She laid out her position like a general marshaling her troops and Hadama held his drink as he listened not only to her tone but to the words that she chose. The frown smoothed out, but only to return to his usual solemnity without any humor to make his eyes shine. He inclined his head in acknowledgment of her choice and her reasoning when she was done, but he did not speak immediately; neither to refute her nor to agree.
Instead he sipped his drink again, letting the cold, refreshing burn slide down his throat before he addressed her question, and at least some of what had come before.
"I have learned that the Family is not ready for war yet," he said bluntly. "If they had been, she would not have begun with words. She would have teleported in and attacked while we were seated." The first lesson. "She came to create fear. And she succeeded. More, our actions allowed her to sow distrust and instability. An outcome that has only helped the Family." He stated it as a fact, though one he regretted as he allowed himself the release of another sigh. "I do not blame you. My actions were my own choice. But I do believe that we made a dangerous situation worse." He paused then, his eyes thoughtful as he turned his gaze once more to the picture above her head. "It would not be easy to swallow my pride and bend before her, as you say. But it would be worth it, if while I am bending I am planting a seed of the Family's demise."
He brought his eyes down to meet hers squarely once more and considered her for a long moment before he tilted his head. "We are learning about the Family's weaknesses. What magic will work against them. And what is wasted. We are building our defenses, and strengthening our regions." He set his glass on the table gently and the ice clinked again as he sat back. "My takeaway is that, right now, live hands to help these undertakings are worth far more than dead martyrs. And that each project we complete makes us more ready to take the battle to them. And more likely to survive it."
Instead he sipped his drink again, letting the cold, refreshing burn slide down his throat before he addressed her question, and at least some of what had come before.
"I have learned that the Family is not ready for war yet," he said bluntly. "If they had been, she would not have begun with words. She would have teleported in and attacked while we were seated." The first lesson. "She came to create fear. And she succeeded. More, our actions allowed her to sow distrust and instability. An outcome that has only helped the Family." He stated it as a fact, though one he regretted as he allowed himself the release of another sigh. "I do not blame you. My actions were my own choice. But I do believe that we made a dangerous situation worse." He paused then, his eyes thoughtful as he turned his gaze once more to the picture above her head. "It would not be easy to swallow my pride and bend before her, as you say. But it would be worth it, if while I am bending I am planting a seed of the Family's demise."
He brought his eyes down to meet hers squarely once more and considered her for a long moment before he tilted his head. "We are learning about the Family's weaknesses. What magic will work against them. And what is wasted. We are building our defenses, and strengthening our regions." He set his glass on the table gently and the ice clinked again as he sat back. "My takeaway is that, right now, live hands to help these undertakings are worth far more than dead martyrs. And that each project we complete makes us more ready to take the battle to them. And more likely to survive it."
