Kurt and Talia found themselves near the start of a tiny forest. They had spent several days together really. Talia was also a guardian, she had an earth ability, she could create platforms of rock in the air, and send them flying. And various other techniques Kurt never saw. She was slower but still fast, and had some earth legs, where the ground would push her, similar effects to the water boots but done differently. So they had decided to take some time outside.

"Ohh that's weird," said Talia looking at the vision of the tiny forest.

"Yeah it's the Dutchery."

"What, that Sara's place? How far does your land go Kurt?"

"Yeah super weird right, there was this huge rabbit. Nevermind it wouldn't make sense."

Talia walked closer, "it's pushing me away, and I wanna say it's moving but, it is not, but yet, it's close and far. Even the aura is messed up."

"Well, I." said Kurt pausing, "guess I could knock."

"Knock?"

"Yell," said Kurt, then screamed, "Mary!!!"

"Who is this Mary?" Said a Talia with her arm on her hips, "It's not some succubus you've been hiding."

"Hiding? You met Sara when you met me."

Soon after Mary did fly over.

"Lord Kurt," said Mary, "is something wrong?"

"I don't know how to get in without, you know."

"She knows what?" said Talia.

"Ohh" said Mary, "as the forest drew closer and closer. "Come in Sir Kurt, and friend?" Mary gave Talia a crooked smile. Which Talia had a strange reaction to.

The illusion didn't stop, it just wasn't pushing away, and they were able to walk right into the Dutchery's grounds with a few steps by the end, instead of the forest appearing far away, it came impossibly close like Mary had just reversed the effect.

Inside the Dutchery there were various goblins, and actually a few elves. Kurt didn't know Sara had recruited any of them.

"Ohh damn, what the hell Kurt," said Talia.

"What?"

"There is a whole other like…" Talia said while walking around.

"I mean it's Duchess Sara, what am I supposed to do?" said Kurt.

"Why are you so lovable when you are like this?" said Talia.

"Like what?"

"Completely clueless," said Talia, grabbing her long auburn hair and pulling.

"Have you never been here, we can go back, actually a lot quicker," said Kurt.

"I'm not even going to ask what that means. No."

"Umm Sir Kurt, I think I'm going to inform Lady Sara of your arrival if you give me leave," said Mary.

"Yeah, go for it." said Kurt.

"Kurt," Talia said, "why bring me here?"

"What do you mean? We were having fun seeing the land and we ended up here, I didn't exactly plan it."

"You know, I'm going to have to tell my clan."

"We're supposed to be allies."

"Yeah but this," Talia said looking around. Talia took a few breaths and calmed down. "Sorry I just, you're so casual, more than you should be, and we're not done negotiating."

"Leave that to Layla and Fredrick."

"Still Kurt, you can't just…throw a whole fully staffed Durchery at me. In what appears to be another well in another very strange form, you know my eyes can see that right? Why is everything so weird here?" Talia was oddly losing some of her composure, which she normally had more than enough of.

"I thought you knew."

"Well she didn't, idiot," shouted Sara, with Mary in tow.

"Hello. Duchess Sara," Talia said with a small wave.

"Really dude, you just gonna bring little miss honeypot everywhere."

"Honeypot?" said Talia

"You heard me," said Sara.

"And Tyler is where?" said Kurt.

"That's not the same thing," said Sara.

"Ohh it's not now,"said Kurt.

"You two, what the hell?" Said Talia.

"What?" Kurt and Sara responded.

Talia, came closer to Kurt grabbing his hand, and Sara rolled her eyes, "do you not realize?"

"Realize what?" said Sara.

Talia looked at Sara, then Kurt, then Sara, then Kurt, and covered her mouth, after a moment letting go, "oh you grew up as commoners, you're not actually nobles. This isn't."

"Yeah so what of it?" said Sara.

"No, it's not a bad thing, it's just, you don't see," said Talia. "It's so obvious now, I feel so stupid," smacking her own head.

"I can see you trying to manipulate my best friend," said Sara.

"Manipulate?" said Kurt.

"Kurt, I love you but you are a dumb ass sometimes, she's obviously just throwing herself at you, a girl doesn't do that without a motive." said Sara

"See, that's the problem, my motive should be obvious," said Talia, shaking her fists.

"And what's that, try to take us over."

"No, yes, not anymore, you have an army."

"No, yes?"

"Well if it was just you, Kurt and Layla, Fredrick would have attacked, most likely, but that is not the issue, we were not expecting a whole actual kingdom of monsters."

"I think it's an issue," said Sara.

"It's not anymore, we can't attack you here and not be vulnerable, and you might win, not worth it. Especially within Salbine city."

"Talia?" said Kurt.

"So Sara, what is my end goal here? What horrible thing am I plotting?" said Talia, throwing up her hands.

"Umm, I don't know."

"Because you don't understand, I'm a single young countess, what do you think happens to girls like me?"

"I don't really know…"

"So here are some lessons in high society, my end goal is marriage."

"What?" said Kurt.

"Like you don't see, how do you think nobles make alliances?" Talia said, pinching her fingers, shaking a little, "Our marriage, even our engagement would solidify the deal. Most noble marriages are political, that's the real truth. So what normally happens to a girl in my position, is I'm expected to marry a noble of higher status or at least even. And yes that marriage is supposed to help my clan in some way, like securing our alliance here."

"I didn't think of—," said Sara.

"Yeah there was a reason the cute young countess was in meetings with the bachelor crown prince," Talia said with a deadpan stare, "That is a part of my life. And obviously you've never met any actual nobles, trust me they are insufferable, arrogant, and think of women as adornments of their status, and this unending sense of undeserved self worth."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"So when a sexy young countess like myself," said Talia pointing at herself, "finds a cute young lord that has, or will have, a lot of power, and that isn't completely full of himself, lets you relax around him, and you can't not imagine at least a semi-happy life with, and feel safe with — you snatch him right up before anyone else can. I'm sorry you let him slip through your fingers, but I don't intend to, I can see the benefits of this alliance. Because I can't just go down to the battle square and pick out some random hunk. It's improper for a lady such as myself," Talia said standing tall and proper.

"Umm…" said Sara, "Kurt didn't slip through my fingers girl, he's like my little brother."

"Do you think you're immune to this Dutchess Sara?"

"What?"

"You will get offers, my lady," Talia said, still standing tall and proper, with a self righteous smile and nods, her hands folded at her waist.

"From like nobles? For marriage?" said Sara.

"Yes, of course, because like it or not, this little secret of yours is going to get out. I promise you that, the fire clan knows, we know, the prince knows, too many know to remain secret it barely even is anymore. And you may have to consider some of those offers in a political light as well. My lady."

"Cute ones?" Sara said meekly.

"Sara, stop, they are fucking awful. And another thing you can't be calling Lord Kurt dumb in front of other nobles like myself, it makes him and your clan or whatever this is, look weak. "

"Huh."

"Even if he is dumb sometimes."

"A lot of time" Sara grumbled, turning her eyes away, and that one made even Talia break into a laugh.

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