I paused, partly for effect… mostly because I had no clue what I’d say next till it came to me.
“But turning myself over to that madwoman wouldn’t change anything. You’d still be oppressed. Well, most of you. For the elves in the room, yeah, I’m sorry, but if you follow me, the best I can offer is that, if you’re good people, then not much should change for you. If you’re an asshat, then you’re shit-outta-luck. Sorry. Actually, no, not sorry.”
There was murmuring and shuffling. I got the feeling some people were leaving. Well, good riddance. If they didn’t like that, they’d probably betray us to Valnea eventually.
“So yeah. If you choose me, if you choose to fight for a better life, then probably some of us are going to get hurt, some are going to die.” I really hated saying that, but it needed to be said. “Most revolutions aren’t pretty. We’re all going to have to get our hands dirty to fight the power of this world, but that’s what I’m all about.”
Fuck, I really didn’t want to be a general. I didn’t want people following my orders and getting killed, but still.
“I’m going to fight,” I shouted, raising my fist. “And I’ll be on the front lines, if that helps. I wouldn’t expect anyone to fight for a leader who isn’t leading the charge, putting their own life on the line.”
The crowd cheered.
Well shit, I’d done it now.
IZZY
As the cheers died down,I spoke again. “Now… I’m no tactician. And since I want us to survive this fight, I’m going to hand things over to someone who hopefully knows more than I do, so we can figure out how we’re going to win this.” I turned to Lhorine and mouthed the word: “help!”
She smiled and took over. I didn’t return to the line of others on the stage, keeping myself apart. This was my place now, a figurehead if nothing else.
Lhorine looked out over the crowd. She must have done this sort of thing before, because I actually thought she was looking at them despite the fact that the lights were blinding and I’d not been able to see anyone out there.
“Valnea is going to marshal all her forces against us. She won’t take any chances. She’ll want this to be an overwhelming victory. And I’ll be honest, it just might be. We have a slim chance of winning this with the right strategy, but also… we’re going to need help.”
Lhorine looked back at Svokol.
“Master Gurand,” she addressed him formally, using hislast name. “What are the chances the dwarves will join us in this fight?”
He must have done some trick with stone, because even though he had no mic, his voice boomed through the hall when he spoke.
“I will talk to the clan leaders, but… dwarves are not a hasty bunch. I estimate the chances of them joining us at… ten percent.”
Yikes!
“A more likely outcome and perhaps the best for us, would be that they stay out of the fight entirely, withdrawing to their caverns.”
At least they wouldn’t be fighting for Valnea, but still, that didn’t sound good.
Svokol’s dark-skinned features turned grim. “We were once elves but shunned for our lack of creation magic. We have long memories, and despite our otherwise vaunted place in society… we have no great love for the elves who pushed us away so long ago. I will speak with all the passion I have to convince them to join our cause, but… I do not think it likely.”
Lhorine addressed the dwarf once more, asking, “Which I presume means it is unlikely that the dwarves would lend us the aid of their forces in Urval? The Salmaeri and concubi could be a boon in this fight.”
Svokol shrugged. “Again, I deem it unlikely, but I’ll do what I can.”
“Thank you,” Lhorine said, then looked out to the crowd. “Is Dean Estralla present to speak on behalf of the undines?”
Someone near the front rose, I could only see them because they were close and the lights weren’t currently focused on me. The woman who made her way onto thestage was a stately and poised undine of middle years, which could mean fifty or five hundred, for all I knew. Nearly imperceptible scales highlighted her blue-pale skin, bringing out the sharp lines of her face: cheeks, chin, ears, and a strong brow. Raven hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and navy eyes studied me as she passed by. I got the feeling she hadn’t made up her mind about me yet, but so far… I was getting a failing grade.
She approached the mic as Lhorine stepped aside.
“Knowing little of this new…princess.” She gave me a rather savage side-eye glare. Her tone suggesting I was no princess to her. “I would probably council the undines to stay out of this fight, like Master Svokol has suggested.”
Huh… Svokol hadn’t suggested anything of the sort. He’d simply thought itprobablethe dwarves would stay out of the fight, not that he was advising them to.
“And once I’m home, I may not return,” Dean Estralla continued. She then sighed, turning pensive. “If… however…” And it sounded like a very bigif. “This princess can prove herself worthy, then it ispossible, if unlikely, that the undines may come to her aid.” Well, that was something. Not a resounding vote of confidence, but something.
“We undines and our triton attendants are quite happy beneath the waves and care little for affairs on land. But I will also admit to a certain… fear of Valnea and a hesitancy to see her rule over all of us.”
