Verdant Skies

Pulling Lady Iris to his side like that hadn't been something he'd normally do for someone who was practically a stranger, Kouen had internally brushed it in the moment as a new ally simply needing assistance. The fact that this new ally could apparently transform into a dragon was not weighing in on his thoughts and actions at all. Ignoring the soft snickers from his male Djinn, he only paid half a mind to Phenex's worried murmurs as his sole female Djinn worried over the sheer heat coming off of Lady Iris. While not quite as worried as his female Djinn, he admitted that paired with her increasingly sluggish movements and labored breathing, Lady Iris' condition was perhaps a cause for concern.

As they walked deeper into the hallway, Kouen felt a bolt of alarm shoot through him when Lady Iris slumped and her body went limp. Eyes widening as he glanced down at Lady Iris, he saw that her face had gone paler than that moonlit night he'd seen her after Lord Habi's apparent temper tantrum. Pulling her into his arms as panic surged, he had no idea where her rooms were. Frustration bit at him in time with the panic, he jerked his head up as footsteps began echoing ahead of him.

Dim moonlight gave a wave to that of bright torchlight as a soldier turned the corner ahead of him, Kouen saw the man's steps falter for a moment as he took in the sight before him. The soldier, dressed in the colors of the Goulon Empire, stared wide-eyed at the scene before him. Realizing that he had an opening to get Lady Iris some much-needed help, he began opening his mouth only for the soldier to rush forward. Panic coated every inch of the man's face, it was only when the soldier spoke that he realized that this was the same one who had helped Lady Iris the previous time, "Ris? Oh fuck, what the hell happened?"

"From what she was able to tell me before falling unconscious, Lord Habi's collar is upsetting the balance of her magic," Kouen saw the man's eyes widen further before narrowing, "We had just agreed to become allies not too long before that,"

"I-Fuck," The man, who Kouen vaguely remembered Lady Iris calling Ron, shook his head, "Much as I want to question it, I'm not in a position to. Not when she's unconscious," He frowned deeply, "For the moment, I'll trust your word,"

Inclining his head in acknowledgment, Kouen adjusted his hold on Lady Iris, "For now, it would be best to her to her room."

"Right," Ron gestured for Kouen to follow him.

Following Ron through the halls with Lady Iris held securely in his arms, Kouen mulled over the fact that he'd stumbled across one of the woman's companions once more and it was the same one he'd seen the first time. Both times showed that the man took Lady Iris' health seriously for all that the collar was still in place, it made him frown a bit over that fact. He pushed those thoughts away as Ron pushed open a door in one of the hallways in the lower portions of the guest wing that they'd been told was unused. Entering the room, he noted the minor differences between his chambers and this one while moving toward the large bed. Laying Lady Iris down, he watched her curl up into a tight ball and shiver violently as if cold.

Frown curling at his lips, Kouen turned to Ron as the man walked over to the bed, "Will she be alright?"

Snort leaving him, the man shook his head, "In a day or so, she'd be better off if Nev was able to get into the city and make one of his remedies for her, but..." He grimaced darkly, "For now, we need to just let her rest."

There was no mention of the infirmary though given what he'd heard from Koumei, Kouen wasn't surprised. Inclining his head, he began moving towards the door though paused to address Ron, "Lady Iris and I haven't quite begun to discuss it, but we plan to form an alliance that will end with Lord Habi's fall. I will promise you this," He saw the man's cornflower blue eyes narrow, "Lady Iris will not be collared once this is over. I refuse to allow a dragon to be chained in my presence."

Ignoring the sharp intake of breath and widening of the other man's eyes, Kouen left the room and began heading for his own. As he stepped through the castle hallways, the image of Lady Iris' dragon form filled his mind. He found himself wondering just how far she would fly once this mess was over and his lips pulled into a slight smile at the thought.

As it always was with her days after the festival, Iris felt as if she'd been suffering from a never-ending hangover mixed with some form of flu. Her body ached with an almost unbearable intensity, a cruel reminder of her forced transformation back into human form and the overwhelming drain that scarce transformations always had. Each movement was met with a sharp protest from her muscles and bones, the very prospect of trying to get up seeming a daunting task. But within the hazy morning light, she forced herself up as the memories of last night before she'd succumbed to exhaustion returned to her.

