There was much to look forward to this trip for Jarmyr. After all, his brother had spoken highly of the Inferos from his last couple of visits and of the Mistress of this esteem world. Normally the brothers were left to their own devices and sparsely met up, but then they did, there was much for the other to learn. He had already dealt with with the docks, which took quite the time before he was able to be ferried away and the trip itself through the river drew in his curiousity. After all, there was quite the detail paid alone in how torturous and wonderful the agonising journey took. Beautiful scenery, yet the sounds that filled it would draw out doom for the poor souls destined to become trapped here. It drew out a harmless little smile from the corner of his lips. Laying down, he kicked up his feet against the side of the boat moments before it came towards its final destination.

Kicking himself up, the demon stepped off and bowed his head to the unmanned boat before spinning on his heels. This place reeked of depression and gloom, and he felt it clawing itself away inside him. It was a powerful force and much of him could feel the magical energies tugging away. His crimson eyes blinked and he tried to shake it off, but it was useless. This Mistress only made him all the more intrigued, and if Xunatar could make it through this, then surely so can he.

Pressing against the gate, he opened it and stepped through only to be greeted with by the sight of red. “Ooooh, what is this I see?”, he spoke in a teasing manner as he observed the tall and mighty buildings, made up of strangest materials yet they were appealing to look at. But like the river, this place seemed abundant when it came to the screams of this realm’s victims. In a way, he suppose it was more so justice being done against those- it was a fact that his brother so kindly graced him with. But the amount of knowledge that was shared was rather little, so he was going into this mostly blind. Not that he minded of course; it was what made this trip all the more exciting. “Now, where is she?” He only managed to take a few steps before he felt the hurricane-like winds blew at him. It started out light enough to blow at his raven hair with ease and the ends of his robes before it nearly launched him off his feet. As that occurred, he could hear his brother’s voice taunting him inside his mind. Groaning, he clung to one of the buildings only to feel it starting topple towards him. Well this was something unforeseen.

The demon hung on for what felt like eternity before it ceased as quickly as it came. The screams continued onward and then the succubi and incubi came from the distance, unaffected by the winds of this circle. He spotted rather quickly that they weren’t the friendly sort of welcoming party as they had spiked chains and other wonderful instruments in hand. “Suppose that she went for the more ruthless lot of you. Well then, since you are came here just for me, I can play you a little something.” They drew closer and some were about ready to strike him with those chains when he cleared his throat and started to sing. His voice rose a few pitches higher, yet was so enchanting that it would lure angels over and it started to weave its spell over them.

“O’ Beautiful vixens
Drop down your toys
Partake in my song
Listen and enjoy!”

Violence didn’t seem like it would work on them; as a matter of fact, it looked as though they would much more take pleasure in it. Jarmyr wouldn’t fault them for he he was a bit of a slave himself in that regard, but it wouldn’t do for him if it meant that he’d be stuck here.

“O’ My radiant lovers
Of gloom and dim,
Drop your weapons
And follow my whim”

Like clockwork, they followed his wish and soon those awful tools were dropped without hesitation and they stood there to listen to his hymms.

“And now, my dreamers
Do this without frown
Let me pass through
And drop to the ground.”

He continued as they fell back onto the earth and he started to walk and pass over their bodies while singing. By the time he made it over the last of them, a door appeared and led him into a world of black with naught but the light of a sole lantern to led him through the abyss and to the courtyard of the Reaper. By then, he was still humming his little tune, thinking himself to be more clever than Xunatar in this right. Smirking, Jarmyr placed down the lantern and drew himself over to some of the majestic flora raised here. But he was careful to keep his distance in recognizing some of them and their potential danger.

“My lady of the night, will you be so kind to spend a little of your time on me? I have heard nothing but good things from my brother, Xunatar”, he spoke while his crimson orbs shifted about to spot her, should she be enticed to come that is.

