby. Such things only brought more giggles to the likes of Merlyn. She couldn't help it, she was trying to imagine how a fat person, became skinny and had the time to become so high and mighty as he currently was. "Hehehehehe~" she managed, barely keeping it together. "Come on now. I might die laughing today~" she mused, there was so much laughter in her body she was almost certain she could die from it. What was more, her meaning was taken as she intended it and he claimed not to realize she'd downgrade. "To get what she wants she doesn't really care about such things. Especially when one considers her need for worship, she lets praise make up the difference. Though if you are far enough below her standards she won't even touch you. The young King hasn't quite figured that one out yet. He's uh… a tragedy really." Merlyn mentioned. She felt the slightest bit sorry for the lad, and would have been a bit more helpful to him, except… that much of what was wrong here was due in large part to his spineless behavior and his inability to stop thinking with that non-existent second brain in his pants.

Beyond that it seemed that Sir Cador had a grand opinion of Merlyn. He figured at any point she could have made mankind into a tool and used them. His words implied he considered her decision to spare the most of mankind outside of himself to be a great thing. He even went on to joke about finding out how similar Kolin and her could be based on her potentially taking the slow and steady approach with him. "You really think I'd have that type of patience~ Of course not, what you see is pretty much what you get," Merlyn said of her own demeanor and nature. Her words just as jovial as they'd always been. "Still, you're my favorite Knight… so the curse is one of the benefits~" she said happily. "I wouldn't take advantage without your express permission, Succubus' Honor", she said crossing her fingers over her chest and managing a smile which was mostly innocent. Of course she could have covered her face and spared the knight from having to fight against her wiles. Still, she felt like moments alone with Sir Cador were one of few she could feel comfortable as herself. His will was quite strong and she appreciated his ability to resist that which his very nature might have encouraged from him.

While Merlyn enjoyed Sir Cador in a way she presently enjoyed no others. Kolin was getting a great deal of appreciation from Arthur. She could almost feel the lad's eyes on her. And every time she looked she caught glimpses of his eyes traversing her form. 'Oh? He really does know what he's here for… good.' she thought to herself. Only to become more excited by virtue of the fact that the lad thought to compliment her form in rather good fashion. While she dressed she paused to look in his direction earnestly. "I can appreciate this bit of boldness. A lady does love her compliments after all~" she said. Accepting her compliments in happiness and with grace. She walked by Arthur, pausing to place a hand under his chin turning his face up to gently look him in the eyes. "Truly… I like such sentiments from you," she said staring at the lad, such was her usual scheme. She made men feel quite special by allowing them such small things initially. By the time she was ready to break them in, they were drooling over her. Still, this lad was quite pretty to look at to start with, she simply couldn't let her own desire to possess him physically go too far ahead of his training to be at her side. With that said she continued on about her way. She'd finish dressing and once it was done she'd happily stand before Arthur. "You're dismissed, I did appreciate your company, Arthur." she said releasing the lad from his stay in her chambers. Internally she was so bemused she could almost die. But externally she had to play this cool a while longer. She'd feed him a bit more attention, corral him in… then she'd get rid of Merlyn and rope him into her next shift. Leaving behind that pitiful Leorio for one who had more to offer than both him and his brother combined.

"Oh? Die, of laughter, in a dream? I guess you are counted as being your true self in here, huh?" Cador questioned, deciding to roll with the present good mood and have a bit of fun. "So, does this legitimize the 'die in the dream, die for real' concept? I've always been curious about that one, but surely it must apply to succubi." Jestful musings at their end, the high spirits persisted. King Leorio was referred to as a tragedy, and Cador had to agree wholeheartedly. After that pitiful display in the throne room earlier, he knew exactly what the white-haired woman spoke of. "I am well aware. I happened to have a magnifying glass when he was priming himself to hump the leg of his mistress during court. That really was a show; I hope you were watching."

Aside from having fun at the expense of Lot and Leorio, Cador intended to have a bit at Merlyn's expense as well. Of course, this was a bit more difficult to manage, but... that was fine. If he put himself on the chopping block as well, they could both be entertained. As such, he spared no words. "Not a single truth, Merlyn. What I see is so much more than what there is. My composure aside, I currently see you in the same light Kolin's pets see her, I'm sure. You should be of little importance to me, yet I experience a constant craving that I should never feel for anyone─ someone I've known for so little time especially. As for the honor of a succubus, I refuse to believe there is any. Though, if you'd like to pretend there is..." He paused there, shaking his head and taking another swig of ale. His thoughts and emotional state had finally caught up to one another, providing him a certain clarity he could only have in that exact moment. "Oh, look at me. Spilling my guts to the person currently consuming the dream from around me, and drinking it out of a mug at that. I suppose I did already grant permission, didn't I? It's hardly fair."

The queen donned her garbs for the day, and Arthur kept his eyes peeled all the while. The thought of killing this woman was still the last thing he wanted to do, but was there any way to restore her humanity? Was there ever any within her from the start? These were the questions Arthur couldn't shake, but at least he could enjoy a satisfying view before that decision became final. In commenting on the receiving of his compliments, Kolin took him by the chin. Arthur smiled, exuding no animosity at all. He didn't have any to give. "I'm glad I could please," he said. With that, he was dismissed. Rising from the floor at last, he collected his items and donned them piece by piece. The blonde male would take his leave, but at the doorway, he had one more thing to say. "Farewell. If there is anything more you require of me, I am at your service. To the fall of this kingdom, and well beyond. All for a goddess." These final words from Arthur were quite pointed in a specific direction. The complex he knew this woman had... Surely being acknowledged by the title she coveted, as if she could be viewed as such a thing even now, would serve as an additional step. Beyond that, he knew Zuria was all but destined to collapse in the wake of Kolin. To present the idea of him being faithful beyond such a thing, was something Arthur viewed as a necessary clause.

Cador's question of her being her true self in this dream deserved an answer. She supposed she could easily explain herself to this man. "I am my true self wherever I appear. And where I appear other things are as real as I want them to be..." she said with a gentle chuckle. "Dying of laughter is a bit of an exaggeration. The one called Merlyn does not know death. That may or may not apply to other succubi, as far as I know I'm the last or only... I forget which one at this point~" she mentioned... perhaps she'd been a bit too thorough when she'd created the lore for this Avatar. "And yes, if you are killed in a dream where I am you could actually die, since my own whimsy determines the reality of the dreams I am in," there were some pluses to being in control of dreams to the extent that she was. Perhaps she'd eventually get to explain all of them. Or perhaps, he'd eventually experience them. Yet another laugh, "Hahaha~ A magnifying glass," she was too amused. "And yes, I was watching... which is how I know his fall from grace is quite great. He doesn't even know that he's bad off..." she said of the boy king.

