Casnar's burrells come quickly to his flanks and face the papir'aia confronting him with his own burrells from Hulanthe waiting at ready, "…Okhaus," Casnar says with quiet, pensive anger, "…let me pass peacefully…I am in no mood for Kerhasi games of hostage and pressure-bloating arguments…If you know what is best for you," he warns, "…step fast aside."

"We must talk, Casnar," the papir'aia holds his ground, "…Where has your brother, the other one, been for the past two months."

"This is not the place nor the time to discuss that," Casnar hisses, glancing either side of them and seeing the burrells all waiting for any signal to act or stand down.

Okhaus turns, offering him one way to pass and it would be at his left—and with him, "…Come, let us find a place to discourse then, Casnar," he gestures for the hiriwa to proceed forward with him. The papir'aia waits as Casnar nods to his burrells to stand down…They do as Casnar starts through the corridor. Okhaus falls into step with Casnar as each their own guard of burrells lines behind them and stays a respectable distance back with papir'aia and hiriwa moving through the arches, their ba'trans gold, green, and white parallel red, orange, and black.

"You made a very moving speech," Casnar says low enough for only Okhaus to hear in the high halls, "…Congratulations on acquiring what you came here for today in terms of votes, Okhaus."

"Thank you…Unfortunately, votes will not win the war I am leading against these damn Morthwyl," Okhaus says as his eyes look off, somewhat distracted, "…I need burrells, weapons, and enough bodies to throw at them until they leave or are eradicated, whatever the cost…" Okhaus's eyes drift back to Casnar beside him, the golden patak faces forward, the emerald eyes in their own land of thoughts, "…I have something for you."

With a delicate sniff, Okhaus parts a fold in his robe ensemble, and withdrawing from it is a knife he has previously wrapped in leather cloth so as not to cause alarm when Casnar sees it unveiled…He holds it in his palm and unwraps the covering. Casnar, who has turned his eyes down to the exposed wrapping, suddenly grabs Okhaus's wrist, "…What is the meaning of—" and jarring the elderly drell's hand, the final flap comes free. The blood in his hand races away from his fingers as Casnar sees the blade and crossings of the hilt, "…Kala." The burrells in both lines pull up short as Casnar and Okhaus stop. "Where did you get this," Casnar demands, taking the knife in its wrap from Okhaus's hands, "…How did you get this!"

"You know who it belongs to," Okhaus observes, "…A drell came to my cottus in the Crandal and left it before my burrells could catch and unhood it…Took off," Okhaus wafts his hand, "…like the wind and disappeared into the markets."

"This has been parted from someone very dear to me," Casnar fondles the blade, keeping his fingers away from the edges and tip, knowing that to nick himself would transfer a potent poison into his blood, "…This is my brother's menjaga…My menjaga." He looks at Okhaus with a queerness to his expression, "…How convenient you should be in possession of it…Where is he, my brother."

"I do not know the fate of your half-brother, Casnar," Okhaus says with a small shake of his head, "…I only now have confirmed the blade belongs to him. Is he in trouble?" Casnar does not answer him, reluctant to share anything with a leader among the Kerhasi…Worse, a papir'aia about to bring the high th'anes to attack Braith in Rakka.

"Why would it be delivered to you of all Drells," Casnar whispers as he turns and tilts the knife…It gleams with the Blue Durriya in its embossed handlegrip. "Why…What reason mystifies me with its being brought to me by you?" Casnar looks at Okhaus again from the blade and handle.

As a few drells move into the corridor and head towards their direction from down the hall, Okhaus motions for Casnar to continue walking with him and they turn left into another series of connecting arteries, "…I would like to discuss that with you." Casnar nods to his burrells and this reassures them to continue, not drawing any conclusions yet about the papir'aia's intentions or his burrells in the darker, vivid colors.

Casnar asks, "…What connection do you have to my half-brother, Okhaus," his voice trembling with threat, "…Or Konis Traus."

