Odium

"I don't understand. What do you want from my faction that your lowly group of peasants can't give you?" The woman barked, irritated. Her accent was heavy, as it usually was when she was angry.

"Whoa. There's no need to be so hostile, now, is there?" The man said, faking an innocent smile. "I just want an alliance."

"I know you. You wouldn't try to form a partnership unless it served you, and only you." The woman took a deep breath, then stated in an icily calm voice, "So I'll ask you again. What do you want?"

"I told you. I want to form an alliance."

"If that's really what you want, then here's my answer: no."

"Then we'll have to do this the hard way." The man announced, grasping a knife he had hidden in his back pocket.