Moving right along, apparently this man thought that Merlyn hadn't spoken the truth about herself. According to him, she had to be more than she seemed. He claimed he saw her in a light similar to what had to be on the minds of Kolin's pets. That she should mean little to him and yet he was as comfortable around her as an old friend. The smile on Merlyn's face didn't change. Still she found herself looking at the man to her side as his emotional state finally seemed to catch up to him. In this moment she felt she could actually help, still first things first... a joke. "Of course I drink out of a mug within the dream. I'm still a lady you know~" she joked in mock outrage. But there were other topics to broach. "Well, you certainly did tell me you'd offer me the hospitality of your dreams. And it's fairly true that you likely see me in a better light than you'd see a random stranger but such is the nature of an existence like mine. Which is why I wanted you to trust me a bit before you saw me. How else could I be sure of the motivations of it?" she said softly. "Still, within a dream like this I have many abilities. I could cure what ails you... I don't mean physically. Well I could do that too... but I mean here," she said placing a single hand over her heart. "Still, I'm the only succubus so the honor that is based on is whatever mine is currently worth. I'd rather let people like you determine that~" she said with a bit of a chuckle. Her demeanor was always friendly and a little outgoing. She considered herself very much outside of humanity but didn't intend to leave this man out in the cold with his obvious stresses. She'd take what he'd offered, but she'd also actually give in return. Yet another marked difference between her and the woman who appeared on the other side of the coin of the same type of existence.

At the same time, after Kolin dressed Arthur said his parting words. These words... they were definitely ones she wanted to hear, needed to hear!. All for the Queen, the Knights usually said. All of them were fools, mere tools for her use, not recognizing exactly how far she would eventually go. She feared all would eventually be left behind as she reached for greater and greater heights, but this boy... this beautiful blonde boy!!! "You please me more than you know. Do know if I find use for you... I will call. And I am most certain, you'll go far beyond the likes of a kingdom like this~" she chimed happily. This boy had no idea how high he'd soared. He was clever enough to realize already that this kingdom was a mere stepping stone. He was loyal enough to swear an oath to help her get where she deserved to be. Not some paltry queen for some regular person to share her titles. No. She was definitely going to be a goddess. And she'd keep him at her side. Consort would be alright for King Arthur Pendragon. Not on the same level, but not nearly as low as the knights she planned to leave far below. She'd reign as a goddess once more and he'd help her achieve this goal... and when she was worshipped and praised for her beauty above all others, he'd be at the front of the line to see her beauty. She'd allow him more than any other after being certain of him. Perhaps later she'd pick his brain for more. Find out exactly what else he had in mind for her advances. With his contemplative nature, he was sure to be useful to her upward advancement, while being such a nice face to look at.

With just a few words, Cador was able to understand the existence that was Merlyn more clearly. He couldn't imagine what that felt like. She walked in realms unknown to those other than herself, able to freely determine what would be considered reality. Beyond that, there was no concept of death surrounding Merlyn. Whether it applied to other succubi or not, didn't really matter. Cador had never known or heard of another, and he didn't intend to if just one of them was going to be like this. Yes, just one was fine. "That is all quite ridiculous. I've never been more satisfied to not know anything like a succubus," he said, apparently not even excluding Merlyn from the clause. Controlling reality around oneself was beyond reasonable, but he couldn't count Merlyn as one who fit the general idea of a succubus. At least that was more reasonable than the thought of King Leorio accomplishing anything with his... methods. "That is honestly a shame. Maybe he should have downloaded the M-rated package, and made use of the genital sliders. I hear there are people doing crazy things with that one─"

A lady, as Merlyn insisted, drinking from a mug. Cador supposed there was once a time of that being accurate, but coming from an entirely different era made the notion somewhat laughable. To go along with Merlyn's mock outrage, Cador offered a mock surrender by raising both hands. Fair enough, it seemed Merlyn's effort was to groom him, in a way. Harboring faith prior to unveiling something like succubus physiology was a reasonable enough tactic, though he wondered if that didn't make matters worse in the long-run. Well... worse was objective. He could say better, but his answer would vary from moment to moment. Another look toward Merlyn through the corner of his eye, and Cador found himself finally not looking away. Her hand was against her chest, and she spoke of curing what ailed him. How curious. "Is that so? While I believe you have the ability, how exactly do you plan on doing something like that?" he asked.

Another good decision by Arthur. Taking advantage of a god complex was easier than he could have imagined. Finally, things were coming together nicely. Arthur had the remainder of this day, and presumably another full day to take advantage of Kolin's weakness. In response to her proclamation, he halted his leave. A turn and a bow reinitiated the knight's departure. "I look forward to it. I will be nearby, waiting as patiently as I can to hear from you again. Humbly, I request you be lenient with me if I seem antsy in the meantime~"

Merlyn found herself looking at Cador through the corner of her eye as well. He seemed apt not to take in her visage at full intervals and this was fine. But she did catch him taking occasional peeks at her through the corners of his eye. "I suppose that is fair. If they were as freely created as humans... there would likely be a great deal of trouble~" she stated. She knew that powers like the ones she possessed were quite dangerous in the wrong hands. That being said, having previously lived an existence so similar to this one she had no qualms with it. Nor did she have any problems with the way Cador referenced her. When they spoke of the boy King, Cador mentioned a certain feature of the game which had gotten him here that he might have invested in to save himself from his current level of embarrassment. "Yeah, that pack would have helped him out a bit. People do crazy things with it... but one can't deny a couple of hidden attributes could do wonders~" she said softly. Still that pack was something of an enigma. And beyond that, the lad probably didn't actually realize his tool wasn't big enough to get the job done. Everything about him, reeked of ignorance. Even his dream of a harem was ignorant when one considered he hadn't the skill nor physical ability to please one woman, much less a group of them.

Far beyond the reaches of simple chatter in their conversation, it seemed that Cador was at least curious about what Merlyn offered. She knew he was staring a hole into her face, he even managed to claim that he knew she could do what she said but asked how she'd do it. Well, there were several possible answers, many of them involved fornication. That being said, and given how he'd specifically ended up with such pain in his heart, she already decided such a route wasn't for her. "By promoting it as part of the 'reality' I create here. Though specifically I think by planting a seed there," she said pointing at his chest. "A bit of light to feed on that darkness, should balance back to neutral. And let you ease towards healing over time. The Spirit Knight deserves to have his own spirit fully operational after all~" she mentioned. She held up her index finger near the side of her face with said seed atop it. She wasn't the type to take advantage of this man's misfortunes... she only wished to see the man as fully as he could exist. And she'd been quite serious about not taking advantage of him at all...

At the same time Arthur's words made Kolin smile even harder. She did indeed think she deserved this sort of worship. Arthur had caught on quickly and become such a good version of her favorite type of man. Beyond that, she knew he could satisfy her, she could even skip the service she made other perform as his lip service did more than enough for her state of mind. "Oh? I will take it into consideration~" the woman said. She seemed to be so very excited. As Arthur took his leave, she could barely contain herself.

