Even Gods Must Fall - Christian Warren Freed Page 0,68
as he was to admit it, the Sea Wolf needed Ingrid’s fighters if he ever hoped to break through enemy lines and destroy the Olagath Stone.
“We must be ready to abandon Delranan if there is any chance of victory,” he told her without pause. “I don’t believe we can win if we hold on to the cities and villages.”
Ingrid fumed. Her cheeks flushed. “That is all we have left. These people cling to the promise our rebellion offers. We can fight, but won’t win without their support, Bahr. Most are displaced, disenfranchised to the point they seek to flee south in the vain hopes of escaping this conflict. Even if they succeed our cause will suffer.”
“Hasn’t there been enough suffering? Delranan isn’t destroyed yet. We can rebuild the cities and grow new crops. It’s the people that matter most,” he defended.
“The old kingdom is dead, Bahr. It falls upon us to rebuild what little remains,” she told him. Her blunt tone left no doubt of her intentions.
His eyes widened. “You seek to reestablish the throne?”
“Would that not be the prudent course? Delranan needs leadership. Strong leadership capable of seeing her through these dark times. While I have no aspirations of claiming the crown I am desperately seeking qualified people. No, I’m not about to begin courting you. You’ve made it clear you want no part in the politics of the day.”
Her mood soured. She knew Bahr was the legitimate answer to all of their problems but he was too stubborn, too stuck in an old train of thought to push aside his misgivings and do what was right for all. That left her with few choices. Orlek and Harlan would push for her to take the throne, but she wasn’t a ruler. Leading the rebellion hadn’t been her objective when the war started. She only assumed the position when Inaella and the previous council failed utterly.
“Bahr, I don’t mean to force you into a decision you have no desire in making. This isn’t your war, nor do I expect you to commit. We each have different paths to walk. You claim the very gods themselves have anointed your band to stop a war far surpassing the scope of our humanity. Who am I to disagree after all I’ve seen? If you must take the fight to the enemy in the old ruins we will accompany you to the forest edge as agreed.
“There our partnership ends. You fight your battles and I will take the rebellion to fight ours. Harnin One Eye needs to answer for his sins,” she said with resolve Bahr admired.
“What happens when this ends? Will any of us be able to return to our old lives?” he asked without expecting an answer.
Ingrid surprised him. “Does it matter? There is no going back into the past. What’s done is done. All we have is to look forward to the next dawn.”
Bahr appreciated her words but heard them laced with futility. “I wonder if that will be enough. Maybe Dorl is right. Maybe it’s best if we all just disappeared back into obscurity.” He snorted. “The wizard wouldn’t agree. The old fool is convinced we are here to serve some higher purpose that’s been building for thousands of years.”
“Anienam is a sage man. I wish I had a dozen like him in the beginning.”
Bahr laughed; a warm, tender sound as genuine as it was mirthful. “He’s crazy enough to make anyone take to the cups. The old coot is half mad but a decent enough sort when you get past his mannerisms. I’m still trying to figure out if he’s insane or just playing at it.”
“He does seem a bit eccentric,” she agreed. “But a valuable asset nonetheless.”
“No arguments there. We would have been killed a long time ago if not for him,” Bahr added. He and Anienam continued to think on separate paths but their wounds were slowly healing.
“Yet you torment him to no ends,” Ingrid added, choosing her words carefully so as not to provoke another fit.
Bahr didn’t have a reply. They were opposing personalities thrust into a rigid situation not of their choosing. He wondered what life would have been like had he not been born royalty and perhaps Anienam was passed over by Dakeb the Mage all those years ago. Would destiny still have found a way to involve them in this sordid tale? He supposed wondering didn’t do anything productive. Their lot was cast and it would all be over in the next day