Dalanesca sat not far from where Jarmyr entered the courtyard, lounging on a chair with a reclined back.  She was dressed in an intimately casual manner, a black stone cup clutched in one hand from which she drank deeply.  She had been in a state of utter relaxation, until her divine senses had told her someone had entered her realm, alerting her to his presence long before he called out to her.  There was something a bit familiar about the aura of the particular person who had chosen to visit her this day that was vaguely familiar, but still different enough for it to have been someone she had never met.

She was tucked back in a little alcove where she could not be seen from where the newcomer stood, but she got up and walked toward him, her bare feet padding across the ground.  "Serpent tongue, your brother has," she said in a rather sultry tone as she approached him, her fingers brushing the petals of the poisonous flowers the walked past.  When she came into full view of the stranger, she looked him up and down.  "The family resemblance is most certainly there," she said, her tongue darting out to wet her lips.  Her free hand came to rest on her bare hip, and she took a drink from the cup she still carried.  

"I can think of many things I would be willing to spend my time on with you," she said, her eyes fixated anywhere but his face before she allowed her gaze to drift up to his crimson eyes, such a contrast from the pale, icy blue of her own.  "And of all the things your brother has told you, I hardly doubt the word 'kind' was used at all," she said with a bit of a laugh, thinking back on the few times she and Xunatar had confronted one another.  "There must be a reason you have chosen to visit me," she added, taking another drink from her cup, draining it.

"Come," she said and turned to head back to her chair, where another of similar style sat next to it, beckoning for him to follow her.  When they reached the area, she sat back down, reaching to the side to grab a decanter from which she filled her own cup.  Seemingly out of nowhere, a girl whose mouth had been crudely stitched shut appeared carrying a tray with a crystal decanter of amber liquid and a matching stone cup, and she set it on the ground next to the chair that Dalanesca directed the stranger to sit in.  "Have a drink… I promise it's safe," she said, smirking, as Xunatar had no doubt told his brother of her forcing him to poison himself.  "Before you tell me your reason for visiting me… I would ask your name," she said, reclining in her chair and stretching her legs out in a clear attempt to distract him.

As soon as he heard the sounds of footsteps did the demon turn and he was not disappointed in the least. Xunatar’s words didn’t do the goddess enough justice; she was a dark soul but also a very alluring one. Not just in her appearance but also her demeanor and movement made. Oh, the stupid grin Jarmyr couldn’t help but to have on his face as he watched her approached. It was obvious that she had baited and lured him in, not that he would put up much of a fight to resist it. “We are alike in some ways, but are vastly different too. That…I can promise you. Which was true, he was much more blunt as his brother was subtle with his words. But the charming feature was a shared trait the men in their family possessed, something he was sure that the god had showed Dalanesca.

The goddess certainly knew how to distract her guests, which he would admit she was doing a damn good job. His eyes would betray his inner thoughts but his mouth continue to work its magic, figuratively speaking. “Oh, I’m very sure, and I’ll do well to get my point across, Lady Death. You won’t be disappointed.” He just had to make sure that he avoided any offering of leaves that would be handed to him; unlike the other brother, he wasn’t one that would seek out his demise in order to prove himself. Oh no, he had many other ways of convincing her that he was worthy of her time.

As instructed, he followed her and took his seat after she did. He silently continued to study her even when the servant had appeared and provided him with a similar cup and unknown drink. For a moment, his eyes shifted from the decanter and then back to her. “It would be rude for me if I didn’t accept such a gracious offer.” The words slipped out softly as he poured his drink and eyed her as he drank. Jaymyr was about to answer her request when she put him through another trial; he felt like a predator anticipating the kill of its prey, it was slowly killing him. Not even the strongest demons he had seen possess would be able to resist her antics. One had to wonder if she held this because of her divine blood or did it merely magnified it? His tongue ran roughly against the tips of his teeth as that hunger grew, but he had to remain focus.

But he would certainly be damned if she kept up with those antics for much longer.

Regrouping himself, he sat up in his seat, placing one leg on top of the knee of the other one as a gentleman would and tilted his head to the right. After some thought, his lips curled up and placed the cup back onto the cup momentarily. Adjusting the top part of his robe, he allowed it to fall to his waistline so to allow for his torso to be fully out in the open as well as the tattoos that laid on his biceps. ”Needed to get more comfortable, hope you don’t mind”, he carried on as if nothing happened before he once again adjusted his posture. He figured that it was only fair to play her game, after all. It was hard to see through her demeanor to tell whether she was toying with him or not.