A world filled with succubi was surely the dream of one like Leorio. For Cador and others of sound mind, however, the thought alone was an absolute nightmare. "If ever that happens, Merlyn, I'd like to ask the favor of you discovering how I can become an incubus. A single enigma of your ilk is probably all I can handle, I'm afraid," he said. Lies, in all technicality. Existing in the same space as Merlyn alone took all of his resolve, but alas... it was good practice against the wiles of Kolin and any like her. Thankfully, he had a lovely jumpstart... unlike Leorio. "I think the king has enough hidden attributes already. He should get himself one that shows on the stat sheet, brandished like a fine sword." he snipped.

The method Merlyn intended to use for the sake of 'healing' him was a point of curiosity, but more curious yet was the actual answer. Some sort of magical construct existed at the tip of her forefinger, apparently a creation to be planted within his heart to incorporate a bit of light. How surprising. "You truly do have honor, don't you? And here I thought you were going to say something like... I don't know, 'I'll suck it out of you myself,' or something of that nature," the Spirit Knight spoke. Frankly, he was disappointed by that not being the answer, now that he thought about it properly. Mere side-effects, surely. "You have my thanks, but I must decline. Our troubles shape us, remember? If I accept that from you, I will eventually leave myself open to the next version of that woman... perhaps even literally her next version. Fear not, Merlyn; my past does not haunt me. I'll use what I've learned from it to help the next ones like me."

According to Sir Cador, if the world were filled with Succubi he'd want to be an Incubus. That was fair she supposed, those came with at least some resistance to the succubus wiles. "Oh? Well, I suppose I could look into that for you. If any others pop up... I'll let you know~" she mused her mannerisms still light and joking. Even to the point that she managed another laugh because of what Cador had to say in relation to the one known as King Leorio. "Shishishi~ I don't know if those count as hidden~" she stated after clearing it up. Still what would come of her open offer to help the man out of his particular level of predicament.

Cador seemed a bit surprised by the offer made by Merlyn. Given what she'd seen of the woman he previously dealt with, she could understand at least a little why he'd be so surprised. What was more, his mental run to vulgarity just caused a smile on her face. She supposed she could have done exactly as he said. She still could, such things were well within her abilities. "Of course. I was quite serious about not taking advantage~" she said. Having knowledge of the effects she had on people, she wouldn't want them to feel as if their free will had be stripped by simply offering them things which their nature would have made them happy to get. That is how one got a Kolin, and the world didn't need that. "And yes, I would have offered that to you. But that is counterproductive per my previous point~" she mentioned with a playful wink. It was joking but still she knew, the type of woman that was Kolin would never offer such a thing. The poor men in her life were starved but likely felt like they got so much by her manipulation, such was the nature of one who took advantage but gave little to nothing in return. But what of her offer? He wouldn't take it. Of course he wouldn't, an sigh left the lass in the moment still. She was happy, sort of. "The men in my life are so difficult to look after... won't take help freely offered. So willful and unnecessarily difficult~" she said with a playful pout crossing her face. Even as that little seed of light disappeared and she'd go on to tap her forehead gently. "Still, that is what I enjoy about the free will of mankind. I suppose that is the exchange on that, I won't complain," she stated most wistfully. If he wished to use his previous experiences to help out the lad, and work through them on his own, she had no room to question his resolve. Such resolve is why he could of course, have such casual conversations with her. Even so, the amount of independence in men like Cador and Arthur could be taken as a bit annoying, she knew not all wanted to walk an easy path, but to lighten the burden a little wouldn't have changed much. What about the fun part?

"Do so. I would be in your debt," Cador said regarding the hypothetical overflow of succubi in this world, and the potential solution for his sake. A laugh here, a chuckle there, and he was content to move on from matters regarding Leorio and others within the kingdom. He was far more interested in other matters, anyway. For example... Merlyn's choices and method of assisting. She claimed she would have gone with the more assumable option for easing his pain. Perhaps he would have taken that option, if given it. Ah, but was that just another side-effect? Possibly, but perhaps not fully. "Oh? Open with that next time. Maybe the answer will be more to your liking, in that case," he offered.

Cador hadn't a clue how time had been passing outside, but he continued drinking from an endless ale mug as if he hadn't a care in the world. The matters of his past were not so problematic to him directly; he truly didn't need Merlyn's offering. The only negative he could take from it presently, was the fact that someone like Kolin still walked around cursing others to fates so similar to his own. "Obviously, the men in your life are saving you from eternal boredom. I should let Arthur know what a great service we are providing! The Future King and the Spirit Knight, protecting the idle mind of the timeless Merlyn! You should really thank us for our service as your loyal followers~"

A nod came from Merlyn. She'd actually not mind having this man as one of her ilk. She felt that at the very least she could trust him not to take advantage of others, so maybe one day Merlyn wouldn't be the only of her type in existence. What was more the man claimed that she should have opened with a true nature showing of her abilities. If she did so perhaps he'd have accepted her assistance. She couldn't help but find this bit amusing, how could he honestly say such a thing. "Hm? I'll have to keep it in mind. Though any answer is technically to my liking as long as the choice of that answer is yours~" she stated honestly. To be fair, she was almost certain simply being able to see her did a number on the man she was currently with. Would she save herself from eternal boredom at the cost of them? Not really, to be honest she'd rather be bored than have something bad happen to this particular pair of young men. Luckily enough at least one of them bore a reasonable amount of immunity to her. Sir Cador on the other side of that resisted by will alone.

"Oh? Is that what you're doing? Well, I suppose thanks would indeed be in order for my loyal follower~" she said with a snarky little grin on her face. "That's just you by the way. Arthur is not at all a follower of mine~" she said with that same light tone. Of course, the Spirit Knight did manage to keep her company and amused in this rather boring land of disturbing dreams. Strangely, enough she also knew he'd be around to keep her company during her waking hours, it isn't as if someone else would be sent to guard her at all. Perhaps she'd make use of this new found information about the man during that time.

"Kuku~" Cador snickered. Merlyn had an interesting way about her, and it occasionally showed in the brightest of shining moments. As far as things to her liking were concerned, this revelation was one such moment. "How incredibly chivalrous of you, Merlyn. I'm glad I gave you free roam of my subconscious," he stated in earnest. If there were other succubi around, he'd undoubtedly choose Merlyn as his go-to at any given moment. Sure, her influence over him at present was something beyond normal comprehension, but... he did offer her his dreams before even seeing her face fully.

Indeed, all was certainly for the benefit of Merlyn! Laughable as the notion was, Cador simply continued drinking. It was apparently thought by Merlyn that Arthur couldn't be considered a 'follower' of hers. Cador strongly disagreed. Perhaps she'd missed part of his discussion with the Future King while being scarred by the events of Leorio's chambers. In spite of the fact that Arthur was never sure how much he could trust Merlyn, he seemed to have absolute faith in the succubus. Perhaps Cador himself was already more invested for various reasons, including his lack of immunity to her passive traits, but Arthur was not to be counted as an exception to Merlyn's believers. "The curse of Clairvoyance strikes. Arthur may not bend the knee to you, but I have reason to consider him a legitimate follower of yours. Far less devout than my loyal self, of course~" he joked.

