Let The Chaos Continue

Demands

Macaw was seemingly alone as Kelp stepped into their meeting place, glaring at the putrid Rainwing before him.

"Well," Macaw began, a coy smile on his face. "You actually showed up." Anger flared in Kelp and he bit back a growl.

"Where's Joy?" He demanded. 

"Safe and sound." Macaw assured him. "For now." Kelp clenched his fists.

"If you hurt her," He snarled. "If you dare-"

"You'll what?" Macaw asked. "You're not exactly in the position to make threats, Kelp. If you'll remember, I'M the one who has your wife."

Kelp glared at him, but stayed quiet.

"That's better." Macaw declared. "Now, let's talk terms, shall we?"

"Fine."

"Item number one," Macaw began. "I get to leave this meeting freely and completely unfollowed by anyone. Agreed?" Glory's advice rang out in Kelp's mind, but he silenced it for now.

"Agreed." He grimaced. It wasn't like anyone was around, and Kelp wasn't stupid enough to follow Macaw back.

"Excellent. Item number two. When this is all over, and my terms are met and Joy is returned to you, I demand full immunity for me and my family. We're not allowed to get arrested over this."

"That's not exactly something I can decide." Kelp admitted.Macaw rolled his eyes.

"Please. You're the King. You're negotiating for Joy's life. Are you REALLY gonna pull the 'it's not my department' card?"

"I don't know how immunity works in the rainforest. I could agree to your wording, and then find a giant loophole later. I'm sure you wouldn't want that, now would you?" Macaw paused, glaring at him.

"Fine. Item number three." Macaw grinned wickedly. "I want an arranged marriage, between my sons and the current princesses." Kelp stiffened.

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm entirely serious. Rosella, Aria, and Prism, isn't it? I'd prefer for a match not to be made with Rosella, seeing as she's spoken for by the Sandwing prince and I don't want to start a war over her. But unfortunately, Aria's related to your freak of a daughter, and those traits are obvious genetic, at least in the females, but I think Raven could handle her." Kelp frowned.

"Raven?" He repeated. "But isn't he gay?" Macaw glowered.

"He is what I tell him to be, and he will do what I tell him to do." 

"I will not force an arranged marriage between two dragons who could never even grow to like each other."

"Excuse me?"

"Raven doesn't like girls. I won't force him to marry one, even if you will. It's unfair, and ridiculous, not to mention doubly cruel considering he's with Wren. Pick something else." Macaw growled slightly.

"Fine. Just the one arranged marriage, then, since you're such a stubborn prat. Prism and Crow, arranged to be married when Prism turns seven."

"But isn't Crow already, like, ten?"

"Fourteen, to be exact. What do you care?"

"Prism is two! That's a ridiculous difference!"

"Age never stopped anyone in your family before. Why should you care about it now?" Kelp fumed, hating that his retort had failed. He didn't mind age differences usually, but this? Macaw was just being sick.

"I don't have the authority to arrange a marriage for Prism." Kelp insisted. 

"You're the king."

"That means nothing. Prism isn't even related to me- I'd have to talk to Apple and Ember."

"You're stalling. Strange, considering the longer you wait, the longer Joy is kept in my clutches."

"Do you have any more demands or not?" Kelp snapped. Macaw thought for a minute, then smiled far too wide for Kelp's liking.

"Those are my terms for now." He declared. "I suggest you accept them if you want to see your wife alive again." 

They stared at each other, glaring, until finally Macaw looked away, stepping back. 

"Do you accept my terms or not, prat?"

"I need time to discuss the marriage with Apple."

"Too bad."

"I cannot answer you now." Kelp proclaimed. "I need time."

"Four days." Macaw announced. "You have four days to accept and deliver on all of my terms. I will be here every night, waiting for your response. I suggest you do not take advantage of that and use force against me, lest you want your wife to suffer for it. If you do not deliver on my demands by the time your time is up, Joy will die. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." Kelp offered, glaring daggers at him.

"Four days," Macaw repeated, smiling faintly. "Ironic- that's how long I had with Joy last time." The smirk was wiped from Macaw's face as Kelp wound up and punched him, dropping the Rainwing to the ground.

"Your demands never said I couldn't hit you."