Lord Balik caught the motion. “What is it, Isolde?”
I swallowed. This was very much not my business, but if I said nothing, I’d regret it. After all, Sian was a friend. I didn’t want to put him in a bad position. Or a marriage that was not to his liking. “Ah, I’m not sure that is something Sian will . . . enjoy.”
“You think I don’t know my son’s preferences, is that it?”
“I wasn’t sure.”
“I do. Nevertheless, he must do his duty to our line. Especially if we win this war. Blood ties will help rebuild the kingdom.”
I looked at Thyra. This was her concession to make or not. I wouldn’t be the one to force her to wed.
“I agree with your condition,” my sister said boldly. “However, what happens if I accept my bond with Thantrel before the war is done?”
Had we not been in negotiations, I would have squealed. As it was, I barely contained myself.
“Then one of my grandchildren. Or my youngest boy, who is still a babe, will wed one of your children. I want my line to marry into the line of whomever sits the throne, which the pair of you should settle on soon.”
“I agree,” I said.
If that was all he wanted, we had gotten off easily. I could hardly imagine a better family to be connected to. The only issue would be if my children or Thyra’s children didn’t get along with any Balik descendants or heirs. As I had no power over that, I chose not to worry.
“As do I,” Thyra said.
“My last stipulation is you do everything in your power to keep my children safe.” He glanced to the side.
I followed his gaze to find a family portrait, newly done because the baby was included.
“Sian and Filip will wish to fight with you. As it’s their war as much as mine, I won’t stop them. Eireann, Baenna, Saoirse, and Fionn are of fighting age, too. Please, do all that you can to keep them safe.”
My heart clenched. This was the heart and soul of Lord Balik. His family.
“Yes,” I said seriously, feeling the request in my own heart. “I don’t know Saoirse or Fionn, but I love Eireann, Baenna, Filip, and Sian and would never want to cause them heartache. I’ll watch out for all of them.”
“As will I,” Thyra agreed.
He leaned back, as if assessing us.
“I have a stipulation of my own that I’d like to add.” The words were out of my mouth before I could reconsider if this was the right time.
“You do?” The question was plain in my sister’s tone. I’d not discussed this with her beforehand. Nor had I made this request of Lord Riis for his oath had come as a surprise and then I’d learned of his betrayal.
I gave a nod. “You alluded to my past as a blood slave, Lord Balik. It’s common knowledge now.”
“It is,” the high lord replied.
“Then it should come as no surprise that under my family’s rule, matters regarding the keeping of human slaves will change.”
Silence hung in the air, uninterpretable, so I plowed onward. “I understand that it will take time to integrate them into fae society, but humans live alongside and with fae in Dergia and that is what I wish to accomplish in the wider Winter’s Realm. I want them to be free and able to live as any fae.”
Lord Balik stared at me, but Thyra’s gaze dropped to her hands.
Finally, the high lord broke the silence I’d left. “I’m glad you know that such an endeavor will take time because it surely will. Not only the logistics, but to change fae hearts and minds on where humans stand in our culture.” He cleared his throat. “That being said, I’m in support.”
“You’ll free your slaves? Once the war is done?”
Ideally freedom would come now, but I was already asking so much, and to free people when the fae who could protect them was otherwise occupied seemed like it would not work. And what would happen if we lost? King Magnus would not care to protect the humans.
“I will,” Lord Balik agreed. “Not that we have many slaves here, just the odd human who wanders through a portal and finds themselves in the southlands.”