Snickering. That was about right for what she'd just said. Of course, she wasn't the type of take advantage of him. Even so, she expected him not to fully understand exactly how much she could have done if she were less... well herself. A chuckle escaped her, "I thought we were in agreement that I wasn't at all chivalrous~" she said with mock surprise crossing her face. "Admittedly, I too am glad you gave me permission to roam your subconscious. I kind of like it here. It'd make a great time-share~" she jested with that same kind of tone she always had.

Cador continued drinking in his dream but he apparently, took issue with Merlyn thinking that Arthur wasn't one of her followers. He claimed it to be a curse of her Clairvoyance that she had no idea about Arthur's mindset. According to Sir Cador, though Arthur didn't bend the knee to her, he was still a follower. He tossed in the idea that the blonde was less devout than himself which made her laugh just a little. "Well, I don't know if that is a curse of Clairvoyance. I felt no need to spy on the two of you... I trust you Sir Cador," she mentioned in gentle passing. True enough, upon seeing this man's actions within the world, she knew he deserved quite a bit of her trust, beyond all of that, she simply knew he was always deserving of such trust. "So, if you say that Arthur is a follower of mine, though not to the same extent that you are... I have no choice but to believe you~" Merlyn's words came out with sing-song tone. She was amused as she always was while speaking to Sir Cador. She knew this would be the case when she laid eyes on him the first time. Funnily enough the plan to get her locked up, while it helped Arthur gain better standing with Kolin, also gave Merlyn this amusement and the ability to chat with Sir Cador uninterrupted for long periods of time. This was what she meant by doing things the 'fun' way.

"Of course we were. But, minds change~" Cador said about Merlyn's apparent chivalry. Hearing his dream referred to as a potential timeshare, he quirked a brow while tilting his mug. That was actually a rather interesting concept, he thought. "You're right! Hmm. I don't have any other takers, though; no one else would even be able to sit through the presentation. I suppose then, I'll just have to settle for renting it out to you. The rental fee will be nominal, of course, but quality is assured~"

The idea of Arthur truly being Merlyn's follower, was accepted by virtue of trust in Cador. He'd hardly done a thing to earn such faith, as far as he was concerned. Alas, he would not be one to question this. He had just as much faith in Merlyn, and he'd harbored said faith long enough for it to be no result of succubus magic. "Many thanks. Don't think buttering me up is going to get you cheaper rent, though. All it will earn you is..." He paused, thinking it over during another swig. What would such statements from the succubus get out of him? "... well, everything else." Ah, yes. The same way he pretended to be around Queen Kolin, he found himself being in actuality around Merlyn. Eventually, he'd discover how much of this was an effect of her nature as a succubus, and how much of it was a legitimate feeling of comfort in good company.

Apparently Sir Cador changed his mind about Merlyn's nature during their conversation. "Well, if Spirit Knight wishes to change his mind about the nature of my virtues, I'm hardly inclined to argue~" Merlyn's words were playful as ever. She quite enjoyed this moment. What was more, Sir Cador easily found himself in the spirit of her joking nature. He seemed to at least agree with the idea of his dream space being a decent time-share. But he claimed he had no other takers. She'd be the only renter, but it was at least quality assured. "Well, the fee is always fine. So long as the product is worthwhile. After being part of this tour I've no problem paying up~" she mentioned. What an interesting metaphor and yet also strangely a truthful desire. Merlyn could take up a bit of the Spirit Knight's brain space. She would enjoy the time here, and likely pay whatever he desired to enjoy its comforts. What a strange way of thinking when they'd both already made known their lack of desire for anything truly committal.

Her ability to butter up the Spirit Knight came with thanks, but also with a clause about it not lowering he rent within the space of his mind. He had more to say but there was a gentle pause between his thoughts as he swigged from his drink. After he spoke a bemused chuckle escaped the white haired lass, she had quite the response to his words. "Why I would never expect a discount on the rent!" she seemed mockingly outraged by such an accusation. "Though buttering you up, definitely shouldn't give me everything else~" she said still in good humor but there were more words to follow. "Make sure to keep something for you." Strangely this statement was something Merlyn meant. He should definitely never give anyone everything, but if he wanted to give her something or even most things, she might accept them... mostly because she was willing to think of an equivalent exchange between them as the most ideal.

Cador stood, stepping closer to the fire. He felt as if he was actually warming up here in the dream. Perhaps that was the fault of Merlyn and her reality-shifting, or perhaps it was simply Cador's imagination. Whatever the case, he continued drinking by the fireplace. Jokes shared between the two seemed to be never-ending, with no single instance of jest being addressed only briefly. Naturally, the timeshare of his subconscious mind was not exempt from this way of conversing. "Ah, good! When the madness is over, I'll be expecting the security deposit and first month's rent. Oh, and here at Spirit Knight, we reserve the right to evict you for being even a day late~"

No lateness, no discounts, no complaints. This imaginary rental situation was coming together quite nicely. Though... as imaginary as it was, Cador literally couldn't resist believing there was great truth behind the banter. Speaking of this little 'agreement' of theirs, Merlyn spoke of the exchange rate that came along with the flattery. Yes, that was worth some negotiation, wasn't it? "Hmm, very true. I should benefit as well, and everything may be overpaying for flattery. Well Merlyn, I'm quite stumped. What would you consider a fair exchange? I'm sure a decent enough arrangement can be made."

The fire was quite warm, Merlyn continued to sit, even as Cador wandered closer to the flames. With all the words and jokes passing between them, one might have thought the two old friends. Though this wasn't the case, she knew they would be at some point, perhaps this is why she was so comfortable with their current arrangement. Just the same she allowed her eyes to wander over the man, in addition to having an upstanding personality he was actually quite nice to look at. It was a shame one like Kolin couldn't have found satisfaction with a man like this, and thus left him a bit broken in her wake. She'd almost destroyed him for other women with her schemes, but Merlyn supposed such was the nature of a woman with lusts as great as Kolin's. "Even a day late? That's pretty serious. Not to worry though, I've never missed a payment on anything~" she joked along with the man, a gentle upturn of her lips as her mug returned to her hands and she sipped from these dreams.

It seemed they had quite the agreement going, full of banter and yet, beyond the confines of moments where lives were at stake and things were in danger, they'd likely have already done something about this mounting tension. What a shame that evil queen was getting in her way, even without realizing it. Whatever the case, Merlyn found herself thinking over what would be considered a fair exchange for her outright flattery of him. "Hm, probably equal flattery, maybe a couple of those cheeky glances you keep stealing of me~ Those are nice. Feel free to take as many of those for yourself as you'd like!~" she said in that same tone, but these sentences weren't really jokes at this point. She was quite serious, he should give what she did, and not too much more unless the spirit of generosity stuck him. "I'm already making out like a bandit at this point, the fairness of this exchange is nothing to worry about~"

Never missed a payment, she said. Good. He would be prompt to collect─ as cordial as he would be in upkeeping the quality of his dreams. He'd have to keep it worth the pay, after all. Speaking of the pay, there would soon be a suggested form of repayment for his most generous offering. Equal flattery was one thing, but Merlyn also decided to bring up the matter of his wandering eyes. She'd taken note of that, then? Cador cleared his throat when the truth came to light, though he did not argue against this factual claim. "Is that all? You and I both know, I was going to take those for myself anyway. It's almost impossible to not look at you, after all." Truer words had never been spoken. Even the effort it took to play nice around Kolin paled in comparison to looking away from Merlyn. He'd even started gazing upon the succubus more consistently now, hardly a wholesome thought in the back of his mind. Outside of this very room within the dream, his other thoughts played out. While he watched Merlyn, behind every door and window leading out, there were visions of Merlyn and himself in all sort of compromising positions. At least he was good at compartmentalizing. . .

