Larsa frowned. He was normally not so honest with strangers. He saw no ill intent in the man before him, and perhaps that is what drew him closer. Loose-lipped and relaxed wasn't a common thing for the quirky male. Rhyme's innocence struck the Councilman as odd. It was something he neither expected nor was used to. Most of his relations were with people of his status. Larsa found that most of his peers within Era were more interested in their fame, fortune, and status. Status was important to Larsa, his fortune he had earned, but fame...fame was never his intent. As murky as the waters of his past were, most would think Larsa was corrupt. Well...he was, but always for the good of the people. He'd lie and squeeze his way through any loophole that he could if it meant he could get what he wanted done. He held himself in high regards because of that.

Larsa could easily work towards a higher position on the council, but he was more tactical than that. Working behinds the scenes was more his style. He would whisper in the ears of others. His plan was eventually to just make them his puppets. He considered himself the lesser of two evils. That was his pride.

"One would think," he said with a scoff that escaped drenched in obvious disagreement to the other Council members. It wasn't all of them, sure, but the few he had known over the years were some of the most despicable of men and woman he had ever come across. "No, most seem to be more concerned with their own gain. Don't get me wrong, I have my own...hidden agendas. He looked towards Rhyme for a response at his reveal. "The Council is more than just a leadership over Byzel, my friend." There was again an innocence in Rhyme's personality. Larsa chuckled in amusement. "We are responsible for the wellness and prosperity of all of Eos."

There was a reminiscence gleaming in his eyes. He felt a sense of purpose ever since he joined the ranks of the Council. He finally felt he was doing the work he always wanted. To free the slums of poverty and decay. As noble as it sounded, Larsa was still a despicable man. His reasons were his own, and that tended to lean more towards a side of vengeance and pettiness towards the high class. If he could make them suffer by living as equals with those of the lower class he would. It wasn't always that he wanted the lower class's livelihood to better, but to make those who held pride in their Nobility be humiliated by the very people they used to step on.

"As I mentioned before, I enjoy my whispers and favors. Curiosity leads to knowledge and knowledge does more than a blade at another man's throat." Larsa, despite all of the evils within him, was a man of peace and negotiation.

The drops of rain from above began to increase in number. Larsa covered his head with his hand, gesturing for Rhyme to follow him to take shelter from the droplets. A roof now covered them and the smell of hot tea filled his nostrils. "Let's sit for a while, if you have the time?"

Larsa turned around, his eyes meeting the white-haired male's own. His brows furrowed as he took in the man's question. Oh? Now he was interested? Larsa wasn't as surprised as most would be. It was a tactic he had used before. People's opinions change once they realize he had more power than the average Joe. If they thought he was only a traveler wandering around and randomly offering help, they seemed to be more likely to reject. However, once it was brought to light that he was a member of the Council, there was a quick snap in their mind. Larsa did not prefer using this tactic. It was more of a last resort, a ditch effort in case all others somehow failed.

He shook his head, faking a modesty in his voice quite well, "I'm just a man." He smiled warmly. "It is true what I said though. I am a traveler." The smile turned quickly into curiosity at Rhyme's sudden and vague request.

"Oh? Larsa hesitated, his eyes staring back at the man, "Ask away. I've never been an open book, though." He gave off a nervous laugh. It was true. If anything Larsa was one of the hardest books to crack. If he didn't want someone to know something, they simply wouldn't know.

Larsa hid his frown. He was a fan of favors. He often payed off favors in order to earn trust among other things. The Councilman could sense a wariness coming from the white-haired male. Myles, a bit puzzled by the rejection of Larsa's generous offer, continued to play with the rag he held in his hands. Larsa listened to Rhyme's explanation patiently, though he would be lying if he wasn't slightly disappointed. He hid it well though. The man, a master of the human psych, had learned to hide his quiet well. The man, in ever sense of the word, was nearly unreadable when he truly wanted to be.

"Of course." Larsa didn't want to impose any more than he already had. He wasn't going to press the issue anymore than needed. He always had his ulterior motives, but it was a rare sight for his offers to be refused. He would offer no strings attached, but if he ever found the right person, he could easily guilt them into believing they owed him favor of sorts. It had worked countless times in the past both with and without his use of Emotion Magic. "As long as you content," He smiled warmly and turned to Myles.

"Perhaps another time then, yes?"

Myles hesitated and then nodded slowly. "Y-yes, just let me know what I can do for ya'"

Larsa's attention returned to the white-haired male. "I make it a personal mission of sorts to ensure that anyone who finds their way into Eos is well taken care of." He would say this sincerely. He truly did have a soft spot for newcomers being one himself several years before. "Thank you again, Myles." He gave him a slight nod before heading towards the door.

"I'm sure we'll meet again, Rhyme." Larsa's lavender eyes narrowed as he faced away from the white-haired male, and a crooked smile colored his face. He liked his secrets. Perhaps Rhyme had one of his own. If that were ever the case, he'd find it. He lifted his hand in a wave and then turned around. "Ah, yes. If you ever find yourself...lost again..." He reached into an inner pocket of his white robe and revealed a card. It was a simple white card, elegant with a small golden border.



At this point in time, revealing his position would be much more beneficial than before. "Don't hesitate."

Larsa sat silently amidst a completely empty restaurant. The tables were lined with lacey, white clothe and the glasses polished neatly. Utensil sets were folded perfectly and set at the table and a bucket of ice with a selection of fine wines sitting atop the cubes. It was an obvious buy of good first impressions on the Councilman's behalf. His guest had yet to arrive, but he himself was always one prefer to arrive before anyone else. A lot could be read when a person enters a room. Their posture, their reaction to the scenery, the way they held their chin, how tightly their hands wrapped around their belongings or if they fidgetted with a tie or handbag. There was so much more to learn from silence and oh how he enjoyed the game.

His thoughts were silent. His lavender eyes gazed outward, never setting on one thing in particular. Larsa's mind was a powerful thing and he often found himself lost in its labyrinth. The clacking of pricey shoes on marble floor grabbed his attention. They came from behind as a waiter lead his guest to her seat. "Miss Yvel," he started, raising himself from his seat as she walked by him. He swiftly pursued around the other side of the table, pulling her chair out for her so that she could sit more easily. "It's an honor."

The man returned to his seat and a waiter filled two glasses with a generous amount of red wine. "I have a proposition for you." Blunt as always. Larsa was the kind of man who liked to get straight to the point. He watched her closely. Every detail was important.

[nospaces]

Just for me, really.

• Looking for Home with Rhyme  - Watcher
• An Offer You Can't Refuse with Yvel R. Alder  - Bunny