As sunlight streamed in through the windows casting an almost gentle glow of warmth across the room, Iris winced at the persistent ache curling through her body. The promise of an alliance and the revelation of her dragon form—both of them swirled in her mind. Forcing herself to push the covers away, she resolved herself to be up and ready to speak with the princes rather than rest despite what her body might wish for. For the first time since this collar had been forced upon her neck, she was finally in a position to be free of it and wouldn't allow something as small as her body being in a weakened state to stop her.

Swinging her legs free of the bed, Iris took a deep breath before starting to slip herself off of the plush material. At first, her legs were stable and she felt fine enough to take a few steps forward, it was as she continued to move away from the bed that her legs collapsed beneath her. As her limbs had turned to jelly, she hit the ground with a soft gasp feeling as if every breath was a struggle. Attempting to push herself into even a sitting position was a struggle, she felt beads of perspiration forming on her forehead.

There was a knock as she slumped back against the bed, Iris' eyes closed as a flash of irritation and indignation rushed through her. She stayed quiet until Hermione's voice followed another knock, "Ris, a-are you awake?"

Voice quivering as tears burned the back of her eyes, Iris called out, "Y-yeah."

When the door swung open, Iris heard a confused murmur from Hermione and two pairs of footsteps entered her room. Closing her eyes, she pressed her head against the side of her bed as shame curled within her stomach. She heard a gasp as footsteps came close to her, "Ris?"

Hermione's voice was filled with concern and a hint of panic as she knelt beside Iris. "What happened? Why are you on the floor?"

Iris struggled to open her eyes, her vision slightly blurry, but she managed to focus on Hermione's worried face. "I... tried to get up," she admitted, her voice weak and trembling. "I need to speak with the princes."

Eyes lifting from her, Hermione exchanged a glance with someone that Iris couldn't make out in her current state, "You're in no condition to see anyone, especially the princes," Hermione scolded gently. "You pushed yourself too hard."

Shaking her head though it was a feeble attempt, Iris's voice was a whisper from the frustration she felt, "I need to see them, 'Mione. Tell them about my dragon form, I promised Prince Kouen I would tell Kouha and Koumei about it."

The second person in the room stepped closer, and Iris realized it was Ron. A deep furrow on his brow as he crouched down beside her, "You don't have to do it right now, Ris. Your health comes first."

Blinking slowly with her thoughts acting as a tangle of yarn from her weakened state, Iris knew that they were right. She knew that, but the urgency of the situation nagged at her, "I... I can't waste any more time. W-we can't waste any more time."

As Ron's hand settled on her shoulder, he spoke with a softer look in his eyes, "We'll help you, Ris, but only after you've taken a bit more time to rest, alright?"

Despite wanting to protest, Iris found herself yawning and nodding weakly. Ron picked her up as if she weighed nothing and resettled her into bed once more. As the covers came over her shoulders, Hermione touched her shoulder gently, "Rest a bit more, Ris. Nothing can happen until you're a bit stronger."

Despite the frustration she was currently feeling, Iris nodded as there was nothing she could do save for regaining some of her strength.

Between Kouen's late return to his room last night and how early his elder brother had called for them to join him this morning, Koumei found himself highly curious as to what Kouen had gotten up to last night. And with the air of sombre contemplation hanging over Kouen, his curiosity only grew worse though he managed to stay silent until Kouha entered the room with a hefty pout on his face. The boy practically threw himself on Kouen's bed earning a pair of raised eyebrows. Arms crossing as his pout deepened, Kouha muttered, "No one will tell me where Iris' rooms are, I can't even check on her."

Seeing his elder brother shift out of the corner of his eye pulled Koumei's attention, he turned to see Kouen's expression shift and his lips pull into a frown. Voice taking on an authoritative tone, Kouen told their younger brother, "Leave her be, Ha. Lady Iris needs to rest."

Eyebrow rising at the protective undertone to his elder brother's words, Koumei eyed Kouen curiously as Kouha pouted at their elder brother. Something significant had happened between Lady Iris and Kouen last night if that scarcely used tone was being used, the only question was what had happened since Kouen left for his late-night jaunt. Resting a hand on Kouha's shoulder to stall any words, he spoke in a calm and measured tone, "En, you seem to have an idea of what's going on and I've got a theory that this has to do with your late night walk. Perhaps we could solve this little..." He glanced between his brothers, "Matter before it starts with getting onto our meeting, yes?"

