Any sane person would, at this point, suggest that the real bargaining happen between themselves, and that they just play it out again for Carissa once the outcome has been predetermined and they know their parts in the play, but that, Abrigail suspects (or 'Abrigail', for that matter) is far too terribly dishonest for a dath ilani.

...good luck, Sevar, thinks Abrogail, but then she's had enough unexpected luck already that Asmodeus's hand there is clear.

"Mm.  That does present a... let us not say complication.  Doing this in front of Carissa, instead of simply presenting her with a sealed agreement between us, presents us with a matter of something that you gain and something that I lose.  What you gain is her affection; what I lose is something that I worry a dath ilani may not understand.  It has to do with Asmodeus's domain of pride, which, being something that belongs to a god, is defined in terms we cannot really understand; but in human terms... maybe I could say that I have a reputation for winning, and that you want me to do something that could be seen as losing.  Not in private between ourselves, but where others, like Carissa, or for that matter Isidre, can see it."

Any sane person would, at this point, suggest that the real bargaining happen between themselves, and that they just play it out again for Carissa once the outcome has been predetermined and they know their parts in the play, but that, Abrigail suspects (or 'Abrigail', for that matter) is far too terribly dishonest for a dath ilani.

...good luck, Sevar, thinks Abrogail, but then she's had enough unexpected luck already that Asmodeus's hand there is clear.

"Mm.  That does present a... let us not say complication.  Doing this in front of Carissa, instead of simply presenting her with a sealed agreement between us, presents us with a matter of something that you gain and something that I lose.  What you gain is her affection; what I lose is something that I worry a dath ilani may not understand.  It has to do with Asmodeus's domain of pride, which, being something that belongs to a god, is not intrinsically defined in mortal terms; but in mortal terms... maybe I could say that I have a reputation for winning, and that you want me to do something that could be seen as losing.  Not in private between ourselves, but where others, like Carissa, or for that matter Isidre, can see it."

Any sane person would, at this point, suggest that the real bargaining happen between themselves, and that they just play it out again for Carissa once the outcome has been predetermined and they know their parts in the play, but that, Abrigail suspects (or 'Abrigail', for that matter) is far too terribly dishonest for a dath ilani.

...good luck, Sevar, thinks Abrogail, but then Sevar's had enough unexpected luck already that Asmodeus's hand there is clear.

"Mm.  That does present a... let us not say complication.  Doing this in front of Carissa, instead of simply presenting her with a sealed agreement between us, presents us with a matter of something that you gain and something that I lose.  What you gain is her affection; what I lose is something that I worry a dath ilani may not understand.  It has to do with Asmodeus's domain of pride, which, being something that belongs to a god, is not intrinsically defined in mortal terms; but in mortal terms... maybe I could say that I have a reputation for winning, and that you want me to do something that could be seen as losing.  Not in private between ourselves, but where others, like Carissa, or for that matter Isidre, can see it."

Any sane person would, at this point, suggest that the real bargaining happen between themselves, and that they just play it out again for Carissa once the outcome has been predetermined and they know their parts in the play, but that, Abrogail suspects (or 'Abrogail', for that matter) is far too terribly dishonest for a dath ilani.

...good luck, Sevar, thinks Abrogail, but then Sevar's had enough unexpected luck already that Asmodeus's hand there is clear.

"Mm.  That does present a... let us not say complication.  Doing this in front of Carissa, instead of simply presenting her with a sealed agreement between us, presents us with a matter of something that you gain and something that I lose.  What you gain is her affection; what I lose is something that I worry a dath ilani may not understand.  It has to do with Asmodeus's domain of pride, which, being something that belongs to a god, is not intrinsically defined in mortal terms; but in mortal terms... maybe I could say that I have a reputation for winning, and that you want me to do something that could be seen as losing.  Not in private between ourselves, but where others, like Carissa, or for that matter Isidre, can see it."