"Why yes, you are certainly the winner of this exchange no matter how you look at it. You get to enter and consume my dreams, flatter your way into my greatest graces, and I... get to look at you?" he questioned as if upset, though it was all in good fun as well. The banter between them was so easily kept up, he hardly had it in him to abandon it. "Well, at least the hood is off. I suppose I can woefully accept the idea of staring at your face while you devour my mental state~"

A cleared throat and no denial. How interesting, Sir Cador was a very honest man after all... he had no problem admitting to the wandering eyes he rather obviously possessed. Still she couldn't help a more playful reply to the man's words. "Only almost? Hm, I might be a bit of a failure then... might be time to give up~" she mused as if stricken by the idea that it was possible for the man to look away from her. Of course, she knew he could, she also knew it maintained a certain level of difficulty. Dealing with her was likely stressful even for the most devout of men...

It was rather true though, the banter between this pair was far too easy to keep up. Given this it was almost impossible for one like Merlyn to completely give up any method of her speech even now. "I mean that sounds like the deal... but there are some perks. Like getting to look at me...while I am doing all of those things~" Merlyn teased. Of course, she wasn't so shallow as to only allow this man to watch. In fact, she'd prefer a great deal more than that, but... was now really the time? Well, Merlyn was full of teasing energy, beyond that she was actually a succubus, so there was no time like the present to place more teasing thoughts into the random compartments in the man's head. "I could also remove more clothes... Or devour those dreams in a more direct manner if that'd be fairer~"

"Yes, almost. Well... for me, at least. That's quite the compliment, you know?" the Spirit Knight replied, knowing how incredibly difficult he found it to resist Merlyn's passive aura. He also understood the difference between himself, and most other men of this world. Almost impossible for him, was likely outright impossible for those who didn't have his experiences. "Feel free to put forth the extra effort regardless, though. I think I would rather enjoy it."

Ah yes, how could he have forgotten? It wasn't a matter of him being allowed to gaze upon Merlyn, but specifically that he could do so while she enjoyed the commodities of his dreams and offerings. That certainly sweetened the deal, didn't it? A scoff was Cador's response. Luckily for him, there was more to come. It would be of no use now, but now was definitely not the time for anything greater than the relaxation his slumber offered. Regardless, Merlyn improved the conditions of their arrangement quite nicely. He even began to wonder something as a result. Merlyn determined reality, but if this was a dream he was conscious of, did he have some control over her reality in this situation? If he thought hard enough, he wondered if Merlyn would suffer the disappearance of her clothes via forced lucid dreaming. "Hmm. That is certainly acceptable. I often dream of Cornwall, though; the cold will be dire," he said, never removing the most recent train of thought from his mind. In learning whether he had such power or not, perhaps he would have useful information for the future.

"Well, if it's a compliment from you... and of such great magnitude. I suppose I have no choice but to accept it~" Merlyn mentioned, but her joking tone and pouting face implied slightly more displeasure than she actually felt in the moment. She was also more than presently surprised when Cador told her to continue her efforts, claiming that he might enjoy them. Well, if that was what he wanted... she certainly wouldn't argue with the man. "As you wish, Sir Cador~" and that was that, she said with a mocking inclination of her head and her right arm crossing over her chest. Soon enough she settled back into her seat, seeming still way too amused by the words that Sir Cador had to share.

Still the matter of her offer of fairness hung in the air, and it would seem that Sir Cador was agreeable to those terms. Though they came with the warning that he often dreamt of his former kingdom and thus it was often cold. Along with his spoken words came a strange change in Merlyn's current state of reality. "Well, I'm generally unbothered by changes in temperature..." Merlyn had started to say something catty but lost it as she lost all of her clothing. Instead of being even remotely upset about this she simply rested her elbow on the arm of the chair and her head in the same hand. Basically holding her own chin she looked directly to Cador with an amused expression. "I didn't take you for much of a lucid dreamer Sir Cador... Still this is a rather exciting turn of events~" the woman teased mercilessly as if she wasn't the one currently naked in this situation. Whatever the case, she wouldn't bother restoring her own clothes. She wondered if this man was the type to change her attire whenever she appeared in such instances knowing that he was capable of it. There were several interesting implications about their future endeavors if he knew and understood this concept.

"You undoubtedly have a choice," was Cador's rebuttal. "If you were to choose acceptance, though, that would be ideal~" In response to Merlyn's mock of a knights' bow, Cador mirrored her movements. This was a worthwhile exchange of amusing gestures while the banter continued, and while Cador tested his ability to control the dream around him.

By the time the succubus commented on temperature changes and their lack of effect on her, things were beginning to change. Cador had yet to take his eyes off Merlyn, and now, they were glued indefinitely. She did say she was fine with the watching, and that was about as consensual as it could be. Slowly but surely, his eyes lowered... and then rose... and then, repeated the motions. How long would this go on? Well, it seemed Cador had no intention of stopping. Merlyn did nothing to return her garments, after all. Such a thing was surely permission, and whether it was or not, refraining from looking had officially become impossible for even Cador. "Yes... exciting..." he spoke slowly, converting most of his internal focus into an effort... just to speak properly. "I'm not much of a lucid dreamer at all, honestly. I just thought very hard, for quite a long time. Much to my satisfaction, it actually worked eventually. Now I wonder if I should be regretting that decision. . ."

Hm, what an interesting exchange of mocking ideas. How very amusing she found these exchanges with Sir Cador. She'd already agreed to accepting his compliment. Of course she would soon find she no longer needed to try extra to gain this man's attention. While sitting with her chin balanced in the palm of her hand, she could practically feel this man's eyes on her. He'd created the situation in which she was naked, she'd simply done nothing to remedy it. A small smile spread across Merlyn's face as the Spirit Knight finally managed to speak, two words at first but he did actually get them out. "Hoh? Not much of a lucid dreamer, but still managed to strip the succubus. Not a bad first attempt I must say~" she mused as if congratulating the man on the feat he'd accomplished. Ah, but, as always Merlyn's teasing knew no real bounds. She always had more to say... "Also, you were not rendered completely speechless. That's pretty encouraging, I'm glad you are satisfied by the result," Merlyn continued to tease this man about the nature of her nudity. She knew his eyes followed her body both up and down multiple times even. She wondered exactly how much concentration it took him to be capable of speech at a time like this. "Admittedly, I'm quite curious Sir Cador as to why you would regret this decision?" Merlyn asked this question in a very straight forward manner, still she sat about completely nude within this chair as if she was absolutely comfortable. She wouldn't alter his views, she didn't mind if he looked, but if he had a point he was trying for in this moment he should definitely share.