"I have none, but to one I am familiar," Okhaus replies, "…Your brother I only know from his work with Merce'des. I do not know anything else…As for Konis Traus, that Drell I know of…Konis Traus came to me, looking for work as a Tramaine, but I did not get a good feel for him and so referred him to another clan, the Stuykvanasa in Lotriumida…Word came to me he led an uprising against the papir'aia, cut off his head and stole his daughter, a drellahna by the name Asifa."

"Asifa," Casnar thinks, "…I met a drellahna in Mohouni with that name…Stuykvanasa you said…Yes, she went to find her house-clan after I freed her and her fellow Sereptas."

"I did not know you found her in Mohouni," Okhaus says, "…Did she actually return to Lotriumida?"

"How would I know," Casnar growls, "…and what does she have to do with this, you, my brother!" He shakes the wrapped knife in his hand.

"I did not say she had to do with that," Okhaus's eyes move to the wrapping and what is hidden inside once again. "I only said I knew how Konis Traus came to be known by me."

"He has my brother," Casnar confesses, "…I am trying to get him back." Casnar takes the knife and hides it in his sash, "…I expect you to keep this quiet, Okhaus."

"I have only sent runners to every Kerhasi loyalist from Umay to Bakhmut," Okhaus says…Casnar stares at him, "…A joke, Casnar…The mystery only tells me your half-brother is either dead, soon to be dead, or he has broken oath," Okhaus pauses, "…Which would be as well as soon to be dead."

"I don't appreciate your sense of humor," Casnar grates. He starts walking up a staircase to the way that will lead him out of the Craig. "Tetonbaum would never break oath," though he might know better than this…Kasumi could have already begun to crack the th'ane's walls.

"I may have inquired of a contact or two," Okhaus says, Casnar looking at him, "…Your half-brother has not been in touch with his sponsor for some time now."

Casnar's back stiffens, "…You said you did not tell anyone—"

"I said," Okhaus raises his hand in a sweep between them, "…I did not send runners to the Kerhasi who might use the information against you," he narrows his eyes, "…Would you expect me not to inquire of someone's Blue Durriya blade ending in my care?"

"What did you learn, Okhaus." He takes a breath, "…You have information, more than just a blade and a few names you've dropped here and there, some stories. You want something, I'd wager, before you provide me with any information that would be beneficial to Tetonbaum and I."

"I want in on your dealing with the Archess, Casnar," Okhaus says, his eyes regaining their normal widths, "…I would like the blessing a business relationship with the Suighan can give to a drell who needs every help he can get to take his homeland back from something as powerful as what's down south this moment."

"You want what?" Casnar leans way from him. Okhaus widens his eyelids…

"Casnar, you have access to a fleet as powerful as the winds on the Beirchardt," he explains, "…I need power to help me fight what is down there, not just I'lorie High Th'anes, but the promise of what Rakka now bears as her fruit to be taken. Do this, and not only this, but lend me your barra to help slaughter the indrellane beasts that have pushed us from our homes. I won't tell anyone about Tetonbaum's break with Merce'des…for a small woman not even his species. I will also restrain the Kerhasi's hounds from pursuing you, cornering you at every congregation, hampering your progress afar and domestically."

"No," Casnar flatly turns him down, "…No Drell has ever threatened my house with bribes of 'alliances' and favors," Casnar turns from him, "…I do not need the Craig, Okhaus…It is clear you—and the Craig—need me."

"Do not be so arrogant, Casnar. The house you run must rely on his neighbors, you know this is true."

"I have reached over your head to your neighbor's neighbors, Okhaus," Casnar grins, "…I'm all set."

"Without Tetonbaum," Okhaus says as Casnar begins to walk away from him, "…Who will watch your back…or your family members'."

"I and my family members are least vulnerable without Tetonbaum…Without you."

As the last of Casnar's burrells pass on, leaving Okhaus with his burrells, the papir'aia raises his chin and the burrell closest gives a lean of his teness, "…Inform the others, and send the runner to the desert…The route he will take shall be homeward." The burrell leaves and Okhaus turns to go back to the audhilde.