As Sweet as Honey

I R I S Iris considered his answer, pausing to snicker at his comment. "Just like a criminal syndicate, then." She chirped the statement innocently, with a fine dose of hilarity. She wondered if the governor would find the comparison as amusing as she did. No leader of Torchline has ever been truly "clean". While the other regions subscribe to causes and ideologies to justify their rule, the tropical paradise had always been a more honest place. "Governments do tend to have more bureaucrats though." A visible chill coursed though her body at the thought, like she'd just walked through cobwebs. If being stuck on the fringes of her family's enterprise had taught her anything, it was how much she hated the technicalities of administration and the people who thrived around them. As patches of vegetation started appearing, Iris would wander closer to the cliffs, inspecting them for traces of the famed honey Ludo coveted. They weren't there yet, but her anticipation grew. She'd been paying the man trailing them no mind until Sunjata pointed him out once again. Glancing behind to see him glare and mumble once again she shrugged. "A helper. Well, he was supposed to be. Supposedly he knew the terrain, but I think he just drew a short straw." Raising the volume of her voice by a fraction she added, "The job would be easier if he did it with a smile." She turned back to Sunjata and adjusted the volume accordingly, "You don't boss any minions around? Just for afternoon entertainment?" Her tone suggested she spoke in jest, although evidence pointed to the contrary.