“Jarmyr. And as promised, I will share with you all you want to know. My brother had indeed told me much about you and though you are the ruler of the end of life, you also wield the shadows as well. I fancy myself as a bit of a bard, though I use shadow magic as well in tantrum with my more natural talents.” Picking back up the cup, he took a long sip before refilling it. “And with those two thoughts in mind, I wanted to see you for myself and now that I have, I feel as though I should offer my services to you, as whatever you may wish to make use of me. Be it a spy, personal bard, or anything else.” Again he tried to restrain himself as adulterous thoughts swam freely in his head. “Besides, how could I not offer such a thing now that I’ve seen you, Dalanesca?”

As he proceeded to drop his robe to his waist, revealing his chest and abdomen, even Dalanesca could not help but to let her gaze drift downwards, drinking in the artwork tattooed upon his arms as well as his physique.  Her eyes narrowed slightly as she shifted her gaze back to his.  Rather than making a snide remark about her awareness of what it was he was attempting to do, she chose to let it slide, instead planning another game of her own in her mind.  "Only natural," she said, in response to his comment about making himself more comfortable.  "After all, the weather of Inferos is something of an anomaly… rather unpredictable," she said in a rather nonchalant manner.  It was easy for her to pick up on the fact that she was having somewhat of an effect on him, at least mentally - as was her intention - but she played off as if she were at least slightly oblivious - for the time being, at least.

She listened intently as he proceeded to tell her a bit more about himself, shifting her legs every so often, all the while sipping on her drink.  When he had finished, including an introduction of his name, she had a slightly devious smirk on her lips.  "Oh, Jarmyr," she said, drawing out the syllables of his name. "I am sure that I could make use of you in… one way or another," she said, her voice quiet and low, and she placed her cup beside her chair.  Swinging her legs to one side, she stood from where she sat and walked around to stand behind him.  

"I find it interesting that you would offer your servitude to me, rather than your brother.  I have no siblings of my own, but if I did I would find it offensive if they chose to serve a different god," she said.  "Then again, perhaps you and I are not speaking of the same services."  As she spoke the last phrase, she leaned down, placing one hand on each of his shoulders and bringing her lips next to his ear, her voice hardly above a whisper.  On the last word, her lips just barely brushed against the edge of his ear.  Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she spoke, and when she pulled back away from his ear, she released her grip, circling back around to face him once more.  

She stood directly in front of him, and with one hand she reached out to take the cup from his hands, making quite a show of bending over to place it on the ground.  As she did so, the slits of her loose and flowing skirt shifted to give him a slight view of what was hidden beneath them - all intentional on her behalf.  When she stood back up, she placed a hand on Jarmyr's knee of the leg he had crossed over the other, pushing it aside so that his legs were no longer crossed.  With a fluid movement, she moved until she sat in his lap, one leg draped on either side of his, facing him.  She had taken a full swing when she saw the bait would be so easily taken, but she had a feeling he was about to give her a run for her money, no matter how hard she tried.  Her decision was that it would be best to make the most of it, and get as much amusement out of him as she could lest he turn the tables on her.

Her face mere inches from his own, she gave him a rather sultry smirk.  "Unless the services you offer me are… of a different kind," she said, a hand coming to drag down his bare chest.  "I find myself intrigued…"

She was a crafty one, like Xunatar had said, but he left out just how tortuous Dalanesca could be. Of course, the same could be said vice versa so there was were still some moves that he could break out himself in their game- exposing some of himself was just a start and he liked how she eyed him with care. He didn’t bother to mask the full amount of his enjoyment, but Jarmyr would at least be kind enough to count his blessings just yet.

