Page 7 of Earthbound

‘I don’t believe you. I think the fae hoard it for themselves.’

Yeeran ground her teeth together and sat back in her chair, increasing the distance between them so she didn’t feel tempted to use her fists.

‘You are negotiating in bad faith.’

‘Bad faith?’ Motogo stood, the movement rattling the tent walls. ‘I allowed you into this camp, you who stood by while your very own chieftain was killed. You who have abandoned your race, your morals, your army—’

Is it a prerequisite that all chieftains must be assholes? Pila asked lightly, and Yeeran nearly snorted.

Motogo must have seen her lips twitch because they pointed a lacquered finger in condemnation. ‘You toy with us.’

Yeeran rose from her chair. She was significantly taller than Motogo, so she didn’t need to sound threatening as she looked down on them. ‘I have abandoned no one. All I seek to do here is save lives. It has been months of discussions, months of negotiating this peace treaty. What I do is in the interest of all parties, especially the Waning army.’

Motogo exhaled through their nose. It seemed for a moment that their anger was spent, but then their stare caught the drum strapped to Yeeran’s side. An exquisite piece of craftsmanship that had once been given to her by Salawa. Yeeran recalled how Chieftain Motogo–General back then–had made their jealousy clear.

‘What would Salawa say if she could see you now?’ they said with a sneer.

‘She’d probably ask why you were sitting in her chair.’ It was a petty insult, getting to the crux of the true thorn between them: Motogo was not well liked, by Salawa or anyone else.

Motogo scoffed.

‘Then,’ Yeeran continued, ‘she’d probably kiss me.’

Motogo’s large face turned a deep purple. It had not been a secret that Yeeran was the chieftain’s lover, but she had never flaunted it. Especially not like this.

Pila hummed with approval as she watched through Yeeran’s eyes.

You’ve made them very angry.

A tribute to Salawa. She found Motogo odious, Yeeran said to Pila. Though occasionally Yeeran felt a jolt of sadness still, she didn’t think of her old lover as often as she had before. The grief had calloused over, the memories of the bad times rising to the surface far quicker than the good.

Motogo was quivering with anger now. ‘You should leave, before I do something I greatly regret.’

Yeeran nodded; there was nothing left to be achieved here.

Four months and this was what it had come down to.

The elves had taken three weeks to let her into the camp, six more to agree to drafting a peace treaty. And now this, conflict after conflict.

It was worse before, Pila said.

That’s true.

The first few discussions had been with all four chieftains: Waning, Crescent, Eclipse and Waxing. They had argued between themselves far more than with Yeeran. Eventually she had firmly suggested that one chieftain be the coalition’s mouthpiece for the purpose of progress. Motogo had been nominated given they had once been Yeeran’s general–the chieftains thought their pre-existing relationship was a benefit. But in truth, Yeeran had been disappointed when Motogo showed up that first day; she would have liked to have sat down with Chieftain Yao of Eclipse. She seemed the only one who wasn’t entirely driven by bloodlust.

The rest wanted war, they craved it. Most of the elves did now that the Bleeding Field had been abandoned–a fact Yeeran still couldn’t quite comprehend. The Forever War had waged for hundreds of years. Strife was woven into the very sinew of every elf, for they all believed in the righteous cause they fought for–the fraedia crystals that lay beneath the bones and blood of the battlefield.

But now the tribes had unified, setting their sights on a larger prize: the fraedia in Mosima.

Convincing Furi to part with some of it had been another battle altogether. But it was better than bloodshed.

Even if sometimes I regret it.

Being ambassador for the fae was a thankless task. But there was no one else who could fill the role except Yeeran. She knew the elves’ way of life, knew the indoctrination the Forever War had scarred onto their minds. Even if the process was painful, at least there was a process happening.

Anything to avoid another war.

‘Please discuss the final points with the other chieftains, Motogo. We’re so nearly there. I’ll return in three days,’ Yeeran said, trying to sound contrite.