(On the bright side, I ended up falling asleep.) Francis gazed around the room before sitting down, his legs crossed. "This place is nice."
(I'd imagine that 'passed out' is probably a more accurate term.) Poppy joined him, her expression one of awe. "It is," she responded, nodding. "A little intimidating too."
(Yeah, haha.) "Intimidating? I try not to let it get to my head." He brushed his hair back. "It'll be fine." (On another note, I'm already prepared for more cute stuff.)
She grinned over at him. "Hm. Okay. I'm trusting you here," she teased. "If something goes wrong, I'm blaming you." (BLESS. Let me know if there's any way I can help!)
"Nothing will go wrong. If anything, you're jinxing it." He chuckled, looking at the ceiling. (Alright, are they on the same ship as before or a different one?)
She laughed lightly as the butler walked back in, this time with a stern looking man with brown hair and jets of grey in his sideburns. "Ah, Mr. Craw. Ms. Abernathy. Good to meet you." He walked towards them, his hand extended. (I was thinking the same one, but we can change it if need be.)
Francis stood up, shaking his hand with a firm grip. "You must be Mr. Sutter. It's nice to meet you as well." (No, I was hoping it was the same one, so it's all good.)
He shook Poppy's hand and smiled at the two of them, putting his hands into his pockets. "Let me show you to the dining room. We have a lot to discuss, yes?"
He led them into a large dining room. There were three place settings at the end of the table, and the walls were painted a light green. "Ah, yes. I heard about the bombings. My condolences."
"Oh, thank you," he said, sitting down. "To be honest, we're not quite sure of the conditions of our city or homes, so we can only hope for the best."
"It's tragic," he said, shaking his head. "It is so unnecessary." Various waiters began to stream from the kitchens, pouring glasses of wine and serving appetizers. "So, let's get down to business," he said, clapping his hands together. "Your country needs help, obviously. What are you asking of me?"
Francis leaned forward, his expression turning serious. "What we ask for is military aid. Due to the current conditions of our government, there's not much we can do to fight back, as of yet. Criminals are getting away with things because of our lack of resources. We need your help," he said, his voice was steady, but had a sense of urgency.
Mr. Sutter leaned back and frowned. "I empathize with you and your country, truly I do. But it makes much more sense for the safety of my nation not to pick sides here. This is a dangerous war you've gotten yourself into." "But sir," Poppy said quietly, "there is a great injustice that is occurring. The decision should not be made lightly, of course, but I urge you to consider your nation's integrity. What do you and your people symbolize if you do not stand up for what is right?" He frowned. "Utrana will stop at nothing. Their militia is considered one of the most ruthless in the world. Plus, with the addition of the Caedis, there are many different parts at play here. You do realize that siding with you will put us as their next target, yes?" "They've already murdered thousands of people," Poppy responded. "They are unpredictable, and they cannot be allowed intimidate everyone into submission." She shook her head. "Even if you do not side with us, there is still no guarantee that your country will be safe, and you will have stood by while atrocities are committed against innocent people." Her words were harsh, but Mr. Sutter seemed to consider them. He stroked his chin as he thought and frowned. "If we were to help you," he said as the dinners were served, "we would need to know that it wouldn't just be us. We cannot fight this war alone."
Francis leaned back, his jaw tense as he followed the conversation intently. "That wouldn't be the case," he stated smoothly. "You're just the first of many people who will have the option to fight by our side. This isn't something one person can do alone, and we understand that. We just need your assistance to spark a fire."
"I understand," he said, waving a hand around as he took a sip of his wine. "But you do recognize that Utrana isn't your only enemy, yes? Other countries will have sworn their allegiance to them already."
"All the more reason to get more allies. Now, you can stand neutral or you can join us, but only one of those options is helpful to a good cause," he said, squinting slightly.
Mr. Sutter leaned back and considered the two of them with dark brown eyes. "You understand that we won't take action until we have more backup," he said sternly.
