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Did she ar? No, of course she didn’t Particularly not a war Idris would have a very hard ti Vivenna had worked so hard to undere war Why hadn’t she ever considered trying to head it off?

I did, she realized That was inal plan when I was back in Idris I’d intended to talk the God King out of hen I becaiven up on that plan No, she’d beenup on it Either by her father’s sense of inevitability or by Denth’s subtlety--or by both--it didn’t really matter Her initial instinct had been to prevent the conflict That was the best way to protect Idris; and it was--she now realized--also the best way to protect Siri She’d practically given up on saving her sister, focusing on her own hate and arrogance instead

Stopping the ouldn’t protect Siri fro But it would probably keep her froe It could save her life

That was enough for Vivenna

"It’s too late," one of the men said

"No," Vivenna said "Please"

Theover at her She walked back to the circle and then knelt before thes"

"But Princess," one of the men said, "what can we do? The sluer We have no power compared to them"

"You must have some influence," she said "You seem like men of wisdom"

"We’re family men and workers," another said "We have no riches"

"But people listen to you?" she asked

"Some do"

"Then tell the her head "Tell theer than I was The Idrians here in the sluth If you tell the manipulated further"

Thethisto Vasher "But I do know that Idris will not win this war We should be doing everything we can to prevent a conflict, not to encourage one" She felt a tear on her cheek, and her hair had grown a pale white "You can see Ino longer have the control a princess and follower of Austre should show I arace to you, but please don’t let my failure doom you The Hallandren don’t hate us They barely even notice us I know this is frustrating, but if you , they will only be shaken into anger against our hoer man asked "Let them step on us? What does it et crushed"

"No," Vivenna said "There must be a better way An Idrian is their queen, now Perhaps, if we give theet over their prejudice We !"

"Your wordsthe cap "But--and forgive me for my ostentation--those of us here in Hallandren find it difficult to care about Idris much anymore It failed us before we even left, and noe can’t really go back"

"We are Idrians," one of the others said "Butwell, our fao, Vivenna would have been offended Her sojourn on the streets, though, had taught her a little of what desperation could do to a person What was Idris to them if their families starved? She could not blame them for their attitude

"You think you will fare better if Idris is conquered?" Vasher asked "If there’s war, you’ll be treated even worse than you are now"

"There are other options," Vivenna said "I know of your plight If I return to my father and explain it, perhaps we can find a way to return you to Idris"

"Return us to Idris?" one of the men said "My family has been here in Hallandren for fifty years now!"

"Yes, but as long as the king of Idris lives," Vivenna said, "you have an ally We can ith diplo doesn’t care about us," another said sadly

"I care," Vivenna said

And she did She found it strange, but a part of her felt more of a kinship with the Idrians in the city than with those she had left behind She understood

"Wewithout bringing hatred as well," she said "We will find a way As I said, h her, he can be persuaded to improve the sluht cause, but because of the pity he feels for their situation"

She continued to kneel, asha, to be seen in the ied, short hair Ashamed to have failed them so coht I, as supposed to be so prepared, so in control How could I be so angry that I ignored my people’s needs just because I wanted to see Hallandren pay?

"She is sincere," one of the ive her that"

"I don’t know," said another "I still feel it’s too late"

"If that’s the case," Vivenna said, still looking at the floor, "what do you have to lose? Think of the lives you could save I proer If you make peace with Hallandren, I will insure that you are seen as heroes back in our homeland"

"Heroes, eh?" one of them said "It would be nice to be known as a hero, rather than the ones who left the highlands to live in brazen Hallandren"

"Please," Vivenna whispered

"I’ll see what I can do," one of the