“I’m sure you can and have thought of many good uses of me, and I’d be quite open to them. No point of living a full life if one isn’t adventurous. Should it be by your grace, then I’d be willing to serve in any position you’d like”, he offered, allowing for the double meaning behind it to slip out so causally. He wasn’t the sort to conceal his feelings, unlike others in his family. He was as much as a straight shooter as he was talented in a variety of things. He couldn’t help but to straightened up as the goddess rose up from her chair and those crimson orbs followed her as she glided around and behind him. He had to admit that he wasn’t used to being the one that was pursued in such a manner- normally it was him doing such. It was a refreshing thrill as Jarmyr drew his head back and listened .

“We get along, but we differ too vastly to work together all the time, let alone serve the other.” He grinned as she inflicted some pain into his shoulders, as he felt her fingers threaten to go through his flesh. Teeth bit softly against the side of his mouth to gather more control within until she released the grip and came in front of him. “Besides, I rather be able to watch you than him.” Also, playing with her was far more fun than merely serving as a pawn to Xunatar. At least he wouldn’t worry too much about being stabbed in the back here.

Sipping at his drink, he released it as soon as she took a firm grip and did away with it. So brazen Dalanesca was with her show and it only lured him further into this perhaps compromising situation. He was aware by now that he was being tested, had the feeling since they met but to the exact level? Jarmyr didn’t know, but he was going to find out one way or another. They would see how far the other would go down the rabbit hole before the cracks in their armors reveal. He sucked at the bottom of his lip in anticipation as he felt her touch again and pouted a little when she forced his leg down. But was pleasantly surprised when she sat onto his lap like a cat taking its rightful spot, well as rightful as she deemed it.

Now usually when one would be placed into the situation he was in, they would hesitate in so much as to even entertain the thought of laying a hand on the likes of her, But Jarmyr preferred to tempt fate and take the bait- his hands fell onto uppermost parts of her thighs with a vigorous grip. He could feel her hot breath against his face and he took advantage of getting a much closer look at her features. Her gown did its job in covering her, but a lot of her womanly form didn’t leave much to the imagination. But the view was enticing and he drank it all in eagerly.

Oh, if she would allow him into her circle, he would make sure she wouldn’t be disappointed at all.

His hands loosened and started to massage her legs with a hint of roughness, pushing away some of the fabric that was in the way of his fingers. But he was still mannerly enough to keep her mostly unexposed. “Any means, any sort of service you’d wish, Dalanesca. I have no problem swearing allegiance to you.” He dared to close the space between them by moving his own body up forward, barely out of reach to her own. Hands traveled up to met with her hips, his fingers lightly traced around the lace of those garments of the Reaper's. His head lunged in so that his lips could meet with her ear and purred out words that were utterly begging to be slipped out from his lips right from the beginning, “Only you, my goddess.”

Dalanesca struggled internally from the position she had put herself in. While she had no intention of taking the particular situation too far, the position in which she now found herself was rather intoxicating to her. It had been quite some time since Story had shared her bed, and his absence had left her needs unfulfilled. Through all of her enticements and lustful propositions she offered to others, she was not one to immediately bed someone - but the thought now crossed her mind.

Her internal struggle became even more difficult as Jarmyr's hands gripped her thighs tightly, and she drew in a sharp breath through her nostrils. His words did nothing but further her interest, and she battled with herself as she decided what next to do.  As his lips met her ear and he whispered a declaration to her, a shiver ran down her spine.  It was that which ignited a fire in her, and rather aggressively she tangled her hands in the hair at the back of his head and pulled his face away from her, staring deep into his eyes as she did so.  "As it should be," she said in a breathless manner, before leaning forward, her hand still aggressively holding his head in place, and crashing her lips into his in a heated kiss.  It lasted for what seemed like an eternity, her hands releasing from his hair and traveling down the bare skin of his sides before coming to rest where his robes had fallen, the tips of her fingers hooking into the waistband of the garment he wore below them.

Just as she began to tug the garment downwards, she drew away from the kiss, taking his lower lip into her mouth and biting down on it firmly, before pulling away completely.  With that, she suddenly moved her hands away from him and stood up, backing away from him.  She adjusted the waist of her skirt, if one could call it such, and gave him a knowing smile.  "If you'll accompany me, we can discuss what services I may require from you," she said, and spun on her heels and head into Domus Tenebris, smirking once her back was to Jarmyr.