Under normal circumstances, even Cador would have admitted to pride in his own ability. Affecting a succubus who entered one's dream had to be some sort of incredible feat, after all. He was also managing to resist just enough to complete a proper thought... sort of. Ah, but it was the difficulty of the latter which left him incapable of appreciating what he'd managed. He was quite busy, instead, appreciating what had come of it. Dastardly as she was, Merlyn posed a question during his extended moment of stupor. Was he regretting his decision? Should he have reason for regret? He could hardly think of any reason, considering how overwhelmed he already felt mentally. "Hmm. If I had to hazard a guess..." he started, not even considering the fact that he was already moving closer to the succubus. Though not fully afflicted by her abilities, having an unabashed view of Merlyn's full glory could be considered far too much for even Cador. "It would probably be something about feeling as if I should immediately burn through several hours of my day, right now. Though... I was ordered to sleep so I could keep my wits about me. This is just a dream, after all. . ."

Closer and closer. Cador was making his way over to Merlyn much to general expectations. It seemed full nudity was a bit much even for the resistance of the Spirit Knight. Even so, the man was still putting great care into answering the offered question. Though he was responding slowly, he was responding still. A smirk remained on Merlyn's face as she shifted under this man's gaze. This wasn't uncomfortable he was simply already looking and figured he might actually enjoy seeing more or less of her at any given moment. Of course, Cador went on to claim he'd been ordered to sleep so he could keep his wits about him. Doing this would mean of course, that he likely wasn't intending to fall to the succubus' wiles in this very moment. "Oh, quite right. I suppose... you were given some very specific orders. Wouldn't want you falling prey to that sorceress in the dungeon while you're on duty~" she said with a chipper tone and full of sarcasm. Even so she stood in the moment allowing the man a full appreciation of her form before donning her clothing. Of course, such a thing would hardly take place in the manner at which it had disappeared. Merlyn was far too gifted in her ability to manipulate the dreaming subconscious. No, she had clothing appear around her body in order. Lingerie first, all lace and white. The layers of clothing she wore over it, black fingerless gloves, high black tights. Then finally the cloak which appeared hood up at the very end. "I suppose, I should do the kindest thing and allow the Spirit Knight his rest. You do have a few hours left and they should be restful~" Merlyn mentioned as if she was most amused.

An interesting turn of events was ahead, though not exactly the type Cador anticipated. He'd been inching forward, and just as his hand began to rise, a change occurred around Merlyn. Rather, multiple changes occurred. Over the course of a few moments, Cador witnessed the multiple stages of dress belonging to the succubus, starting with white lace, and ending with everything she wore─ including her hood. A partially-outstretched hand halted midair, closing slowly before returning to Cador's side. "Well, that is a disappointment. I'm less inclined to call this the kindest thing; I'd sooner call it a punishment. I must have some bad karma built up... unless you are secretly the other half of Kolin~" he said, finally able to manage a more normal train of thought now that Merlyn wore her hood. At least one of them found amusement in this. The other, however, wondered if it were possible to experience the phenomenon colloquially referred to as 'blue balls' due to a dream. Regardless, he would toss his hands overhead in mock surrender, close his eyes, and sigh. "Fine, fine. I'll sleep the normal way today. I should be waking to deal with that wretched sorceress soon, anyway. Hopefully she won't treat me as dreadfully as a certain succubus who invaded my napping dreams~"

Cador spoke of bad Karma the the joking possibility of Merlyn being half of Kolin. This made the white haired woman laugh aloud. She really was being kind, he simply wouldn't understand that kindness. "Ah, yes... divine punishment~" she said with a little chuckle. "And it's definitely the kindest thing... I do believe I explained that things I do in such spaces have waking consequences~" she said as a gentle upturn of her lips showed that such a thing was a rather amusing thought, but she'd still let him sleep for now. After all, it wasn't as if she wouldn't have access to him for the full night regardless. "Oh, so wretched, all locked up and alone~ One wonders how she hasn't gone mad~" she said referencing herself in the third person as if she were a completely separate entity. To keep up this charade she had one more thing to say, about her supposed invasion into this man's subconscious. "Invaded is such a harsh word. I was invited... I even pay rent now~" she said as if playfully mocking the idea of being troublesome. "Enjoy your normal dreams Sir Cador... I might not let you have them again anytime soon~" she said and with a playful wink she'd take her leave and allow the man his truest rest in the moment. Until of course they'd meet again.

"Indeed. Poor me, not even knowing what I did to incur such wrath from the most high," Cador chanted, sparing not a single ounce of over-exaggeration. He could be rational about matters now, though that wasn't going to stop him from the banter─ nothing could stop that. Moments ago, he couldn't have cared less about any consequences to his waking. There were quite a few scenes happening outside of this room, and he was keen to let them into the present space. Alas, Merlyn was right; there was greater purpose in keeping things more normal for the time being. "Oh, I'm sure she went mad centuries ago. She makes such terrible decisions, I can't imagine it being any other way," he said. From the looks of things, their next meeting in the material world was going to be a rather interesting one. He wondered what would come of it, but that didn't particularly matter. "Farewell, Merlyn. Next time, remind me what a good idea it would be to renegotiate the abysmally low rental fee I decided to charge you. We'll see what becomes of a dream then, won't we?"

And so, the strange meeting within Cador's mind came to an end. Soon, he would wake and go about his duties. Ah yes... he would have to start by reporting to Kolin, as per usual. In his search for the queen, though, he naturally encountered Arthur standing in the hall near the woman's bed chamber. Few words were shared between the two, but that is a tale best told another time. . .

Cador spared not the slightest exaggeration during his retort, which only garnered him further giggles from Merlyn. She was after all, rather easily amused by his antics, it as more or less a known fact at this point. They could banter and laugh at each others jokes. They could have some innuendo laden conversations... they might even take their flirting past the speech phase. She supposed only time would truly tell. "I'm sure it's there in the fine print of that rental agreement. Exactly what you did to earn that divine punishment~" she stated with a slight incline of her head. Beyond this, Cador went on to make more commentary about the 'sorceress' in the dungeon. He claimed she'd probably went mad centuries ago. "Of course, she didn't have an emotional support Knight to help out~ Poor lass," Merlyn said of her supposed craziness. Of course the joke would have been ruined if she'd tried to defend herself so she'd let this stand for now at least. "Of course, you obviously have until the first months rent is paid to figure out all of the terms~ Ja~" and with that the woman disappeared. Even in their last moments, there were nothing but jokes and witty banter between this pair.

