She's got the devil's eyes
Heartfire is not a woman easily swayed by words. Were the other mare more heavy handed with her influence, Heartfire might have grown suspicious. Might have wondered, after all that was said, how it were she had so easily changed her mind. But there is a subtle finesse in the fine threads of influence, carefully treading the line of nudging and pushing.
To the roan mare, it’s not so odd that she might grow to admire such an opponent. She often admires her enemies for their abilities. Of course, it had never prevented her from taking the actions she must, but she could admire their skill and cunning even while using it against them. Were she not already predisposed to such things, she might even have found that growing admiration suspicious.
As it is, she thinks little of it when she begins to appreciate Lepis’ tenacious refusal to yield. Truthfully, Heartfire likely would have done the same. And though it might allay her desire to resoundly destroy her opponent in the moment, it does not change her belief that the mare had placed herself on the wrong side of history.
But the suggestion to speak with Castile is a curious one. One that catches at her thoughts and clings like a burr. It’s true she hadn’t gone to any great effort to speak to him after discussions of alliance fell through. And perhaps that should be remedied. At the very least, it would help her confirm her course of action is the right one.
And so, it is in this way, that without rousing suspicion, Lepis is able to defuse the ticking bomb she herself had lit. She couldn’t possibly know of course, how very objectionable Heartfire would find it if she knew just what Lepis had done to secure such acquiescence. Just how furiously angry it might make her.
But that is a worry for another time.
After a tense silence, Heartfire offers a clipped nod, her words short as she acedes to the wisdom of speaking with Castile. “Perhaps I will.” Her gaze remains hard as she peers at Lepis. “Whether he can convince me otherwise remains to be seen.”
She falls silent after that. Even such skilled influence could not make her lips looser or peel further compliance from her. “We’ll discuss this again. For now, I think your welcome has worn thin.”
and they'll cut you like a weapon