When the pair had made it inside, she directed them to the library where they sat down on chairs opposite each other.  She locked her gaze onto his again, crossing her legs purposefully so that her entire leg was visible to him, all the way to the hip.  "I'm curious just how devoted to me you would be, were I to accept your services," she said, thoughtfully.  "Tell me, Jarmyr… if I asked, would you kill for me?" She gave him a rather sinister smile as she awaited his response, internally satisfied with how this particular meeting had gone thus far.

Jarmyr simply oozed with delight as he watched Dalanesca's physical cues as he went to work. He didn’t try to go over the top- he merely wanted to match her actions, tic for tac. He wanted to drive her over the edge and despite the risk of being a bit too cocky, he felt like he was doing a damn good job. Fortunately he wasn’t bothered by the thought since for various reason in relation to her, he was distracted. He felt his head yanked back with that surprising roughness her touch could grant, a devious smirk slipped as he bore into her eyes. She was motivated, all right and it was thrilling to behold.

What more could he has wished for?

Oh, his dying mind would receive the answer when she drew herself upon him into a lusty kiss. Jarmyr wasted no time in returning the favor as his hands took her by the small of her back and pressed her against him. It was only when he felt her hands traveling down him did his hold loosen. The further she traveled, the more she fueled his carnal hunger. His own slipped down to her derriere and firmly grasped it in either hand.

Jarmyr did feel somewhat disappointed when the goddess suddenly and abruptly ceased her toying and escaped his grasp. For a moment he would have begged to feel her lips against him again and now had left him in an awkward position. He pouted for mere moments before sighing and laughing at himself. It seemed as though their game hadn’t ended there, but really just begun. She did get a rise out of him, in more ways than one and he had a hunch she knew it too with that craft smile of his. ”Alright.” He had to regroup before standing up and followed her humble abode.

Everything, every detail of her home, he drank it all up but being the sort of person he was, the demon couldn’t help but to subtly watch Lady Death walk up ahead of him. So confident she was in her stride but he had to be careful- he didn’t want to be seen as a lovesick puppy. It was a ridiculous thought that crossed his mind and he kept his attention on her when they arrived in her library. He took his seat and chewed on his lip once more as she provided another showing of her leg.His eyes traced it up before meeting with her face and smiled. “Understandable. I look forward to proving it.” Leaning forward and resting his arms against the top of his legs, Jarmyr looked her squarely in the eyes and a darkness flickered from them for a second.

“You say Kill, and I’ll reply Quick or slow?”

Jarmyr's willingness to heed her commands was not the only thing that brought a satisfied smirk to Dalanesca's lips.  The smirk that had been plastered to her lips throughout their walk into the library had never faded, as she was entirely aware of his eyes on her body while they traversed the hallways.  Even now, as they sat, she could feel the burn of his gaze on every part of her body but her eyes.  

When that gaze did redirect to her eyes, she locked gazes with him, her smile spreading at his reply.  "Just the answer I was hoping to hear," she said, a much more sinister tone blanketing her voice.  Truth was, she had no immediate plans for Jarmyr, but there was something about the demon prince that piqued her interest.  "I could easily induct you as I have the other demons in my service.  They act as messorem, as my agents, essentially," she said, shrugging her shoulders.  She shifted in her seat, more of the milky white flesh of her thighs coming into Jarmyr's view.

"I think that would be a waste of your… talents," she said, drumming her fingers lazily on the armrest of her seat.  "You don't have a soul for me to take hostage, not the kind I want anyway… And I think you could be so much more than a lowly agent," she added.  She sat up suddenly and leaned forward, her elbows on her knees and her chin propped in her hand.  "I can think of several… jobs that you would be well suited for," she said, her tongue darting out as she dragged it slowly across her lips.  

