"Why should we trust her?" someone called out.
"Because she is risking her life right now for you," Nadir nearly shouted. "Forall of you. Being beaten and starved just to find out information that will help us keep our home."
Nadir's chest was heaving, hands visibly shaking.
"No one asked her to do that," Soli said.
"No, but you all made it perfectly clear when she was here that you did not like or trust her," he seethed. "Even when you should have trusted me to make that decision, you all took it upon yourselves to make her feel inferior as though she had to prove herself to you when you should have—“
Nadir had to stop talking, his hands threading behind his head as he pushed a deep breath into his lungs and stared out at the crowd.
"You should have trusted your Commander," he finished.
"You were blinded by her beauty," Soli called out.
"Give me one instance while she was here that my being with her made you question my decisions," he asked. "Tell me when I ever put her over any of you."
"Can you swear never to put her first?" called out another.
"I'll never have to make that decision."
"Why?"
"Because she will always make sure you all come before her," he affirmed. "Because that's the kind of Queen she will be."
His people began to exchange glances, a few muttering around the room. Bala took the opportunity to stand.
"Your Commander is right," she said, placing a hand on Nadir's arm. She gave him a nod, and Nadir finally took a seat. Every person's attention moved to her, and Bala straightened.
“If there is one thing I learned about her during my time at Magnice, it is this: Nyssa is methodical, patient, and observant. She memorizes everything and will know your weaknesses before you know them yourself. It’s why Dorian trusts her as he does. It's why I trust her, and I'm sure it's one more reason your Commander trusts her—“ She glanced down to Nadir, who gave her a silent nod.
"Dorian is impulsive, much like Aydra," she continued. "But Nyssa… Nyssa will sit back and watch you for hours, calculating her every breath and counting yours. Nyssa craves information just as Aydra craved blood. Her need to prove herself goes beyond selfish greed. If she sees an opportunity for power, she will take it. And not for herself, but so that she can keep all of you safe, whether you see that or not. I know all you people see is that innocent facade. I'm sure you all thought her a weak girl when she arrived, but that entire act is her greatest ploy. She is a shadow. She will know how to kill you just by watching you walk. And when she works out how best to do that, her brother will take you out like the mercenary he is. Together they are more lethal than anything else in our world. They weremadefor this war.”
Bala paused, letting the words settle in the Honest people's minds and watching as they each shifted in their chairs.
"What do you want from us?" Soli finally asked. "Would you like us to throw her a parade when she gets back?"
"What I want from you, Soli," Nadir said slowly, his eyes rolling up to her, "is for you to get your head out of your ass and stop pretending like you would have done what she is doing.”
Bala sat down at the dare of Nadir's words. His hands settled between his legs as he leaned back in his chair.
"We need to double our food production. Synchronize and strengthen our legion fighting. Soot—“ he looked to the seamstress in the corner “—I need more armor."
The woman, Sutor, answered, "I'll need more material."
"I'll get it," Nadir promised. "Florna, what do you need?" he asked the arborist.
"More hands," she replied.
Nadir nodded, and then he stood, his hands pressing into the table. "Everyone in this room is now working more than one job. I don't care if you think you don't have time. Make it. Food is now being rationed. A third of what we were giving ourselves now goes into storage. Smoke it. Cure it. Jar it. I don't care. If you're trading in the villages or the mountains, double the price. Everything is more precarious now, and it will only get worse."
"What about trading with the Forest?" someone asked.
"Bala and her people are just as much in danger as we are. We provide her with anything she needs, and she will do the same for us. Just as it has always been."
"Should we be concerned that you sound as though our home is in jeopardy?" Soli asked.
"If you think it isn't, you're blind," he affirmed. "Bala and I travel to the camp tomorrow to see the Princess. We'll hold another meeting in three days to go over what we've learned, and I want an update on what we've discussed here."