Inclining his head, Kouen turned to pour himself a goblet of wine, "Yes, I believe you're right, Mei," He grasped the goblet and turned towards them with a contemplative expression, "Last night during my walk, I encountered Lady Iris."

Just as he was about to elaborate, a knock on the door interrupted Kouen. Koumei's lips pursed in irritation though he said nothing while looking towards the door. Standing from the bed, Kouha walked towards the door and pulled it open revealing a ginger-haired woman wearing an outfit that Koumei vaguely recognized to belong to the Goulon messengers. Only her uniform lacked the Goulon empire's sigil, she wore a silver brooch on her right breast. A dragon in flight was depicted on it. Something about that symbol tugged at Koumei's mind though he couldn't say why, the woman bowed slightly before handing Kouha a sealed letter and retreating.

Closing the door with a gentle thud, Kouha quickly handed the letter to Kouen before taking a seat next to Koumei with a curious expression on his face. They both watched as Kouen opened the letter and began to scan the pages carefully. Mind whirling at the thought of whatever could be on the pages, he found himself speaking, "En, what is it? A message from Lord Habi or perhaps Iris?"

Brow furrowing as he lifted his gaze from the letter, Kouen shook his head, "Neither, it seems to be a message from a 'mutual friend'," Koumei shared a look of confusion with Kouha, "Someone who is concerned about Lady Iris' health and knows about the conversation I had with her last night," The grimace on Kouen's face made the tension filling the room worsen, "About the alliance we'd spoken of."

"Alliance?" Kouha breathed looking excited.

"Indeed," Kouen dropped the letter onto the table beside him, "According to Lady Iris, she's been searching for a good way to bring up creating an alliance with us. Until last night, she hadn't found a good time,"

"But whoever sent this...they were listening in?" Koumei frowned at the thought.

"Or it could be Lady Iris's companion that assisted me last night when she fell ill," Kouen waved off the noise of distress Kouha made while Koumei gifted him a sharp look, "According to him, she will be fine within the next day or so,"

"How can you be so sure?" Kouha scowled at Kouen.

"Because it is all we have to go off of," Kouen's eyes held something in them that told Koumei their elder brother was hiding something though what it could be he wasn't sure, "This letter...I am uncertain about the true intent behind it as it's vague. Though," He gestured to the letter, "We'll have a choice to make tomorrow night,"

"Tomorrow-" Kouha's brows furrowed in confusion.

"A meeting," Koumei realized earning a nod from Kouen, "Does it say where?"

"No, only to leave here as the moon begins to rise and walk to the hallway where I'd met Lady Iris last night," Kouen's expression was unreadable, "This could be a trap by Lord Habi,"

"Or a chance to speak with Lady Iris an alliance away from the castle," Koumei cupped his chin, "En?"

Taking a deep drink from his wine goblet, Kouen's gaze was contemplative. He spoke after a long moment during which Kouha shifted uneasily against Koumei's side, "Mei and I will go," He raised a hand to stall Kouha's protests, "Ha, you will stay behind just in case this turns out to be a trap. If we do not return within two hours, you'll begin preparations to meet up with our army and continue with the plans far sooner than we expected."

"I-Entei..." Kouha's voice was soft.

"I am trusting you with this," Kouen walked over and placed a hand on Kouha's shoulder, "Can you do this for me, Little wolf?"

Seeing Kouha practically burst into tears at that scarcely used nickname, Koumei's heart hurt and warmed all at the same time. He hoped that this cryptic letter was indeed a message from either Iris herself or one of her companions if only to keep his younger brother from shattering further.

As the moon rose higher in the sky above bathing everything below in silvery light, Iris's head tilted backward as she let it rest against the bark of an ancient oak that she'd chosen as her resting spot while waiting for the meeting to begin. Even suppressed by the collar's chains on her magic, Iris' enhanced senses searched for any sign of unfamiliar movement above the natural sounds that hummed around her. As her eyes scanned the area, she only caught the gentle rustle of leaves caused by woodland creatures.

This far away from the castle, the lack of noise should've been calming as there would be no patrols or odd flashes of light caused by a torch. It was the perfect spot to forge an alliance with which freedom that had been longed for would finally be gained. Only she couldn't stop the anxiety and anticipation from twisting about in her chest, it made sweat gather against Iris' palms despite the chill dominating the air. She inwardly groaned and stuffed her hands into the robes that Ginny had helpfully drug into the castle for her earlier. Taking a few deep breaths, she forced herself to calm only to freeze as the peace was shattered with the snapping of a twig.