"The head of my messorem, Jazrael, is hardly present here," she said, with a sigh.  "She is usually in the mortal plane, checking up on the lower ranked agent and making sure they are keeping up with soul collection quotas and the like," she said.  "That kind of work is a bit too… mundane, for someone like you," she added.  "I would offer you, should you be able to continue proving your loyalty to me, shelter within the realm, and perhaps… something else," she concluded, her eyes drifting down his body before shifting back up to his own.

"I would ask that you attend to more… personal matters for me - I have many enemies in the world," she explained, sitting back up and leaning back in the chair again.  "If you can act without questions, you'll be well rewarded," she hinted, the connotations of the instruction rather obvious.  "What do you say… Jarmyr?" she asked, drawing out every single syllable in his name as though she were savoring a delectable dish.  "Interested?"

He watched with some glee as the goddess spoke to him while at the same time speaking louder with her body language. Jarmyr liked what he saw, but he still retained some focus onto her proposition. As he had promised, he wouldn’t had mind fulfilling any sort of role at her disposal. That said, he couldn’t help but to be entertained by her mulling her options over. A laugh slipped out when mentioned about having a soul to take; he was fairly certain that he could offer far more better things than his tainted spirit. But he remained silent about that and continued to listen obediently. He hadn’t minded being one of those demons that would collect souls for hers or acting as a servant in general. But he would respect her opinion and let her decide on where to place him in her stead.

Killing wasn’t beneath him at all; he was a bard but a dangerous one. After all, who ever suspected the bard of all people to be a murderer? Many times he had assassinated either for coin or for furthering his own agenda. Doing so for just for Dalanesca would be a great honor for him. Hell, just her saying his name the way she had made his body shiver with delight.

“I have no qualm for spilling blood for the Reaper.” Whoever her enemies were that he would be sicced on would be very unfortunate to run into him. He would deliver them into a melody of despair and demise before sending them on their way to the road of oblivion. “Oh, I’m indeed interested, Dalanesca.” Rising up from his seat, he casually moved right up towards her before descending onto both knees. Leaning forward onto her smooth legs, he rested his tilting head on them while looking up at her heavenly image.

“Interested in much you have to offer in return for these services, of course.” In exchange he would strive to be her best demon in every sense of the word. Jarmyr rose up slightly so they could be face to face, his hands sought out her left hand. “Just point me to the right direction and I will not disappoint.” His lips pressed lightly across it for a few moments before returning it back.

“Good,” breathed Dalanesca as Jarmyr admitted that he would have no difficulty killing for her. She eyed him with a heated interest in her eyes as he moved to kneel before her, his head coming to rest on her legs as he looked up at her. She had to admit, she found him rather enticing, which was ironic, as she was typically the one having that effect on people.

She let out a dark chuckle at his next comment. “Oh, Jarmyr… you can’t even begin to imagine what I can offer you,” she said, running a finger down the side of his face before he stood, at eye level with her. She felt him take her own hand in his, pressing his mouth against the back of it in a quick kiss. As her hand dropped after he released it, she shifted slightly, moving so that she was a bit closer to him.

“I’ve no one for you to kill just yet,” she added, smirking slightly at him. “There are other social calls I must attend to before we can get to… business,” she said, licking her lips slightly as she eyed him up and down once more. “I am assuming you have heard of Zets’Ki Cradle?” she asked rather nonchalantly, moving to stand up, circling behind him.

“The gods will be putting together a little… shindig in the Celestial Hall at the Cathedral of Reverie,” she said. “In celebration of the coming winter, of course. It would only be right for me to make an appearance,” she said, with a sigh - it was clear that it was not exactly her idea of what she wanted to do with her spare time. “And of course… a Goddess cannot show up with an empty arm, now can she?” she asked, leaning down and placing her hands on his shoulders, her lips nearly brushing his ear as she spoke. She dug her fingers into his shoulder slightly as she continued to speak. “Think of it as your first… task,” she added. “Perhaps it will give us a chance to get to know one another just a tad better,” she added. Without warning, she drew his earlobe between her lips and grazed her teeth against it slightly before straightening up and pulling away from him.

“What do you say?” she asked, walking back around to face him with a soft smirk on her ruby lips.