Still, the sleeping hours of Sir Cador would need to pass, and Merlyn in the meantime busied herself with the subconscious dreams of others. She walked about as freely within the minds of others as she would have out on the streets. Hm, what sort of information would she manage to gather between now and then? Well, only time would really tell. By the time Sir Cador woke and began moving around, he'd find himself in front of the Queen's door. Behind this door, the Queen worked, strangely. She was crafting a jewel with a strange property, she intended to use to keep the sorceress from doing anything to herself or her men when the next phase of her plan was enacted. She needed to get rid of Merlyn and it was best if she didn't give the other woman any sort of chance at victory. After completing it, she tucked it away among the other jewels of her person. She felt satisfied that she'd done something about her plan, though it made her mind wander to the other aspects. She was expecting word from some other knights soon. She would have preferred to be rid of the two girls before they returned. Having them here after would complicate things. Perhaps, they could be easily gotten rid of along with Merlyn if they didn't get taken before she needed to address the next step of her plan. She supposed she could always have them killed as accomplices or something of that nature. No one would argue that the pair of girls had never liked her and thus were likely to be in cahoots with the sorceress. Yes, she could work with that. A wicked smile on her face which let the world know she was up to no good would be utterly clear, even as she opened her door to find outside of it Arthur and Cador?! Her eyes widened at the sight, how good of them to still be working so well together. "Hoh? What an interesting sight right outside my door. I didn't realize it had gotten so late~" The Queen said as a method of announcing herself. Truly she hadn't realized how long creating that item would take her, perhaps she should have alotted herself some more crafting based skills, though admittedly those were often less useful to her than her ability to manipulate men.

Arthur and Cador seemed to be having an oddly casual discussion, as if they were merely chatting as comrades-in-arms. For the most part, they were. Any matters of great importance were discussed long before Queen Kolin opened her door. In that very moment, both men fell silent. It was to be the case that any discussion happening between them, held no importance before the queen herself. The conversation ceased with haste, and both knights turned to kneel. "Your Grace," they said in unison. Combined, these two would surely create the perfect image of loyalty. Both were visually ready to serve, whatever the order may be. "Your faithful will always be within earshot, my queen," Arthur spoke. "Indeed. I woke from my rest, and could think of nothing more important than locating the queen," Cador added.

False dedication at its finest. At this point, both Arthur and Cador were, in fact, ready and willing to accept Kolin's ridiculous demands while following orders to the letter. That is... until the time came that they could finally go against the grain. This was most accurate in the case of Cador, who knew in the depths of his soul that there was no saving the woman currently known as Kolin. Arthur may have been lagging behind on the realization still, but... he would be catching up over time. First though, was the matter of their presence here and now. "What brings you out of your chambers, my queen? May we be of service?"

Two exceedingly loyal men, greeted Kolin in unison. Ah, to be the center of attention once more, she might have gotten some sort of pleasure from this kind of situation. Was it the fact that they stopped everything to acknowledge her? Or was it the fact that both claimed their faithfulness was almost worth swooning over. If she'd managed such a thing it would have been for these two. Perhaps when they were properly separated from the women in their lives, they could be shared... both suited her needs in ways her other Knights could only hope to try. "Oh? I don't know what I enjoy more, the idea that I'm the first thing Cador thinks of..." she mused. "Or the idea that Arthur has been waiting outside my door most of the day~" this woman was strangely spoiled for attention, but that made sense considering what she was like. Whatever the case both of these men were reasonable enough and loyal to her. Still she couldn't let them become to friendly, thus her statement to seed in a bit of competition between the two, whether they immediately acknowledged it or not... it'd be there in the backs of their minds.

"So eager~" Kolin stated after Arthur's questions. She supposed this pair had earned quite a bit of her trust. She had no reason to withhold what she was currently doing, nor why she'd finally emerged from her rooms. "I simply finished what I was working on, and I realized this morning's reports didn't include anything from the scouts. I am still expecting word from Hector's party, that errand I sent him on his of the highest importance after all~" she said this was mostly for Cador as Hector would be an unknown to Arthur. As for what their actual services would be worth for now... she decided she'd reward Arthur for waiting outside her door like a good guard dog. "Hm, Cador also deserves praise for, having managed to be such a good influence on you, Arthur. Sadly, I'm certain its time for you to relieve the other guards Cador. After I decide what to do with that sorceress I'll see to it you're properly rewarded," she said. Her words were spoken with a specific emphasis in mind. It was meant to make the one known as Merlyn seem even worse as a prisoner. She wanted her guards to resent having to watch her, lest they become too chummy. Sir Cador more than many others was likely to gain a soft spot for young looking or child-like women. And with Merlyn being so flat-chested, Kolin assumed she was a younger girl throwing a tantrum. "Arthur, as a reward for waiting so patiently, you may serve by coming along. I have a few more preparations to see to, and having a Knight at my side is preferable during such boring business."

If Kolin wanted to produce animosity between the two knights, she would interestingly succeed. Of course, Arthur and Colin actually considered themselves quite friendly toward one another, but... Arthur needed to get himself as close to Kolin as possible for the sake of acquiring information, and Cador had to push Arthur more and more. Interestingly enough, it would be Arthur who gave the first response to Kolin's comparison. "With all due respect to Sir Cador, it because you fill my mind that I could not move very far from your door." In response to Arthur saying such a thing, Cador chuckled. So, this was how things would be? Interesting. "H'oh? My newest protégé trying to upstage me before Her Grace? As one who owes the queen my life, I should take great offense," the Spirit Knight offered as retort. Moving on from that, there was mention of another group of knights. The name Hector was unfamiliar to Arthur in this world, though his knowledge of lore gave him reason to believe Hector was a potential ally. Cador, on the other hand, was quite familiar with the mentioned knight.

"If it is of importance to you, my queen, Sir Hector will excel. He has always been capable enough to return from expeditions in the timeframe normally allotted for receiving word. Perhaps the party will return as early as today," Cador claimed. He wasn't sure at all, but he had utmost confidence in Hector's ability. In fact, Hector was the knight he most feared being an enemy of. If that man ever legitimately sided with Kolin, things would become rather dangerous.

Kolin's praises were to be split, albeit with an obvious leaning. While Arthur was granted permission to accompany the queen, Cador was sent to the dungeons for the sake of guarding Merlyn yet again. He spared a glance in Arthur's direction that was a simple state of seriousness, but was perhaps purposely designed to appear similar to distaste. "If it pleases you, Grace. The mad sorceress will do no harm while I have her detained." With that said, Cador rose with an arm crossed over his chest. Arthur was next to rise, doing so with a content grin toward the queen. "You honor me, my queen. I only hope I can manage to make this business you have less... boring, as it were~"

Much to Kolin's expectation, the two men started showing what could generally be called animosity towards each other. Each of them making at least one claim which would make it seem as if they were vying for her affections. As the affection of all men was a thing she was after, this satisfied her natural ego, bringing her a great deal of happiness. A giggle escaped her as she managed to find the humor in this. "Hearing such dedication does wonders for my mood~" she managed, knowing that keeping the pair just friendly enough to listen to each other, but constantly vying for the top spot was the best way to make sure all of their focus remained on her, and her alone. Such a space was where one like Cador fell a bit in the rankings, as he had other things to distract him. No matter, those things were among the ones that she would be getting rid of at her convenience. Then everything about him would be able to focus on her.

