Branaric filled his glass again. "So, what exactly is it you want from us?"
"Alliance," Shevraeth said. "How that will translate into practical terms is this: You withdraw to your home, to all appearances willing to negotiate a truce. I shall do my best to prevail upon Galdran to accept this truce, and we can protract it on technicalities for as long as may be, which serves a double purpose--"
"End the fighting, but honorably," Bran said, nodding. "I understand you so far. What if Debegri comes after us anyway?"
"In apprehension of that, my people are taking and holding the Vesingrui fortress on your border. For now they are wearing the green uniform, as servants of the Crown. If Debegri goes on the attack, I will send this force against him. If not--"
"They'll leave us be?"
"Yes."
"And if Debegri doesn't come?"
"You wait. I hope to achieve the objective peacefully, or with as little unpleasantness as possible. If it transpires that I do require aid in the northwest, I would like to be able to rely on you and your people as a resource."
"And after?"
"As we discussed. Honor the Covenant. No more forced levies; tax reform; trade reestablished with the outside, minus the tariffs that went into the Merindar personal fortune. That's to start."
Bran shrugged, rubbed his hands from his jaw to through his hair, then he turned to me. "Mel?"
"I would prefer to discuss it later," I said.
"What's to discuss?" Bran said, spreading his hands.
"The little matter of the crown," Shevraeth said dryly.
"Alliance," Shevraeth said. "How that will translate into practical terms is this: You withdraw to your home, to all appearances willing to negotiate a truce. I shall do my best to prevail upon Galdran to accept this truce, and we can protract it on technicalities for as long as may be, which serves a double purpose--"
"End the fighting, but honorably," Bran said, nodding. "I understand you so far. What if Debegri comes after us anyway?"
"In apprehension of that, my people are taking and holding the Vesingrui fortress on your border. For now they are wearing the green uniform, as servants of the Crown. If Debegri goes on the attack, I will send this force against him. If not--"
"They'll leave us be?"
"Yes."
"And if Debegri doesn't come?"
"You wait. I hope to achieve the objective peacefully, or with as little unpleasantness as possible. If it transpires that I do require aid in the northwest, I would like to be able to rely on you and your people as a resource."
"And after?"
"As we discussed. Honor the Covenant. No more forced levies; tax reform; trade reestablished with the outside, minus the tariffs that went into the Merindar personal fortune. That's to start."
Bran shrugged, rubbed his hands from his jaw to through his hair, then he turned to me. "Mel?"
"I would prefer to discuss it later," I said.
"What's to discuss?" Bran said, spreading his hands.
"The little matter of the crown," Shevraeth said dryly.
( Sherwood Smith )
[ Crown Duel ]
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