Verita - The Guardian of Darkness

11 - Conditions of Peace

"They'd die. At least half of them. And another half would come back plagued by nightmares and cold sweats", replied Elanthin merciless. There was nothing to be gained by avoiding hard truths. Especially not if lives were on the line.

Discreetly, she drew her own hands back and folded them in her tunic. The slight tremor wasn't terribly noticeable but Elanthin didn't doubt for a second that it was a combat injury – maybe even a chronic one –, and she didn't want the Gratian king to see a weak side of her.

Aetrian nodded slowly. "It wouldn't help with the situation at all, I gather?"

"The problem with the Deep is that we have no way of closing it off. A human army is always limited due to the mortality of its soldiers; the Deep's creatures however form endlessly. Resistance is all we have on the Plains – but the fight has outgrown us. Sending another army would be a temporary fix at most, so I wouldn't advise it."

He must have noticed her cautious attempt to grab a pastry earlier because he raised one of the tablets towards her. A quick shake of her head and he immediately put it down again.

As she hadn't accepted the pastries, he offered her an acknowledging smile instead. "I'm glad that I wasn't wrong about you."

Elanthin raised an eyebrow. What was he going on about now?

"Somehow I had a good feeling about you from the moment you rode towards us on that hell beast."

"On that...", she trailed off, while she tried to make out which creature from the Deep he was referring to. When it clicked, she sent him a flaming glare. "Don't you go and call my favorite horse a hell beast."

"Why not? It suits his master."

There was no doubt in Elanthin's mind that Aetrian was provoking her, so she breathed in slowly and counted to ten once again before she looked at him. This time, she wouldn't allow her emotions to show.

"It seems you like to take risks by ruling on emotional whims", she shot back cooly.

The smile she received in return was brighter than the candle flames surrounding them but it didn't feel as warm. Instead, it gave her the urge to to smack the silver-haired stranger in front of her until he lost it.

"But I was right. Just now, you could've told me to send my army. The losses for Gratia and myself would be astronomical but your own army would be getting some much-needed rest."

"I'm not interested in sending soldiers into unnecessary or cruel deaths."

Her answer had been immediate and Aetrian tilted his head in acceptance. Even though his suspicions could be taken as an affront, Elanthin wasn't insulted in the slightest. If she'd sat in his seat, she would've considered him to do the same thing. If anything, her impression of him as a careless leader had just taken a turn for the better.

Now that I think about, she remembered suddenly, the village below seems to flourish. Either his predecessor had put him on an easy road or Aetrian was doing well in his position as administrator.

"Oh and I'm sorry for laughing."

"What?"

"When I did that, I wasn't aware of how powerless you must be feeling. But I think I have a better understanding of the situation now."

Elanthin ground her teeth. Apologizing to her was an empty act of politeness as there was nothing she could do if she wanted to ensure the treaty's implementation. What could she do but forgive the Gratian king in her current situation?