You can feel the tension in the air. We know we need to find a solution because the future of Estoria and maybe even the Oath and peace across Thylea stand in the balance. And it’s taken its toll on us. I for one feel quite on edge, this is not the type of negotiation I usually go for, most times my own life isn’t directly on the line; and the size of that army across the wall is quite staggering.
Theo too seems a bit more direct and analytical than usual, to the point of being a bit grating; I may have responded in kind, which didn’t help. Thankfully Hippofilius is his usual calm and collected self, rising above and doing most of the negotiation. Whatever turmoil he feels inside he hides very well under this facade, maybe a bit like he hides in his wild beast form. Helikaon is well, Helikaon - brave and stern as if he was made of stone. Being a medusa that is definitely one of my favourite jokes but it’s definitely lost its… bite once the basilisks entered the stage. Braz is off training the troops so I can’t say much about him, but hopefully the competence and skill he finds there will reassure him. Whereas Calliope is keen and as enthusiastic as a siren can be (on a bad day! One source of my general annoyance with Theo today.) And I really want to qualify this, I am not calling her naive in her dedication to the Oracle’s mission and the Oracle herself, I am currently extremely envious of her. My own cynicism seems to have taken hold of me...
Princess Anora seems both competent and well-loved by the city, the signs of a true leader - very much in spite of her father’s genes. Though maybe a bit too willing to sacrifice herself for her people. She will need to learn that self-sacrifice, as an extreme, isn’t always the solution, many times as a leader you need to reach a compromise. Talk about the kettle calling the pot black…our plan is to sacrifice not one, but all of us instead of the princess. And in exchange, we got a promise from the Order of Sydon that they won’t ask for Anora as a sacrifice again and a rather less good deal from the centaurs; it was a good negotiation, cannot fault it, centaurs can be quite tricky... what with their love of honour and combat.
So we find ourselves on the Rock of Estor, but not before I pull my hood down in front of the whole group assembled on the shore. If they write stories and sing songs of our death, I want them to write about the real me…