Rafe asks him, could the king's freedom be obtained, sir, with more economy of means? Less bloodshed?Look, he says: once you have exhausted the process of negotiation and compromise, one you have fixed on the destruction of an enemy, that destruction must be swift and it must be perfect. Before you even glance in his direction, you should have his name on a warrant, the ports blocked, his wife and friends bought, his heir under your protection, his money in your strong room and his dog running to your whistle. Before he wakes in the morning, you should have the axe in your hand.
In Hilary Mantel's "Bring Up the Bodies," Rafe probes whether the king's liberation can be achieved with fewer resources and less violence. This highlights the complex dilemmas faced during conflict resolution, where the costs of war can weigh heavily on the conscience and the outcomes remain uncertain.
The response emphasizes that when negotiations fail and an enemy is marked for destruction, the act must be calculated and total. Every possible advantage...