Senses sharpening as she pushed off the tree she'd been resting against, Iris moved to a nearby tree and pressed herself against the shadowed side. Without even needing to tug on what little magic she could access, she seamlessly blended into the three thanks to the work she'd had to put in under Lord Habi these past few years. Keen eyes sharpened as three forms appeared from the forest's shadow, Ron stepped into view first with Prince Kouen and Koumei stepping out after him. With hope thrumming through her chest, she slowly stepped into the light as well earning a pair of wide-eyed looks. Ron spoke in a light tone, "Got out nice and easy, Ris."

Lips pulling into a genuine smile, Iris dipped her head lightly, "I'm glad, Ron," She turned her gaze onto Prince Kouen and Koumei, "Sorry for the cryptic letter earlier, 'Mione insisted on it just in case Ginny got intercepted."

Seemingly shaking out of his shock, Prince Kouen offered her a slight smile, "It's perfectly alright though we will need to finish our meeting within two hours. Kouha will be readying himself to leave the castle and prepare the army for war early otherwise."

Wincing a bit while slightly awed at the fact they had an army ready to take on the Goulon Empire, Iris nodded, "Of course, we should get started then. I'd offer you a seat, but..."

Prince Kouen chuckled softly as Koumei snickered with a slight grin. Amusement curling through his eyes, Prince Kouen inclined his head, "It is perfectly alright. Now as we discussed in part, you wish to ally with us. I believe it would be best for you to lay down your terms."

Inclining her head, Iris had managed to gather her thoughts now that the meeting had started, "As you rightly ascertained, I am little more than a slave to Lord Habi though I've not shared the story of how that came to be and before we continue these talks, I feel its only right that you know our circumstances," She saw Ron clench his fists and inwardly winced, "My companions and myself arrived in the Goulon Empire a little over three years ago. The matter of how we arrived here is rather odd though you could say the same about each of us, my companions and myself," She smiled a wry smile, "In truth, it was my fault that we ended up here for all that they'll protest rather heavily that they participated."

Brows furrowing at her words, Prince Kouen shared a look with his younger brother though it was Koumei who spoke, "You're being somewhat cryptic."

A low laugh leaving her, Iris sighed as she shifted to lean against the tree behind her, "A hold over I suppose from our upbringing," She smiled sadly, "To put things bluntly, we came not only in the Goulon Empire all those years ago, but we came to this world," She saw their eyes widen at her words, "Think carefully before you begin to protest especially you, Prince Kouen. Have you ever met anyone with the ability to transform into a dragon before?" She heard Koumei gasp though ignored it as Prince Kouen's eyes narrowed at her, "Or do magic without the Rukh?"

"That's-" Koumei started to protest.

Muttering a light spell under his breath, Ron held up his hand and a ball of light formed. Floating around gently, it moved towards her and began to dance in a small circle. Kouen's voice was soft, "If we were to believe you...what exactly do you plan to do once you're free?"

"Trying to get back to our old world, I doubt it's possible," Iris shook her head, "So I wish to find a place for us to call home. Whether that be in your country or another one, I care not, but this," She raised a hand to touch the collar around her neck, "Will not be on my neck,"

For a long moment, Iris' eyes were locked with Prince Kouen's. A wave of emotion raced through his eyes though the highest among them was a mixture of skepticism and awe. There was a burning wish there, she had seen it before in Lord Habi's eyes not long after the man had discovered the existence of magic besides that which was wielded in this world. Rather than feel a sense of fear, she felt a small amount of amusement as it meant he was more likely to ask questions rather than outright deny their claims. Clearing his throat, Koumei called her attention to him as he inquired, "You speak of these abilities as if they are common in your world. Are there many like you with such powers?"

Nodding as she felt a bolt of longing go through her, Iris explained, "Yes though every magic user has varying amounts of talent towards each ability with no one holding the same skill. My ability to transform is completely different from others should they choose to pursue the skill. Magic, as we know it, is not channeled through Rukh there. It's a completely different system, which is why I find your world's magic fascinating."