What was more, at the mention of Hector, Cador seemed to have faith in the man's abilities when it came to things Kolin herself demanded. Making the claim that he'd likely return well before the time she would have received word in more normal means. "Ah, well I do have high hopes. I suppose given your track record, anyone you place faith in is to be acknowledged as a superior champion to my whims~" Kolin stated. It was her demand that everything be about her, and this was more and more obvious as she spoke in these moments. But so long as men were content to give her, her way... she had few outward problems. So the split between Arthur and Cador was a necessary one. She saw the look of seriousness which she took to be one of distaste when she gave this pair their orders. Watching such an instance gave her the information to know that much like her other Knights these two wouldn't be sharing much with each other. Keeping a wedge between different levels of individuals, kept her safe from them ganging up on her. It also made it so she was possible to string each one along without having to give them the same exact amount of attention. "See to it." she said to Cador before turning to Arthur. "Of course you will, come along~" and just like that she was off. With Arthur headed towards the western wing. This was where the messengers and birds were kept and where she would collect any messages sent forth, including secret communications she had going on with some less that reputable people. All was within her plan.

At the same time, Merlyn lay within her cell, eyes closed but with both hands resting across her abdomen. In this moment of good humor she could see where the walk with Arthur and Kolin was going. She could even see the types of things she would be saying. Merlyn had mentioned to Cador several times that she was trying to get the best endings possible for everyone, she didn't mention this included their enemies. Every step into madness was one which created another bad end for every person who sided with her. 'Hm, when all is said and done. No one can say I didn't try right?' she thought, sitting up for the first time in several hours. She rubbed her hands over her face as if she'd been properly sleeping. She knew the movements and actions of the guards around her. She knew they were afraid of her waking but she also knew that they'd not be standing around for too much longer. After all, their relief was coming.

Apparently, Kolin was as easy to string along as she assumed her followers were. Though care was required, the two were almost making a mockery of the situation around them. Positions were perfect on both sides. Cador would move on to 'guard' Merlyn, and Arthur would progress to being Kolin's entertainment for the evening. Following along behind the queen, Arthur found his mind wandering. Where was the salvation? He looked the woman up and down repeatedly, seeming somewhat somber as a result. What a waste. No matter how hard Arthur tried, he couldn't get over the impossible, yet incredible build the queen boasted. If only she'd been different, he would have joined her cause in earnest, and perhaps even properly entertained the idea of being the king to her queen.

The disappointment was hardly hidden from Arthur's face, but he doubted it mattered. His expression was longing, as if wishing for a better outcome to all of this. He didn't want to kill some woman he'd only just met. He didn't want to cause the downfall of one who didn't wrong him. He didn't even want to behave as a false servant to someone, just to meet an end goal. The Future King fell silent as his mind raced, always looking for a better solution to... all of this.

Elsewhere, the simpler guards were evacuating the area surrounding Merlyn's cell. One by one, they stepped away, as one set of footsteps drew closer and closer. There were multiple guards in place, and Sir Cador was undoubtedly fit to replace them all once again. "Yet again, I get the task of watching the mad sorceress. It's almost as bad as looking after those other ones. What must I have done to be put in such a position?" he inquired of the universe, though all in his typical humor. The few guards who lagged farthest behind managed to hear this, believing Cador hated the task as much as they did. Some would, just maybe, deliver this information to the queen herself later. . .

Kolin was indeed easy to string along. Too bad this pair had no idea just how easy that was, no one did really. As Arthur managed to look at the woman longingly she took it in stride as she did many things. Being the center of attention in this way was beyond what she wished for. As she lead Arthur towards the Aviary where she'd go through messages sent by various pawns in her schemes, she'd speak to him in a happy tone. Encouraging him in her normal manipulative manner. "Not to worry Arthur, I'm sure my boring reading won't last too long... I simply have to check on the management issues of my next seat of power~" she chimed. Of course, sharing such information was a bit of bait for the lad. It'd get him curious, then she could brag on herself by giving information about it. She could show him how generous she was in her endeavors and all the fun he would have to look forward to. Of course, she didn't intend to let him partake of other women besides her, but just knowing the kind of place she wanted to exist would exist was likely more than enough for the good sort of men she surrounded herself with. While she thought over this angle she read a particular letter and though it wasn't the one she was looking for... it was exactly what she needed to potentially fix several of the problems she currently needed to deal with.

At the same time as Arthur was about to discover the 'true' nature of Kolin, Merlyn was waking to the upstanding guard of Sir Cador. Ah, he was playing up his distaste for this moment with the men who were apt to leave such a place. She supposed she should do her part in making him look good to them as well. "Of course, I was just getting used to the quiet scampering of these ones. And I am further punished by the presence of the Whore of Babylon's most loyal and mouthy lapdog~" she said with all the venom she normally presented about Kolin. "Oh sing to me the praises of your precious queen, I need more nightmare fuel." Some of course, took notice... if both of these people didn't enjoy each other's company, obviously the queen had done well picking a guard for the woman. Her continued disrespectful attitude was also noted, she needed that as well. Just saying those words put a new imagine of the future in her head, which she enjoyed. All according to plan.

An aviary was the destination of Kolin and Arthur, it seemed. The blonde male stood at attention, as always, and the silence was eventually broken by the queen herself. She claimed her reading wouldn't take so long, but it was of no consequence to him. What was of importance, though, was progression in this failing kingdom before something drastic was done. This seemed to be a decent start to such a thing. "No matter, Your Grace. I assure you, there is no chance at all for me to be bored in your presence. There is just... so much to think about~" he said, once again abusing honesty for the sake of... well, being misleading. "If it is not so bold, though, might I ask for details about your next throne? Nothing can change my intentions for the future, but... please forgive me for being overly curious." As these words were spoken, Arthur bowed again. He was quite the respectful young man regardless, but his deferential nature had been helping him out in this adventure thus far. As such, he had no reason to change a thing about that. All he had to do, was add a bit extra. "Besides─ your voice is quite soothing to the ear. Hearing more of it could only be a good thing, no?"

Cador put on a show for the straggling guards, and Merlyn joined by adding her own bitterness. It was only natural that things keep going from there. "H'oh? Mouthy again today, are we? Let's see if I have a tale for you... hmm. Well, in spite of your attempt at turning the young Arthur into your pet, it seems our magnificent Queen Kolin has managed to make him see sense. I do wonder if it is even worth keeping you bound, considering how pitiful your enchantments have proven to be," he ranted, giving one additional thing for the remnants to hear. These little mentions would serve them all well, he thought. Merlyn and her Clairvoyance were going along with it, so the Spirit Knight had even more reason to believe this method was for the best. Perhaps he'd soon know precisely why such was the case. . .