Leave their people behind. He had heard the very same sentence spoken from lazy southerners and their lazy ways of govern, yet he had never expected to hear such a indolent reasoning from his own daughter. “The weak will die. Are you the voice of the weak? Are they your people, to show such concern?”
The young chaos kept repeating these words, and Elwinn began to suspect she did not know the meaning of them and the entire chess board their world was. He stared at her, eyes wide open as the man paid fully attention at her, for her words spoke much more than what the girl intended to say. “We thought?” Lord Argo raised his voice even more, as if the child hadn’t heard her very own words. Had he, Lord Elwinn Argo of the Vanguard, son of Rulf, taught his own children to underestimate their enemies in such basic ways? He surely had not, as in his ancient household, the mind began a training even earlier than the steel did. And so such impertinences he would not accept, but what could he do while she was on the outside of this damned cage?
“Are you so obtuse, Lady Argo, to care for the mockery he might inspire? Are you so fatuous, Eva Argo, to believe for one second that this family would be kept to rot in these lame dungeons?” He could go on and on questioning the girl’s judgment, but it was clear she did not wish to admit her faults, nor the flaws in her strategy, and he wanted to remain cautious of the witnesses jailed so close to them, probably listening to this whole nonsense.
“You? An unmarried female with no connections? A child?” He huffed and averted his gaze from her in a demeaning manner.
He recalled his own father’s words, as he often did in times of doubt or trouble. Elwinn then looked at his beloved friend, his wife, Naria, before addressing the spoiled girl once again. “Very well, then, child.” The man frowned deeply, considering his limited options and the many plans his mind had already started building up. “One last advice, before you continue with your half-witted plans, little Argo. Do not say the word ‘manipulation’ out loud. It kills the effect.”
Eva narrowed her eyes at her father’s words. Truth be told, she did not give a rat’s ass for ‘‘their’‘ people, for all she cared the entire world could die in pain and she would not blink, but people talked. How could they get any help or gain any allies if people had certain -- damaging opinions on them?
“They are not my people, they are our people, father. The weak have died, in that I am sure of, but with them so did our possible allegiances with powerful families. Do you think anyone would back up a family they deem dishonorable and ruthless? The fact remains, I care about no one but myself and this family, for love is weakness, is it not? I did not say that out of love I said it so you can be aware how will it be for all of us once we return back home.”
The young Chaos saw the reaction Elwinn held when she spoke of her two arranged marriages and she has decided to ignore it completely. That was, she has planned to ignore it completely, until her father spoke once again and she had to fight her every urge to growl and yell at him. A child? He did not deem her a child when he asked for her opinions back in Vanguard. He did not deem her a child when he cast her into the, from the beginning, condemned marriage with Hamish Vitello. She was a child when it suited her family and she was terribly tired of it.
“It appears that a child is the only Argo doing something of value. You always say we should not underestimate our enemies, father, but you should also know that you should not underestimate me, either. You and mother raised me, yet it appears you have no idea what I am capable of. You call me a child, but I am first and foremost an Argo. You know better than anyone that I do nothing half-way.”
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