Curiosity seemingly piqued, Prince Kouen asked her, "With the terms of our alliance, what would your people offer? And what do you envision us offering you besides freedom?"

Clearing her throat, Iris considered her response carefully, "We offer you the knowledge gathered from our time here in the Goulon Empire which is far more extensive than I believe Lord Habi truly realizes. Our combined magical aid though mine will be quite limited until this collar is removed," She found her fingers reached up to tug at the metal, "In certain cases, we do have political ties though they're limited to areas outside of the Empire currently," She saw the two Princes raise their eyebrows, "Due to certain circumstances, the ones we have ties to were unable to assist us before, but should there be a way, I am certain we would be able to pull them in."

"I...would like to hear more about this later on," Koumei shook his head.

"As for what you offer us besides the obvious," Iris dropped her hand, "While freedom will always be our main goal, I wish nothing more than to see Lord Habi's corpse lying on the ground before me or being able to turn him into a smear on the wall," She ignored the low thrum her inner dragon released at the thought, "My companions and I still have much to learn of this world because Lord Habi refuses to allow us to move beyond the Goulon Empire's borders. If I even try to take a single step outside them, the collar will begin reminding me that I belong at his feet and try to force me back. It will only get worse the further I try to wander away,"

Expressing turning dark, Prince Kouen asked her, "How far are you able to even go?"

The 'before it becomes too much' was silent. Expression twisting, Iris' voice was soft, "Five miles or two days if I try to linger even a mile outside the Empire's border," She saw Koumei wince, "I wouldn't be surprised if my neck has a scar from my two attempts..." She brushed away Ron's hand when he laid it on her shoulder, "We wish to learn more of this world besides what's available through books. We want to learn more of this world's magic...the culture...whatever we can as it'll be our home since the one we were thrown from is likely lost to us."

Face filled with contemplation, Koumei nodded, "It's an intriguing proposition, Iris. And with our joint wishes, it is something we have to consider. However," He shared a look with Prince Kouen, "Rushing into an alliance especially one like this with unknowns isn't something we can do. Let us think this over," Iris nodded having already guessed this would be the case, "Give us two days to come up with an answer."

Offering him a light smile, Iris nodded in understanding, "I figured that you would need time, so take your time. We should meet at the same time though," Prince Kouen and Koumei nodded to her, "In the time being, we should continue to act as is if only to hide any sign of this from Lord Habi," She glanced towards the sky and let out a low sigh, "We should head back into the castle. It's about time for you to ease Kouha's worries and if the last few days have been any indication, Lord Habi is likely going to be wanting a meeting tomorrow. I best get some rest myself."

"Iris..." Koumei's expression twisted a bit.

Offering him a light smile as she pushed off the tree she'd been leaning on, Iris shook her head, "You look far too concerned, Koumei. I've dealt with everything that man has decided to use against me for years now. A little bit longer is fine in my mind."

And her words were still true even if their alliance didn't work out, Iris' smiled wryly though quickly pushed that thought away as she began the journey back.

The knowledge that Lady Iris was not only able to transform into a dragon but from another world entirely left Kouen's mind in a state of turmoil even as the morning arrived. For another world entirely to exist, it was a possibility that he'd only dreamed of as a child before quickly tossing away as his responsibilities began to form. But just as Lady Iris had said, the ability to transform into any animal let alone a dragon was impossible no matter the magic they used. Even among the Djinn, a metal vessel user household members came close to such an ability, but it wasn't the same. Not like what he'd seen with Lady Iris, the image of her transforming back was firmly etched into the back of his mind.

With the spell that her companion had used, Kouen admitted that it was indeed different from a light spell he'd seen their magicians use. The exact way it was different was something he couldn't explain, but there was something so distinctly different that he had to concede. While he would need to see more of their magic to truly accept the truth, he was willing to agree that perhaps they were telling the truth. He ran a hand through his hair as a knock sounded seconds before Koumei entered his room with Kouha trailing after him. With his arms crossed and a furrowed brow, Kouha wasted no time in voicing his curiosity and frustration, "So... what was the meeting about since you two didn't feel like telling me last night once you returned?"

Inwardly wincing at the hurt in Kouha's voice, he realized that their secrecy had hurt his younger brother. Kouen set down the cup he'd started to lift to his lips, "Ha, it isn't that we didn't feel like telling you anything last night. Mei and I both need a bit of time to process what occurred during our meeting," Kouha gave him a look of confusion, "Last night was a meeting that revealed both Lady Iris' intentions of creating an alliance with us and revealing a few secrets that she felt would be best revealed before we became allies."

"Alliance-So it's what you thought it would be?" Kouha's expression brightened before he frowned, "Though you said something about secrets, what could possibly be that big of secret-"

"She and her companions are apparently from another world," Koumei cut in making Kouha's eyes widen in shock, "To demonstrate the truth of this, Lady Iris' companion that joined her for this meeting used a spell to produce light,"

"Any low-ranking magician can...do that.." Kouha trailed off as he eyed Koumei, "Something was different, wasn't it, Mei?"

"Yeah," Koumei nodded while leaning against the wall, "No staff or wand in sight, he barely even uttered a word. Dentallion mentioned that she didn't feel the Rukh even stir when the spell was activated," He frowned deeply, "And as it moved, the light...it looked brighter and more full than any light ball that our Magicians can usually pull off,"

"That-But how can that prove anything?" Kouha shook his head.

"It can't truly prove much," Kouen confirmed as he finally picked up his goblet of water, "But it leaves much to consider, we were offered more than their unique magic," He gazed at Kouha, "Information and political ties,"

"Ties? Why didn't they use-" Kouha cut himself off and an uncomfortable look came over his face, "They couldn't...something stopped them for reasons they aren't saying, huh?"

"Indeed," Koumei nodded to their little brother, "We have today and tomorrow to decide whether we'll become allies with them. We will be meeting again at the same time and same place. Though this time, you'll be joining us Ha,"

Brightening, Kouha nodded with a slight grin, "Awesome though..." He frowned a bit, "What are we going to do? I mean...I want Iris to be free, but I've never..."

"That's something we need to consider thoroughly during the next few days though," Kouen looked at his youngest brother as he admitted, "What they offer is something I am hesitant to say no to, I will let you know what we decide,"

"Alright," Kouha shifted a bit as his expression twisted, "Uh...am I allowed to speak with Iris? Not to talk about the whole potential alliance-"

"Yes, Ha," Kouen chuckled softly and waved off his younger brother, "We all agreed to maintain our usual routines. If anything, you're ensuring she doesn't gain any more trouble from Lord Habi,"

Giving him a lazy wave, Kouha slipped out of the room. Koumei watched their younger brother go as Koune turned to grab an apple from the nearby fruit bowl. Koumei spoke with his voice taking on the same tone it had before they parted the night before, "En, have you thought of what I said last night?"

Pausing as his fingers closed around an apple, Kouen's eyes closed and he breathed out a sigh, "Mei, are you not the one who usually tells Ha not to get emotionally invested in others?"

"I-I'm not, En," Koumei defended himself as Kouen plucked out an apple, "Just...you saw the look on her face, En. Before we parted in the clearing,"

Mind going back to that moment, the moonlight had allowed Kouen to see for just a few moments what Koumei had spoken of. It was a grim look he'd seen in the eyes of those who thought that sacrificing themselves would free their people from the Kou Empire's grasp. A lonely and hard look where hope had all but died out. Unlike those he had encountered during various campaigns, Lady Iris' eyes held a depth that carried those emotions twofold. Like looking into a pool only for a beast to be staring back, the one beneath held the determination to see things through and a fire that could burn his very soul if he stared too long.

Swallowing a bite of the apple, Kouen contemplated how to answer Koumei's words before finally replying, "Mei, does it matter? While we are unable to deny that Lady Iris and her companions have been through unimaginable hardships, the fact remains that we need to proceed with caution when considering everything. You know this," He eyed his younger brother, "Emotions cannot weigh in our decision."

"I...I know," Koumei breathed out heavily and straightened, "I suppose that much like Ha I've gotten a bit too close to Lady Iris," He shook his head, "But...I won't let it affect my judgment. I promise,"

"Good," Kouen set his apple on the table and reached out to clasp Koumei's shoulder, "I would hate for my most trusted advisor's judgment to be cloudy," He smiled slightly, "Now, we have a lot to consider and little time to do so,"

As Koumei nodded to him, Kouen felt a small pang run through his heart at being so hard on both his younger brothers. It was needed though as they had to consider all options when it came to the proposed alliance. With the unknowns offered, they had much to lose and gain in the coming days.